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162 Basic Writing Skills

The document provides guidance on basic writing skills such as proper use of apostrophes, commas, quotation marks, and subject-verb agreement. It discusses avoiding common errors like run-on sentences, comma splices, sentence fragments, and issues with active and passive voice. Examples are given to demonstrate correct and incorrect usage, followed by practice exercises for the reader.

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hani sharfeldin
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17 views

162 Basic Writing Skills

The document provides guidance on basic writing skills such as proper use of apostrophes, commas, quotation marks, and subject-verb agreement. It discusses avoiding common errors like run-on sentences, comma splices, sentence fragments, and issues with active and passive voice. Examples are given to demonstrate correct and incorrect usage, followed by practice exercises for the reader.

Uploaded by

hani sharfeldin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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162 : Basic Writing

Skills
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text H. Juhail
Shahad
Basic writing rules
1. Apostrophe for plurals
Wrong: The boy’s will go to school tomorrow. Right: The boys will go to school tomorrow.

2. It’s and Its


It’s great to see you ( IT + IS)
The tree dropped its leaves. (possessive form)

3. Comma Splice
Wrong: The car costs 1000 KD, I am going to buy it. Right: The car costs 1000 KD. I am going to buy it.

4. Quotation marks

Wrong: This gift is “free”! Right: This gift is free!

5. Multiple punctuation marks:

Wrong: This is amazing!!!!! Right: This is amazing!

6. Punctuation outside the quotation marks:

Wrong: Uncle John said, “My car is blue”. Right: Uncle John said, “My car is blue.”
Sentence Fragments
• Sentence Fragments: A sentence fragment does not
express complete idea. It is missing either a subject, verb or a complete
thought.

Here is a example of a sentence fragment:

Example: Because of the rain.

On its own, because of the rain doesn’t form a complete thought. It


leaves us wondering what happened because of the rain. To complete it,
we need further explanation:

Correct sentence: Because of the rain, the party was canceled.


Active vs. Passive

Examples :
Practice :

1. Active: The teacher _______ him. (praise)


Passive: He ________ the teacher. (praise)

2. Active: The police ________ the thieves. (catch)


Passive: The thieves __________ the police. (catch)
Subject Verb agreement
• Subject-verb agreement : the subject should be reflected
in the verb. For example, if a subject is singular, the verb
form must also be singular.
Practice:
Four years _______ (are – is - am) a long time to spend
away from your friends and

family.

There (was - were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is
- are) only one left!
Run-on sentence:
• Run-on sentences: occur when two complete sentences are squashed
together without using a coordinating conjunction or proper punctuation,
such as a period or a semicolon.

Incorrect Lila enjoyed the bouquet of tulips her mother gave her on
her birthday however she prefers roses.

• Now, here is an example of how to write these two independent clauses


correctly. A semicolon is placed between the two clauses to separate each
thought. It also includes a comma after the conjunctive adverb, however, as
a transition into the second clause.

Correct Lila enjoyed the bouquet of tulips her mother gave her on her
birthday; however, she prefers roses.
Run on sentence
A run-on sentence can be fixed by connecting its parts
correctly. There are several ways to connect independent clauses.

- Use a period.

- Use a semicolon.

- Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

- Use a subordinating conjunction.


Comma Splice
One common type of run-on sentence is a comma splice. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are
joined with just a comma.

A comma splice is particular kind of comma mistake that happens when you use a comma to join two independent clauses. Here’s an
example:

Koala bears are not actually bears, they are marsupials.

How can you tell that’s a comma splice? Look at the group of words before the comma.

Koala bears are not actually bears

Did you notice that this group of words can stand by itself as a complete sentence? That means it’s an independent clause.

Now look at the group of words after the comma.

They are marsupials

This group of words can also stand by itself as a complete sentence. It’s another independent clause.

When you have two independent clauses, a comma is not strong enough to glue them together.
How to fix comma splice?
Incorrect:

I am not angry with you, I am not happy with you, either.

Fix #1: Add a Conjunction :

I am not angry with you, but I am not happy with you, either.

Fix #2: Change the Comma to a Semicolon

I am not angry with you; I am not happy with you, either.

Fix #3: Make Separate Sentences

I am not angry with you. I am not happy with you, either.


Practice
In the following pairs, one sentence is correct; and the other
sentence has a comma splice

1.____ The computer hummed loudly. The sound was


distracting. ____The computer hummed loudly the sound
was distracting.

2.____ There was an accident on the highway today traffic


was stopped for three hours. ____ There was an accident on
the highway today. Traffic was stopped for three hours.
Compound Sentence
• A compound sentence is a sentence with at least two
independent clauses.
Complex Sentence
• A compound sentence is a sentence with one independent
clause and one dependent.
Practice:
Compound or Complex?

1.The house was destroyed in the fire, but the whole family was
saved. ________

2.Walking through the wood, he saw a fox that was following


him._____

3. He said that he was so disappointed that he would not try again.


______

4. Neither the color nor the design of this cloth appeals to me.
_______
Questions?

See you next class

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