Better sentence-writing in 30 minutes a day - Dianna Campbell 1995

Better sentence-writing in 30 minutes a day - Dianna Campbell 1995

Preface

Introduction to sentence structure

Basic clause patterns

Simple sentences—Those with one clause

Finding verbs in clauses

Finding subjects in clauses

Finding elements that complete the verb

Summary of basic clause types

A closer look at subjects

Nouns

Pronouns

Noun substitutes

A closer look at predicates

Verbs

Changing tenses: regular verbs versus irregular verbs

More about completing elements in the predicate

The modifiers

Adjectives

Adverbs

Appositives

Prepositional phrases

Sentence combining: basic strategies and common problems

Compound sentences

Complex sentences

A note on punctuation

Subordinating Conjunctions

A Final note

Embedded sentences

Two variations of embedded sentences

A sentence-combining approach to the problem of run-ons and comma splices

Combining, not breaking up

Three things to realize about run-ons and comma splices

A sentence-combining approach to the problem of fragments

Type 1: Dependent clause set up as a sentence

Type 2: Fragment involving an -ing verb

Type 3: Fragment related to embedding

Type 4: Cutoff modifier

Punctuating sentence combinations

Using commas in compound and complex sentences (a review)

Compound sentences

Complex sentences

Compound/complex sentences

Using commas in embedded sentences

An important reminder

The difference between which and that

The relative pronoun, whose

Using commas to set off phrases

Introductory phrases

End phrases

Notes to remember

Mid phrases

Using Commas in a Series

Commas in adjective pairs

Cumulative review of commas

Commas to set off city from state

Commas in dates

Using semicolons

An introductory word or phrase for the clause after the semicolon

Other introductory words and phrases

A note of caution

Using colons

An important note

A common error

Another use for the colon

Cumulative review of commas, semicolons, and colons

A few important words about the exercises

Revising sentences

Dangling modifiers

Faulty parallelism

Important notes on creating strong parallelism

Passive sentences

Acceptable passive sentences

Important notes about passive sentences

Direct and indirect quotes

Punctuating direct quotes

One last note

Free exercises in sentence combining

Notes on the exercises

Revising at the word level

Subject-verb agreement

The standard rules

A note on spelling

Two important exceptions

The verbs to be and to have

Three important points

Important note on the exercises

-Ed endings

The three trouble spots

Two notes on spelling

Some common errors

The irregular verbs

Consistency of verb tense

Logical changes in verb tense

Writing about literature

The helping verb had

A note about will/would and can/could

Apostrophes

Possession

Plural words that do not end in -s

Two important notes about the exercises

A final note on possession

Contractions

Pronoun problems

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Avoiding his or her when possible

Singular collective nouns

Prepositional phrases

Pronoun case

Easily confused words

Troublesome pairs

Capitalization

Answer key

Sources