1. Sentences The KU Writing Center Other Business
UNIT 2
Sentences
The KU Writing Center
Other Business

2. Agenda Discuss complete vs. fragment sentences Identifying run-ons
Understanding the parts of a sentence
Correcting comma splices
KU Writing Center
Review how to get grades and feedback
Review how to name files being sent in dropbox
Discussion topic for the week

3. Complete vs. Fragment A complete sentence has a subject and a verb
A fragment will be missing one or the other
To spot and correct a fragment you need to understand three sentence elements (subject, verb, dependent clause/subordinate clause)
Subject – tells you who or what the sentence is about or receives the action (noun)
Verb – expresses the action or state of being. Contains one word or also a helping verb

4. Examples (subject & verb)
Mom cooks breakfast every morning
I want a new bike for Christmas.
Carl didn't help his dad.
The kittens were under the straw stack.
Run next door for some sugar.

5. Examples of Fragments
Margie lost her keys on Tuesday. And found them on Wednesday.
The instructor canceled class. But did not postpone the quiz.
Relieved that it had stopped raining, Teresa rushed into the mall. Then remembered her car window was open.

6. Subjects vs. Prepositional Phrases
A group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun that tells what of whom is the object of the preposition
on the house
from my instructor
A noun within a prepositional phrase is never the subject of a sentence
after, in, across, throughout, until,
before, to, between to name a few

7. Examples of Prepositional Phrases
Beneath the chair, the cat dozed.
The students in the art class pained a mural.
A crowd of teenagers had purchased tickets for the concert.
Patches of blue sky ate visible above the horizon.

8. Verbs
Verbs are a word or word group that indicates what the subject does or what happens to the subject
Main verbs are often accompanied by one or more helping verb (will, can, be, have, do, etc.)
Compound Verbs are joined together by a conjunction (and, or, but, etc.)

9. Fragments without complete Verbs
Walking across campus after lunch.
Must include a subject & helping verb.
Morris was patient. Waiting in line at the bank.
Add a subject and change the verb in the second sentence.
To reach my goal.
Add a subject and a verb to the beginning
To earn the highest grade. Libby studies eight hours.
Combine these sentences with a comma

10. Clauses
A clause is a group of related that contains a subject and its verb
Independent clause: complete thought and stands alone.
Advertisers prominently displayed brand names.
Dependent (Subordinate) clause: does not express a complete thought.
After World War II ended.

11. Subordinating Conjunctions
after if
though
although
in order that
unless as
until
once
as far as
when
rather than
as long as
where
since
because
while
than
before
that
during

12. How to Spot Fragments Does the word group have a subject?
Does the word group have a verb?
Does the word group begin with a subordinating conjunction (since, after, because, as, while, although, so forth, etc) introducing a dependent clause?
Does the word group begin with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, whoever, whomever, that, which, whatever) introducing a dependent clause?

13. How to Revise Fragments
Add a subject if one is missing.
The advertisement appeared on television ten times during the game.
Add a verb if one is missing.
An action packed commercial with rap music advertised a new soft drink.
Combine the fragment with an independent clause to make it a complete sentence.
Because advertising is expensive, companies are making shorter commercials.
Remove the subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun so the group of words can stand alone as a sentence.
Since viewer can “zap” out commercials on video recorders.

14. Punctuation One primary purpose – to separate
Periods, Question Marks, and Exclamation Marks are used at the end of sentences
Commas, Colons, Semicolons, Hyphens, Dashes, Quotation Marks, Parentheses are used within sentences (and most commonly misused)
When you read you pause at a natural break, if there is no punctuation perhaps the sentence should be edited.

15. Run-On Sentences When you do not separate two complete thoughts
The library has a copy machine it is very conveniently located.
My major is nursing I do enjoy working with people.

16. How to Correct a Run-On
1. Separate the two complete thoughts into 2 sentences.
2. Separate the two complete thoughts with a semicolon.
3. Join the two complete thoughts with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet)
4. Make one thought dependent upon the other by using a subordinating conjunction (although, once, since, though, when, while, etc.)

17. How to Correct Comma Splices
Correct comma splices the same way you would a run-on sentence.
1. Separate the two complete thoughts into one
2. Separate the two complete thoughts with a semicolon
3. Join the two complete thoughts with a comma and a coordinating junction (and, but, for, nor, etc.)
4. Make one thought dependent upon the other by using a subordination conjunction.

18. Run On (RO), Comma Splice (CS) or Correct (C)
Inez packed for the camping trip she remembered everything except insect repellant.
The limousine drove through our neighborhood, everybody wondered who was in it.
Before the big game, Louis, who is a quarterback eats a lot of pasta and bread he says it gives him energy.
Amanda worked every night of a month on the needlepoint pillow that she was making for her grandmother.

19. Tips for Writing With a Computer
Investigate computer availability…you MUST have Microsoft Word
Save your work frequently (trust me on this!)
Work with a printed copy (it is much easier to edit from paper)
Use, but do not rely on, a spell-check program (if you use the wrong form of a word, it will not pick it up – finely vs finally)

20. Unit 2 Discussion Four tasks
Read/Study the paragraph on tattoos
Tell why it was difficult to read
What corrections could be made to make it clearer
Rewrite the paragraph correctly
Make sure your responses address the person you are writing to and that your posts focus on specific aspects of his/her post.
What did your classmate to well (be specific)
What did they do that you did not think to do (be specific)
Check out the example response on the Discussion page

21. Other Tasks
Unit Reading (there are power point presentations in you do not have a book yet)
Post in the Discussion Board
Complete your Writing Lab activities – there are introduction presentations that should be viewed before jumping right in
Log in to take your Quiz before Tuesday at 11:59 pm ET
Attend the seminar or complete/submit Option 2

22. KU Writing Center Click on the Reading link under Unit 2
Read the PDF file about the Writing Center
This file contains valuable information on services offered to you
Live tutoring, Q&A Center, and paper reviews
READ IT, USE IT! It is worth the time.
There is also a Power Point Presentation in Doc Sharing

23. Last Minute Items Title ALL assignments with KU121_title_last name
You can only submit an assignment ONCE, so make sure it is done correctly and all parts have been completed
To view comments open the assignment in the gradebook. If there is a side arrow with a +, click on that arrow and the rest of my comment will appear.
All grades should be posted by the end of the calendar week
Review your graded work within MyWriting Lab and note the difference between your answer and the correct answer.
Go through the Chapter Power Points for this unit if you do not have a book. There is much more to Chapters 4-6 then I was able to cover.