parallel structures.pptx

7/28/2019 parallel structures.pptx

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Using Parallel Structures &

Fixing Sentence ProblemsChapter 11


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Parallelism

Used in listing and comparing/contrastingideas

In listing, if the first word is a noun, all nouns

must follow I want to buy a dog, a cat, and a hamster. O

If you start with a gerund, all gerunds must

follow I love cooking, reading, and to watch TV. X

I love cooking, reading, and watching TV. O


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Not Parallel Parallel

My English conversation class is made upofChinese, Spaniards, and some arefrom Bosnia. (nouns and clause)

My English conversation class is made upofChinese, Spaniards, and Bosnians. (allnouns)

The students who do well attend class,they do their homework, and practicespeaking English. (verbs + complimentsand a clause)

The students who do well attend class,do their homework, and practicespeaking in English. (all verbs +compliments)

The teacher wanted to know whichcountry we came from and our future

goals. (noun clauses and a compliment)

The teacher wanted to know whichcountry we came from and what our

future goals were. (both noun clauses)The language skills of the students inthe evening classes are the same as theday classes. (a noun phrase and objectof preposition)

The language skills of the students inthe evening classes are the same as thelanguage skills of the students in theday classes. (both noun phrases)

The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as those ofthe students in the day classes. (pronouns can be used)Before you write a paper or before you take a test, you must organize yourthoughts.Before you write a paper or take a test, you must organize your thoughts. (You do

not have to repeat all the words in the second part)


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Parallelism with Coordinators

And, or, butare to be written in parallel formMy father goes out and works, and my mother

stays home and sleeps all day. (Clause and

clause)The states regulate the noise created by motor

vehicles but not by commercial aircraft.(prepositional phrase but prep. phr.)

Pesticides cannot be sold if they have harmfuleffects on humans, on animal life, or on theenvironment. (prep phr., prep phr. or prep. phr)


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Parallelism with Paired Conjunctions

Bothand, eitheror, neithernor, not onlybutalsouse parallelism

A new law provides the means for bothregulating pesticides and ordering their removal

if they are dangerous. (gerund phrases) Air pollutants may come either from the ocean

or from car engines. (prep. phr.)

Neither my mother nor my father is home.

(noun phr.) Many people are not only concerned about

money but also worried about jobs. (adj. + prep

phr.)


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Practice 1


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Sentence Fragments

Incomplete sentences or only parts ofsentences

A complete sentence must have at least one

independent clause (a subject and verb)


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What is Wrong?

1. Because some students work part-time whiletaking a full load of classes.

Only a dependent clause

Begins with a subordinator Does not include an independent clause

Thus, does not express a complete thought


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How to Correct

Add an independent clause Because some students work part-time while

taking a full load of courses, they have very little

free time. Delete the subordinator

Some students work part-time while taking a full

load of courses.


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What is Wrong?

2. For example, the increase in the cost ofrenting an apartment. To live and work for atleast a year in a foreign country.

Neither sentence has a verb (andcompliments)


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How to Correct

Rewrite the sentences so they have verbs For example, the increase in the cost of renting an

apartment is one reason for more people being

homeless. To live and work for at least a year in a foreign

country has always been my dream.


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What is Wrong?

3. Teachers who give too much homework. This is a noun + and adjective clause

Thus, the adjective clause is a dependent clause

The noun still needs a verb


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How to Correct

Finish the independent clause Teachers who give too much homework are

unpopular.

Always check your own writing for fragments

Subordinators are danger words (although,

because, if, when, before) Make sure there are two clauses with them


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Rewriting Fragments


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Paragraph 1

Believing that they are far better drivers thanwomen, men consider women driversincompetent

Paragraph 2

For example, insurance rates for women are20% lower than they are for men.

Also, the greater percentage of accidentsinvolving death are caused by men.

Although women are criticized for being toocautious, they are really just being safedrivers.

P h 3


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Paragraph 3

On the one hand, women drivers who regardthe automobile as a convenience like a

washing machine. On the other hand, men regard the

automobile as an extension of their egos,

using it as a weapon when they feelparticularly aggressive or using it as a statussymbol.

Paragraph 4

All in all, women are safe drivers because oftheir attitudes.

Men can learn to become safe drivers if they

adopt.


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Choppy Sentences

Are sentences that are too short Are effective if not used too many times in a

row

Overused are not good academic writing

Are easy to correct

Combine one or two short sentences into a

compound, complex, or compound-complexsentence

Delete repeated words or phrases


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Coordinators

If the sentence expresses equal ideas Wind is an enduring power. Water is also an

unlimited energy source. Dams produce

hydraulic power. They have existed for a longtime. Windmills are relatively new.

Both wind and water are enduring sources of

power. Dams have produced hydraulic powerfor a long time, but windmills are relativelynew.


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Subordinators

If the sentences express unequal ideas One sentence is less important than the other

We must find new sources of energy. Natural

sources of energy are decreasing. Solarenergy is a promising new source of energy.Solar energy is energy from the sun.

We must find new sources of energy becausenatural sources of energy are dwindling. Solarenergy, which is energy from the sun, is apromising new source.


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R O S t d C


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Run-On Sentences and CommaSplices

Run-on = 2 independent clauses joinedwithout any punctuation

My family went to Australia then they emigrated

to Canada. X Comma splice = 2 independent clauses joined

by just a comma without a coordinator

My family went to Australia, then they emigratedto Canada.


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How to Correct1. Add a period:

My family went to Australia. Then they emigrated toCanada.

2. Add a semicolon: My family went to Australia; then they emigrated to

Canada.3. Add a coordinator:

My family went to Australia, and then theyemigrated to Canada.

4. Add a subordinator: My family went to Australia before they emigrated

to Canada.

After my family went to Australia, they emigrated toCanada.


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Paragraph 1


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Paragraph 1

This report showed that more than one-third ofthe grades awarded in the spring semester

2005 were As whileonly 1.1 percent were Fs. The percentage of As awarded to graduate

students was even higher, for almost two thirdswere As.

Paragraph 2

Investigation indicates that the admissionsoffices of these schools are discounting high

grades of SMSC students;this means Grade inflation may, therefore, hurt a student

from SMSC who intends to apply to a graduateor professional school because he or she may

not be accepted


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Stringy Sentences

Sentences with too many clauses Usually connected with and, but, so, and because

This is how we speak and not how we write

Many students attend classes all morning,and then they work all afternoon, and theyhave to study at night, so they are usually

exhausted by the weekend.

T t di id th l bi


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To correct, divide the clauses or recombinethem

Many students attend classes all morning,and work all afternoon. Since they also haveto study at night, they are usually exhaustedby the weekend.

OR

Because many students attend classes allmorning, work all afternoon, and study at

night, they are usually exhausted by theweekend.

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