Sentence Structure, Grammar, and Mechanics Made Easy

Annandale Writing CenterCG 409

Sentence Structure

Subject

Verb

Object

Adjective

Adverb,

;.

:

STRONG Sentence Structure

Concise, Precise, and Clear“People usually resist

new regulations.”

Active Voice“Gender inequality exists in schools.”

Effective Punctuation

“Gender inequality, such as unequal funding for

male and female sports, exists in schools.”

weak Sentence Structure

Wordy and Confusing

“People usually have a tendency to resist new

and unfamiliar regulations most of the

time.”

Passive Voice“It is my belief that

gender inequality exists in the school system.”

Lack of Effective Punctuation

“Gender inequality such as unequal funding for male and female sports

exists in schools.”

How would you strengthen it? One of the most important results of the data is the alteration of previous views on the subject of politics.

Tricks of the Trade

Create a List“New regulations discourage

entrepreneurs by 1) increasing costs and red-tape, 2) slowing progress on projects, 3) and

overwhelming would-be business-owners.”

Start Fast“New regulations

discourage entrepreneurs.”

GrammarIndependent Clause

Dependent Clause

Run-On Sentence

Terms

Examples• Independent Clause:

–I like writing. • Dependent clause:

–Because it is stimulating. • Fragment:

–I like writing. Which is rare. • Run-On:

–I like writing, It is stimulating.

Sentence Boundaries (or punctuation)

Independent Clause Independent Clause.Independent Clause Independent Clause;

Dependent Clause Independent Clause,Dependent ClauseIndependent Clause ,

Independent Clause Independent Clause,and

More Sentence Boundaries

Dependent ClauseIndependent Clause ,

Dependent ClauseIndependent Clause ,which

“-ing” verb

Dependent ClauseIndependent Clause that

becauseExceptionsor

ArticlesUse “a”

Singular

Countable

General

• Yesterday, I saw a dog. The dog was chasing a cat. The cat disappeared into some tall grass beside Cherry Street. Dogs and cats seldom get along.

Using Articles

Prepositions

Relationships between

words

DirectionLocationTime

Other

Using Prepositions• John went the store home.

• John went to the store from home.

• John went from the store to home.

Questions?