Chronicle Editor
ONE way to add interest to your writing is to vary the structure of the sentences you use.
Simple sentences — A simple sentence is a sentence that contains only one subject and one predicate. Remember: The subject of a sentence names the person or thing about which something is said.
The predicate tells what the subject did or what happened. The simple predicate is the verb.
The subject or predicate of a simple sentence may be a compound, but the parts are considered one unit. Each of the following sentences is a simple sentence with one compound part. Compound subject: Mark and Jack had a violent fight at the park. Compound Predicate: They slapped each other and wrestled around on the floor.
Compound sentences: A compound sentence consists of two or more simple sentences joined together. The part of a compound sentence may be joined by a co-ordinating conjunction (and, or, but) or by a semicolon.
Look at the following examples: Lucy slapped Jane, and Jane slapped her back. Lucy wanted to eat with her hands, but Jane made her use a spoon. Lucy threw the plate on the floor, Jane picked it up.
Complex sentence: A complex sentence contains one independent or main clause and one or more subordinate clause.
Remember that a clause is a group of words that contains a verb and a subject. A simple sentence is a clause.
A compound sentence has two clauses. Can you tell the difference between a phrase and a clause? A clause has a subject and a verb.
A phrase does not.
Phrase -at the movie. Clause: after the movie ended. A clause that can stand as a sentence by itself is an independent clause. All the clauses in a compound sentence are independent clause, because they can stand by themselves.
A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence, usually because it begins with a word that makes the meaning incomplete.
Look at these examples: Romeo was born. This an independent clause. It has a subject and a verb and the meaning is complete. When Romeo was born.
This is a subordinate clause. It has a subject and a verb but adding -when makes the meaning incomplete.
The reader wonders when Romeo was born. Examples of complete sentences: Subordinate clause + independent cause – When Romeo was born, he was a perfect baby.
Independent clause + subordinate clause: He became blind and deaf after he had brain fever. The next time you write or revise, look for opportunities to vary the types of sentences you use.
You have studied the parts of a sentence many times during your school years.
The following information will serve as a quick review: The complete subject includes all the words that identify the person, place, thing, or idea the sentence is about.
The complete predicate includes all the words that tell or ask something about the subject. The excited athlete trotted on one spot. The simple subject tells exactly who or what the sentence is about.
It may be one word, or a group of words, but it does not include modifiers.
The simple predicate, or verb tells what the subject does or is, it may be one word or several, but it does not include modifiers.
A complete subject has two or more parts connected with a co-ordinating conjunction such as and. Not that predicates and objects can also have compound parts.
An indirect object is a word or a group of words that tells to whom, or for whom or to what, or for what about the verb.
A sentence can have an indirect object only if it has a direct object. The indirect object always comes before the direct object in a sentence.
Reading as has been stated earlier does not only mean reading English Language texts only. Read widely even for other learning areas.
As you widely read have an eye for vocabulary to develop your vocabulary base.
Check for the meaning of new words you come across in your reading.
Have a note book where you write down the meanings of the new words and make use of them in your writing.
Here are some new words I came across in my reading trying to come up with this week’s article. You might come across in your reading as well: premonition – a feeling that something bad is about to happen, inanimate not possessing life, nonentity – a person of little or no importance. Acute – serious, critical, oppressive – weighing heavily. Obligation – sense of, duty, responsibility.
Melodramatic- sensational and extravagantly emotional, aristocrat – a person from the upper class, familiarity – behaviour that implies a close, personal relationship, bungalow – a small or one storey house or cottage.
Incessantly –continuously or non-stop, sacrilegious – disrespectful toward a sacred person, place or thing.
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