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Try This 18.2: Identify the Four Sentence Types in Sentences You Like

As one of the operating assumptions for this chapter, we suggested that “Every sentence possesses style” and so you should “Start focusing on what makes sentences right rather than on what makes them wrong.” We use these propositions as the basis for an exercise in which we direct students to locate in their reading any sentences whose shape they like, and to use these as the basis for practicing their ability to name sentence features.

In the following list of sentences, all taken from our students’ lists, do the following:

identify which of the four types it is

underline the subject and verb of the main clause(s)

double-underline the subordinate clauses

circle the coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions

“Since the Martians were evidently, in spite of their repulsive forms, intelligent creatures, it had been resolved to show them, by approaching them with signals, that we too were intelligent.” (H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds)

“Latin American societies have not transcended racism by embracing indigenous American and African elements in their national mix, but they have gotten further than many other multiracial societies, including, many believe, the United States.” (John Charles Chasteen, Born in Blood and Fire)

“Chwa was in her late eighties at the time of the interview, had poor eyesight, though good hearing, and could still walk.” (Richard B. Lee, The Dobe Ju/’hoansi)

“John Darnielle, leader of a veteran band called the Mountain Goats, writes songs that unspool like short stories, and his new album, “Heretic Pride,” is full of desperate characters and evocative settings.” (John Jurgensen, The Washington Post)

“As it is undeniable that portions of the human family have existed in a state of savagery, other portions in a state of barbarism, and still other portions in a state of civilization, it seems equally so that these three distinct conditions are connected with each other in a natural as well as necessary sequence of progress.” (R. Jon McGee and Richard L. Warms, Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History)

Alternatively, you might do these operations on sentences of your own choice. Also please note that there will be an opportunity to repeat and expand this Try This in the end-of-chapter assignments. We recommend, in any case, that you might start your own list of sentences you like. It’s one of the very best ways to learn about style.

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USING COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION TO EMPHASIZE MEANINGS

As we trust you are beginning to see, sentence structure operates as a form of implicit logic. The syntax defines relationships among the clauses—subject + verb combinations—in a sentence according to the choices you make about coordination and subordination. A third factor in according emphasis is the order of clauses, as we shall discuss in what follows. All three—coordination, subordination, and the order of clauses—are tools of logic and emphasis that help to rank your meanings and convey this ranking to the reader.

Using Coordination to Balance This with That

Coordination uses grammatically equivalent constructions to link ideas. These ideas should carry roughly equal weight as well. Sentences that use coordination connect clauses with coordinating conjunctions (such as and, but, and or). Here are two examples.

Historians organize the past, and they can never do so with absolute neutrality.

Homegrown corn is incredibly sweet, and it is very difficult to grow.

If you ponder these sentences, you may begin to detect the danger of the word and. It does not specify a precise logical relationship between the things it connects but instead simply adds them. Notice that the sentences get more precise if we substitute but for and.

Historians organize the past, but they can never do so with absolute neutrality.

Homegrown corn is incredibly sweet, but it is very difficult to grow.

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