Download sentences with clarity and style

 Sentences with clarity and style 1 SENTENCES WITH CLARITY AND STYLE Depending on your language background, English sentences may seem short and too direct, or long and too wordy. You must find a way to balance your communication style with English grammar. Begin by reviewing the four kinds of English sentences, ways to combine sentences, and ways to begin sentences. How to write clear sentences: English-­‐speaking readers consider the following pattern a complete sentence, also called an independent clause: subject + verb + object. If this pattern begins with a subordinate conjunction1 it is a subordinate clause: subordinating conjunction+ subject + verb + object. English-­‐speaking readers expect to see independent and subordinate clauses in a variety of sentences. There are four basic sentence types: Simple: one independent clause. Advertisers sell products. Compound: two independent Advertisers sell products, and consumers clauses. buy these products. Complex: one independent clause When advertisers sell products, they and at least one subordinate clause. target specific consumers. Compound-­‐complex: at least two Advertisers sell products to specific independent clauses and at least consumers because these consumers are one subordinate clause the most likely to buy their products, and if an advertiser’s goal is to increase revenue, she must target serious buyers. Try to use different types of sentences in each paragraph. Avoid writing the same kind of sentence one after the other. 1 See Hacker p. 276 for a list of subordinating conjunctions. Sentences with clarity and style 2 How to write sentences with style: Professors want you to use precise, academic words to connect ideas within a sentence and to the next sentence. To make these connections, correctly combine independent and subordinate clauses and add modifying phrases. See below for US punctuation rules and different ways to state the same idea in English. Change how you combine clauses. TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES: Advertisers sell products. Consumers buy products. 1. Use FANBOYS, which are the Advertisers sell products, IC + , + FANBOYS + IC. following coordinating and consumers buy these conjunctions: for, and, products. nor, but, or, yet, so. 2. Use a conjunctive Advertisers sell products; IC + ; + conjunctive adverb (see Hacker p. conversely, consumers buy 62 for list): moreover, adverb + , + IC. products. however, thus, etc. 3. Use a semicolon to Advertisers sell products; IC + ; + IC. join two, very closely consumers buy products. related clauses. ONE SUBORDINATE CLAUSE: when advertisers sell products ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE: they target specific consumers When advertisers sell 1. Use a comma after a products, they target SC + , + IC. subordinate clause. specific consumers. Advertisers target specific 2. Do not use one before a consumers when they sell IC + SC. subordinate clause. products. Sentences with clarity and style 3 Change grammatical form and add modifying information. 1. Absolute phrase: a noun followed by a Specific consumers targeted, advertisers verb ending in –ing or –ed; modifies entire sentence. expected sales to increase quickly. 2. Appositive phrase: a noun phrase for another noun or pronoun. Advertisers often target specific consumers, the most likely buyers. 3. Gerund phrase: a verb ending in –ing followed by a noun or pronoun. Targeting specific consumers is one way for advertisers to increase sales. 4. Infinitive phrase: “to” plus the base form To target specific consumers is one way of a verb for advertisers to increase sales. Targeted by advertisers, specific 5. Participle phrase: a verb ending in –ing consumers will increase sales. or –ed followed by a noun or pronoun. For advertisers, targeting specific 6. Prepositional phrase: a preposition consumers is the fastest way to increase followed by a noun or pronoun. sales. 7. Adjective clause: often begins with who, The consumers whom advertisers target whom, whose, which, or that. are the most likely buyers. 8. Adverb clause: begins with a Unless specific consumers are targeted, subordinating conjunction2, like a subordinate clause. advertisers may not reach buyers. That advertisers can benefit from 9. Noun clause: often begins with how, who, targeting specific consumers may seem obvious. whom, whoever, that, what, whatever, whether, or why. 2 See Hacker p. 276 for a list of subordinating conjunctions. Sentences with clarity and style 4 10. Adjectives and adverbs: show your stance and add precise meaning. Compare these sentences. How does the meaning change? Unsurprisingly, the weak consumers whom advertisers target persistently are the most likely buyers. Surprisingly, the stubborn consumers whom advertisers target openly are the most likely buyers. Example Paragraph
The secret behind clear, stylish sentences in academic English is to link each one to the
next, using the grammatical forms and modifiers explained above. You want each
sentence to have meaning, and the next sentence to develop that meaning. Compare these
paragraphs. Which one makes more sense? Why? Notice the sentence structure and
grammatical forms of modifying information.
1.
Curtis White is basically saying that Nick Hornby has the ideas of the album Kid
A, but he believes Hornby does not think Kid A is a work of art. Curtis White thinks
music is an art and Kid A is a piece of art. He assumes Radiohead is an artist of music
also. White is setting his argument more likely mentioning about Theodor Adorno who
wrote a lot of music and visual art. White uses the word “by virtue of its own
elaborations, through its own immanent process” (205). Which means that since
Radiohead spent about three years of time to create this album Kid A, Hornby should not
judge them easily.
_____________________________ 2.
Curtis White thinks that Nick Hornby understands the elements of the album Kid
A, but he believes Hornby does not think Kid A is a work of art. For White, music is an
art and Kid A is a piece of art, which makes Radiohead a musical artist. To support his
argument, White mentions Theodor Adorno, who wrote music and created visual art.
Because of Adorno’s experiences as a hard-working artist, White wants Kid A to be
respected “by virtue of its own elaborations, through its own immanent process” (205). In
other words, since Radiohead spent about three years creating Kid A, Hornby should not
judge them easily.