Improving sentence construction
“Improvement begins with ‘I’.”
– Anonymous
HELLO, STUDENTS! This week, we are going to explore a few ways you can improve your sentence construction. Your ability to write well-constructed sentences is key in ensuring that you produce coherent, extended pieces, like summaries, short stories and essays. You should be able to create a variety of sentences. You can get better at producing sentences with varying structures by writing more, seeking feedback, and paying attention to the sentence structures that you encounter in different texts. Improving your sentence construction should be a deliberate effort on your part. It will not be achieved by way of miracles.
STRUCTURES TO NOTE
‘No sooner … than; Hardly…when’ If the second event occurs immediately after the first, we can express that idea using the structure ;no sooner … than’.
Note that in this structure, ‘no sooner. introduces the event that occurred first.
Examples: No sooner had I finished cooking than my son asked me for dinner. No sooner had she finished her homework than she went to bed.
It is wrong to say: No sooner she finished her homework than she went to bed. The auxiliary verb ;had; must be placed before the subject.
‘Hardly’ and ‘scarcely’
It is possible to express the same idea using ‘hardly/scarcely … when’.
Examples: Hardly had she taken the pills when she fell asleep.
Scarcely had my mother wiped the floor when he walked across it.
‘As soon as’
This structure is also used to achieve the same meaning.
Examples: As soon as she took the pills she fell asleep.
As soon she wiped the floor he walked across it. ‘So ….. that’
This structure can replace ‘very’ in a sentence.
Examples: My aunt was very disappointed with his actions and she punished him.
My aunt was so disappointed with his actions that she punished him.
‘ More …. than’
Examples: I prefer reading more than writing.
Some people think he is more capable of doing the job than his sister.
His colleagues think he is more deserving of the award than her.
You might declare that these structures are awkward, but the English rules prevail in these instances.
STRUCTURES TO AVOID
‘The reason why’
Example: The reason why I don’t eat shrimp is because I am allergic to it.
Corrections: 1. I don’t eat shrimp because I am allergic to it.
2. Since I am allergic to shrimp I don’t eat it.
‘Why because’
Avoid responding to a question or giving a reason for a position by starting with the expression ‘why because’.
Alternatives: 1. This is so …
2. The reason for this is ….
‘Although ... but’
Using these two conjunctions in the same sentence is redundant.
Example: Although I prepared for the marathon but I forgot to submit my application.
Omit the ‘but’ so the sentence is not repetitive.
Corrections: 1. Although I prepared for the marathon, I forgot to submit my application.
2. I prepared for the marathon but I forgot to submit my application.
Please be mindful of how you use your sentences to express your ideas. Without careful attention to how they are constructed, your writing may be awkward, choppy and incoherent. Again, do all you can to improve your sentence construction.
In Paper 1 of the English A exam, you are very likely to get items based on the topic construction shift. Allow me to give you some information on this concept.
CONSTRUCTION SHIFT
This is the act of restructuring a sentence, changing tenses or parts of speech in a sentence based on an opening prompt or alternative instructions. The meaning of the original sentence has to be maintained.
Below I have given you a few items based on construction shift. Please complete them.
For each question in this section, reconstruct the original sentence by following the directions given. In doing so, retain the meaning of the original sentence as much as the directions permit.
When you have reconstructed the sentence, select from the options A to D the word or phrase that you have included in your sentence. Your reconstructed sentence must contain one of these options.
1. Departing from the airport at 5 p.m., the aircraft arrived at Toronto at 10:30 p.m.
Begin the sentence with: The aircraft departed at 5 p.m. ….
A. having arrived.
B. arriving.
C. for it to arrive.
D. and arrived.
2. Many people think the change seems to be temporary rather than permanent. Substitute seems ‘more’ for ‘seems to be’ A. to be temporary.
B. than temporary.
C. temporary than.
D. or less permanent.
3. The family was very happy with the success of their children and they celebrated the occasion with friends and relatives.
Substitute ‘very’ for ‘so’. A. that
B. because
C. since
D. and
4. We shall be forced to refer the matter of your debt to a collection agency.
Begin the sentence with: You leave us no choice….
A. to refer.
B. in referring.
C. for referring.
D. but to refer.
5. The parents have given their children support, making it easy for them to complete their assignments.
Begin the sentence with: The parents, in encouraging their children…
A. have made it easy.
B. should make it easy.
C. will make it easy.
D. can make it easy.
6. The company will be responsible for the repair and maintenance of all vehicles.
Begin the sentence with: It is the responsibility….
A. in repairing.
B. for repairing.
C. to repair.
D. in order to repair.
Answers to the previous activities:
ACTIVITY 1
Vigilante justice is completely justified when an unforgivable crime is committed.
1. Those who engage in vigilante justice are also guilty of committing a crime. (AGAINST)
2. It is a swift act of justice for a crime that has been committed. (FOR)
3. It prevents the country’s justice system from taking appropriate legal steps. (AGAINST)
4. It sends a strong message to potential criminals. (FOR)
5. An innocent person can be killed by an angry mob. (AGAINST)
6. It satisfies individuals who have been affected by the crime. (FOR)
ACTIVITY 2
The response:
■ Opens with the thesis statement instead of the hook.
■ Has useful points but fails to discuss them adequately.
■ Fails to adhere to the five-paragraph structure.
■ Uses the pronoun ‘I’.