Review on structure of english With

emphasis on:

Subject and verb agreement

Sentence structure
Fragments
Run-ons
Parallelism
Misplaced and dangling modifier
Paragraph structure
Subject and Verb Agreement
Subject verb agreement refers to the fact that the subject
and verb in a sentence must agree in number.

Basic Rule -A singular subject takes a singular verb,

whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb. Rule 1
-A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of.
This is a key rule for understanding subjects. Rule 2
–Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or
neither/nor require a singular verb.
Rule 3 -The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor
sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.
Rule 4
-As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more
subjects when they are connected by and.
Rule 5a -Sometimes the subject is separated from the
verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not,
etc. Rule 5b -Parentheses are not part of the subject.
Rule 6 -In sentences beginning with here or there, the true
subject follows the verb.
Rule 7 -Use a singular verb with distances,
periods of time, sums of money, etc., when
considered as a unit.
Rule 8 -With words that indicate portions—e.g.,
a lot, a majority, some, all
Rule 9 -With collective nouns such as group,
jury, family, audience, population, the verb
might be singular or plural, depending on the
writer's intent.
Sentence Structure
Sentence structure is the way a sentence is
arranged, grammatically. In English, we have
four main sentence structures: the simple
sentence, the compound sentence, the complex
sentence, and the compound-complex sentence.
Each uses a specific combination of independent
and dependent clauses to help make sure that our
sentences are strong, informational, and most
importantly, that they make sense.
 Parts of Sentence Structure
• Independent Clause
Independent clause are key parts of every sentence structure. Aside from that, it
can stand alone as a sentence. It contains a subject and a verb and makes sense on
its own as a complete sentence.
• Dependent (Subordinate Clause
A dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must be attached to an
independent clause to become complete. This is also known as a subordinate
clause.
• Conjunction
A conjunction is a word in a sentence that connects other words, phrases and
clauses. Conjunctions are important because they let us combine information, but
still keep ideas separate so that they are easy to understand.
Types of Sentence Structure
a. Simple sentence
A simple sentence contains only one independent clause. In fact, an independent clause
itself is a simple sentence. Here are some examples:
b. Compound sentence
A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses. It uses a conjunction
like “and”, coma or with a semicolon to connect the ideas.
c. Complex sentence
A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one dependent
clause. (A dependent clause starts with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun,
and contains a subject and verb, but does not express a complete thought.)
d. Compound-complex sentence
A compound-complex sentence consists of at least two independent clauses and one
dependent clause—so, it uses conjunction(s) to combine two complete sentences and at
least one incomplete sentence.
Fragments

Fragments are incomplete sentences. More often than not a fragmentary

sentence is the result of careless writing rather than the ignorance of sentence
structure. Usually fragments are pieces of sentences that have become
disconnected from the main clause. One of the easiest ways to correct them is
to remove the period between the fragment and the main clause. Other kind of
punctuation may be needed for the newly combined sentence.
 There are 3 steps or tips to remember when
writing sentences to avoid fragments.

• Start every sentence with a

Person, Place, or thing.
• Avoid sentences with Which,
Who, Like , and Such as.
• Avoid starting sentences with an
ING word.
Examples: Guess If it is a Sentence or
Sentence Fragments
Run-Ons
• A run-on sentence occurs when two or more
independent clauses (also known as complete sentences) are
connected improperly.
Example: I love to write papers I would write one every day if I
had time
There are two sentences in the above example:
Sentence 1: I love to write papers.
Sentence 2: I would write one every day if I had time
 One common type of run-on sentence is a comma splice. A
comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are
joined with just a comma.

• Example of Comma Splice: Participants could leave the study

at any time, they needed to indicate their preference.
Sentence 1: Participants could leave the study at any time
Sentence 2: They needed to indicate their preference
Some comma splices occur when a writer attempts to use a
transitional expression in the middle of a sentence.
 Correcting Run-Ons
• A run-on sentence can be fixed by connecting its parts correctly. There are several ways to connect
independent clauses.
• Use a period. The easiest way to fix a run-on is to split the sentence into smaller sentences using a
period. This revision works especially well with longer sentences. Check, however, to make sure
that this solution does not result in short, choppy sentences.
• Revision example: I love to write papers. I would write one every day if I had a the time
• Use a semicolon. Inserting a semicolon between independent clauses creates a grammatically
correct sentence. Using a semicolon is a stylistic choice that establishes a close relationship between
the two sentences.
• Revision example: I love to write papers; I would write one every day if I had a the time
• Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction. A comma, paired with a coordinating conjunction
(e.g., "and," "but," or "or"), corrects a run-on sentence. This method emphasizes the relationship
between the two clauses.
• Revision example: I love to write papers; and, I would write one every day if I had a the time
• Use a subordinating conjunction. Turn one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause. A
subordinating conjunction (e.g., "because," "unless," and "although") connects two clauses to create
a complex sentence. This option works to cement the relationship between the two parts of the
sentence and may improve the flow of the clauses.
• Example: Because I love to write papers, I would write one every day if I had the time
However you decide to revise for run-on sentences, remember that maintaining sentence variety helps
to keep the writing clear and interesting for your readers.
Parallelism
-balanced or equal
-reduce repetition and wordiness
-elements should be parallel -it is a speaking or writing
technique, balancing or adjusting parts of a sentence
Rules of Parallelism
1.Used with elements joined by coordinating conjunctions
Ex.
Janet likes cooking and to read. (Incorrect)
Janet likes cooking and reading. (Correct)
2. Used with elements in lists or series.
Ex. This task can be done individually, in pairs or can be
done in groups of four. (Incorrect)
This task can be done individually, in pairs or in group of
four. (Correct)
3. Used with elements being compared.
Ex. April is mad watching TV more than to read a book.
(Incorrect)
April is mad watching TV more than reading a book.
(Correct)
4. Used with elements joined by a linking verb or form of
being.
Ex. To learn is understanding the world. (Incorrect)
To learn is to understand the world. (Correct)
5. Used with elements joined by linking words. Ex.
Susan only wants his students to keep quiet but also to
do the task. (Incorrect) Susan wants his students not
only to keep quiet but also to do the task. (Correct)

Examples of Parallelism:
1. Mona can sing and dance.
2. We enjoy cooking and baking.
3. She is beautiful and talented.
4. I like to watch documentaries and to travel abroad.
5. Jenna acted quickly and carefully.
6. Filipinos love comedies, drama and documentaries.
Misplaced Modifier
-A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly
separated from the word it modifies / describes.
• Example
On her way home, Jan found a gold man’s watch
• Misplaced modifiers can usually be corrected by moving the modifier to
a more sensible place in the sentence, generally next to the word it
modifies.
On her way home, Jan found a man’s gold watch.
• There are several kinds of misplaced modifiers:

1. Misplaced adjectives are incorrectly separated from the nouns they

modify and almost always distort the intended meaning.
• Example
The child ate a cold dish of cereal for breakfast this morning.
• Correct the error by placing the adjective next to the noun it modifies.
• Corrected
The child ate a dish of cold cereal for breakfast this morning
• Just means only John was picked, no one else:
Just John was picked to host the program
• Just means that John was picked now:
John was just picked to host the program
• Just means that John hosted only the program, nothing else:
John was picked to host just the program
• 3. Misplaced phrases may cause a sentence to sound awkward and
may create a meaning that does not make sense.
• Example 1 (a buyer with leather seats?)
The dealer sold the Cadillac to the buyer with leather seat
• Corrected
The dealer sold the Cadillac with the leather seat to the buyer.
• 4. Misplaced clauses may cause a sentence to sound awkward and
may create a meaning that does not make sense.
• Example 1 ( a buttered woman?)
The waiter served a dinner roll to the woman that was just well
buttered
• Corrected
The waiter served a dinner roll that was just well buttered to the
woman
Dangling Modifier
• A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and
logically related to the word or words it modifies (i.e. is placed
next to).
Two notes about dangling modifiers:
• Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be
corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence.
• In most cases, the dangling modifier appears at the beginning of the
sentence, although it can also come at the end.

Sometimes the dangling modifier error occurs because the

sentence fails to specify anything to which the modifier can refer.
• Example 1

• Example 2

This sentence means that my mother enrolled in medical when she

was nine years old!
At other times the dangling modifier is placed next to the wrong noun
or noun substitute.
At other times the dangling modifier is placed next to the wrong noun
or noun substitute.
 How to correct Dangling Modifier
• Dangling modifiers may be corrected in two general ways.
Correction Method #1
1. Leave the modifier as it is.
2. Change the main part of the sentence so that it begins with the term
actually modified.
3. his change will put the modifier next to the term it modifies.
Thus, this dangling modifier

may be corrected to

Now the sentence means that I was looking toward the west.
• Correction Method #2
• Change the dangling modifier phrase to a subordinate clause, creating
a subject and verb.
• Leave the rest of the sentence as it is.
Thus, the dangling modifier

may be corrected to

Now the sentence means that I (not my mother!) was nine years
old when my mother enrolled in medical school.
Paragraph Structure
Paragraphs are the units of organization for your essay. It develops
one main idea through a series of related sentences. This main idea is
usually introduced in the first sentence of the paragraph, called the
topic sentence. The idea is then developed further through the
sentences that follow. Using a clear structure for your paragraphs
helps guide the reader through your written work.
A. Topic Sentence (TS) - the beginning
A topic sentence usually comes at the beginning of a paragraph.
This will be your way of announcing the main focus of your
paragraph; it should tell the reader what your paragraph will be about.
In short, it must be general enough to express the paragraph’s overall
subject. The specific area delimited is called the controlling idea.
Topic Sentence Part
Topic Controlling Idea
People can avoid burglaries by taking certain precautions.
B. Supporting Sentences (SS) - the middle
This sentences are called “supporting” because they support,
explain, or back up the idea expressed in the topic sentence.
Example:
My Dog Romeo is so much fun to play with. One reason he’s fun is
because he loves to play catch. What’s also fun is that he follows me
around the house with a toy and drops it on my foot, so I will kick it.
Additionally, he can catch just about anything, but his favorite thing to
catch is a Frisbee. Finally, he loves it when I pretend like I’m falling
dead, and he runs over to lick me. All these reasons show why I really
have fun playing with Romeo.
C. Concluding Sentence (CS) - the end

Concluding sentence is the sentence at the end of the paragraph which

summarizes the information that has been presented. It can also serves
different purposes such as giving your final thoughts or personal opinion
and sometimes works as transition to the next paragraph. You can think
of a concluding sentence as a sort of topic sentence in reverse.
Example:
My Dog Romeo is so much fun to play with. One reason he’s fun is
because he loves to play catch. What’s also fun is that he follows me
around the house with a toy and drops it on my foot, so I will kick it.
Additionally, he can catch just about anything, but his favorite thing to
catch is a Frisbee. Finally, he loves it when I pretend like I’m falling
dead, and he runs over to lick me. All these reasons show why I really
have fun playing with Romeo.
Process to write a paragraph
There are five steps to write a good paragraph.
BRAINSTORMING
In this step you should think and write down any ideas about a topic you want to
write about.
ORGANIZING IDEAS
In this step you should organize your ideas by creating a cluster or an outline
about what you want to write about.
WRITING THE FIRST DRAFT
In this step you should write your paragraph for the first time, not taking much
into account about the cohesion, coherence grammar, or spelling.
EDITING
In this step you should revise all the errors abut coherence and cohesion that your
paragraph may have.
FINAL WORK
In this step you should revise all the spelling or grammar errors. And that’s it.
Your paragraph is done.