THE SENTENCE

The Basic Sentence

 Thecore of an English sentence consists of a subject
and a verb.
The four basic sentence patters :
i. SV
ii. SV and V
iii. S and SV
iv. S and SV and V
 More Complicated Sentences
Longer sentences have two basic sentences.
They are combined with coordinators or conjunctions.
There are seven coordinators.
An Old Yellow Book Feels So New
A= AND F =FOR
O=OR S = SO
Y=YET N = NOR
B=BUT
 Combine these pairs of sentences , using one of the seven
coordinators.

1. Megan didn’t like her job. She simply quit.

2. Now she is unemployed. She doesn’t know what to do.

3. Peter would like to be an accountant. He would like to be

a computer programmer.

4. Some companies are very large. You will have to attract

your boss’s attention.

5. Sometimes he gets discouraged. He never gives up.

 Subordinators
 There is another way to combine two short sentences.

 That is by using a subordinator.

Example :
Your outfit deserves careful thought because first
impression counts a lot.
Memorize the subordinators

W who , what , where , when , why , which , whether , while

I If
S since , so that
H how

A as , after , although
B before , because
O once
U unless , until
T than , that , though
Exercise 1

Combine the pairs of sentences by using a subordinator between them.

1. Many people invest in gold. They are fiscal conservatives.

2. Some people get a great deal done in a given amount of time. Others

do not.

3. You should scrutinize yourself in a mirror. You leave for the interview.
 What is a fragment?
A fragment is an incomplete sentence.

(1) No verb : Ruth , a public relations writer.

(2) No subject : Wrote the article.
(3) A subordinator attached to the only subject and verb :
When Ruth , a public relations writer , wrote the article.
 Exercise : Identify each of the following as either a good
sentence (s) or a fragment. (F)

 1. Even before the American revolution.

 2. The American labour movement had begun.
 3. As unicorns grew in the early nineteenth century.
 4. Some of them are still in existence.
 5. Their original purpose , to improve working
conditions and wages , continue to exist as well.
What is a run-on?

A run-on occurs when two sentences are combined

without using one of the sentence patters.

 Example:
 Mr. Nguyen dictated a letter , Frank transcribed it.
 We have two separate sentences which we cannot separate
with a comma.
 Exercise : Identify the run-ons and good sentences

1. Your salary indicates your value to a company.

2. Before your salary review , you should find out the average
salaries in your field.

3. To get a raise, you must be doing more than your basic duties,
they merit no extra reward.

4. When you want a raise, you must be well prepared.

 WORDS OF TRANSITION
accordingly henceforth nevertheless

also however On the contrary

anyhow In addition On the other
hand
as a result indeed otherwise
at the same time In fact still
besides in other words that is
consequently instead then
for example likewise therefore
furthermore meanwhile thus
hence moreover