Tag: sentence
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How to Write a Sentence in 4 Easy Steps
During my years teaching basic English at Columbus State Community College, I often felt bewildered by the inability of some students to write even one simple sentence. They would write fragments or run-ons, or worse, just string a series of words together that — to them — made sense but not to anyone else. As…
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The Keys to Making a Good Summary
Several days ago, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) made political history by speaking over 25 hours on the Senate floor, falling silent only briefly to take sips of water from a bottle. As a writer and former public speaking instructor, I considered a question that probably few others considered: How would you summarize his speech? Emily…
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Avoiding and Correcting Awkward Sentences — Part II
There is rarely anything funny that results when the rules of grammar are violated. In fact, such violations have probably driven more than a few English teachers to tears and thoughts of early retirement. But there can be exceptions. Consider the following examples. Constructed out of solid oak and iron bolts, the soldiers could not…
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Avoiding and Correcting Awkward Sentences — Part I
What exactly is an awkward sentence? Definitions may vary, but it’s safe to say that an awkward sentence is one that lacks balance, clarity, and/or meaning due to poor word choice, poor structure, missing transitions, or some similar deficiency in the way it is composed. In some cases, the “awkwardness” is fairly easy to correct. In…
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How Commas Could Get You Into a Fight
In my days as an instructor of basic English composition, I was often amazed at where students put commas. A comma might appear in the middle of a prepositional phrase or an infinitive. It could precede or follow a question mark or an exclamation point. At times, it seemed that students, while writing a composition,…