Grammar “Brush Strokes”

Learning to Craft Syntax

Created by Jennifer Cullen 2014

(from p. 4 practice quotation…)

● Illusions are made.

● Media distorts.

● We falsely hope.Write this sentence in the center of a page.

First, create a simple core sentence from either your thesis or the original quotation:

Appositive (simple definition): a noun that renames the noun before it (use an article -- the, an, a -- to be sure it is an appositive)

Example:

We, a generation of dreamers, falsely hope.

“Painting” with appositives...

Participle (simple definition): “-ing” or “-ed” form of a verb; participle phrase: participle plus other words

Example:

Striving yet stumbling, we, a generation of dreamers, falsely hope.

“Painting” with participles...

Prepositional phrase (simple definition): a phrase with an introductory “direction, time, space” word; silly tip: a preposition is a word that connects a squirrel to his tree (ex: he can be in his tree, under his tree, etc.)

Example: Striving yet stumbling, we, a generation of dreamers, falsely hope amid the litany of society’s want-more messages.

“Painting” with prepositional phrases...

Absolute phrase (simple definition): a noun + an “-ing” verb

Example: Striving yet stumbling, we, a generation of dreamers, souls seeking meaning and purpose, falsely hope amid the litany of society’s want-more messages.

“Painting” with absolutes...

Simple rule: Choose strong action verbs whenever possible. Consider adding an adverb.

Example: Striving yet stumbling, we, a generation of dreamers, souls seeking chasing meaning and purpose, falsely hope amid the litany of society’s want-more messages.

“Painting” with action verbs...

(simple definition): placing adjectives somewhere other than before the noun modified

Example: Striving yet stumbling, we, a generation of dreamers, souls chasing meaning and purpose, falsely hope amid the litany, endless and constant, of society’s want-more messages.

“Painting” with adjectives out of order...

You also have the options of gerunds and infinitives...

Striving yet stumbling to succeed (infinitive

phrase), we, a generation of dreamers, souls chasing meaning and purpose, falsely hope amid the litany, endless and constant, of society’s want-more messages of satisfying self with materialism or reputation (gerund phrase).

Look at p. 16-17 in your workbook: