Chapter 3 Sentence problems（I）.ppt

Chapter 3 Sentence problems (I) — Fragments and Choppy sentences Conception: A sentence fragment occurs when an incomplete sentence is used instead of a complete sentence. Because there are common causes for sentence fragments, the following pointers may help in identifying and revising them: 1.When using ing words, you must have a helping verb and a subject. An ing word is not a definite verb; therefore, it will not function by itself to form a complete sentence. Fragment: A cure for the disease being researched. Sentence A cure for the disease was being researched 2.An infinitive form of a verb will not make a complete sentence. Like ing words, an infinitive is not a definite verb either. An infinitive is the combination of to and the base form of a verb: to see, to be, to do. Infinitives are used in sentences, but they require a definite verb to function as the action in the sentence Fragment: The center to plan a mission statement.The Sentence: The center plans to develop a mission statement. 3.Subordinators are words that cause one part of a sentence to be dependent on another part of the sentence. They can be a cause of sentence fragments if they subordinate a clause that does not have a main clause for the subordinate clause to be dependent upon. Fragment: If the criteria are not met. Sentence: If the critieria are not met, the FDA will not approve the medicine. 4.An explanatory phrase or group of explanatory words does not make a complete sentence on its own. Fragment: The teenagers like to watch sports. Sentence: Such as hockey, when they are on television.The teenagers like to watch sports, such as hockey, when they are on television. Exercise Choppy Sentences. Example:Small sentences are boring to read. Many of them strung together look bad. They appear simple. Your thoughts look simple, too. Its like you cant sustain an idea for more than a few words. You can think in only trivial, simplistic ways. Small thoughts seem to come from small minds.