ENG100 Basic Writing Skills Notes for June 28th 1) Where we stand with things right now 2) Thursday

y we will have a grammar quiz 3) Avoiding Sentence Errors a. Sentence Fragmentsincomplete sentence because it lacks a subject, a verb or both. It may also may be a dependant clause because a subordinate clause is attached to it i. How to spot a fragment sentence 1. Does the group of words have a verb? a. Ex. Doug swam laps every night. To win the prize. b. Ex. Jason is excited. Going to the interview tomorrow. 2. Does the group of word shave a subject a. Ex. Peter slammed the door. And slammed out of the room. b. Ex. What about---Follow me. 3. Does the group of words begin with a subordinating conjunction (such as after, although, as, because, however, since that) a. Ex. While I was waiting for the train. b. Ex. Although the politician campaigned feverishly. 4. Does the group of words begin with a relative pronoun (that, what, whatever, which, who, whoever, whomever, whose)? a. Who lost the keys. b. That we discussed after class. c. Where the meeting will be heard ii. How to correct Fragments 1. Attach the fragment to complete sentence or an independent clause 2. Remove the subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun to make sure that the remaining group of words has a subject and a verb---it can stand alone. 3. Add the missing subject or verb iii. Exercise 10 in class b. Run-on Sentences and commas splices i. Run-on sentence a sentence that contains two independent clauses that are not separated by any punctuation or a coordinating conjunction ii. Comma splice two independent clauses that are joined only by a comma iii. How to spot these errors 1. you can read the sentence aloud

a. we watched the football game then we ordered pizza 2. Exercise 11 c. Uses of verb tenses i. We need to be clear at how we use verbs to relate time ii. Examples are present past and future iii. Take a look at the book to discuss this we do not need to necessarily need to know what all the names are, but we do need to know their uses 517-519 iv. Common mistakes to avoid with verb tense 1. make sure the endings d and ed (past) and s and es (third person singular, simple present tense) are on verb that require them a. I have walk three miles since I left home. Correct? 2. Use irregular verbs correctly a. I will lay down for a nap. b. I will lie down for a nap. 3. use helping verbs where they are necessary to express the correct time a. I go to class on time b. I will go to class on time 4. Avoid colloquial language or dialect in writing a. I didnt get the point of that poem. b. The train be gone v. Exercise 12 d. Active and passive Voice i. We are using active voice when the subject performs the action of the verb 1. Carlos dropped his calculator. ii. Passive voice means that the subject is the receiver of the action 1. The calculator was dropped by Carlos. 2. Samples of prepared food were given by the supermarket. iii. Exercise 13 e. Subject Verb agreement i. The subject and the verb must agree in number and tense 1. Agreement Rules a. Singular subjects use the singular form of the verb (usually the s form---exceptionI dance) b. Plural subjects plural form of the verb --- we dance 2. Common mistakes to avoid a. Third person singular do not omit the s or es for a present-tense verb used with the pronoun, he, she it or any singular noun i. I She watch the training video. ii. C She watches the training video.

b. Compound subjects if we join two or more subjects we then get the plural verb i. I Anita and Mark plays cards. ii. C Anita and mark play cards. c. Verbs before subjects -- when a verb comes before a subject i. There is a bone in my soup. ii. There are two bones in my soup. (both correct) d. Words between subject and verbs Words, phrases and clauses coming between i. The new list of degree requirements comes out in the spring. C ii. Expenses surrounding the sale of the house were unexpectedly low. C e. Indefinite pronouns as subjects some indefinite pronouns (such as everyone, neither, anybody, nobody, one, something and each) take a singular verb ii. Everyone appreciates the hospitals volunteers. C iii. Some of the ice is still on the road iv. Some of the ice cubes are still in the tray. f. Collective nouns refer t a group of people or things (audience, class, flock, jury, team, family) if the verb refers to the unit then it is singular i. The herd stampedes towards us C ii. If they are referred to individually, then use the plural iii. The herd scatter in all directions. g. Nouns with plural for but singular meaning (news, mathematics) i. Mathematics is a required course. h. Others look plural and take the plural braces, glasses, trousers, slacks, jeans, pajamas i. Relative pronoun in adjective clauses -j. Anita is a person who never forgets her keys (who refers to person, which is singular) k. Exercise 14 Please post on blackboard --- be sure to highlight (bold face, underline, or italics) the correct verb 4) Paragraph Writing Strategies 5) 5) Classification a. When do we use this? i. Well classified items in the newspaper ii. Grocery stores classify their items: dairy, paper, etc iii. Biologists classify plants and animals b. What is classification writing? i. The identification of types or categories within a group is a great way to explain a topic ii. We take the topic and then break it down into subgroups

1. for example: reptiles a. crocodiles, snakes, turtles, tortoises, and lizards 2. We also could take a part an orchestra 3. Look to page 280 (exercise 12-1 as a class) 4. What we want to note is that everything in the classification system needs to be of a similar type, comparable, and matching ---not more specific than one iii. deciding on what basis to classify information 1. we need to decide on a basis for breaking down our subject 2. The best way for us to get started, is to have a good general topic and then brainstorm different ways to break it into subgroups or categories 3. Ex. My Friends a. age; length of friendship; closeness of friendship., gender, personality type 4. Exercise: take a moment and select a topic (if not sure you can look to the examples on page 281) a. Follow that up with some brainstorming some of the ways that you can classify the topic iv. Once you have possible was to classify topic, select the one that best represents or describes the topic and fulfills the purpose 1. once you have your topic get them into subgroups a. look to bottom of 281 b. Choosing a basis of Classification i. Consider your audience ii. Choose a basis that is uncomplicated iii. Choose a basis that you are familiar with 2. Take your topic, the way of classifying, now develop our subgroups (from earlier exercise) c. Writing your topic sentence i. Topic sentence should accomplish the following: 1. it should identify your topic 2. indicate how you will classify items within 3. Look to the examples on page 283 d. explanation i. need to provide information to explain each subgroup ii. it may be necessary to define them (if they are not clear) iii. give a perfect amount of detail for each grouping iv. Look to the example on page 284 e. Testing the Effectiveness i. Look to think of the exceptions ii. If there are a number of exceptions we need to reconsider the subgroups 1. think of the orchestra example from earlier

a. what do we do with synthesizers? (none of the categories) Or hammered dulcimers (both string and percussion)? f. applying your skills to essay writing: classification i. explain your basis of classification in your introduction ii. use paragraph to separate subgroups iii. maintain a balance among subgroups iv. emphasize differences v. consider your audience 6) Homework a. Journal 10-12 I would like for you to create three paragraphs (one for each journal entry in which you employ this pattern of organization [classifying]) b. Final Draft of Out of Class Essay #1 -- process