Download WHO 1 SS

SFL/METU
Dept. of B.E.
WHO 1
October 2016
INTERMEDIATE GROUP
(Student’s Copy)
OBJECTIVES:
1.
2.
3.
4.
form sentences with correct punctuation and capitalization,
identify and correct sentence fragments, run-on sentences and comma splice,
maintain parallelism when listing ideas and joining ideas,
identify the subject of a sentence and maintain subject-verb agreement in a sentence.
WRITING SKILL INPUT
Writing requires certain skills. These skills include correctly arranging words in a sentence, arranging ideas in
a paragraph, and using correct language and punctuation.
The writing handouts in this span aim to help you gain these necessary skills by moving from sentences to
paragraphs.
THE SENTENCE
We use words to form sentences and sentences to form paragraphs. A paragraph is a group of related
sentences about a single topic. A sentence is a group of words that expresses a “complete thought” and it
generally includes a SUBJECT and a VERB.
Examples:
* Good students work hard.
subject
verb
* Frank and Joe are very successful architects.
subject
verb
There are different kinds of sentences. Some sentences are statements, while others are questions. Sentences
need capital letters and punctuation.
You should capitalize:
 the first word of a sentence
 the first-person singular pronoun (I)
 proper nouns (specific people, places and organizations) (Kate, London, British Council, etc.)
 nationalities, languages, and religions (English, Spanish, Muslim)
 days of the week and months of the year (Friday, September, etc.)
You should end a sentence with one of the following:
 a period/ full stop (.)
 a question mark (?)
 an exclamation mark (!)
Common mistakes people make when they form sentences are:
 using sentence fragments,
 running sentences together without using appropriate punctuation,
 forming unparallel structures,
 using a plural noun with a singular verb or a singular noun with a plural verb.
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COMMON MISTAKES WHEN FORMING SENTENCES
a. Fragments:
If a group of words does not have a subject or a verb, it is a fragment, not a sentence.
Examples:
*
Turkish and Finnish two closely related languages.
Turkish and Finnish are two closely related languages.
(fragment - no verb)
(sentence)
*
From Paris to London.
They flew from Paris to London.
(fragment - no subject; no verb)
(sentence)
*
Because he couldn't find a job.
He was distressed because he couldn't find a job.
(fragment - not a complete thought)
(sentence)
TASK 1. Read each group of words and decide which ones are complete sentences and which ones are
not. Correct the incomplete sentences and write them in the blanks.
Example:
() I covering the windows with wood.
I am covering the windows with wood.
1. ( ) In Kenya, wild animals and interesting scenery.
_______________________________________________________.
2. ( ) The decrease in poverty is a direct result of industrialization.
_______________________________________________________.
3. ( ) Cities are a universal symbol of civilisation.
_______________________________________________________.
4. ( ) The best movie that I saw last year.
_______________________________________________________.
5. ( ) Working during the morning and attending classes in the evening.
_______________________________________________________.
b. Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices:
When we join sentences together, it is important to use the correct punctuation or a linking word.
Sentences that run together without these are called run-on sentences. When sentences are joined with
only a comma, this is called a comma splice. A comma does not provide adequate punctuation, so we
should avoid combining sentences with only a comma. In order to avoid writing run-on sentences or having
a comma splice, first identify the separate ideas, and then use either the correct punctuation, a coordinating
conjunction (and, but, or, so) or a transition (however, therefore, moreover etc.).
Examples:
* My uncle is losing money on his business he refuses to sell it.  (a run-on sentence)
* My uncle is losing money on his business, he refuses to sell it.  (a comma splice)
* My uncle is losing money on his business. He refuses to sell it. 
* My uncle is losing money on his business, but he refuses to sell it. 
* My uncle is losing money on his business; however, he refuses to sell it. 
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TASK 2. Use any of the three ways to correct comma splices and run-ons in these sentences.
1. There are several ways to prepare for a hurricane, here is one of them.
______________________________________________________________________________.
2. My father hates music, my mother enjoys it.
______________________________________________________________________________.
3. Nuclear power plants can be run safely this is what many people think.
______________________________________________________________________________.
4. We were very tired we decided to stay in our rooms.
______________________________________________________________________________.
c. Unparallel Structures:
Parallelism is an important element in writing, especially when you are listing items or ideas. Parallelism
means that each item in a list follows the same grammatical pattern. If, for example, you are writing a list
and the first item in your list is a noun, you have to write the following items as nouns. When you are
listing items or ideas using “and”, “but”, and “or”, each item in your sentence should have the same
grammatical pattern.
Notice how the rule of parallelism is followed in the second sentence in each of the following sets:
 Not parallel
My English conversation class is made up of Chinese, Italian, and some are from Japan.
Parallel
My English conversation class is made up of Chinese, Italian, and Japanese.(three
adjectives)
 Not parallel
Successful students attend lessons regularly, they do their homework, and practice
speaking English.
Parallel
Successful students attend lessons regularly, do their homework, and practice
speaking English. (three verbs)
 Not parallel
Which outdoor sports do people enjoy watching or take part in?
Parallel
Which outdoor sports do people enjoy watching or taking part in? (two verbs)
 Not parallel
My parents were poor but happily.
Parallel
My parents were poor but happy. (two adjectives)
TASK 3. Connect the sentences so that the structures in each sentence are parallel. There is more than
one way to connect some of these sentences.
e.g. Julie is a good singer and dances beautifully.
Julie is a good singer and a beautiful dancer. OR Julie sings well and dances beautifully.
1. In the summer, we like going to the beach and to play tennis.
______________________________________________________________________________.
2. She loves mountain biking and ride a horse.
______________________________________________________________________________.
3. He wants to be a doctor, a social worker or teach English.
______________________________________________________________________________.
4. White-water rafting is an interesting but danger sport.
______________________________________________________________________________.
5. The students tried to finish their assignment quick and accurately.
______________________________________________________________________________.
6. During a job interview, you must be well-dressed, nice, and you should behave politely.
______________________________________________________________________________.
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TASK 4. Use a parallel structure to complete each sentence.
1. Most people want to find a job that is well-paying and ________________________________________.
2. Traveling to a foreign country and _______________________________ can be a wonderful experience.
3. To earn money during the summer holiday, students can work at a café, or _________________________.
4. To learn a foreign language, you must practice speaking, reading, and ____________________________.
d. Subject-Verb Disagreement:
When writing a sentence, you should make sure that you include a subject and a verb and that the verb
agrees with the subject of the sentence. If the subject of the sentence is singular, it must be followed
by a singular verb. Similarly, a plural subject must be followed by a plural verb.
Examples:
* One of John's brothers lives in Boston. (singular subject - singular verb)
* A number of students are absent today. (plural subject - plural verb)
* The number of employees in my company is approximately ten thousand. (singular-subject - singular
verb)
TASK 5. Underline the correct verb.
1. The professor and the student agrees/agree on that point.
2. Making cakes is/are Mrs. Reed's specialty.
3. Getting to know students from all over the world is/are one of the best parts of my job.
4. Why was/were Susan and Alex late for the meeting?
5. A number of factors needs/need to be considered.
6. Is/Are having the responsibility for taking care of pets good for your children?
7. One of the chief materials in bones and teeth is/are calcium.
8. The number of votes was/were twenty.
TASK 6. Some of the sentences below are incorrect. Write:
*
*
*
*
(Cap.) if there is a capitalization mistake,
(P) if there is a punctuation mistake,
(Fr.) if there is a fragment,
(S/V) if there is a subject-verb disagreement.
* (CS) if there is a comma splice,
* (//) if there is an unparallelism,
* (RO) if it is a run-on sentence,
Then write the correct forms in the spaces below. Put a check () if the sentences are correct.
___ 1. An unreasonable price for the necklace.
_________________________________________________________________
___
2. One of the most famous entrepreneurs in the united states is mark zuckerberg.
_________________________________________________________________
___
3. You can walk there or taking the bus.
_________________________________________________________________
___
4. My roommate wants to win the Tour de France someday he spends hours riding his bicycle.
_________________________________________________________________
___
5. Wait until you hear the bell
_________________________________________________________________
___
6. English is not my native language.
_________________________________________________________________
___
7. Some people prefer to work in an office, others prefer to work outdoors.
_________________________________________________________________
___
8. A high fever and an upset stomach is symptoms of the disease.
_________________________________________________________________
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