TABE Level D English: Building Sentences

The first rule in building good sentences is to avoid fragments and run-on sentences.  

Parallel Thoughts
When you read the example, decide if the words and thoughts are parallel. That is, is each part of the sentence expressed in the same form? Read this example and think about what is wrong with it.
 

Incorrect: My truck route is long, tiring, and I’m bored.
The writer is describing his or her truck route. The linking verb, is, links the subject, truck route to descriptive words. Long and tiring are the descriptive words. What about the words I’m bored? Are they stated in the same way as long and tiring? How could you change I’m bored to match long and tiring? You can do that by changing the two words to one descriptive word.
Correction: My truck route is long, tiring, and boring.
 

Incorrect: If you’re looking for a job, write an informative resume, write a good cover letter, and then, you’ll be practicing interviewing.
Explanation: The sentence gives you three actions to take if you’re looking for a job.

Two actions take the same form: write a resume and write a cover letter. Now, how can you change the third item to match the first two? Cross out and then, you’ll be and change practicing to a shorter form.
Correction: If you’re looking for a job, write an informative resume, write a good cover letter, and practice interviewing.

Other Ways to Improve Sentences:
When descriptive words and phrases are not in the right place in a sentence, readers are confused. One important rule is to place a describing word close to the word it describes.

Incorrect: Did you know about the service that was bad that I received?
Which word describes the kind of service this writer received? Of course, the word is bad. Place the word bad next to service, the word that bad describes.
Correct: Did you know about the bad service I received?
By placing the describing word (adjective) next to the word it describes, you solved a second problem as well. You eliminated unnecessary words, “that was bad that.”

Incorrect: The magazine, People, sells all over the world and is widely read.
Correct: The widely read magazine, People, sells all over the world.
By placing the describing words, widely read, next to the word described, you have also eliminated two unnecessary words, and is.

Bringing Sentences Together:
If you learn how to combine related thoughts, you will avoid choppy sentences. You will also eliminate unnecessary repetition.

Building Paragraphs
A. good paragraph follows at least two rules. First, the paragraph should contain a topic or main idea sentence. Second, the main idea sentence is followed by sentences that support the topic.
When you write a paragraph, be sure that it contains a main idea or topic sentence. That is the sentence that tells your reader what the paragraph is about. Keep this in mind as you read the paragraph below.

Example:
1. In most banks, head tellers are responsible for many daily tasks.

2. They set up both the work schedules and the teller line-up.

3. Head tellers also make sure that the many banking procedures and rules are followed. 4. In addition, they often act as mentors, or teachers for new staff.

1. Which sentence holds the main idea or introduces the topic? A. Sentence 2 B. Sentence 1 C. Sentences 3 and 4 D. None of the sentences

Explanation: Answer A is not correct. Sentence 2 gives the reader just one thing a head teller does. That is a supporting detail. Answer C cannot be correct because you are looking for just one topic sentence. Answer B is the right choice. Sentence 1 states the topic: head tellers have many responsibilities.

What do sentences 2, 3, and 4 do in this paragraph? Of course, they are the details that support the topic. These sentences name the tasks mentioned in sentence 1.

Tips:
Some words make strong connections between sentences and thoughts. They tie the thoughts together. Reread Paragraphs 1 and 2 above. Look for words at the beginnings of sentences that connect ideas within the paragraph.
Did you find these words?

Paragraph 1:
In fact, For example, In this way
In fact emphasizes or stresses an idea that came before. For example gives the reader another way to understand how children get involved. In this way gives the reader an example of how children experience the museum.

Paragraph 2.:
Therefore, In fact, Clearly
Therefore connects why I am writing to the first sentence. In fact emphasizes the pinch that people are feeling. Clearly emphasizes or stresses all the thoughts that came before this sentence.