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1、Making Correct and Effective Sentences,Correct SentencesCoordination and SubordinationEffective Sentences,Correct sentences,The requirements of a correct sentence：It should be structurally complete.It should begin with a capital letter.It should end with a full stop, or a question mark, or an exclam
2、ation mark.It should express a single complete idea.,Completeness in Structure A normal sentence must contain a subject and a predicate verb. Sometimes a noun with some modifying words, or a clause, or a sentence with some elements missing may be used like a complete sentence for special effect.,The
3、 Right SubjectWe have kept the nonfinite verbs and changed the subjects in the original sentence. These sentences show that the subject of a sentence should be properly related to the nonfinite verbs before it.,Agreement Between the Subject and the Predicate VerbThe predicate verb of a sentence has
4、to agree with the subject in person and number.Collective nouns like family and audience may be neither singular or plural, depending on the meaning in which they are used.When two subjects refer to different persons or are different in number, the verb should agree with the subject close to it.Word
5、s together with, in addition to, besides, etc., are objects of prepositions; they do not affect the number of the subject.A subject clause generally takes a singular verb, but a what-clause which clearly refers to many things can take a plural verb.,Agreement Between Pronoun and Antecedent After a c
6、ompound antecedent with or, nor, eitheror, neithernor, not onlybut also, a pronoun agrees with the nearer part of the antecedent. 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. F
7、or such singular antecedents as each, either, neither, which may refer to both male and female, she or he, his or her, him or her, or the preferred plural pronoun they, their or them are used.,Clear Pronoun Reference When we use personal and relative pronouns, we should make sure that their referenc
8、e is clear.,Ending Sentences with Full Stops To join two or more complete sentences with commas may be possible in Chinese, but it is wrong in English. There is a name for such a mistake: the comma fault or the comma splice. We should remember that a complete declarative sentence always ends with a
9、full stop.,Joining Clause with Conjunctions When two or more sentences are closely connected in meaning, they will become clauses which should be joined together with proper conjunctions or other words, like relative pronouns. We should learn to distinguish between conjunctions and adverbs, such as
10、but and however, so and therefore. We can join coordinate clause with a comma and a conjunction, or with a semicolon, or with a semicolon and an adverb.,A Main Clause in a Complex Sentence In a Complex sentence there must be a main clause, whether it is at the beginning or at the end of the sentence
11、.,Proper Use of ComparisonsAdjectives or adverbs of the comparative degree should be used only when there is comparison. But we should not use adjectives or adverbs of the comparative degree when there is no comparison, explicit or implied. In addition, we should remember that only things of the sam
12、e kind can be compared.,Correct Use of the Tense Since a predicate verb must be used in a certain tense, we should learn to use the tenses correctly. Tenses tell the action of the verb takes place. Whenever we make a sentence, we should ask ourselves when the thing mentioned in the sentence happens,
13、 and use the right tense to report it. When we talk about something that happened in the past, but its result remains at present, we should use the present perfect.,Coordination and Subordination When we mention two or more things or ideas of equal importance, we often use coordination clause joined
14、 with a coordinating conjunction(and, but, or, nor, yet, so, or, for). This form or method is called coordination. 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. There is one thing we should pay at
15、tention to: the use of conjunctive verbs such as however, therefore, nevertheless, moreover, and besides. Short sentences are not only emphatic, but effective in describing a series of quick movements and actions.,Effective Sentences,Correctness alone can not make a good sentence. It has to be effec
16、tive at the same time. Effective sentences have some or all the following qualities.,Unity,Unity refers to two qualities: there is only one main idea in a sentence, and that idea is complete. This does not mean that all sentences have to be short and simple. It is often necessary to write a long sen
17、tence with many parts in it. Such a sentence expresses a central idea supported or modified by various subordinate ideas, or two or more related parallel ideas. In other words, ideas that are closely connected can be expressed in one sentence, while ideas that are not closely connected should not be
18、 put into one sentence.,Coherence,Coherence means clear and reasonable connection between parts. A sentence is coherent when its words or parts are properly connected and their relationships unmistakably clear. It is not coherent if it has faulty parallel constructions, pronouns with ambiguous refer
19、ence, dangling or misplaced modifiers, confusing shifts in person and number, or in voice, tense, and mood.,Conciseness,One 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. Here are a few hints for making conci
20、se and clear sentences:Use a pronoun instead of repeating a nounUse a word instead of a phrase with the same meaning, and use a phrase instead of a clause with the same meaningDo not repeat words or phrases, if possible, in a sentence or in one that followsDo not use different words or phrases with
21、similar meanings in the same sentenceDo not repeat the same idea in different sentences except for emphasis,Emphasis When 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.Placing The end an
22、d 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.Climactic sequence In enumerating things or ideas, we should start from the least important and end with the most important, or in the climac
23、tic sequence.The use of verbs in the active voice Verbs are generally more emphatic than nouns or any other part of speech.Subordination We have talked about subordination and coordination. Subordinating a part of a sentence is a way of giving emphasis to the main idea in the sentence.Repeating impo
24、rtant words Repetition as a rule should be avoided, but occasionally important words can be repeated for the sake of emphasis.,Short sentences Short sentences are often emphatic, especially after longer ones.Balanced sentences A balanced sentence is one that consists of two parts of the same structu
25、re and roughly the same length, and with contrasted(or similar) ideas.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. When we read this sentence we are not kept in suspense fo
26、r the main meaning, as we are when reading the periodic one, and we fell its force is weaker. But the loose sentence may sound more natural and may be easier to understand.Negative-positive statements When a negative statement is followed by a positive one, the meaning is emphasized by the contrast.
27、Rhetorical questions They are questions in form but emphatic statements in meaning. They are not asked to be answered.,Variety A series of sentences of the same structure and length with the same noun or pronoun as the subjects produce monotony. 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.,Thanks for your listening!,
