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Writing Handbook

Kinds of Sentences

One way that sentences are classified is by structure-the kinds of clauses and number of clauses the sentences contain.

The simple sentence- has one independent clause and no subordinate clauses.

Example: Judith and her parents discussed her problem and found a clever solution to it.

The compound Sentence- has two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses.

Example: Jared read the novel and then he saw the film.

The complex sentence- has one independent clause and at last one subordinate clause.

Example: When I read one of her stories, I want to ride the dragon.

Independent Clause   I want to ride a dragon.

Subordinate Clause   When I read one of her stories.

In addition to being classified by structure, a sentence is also classified according to its purpose.  The four kinds of sentences are declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory.

A declarative sentence makes a statement. It is followed by a period.

Example: I can guess what it is.

An interrogative sentence asks a question. It is followed by a question mark.

Example: What was the matter with your bike?

An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request. It is followed by a period. A strong command is followed by an exclamation point.

Example: Please open the door, John. Look out!

An exclamatory sentence shows excitement or express strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence is followed by an exclamation point.

Example: We won the match ! 

Writing Effective Sentences

1. Insert words and phrases.

 Example: Cook the steak. Cook it for five minutes. (Choppy)

Cook the steak for five minutes. (Combined)

2. Use subordinate clause.

Example: Be careful. It is easy to slip. (Choppy)

Be careful because it is easy to slip. (Combined)

Improve stringy and wordy sentences by making them shorter and more precise.

Example: When his life ended, he turned into a hummingbird. (Wordy)

After his death he turned into a hummingbird. (Revised)

What I mean to say is that she is known as a legend. (Wordy)

She is known as a legend. (Revised)    

 Extra words and phrases tend to make writing sound awkward and unnatural. If you ran out of breath before the end of a sentence, it is wordy, stringy or both.

Punctuation

An end mark is a mark of punctuation placed at the end of a sentence. The three kinds of end marks are the period, the question mark and the exclamation point.

Use a period or an exclamation point at the end of a request or a command.

Example: Please, give me the scissors ▪ (a request)

Give me the scissors !  (a command)

Words, phrases, and clauses in a series are separated by commas to show the reader where one item in the series ends and the next item begins. Commas are always needed with three or more items in a series. Two items do not need a comma. If all items in a series are joined by and or, do not use commas to separate them.

Example: I voted for Corey and Mona and Ethan.

Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions like as follows or the following.

Example: Minimum equipment for camping includes the following:  bedroll, warm clothing, and rope.

Use Quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation - a person’s exact words.

Example: “Here is Eric’s drawing a landscape”, said Ms. Morrison.

When the expression identifying the speaker interrupts a quoted sentence, the second part of a quotation begins with a small letter.

Example: “Look”, Angela added, “that guy in the film is a lot like my brother”.

The possessive case of a noun or a pronoun shows ownership or relationship.

Example:  a dog’s collar    Cinderella’s slipper    doctors’ opinions    hosts’ invitations

To form a contraction, use an apostrophe to show where letters have been left out.

A contraction is a shortened form of a word, figure or a group of words.

Example: I am- I’m        they had- they’d      where is- where’s    is not- isn’t