Sentence Level Problems

Examples from Students’ Writings

• We know that from the first beging of Machines industry their was an opposition between Machines in Emotions. Thoes country which are effected from western industry now they are to much ocseed in all part like japan, now china and or the people are edjucuted and have, facilty on their time.

• Because of this we must try to quiqkly make neer our self and socity to those sosity as the are standing what machine.

• I cordely thank with out most Sincerty you have conford upon me. The greatest houner that is possible for this savergen assemble to confer by allecting me as your first president. I thank to those people who spoken in my apprication of my service and there personal refrencezs with me.

• During the course of time there were great social-ills, from which one was “bribery and corruption” that appeared to be very common in those days but our Quaid adviced his people to be free from this ill saying that “ we should put that out with an iron hand and he believed that this ill would be removed completely from the society of his country.

• On the occasion of the first meeting of the constituent assembly of Newly formed Pakistan. (Sentence fragment)

• According to Quaid-e-Azam all the people living in Pakistan has equal rights. (Subject-verb agreement)

• The Quaid was keen to that the constituent Assembly would take good decisions so they can protect the life, property… (Pronoun reference)

• A group of words consisting of a subject and a predicate, and forms a sentence or part of a sentence. There are two kinds of clauses: independent clause & subordinate clause.

• Although my friend has invited me to the party, I do not want to go.

CLAUSE

Subject

• A group of words explaining the topic of the sentence. It represents the person, place or thing that performs the action of the verb or expresses the state of the verb.

• The sun gives light.

Predicate

It represents the action taken by the subject or the existence or state of the subject. It is the sentence component containing the verb and other words to complete the thought.

Example He drives the car and sings along with the radio.

Sentence

• A set of words expressing a statement, a question or an order, containing a subject and a predicate.

• A set of words complete in itself as the expression of a thought, containing or implying a subject and a predicate, and conveying a statement, question, exclamation or command.

Kinds of sentences

• There are four kinds of sentences from structural point of view: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.

• Simple SentenceThis sentence consists of only one independent

clause. For exampleSome students like to study in the morning.

Compound

• Compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions such as and, but, or, so, etc. They may also be divided by a semi-colon.

• I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English.

• The summer comes; the summer goes.

Complex Sentence

• It consists of one independent clause and one dependent clause.

Example As I told you earlier, the lecture has been postponed.

"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained."(Mark Twain)

Compound-Complex sentence

• It consists of at least one dependent clause and at least two independent clauses.

• Although the tickets had been bought, Ahmed did not reach on time, and we missed the train.

• Although I like to go camping, I haven't had the time to go lately, and I haven't found anyone to go with.

Sentence fragment Examples from students’ writings

• After the separation of Pakistan from India, on 14th August 1947.

• Because at the time of Independence Pakistan was caught in several problems.

• On the occasion of the first meeting of the constituent assembly of Newly formed Pakistan.

.

• As it highlighted the policies of Quaid-e-Azam.• As it is essential for the state.

• After the separation of Pakistan from India, on 14th August 1947.

• As black-marketer should be punished

severely and heavily fined.

Sentence Fragments (Incomplete Sentences)

• A sentence fragment is a group of words written as a sentence, but it lacks some essential element to be a complete sentence. For example, it might lack

• a subject • a verb, or • a complete thought

1. A sentence must have a subject and a verb if it is to make sense. E.g.

Ali is busy tonight. Working on his English essay. Incorrect

Ali is busy tonight, working on his English essay. Correct

• 2.Dependent-word fragment: A subordinate clause is not a complete

sentence if it does not have a main clause even though it may have a subject and verb.

Incorrect: Because we are baseball fans.Correct: Because we are baseball fans, we

watched the All-Star game.

• 3.-ING Fragments: Incorrect: I spent all day in the employment

office.Trying to find a job that suited me.Correct: I spent all day in the employment office,

trying to find a job that suited me.Sometimes in conversation only sentence fragments

make sense.He asked, “why did you watch that football game?”“Because we are all football fans.”

Sentence fragments exercise

• I prefer living in smaller communities. While they may not offer all the services of larger cities.

• I am answering your advertisement for experienced draftsmen. Which appeared in a recent issue of The News.

• This has been one of those days we all have once in a while. When, no matter how careful we are, everything seems to go wrong.

• We need to work harder. To evaluate all of the issues.

• What he wants to know is. Will you accompany him to the town?

• The committee voted to reject the proposal. That was submitted by the governor.

• He is always complaining about his grades. Although he does nothing to improve them.

Comma splice

• It contains Quaid’s vision of Pakistan, in his address he called Pakistan a great state.

• The Quaid-e-Azam also advised the people to maintain law and order of the country, this virtue takes the nation forward.

• They have got all the powers and rights, it, therefore impose on them that how they would take their decisions.

Comma Splice

• Secondly the biggest vice of the country is bribery and corruption, it should be cut down with an iron hand.

• Quaid said in his address that every man is free, there is no restriction on his caste or religion.

Comma Splice

• The use of a comma, instead of a full stop or semicolon, between two main clauses not joined by a connective is called a comma splice

• There are several acceptable ways to correct Comma Splice:

1.Change the comma to a semicolon: It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.

• 2. Write the two clauses as two separate sentences: • It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before

dark.

• 3. Insert a coordinating conjunction following the comma:

• It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark.

• It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark.

• 4. Make one clause dependent on the other:

As it is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.

Examples from Students’ writing• During the course of time there were great social-ills, from

which one was “bribery and corruption” that appeared to be very common in those days but our Quaid adviced his people to be free from this ill saying that “ we should put that out with an iron hand and he believed that this ill would be removed completely from the society of his country.

• Secondly the biggest vice of the country is bribery and corruption, it should be cut down with an iron hand. (Comma splice)

Students’ mistakes

• Quaid said in his address that every man is free, there is no restriction on his caste or religion. (Comma splice)

• After the separation of Pakistan from India, on 14th August 1947. (Sentence fragment)• In his address to the constitution assembly… to do his job sincerely to make the

Pakistan strong. (pronoun reference + article)

• Because at the time of Independence Pakistan was caught in several problems. (Sentence fragment)

• Every institution or department which want to make progress has to follow its values. (Subject-verb Agreement)

• Quaid-e- Azam Said that Some people did not want to make Pakistan. Many people have said against

• me but now this done and it is the duty of every one to work for his development. (Tense+ Pronoun reference)

Students’ mistakes• Black marketing is a big issue and Quaid didn’t liked it at all and he said to

punish those who are involved in it. (Tenses + narration)

• He said we must get rid of that. (Narration) • Quaid struggled a lot in the freedom of Pakistan and gave us a country

where we can freely exercise every thing and visualized many things and wanted us to follow his leads and expected a lot form us.

• He said in his address that he visualized a country free of racism. A country where Hindu Muslim… live unitedly. (Wrong narration)

• He once said that “you are free, you are free to go….” (Incorrect Narration)