Correct The Following Sentence And Rewrite Them

Correcting and Rewriting Sentences: A Comprehensive Guide

Many writers, from students crafting essays to professionals composing reports, struggle with sentence construction. Correcting and rewriting sentences is a crucial skill for clear, effective communication. This comprehensive guide delves into the common sentence errors, provides strategies for correction, and offers examples to improve your writing. We'll cover everything from grammatical errors to stylistic improvements, helping you transform awkward or unclear sentences into polished, impactful prose.

Common Sentence Errors and How to Fix Them

This section outlines frequently encountered sentence problems and presents solutions for improvement.

1. Fragments

A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence lacking a subject, a verb, or both. It doesn't express a complete thought.

Example: Running through the park.

Corrected: I was running through the park. (Added subject and verb)

Another Example: Because it was raining heavily.

Corrected: Because it was raining heavily, the game was cancelled. (Added main clause)

2. Run-on Sentences (Comma Splices and Fused Sentences)

Run-on sentences occur when two or more independent clauses are joined incorrectly. A comma splice uses only a comma to connect independent clauses, while a fused sentence lacks any punctuation or conjunction between them.

Example (Comma Splice): The sun was shining, the birds were singing.

Corrected: The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. (Added coordinating conjunction)

Corrected: The sun was shining; the birds were singing. (Used a semicolon)

Corrected: The sun was shining. The birds were singing. (Separated into two sentences)

Example (Fused Sentence): The dog barked loudly the neighbors complained.

Corrected: The dog barked loudly, and the neighbors complained. (Added coordinating conjunction)

Corrected: The dog barked loudly; the neighbors complained. (Used a semicolon)

Corrected: The dog barked loudly. The neighbors complained. (Separated into two sentences)

3. Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement means the verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject.

Example: The books is on the table.

Corrected: The books are on the table. (Plural subject requires plural verb)

Example (Tricky case with collective nouns): The team plays well together.

Corrected: This is correct. Collective nouns (team, group, etc.) can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or individual members.

4. Pronoun Agreement

Pronouns must agree in number and gender with their antecedents (the nouns they refer to).

Example: Every student should bring their own lunch.

Corrected: Every student should bring his or her own lunch. (More formal, maintains agreement)

Corrected: All students should bring their own lunches. (Plural antecedent, plural pronoun)

Corrected (Modern, less formal): Every student should bring their own lunch. (Singular "they" is increasingly accepted in modern usage)

5. Tense Consistency

Maintain consistent verb tense throughout a sentence and passage to avoid confusing the reader.

Example: He walked to the store, then he buys milk.

Corrected: He walked to the store, then he bought milk. (Both verbs in past tense)

6. Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers should be placed close to the words they modify to avoid ambiguity. A dangling modifier is a modifier that doesn't have a clear word to modify.

Example (Misplaced Modifier): I saw a bird flying in the car.

Corrected: In the car, I saw a bird flying. (Clarifies that the flying bird was seen, not the car)

Example (Dangling Modifier): After eating dinner, the movie started.

Corrected: After eating dinner, I watched the movie. (Clearly shows who watched the movie)

7. Parallel Structure

Parallel structure means using the same grammatical form for items in a list or series.

Example: She likes swimming, to hike, and biking.

Corrected: She likes swimming, hiking, and biking. (All items are gerunds)

8. Wordiness and Redundancy

Avoid unnecessary words and phrases that add no meaning.

Example: Due to the fact that it was raining, we stayed inside.

Corrected: Because it was raining, we stayed inside. (More concise)

9. Awkward phrasing and unclear meaning.

Some sentences are grammatically correct but still confusing or poorly structured.

Example: The report, which was long and detailed, was submitted on time, resulting in a positive evaluation from the manager who was pleased.

Corrected: The long, detailed report was submitted on time, earning positive feedback from the pleased manager. (More concise and direct)

Advanced Techniques for Sentence Rewriting

Beyond correcting basic errors, effective rewriting involves improving style, clarity, and impact.

1. Varying Sentence Structure

Avoid monotony by using a mix of sentence lengths and structures (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex).

2. Strong Verbs and Active Voice

Use strong, active verbs instead of weak, passive ones. Active voice is generally more direct and concise.

Example (Passive): The ball was thrown by the boy.

Corrected (Active): The boy threw the ball.

3. Precise Word Choice (Diction)

Choose words that accurately convey your meaning and tone. Consider the connotations of words.

4. Conciseness

Eliminate unnecessary words and phrases without sacrificing clarity.

5. Emphasis and Flow

Use sentence structure and punctuation to emphasize key ideas and ensure a smooth flow of ideas. Consider using techniques like starting sentences with strong words or using short, punchy sentences for impact.

Practical Exercises for Improving Sentence Construction

The best way to improve your sentence-writing skills is through practice. Here are some exercises:

1. Sentence Correction: Find articles or texts with grammatical errors and correct them.
2. Sentence Combination: Take several short sentences and combine them into more complex, well-structured sentences.
3. Sentence Expansion: Take a simple sentence and expand it by adding details and modifiers.
4. Rewriting Sentences: Rewrite sentences from various sources to make them clearer, more concise, and more impactful.
5. Peer Review: Exchange work with other writers and provide constructive feedback on each other's sentences.

Conclusion

Mastering sentence construction is a continuous process. By understanding common errors, applying advanced rewriting techniques, and consistently practicing, you can significantly improve your writing clarity, precision, and overall effectiveness. Remember, clear and concise writing is crucial for effective communication in any field. Practice regularly, seek feedback, and continue to learn, and you will witness a remarkable improvement in your writing ability.