Sentence Fluency

…IS THE READABILITY OF THE PAPER. THE SENTENCES SHOULD FLOW SMOOTHLY

FROM ONE TO THE NEXT. THE WRITING SHOULD SOUND NATURAL- -THE WAY

SOMEONE MIGHT TALK. THE SENTENCES SHOULD HAVE DIFFERENT BEGINNINGS, LENGTHS, AND STRUCTURES. THE PAPER

SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN COMPLETE SENTENCES, NOT FRAGMENTS.

Sentence Fluency

A good writer should:

Use different sentence lengths. Use different sentence structures. Use different sentence beginnings. Use language that sounds natural. Give the writing an easy flow and rhythm. Invite expressive oral language of the text. Use complete sentences – any fragments

must add to the meaning of the text.

Short and Long Sentences

Listen to the following song carefully. Notice how there are quick notes and long notes. What are you picturing in your mind as you listen?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctsWdUaHsHM

Peter and the Wolf

Think about how the short notes and long notes relate to sentences. How do they help make a picture in your mind?

Pick a section of the story. On your paper, using short and long sentences, write a description about what you envisioned and explain how the music helped you envision that.

There are two types of clauses:

Clauses make up a sentence!!

1.INDEPENDENTSentences with subject and verb are ALL

independent sentences!!

All of the sentences that we have been working with are independent!!!

During the game, the team was fast.The student will study for his test tonight after the game.

I like whitewater rafting in the summer. The little boy plays baseball for his school’s team.

one one

A sentence can have up to independent clauses!

TWO

The student studied for the test

, so she past it without a problem.

The dog chased the cat

;it climbed a tree.

The second type of clause is:

2. DEPENDENTSentences that have subject verb and begin with a

are ALL independent sentences!!

It’s a word like because…

one one subordinating conjunction

What’s a subordinating conjunction????

When you start a sentence with because, you have to finish the thought

Can you think of more subordinating conjunctions????

by adding an independent clause!

A sentence can have up to dependent clauses!

TWO

The student past the test without a problem because she studied.

Since it climbed the tree the cat escaped the dog. ,

Complete Sentences

Complete Sentence: It has a subject (noun or pronoun), a verb (linking, action, or verb phrase) and makes a complete thought.

Examples: Tom laughed. Because she exercises regularly, she is in good

condition. It has been raining all day. Be quiet. (The subject "You" is understood.) He's quiet, and he's very polite. (compound

sentence)

Fragments

A fragment: It is missing a subject, a verb, is only a phrase or doesn’t make a complete thought.

Examples: To the store. (Prep. Phrase only) Walked to the store. (Missing a subject) In the cool air all around. (Prep. Phrase only) She to the store. (Missing the verb) Because she exercises regularly. (Incomplete

thought)

Run-ons

A run-on: It occurs when two clauses are put together without the proper punctuation and/or connecting words OR when you have than independent clauses

Examples:

o Joe was happy about the raise he felt like celebrating. o -Joe was happy about the raise, so he felt like celebrating.

Joe was happy about the raise, he felt like celebrating. -Joe was happy about the raise; he felt like celebrating.

She was excited there was no school so she went to the mall and she shopped all day with her friends. -She was excited there was no school, so she went to the

mall. She shopped all day with her friends.

moretwo

Fixing Run-On Sentences

Coordinating Conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So Combine two sentences using a comma (,) and

FANBOYS Examples: She left school early she went to the mall.

She left school early, and she went to the mall. It has been a long time since I have seen my

grandparents, I’m looking forward to it. It has been a long time since I have seen my

grandparents, so I’m looking forward to it.

Fixing Run-On Sentences

Combine two sentences using a semi-colon (;) Examples: He is going to a new school tomorrow it makes sense

he is nervous. He is going to a new school tomorrow; it makes sense he

is nervous. Come to my house after school, I want to show you my

new dirt bike. Come to my house after school; I want to show you my

new dirt bike.

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

Look at the “sentences” that flash below, on your white board, write CS if it is a complete sentence, a RO if it is a run-on or an F if it is a fragment.

1. Although Mary has been my best friend.

-Although Mary has been my best friend, she moved away.

2. No one I know watches that television show, I can't believe it.

-No one I know watches that television show, so I can’t believe it.

3. Her husband loves to cook, however, he does not like to clean the kitchen afterwards. - Her husband loves to cook; however, he does not like to clean the

kitchen afterwards.

F

RO

RO

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

4. Tim started his new job last Wednesday, and he really likes the boss.

5. I have a hard time understanding her lectures, when I talk to her one-on-one, I understand her fine.

-I have a hard time understanding her lectures, but when I talk to her one-on-one, I understand her fine.

6. Mary signed up because she thought the training would be interesting and help her on the job.

7. Meet me after class, I want to talk with you about the upcoming test. Meet me after class; I want to talk with you about the upcoming test.

8. The one who looks like a military officer but acts like a spoiled brat. -He is the one who looks like a military officer but acts like a spoiled brat.

CS RO

CS

RO

F

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

9. Although she has studied very hard, she is still worried about the midterm exam.

10. One of the best ways to improve your writing. Is to read and analyze what you read.

11. It has been a long time since I have been to the beach, I am looking forward to the trip.

12. When you have finished your homework and are ready to take a break.

14. Took the dog to the vet for a check up.

15. Thought that the Shakespeare play was confusing.

16. Mix the ground beef with the chopped onion and pepper then add the bread crumbs and egg.

17. While they raked the leaves.

18. No one could make heads or tails of the very unusual sculpture.

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

13. Without a care in the world.

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

19. We made plans to get together at Charlotte's house later on during the week we had a lot of catching up to do.

20. Because it's supposed to rain.

21. If Lillian gets here late, she'll be eliminated from the competition.

22. Our town recycles cans, bottles, and newspapers.

23. I don't know.

24. When Julie went to Paris she visited the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower she also visited the Champs-Elysées.

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

25. If your parents think today’s fashions are weird.

26. They should see the clothes people wore in the Middle Ages.

27. The more clothes a person could afford to wear, the wealthier that person was.

28. Justin, will you wash the car it really needs it.

29. When Justin's brother saw the car

30. After these stray dogs were placed in the pound

31. The sofa is comfortable, the chair is too

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

39. The Dodgers once played baseball in Brooklyn, New York, today they play in Los Angeles.

40. They were eager to help, as they did not like the idea of their friend beingunhappy for the rest of her life.41. She disguised herself as a maid and left the palace.

42. Being at school is a drag, I wish I were home.

43. The wind inside a tornado

44. The little boy who had too much candy.

45. This book without a binding and a few missing pages.

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

32. Princeton University is a fine place of higher learning it is located in New Jersey.

33. The girls played basketball the boys played tennis.

34. Einstein is famous for E=mc² Edison is famous for the invention of the light bulb.

35. Americans shake hands when they meet the Japanese bow

36. English is Luisa's second language; therefore, she knows she has to study hard to learn it.

37. The character played by Kristen Stewart in the movie.

38. Photographs taken by my grandfather when my father was a young boy.

Complete Sentence, Run-on or Fragment

46. The dog ran up the tree after the cat.

47. Movies can be fun to watch with a friend if you have nothing else to do that night.

48. School can be fun when you work hard and don’t leave yourself too much homework to do afterwards.

49. The kids at the playground with all of the dogs who run wild.

50. My favorite time of day is recess because I get to play with my friends, but I also like Spanish class because we get to learn a new language, and I want to go to Spain.

51. I like reading in my spare time because it is relaxing, but when it is nice outside, I like to spend my time in the sun.

52. I had a fun weekend hiking in the woods, but I’m tired now.

Sentence Fluency:

Look at the following two papers. What do you notice about the sentences within the paper? Sentence lengths Completeness of the sentences Wordiness/Exactness of the sentences

This Won’t Hurt a Bit!

When was the last time you had to have an injection? Do you remember it? Chances are, you do. For some people, it’s downright traumatic. What’s more, just before you flinched or passed out, you probably heard someone utter the famous line, “This won’t hurt a bit.” Then the old needle poked your arm. Ouch!

Now there may be an alternative to a poke in the arm (or at least one is coming soon). Chemists and doctors in Oxford, England, have discovered a way to make injections virtually pain-free. The secret is a space-age tube that injects drugs under the skin at supersonic speeds, using helium, of all things. The drug particles are extremely tiny, so when they penetrate, the patient feels almost nothing! That’s right, almost nothing! Better still, doctors who have tried the new supersonic tube claim they can measure dosages with much greater accuracy than was possible using the old syringe method. Of course, no on has said for sure whether the dose of helium raises the p itch of the patient’s voice. Any day now, we may hear tiny, mouselike voices all over America squeaking, “Thanks, that didn’t hurt a bit!”

Higher Prices for Chocolate

If you are a chocoholic like me, and you think you are paying more for a chocolate bar these days (or any chocolate for that matter), you are right because the price is definitely going up. Chocolate used to be one of the cheapest treats you could buy now it is one of the most expensive. The trouble comes from a fungus it is called witch’s broom fungus and it attacks the cacao bean which is the source of chocolate and turns the inside of the bean to a kind of mush. The farmers have invented a kind of fungus of their own that attacks the witch’s broom fungus except that the witch’s broom fungus spreads so fast that the new fungus can’t get rid of it fast enough to save enough of the plants. A lot of the cocoa beans used for chocolate grow in South America that is where the largest cocoa bean plantations in the world can be found. So unless something can be done to stop the witch’s broom fungus altogether you can expect to keep paying more and more for a chocolate bar and scientists are not all that hopeful that they can find a cure any time soon.

What did you notice about…?

Sentence lengths Completeness of the sentences Wordiness/Exactness of the sentences