M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES M= Mechanics U=Usage G=Grammar

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES

M= MechanicsU=UsageG=Grammar

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Directions

Every day this semester, we will start class with a M.U.G.SHOT sentence. 1. For the first 5 minutes of class, you will

attempt to correct the sentence on your own.

2. For the next 5 minutes, we will go over the mistakes.

3. Then, you will try a similar one on your own for a grade.

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 1Sentence Fragments

Try in first 5 minutes: Correct everything you can find wrong.

right after the winter holidays and during the last week before school started


Correct:It snowed right after the winter holidays and during the last week before school started.Explanation: You need a subject and a verb in every sentence for it to be a sentence.


Try on your own for a grade: Correct everything you can find wrong.

running to the store to get milk and bread

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 2Run-on sentences


this is going to be the most dificult semester of you’re high school career you had better study more then ever?


Correct (Different Versions):This is going to be the most difficult semester of your high school career. You had better study more than ever.

This is going to be the most difficult semester of your high school career, so you had better study more than ever.

This is going to be the most difficult semester of your high school career; you had better study more than ever.


Explanation:When you have two independent clauses (parts that could stand on their own as a sentence), you have to include some punctuation mark between them (either a period, a comma and a FANBOYS, or a semi-colon.)


Try on your own for a grade: Correct everything you can find wrong.

coming to the united states was hard on me I had to learn a new langage.

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 3Affect/effect


the calcium suplemants i have been taking have not effected my mood.


Correct:

The calcium supplements I have been taking have not affected my mood.


Explanation:Affect usually acts like a verb (it acts on something else)Effect is usually a nounEx: Cold weather affects my emotions.Cold weather has an effect on my emotions.


Try one on your own for a grade:

wat is the affect of coffee on people with ADHD who don’t have no medicine.

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 4Misplaced modifiers


although nearly finished we left the play early because we were worried about are sick cat


Correct:

We left the nearly-finished play early because we were worried about our sick cat.

Although the play was nearly finished, we left early because we were worried about our sick cat.

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 4 Misplaced modifiers

Explanation:

“although nearly finished” modifies, or adds more information, about the play. Therefore, it should be placed as closely to the word “play” as possible. Otherwise, it looks like “we” were nearly finished because it’s closer to the modifier.



Before replacing the electricity to the wall outlet should be turned off


Try in the first 5 minutes: fix anything you can find wrong.

while eating dinner a fly buzzed into her soup?


Correct:

While she was eating dinner, a fly buzzed into her soup.

A fly buzzed into her soup while she was eating dinner.


Explanation:

The original sentence make it look like “while eating dinner” modifies the fly, which would make it seem like the fly was chowing down on a Big Mac while he flew into the soup.

“While eating dinner” actually modifies “she,” so the phrase needs to be closer to “she.”



running for the bus my book fell in the mud

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 6Misplaced Modifiers


giving a cold look the poker game stopped as nick laid down his cards


Correct:Giving a cold look, Nick stopped the poker game as he laid down his cards.Stopping the poker game, Nick gave a cold look as he laid down his cards.The poker game stopped as Nick gave a cold look and laid down his cards.


Explanation:The poker game did not give a cold look, but that’s what it seems like since the modifier “giving a cold look” is closest to “the poker game.” “Giving a cold look” actually modifies “Nick,” so they need to be next to one another.



upon entering the doctors office a skeleton caught my attention



rolling down the hill, Sara was afeared the rocks would land on the campsight.


Correct:Sara was afraid the rocks rolling down the hill would land on the campsite.


Explanation:“Rolling down the hill” modifies “the rocks” not “Sara.” So, we need to place “rolling down the hill” next to what it modifies (“the rocks”).



though only sixteen years old, her parents divorce effected marthas trust.

M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES: Day 8Dangling Modifiers

Try in the first 5 minutes: fix everything you can find wrong.

many of the trustees congratulated him for his speech at the end of the meeting and promised him they’re support.


Correct:

At the end of the meeting, many of the trustees congratulated him for his speech and promised him their support.


Explanation:

It is unclear whether “at the end of the meeting” is talking about the time the speech took place or the time when the trustees congratulated the man. We call this a “dangling modifier.” It needs to be moved to make it clear that the trustees did the congratulating at the end of the meeting.



after our grammar lessons we could understand the spanish spoken by our cuban visiters easily.



by acident he poked the little girl with his finger in the eye


Correct:By accident, he poked the little girl in the eye with his finger.

By accident, he poked the little girl’s eye with his finger.


Explanation:“in the eye” is a dangling modifier—it’s not clear whether it is modifying “finger” or “little girl.” It needs to be moved closer to what it actually modifies (“little girl”).



i heard that my room mate wanted to throw me a surprise party while I was outside her bedroom window



sam found a letter in a mailbox that doesnt belong to her


Correct:

Sam found a letter that doesn’t belong to her in a mailbox.


Explanation:

“That doesn’t belong to her” is a dangling modifier—it isn’t clear whether the “mailbox” doesn’t belong to Sam or “a letter” doesn’t belong to her, so the phrase needs to be moved closer to what it actually modifies (“a letter”).



plz take time to look over the brosure that is enclozed with your family

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M.U.G.SHOT SENTENCES M= Mechanics U=Usage G=Grammar