Chapter I: The Sentence

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Learn to Write
Chapter I The Sentence Lecture One The basics
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Whats a good Sentence ?
A good sentence Sentence
structures Sentence patterns
Function Functional units Class work
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Study the following sentences

• The number of motorcycles on the road this
  morning are unbelievable.
• I love Beijing, its a beautiful city.
• When Bob handed over the lap computer to Peter,
  he was not sure if it was in good condition.
• There maybe other reasons for his behavior.

grammar
punctuation
meaning
diction
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1. A good sentence

• Correct in grammar
• Right in punctuation
• Clear in meaning
• Good in diction

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Study the following sentences

• He came in, took off his coat and went into the
  inner room.
• Tom and John saw Mary and went up to her to tell
  her the good news.
• Tom saw Mary and he went up to her to tell her
  the good news.
• He waited and waited but nothing happened.

simple
simple
compound
compound
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Study the following sentences
(5) When they saw her, they went up to her. (6)
Seeing her, they went up to her. (7) They waited
for quite some time, and they went up to her as
soon as they saw her. (8) She likes to watch ants
carrying food to their little home. (9) Please
tell me how to do it.
complex
simple
compound complex
simple
simple
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2. Sentence structures
Simple Compound Complex Compound complex
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Study the following sentences

• There was an old church there three years ago.
• Up went the arrow into the air.
• Happy is he who dedicates his life to mankind.
• Terribly hot it certainly was.
• Not a single word did he say.
• Nothing would the little boy reply.

subject
predicate
predicative
object
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Study the following sentences
(7) Did you hear her singing last night? (8) Pass
me that book, please. (9) She got more worried at
the news. (10) He got the book from the shelf.
object object complement complex object
Indirect obj. direct obj. objects
link v. predicative predicate
predicate obj.
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3. Sentence patterns
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Study the following sentences

• Please tell her as soon as you see her.
• I have not a bench to sit on.
• They tried to persuade her to go with them.
• I saw them playing under the big peach tree.
• Honestly speaking, I dont like it at all.

adverbial of time
attribute
adverbial of manner
adverbial of place
independent element
adverbial of degree
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4. Function
Subject, predicate Object, appositive Attribute Ad
verbial independent element
the modified
modifiers
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Study the following sentences

• He came back already.
• He came back after ten.
• Having finished the work, he came back.
• He came back after he had finished the work.

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5. Functional units
Word Phrase Clause
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Class work 1
Analyze the following sentences.

• The sailor saw that the ship was sinking.
• The thought that help was near kept our spirits
  up.
• My opinion is that this story is false.
• His education has made him what he is now.
• The first thing Im going to do this evening is
  to visit my former teacher.

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Class work 1
Analyze the following sentences.
6. To understand is easier, but to make others
understand is not as easier. 7. We came to learn
English. 8. To tell you the truth, Im tired of
this way of teaching. 9. I have not a bench to
sit on. 10. One should be quick to act.
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Class work 2
Improve the following sentences.

• Having no job and poor, the student had to drop
  out of school.
• With the computer, one can do shopping, banking
  and read at home.
• What do the rich people know about disease, those
  who are hungry, and poverty?

Jobless and poor,
reading
those who are sick, hungry and poor
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Class work 2
Improve the following sentences.
4. Narrow streets easily cause to happen many
traffic accidents. 5. But it may occur some new
problems. 6. Green trees can protect our air from
polluting. 7. Opportunities are only belonged to
those who work hard.
may occur
being polluted
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Class work 2
Improve the following sentences.
8. In 1990 the consumption of grain has decreased
by 20. 9. Many students liked the lecture system
because it helps them to learn quickly. 10. If
there were no electrical power, we can imagine
what will happen.
like
would
We can imagine what would happen if there were no
electrical power.