Sentence Fluency

Phillis Wheatley was an important figure in colonial America. She was kidnapped from Africa, brought to America, and enslaved. She learned to read and write, which was extremely rare for a woman and especially for an enslaved person. Her poetry celebrated political figures and was published while she was still enslaved. Decide the effect of revising sentence 2 to "After she was kidnapped from Africa, Wheatley was brought to America and enslaved." 1) It adds sentence variety to the passage OR 2) It emphasizes the sentence's second half. OR 3) Both answers are true. OR 4) Neither answers are true.

1) It adds sentence variety to the passage

Political documents from the time of the United States' independence are important, other written accounts and even fiction from that time period can be just as valuable. Such as journal entries and poetry. These documents are interesting to read they give glimpses into daily life and values during an important time in our country's history. The best way to rewrite sentence 2 is to... 1) Journal entries and poetry can become important historical documents 2) Such as journal entries, poetry, and documents. 3) Journals entries such as poetry and historical documents.

1) Journal entries and poetry can become important historical documents

Which of these sentences is grammatically correct? 1) New opportunities associated with settling in the colonies included free land and the chance to gain wealth. OR 2) New opportunities associated with settling in the colonies plus free land and the chance to gain wealth. OR 3) New opportunities associated with settling in the colonies, free land and the chance to gain wealth.

1) New opportunities associated with settling in the colonies included free land and the chance to gain wealth.

Why are run-on sentences problematic? (3 answers)

1) Run-on sentences make text more difficult to read. 2) Run-on sentences can change the intended meaning of a text. 3) Run-on sentences can make a sentence confusing.

My family took a trip last month to see the towns of Lexington and Concord. The towns were really interesting once I could visualize the battle. Students my age would be lucky to see important sites like these. 1) How do the sentences in the passage above compare to each other as in do they have similar or different structures? 2) What would be the effect of changing the second sentence to "Once I could visualize the battle, the towns were really interesting"?

1) They have very similar structures. 2) The different structure would provide variety for the reader.

Learning about the past is important because history teaches us lessons that we can apply to our lives today. We look at political documents, records, and historical agreements, they offer hints about life in the past. Life today is very different than it was in early America, and knowing the mistakes, successes, and events of the past is valuable. 1) Which sentence is the run-on sentence in the passage above? 2) What type of run-on sentence is it?

1) We look at political documents, records, and historical agreements, they offer hints about life in the past. 2) comma splice

We look at political documents, records, and historical agreements, they offer hints about life in the past. After reading the fragment above with the comma splice, name three correct ways to fix the comma splice.

1) We look at political documents, records, and historical agreements; they offer hints about life in the past. 2) We look at political documents, records, and historical agreements because they offer hints about life in the past. 3) We look at political documents, records, and historical agreements. They offer hints about life in the past.

One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know. —Groucho Marx How does the writer create humor with the second sentence? (2 answers)

1) by playing on the reader's assumptions from the first sentence 2) by drawing attention to a purposely misleading statement

Evaluate Equiano's sentence fluency. Once, for a few days, I was let out to fit a vessel, and I had no victuals allowed me by either party; at last I told my master of this treatment, and he took me away from it. In many of the estates, on the different islands where I used to be sent for rum or sugar, they would not deliver it to me, or any other negro; he was therefore obliged to send a white man along with me to those places; and then he used to pay him from fix to ten pisterines a day. —The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano 1) Is the sentence length generally, long, short, or varied? 2) Are the sentence structures used repetitive or varied? 3) Overall, the fluency is best described as a. natural and flowing. b. choppy and incomplete. c. loose and unstructured. d. inconsistent and unconnected.

1) long 2) varied 3) a. natural and flowing.

Political documents from the time of the United States' independence are important, other written accounts and even fiction from that time period can be just as valuable. Such as journal entries and poetry. These documents are interesting to read they give glimpses into daily life and values during an important time in our country's history. The best way to revise sentence 1 is to... 1) add and after the comma 2) add but after the comma 3) delete the comma

2) add but after the comma

Phillis Wheatley was an important figure in colonial America. She was kidnapped from Africa, brought to America, and enslaved. She learned to read and write, which was extremely rare for a woman and especially for an enslaved person. Her poetry celebrated political figures and was published while she was still enslaved. Decide the effect of revising sentence 3 to "Although it was extremely rare for a woman and especially for an enslaved person, Wheatley learned to read and write." 1) It adds sentence variety to the passage OR 2) It emphasizes the sentence's second half. OR 3) Both answers are true. OR 4) Neither answers are true.

3) Both answers are true.

We are all of a nation of dancers, musicians and poets. Thus every great event, such as a triumphant return from battle, or other cause of public rejoicing is celebrated in public dances, which are accompanied with songs and music suited to the occasion. The assembly is separated into four divisions, which dance either apart or in succession, and each with a character peculiar to itself. —The Interesting Narrative of the Lifeof Olaudah Equiano Which statement best describes the sentences in this passage? 1) The sentences are short and choppy. OR 2) The sentences are grammatically incorrect. OR 3) The sentences are long but grammatically correct.

3) The sentences are long but grammatically correct.

Political documents from the time of the United States' independence are important, other written accounts and even fiction from that time period can be just as valuable. Such as journal entries and poetry. These documents are interesting to read they give glimpses into daily life and values during an important time in our country's history. The best way to revise sentence 3 is to... 1) add but after read 2) add a comma after values 3) add a semicolon after read

3) add a semicolon after read

Which of the following is an independent clause? Early American writers were mostly men. OR Although early American writers were mostly men.

Early American writers were mostly men.

Identify the simple subject in the following sentence. George Washington was one of the greatest generals in American history.

George Washington

Which of the following is a sentence fragment? Early American writers were mostly men. OR Many early American women never.

Many early American women never.

Which of the following is a dependent clause? When the Founding Fathers signed the Constitution OR Several ideas in the Constitution were new.

When the Founding Fathers signed the Constitution

What is the following an example of? Puritans had certain beliefs about women in society shaping colonial attitudes toward female writers.

a fused sentence NOTE: In this example, the run-on sentence changes the intended meaning of the text. The author meant to say Puritan values shaped attitudes toward female writers. However, the run-on version of this sentence implies that Puritans had beliefs about women forming attitudes toward female writers.

Many early American women never. Which element must be added to the sentence fragment you identified above to make it a complete sentence?

a predicate

Identify the simple predicate in the following sentence. George Washington was one of the greatest generals in American history.

was