Avoiding Sentence Fragments and Combining Ideas: Part 3 Grammar REVIEW 3 Combining thoughts In writing, you will sometimes want to join short, choppy sentences to form longer sentences. One way to join two ideas (independent thoughts) is to use a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Completing the thought Defining and Using Subordinating Conjunctions: Another way to join ideas together is with a subordinating conjunction. Short sentences are choppy. Choppy is bad. Short sounds strange. People do not talk this way. Instead of creating short choppy sentences subordinating conjunctions, allow thoughts to flow and create continuity in writing. PART 1 Can these ideas stand by themselves? a. Because oranges are rich in vitamin C. b. Although Sam is sleepy. ?? These ideas have a subject and a verb (find them), but they cannot stand-alone because you expect something else to follow. o Because oranges are rich in vitamin C, then what? Should you eat them, sell them, or make marmalade? o Although Sam is sleepy, what will he do? Will he wash the dishes, walk the dog, or go to the gym? ?? Words like because and although make an idea incomplete unless another idea or complete thought is added, the sentence will be a fragment. ?? SUBORDINATING CONJUNTIONS are words that assert an incomplete idea. Practice 6 Make these fragments into sentences by adding some idea that completes the thought. EXAMPLE: Because I miss my family, I am going home for the weekend. 1. As may stepped off the elevator, 2. If you are driving to Main Street, 3. While Kimi studied chemistry, 4. Because you believe in yourself, 5. Although spiders scare most people, PART 2 Can these ideas stand by themselves? a) Graciela, who has a one-year-old daughter. b) A Course that I will always remember. c) Vampire stories, which are popular now. ?? In each of these examples, you expect something else to follow. Graciela, who has a one-year-old daughter, is doing what? Does she attend college, knit sweaters, or fly planes? ?? Make the previous fragments into sentences by adding some idea that completes the thought. Proofreading Strategy Using coordination will improve your writing. Just proofread to make sure that you punctuate correctly. 1. Search for the seven coordinating conjunctions, or FANBOYS, and the subordinating conjunctions, then highlight or underline each one. If you are using a computer, use the Find feature to locate these words in your draft. 2. Check to see if each coordinating conjunction joins two complete ideas. Can the words on either side of it stand alone as complete sentences? If so, put a comma before the conjunction. SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS After Because though Whenever Although As As if As though Before Even though If Since So That Unless Until When Where Whereas Wherever Whether While Subordinating conjunction Meaning One Example Create your own example: After, as, before, since, until, when, whenever, while To show different time relationships When her son was diagnosed with autism, Monique started her research. Although, even though, though, whereas, while To show a contrast or contradiction I love classical music even though my parents did not. As though, as if To show something seems true but is not. He acts as if he owned the club. Practice: Correctly combine each pair of ideas in two ways: with the subordinating conjunction at the beginning of the sentence and with the subordinating conjunction in the middle. For each pair, write in the subordinating conjunction that expresses the relationship between these ideas. Then make sure you punctuate each sentence correctly. EXAMPLE: ________marriage exists in all societies, every culture has unique wedding customs. Every culture has unique wedding customs ___________marriage exists in all societies. 1. _______young couples in India marry the ceremony may last for days. The ceremony may last for days ________young couples in India marry. 2. ________ the wedding takes place at the brides home everyone travels to the grooms home for more celebrating. Everyone travels to the grooms home for more celebrating______________ the wedding takes place at the brides home. 3. Ducks are often included in Korean wedding processions___________ they mate for life. ___________ they mate for life ducks are often included in Korean wedding processions. 4. Iroquois brides gave grain to their mothers-in-law________ mothers-in-law gave meat to the brides. ________ Iroquois brides gave grain to their mothers-in-law________ mothers-in-law gave meat to the brides. 5. _________the food was exchanged the bride and groom were considered married. The bride and groom were considered married_______ the food was exchanged. 6. ________ the tradition went out of style Finnish brides and grooms used to exchange wreaths. Finnish brides and grooms used to exchange wreaths ___________ the tradition went out of style. 7. A Zulu wedding is not complete _________ the bride, groom, and bridal party dance special dances. _________ the bride, groom, and bridal party dance special dancesa Zulu wedding is not complete. 8. The bride stabs at imaginary enemies with a knife________ she dances wildly and gloriously. ________ she dances wildly and gloriously the bride stabs at imaginary enemies with a knife. 9. _________the wedding ring is a very old symbol the elaborate wedding cake is even older. The wedding ring is a very old symbol _________the elaborate wedding cake is even older. 10. _________ the ring symbolizes the oneness of the new couple the cake represents fertility. The cake represents fertility _________ the ring symbolizes the oneness of the new couple
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