WRITING 1

PART I
THE SENTENCE

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UNIT 1
TYPES OF SENTENCE STRUCTURES
@ OBJECTIVES
After the lesson, students will be able to:
- understand and distinguish dependent and independent clauses
- recognize the different types of sentence structures
- understand some punctuation rules

Lead-in

Sentence types Sentence structures

1. DECLARATIVE - statement 1. SIMPLE
As the day goes on, we see changes People wake up, get dressed, wash their

in people’s lives. faces, and brush their teeth.

2. INTERROGATIVE – question 2. COMPOUND

What happens in a single day on In one day, Facebook connects over one

planet Earth? billion people, and people upload more

than 576,000 hours of video to YouTube.

3. IMPERATIVE – command 3. COMPLEX

Don’t move! We all know that a single day is 24 hours

long.

4. EXCLAMATIVE – exclamation 4. COMPOUND-COMPLEX

It was a big surprise! Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s

important that you realize your mistake and

learn from them.

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1. CLAUSES
Clauses form building blocks of sentences. A block can stand independently as
a sentence, or several blocks can be connected by conjunctions and punctuations to
make longer sentences.

CLAUSE
Conj.

CLAUSE

A clause consists of (at least) a subject and a verb.

Clause Not clause
As the day goes on Changes in people’s lives

We see changes in people’s lives After traveling alone for nine years

There are two types of clauses: Independent clause and Dependent clause

Independent clause Dependent clause

- Consists of a subject, a verb, and/or - Begins with a subordinating
a complement conjunction (subordinator)
- Expresses a complete thought - Consists of a subject, a verb, and/or a
complement
- Does not express a complete thought
I can see all the different people in the When I close my eyes
S. V. Sub. S. V.
world, from town to town, from country

to country.

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Activity 1: Write an I next to the independent clauses and a D next to the

dependent clauses.
1. People are more likely to try out new experiences …………
2. Because people’s lives generally follow similar patterns and
involve similar demands …………
3. Most people aim to find a job and a partner …………
4. Which means that new experiences and ideas may not have a place
in the person’s life …………
[Link] nothing changes day by day …………
6. However, not every individual is the same …………
7. The desire for new experiences fades more quickly …………
8. That your openness to new experiences is slowly declining …………
9. So that they can try something new …………
10. You are better off making a new start today than postponing it
until later …………

2. TYPES OF SENTENCE STRUCTURES

A type of sentence structure is determined by the number of clauses and types
of clauses used to build it.
2.1. Simple Sentences
A simple sentence consists of one independent clause.
NOTE: Compound subjects and compound verbs can also be used in simple sentences.
- Compound subject: two or more nouns or pronouns; connected by and, or, either/or, or
neither/nor. Compound subjects act as one subject because they do the same action or refer
to the same thing.
My films and my photographs showed different ways of living and thinking.
- Compound verb: two or more verbs; connected by and.
People laugh and cry.

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Activity 2: Write sentences

a. One simple sentence with one subject and one verb
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
b. One simple sentence with one subject and compound verb
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
c. One simple sentence with compound subject and one verb
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
d. One simple sentence with compound subject and compound verb
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2.2 Compound Sentences

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses. The clauses
can be connected by using a coordinating conjunction (coordinator), a conjunctive
adverb, or a semicolon (;).

CLAUSE CLAUSE CLAUSE

Coordinator Conj. Adv. Semicolon
CLAUSE CLAUSE CLAUSE

2.2.1. Compound Sentences with Coordinators

Independent clause + (,) + + Independent clause

coordinator.
Ninety percent of illiterate two-thirds of them are
, and
people live in poor countries women.

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There are seven commonly used coordinators (coordinating conjunctions):

For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

FANBOYS

To express a reason
FOR Illiteracy is especially common in poor countries, for many
families are not able to pay for their children’s education.
To express a similar and equal idea
AND Ninety percent of illiterate people live in poor countries, and
two-thirds of them are women
NOR To express a negative equal idea, often used with inversion
(and I don’t have a regular schedule, nor do I have to do a specific
not) task.
To express an opposite idea
BUT A single day is 24 hour long, but that is only true for a day on
planet Earth.
To express an alternative situation
OR I often work in my office, or I can work with animals in a
laboratory.
To express and unexpected situation
YET
The paperwork is boring, yet I am willing to do it.
To add a result
SO You will probably spend a lot of your time feeding your baby
and changing diapers, so you may be tired most of the time.

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Activity 3: Complete the following compound sentences. Underline the

coordinating conjunction and add punctuation.
1. Students don’t like exams but ……………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. They cannot pass the exam for ………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Instead of taking the exam, students are allowed to write an essay or ………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Most students prefer writing an essay yet ……………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. They cannot decide on a topic for their essay so …………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Two weeks before the deadline, they had not started their essay nor ………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2.2.2. Compound Sentences with Conjunctive Adverbs

Independent clause + (;) + conj adv. + (,) + Independent clause
Poor families are not able ; therefore , illiteracy is especially

to pay for their children’s common in poor countries.

education

There are many conjunctive adverbs and some transitional signals acting like
conjunctive adverbs. They should be put between a semicolon and a comma in a
compound sentence.
To express a similar and equal idea
Part-time jobs provide real-life experience; furthermore/ in
addition/ moreover/ also/ besides, they allow students to
Also develop essential skills.
Besides
Furthermore
Part-time jobs provide real-life experience; they allow
In addition
students to develop essential skills as well.
Moreover
As well Part-time jobs provide real-life experience; they allow
Too students to develop essential skills, too.

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However To express an unexpected situation

Nevertheless Doing a part-time job is beneficial; however/ nevertheless/
Nonetheless nonetheless/ still, not many students can balance work and
Still study.
To express a contrast
On the other hand In 2015, on average in the EU, 32.1% women worked on a
In contrast
part-time basis; on the other hand/ in contrast/ on the
On the contrary
contrary, only 8.9% men had part-time jobs.
To express an alternative situation
Otherwise To fund their study, students should apply for a scholarship;
otherwise, they can find a part-time job.
Accordingly To express a result
As a result Many students cannot balance work and study; accordingly/
Consequently as a result/ consequently/ as a consequence/ hence/
As a consequence therefore/ thus, their performance at school is negatively
Hence impacted.
Therefore
Thus
To give an example
For example Most students now have a part-time job; for example/ for
For instance
instance, they work at a café or restaurant.

Activity 4: Complete the following compound sentences by adding another

independent clause. Underline the conjunctive adverbs and add punctuation.
1. Part-time jobs are beneficial for students therefore …………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. They can earn extra pocket money however …………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Working part-time can help students improve their confidence besides …………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Part-time working experience can bring several benefits for example………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. However, some students spend too much time and effort on working as a consequence
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

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2.2.3. Compound Sentences with Semicolons

Independent clause + semicolon + independent clause

About 60 million young children ; about 70 million children do

worldwide do not go to primary not attend secondary school.

school

The semicolon is used when there is a bond between the two clauses, typically
when they are related to or contrast with one another.

2.3. Complex Sentences

A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more
dependent clause(s). In a complex sentence, the independent clause expresses the more
important idea, and the dependent clause expresses the subordinate idea.
The dependent clause can be either an adverb clause, an adjective (relative)
clause, or a noun clause.

The adverb clause acts like an adverb and comes before or after
Adverb clause the independent clause.
As people get older, they may have young children to look after.
The adjective clause acts like an adjective and follows the noun or
Adjective pronoun it supports.
clause Young children who avoid new experiences will grow up to be
more conventional than others.
The noun clause acts like a noun and serves as a subject or an
object of the independent clause.
Noun clause
Studies show that during adolscence, people are more likely to
try out new experiences.

Activity 5: Underline the independent clause and circle the subordinator in the
following complex sentences
1. Those who work full-time now spend as much time on the job as they did at the end
of World War II.

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2. In fact, working hours have increased noticeably because real wages have stagnated
since that year.
3. Some companies are downsizing as their profits climb.
4. Even hourly employees receive benefits that are not tied to the number of hours
they work.
5. Some experts add that many managers find it difficult to measure the contribution
of an employee to a firm’s well-being.
Activity 6: Add a logical independent clause to each of the following dependent
clause
1. Although people around the world have different daily habits, ……………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………because we all want to lead a healthy lifestyle.
3. Wherever we live, ……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………so that we could know more about the world around us.
5. While following a fixed daily routine is somehow beneficial, ………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2.4. Compound-complex Sentences

A compound-complex sentence consists of two or more independent clause and
one or more dependent clauses.
I wanted to take a gap year before I start college; however, my parents did

not allow me to.

PUNCTUATION RULES
Punctuate the compound part (independent clause + independent clause) of
a compound-complex sentence like a compound sentence (semicolon;
semicolon + conjunctive adverb + comma, comma + coordinator)
Punctuate the complex part (dependent clause + independent clause_ of a
compound-complex sentence like a complex sentence.

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Activity 7: Underline the dependent clause(s) in the following compound-

complex sentences.
1. Even though government aid finally came, many people had already been reduced
to poverty, and others had been forced to leave the area.
2. Some of the teachers who had left the area moved back to their original schools, but
several years passed before salaries were raised enough to entice more teachers to
return.
3. If the government did not take immediate actions, the children in the area had to
suffer from the lack of education, and they would have a leaden future.
4. Some experts believed that children living in childhood poverty would be likely to
face the same poverty when they grow up, so it is important to save them from the
current situation.

5. When they were provided with adequate education, children would come back to
develop the area, and that would be the long-term solution for the poverty problem.

Activity 8: Read the passage and identify the sentence types by completing the
following table.
HOW EASY IS IT FOR US TO CHANGE OUR LIVES?
(1) The reason why people all over the world become less keen to change as they

get older may be because people's lives generally follow similar patterns and

involve similar demands. (2) Most people, wherever they are, aim to find a job and

a partner. (3) As they get older, they may have young children to look after and

possibly elderly family members. (4) These responsibilities cannot be achieved

without some degree of consistency, which means that new experiences and ideas

may not have a place in the person's life. (5) New experiences may bring excitement

but also insecurity, so most people prefer to stay with the familiar.

(6) However, not every individual is the same. (7) One toddler may want to play a

different game every day and get fed up if nothing changes at the nursery. (8)

Another may seek out and play with the same children and toys on every visit. (9)

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Young children who avoid new experiences will grow up to be more conventional

than others. (10) Psychologists argue that those who have more open personalities

as children are more open than others might be when they are older. (11) They also

suggest that young men have a greater interest in novelty than women, although,

as they age, this desire for new experiences fades more quickly than it does in

women.

(12) The truth is that, as we get older, we prefer the things we know. (13) We tend

to order the same meals in restaurants, sit on the same side of the train when we

commute to work, go on holiday to the same places and construct our day in the

same way. (14) If you are older than 20, remember that your openness to new

experiences is slowly declining.

(15) Therefore, you are better off making a new start than postponing it until later.

SENTENCE SENTENCE TYPE

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

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WRITING PRACTICE

Write 10 sentences about the topic Your daily life.

You should write:

• two simple sentences
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
• two compound sentences using semicolon
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
• three compound sentences using coordinators
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….

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• three compound sentences using conjunctive adverbs

………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….

@ Checklist: Put a cross (x) on what you can gain after the lesson
Yes No
I can recognize dependent and independent clauses
I can recognize the different types of sentence structures
I can use punctuations accurately in each type of sentence structures

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UNIT 2
SENTENCE PROBLEMS
@ OBJECTIVES
After the lesson, students will be able to:
- understand and distinguish different sentence problems
- recognize problems in sentences
- correct the problems

1. LACK OF PARALLELISM (Not Parallel)

1.1 What is Parallelism?
Parallelism (also called parallel structure or parallel construction) is the
repetition of the same grammatical form in two or more parts of a sentence. Parallelism
is necessary when you are listing and comparing and contrasting items or ideas. You
should make sure that each item/ idea in a list or comparison follows the same
grammatical pattern.
Look at the table below to understand more about the rules of parallelism.
Not Parallel Parallel
Olympic athletes usually like Olympic athletes usually like practicing,
practicing, competing, and to eat ice competing, and eating ice cream
cream sandwiches. sandwiches.
(The items are all verb phrases)
For dinner we like lamb chops and to For dinner we like lamb chops and Brussel
fry Brussel sprouts. sprouts.
(The items are all noun phrases)
OR For dinner we like to grill lamb chops
and to fry Brussel sprouts.
(The items are all verb phrases)
Many people maintain a healthy diet
Many people maintain a healthy diet
because they want to look healthy,
because they want to look healthy, it
because it boosts their energy, and
increases their energy, and they want
because they want to live longer.
to live longer.
(The items are all adverb clauses)

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1.2 When do We Need Parallelism?

Parallelism often goes with
• Coordinators: and, but, or
Advertisements appear in a variety of ways: on posters, in magazines, on TV, and

on the Internet.

By looking at a person’s face, we can decide whether or not the person is

friendly, or whether we can trust them.

The garbage pickers’ work was dirty, dangerous but poorly-paid.

• Correlative (paired) conjunctions: both…and, either…or…, neither…nor…, not

only… but also…
Today, electronic waste (e-waste) is a problem in both Europe and Asia.

To encourage people to take public transportation, we can either have more

buses and trains, or create more bicycle lanes.

If neither industry nor the public works toward reducing pollution problems, future

generations will suffer.

Many people are neither concerned about pollutants nor worried about their

future impact.

At the present time, air pollution is controlled through laws passed not only to

reduce the pollutants at their sources but also to set up acceptable standards of

air quality.

Activity 1
a. Two or more items in each of the following sentences are written in parallel
grammatical form. Underline the items or ideas that are parallel, and circle the
word or words that connect the parallel structures. The first one has been done for
you as an example.
1. An ideal environment for studying includes good lighting, a spacious desk, and a
comfortable chair.

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2. You know you are truly fluent in another language when you can calculate in it and
when you begin to dream in it.
3. People often spend as much time worrying about the future as planning for it.
4. You can learn a second language in the classroom, at home, or in a country where
the language is spoken.
5. My new personal computer is both fast and reliable.
6. My old typewriter is neither fast nor reliable.
7. Ann is growing older but unfortunately not wiser.
8. Young people buy computers not only to do schoolwork but also to play games.
9. If industrial nations continue to burn fossil fuels and if developing nations continue
to burn their rainforests, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere will continue to increase.
10. Before the judge announced the punishment, he asked the murderer if he wanted to
speak either to the victim’s family or to the jury.
11. The criminal neither admitted guilt nor asked for forgiveness before he was sent to
prison.

b. Rewrite the following sentences in parallel form. Underline the part of the
sentence that is not parallel and correct it. Remember that you do not have to
repeat all the words in the second item. The first one has been done for you as an
example.
1. The disadvantages of using a credit card are overspending and you pay high interest
rates.
The disadvantages of using a credit card are overspending and paying high interest
rates.
2. Credit cards are accepted by department stores, airlines, and they can be used in some
gas stations.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. You do not need to risk carrying cash or to risk missing a sale.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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4. With credit cards, you can either pay your bill with one check, or you can stretch out
your payments.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
5. You can charge both at restaurants and when you stay at hotels.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Many people carry not only credit cards but they also carry cash.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Many people want neither to pay off the balance monthly nor do they like paying
interest.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Not making any payment or to send in only the minimum payment every month is
poor money management.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

c. On a separate sheet of paper, write seven original sentences in parallel form,

using the following conjunctions one time each. Write sentences on the topics
suggested, or choose topics of your own.
and two weekend activities you enjoy
or two foods you would not eat/give to a baby
but one school subject that you excel at and one that you struggle
both ... and with
either... or two advantages of being bilingual
neither ... nor two places you might spend a month’s vacation or a honeymoon
two places you would never spend a month’s vacation or a
not only ... but honeymoon
also two reasons to get a college degree

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2. SENTENCE FRAGMENT
2.1. What is a Sentence Fragment?
Sentence Fragment is a sentence/clause that misses one of three critical
components: a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
2.2. How can We Fix a Sentence Fragment?
Fixing a sentence fragment involves: giving it the components it lacks OR
fastening it onto an independent clause.
E.g.: People unaware of pollution problems.
That sentence lacks a verb. Adding the verb will build a stronger, more confident-
sounding sentence: People are unaware of pollution problems.

Activity 2
a. Read the sentences below. Mark a C if the sentences in the group are all complete
and an F if any of the sentences in the group is a fragment. Could you tell why the
fragments are incomplete sentences and correct them?
____ 1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior high that was a bad experience.
____ 2. The scene was filled with beauty. Such as the sun sending its brilliant rays to
the earth and the leaves of various shades of red, yellow, and brown moving slowly in
the wind.
____ 3. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Like other
teachers in that department, he did not encourage students' questions.
____ 4. Within each group, a wide range of features to choose from. It was difficult to
distinguish between them.
____ 5. A few of the less serious fellows would go into a bar for a steak dinner and a
few glasses of beer. After this meal, they were ready for anything.
____ 6. It can be really embarrassing to be so emotional. Especially when you are on
your first date, you feel that you should be in control.
____ 7. The magazine has a reputation for a sophisticated, prestigious, and elite group
of readers. Although that is a value judgment and in circumstances not a true premise.
____ 8. In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football. To prove to himself
and his parents that he is a man.

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____ 9. She opened the door and let us into her home. Not realizing at the time that we
would never enter that door in her home again.
____10. As Christmas grows near, I find myself looking back into my childhood days
at fun-filled times of snowball fights. Thinking about this makes me happy.
____11. Making up his mind quickly. Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife.
Hoping she would accept his apology.
____12. They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends
had a little too much to drink.
____13. Although it only attained a speed of about twelve miles an hour. My old
rowboat with its three-horsepower motor seemed like a high-speed job to me.
____14. With my brother standing by my side, I reached for the pot handle. Tilting the
pot way too much caused the boiling water to spill.
____15. The small, one-story houses are all the same size and style. With no difference
except the color.
____16. Being a friend of mine like he was when we first joined the soccer team.
Together we learned a lot.

b. These paragraphs need proofreading for possible fragments. Use the space
below each paragraph for revising.
1. Well, in looking at the picture at the left you see an old lady. She has a very funny
look on her face. As if she's lonely and just wants to be left alone. She also looks as if
she has seen a lot and experienced lots of things.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. For the past twenty years, the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan
has been measuring the level of Americans' trust and confidence in their politicians and
quasi-political trust and confidence in their political institutions and their leaders.
"Political" being all levels of government, and "quasi-political" churches, labor unions,

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large professional/business associations, educational institutions, and the like. The

result is that a very sharp decline has taken place every year since 1964.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. My brother was always my best friend when I was a child. Especially as we two were
almost alone in the world. We lived with our old grandmother in a little house, almost
a shack, in the country. Whenever I think of him now, I see a solemn, responsible boy.
A boy too old for his years who looked out for me no matter what.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Once there was a bully John Anson who looked enormous to me though he was
probably an average twelve-year-old. John had it in for me. Because he liked Littice
Grant who liked me. He decided to beat me up right before her eyes. I was lucky my
brother came by. He didn't interfere. He just stood there. Somehow though his presence
gave me confidence, I kicked the stuffing out of John Anson. If my brother hadn't been
there, I don't think I could have done it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
5. For 200 years Americans believed in better jobs, better homes, a better life for one's
children. This confidence no longer exists. Polls now indicate that fewer Americans feel
they are better off today than they were five years ago. A public-opinion analysis group
has found that large numbers of Americans, at some times and in some places, see
themselves as lower on the ladder. Adding worse living conditions and anticipation of
further decline over the next five years.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………
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…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

3. CHOPPY SENTENCES
3.1. What are Choppy Sentences?
Choppy sentences are sentences that are too short and often repeat the same
words. The overuse of these sentences is considered poor style in academic writing
and can cause boresome for readers.
3.2. How to Correct Choppy Sentences?
The problem can be fixed by combining two or three sentences to make one
compound or complex sentence. You should do it based on the logical connections
between ideas conveyed in different clauses.
Wind is an enduring source of power. Water is also an unlimited energy source.

Dams produce hydraulic power. They have existed for a long time. Windmills are

relatively new.

→ Both wind and water are enduring sources of power. Dams have produced

hydraulic power, but windmills are relatively new. (equal ideas)

We must find new sources of energy. Natural sources of energy are decreasing.

Solar energy is a promising new source of energy. Solar energy is energy from the

sun.

→ We must find new sources of energy because natural sources of energy are

decreasing. Solar energy, which is energy from the sun, is a promising new source.

(unequal ideas)

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Activity 3: Combine the choppy sentences into better ones.

1. Some people wake up very early.
They do this every day.
They do this in order to have some quiet time before the rest of their family wake
up.
They do this in order to get to their office early.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. A Boeing 737 jet seats 140 passengers.
140 is an approximate number.
A Boeing 737 is one of the most common commercial planes.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The top three names for baby girls in England are Sophia, Olivia, and Emma.
The next two names on that list are Isabella and Ava.
This was according to a credible website.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Flights are delayed.
This happens often.
These flights depart from San Francisco.
These delays happen because of the fog.
The fog is unpredictable.
The fog blankets San Francisco.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Aretha Franklin was a singer.
She was a songwriter.
She played the piano.
She was incredible.
She died in 2018.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
6. 51 million people live the entire country of South Korea.
The majority of the population lives in the province surrounding Seoul.
Seoul is the capital of South Korea.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

4. RUN-ON SENTENCES AND COMMA SPLICE

4.1. What is a Run-on Sentence?
A run–on sentence or a fused sentence is a sentence in which two or more
independent clauses are written one after another without any punctuation.
Getting married is easy staying married is a different matter.

4.2. What is a Comma Splice?

A similar error happens when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined
by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. This kind of error is also called a
comma splice.
San Francisco is a very cosmopolitan city, there are people of many cultures

and ethnic groups living there.

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PUNCTUATION RULES:
A comma alone cannot join two independent clauses.

4.3. How to Correct Run-on / Comma Splice Sentences?

A run-on / comma splice sentence can be corrected by adding:
• a period (.)
Getting married is easy. Staying married is a different matter.

• a semicolon (;)
Getting married is easy; staying married is a different matter.

• a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

Getting married is easy, but staying married is a different matter.

• a conjunctive adverb
Getting married is easy; however, staying married is a different matter.

Getting married is easy. However, staying married is a different matter.

• a subordinating conjunction:
Although getting married is easy, staying married is a different matter.

Activity 4
a. Correct the following run-on/comma splice sentences using the method
indicated.
1. A newly arrived international student faces several challenges, for example, he or she
has to cope with a new culture.
a. Add a period: ………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………… ..
b. Add a semicolon: …………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………...
2. New York City is very cosmopolitan, people from many cultures and ethnic groups
live there.
a. Add a period: ………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………… ..

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b. Add a semicolon: …………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...
c. Add a subordinator: ………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Add a coordinator: …………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………… ..
3. Learning a new language is like learning to swim it takes a lot of practice.
Add a coordinator: …………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………… ..
4. Ask for assistance at the reference desk in the library, a librarian is always on duty.
Add a semicolon:...…………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Skiing is a dangerous sport you can easily break your leg or your neck.
Add a subordinator: ………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………

b. Some of the following sentences are run-ons or comma splices, and some are
correct. Check each sentence. If it is incorrect, write RO or CS in the space at the
left. If it is correct, leave the space blank. Then, on a separate sheet of paper,
correct the incorrect sentences.
1. _____ Two letters arrived on Monday a third one came on Wednesday.
2. _____ An encyclopedia is a valuable source of information it contains summaries of
every area of knowledge.
3. _____ Because of the rapid expansion of human knowledge, it is difficult to keep
encyclopedias current.
4. _____ A printed encyclopedia becomes out of date almost as soon as it is published
also it is quite expensive to purchase.
5. _____ Online encyclopedias are available to everyone with access to the Internet.
6. _____ Articles in encyclopedias are written by experts in each subject, who are often
university professors.

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7. _____ An editor of an encyclopedia does not write articles he only collects and edits
articles written by subject experts.
8. _____ To find a book on a certain subject, you used to look in a card catalog, to find
a magazine article on a subject, you used to look in a periodical index.
9. _____ Now, most libraries have thrown away their card catalogs, they have
computerized catalogs that are much more efficient to use and update.
10. _____ Many periodical indexes, which list only titles of magazine articles and
indicate where to find them, have been replaced by computer indexes, some of which
display abstracts and even entire articles instantly.
11. _____ If you cannot find any information on a subject, you can always ask a
librarian to help you, they are paid to assist students.

5. STRINGY SENTENCES
5.1. What is a Stringy Sentence?
A stringy sentence is a sentence that is usually difficult to read and understand
because it has too many clauses, often due to an overuse of coordinating and/or
subordinating conjunctions.
5.2. How to Rewrite a Stringy Sentence?
Dividing a stringy sentence into two or more than two sentences by
• using transitions to replace coordinating conjunctions.
• changing subordinate clauses into separate independent sentences.
E.g.: Martina climbed the stairs of the haunted house, and she knocked on the
door several times, but no one answered, and she braced herself, and then she

opened the door.

→ Martina climbed the stairs of the haunted house. She knocked on the door

several times, but no one answered. Bracing herself, she opened the door.

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