Chapter3MakingcorrectandeffectivesentencesI. Correct Sentences requirementsofacorrectsentence1) It should be structurally complete;2)It should begin with a capital letter;3)It should end with a full stop, or a question mark, or an exclamation mark;4)It should express a single complete idea.1 Completeness in structure1 Completeness in structureExamples of Incorrect sentences1)How to operate this computer?2) Have lost my key.3)Because he hadnt finished his assignment, so he continued working in the classroom.4)The old man returning home after eight years absence to find that the neighbors he had known were no longer there.5)Mark Twain whose experience as a sailor on the Mississippi provided him with abundant material for the novels he was to write. let us remember that a normal sentence must contain a subject and a predicate verb. 2. The right subject2. The right subjectWhats wrong with the following sentence?To write the proposal, research must be done.悬垂修饰语（悬垂修饰语（Dangling ModifiersDangling Modifiers） 悬垂修饰语是与句子的主语不能构成逻辑关系的修饰语。悬垂修饰语可以出现在句中的任意位置，但大多在句首。（正）To write the proposal, the professor must first do some research.1)悬垂分词(Dangling participle) （误）Looking up at the sky, the sun went under a cloud.（正）Looking up at the sky, he saw the sun go under a cloud. 2)悬垂动名词（Dangling gerund）（误）After finishing the research, the paper was easy to write.（正）After finishing the research, I found that the paper was easy to write. 3) 悬垂动词不定式 (Dangling infinitive)（误）To write well, good books must be read.（正）To write well, I must read good books.4 )悬垂省略从句 (Dangling elliptical clause)（误）When only a small boy, my father took me with him to Chicago.（正）When I was only a small boy, my father took me with him to Chicago.Subject of a sentence should be properly related to the nonfinite verbs before it.2 The Right SubjectExamples: P461) On entering the classroom, the students stood up and said, “Good morning!”2)After finishing her composition, the translation exercise was taken up.3)Hurrying to the conference room, no one was there.4)Returning home after work, supper was waiting for him in the kitchen.5)To look at a map, the importance of this new railway will be seen.3 Agreement Between Subject and 3 Agreement Between Subject and Predicate VerbPredicate Verbthe predicate verb of a sentence has to agree with the subject in person and number. 1) Collective nounsCollective nouns like family and audience may be neither singular or plural, depending on the meaning in which they are used.2) Words, like news and names of branches of learning, are uncountable, and therefore are always singular; some words, like people and police, always plural. 3) When two subjects refer to different persons or are different in number, the verb should agree with the subject close to it.4) Words together with, in addition to, besides, etc.together with, in addition to, besides, etc., are objects of prepositions; they do not affectdo not affect the number of the subject.5) A subject clause generally takes a singular verb, but a what-clause which clearly refers to many a what-clause which clearly refers to many thingsthings can take a plural verb.4 Agreement Between Pronoun and AntecedentExamples:Examples:1) The owner and the captain refused to leave their distressed ship.2) The owner and captain refused to leave his distressed ship.Attention!1) After a compound antecedent with or, nor, or, nor, eitheror, neithernor, not onlybut alsoeitheror, neithernor, not onlybut also, a pronoun agrees with the nearer part of the antecedent.Examples: Neither the CEO nor his assistant was in his office.Neither the CEO nor his assistants were in their office. 2) A singular pronoun follows a collective noun antecedent when the members of the group are considered as a unit; a plural pronoun, when they are thought of individually.Examples: p 505. Clear pronoun referenceSentences with ambiguous pronoun reference:1)Im going to talk on jazz music for he is a well-known composer.2)Leave out the word in that sentence because it is too difficult.3)She told my sister that her idea was practicable.4)He is the man recommended by Mr. Smith who knows how to fix cars.when we use personal and relative pronouns, we should when we use personal and relative pronouns, we should make sure that their reference is clear.make sure that their reference is clear.6 Ending Sentences with Full StopsWhats wrong with the following sentence? I set out for the biggest bookstore in town, at the school gate I saw a girl of my class, she was going there, too, we decided to go together, we walked, the bookstore was not far away. ( comma fault or comma splice) When a sentence is structurally complete, whether long or short, it should end with a full stop.7 Joining Clause with ConjunctionsWhen two or more sentences are closely connected in meaning, it may be better to put them into one sentence than separate them.Example: P52distinguish between conjunctions and adverbs1)Conjunctions: and,but, for ,yet, so, or (coordinating)When , while, because, as , if (subordinating)2)adverbs:however, therefore, nevertheless, Join coordinate clause in three ways1)a comma and a conjunction, 2)a semicolon,3) a semicolon and an adverb.Exercises 1. She enjoys listening to pop music, her sister likes classical music better.2. She speaks English fluently, she speaks French quite well.3. The planes for the building are not yet ready, the construction cant start very soon.8. A main clause in a complex 8. A main clause in a complex sentencesentenceNote: In a complex sentence, there must be a main clause, whether it is at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.1)He would come to see me whenever he was in this city.2)When she heard the explosion, she called me immediately to ask what had happened.3) Not until the meeting had come to an end did they realize the seriousness of the problem discussed.Whats wrong in the following?1)Because he had not heard about that important decision.2)Whatever the director said at the conference.3)The man we could find for the job. Incomplete sentences 9. Proper use of comparisonIncorrect comparison:1)He is a better student. (He is a good student/ a fairly good student.)2)The text is easier. (The text is fairly easy/ quite easy.) 3) Her English is much better than I. ( )4)The language of Henry James is more elaborate than Ernest Hemingway.mine(thatof)Attention!1) Adjectives or adverbs of the comparative degree should be used only when there is comparison2) only things of the same kind can be compared.10. Correct use of the tensesWhats wrong with the following?1)We have revised our work plan last night.2)They changed their timetable and they are working according to it.3)This is his latest novel. Did you read it?4)We are going to the Great Wall. Did you ever go there?5)He has done the work alone and is still doing it.6)He visited all the historical monuments he wanted to see for a long time.Attention!1) Whenever we make a sentence, we should ask ourselves when the thing mentioned in the sentence happens.2) When we talk about something that happened in the past, but its result remains at present, we should use the present perfect. 2 Coordination and Subordination1) coordinationWhen we mention two or more things or ideas of equal importance, we often use coordination clause joined with a coordinating conjunction(and, but, or, nor, yet, so, or, for). 2) subordination.When we express an important idea in a main clause and one or more less important ideas in subordinate clauses, we are using method of subordination. the choice of coordination or subordination is mainly decided by the relationship between the ideas to be expressed.Attention!the use of conjunctive verbs such as however, therefore, nevertheless, moreover, and besides.These word are not conjunctions, they are used after a conjunction or a semicolon to join clauses.He is an eloquent speaker; however, he lacks depth.Neither manpower nor raw material was sufficient, and therefore the progress of the work was slower than expected.Focus 3 Effective SentencesCorrect sentences alone can not necessarily make good writing. Effective Sentences and paragraphs need the following qualities: 1 Unity 2 Coherence 3 Conciseness 4 Emphasis 5 Variety1 UnityUnity refers to two qualities: 1) there is only one main idea in a sentence, 2) that idea is complete.It does not contain ideas that are not closely related, nor does it express a thought that is not complete by itself.Examples: P611)Born in Sichan Province, he later became a famous writer.2) He visited all the famous historical monuments of this ancient city, and he also found out that the people of the city had to pay heavy taxes.3) Dream of the Red Mansions is the best-known novel.2 Coherence2 Coherence (Coherence means clear and correct arrangement of the parts of a sentence. )Since the meaning of English sentences mainly depends on word order, the arrangement of the parts of a sentence is especially important to accurate expression of ideas. Rules of thumb which may help to prevent incoherence(1) Do not separate words that are closely related unless it is necessary.Everyone is studying English in this school.(2)Dont use a pronoun with ambiguous referenceMrs. Green said to her sister that she had done the right thing.(3) Dont use a dangling modifier or put a modifier far from the word it modifies.Examples:1)Looking out of the window, only dull gray buildings can be seen.2)The doctor promised on the way to her hospital to come and see me. 3)The funny cartoon attracts the readers eye on the cover of the magazine.(4)Dont make unnecessary or confusing shifts in person or numberExamples:1) Those who want to join the chorus should sign your name on this sheet of paper.2)He looks up difficult words in his dictionaries, and it is very helpful.(5) Dont make unnecessary changes in the voice, tense or mood of verbsExamples:1)The explosion destroyed the building and a number of people were injured.2)A lot of high houses were built around hers in the past few years and she gets no more sunlight.(6)Dont use different forms to express parallel ideas.Examples:1) It is generally believed that ones action is more important than what one says.2 ) The young man is honest and hardworking, and is a very reliable worker.3) This composition is quite good as far as the use of language is concerned, but its content is poor. Attention! In short, coherence is essential to the accurate and clear expression of ideas. So it is a good habit to reread the sentences we have written to see whether they are coherence, and make necessary changes if they are not.3. Concisenessone of the rules of sentence-making is to use only the necessary words, or as few words as possible so long as the meaning is fully expressed.hints for making concise and clear sentences;(1)Use a pronoun instead of repeating a noun(2) Use a word instead of a phrase with the same meaning, and use a phrase instead of a clause with the same meaning(3)Dont repeat words of phrases, if possible, in a sentence or in one that follows.(4)Dont use different words or phrases with similar meaning in the same sentence(5)Dont repeat the same idea in different sentences except for emphasis.Examples:1) In the month of May people of different professions from all circles in this city will hold meetings to elect representatives, and these representatives will go to Beijing, the capital, in October to attend a national congress of model workers from the whole country.More examples: P664 EmphasisWhen we talk, we emphasize an important idea by raising our voices or making a gesture. When we write, we also have ways to lay emphasis on certain words or phrases.1) PlacingThe end and the beginning of a sentence usually attract the readers attention, so important elements of a sentence should be put at these two places, especially the end.Examples: P67-682)Climatic sequence:(In enumerating things or ideas, we should start from the least important and end with the most important) Examples: A biologist once said the ant is a symbol of wisdom, industry and efficiency. This tourist group visited the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Palace museum, and the Zoo while they were in Beijing. He said he had lost interest in life, fame, position and money after that tragedy. 3)The use of verbs in the 3)The use of verbs in the active voiceactive voiceVerbs are generally more emphatic than nouns or any other part of speech.Examples:She made a decision that she would not take the job. She decided not to take the job. 4)Subordination4)SubordinationSubordinating a part of a sentence is a way of giving emphasis to the main idea in the sentence.5)Repeating important words5)Repeating important words Repetition as a rule should be avoided, but occasionally important words can be repeated for the sake of emphasis.6)Short sentences6)Short sentences Short sentences are often emphatic, especially after longer ones.7)Balanced sentences7)Balanced sentences A balanced sentence is one that consists of two parts of the same structure and roughly the same length, and with contrasted(or similar) ideas.Example:He likes smoking; his wife hates it.8)Periodic sentences:(A periodic sentence is one that is not complete in structure or meaning until it reaches the last word, which is the most important word of the sentence.) Examples: He said for buying a house he had prepared everything but money. It is generally acknowledged that the sole criterion of truth is practice. She often said to her parents and friends that her greatest wish was to be an artist9)Negative-positive statements9)Negative-positive statements When a negative statement is followed by a positive one, the meaning is emphasized by the contrast.10)Rhetorical questions10)Rhetorical questions反问反问 They are questions in form but emphatic statements in meaning. They are not asked to be answered.5 Variety 5 Variety It is often good to vary structures and mix short and long, simple and compound or complex, loose and periodic sentences, so long as the meaning is properly expressed. 6 Avoid ChinglishChinglish, or Chinese English, refers to written or spoken English influenced by the Chinese language, culture or contexts.Chinglish may be grammatically acceptable, but it is not in accord with English linguistic and cultural norms.Major causes of Chinglish1) the misuse of words2)the misuse of collocations3)redundancy4) improper grammar5)cultural differences6) Differences between Chinese and English modes of thinking个人观点供参考，欢迎讨论