COMPOUND SENTENCE WITH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION
(comma indicates the omitted verb)
S V DO ; S , DO
We like classical music; those guys , rock.
We leave out the verb in the second clause BECAUSE AND ONLY IF it would needlessly repeat the verb of the first clause. Notice also, you may have a direct object (DO), which receives the action of the verb; or you may have a subject complement describing the verb.
You need parallel wording in both clauses, and the verb must be exactly the same.
Examples: The mother and son each had a goal; hers, educational; his, recreational.
For many of us, the new math teacher was a savior; for others, a pain.
"Thought is the blossom; language, the bud; action, the fruit." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Be sure that each sentence really has two independent clauses in it (even thought the second has an unexpressed verb).
Be sure that the verb omitted in the second clause matches exactly, in form and tense, the verb in the first clause.
Use a semicolon if there is no conjunction; if there is a conjunction, many writers use a comma. A semicolon does not go with a coordinating conjunction.
1. Which of the following doesn't work? Why.
a. Bill played a musical number by Bach; Joan, Beethoven. b. Lou Williams was in for adultery; John Jones for gambling.
c. His mother told him to rent a car; his sister, to pack the suitcases.
-B doesn’t work, because it lacks comma and therefore doesn’t follow the format S V DO; S. DO
2. Write your own original example.
-I watched American drams on Monday; Lauren, Japanese dramas.
3. Find one from something you have read (this may take a couple of weeks).
11/5/2009
COMPOUND SENTENCE WITH EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (clauses separated by a colon)
General statement (idea) : specific statement (example).
----- (independent clause : (independent clause)
Explanation
Many of you use this sentence construction naturally. Some of you work at it, but don't know the rules. Although this sentence construction is a compound, it is very different in content, as the colon implies. The colon performs a special function: It signals the reader that something important or explanatory will follow (as this very sentence illustrates). In this pattern, the colon signals that the second clause will specifically explain or expand some idea expressed only vaguely in the first clause.
The first statement sill contain a word or an idea that needs explaining; the second statement will give some specific information or example about the idea.
When to use this pattern
Use it when you want the second part of the sentence to explain the first part, give an example, or provide an answer to an implied question.
Examples
Darwin's The Origin of Species forcibly states a harsh truth: Only the fittest survive.
Remember Yogi Berra's advice: It ain't over till it's over.
"The murmuring water, the morning fresh garden unheated yet by the lemon sun, the flight of a white-browed blackbird: all helped to make unreal the tableau of the man kneeling by the sundial." -- Reginald Hill, Ruling Passion
Old cars and young children have several things in common: Both are a responsibility and have to be fed often or they break down," Claudia Glenn Downing, Lear's, November 1992
- - Examples from The Art of Styling Sentences by Ann Longknife and K.D. Sullivan
Exercise
Write a short 4-5 sentence paragraph concerning your reading about Frankenstein. Include a colon.
-In the preface of her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley includes a letter supposedly written by an English man named Walton. Through these letters, the author reveals the her passion: discovering the northern passage and traveling the undiscovered places. In the four letters included as the preface, Walton explains his ambition and the details of the voyage. By the fourth letter, Walton's narrative is finished and the stranger's narrative begins.
11/10/2009
Notes on Quotation Marks
-Universal American usage places commas, periods, and question marks inside the quotation marks, regardless of logic Exception) with alphabet, period is outside: The only grade that will satisfy her is an "A".
With ONE word, the period is inside the quotation: To get to the next page, just press the little button marked "Enter."
-Commas are used when there are more than 2 elements.
ex. blablahblah or something even less meaningful <no comma
ex. blahblahblah, blehblehbleh, or something even less meaningful < YES Comma
12/1/2009
EXERCISE -- Copy and paste this entire exercise into your own page. Write your answers in a different color or font. We will chose two people's in class to go over.
1. Look carefully at the following sentence. Does it work? If so, why? If not, where can the sentence be broken into two or shorter ones that are not overwhelming. Robert Mondavi's father, Cesare, came from Sassafarento near Ancona, on the Adriatic coast of the Marches. Even now, the Marches are not a particularly rich or fertile part of Italy, except for Verdicchio, much of a wine-growing region. In 1883, when Cesare was born, the first member and a son of a large, simple family, I have read somewhere, he was able to sign his name. -- by Cyril Ray "Robert Mondavi of the Napa Valley"
2. Does this sentence work? If so, why? If not, please correct. The typical teenage user of snuff is white, active, and athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure. The sentence doesn't make sense because using "and athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure" is repetitive.
A typical teenage user of snuff is white, active, athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure.
3. Same instructions -- The children gathered around the clown wishing for a balloon, angling for a smile, bowing before the childhood consumerism. -The children gathered around the clown wishing for a balloon, angling for a smile, and bowing before the childhood consumerism.
1/8/2010
1.Starting a gasoline-fueled lawn mower takes three simple steps: opening the choke, pulling the starter cord, and closing the choke once the engine is running.
2. As a result of his riding lesson at the Sage ranch, Jason learned one thing about horses–– when they are hungry, they stop to eat.
1/11/2010
Review vocab and punctuation. Write a sentence with a vocab word (that demonstrates the meaning of the word) and uses one of the punctuation methods discussed in class.
Word- Endemic
Though some scientists claim that the a new specie was found, the creature in reality was endemic in many parts of Africa-- a typical dweller of the swamps.
1/13/2010
In Frankenstein The first four letters and the preface I read weren't mainly about the story it covered the intention of the writing and background of the narrator the book starts with an exploration of the narrator and covers a lot of topics through his letters. For example loneliness risks taken by discovery of new knowledge, and etc it seems like the letters are foreshadowing whats coming up in the future of this book. -- Try for 3 sentences. There is a possibility of a colon AND a dash.
Edited-
The first four letters and the preface I read in Frankenstein weren't mainly about the story-- it covered the intention of the writing and background of the narrator. The book starts with an exploration of the narrator and covers a lot of topics through his letters: loneliness, risks taken by discovery of new knowledge, and etc. It seems like the letters are foreshadowing what's coming up in the future of this book.
11/3/2009
COMPOUND SENTENCE WITH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION
(comma indicates the omitted verb)
S V DO ; S , DO
We like classical music; those guys , rock.
We leave out the verb in the second clause BECAUSE AND ONLY IF it would needlessly repeat the verb of the first clause. Notice also, you may have a direct object (DO), which receives the action of the verb; or you may have a subject complement describing the verb.
You need parallel wording in both clauses, and the verb must be exactly the same.
Examples: The mother and son each had a goal; hers, educational; his, recreational.
For many of us, the new math teacher was a savior; for others, a pain.
"Thought is the blossom; language, the bud; action, the fruit." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
1. Which of the following doesn't work? Why.
a. Bill played a musical number by Bach; Joan, Beethoven.
b. Lou Williams was in for adultery; John Jones for gambling.
c. His mother told him to rent a car; his sister, to pack the suitcases.
-B doesn’t work, because it lacks comma and therefore doesn’t follow the format S V DO; S. DO
2. Write your own original example.
-I watched American drams on Monday; Lauren, Japanese dramas.
3. Find one from something you have read (this may take a couple of weeks).
11/5/2009
COMPOUND SENTENCE WITH EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (clauses separated by a colon)
- General statement (idea) : specific statement (example).
----- (independent clause : (independent clause)Explanation
Many of you use this sentence construction naturally. Some of you work at it, but don't know the rules. Although this sentence construction is a compound, it is very different in content, as the colon implies. The colon performs a special function: It signals the reader that something important or explanatory will follow (as this very sentence illustrates). In this pattern, the colon signals that the second clause will specifically explain or expand some idea expressed only vaguely in the first clause.
The first statement sill contain a word or an idea that needs explaining; the second statement will give some specific information or example about the idea.
When to use this pattern
Use it when you want the second part of the sentence to explain the first part, give an example, or provide an answer to an implied question.
Examples
- Darwin's The Origin of Species forcibly states a harsh truth: Only the fittest survive.
- Remember Yogi Berra's advice: It ain't over till it's over.
- "The murmuring water, the morning fresh garden unheated yet by the lemon sun, the flight of a white-browed blackbird: all helped to make unreal the tableau of the man kneeling by the sundial." -- Reginald Hill, Ruling Passion
- Old cars and young children have several things in common: Both are a responsibility and have to be fed often or they break down," Claudia Glenn Downing, Lear's, November 1992
- - Examples from The Art of Styling Sentences by Ann Longknife and K.D. SullivanAdditional Sources on Colons
Leo on Colons
eHow on Colons(with a punctuation and capitalization tip)
Exercise
Write a short 4-5 sentence paragraph concerning your reading about Frankenstein. Include a colon.
-In the preface of her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley includes a letter supposedly written by an English man named Walton. Through these letters, the author reveals the her passion: discovering the northern passage and traveling the undiscovered places. In the four letters included as the preface, Walton explains his ambition and the details of the voyage. By the fourth letter, Walton's narrative is finished and the stranger's narrative begins.
11/10/2009
Notes on Quotation Marks
-Universal American usage places commas, periods, and question marks inside the quotation marks, regardless of logic
Exception) with alphabet, period is outside: The only grade that will satisfy her is an "A".
With ONE word, the period is inside the quotation: To get to the next page, just press the little button marked "Enter."
-Commas are used when there are more than 2 elements.
ex. blablahblah or something even less meaningful <no comma
ex. blahblahblah, blehblehbleh, or something even less meaningful < YES Comma
12/1/2009
EXERCISE -- Copy and paste this entire exercise into your own page. Write your answers in a different color or font. We will chose two people's in class to go over.
1. Look carefully at the following sentence. Does it work? If so, why? If not, where can the sentence be broken into two or shorter ones that are not overwhelming.
Robert Mondavi's father, Cesare, came from Sassafarento near Ancona, on the Adriatic coast of the Marches. Even now, the Marches are not a particularly rich or fertile part of Italy, except for Verdicchio, much of a wine-growing region. In 1883, when Cesare was born, the first member and a son of a large, simple family, I have read somewhere, he was able to sign his name. -- by Cyril Ray "Robert Mondavi of the Napa Valley"
2. Does this sentence work? If so, why? If not, please correct. The typical teenage user of snuff is white, active, and athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure.
The sentence doesn't make sense because using "and athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure" is repetitive.
A typical teenage user of snuff is white, active, athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure.
3. Same instructions -- The children gathered around the clown wishing for a balloon, angling for a smile, bowing before the childhood consumerism.
-The children gathered around the clown wishing for a balloon, angling for a smile, and bowing before the childhood consumerism.
1/8/2010
1.Starting a gasoline-fueled lawn mower takes three simple steps: opening the choke, pulling the starter cord, and closing the choke once the engine is running.
2. As a result of his riding lesson at the Sage ranch, Jason learned one thing about horses–– when they are hungry, they stop to eat.
1/11/2010
Review vocab and punctuation. Write a sentence with a vocab word (that demonstrates the meaning of the word) and uses one of the punctuation methods discussed in class.
Word- Endemic
Though some scientists claim that the a new specie was found, the creature in reality was endemic in many parts of Africa-- a typical dweller of the swamps.
1/13/2010
In Frankenstein The first four letters and the preface I read weren't mainly about the story it covered the intention of the writing and background of the narrator the book starts with an exploration of the narrator and covers a lot of topics through his letters. For example loneliness risks taken by discovery of new knowledge, and etc it seems like the letters are foreshadowing whats coming up in the future of this book. -- Try for 3 sentences. There is a possibility of a colon AND a dash.
Edited-
The first four letters and the preface I read in Frankenstein weren't mainly about the story-- it covered the intention of the writing and background of the narrator. The book starts with an exploration of the narrator and covers a lot of topics through his letters: loneliness, risks taken by discovery of new knowledge, and etc. It seems like the letters are foreshadowing what's coming up in the future of this book.