Meltzer6 - Sentneces and Fragments

What do pronouns really mean? What would many mean? What would most mean?

Pronoun(of them) = sentence Many (of them) are grown in greenhouses around the world Most (of them) believe that the tomato is a vegetable.

What are examples of group pronouns? How many different ways can they be used?

"Group" Pronouns One very common point of confusion often involves "group" pronouns such as some, several, few, many, and others. These pronouns can be used to begin clauses in two different ways, one of which creates an independent clause and the other of which creates a dependent clause. Many tomatoes are grown in greenhouses around the world. Most people believe that the tomato is a vegetable. People generally don't have too much trouble recognizing that these are sentences. They have pretty clear subjects(many tomatoes, most people) and verbs(are, believe), and they make sense by themselves. The problem arises when we take away the nouns, tomatoes and people, and start to deal with the pronouns on their own.

What is a simple sentence? The tomato grows. What is the subject and what is the verb?

A. Simple Sentence The tomato grows. Only containing a subject(the tomato) and a verb(grows), which tell us what the subject does. Because it can stand on its own as a sentence, it can also be called an independent clause.

What is a prepositional phrase? Is a prepositional phrase ind or dep?

B. Prepositional Phrase Prepositional phrase - phrase that begins with a preposition, a time or location word that comes before a noun. Common prepositions include in, to, with, from, for, at, by, and on. Ex. The tomato grows around the world. A prepositional phrase cannot, however, stand alone as a complete sentence.

What are two things every sentence must contain?

Building Sentences 1) A subject 2) A conjugated verb that corresponds to the subject A sentence can contain only one word(Go! is a sentence because the subject, you, is implied) or consist of many complex clauses, but provided it contains a subject and a verb, it can be considered grammatically complete regardless of whether it makes sense outside of any context.

What is a coordinating conjunction? What are the coordinating conjunctions?

Coordinating Conjunctions join two independent clauses. The seven coordinating conjunctions, collectively known as FANBOYS. For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So Important: A single clause beginning with one of these conjunctions is not a complete sentence. Fragment: And today, tomatoes are cultivated in greenhouses around the world Sentence: Today, tomatoes are cultivated in greenhouses around the world.

What do adverbs do? How are most adverbs created? What are the other two types of adverbs? What are adverbs of time? What are transitions? What is important to remember?

D. Adverbs Adverbs modify verbs and clauses. Most adverbs are created by adding -ly onto adjectives. Slow --> Slowly Current --> Currently Important --> Importantly A second type of adverb, however, does not end in -ly. Some of these adverbs are adverbs of time, which tell you when or how often something occurs. Others are transitions that indicate relationships between ideas. List: Again, Consequently, Furthermore, Meanwhile, Moreover, Nevertheless, Next, Never, Now, Often, Still, Sometimes, Then, Today, Yesterday. Important: Adverbs have no grammatical effect whatsoever on a sentence. A sentence to which an adverb is added will continue to be a sentence, regardless of where the adverb is placed

How many participles does each verb have? How is the present participle formed? What do you add it to? How is the past participle formed? What do you add it to? What does a participle phrase begin with? Is it present or past? Can participle phrases stand alone as sentences?

F. Participles and Gerunds Every verb has two participles: 1) Present Participle The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the verb. Talk --> Talking Paint --> Painting Throw --> Throwing 2) Past Participle The past participle is usually formed by adding -ed or -n to the verb. Talk --> talked Paint --> painted Throw --> thrown A participial phrase begins with a participle and can be in either the present or the past. Correct: Originating in South America, the tomato, one of the most popular salad ingredients, grows in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world. To form the past tense, we can use the present participle having + past participle of the main verb originated. Correct: Having originated in South America, the tomato, one of the most popular salad ingredients, grows in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world. We can also use the past participle of the verb grow. Correct: Grown originally in South America, the tomato, one of the most popular salad ingredients, grows in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world. Participial Phrases can appear in the beginning(as in the above examples), middle, or end of a sentence. Middle: The tomato, cultivated initially in South America during the first millennium B.C., is now grown in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world. End: The tomato is now grown in greenhouses around the world, having first been cultivated in South America in the first millennium B.C. Participle phrases cannot stand alone as sentences, however.

What are gerunds? What is the difference between gerunds and participles?

F. Participles and Gerunds Gerunds are identical in appearance to present participles: they are created by adding -ing to verbs. Whereas participles act as modifiers, gerunds act as nouns. They typically follow pronouns, e.g., I was irritated by his whistling, or prepositions, e.g., The gannet is a bird that catches fish by diving from heights of up to 100 feet. The most important thing to understand is a word that ends in -ing is not a verb. A clause that contains a subject and an -ing word rather than a conjugated verb is a fragment. Fragment: Tomatoes growing in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world.

What are non essential clauses? What do non essential clauses do? What do they often begin with? When they are removed, do they still make grammatical sense?

Information can be inserted between the subject and the verb in the form of a non-essential clause. Non-essential clauses describe nouns(usually the subject). They often begin with "w-words" such as who and which, and they are usually followed by a verb. They can consist of long phrases or single words. These clauses or words are called "non-essential" because when they are removed, the sentence still makes grammatical sense. Non-essential clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. As a shortcut, know that a statement(not a question) beginning with a "w-word" such as which, who(se), or where is not a complete sentence The tomato, which is one of the most popular salad ingredients, grows in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world. The tomato, however, grows in many varieties in greenhouses around the world. These clauses are considered "non-essential" because when they are removed, the sentence still makes gramatical sense.

What are subordinating conjunctions? When is it acceptable to use because? What type of clause is a subordinating conjunction? When can because work?

It's perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with because - sometimes. Because is a type of conjunction known as a subordinating conjunction. A clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction cannot stand on its own as a sentence and is therefore dependent. Fragment: Because tomatoes are colorful and full of flavor. If, however, an independent clause is placed after the dependent clause, the whole sentence can correctly begin with a subordinating conjunction. Sentence: Because tomatoes are colorful and full of flavor, they are one of the most popular salad ingredients Other common subordinating conjunctions include the following: After Although As Because Before Despite If Since Though Unless Until When Whenever Whereas Whether While

A pronoun + what = a fragment A pronoun + what = a fragment What does an indefinite pronoun followed by of which or of whom create? Which of the following are correct or incorrect. State why? Many (of them) are grown in greenhouses around the world. Most of whom believe that the tomato is a vegetable. The tomato is used by cooks around the world, most of them believe that it is a vegetable rather than a fruit. The tomato is used by cooks around the world. Most of them believe that it is a vegetable rather than a fruit. The tomato is used by cooks around the world, most of whom believe that it is a vegetable rather than a fruit.

Pronoun + "of which" or "of whom" = fragment When an indefinite pronoun is followed by of which or of whom, it creates a dependent clause, which by definition cannot stand alone as a full sentence. Which means: Fragment: Many (of them) are grown in greenhouses around the world. Fragment: Most of whom believe that the tomato is a vegetable. Incorrect: The tomato is used by cooks around the world, most of them believe that it is a vegetable rather than a fruit. Correct: The tomato is used by cooks around the world. Most of them believe that it is a vegetable rather than a fruit Correct: The tomato is used by cooks around the world, most of whom believe that it is a vegetable rather than a fruit.

What is the most important ability? What is another important thing to remember?

The ability to distinguish between sentences and fragments is the basis for correctly using the punctuation discussed in the following chapters. If you cannot tell when a statement is and is not a sentence, you will find it extremely difficult to know when to use periods, commas, semicolons and colons. Whether a statement is or is not a sentence has absolutely nothing to do with its meaning.

What is an appositive? Can a non-essential clause stand alone as a complete sentence?

The tomato, one of the most popular salad ingredients, grows in many shapes and varieties in greenhouses around the world. Although non-essential clauses frequently begin with "w-words" (also known as relative pronouns), they are not required to do so. A non-essential clause that begins with a noun is known as an appositive. Appositives can also appear as descriptions at the beginnings or ends of sentences, as in the examples below. A non-essential clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. As a shortcut, know that a statement beginning with a "w-word" such as which, who(se), or where is not a complete sentence. In addition, a sentence cannot stop after a non-essential clause. If it does, it is no longer a complete sentence but rather a fragment, and it should not have a period or semicolon placed after it.

What are the two main types of conjunctions?

The two main types of conjunctions are 1) Coordinating conjunctions join two independent clauses. 2) Subordinating conjunctions join an independent clause and a dependent clause.

What should you note about subordinating conjunctions?

When a clause begun by a subordinating conjunction contains a subject (underlined below), that clause must contain a conjugated verb rather than an -ing word. Fragment: Most tomatoes grown today have smooth surfaces, although some older plants and most modern beefsteaks showing pronounced ribbing. Sentence: Most tomatoes grown today have smooth surfaces, although some older plants and most modern beefsteaks show pronounced ribbing. When no subject is present, however, an -ing word can acceptably appear in the same phrase as some subordinating conjunctions, primarily ones indicating time (e.g., while, when, before, after, since). Sentence: Since becoming a central ingredient in Italian cooking during the nineteenth century, the tomato has grown in popularity worldwide.