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JournalisticWriting
MCM310
VU
LECTURE
13
MODIFIERS
AND SENTENCE TYPES
Modifiersare
the parts that modify, or
describe the kernel (kernel means the
basic clause).
Thesewords
can
be thought of as decorations because
they elaborate on
the
essential parts of the
clause.
Types
of Modifiers:
1.
Adjectives
2.
Adverbs
3.
Appositives
4.
Prepositional phrases
ADJECTIVEMODIFIERS:
They
modify the meaning of a noun or
pronoun by providing information
to
give
it a more
specificmeaning
Forexample,
all the bold wordsare
adjectives
1.
This is an aggressiveteam.
/ The team is aggressive.
2.
She has a terrificattitude. /
Her attitude is terrific.
3.
It is a beautiful
sculpture.
/ The sculpture is beautiful.
Do
this Exercise: Identify the
adjectives.
1.
I was struck by the
dramaticcontrast between her
sunburnarms and pale white
face.
(Solution:dramatic,
sunburn, pale, whiteare
adjectives.)
Nowyou
do it yourself.
2.
The tallest man in the
groupserved old-fashioned blackberry pie to the
ladies.
3.
Hot buttered popcorn wassold
from a rickety
redwagon.
4.
A roll of sticky, twisted
transparenttape sat on the
dustywindowsill.
5.
The discussion group took up
the subject of damaged relationships
andpossible ways to
healthem.
6.
The fizzled fireworks sent the
disappointed crowd home before
10'oclock.
ADVREBMODIFIERS:
They
modify verbs or give
moremeanings to verbs. They
canappear almost
anywhere
in a sentence. All the
boldtypes are adverb
modifiers.
1.
The sucked their
thumbsloudly.
Adverb of manner)
2.
I tiptoed quietlyinto
the corridor. (adverb of
manner)
3.
Eventually
we
learned the truth. (adverb of
time)
4.
The doctor laterspoke
to the press. (adverb of time)
5.
She spends too much time
there.
(adverb of place)
6.
The secretary delivered the
packageherein the
early evening. (adverb of
place)
7.
She neversmokes
in public. (adverb of
frequency)
APPOSITIVEMODIFIERS:
Theyare
noun phrases thatfollow
and describe othernouns.
All the bold
typesare
appositive adverbs.
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JournalisticWriting
MCM310
VU
1.
George Washington, thefirst
president of theUnited
States,
loved peanut soup.
2.
Andrew Johnson, a
skilled tailor,
mademost of his
ownclothes.
3.
The child, intelligent
and strong, took
after her parents.
4.
The woman, cautiously
at first, planted the
seeds under a thin layer of
reddish dirt.
PREPOSITIONALMODIFIERS:
They
are direction or
relationship words. All the
boldtypes are
prepositional
modifiers.
1.
The boy dialed 911 in
a panic.
2.
The man wrote
hisnovel at
a seaside hotel.
3.
My mother graduated fromthe
law school in May.
SENTENCETYPES:
Sentencesare
classified as
1.
SIMPLE
2.
COMPOUND
3.
COMPLEX
4.
COMPPOUND-COMPLEX
SIMPLE:one
independent clause only.
E.g.Without
music, life would be a
mistake.
1.
Bob went to the store.
2.
Bob and Sue went to the
store.
3.
Bob and Sue went to the
store on the corner near the center of
town to buy groceries and to
get some
drinksfor
the party.
(This
last sentence is quite a
long one but is still a
simple sentence, as there is
only one clause. (S +
V))
COMPOUNDSENTENCES:
two or
more independent clauses joined by
coordinating
conjunction:"and,"
"but,""or,"
"so," "yet,"
and"for."
E.g.one
arrow is easily broken,butyoucan't
break a bundle of
ten.
Two
independent clauses joined by and.
More
examples:
Bob
went to the store,
and Sue
went to the office.
Conjunction
The
negotiations were successful, so
the diplomats
returned to their homes.
Conjunction
We
can go to party, or
we can
go to the dance.
Conjunction
The
negotiations ended successfully;
therefore, the
fighting stopped.
Conjunction
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JournalisticWriting
MCM310
VU
COMPLEXSENTENCES:
one
independent with one or more subordinate
clauses joined by a
subordinator.
E.g.If
youscatter
thorns, don't go
barefoot.
One
subordinating clause is beginning with a
subordinator `if' and
joinedwith one independent
clause.
Because
the
problem proved difficult, they
decided to from a
committee.
Subordinator
sentence
sentence
The
proposal [that] we wrote
wasaccepted.
Subordinator
Theissue,
whichwe
thought we had solved,
cameback to haunt us.
Subordinator
Importantsubordinators
to make complex sentences:
·
Time:when,
while, since, before, after,
until,once
·
Place:where,wherever
·
Cause:because,since,
as, now that, inasmuch
as
·
Condition:if,unless,
on conditionthat
·
Contrast/Concession:
although,
even though, despite, in
spite of
·
Adversative:while,
where, whereas
·
Other:
that, which,
who, whoever, whom, what, why,
how....
COMPPOUND-COMPLEX:at
least two independent
clausesand at least one
subordinating clause. e.g.
Tell
me
whatyoueat,
and
I
willtell you whatyouare.
The
proposal thatwe
wrote was accepted,and
we
started the project.
Subordinator
Conjunction
SENTENCEPURPOSE:
DECLARATIVE:to make
statements.
IMPERATIVE:to issue
requests or commands.
INTEROGATIVE:to
ask questions.
EXCLAMATORY:to make
exclamations.
See
if you can tell the
sentencepurpose in the
followings:
Loveyour
neighbor.
I
want to wash the flag, not burn
it!
Theecho
always has the
lastword.
Aresecond
thoughts alwayswisest?
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