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May 9, 2000
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
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In the last of our series on English sentence structure, we'll talk about compound-complex sentences.
COMPOUND-COMPLEX sentences contain at least two independent clauses (just like a compound sentence) and at least one dependent clause. (See our previous issues on sentence structure on-line at http://www.grammarcheck.com/archives [.])
EXAMPLES:
When Sue broke the news, Pete decided to work late, but John went home on time.
Dependent Clause: When Sue broke the news
Independent Clause #1: Pete decided to work late
Independent Clause #2: but John went home on time
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Sally loves to knit, and Jane enjoys embroidering, though neither does it often.
Independent Clause #1: Sally loves to knit
Independent Clause #2: Jane enjoys embroidering
Dependent Clause: though neither does it often
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After Brooke told her story, John laughed, Betty cried, and Richard rolled his eyes.
Dependent Clause: After Brooke told her story
Independent Clause #1: John laughed
Independent Clause #2: Betty cried
Independent Clause #3: and Richard rolled his eyes
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Use compound-complex sentences to clarify detail in your writing or to help develop main ideas. Compound-complex sentences are often found in expository writing or in fiction.
Remember our issues on sentence combining and eliminating "to be" and "to have" verbs? Both of these editing techniques will help transform simple sentences into compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences and thus help make your writing more professional.
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PAST ISSUES AVAILABLE ON-LINE
Subscribers to GrammarCheck can now read past issues at the following web site address:
http://www.grammarcheck.com/archives
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SPELLING TIP:
ACCURACY is very important in spelling, because in misspelling a word, you may be creating its homonym--a word that sounds the same but means something very different! Here are some of the most confusing homonym sets which your computer's spell checking program is apt to miss:
to/too/two
berry/bury
seams/seems
know/no
desert/dessert
weak/week
road/rode
patience/patients
The following sentences include frequently-misspelled American English homonyms. Which word (in the parentheses) is correct?
1. My sister gave some very helpful (advise/advice).
2. Ellen modeled the latest new (swimware/swimwear).
3. Roger helped his nephew (devise/device) a plan for fooling his parents.
4. Joann received a package of lovely writing (stationery/stationary).
5. The child struggled with a (horse/hoarse) cough.
6. At Ed's Restaurant, the smell of sizzling steak can (wet/whet) your appetite.
7. After stealing the strawberry, Darla's (conscious/conscience) bothered her.
Answers will be posted in next week's issue.
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WRITING TIP:
Avoid using extravagant words when simple ones will do.
Weak: My sibling was conscious of his employer's stealthy investment strategies.
Better: My brother knew his employer was secretly investing.
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Weak: Kim's extravagant purchasing habits overflowed into her mother's budget.
Better: Kim's overspending cost her mother money.
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Terrible: Conflagration! Conflagration!
Much Better: Fire! Fire!
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YOUR GRAMMAR AND WRITING QUESTIONS
QUESTION: Which of these is correct? When does it make a difference? Thanks in advance!
1(a): "Great-great Grandfather Jonas"
1(b): "Great, great Grandfather Jonas"
2(a): "my great, great Aunt Molly"
2(b): "my great-great Aunt Molly"
GRAMMARCHECK: None of the examples above are correct, but 1(a) and 2(b) are closest. Since hyphens are used with compound adjectives, use hyphens to describe relationships with previous generations. Without the hyphen, using the word "great" sounds like an adjective as in "terrific" or "super."
Why are 1(a) and 2(b) incorrect? Here are two reasons: (a) a hyphen is needed between the first three words, and (b) the first three words need to be capitalized since they are part of the proper name. The following examples are correct:
"Great-Great-Grandfather Jonas"
"my Great-Great-Aunt Molly"
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QUESTION: You don't have to post this question, but an e-mail reply would be nice since I'm now confused. In your March 14, 2000 archive, there is a sentence that says, "Our overall take: when eliminating a 'to be' . . . leave the sentence alone." I thought that when a sentence followed a colon, the first word (the "w" in "when") had to be capitalized. Thanks.
GRAMMARCHECK: Good question. If a quoted sentence follows a colon, you should capitalize the first word; otherwise, the first word does not need to be capitalized (unless you want to give it special emphasis).
EXAMPLES:
John believes the following about downtown: he likes the atmosphere, the businesses, and the people.
(The first word following the colon is not capitalized because the sentence is not a direct quote.)
Mary stated the following about downtown: "He likes the atmosphere, the businesses, and the people."
(The first word following the colon is capitalized because the sentence is a direct quote.)
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QUESTION: Please clarify the difference between the use of "who" and "whom."
GRAMMARCHECK: We plan to cover more about "who" and "whom" in a future issue, but here are two general principles:
"Who" is often used in the subject position in questions: "Who's here?" or "Who is this year's chairperson?"
"Whom" should be used in the object position (receiving the action): "She apologized to whom it mattered most--her mother."
When using passive voice, "whom" may appear at the beginning of the sentence but it is still receiving the action and usually follows a preposition.
EXAMPLES:
To whom should the certificate be given?
(Whom follows the preposition "to.")
About whom is she speaking?
(Whom follows the preposition "about.")
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QUESTION: How are "well" and "good" used differently?
GRAMMARCHECK: "Good" is always used as an adjective, while "well" is typically used as an adverb. ("Well" can be used as an adjective when referring to good health.)
EXAMPLES:
Flounce is a good watchdog.
("Good" is an adjective that modifies "watchdog," a noun.)
Sarah did a good job with her Girl Scout project.
("Good" is an adjective that modifies "job," a noun.)
I'm feeling quite well today.
("Well" is used to refer to good health.)
Sandy did well on her final exams.
("Well" is used as an adverb; it does not refer to good health.)
In everyday speech, however, "good" and "well" are sometimes interchanged.
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QUESTION: I am a librarian in a veterinary medical library. Today I had a question about using the adjective "histologic" or "histological." Using several dictionaries, I discovered that anatomical/anatomic, biological/biologic, and oncological/oncologic are interchangeable adjectives, but the "-ical" is listed first which usually indicates the preferred usage. It does not show histological, radiological, and neurological as alternative forms of histologic, radiologic, and neurologic. STEDMAN'S MEDICAL DICTIONARY shows histologic first. "-ic" and "-ical" both mean "pertaining to" and Stedman's doesn't show "-ical" in its medical building blocks. Do you have any suggestions or rule of thumb for this type of adjective?
GRAMMARCHECK: The "-ical" ending appears to be more commonly used than "-ic" in the English vernacular with respect to medical terminology. Think about words like "ecological" vs. "ecologic," "hysterical" vs. "hysteric," "pathological" vs. "pathologic," or "psychological" vs. "psychologic." (Exceptions do exist, however, such as "stoic" vs. "stoical.") When in doubt, follow a reliable medical dictionary's recommendations concerning the most appropriate use of the word in a medical context.
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QUESTION: I am German and sometimes have problems with the right word order. Which of the following statements is correct?
(a) Mr. Kupper presented a revised plan to the committee.
(b) Mr. Kupper presented to the committee a revised plan.
Thanks in advance. (Andreas)
GRAMMARCHECK: Either of the above is correct. Keep in mind that information found at the beginning or the end of a sentence tends to receive more attention than information in the middle. So if you want to emphasize that it was the committee (as opposed to a co-worker or supervisor) that received the revised plan, item (a) above is preferable. However, to highlight the idea that the committee received a "plan" (as opposed to an outline, report, etc.), item (b) is your better choice.
In a future issue we will discuss loose, periodic, and balanced sentences which allow for word order flexibility in order to highlight certain ideas.
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