Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES

University Town, Northern Samar
Web: uep.edu.ph; Email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMUNICATION

Second Semester, A.Y. 2020-2021

MS. KARAH CLEO G. ERO

Subject Teacher

Module 3: English for Engineers 1

Writing Complete Sentences

With few exceptions in special situations, you should use complete

sentences when you write. By definition, a complete sentence expresses a
complete taught. However, a sentence may actually contain several ideas, not just
one. The trick is getting those ideas to work together to form a clear, interesting
sentence that expresses your exact meaning.
Among most common errors that writers make when attempting to write
complete and effective sentences are fragments, comma splices, run-ons and
rambling sentences.

1 A fragment is a group oof words used as a sentence. It is not a

sentence, though, because it lacks a subject, a verb, or some other
essential part. That missing part causes it to be an incomplete thought.

Fragment: Lettuce all over the table. (This phrase lacks a verb.)
Sentence: Lettuce flew all over the table.
Fragment: When Clena served the salad. (This clause does not convey a complete
thought. We need to know what happened “when Clena served the
salad.”
Sentence: When Clena served the salad, lettuce flew all over the table.
Fragment: Mark asked, “Is that what you call a tossed salad?” Laughing and
scooping up a pile of lettuce. (This is a sentence followed by a fragment
with the sentence. This error can be corrected by combining the
fragment with the sentence.)
Sentence: Laughing and scooping up a pile of lettuce, Mark asked, “Is that what
you call a tossed salad?”

Module 3: English for Engineers 2

! Take note. When you write dialogue, fragments are not mistakes. In fact,

they are often preferrable to complete sentences because that’s how people talk:

“Oy, Rica! My house?”

“Yeah right. On Friday night.”
“Whatever.”

Comma splice is a mistake made when two independent clauses are

2 connected “spliced” with only one comma. The comma is not enough; a
period, a semicolon, or conjunction is needed.

Splicer: The concert crowd had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours, many
were beginning to show their impatience by chanting and clapping.
Corrected: The concert crowd had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours and
many were beginning to show their impatience by chanting and clapping.
(Coordinating conjunction “and” has been added.)
Splicer: The concert crowd had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours; many
were beginning to show their impatience by chanting and clapping.
(Comma has been changed to a semicolon).

3 A rambling sentence is one that seems to go on and on. It is often the

result of the overuse of the word and.

Rambling: The thief entered through the window and moved sideways down the
hall and under a stairwell and he stood waiting in the shadows.
Corrected: The thief entered through the window. He moved sideways down the hall
and under a stairwell where he stood, waiting in the shadows.

Module 3: English for Engineers 3

 4 A run-on sentence is actually two sentences joined without adequate
punctuation or a connecting word.

Run-on: I thought the ride would never end my eyes were crossed, and my fingers
were numb.
Corrected: I thought the ride would never end. My eyes were crossed, and my
fingers were crossed.

Module 3: English for Engineers 4

 Writing clear Sentences

Writing is thinking. Before you can write clearly, you must think clearly.
Nothing is more frustrating for the reader than writing that has to be reread just to
understand its basic meaning.
Look carefully at the commons errors that follow. Do you recognize any of
them as errors you sometimes make in your own writing? If so, use this section as
a checklist when you revise. Conquering these errors will help to make your writing
clear and readable.

1 An incomplete comparison is the result of leaving out a word or words

that are necessary to show exactly what is being compared to what.

Incomplete: I get along better with Glydel than my sister. (Do you mean that
you get along better with Glydel than you get along with your
sister? … or that you get along better with Rosa than your sister
does?)
Corrected: I get along better with Glydel than my sister does.

2 Ambiguous wording is wording that is unclear because it has two or

more possible meanings. It often occurs when sentences are combined.

Ambiguous: Josh decided to take his new convertible to the drive-in movie,
which turned out to be a real horror story. (What turned out to be
a real horror story – Josh’s taking his new convertible to the drive-
in, or the movie?)
Clear: Josh decided to take his new convertible to the drive-in movie, a
decision that turned out to be a real horror story.

Module 3: English for Engineers 5

 3 An indefinite reference is a problem caused by careless use of
pronouns. As a result, the reader is not sure what pronoun(s) is referring
to.

Indefinite: In to The Fault in Our Stars, she describes the problems by

Augustus Waters and his family. (Who is she?)
Clear: In to The Fault in Our Stars, the author John Green, describes the
problems by Augustus Waters and his family.
Indefinite: As he pulled his car up to the service window. It made a strange
rattling sound. (Which rattled, the car or the window?)
Clear: His car made a strange rattling sound as he pulled up to the
service window.

Misplaced modifiers are modifiers that have been placed incorrectly;

4 therefore, the meaning of the sentence is not clear.

Misplaced: We have an assortment of combs for physically active people with

unbreakable teeth. (People with unbreakable teeth?)
Corrected: For physically active people, we gave an assortment of combs with
unbreakable teeth.
Misplaced: The lady visited the nearest dental clinic for checkup with aching tooth.
Corrected: The lady with aching tooth visited the nearest dental clinic for checkup.

5 Dangling modifiers are modifiers that appear to modify the wrong word
or a word that isn’t in the sentence.

Dangling: Trying desperately to get under the fence, Romarie’s mother called her.
(The phrase Trying desperately to get under the fence appear only to
modify Romarie’s mother.)
Corrected: Trying desperately to get under the fence, Romarie, her mother called
him. (here the phrase modifies Romarie.)
Dangling: After standing in the line for five hours, the manager announced that all
the tickets have been sold. (In this sentence, it appears as if the manager
had been standing in line for five hours.)

Module 3: English for Engineers 6

Corrected: After standing in the line for five hours, Ian heard the manager
announce that all the tickets had been sold. (Now the phrase
clearly modifies the person who has been standing in line: After
standing in the line for five hours Ian.)

Module 3: English for Engineers 7

 Writing NATURAL Sentences

Samuel Johnson, a noted writer of the eighteenth century, was undoubtedly

talking about one of the greatest temptations facing writers- to use lots of words (big
words, clever words, fancy words.) For some reason, we get into our heads the idea
that writing simply, is not writing effectively. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The very best writing is ordinary and natural, not fancy or artificial. That is
why it is important to master the art of free writing. It is your best chance at a
personal style. A personal voice will produce natural, honest passages you will not
have to strike out. Learn from the following samples which are wordy and artificial.

1 Deadwood is a wording that fills up lots of space but does not add
anything important or new to the overall meaning.

Wordy: At this point in time, I feel that the study needs additional work before the
panel can recommended it be resubmitted for consideration.
Concise: The study needs more work.

2 Flowery Language is writing that uses mor or bigger words than

needed. It is writing that often contains too many adjectives or
adjectives.

Flowery: The cool, fresh breeze, which came like a storm in the night, lifted me to
the exhilarating heights from which I had been previously suppressed by
the incandescent cloud in the learning center.
Concise: The cool breeze was a refreshing change from the muggy classroom.

Module 3: English for Engineers 8

 3 A trite expression is one that is overused and stale, as a result, it
sounds neither sincere nor natural.

Trite: It gives me a great deal of pleasure to present to you this plaque as a

token of our appreciation. Let me read it.
Natural: The words on this plaque speak for all of us.

4 A jargon is language used in a certain profession or by a particular group

of people. It is usually very technical and not all at all natural.

Jargon: I’m having conceptual difficulty with these employee mandates.

Natural: I don’t understand these word orders.

A euphemism is a word or phrase that is substituted for another

5 because it is considered a less offensive way of saying something.

(Avoid overusing euphemisms.)

Euphemism: I am so exasperated that I could expectorate.

Natural: I am so mad I could not spit.

6 Wordiness occurs when a word for a synonym for that word is repeated
unnecessarily.

Redundant:
Concise: He kept my attention by raising and lowering his voice when he
spoke.
Double subject: Some people they don’t use their voices as well as they could.
(Drop they, since people is the only subject needed.)

Module 3: English for Engineers 9

Concise: Some people don’t use their voices as well as they could.
Tautology: widow woman, descend down, audible to the ear, return back,
unite together, final outcome (Each phrase says the same thing
twice)

7 A cliché is an overused word or phrase that springs quickly to mind but

just as quickly bores the user and the audience. A cliché gives the reader
nothing new or original to think about – no new insight into the subject.

Cliché: Her face was as red as a beet.

Natural: Her face flushed, turning first a rosy pink, then a red too deep to hide.

After all is said and done Flat as a pancake

Beat around the bush Food for thought
Believe it or not Grin and bear it
Best foot forward Last but not the least
Better late than never Lesser of two evils
Calm before the storm More than meets the eye
Cart before the horse No time like the present
Chalk up a victory Put your foot in your mouth
Cliches to avoid

Come through with flying colors Quiet enough to hear a pin

drop
Crying shame
Raining cats and dogs
Don’t rock the boat
In a nutshell
Drop in the bucket
See eye to eye
Easier said than done
Shot in the arm
Face the music
Sink or swim
Fish out of water
So far, so good
In one ear and out the other
In the nick of time

Module 3: English for Engineers 10