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Back to GrefStartyfor the CHART
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Grefs8A, Cumulative REFERENCES
Copyright Terry Gibson, Updated May 2007
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Please Note: By request, Grefs 4 and 8E
need your opinion of this course to be complete.
The three paragraphs are called "assignment 5"
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Three Choices
GREFS are the grammar references presented
as self-instruction in eight units
AND in Allpoetry Classes:
TWO-TROPHY COURSE
if all five assignments of eight levels are attempted
(Choices exist)
ONE-TROPHY COURSE
if half the
assignments of eight levels are attempted
.*Points given for A's until my own are all gone. DeeCrepit*
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Temporary Change ended June 1, 07
with thanks to Charlynn for continuing to help !
Ready to use but please scroll if links are still missing.
Please submit answers by e-mail to Terry or Charlynn
for full feedback (See end)
Did you download a copy of the Student Record
to keep track?
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Quick-Clicks Main Menu
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A8 |
. . . .
. . . .. . . The Column, Satire and Humor
. . . .. . .Historical and Hysterical Essays
. . . ...... Comic Poetry and Ogden Nash
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Applying what you have learned:
Satire, HUMOR, A Hysterical Essay
Blended Fairy Tale (prose or poem)
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B8 |
. .The Weekly Anecdote, Just the Facts, Sir
...... . ...... . Dialogue at Cross-Purposes
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Do Using sample, Character, Setting.
Character's oral characterization,
plus a Bridge, Own next anecdote .
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C8 |
. . . .. . . .The Wandering Antecedent.
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GERUNDS, and Agreement with antecedent Subject, Object, Possessive pronouns (subject of
verb, object of verb, object of
preposition, subjective completion.
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D8 |
. . . .. Opting Out? Use a Passive Voice
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The Passive verb form, Gerund,
Participle (...ing) "It is what it does."
Use of "may"(future) cf "might"(past)
permission, conditional, possibility..
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E8 |
.. . . .... . ..The Analysis of "Everything"
. . . . . .E8 has moved to a different place
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. . . . . . . . a) A general summary of content
(review).
. . . . . . . . b) Detailed Graphic Analysis,
. . . . . . . . to Explore Complex, Compound, and . . . .
. . . .
. . . . . . . . Compound-complex sentences, where
. . . . .adjective phrases may contain subordinate noun
. . . . .clauses as the objects of a preposition, and they,
. . . . .in turn, may have relative clauses
within them.
. . . . .And if you think it cannot be so, it can! The one
. . . . .above (with subject understood) is
an example
. . . . .where it does.
. . . . .Very complicated sentences usually
require a
. . . . .modified method called "parsing."
An example
. . . . .of parsing is given, and much, much
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Have Fun - Be the Source of All Knowledge
Grammar REFS
Grefs8
Your dictionary could tell these things, but add to a running list of terms.....
and definitions assembled and used with some confidence
Clawing back the Age of Literacy
At least we may have eliminated confusion!
Updated USAGE
A8
The 1995 text that serves as reference is recent but will be replaced within.. ....
the next few years or so as we get more and more muddled. Keep current....
Practical English Usage by Michael Swan, OXFORD 1995 ......
And so we conclude
a Leisurely Crash Course in Written English
A8..FINDING FUN.
. . . Applying what you have learned, to Satire,
HUMOR:
. . . .
. .a) The Column, Satire and Humor
. . . .. . b) Historical and Hysterical Essays
. . . .
. .c) Blended fairy tales
. . . .. ..d) Comic Poetry and Ogden Nash
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. . . .. . . .The Column, Satire and Humor
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WHAT IS A COLUMN ?
There are four definitions for the word, of which, the fourth one concerns us here. Oxford Dictionary defines it
as "a regular section of a newspaper or magazine on a particular subject or by
a particular person. TMost larger daily newspapers have full-time columnists, whose
"take" on life makes them unique. They may write of topics from advice to child-care to cooking, to orchid
gardening and home repair to technical and technological topics but they have loyal readers who never miss reading.
My personal choice for years have been the columnists whose humour leavens all that they write.
My local paper has a writer who can spin a column out of nothing.
That is, she writes of daily events around home, things
we all share but hardly notice until she shares the funny side with us. For years she has entertained us. Another
paper has an education critic whose columns expose, often through satirical scenarios, the things that redden faces
in local politics...yet done in a way that does no harm
to the innocent. No doubt he has people who send tips, but no Emperor could get by with new clothes there.
It is an area where beginning writers may find a niche, perhaps in sports or entertainment, and with a sense of
humour to raise it above the ordinary find a ready market. Unlike TV, no one has to look gorgeous, so long as the
writing is crisp and clear.
I mentioned satire and satirical scenarios.
What, precisely, is satire? And what is a 'scenario'?
Rather like a 'scene' without the necessity of realism and truth, a possible listing of events, in this case, making
fun of a real situation.
What is the difference between SATIRE and HUMOR?
(Spelt humour in Canada where a lot of things are funnier than you think. It's that extra 'u'.) Briefly, humour
is intended to be funny. Smiles start there, and giggles follow guffaws down the hall after a good one. Humour is inoffensive, dealing in puns and other twists of language
as much as in more obvious fun. It does not intend to harm or to embarrass, and should not be twisted into racist
and other uses. There is a different word for that, not nice. In summary,
it can range from subtle one-liners unpredictably here and there , the kind of comments that pass right
over the heads of some readers, even if they stand up,
to comments that catch us unawares, entering by a side door. There, it is the unexpected quality that brings the sudden laugh.
Satire, on the other hand--concealing its malice--uses
humour, (irony, exaggeration, ridicule, and devastating metaphor) to criticize and reveal
bad points of--usually--prominent people.
Stuffed shirts, dignitaries lacking sufficient dignity, exploiters and cons, all who pretend to be more than they
are. Satire provides banana skins adroitly placed to wait for the unwary to slip, and sets traps guaranteed to
expose the fakery.
Satire is an art for the fleet of foot
who in case of need have a lawyer in the family to extricate them from litigation
in extreme cases where the target has no sense of humour at all. It has been an art
since Jonathan Swift (1667--1745) swiftly published
"A Modest Proposal" showing how the fecundity of the Irish might be used to alleviate suffering at the
time of the Potato Famine. I deliberately concealed its meaning in dictionary words because it is such an extreme
form of cruel satire. His "Gulliver's Travels" was such a work also, satirizing the upper classes, and
much on Jon Stewart's TV Daily Show has that same effect.
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Research is on-going for columnists, to catch foibles,
reading the news, being alert. It all becomes potatoes in the soup when commenting on current social trends.
Slant and Balance...Slant, if subtle, can sway public opinion with satire too. It requires a gentle hand to apply where, like lotion on
the skin, it slowly, surreptitiously, reddens over time. Far more effective than an open attack, it opens eyes
to what is going on, and remarkably clears the hearing of large numbers of people who sincerely believe it was
their own idea. Political ploys are an example, as questions that need answers.
Off-Balance to a point of excess it becomes farce, and
as mentioned before, can in totalitarian societies be hazardous
to health and safety, but temporarily at least, very funny.
Self-degradation by the writer can be hilarious, safe everywhere, playing the fool, out of whose antics truths
emerge. Certain stand-up comedians have made good use of it on TV.
This item is another 'expository' essay, teaching by
example, designed to explain the delicate art of publishing a weekly TV show or daily column.
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H and HA
. . . .. . Historical and Hysterical Essays
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The Historical Essay
. . . Authenticity always surpasses researched material. To have been there, a participant rather than observer, makes the writer an authority on that particular topic. Current
events today become tomorrow's history, and of considerably more importance than just day to day weather reports (except perhaps in the
case of major hurricanes.)
. . . When I, as a person viewing events
of the last three quarters of a century, tell of the 1930's it carries the weight
of direct experience especially when I open my old diary. Less so without
yellowed pages. Fading memory can edit what we know.
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. . . Those who keep diaries may not be aware
of their potential value. Consider probably the most famous English diarist, Samuel
Pepys (1633-1703) who gives a fascinating view of British history of 1660 to 1669.
He recorded contemporary events in code, (usually a sign that secrecy
was wise) and it was not decoded until 1825, well beyond
the need to keep it hidden.
. . . When writing a historical essay of the
time, such a source provides a solid foundation. The Diary of Ann
Frank has recorded for all time, the plight of victims of racial persecution, for
instance, and I do hope many are recording the social conditions and effects of political policies today. We have
members in AP from all over the world... Unfortunately many diaries die with the owner, especially if only on the
hard drive. Print copies are more durable.
. . . When I, as a senior, write as follows:
. . . USAGE has replaced grammar, which had evolved over centuries to become the most coherently
logical organization. Due to accelerating changes, Grammar's relatively slim book
of rules has been replaced by a heavy tome in which the only organization is in alphabetical
listings--beautifully thorough and clear, but dense. Less than two hundred pages
have been replaced by six hundred fifty-eight. Progress?
--that is observation and valid because I still have the text book I used in grade 8, 1943. Take the next item:
. . . As a writer, I had the great privilege of being a pupil in elementary school while correct grammar
was still a serious part of daily curriculum. I was taught by teachers who had a thorough grounding in the beautiful
logic of probably the richest, most versatile language in the world. Before entering
high school we had all we'd need to know, including the GERUND which finally emerges
here by Week 7. It may be a shock for our students here to find that this was covered in four years of elementary
school. (Four years rather than eight weeks.)
. . . Four decades
have passed since teachers were taught these things, long enough for almost "all who knew" to have died
or retired. Few remain, long retired, teachers still,
not only able but willing to work hard to undo some of the grievous erosion of what used to be English.
--that was opinion as well as fact. Source of the next?
. . . My local cause of this erosion began
in 1952 with the wide arrival of television.
We had no clue what it would mean. To get news, we watched it in sound bytes predigested, delivered to uncritical viewers. We absorbed the ideas and thoughts and political manipulations
of increasingly clever broadcasts until whole populations were convinced to go to war.
. . . Meanwhile--bit by bit--it changed us from a literate society into an oral society.
On TV, with all information heard and seen; reading became less and less important. Can it be surprising then,
that after a while, only the sound of words mattered, and all meaning was in the oral
sound?
--that is observation.
. . . Further, it should have been no surprise
when by mid 1960's, with glossy publication and much
touting of the benefits to creative writing, governments dropped
all the hours "wasted" on Grammar from the curriculum, replacing it with transmitted media. 1968 was when teachers here were forbidden to teach grammar. I was there,
one of those teachers, experienced, having taught full time since 1950, who did--as all teachers did--as I was
told.
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. . . Sadly over the years, the results began to show. Accuracy
became somehow stuffy and old fashioned. Except for English Majors, most new teachers graduated with no firm foundation
in their own language. They knew all about the grammar of French, and Spanish--if they knew any at all--but not
English. Sadly, not English.
--that is personal experience.
. . . Sad. There really was little corresponding
improvement in creative writing, too often quite the reverse. This "anything goes" in class is alive
and well now, often with the result that correct work is marked wrong,
and errors accepted. Not that all teachers do not know. Far from it, but if parents
do not know, it becomes difficult for teachers who do.
. . . Should we
care? You've seen it.
. . . Like, ppl get msgs, u r aloud to rite
like that. It dont matr than, and like who digs gramer so long as it sunds good spell-check lets only reel words
pass so whos to care if there spelt rite?
--that is prediction.
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. . . .
. .Hysterical Essay for sale?
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Write a short Hysterical Essay on any current topic (Social issue, politician, or town council )
OR
In this assignment let's consider an embarrassing event has hit the papers. (Periodically one does.--or should.)
Reseach the topic as Humour, and run with it, adapting as needed.
To have freedom in telling the facts, invent enough of the situation to disguise the actual
people involved. Our local newspaper had a hilarious weekly column, syndicated, called
News of the Weird. Small towns have their "characters"
known to all, to whom strange things happen, and who tend to think after they have spoken. Municipal elections,
all elections, make good hunting grounds. It is not necessary to name names, because local readers will know if
the shoe fits, but when it really is funny, all will enjoy. Reseach the topic as Humour, and run with it, adapting
as needed.
(If based on truth, and if it turns out well, try your local paper to see if they will buy it. If it is easy for
you, it could become a steady job.)
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All assignments are OPEN-BOOK, where help is available
to make the work easier. You just have to find it.
. . . . ... . .
. . . Assignment A8a: The Historical Essay
. . . . .Using your own diary or (if lucky)
one kept by an elder in your
. .. . . family, or from a library, find and
write a gently satirical column
. . . . .of an authentic event, (one that really
happened,) applying
. . . . .what you learned.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . OR fa
.. . . Assignment A8b: And the Hysterical Essay?
There are as many right ways to write humour as there are creative.writers.
Correction: Creative writers who have a gift for the unexpected,
a gift for the unlikely or ridiculous, a gift for skewed logic and surprise. And
behind all written humour is a gift with words.
. . . .See the political potential,
Write a short Hysterical Essay on any topic (Social issue, politician, or town council
(Canadian politics on TV is fair game-- strange things happen there especially now.. )
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . OR
In this assignment let's pretend an embarrassing event has hit the papers. Reseach the topic of Humour, and run
with it, adapting as needed.
. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . OR
. . . . Assignment A8bb:.
The Well-Blended Fairy Tale
SETTING: Choose two well known fictional characters from entirely different
sources one from TV, one from a fairy tale or children's story, and see what funny things happen. Example, choose
a fairy tale, and select a character from a TV talk-show, and stir with a big spoon. Clean, please
Please edit, and proof-read for
1. Dialog, Other punctuation?
2. Spacing of lines when indented?
3. Paragraphing, what should be included in each . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .paragraph?
And general discussion:
4. In what ways does humour happen in this piece?
5. If this were to be expanded into a children's book, which one would
be the main character who meets other well known characters? Would it sell? (Hey, it's an idea.)
. . . . . . .Alternately,
A8bb2:
. . . . The Audio-Effect
Story
.Anything written with deliberate homophones throughout,
.(words that sound alike) wood bee funnier
four litter ate reeds,
.then four those knot a where witch
air oars mite bee write.
Spell-check would not catch any of them.
. With "sew phew reel wons"
this can be quite difficult.
.. . . . [ CLUE: It makes sense if read
aloud.]
Still at a loss what to do?
.. . . . . . . ........ . .
. . . . . .OR,
.. . . .A8c: for our poets, check out
.. Comic
Poetry and Ogden Nash
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. . . .. . Comic Poetry and Ogden Nash
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Please Google the name.
What makes his poems so funny?
Who is your favorite comic poet?
Forgive me, a rude Waiting-for-the-Bathroom-poem
at a rooming house with many tenants, one lavatory.
Ogden Bash Coulda Writ This Thus:
A mind entrapped by elimination
gets reamed out, in my estimation,
before fertile thoughts can ripen.
They prematurely end off wipen
where even scent is flushed and sent
beyond the bend's rush-èd descent.
Airhead person scant of thought
cleaned the mind of all it got
from small books in little room.
Embarrassed by the sonic boom,
because to pause she would not
by exhausted sound be caught. . .
And those who wait beyond the door?
They curse her fate forevermore.
A couplet sonnet
Humorous devices used here:
1. Lack of FIT! The sonnet is usually a serious, poetic, even beautiful form, metrically iambic...
(The meter here is a combination, mostly trochaic.)
The sonnet form certainly does not fit the content.
2. Pun on fertile (fertilizer) scent,
beyond the bend (plumbing)
3. Deliberate misspelling of wiped, to rhyme, ripen
4. Exaggeration, sonic boom (flatulence)
also called "exhausted sound"
5. Also exaggerated, response of those who wait.
and I apologize, much humor is also rude.
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OR,
A8c: for our poets,
Comic Poetry and Ogden Nash
Study some sources of poetic humor and if inspired, please try one of your own.
Prose-poems we have done with the enter enter enter method. An example is in
Grefs7-07.htm entitled, "HOW
IT'S DONE in three steps."
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B8
.
. .MORE B8 IDEAS
Check out ideas for possible sale...
a) The Weekly
Anecdote, Character, Setting
Just the Facts, Sir: Dialogue at Cross-Purposes
b) The Weekly
Installment, Novel publishing
How are they different?
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The Weekly Anecdote needs a major Character,
a small group of secondary support characters, a general focus of action
and a recognizable setting, one that
you know well enough to avoid contradictions between early and later episodes. It also requires a writer willing
to provide episodes ahead so there is never any doubt
that each deadline will be met. It can become a full-time
job with a daily column, part time (with a good "day
job") for a weekly, or if prolific, both. In selling it --so a lot of work will not be wasted in case no one
wants it, having a plot-line that extends long enough
to be convincing and five or six fully polished episodes to show its quality. The ability to slant it to match the view of its host would be a real help.
Suppose (just as an example) Rolly and the Police Report were
the choice, (It won't because I own it) we already have a set of characters, his wife Jeanne, at Rolly's former
place of employment (create your own) relatives wife and himself, his hobbies, canoeing and fishing, his worry
about recent work-friends, the neighbours you have met, Maud, and their concerns, ending with this disaster and
the phone call. which has introduced two stalwart constables in their small town. Really it is wide open, and only
a few characters should be introduced at a time. (Quoted below)
A column will have to conform in length to other existing
columns already being published in the target magazine or paper. Do the homework!
Then let your characters live!
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. . . .. . Dialogue at Cross-Purposes
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If this is not the beginning of a series, it needs a brief summary.
Previously , a loud rifle shot was heard by Maud Fischer
who promptly reported it to police. Unfortunately she has reported so many things that turned out to be nothing.
. .
Previous related event
. . . Less than an hour ago, at the police
station the constable cradled the phone. "Who was that?" Constable Hallett asked.
. . . "The wingnut."
. . . "Oh? What catastrophe did she report
this time?"
. . . "Gunshots. Big gun."
. . . "Ya know," Hallett said, "Some
day she'll phone in something real and we'll be caught looking stupid."
Primed by her call, when Rolly Menard, totally shattered by the bloody suicide of his next-door neighbour, calls police, we get this:
. . .
. . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMIC RELIEF.
. . . .
.Rolly and the Police Report. . .
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Immediate link
. . . Rolly has helped Tess the new widow enter
his place next door where his wife Jeanne checked her for injuries while she cleaned the blood. With the sick smell
of fresh death... and the silence, louder than the screams, Rolly still shook so hard he could hardly dial the
number.
The item
. . . Tess was staring into a shock of bleakness
beyond describing while Rolly who never stammered, stammered the news over the phone to the police. At first they
went through the routine of establishing Rolly's identity, age, place of residence before he could even tell why
he was calling. The words he had planned, fled.
. . . "And?"
. . . Silence. Then, in a voice not his own,
Rolly continued, "Next door. It's next door, horrible I, I--I've never seen any--I mean--"
. . . "Where is next door?"
. . . "What? Where?-- Beside my house!"
. . . "Address please." A bored tone.
. . . "Sa-same as mine, to the right side
of mine." He couldn't hope to remember the number.
. . . "We'll find it. So, do you need
an ambulance?"
. . . "No. It's t-too late."
. . . "Are you under attack?"
. . . "Nobody was."
. . . "So why are you calling us?"
Another kook, the voice implied.
. . . "Just come and see."
. . . "You do not need immediate assistance
then?"
. . . Strictly
speaking, no, Rolly thought. What's done is done. "No."
. . . "We'll get back to you."
. . . "OK, thank you." Somehow that hadn't gone well, but Rolly was
too unhinged to know how he could have done better.
. . . Jeanne had things in hand, so, unaware
that the the police would stare at each other and burst out laughing, or that he would become a suspect, Rolly
poured himself the stiffest of stiff drinks, into a newly emptied stomach..
Note the difference if the same incident is used to introduce a
chapter installment of of
a novel, following Assignment B8a
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B8a
1.The segment has examples of COMIC RELIEF.
What plotting situation needs to be present to need it?
Why would comic relief be welcome at this point in the story?
Some story-starters:
In what way are the following characters involved in needing or providing comic relief?
Maud Fischer?
Constable Hallett?
Tess
Rolly Menard?
Jeanne Menard
Why is Maud's phone call funny?
If Rolly had not been so spooked, what might he have said to avoid confusion? How
could it be worse?
. . . Assignment
B8a
Do [a or b ] Using the sample's Character, Setting
suggestions for selling your weekly (daily) column
Write spoken (Oral) characterization, plus providing a Bridge,
OR
. . . Assignment
B8b
Write your own "next" section if you had some great ideas last time. If you can, use some of the "tricks
of the trade" that you saw working in 8b 1
Writing fiction: Running with your ideas from Week 7
We are here to develop writers, after all.
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novelPub
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. .. . . . . . The Weekly Installment, Novel publishing. . . .
. . . . (The difference if each
week continues the novel)
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B8 REFERENCE: Using sample, Character, Setting.
Dark humour is humour nevertheless.
. . . Each time, a brief summary gets new readers
on board, the final incident is summarized as a bridge so the new part would follow smoothly. What follows is an
example of the way it would look.
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Brief SUMMARY to date:
. . . We met Rolly Menard and his wife Jeanne
and know that something is wrong where he worked, perhaps foul play due to
two missing workers. In Duncan's Dog, we met Maud Fischer,
a neighbourhood busybody, and most recently, Rolly responded
to screams next door, and discovered Tess, his neighbour's
wife
frozen in shock, bloodied by the fresh death of her husband. It
was horrible, gory scene that made him suddenly lose his lunch...
Last week's installment ended with:
. . . Others had heard the bang too, and a
curious neighbour phoned in a gunshot report. The police had heard often from this woman, multiple calls over the
past couple of years, and of no consequence. Each new call from her was less credible than the one before, so it
was no wonder that this time the eyeballs rose to the ceiling, and nothing was done.
. . . "Who was that?" Constable Hallett
asked.
. . . "The wingnut."
. . . "Oh? What catastrophe did she report
this time?"
. . . "Gunshots. Big gun."
. . . "Ya know," Hallett said, "Some
day she'll phone in something real and we'll be caught looking stupid."
We left them there last week . . . for new readers:
. . . There was silence, and still, the sick
smell of fresh death... but the silence felt louder than the screams. Rolly shook so hard he could hardly guide Tess out of there, but with their bloody footprints side
by side in the hall, they lurched into the sunshine of reality.
. . . Sweating as he struggled, I should have phoned for help, but who
was thinking? Could have phoned home from John's to
ask Jeanne for help, but no! Here he was half dragging, half carrying an unconscious
Tess across her yard and his yard, wondering how his rubber legs would ever find strength to get her up the stairs.
. . . "JEANNE," he called. "GIMME
A HAND HERE!"
. . . At the door, her curious face turned
to horror. "My God!! Tess! What happened?"
. . . Rolly was beyond hearing. "We have
to get help for her. Give me a hand getting her inside?"
. . . Together they did. Since Tess was mute,
Jeanne kept all her questions to herself as she cleaned the worst of the blood away.
"I think I'd better call Dr. Findlay. She needs more help than we can give."
. . . "And when you're done, I'll call
police."
. . . .. . Dialogue at Cross-Purposes
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. . . Tess was staring into a bleakness beyond
describing while Rolly who never stammered, stammered the news over the phone to the police. At first they went
through all the routine of establishing Rolly's identity, age, place of residence before he could even tell why
he was calling, and by then, he forgot. "Next door. It's next door, horrible I, I, I've never seen any-- I
mean--"
. . . "Where is next door?"
. . . "What? Where?-- Beside my house!"
. . . "Address please."
. . . "Sa-same as mine, to the right side
of mine." He couldn't hope to remember the number.
. . . "We'll find it. So, do you need
an ambulance?"
. . . "No. It's t-too late."
. . . "Are you under attack?"
. . . "Nobody was."
. . . "So why are you calling us?"
Another kook, the voice implied.
. . . "Just-- "
. . . "You do not need immediate assistance
then?"
. . . Strictly
speaking, no, Rolly thought. What's done is done. "No," he said.
. . . "We'll get back to you."
. . . "OK, thank you." Somehow that hadn't gone well, but Rolly was too unhinged to know how
he could have done better. Jeanne had things in hand, so he poured himself the stiffest of stiff drinks, into a
newly emptied stomach.
That would be the introduction to the rest of the chapter to follow.
.
If curious, the first 8 chapters of this unfinished novel can be found,
beginning with Chap1.htm
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| . .The History of Weekly Installments, Novel publishing |
. . . I recall learning that Charles Dickens and
other novelists of his era used to publish their novels in pamphlet form, to be bought chapter by chapter by eager readers avidly waiting for the next. It was a way of being
paid, and ensured that production continued without delay. It has continued in more recent times, before publishing
houses made own rules.
. . . It worked for me too, thirty-four chapters of Tabitha's Secret emerged one chapter at a time
on my website, classes of kids in at least
two towns were eager for the next, and I heard from parents too. I waited until the whole thing was in its final
edit before starting, all the chapters pretty much done.
Click tabmenu.htm
. . . In the 1940's and 50's I remember the
Toronto Star, a large daily newspaper, had a week-end
edition, The Star Weekly where installments were published.
Jimmy Frise illustrated, and Gregory Clark wrote a funny continuing story of two fishing buddies, neighbours, and
their escapades. I read them for years.
. . . It also had short stories, and novelettes,
and various other features. Smaller local papers might still consider running a novel in this manner to increase
circulation.
. . . Harper's magazine completed the final installment
of one such novel, HAPPYLAND by J. Robert Lennon, in
their October 2006 issue.
.
.,
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,
OR
Do one of these choices
as a "Weekly Anecdote."
Pretend it is Part 4 (whatever) of a continuing story.
(Punctuate and paragraph the dialog.)
B8c
Trying to explain an embarrassing situation to the
boss, parent, or teacher. Spoken characterization,
with shock and mannerisms, possibly written dialog where misunderstanding creates parallel events.
B8d
Oral characterization, "Maud" and the woman next door about what's happening to their peaceful neighbourhood,
plus providing a Bridge to what follows. (your choice)
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C8
C8 REFERENCES
Study these three choices: (Below)
a) Both the Present Participle and Gerund end in 'ing.' How are they different?
b) The
Wandering Antecedent. (Literacy issues)
Review of GERUNDS, and Agreement with Antecedents
c) Recognizing the Subject of verb, Object of verb,
Object of preposition. Subjective completion.)
..
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. a) .Both the Present Participle and Gerund
. . . . end in 'ing.' How are they different?
|
To make it simpler, a present participle has two separate uses.
Ending in 'ing' it can describe something as an adjective:
. . . .rushing water, dancing eyes, haunting melody
Ending in 'ing' it can be part of a progressive verb phrase:
. . . . He is rushing to finish the job. . present
progressive, now
. . . .They were rushing to catch the train. past progressive
She will be dancing all night. future progressive
. . . .They had been dancing in competition . past p.
A gerund ends in 'ing' too, but acts as a NOUN.
. . . .Dancing is not only exercise, but fun too. . . .
. . . . Hallowe'en
haunting is a party game.
. . . ."Seeing is believing."
The last sentence contains two gerunds, a subject and
subjective completion and the verb "is."
Ending with "ing" it is identical to part of the verb phrase "seeing" in "I'll be seeing you," and the participle "seeing"
in "The blind man was led by his seeing-eye
dog." It is the same word. The difference is in
what the word DOES in its sentence
...
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wander
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. . . b) . The Wandering
Antecedent. (Literacy issues)
. .Review of GERUNDS, and
Agreement with Antecedents
Self-tester: replace all sample sentences with new ones of your own, to find how
antecedents work in sentences,
Check the __subject__ and the part that agrees.
(Not to be submitted)
.
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GENERAL RULE OF THUMB: Agreement
with antecedent
In any sentence, the subject of the sentence is the antecedent. (ante coming before) and any reference to the subject later in the sentence has to agree in
number. (singular or plural)
Caution: Be especially careful to find the SUBJECT of the sentence even when word order may differ in complex sentences.
That means if the subject of the sentence is singular, we see:
The girl who
alerted the neighbours said she had called the fire department. Not
"they" The girl-- said she both singular.
The neighbours, even though shaken by
their loss, praised her.
Plural-- plural.
Use of "may" and "might" has become another source
of confusion, -- The subject is never found in a phrase.
Singular
Caution
It is one (of the most common errors. )
Any form of "ONE" is singular.
ALL forms of "ONE"
are singular.
Someone always comes to the rescue, ( not they come.)
No one disputes the truth.
Everyone present at the event agrees it was a success.
If you mean they
all, say so. Do not use "everyone"
But they all know if
the subject is plural, the verb is too.
Now that we know,
if we watch, we will be amazed how many people get it wrong. The two subordinate clauses also agree
with the (red ) subject regardless of their position.
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. . . . . ...All assignments are
OPEN-BOOK, where help is available
. . . . .... . . . .to
make the work easier. You just have to find it. m
... . . . .... . . . .... . . . .Assignment C8a
... . . . .... .Gerunds and Agreement
with Antecedents:
.Please copy/paste the sentences with correct
choices
. . 1. News of all the victims (was, were) received
with shock.
. . 2. Many people who live a sedentary life
find ( they, he )
. . . . . . (gain, gains) .weight.
. . 3. Get someone who (speak, speaks) Greek
to translate.
. . 4. The guard who caught the boys stealing
hubcaps said
... . . . .(they, he) recognized two of the
thieves.
. . 5. They found no one (was, were ) home.
. . 6. Why (doesn't, don't) everyone love to
read?
. . 7. If Dad who never misses Formula1 races
(want, wants) to stay
... . . . .up until two A.M. to watch, we'll
let (him, them).
. . 8. We found that no one at the the meeting
(care, cares) about
... . . . .the condition of the campground.
. . 9. Everyone else (think, thinks) it is a
disgrace.
.. 10. The chairman of the committee said (they,
he) saw many who
... . . . .did not use the trash bins.
. . 11. Shamed by the rest of the members, everyone
(help, helps)
. . 12. Visitors who had heard what a mess it
was ( was, were )
... . . . .happily surprised.
... . . . .... . . . .... . . . .... . . . .... . . . ....Best ten.
.
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recognizing
. C8
REFERENCES
c) Recognizing the gerund as subject of verb, object of verb, object of preposition. Also
subjective completion.
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. . The GERUND
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C8 self-tester 2 "--ing" words
Using the examples in C8 below, whether __subject noun__
[object noun] (object of preposition in adjective phrase)
or
//object of preposition in an adverb phrase// or complement,
write your own different sentence with the same function.
Not to be submitted.
The GERUND Section 290-296 in Swan
.
"Seeing is believing."
This sentence contains two gerunds,
and the verb "is," so that
"believing" is a subjective completion, also called a complement,
same as the subject.
.
"I'll be seeing
you."
Ending with "ing" it is identical to the participle "seeing" in the verb phrase "I will
be seeing you," and the participle "seeing" below:
In "The blind man was led by his seeing-eye dog," where "seeing"
acts as an adjective.
The difference is in what the word DOES in its sentence.
.
EXAMPLES:
Subjective completion
Subject gerund "seeing," Seeing is believing.
Subjective completion, gerund "believing."
Both are gerunds because they act as nouns.
Subject noun: Gerund: The book's
ending was sad. It was sad.
Object noun: "ending"
[ object of a verb ]
The book has
such a sad ending. Has what? GERUND
.
Object of the preposition "by":
//By interrupting// he disrupted the meeting.
Gerund, as part of an adverb phrase.
How can you decide an "--ing" word is NOT a gerund?
--by what the word DOES in its sentence.
In the following examples, the --ing word is NOT a gerund..
Participle: The ending words
bring tears. (which words?)
It acts as an adjective.
Part of a Verb phrase: It was ending badly. \\was ending\\
.
Gerund: The __ending__ was sad. (Subject, a noun.)
.
Objects are nouns , including the Object of a preposition.
A Gerund acts as a noun. By
the book's ending, we knew the
guilty one. "By" is a preposition and its object is a gerund.
.
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.
. . . . ...All assignments are
OPEN-BOOK, where help is available
. . . . .... . . . .to
make the work easier. You just have to find it.
. . . . .. . .See The GERUND Section 290-296 in Swan
. . PRACTICAL ENGLISH USAGE, Michael
Swan, Published by Oxford, 1995 Sw
A gerund is never part of a verb phrase, and never an adjective.
anmI
. . . . .. . .. . Assignment
C8b (Number clearly)
Copy-paste only the sentence(s) with the gerunds
from each set of sentences below. (answering "what?").
. . . . ... . . . ... . . . ... . . . ... . . . .. . .. AND
. . . . .. . . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . . Assignment C8c
. . . . From the sets of sentences,
(copy-paste)only the sentences
. .that contain present participles ( acting as adjectives
or verbs .)
1a . . . Their tent has
no running water.
. . . . . .They were running a candidate in the election.
. . . . . .Running
is good exercise.
. . . . . .After running too far, she stumbled.
1b. . . . You're smoking too much now.
. . . . . . A smoking room keeps the smoke confined.
. . . . . . Evidence of pot smoking was found in ashtrays.
. . . . . . Smoking is bad for us.
.
1c . . . . I enjoy
travelling.(traveling in the US)
. . . . . .They will be travelling to Europe soon.
. . . . . . A dog can be a good travelling companion.
. . . . . . Since travelling to New Orleans, we understood their need.
1d.. . . Tricky ones like this will be taking time to figure out.
. . . . . .The doctor suggested taking a holiday.
. . . . . .Instructions for taking medications must be followed.
. . . . . .Taking
care while in traffic makes sense in bad weather.
.
.
1e. . . .We are still waiting for her to get here.
. . . . . .She is afraid of waiting alone at the bus stop.
. . . . . .Waiting
for a letter can be tedious.
. . . . . .He ran to catch the waiting train.
Double-check your answers:
There are two gerunds in each set of four sentences.
A gerund answers what, and can be a subject of a sentence,
or an object of a verb, or an object of a preposition.
A present participle often acts as an adjective.
A present participle often is part
of a verb phrase.
.
,
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D8 REFERENCES
a) An example of passive writing
b) Discussing Active and Passive writing,
and when use of the passive is justified
c) Comparing Active and Passive
verb forms
d) Use of "may" and "might"
Literacy issues, . and for permission, conditional,
possibility.
.
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. .
. .a) The Passive Voice, Avoiding effort
|
. . . Once upon a time, in a land far away, no active
tenses existed.
It was not known why, but doors were opened there, and cars were driven much as anywhere else. Somehow work was
done and since answers were given without being asked, teaching was by television, and work was not expected.
. . . Known as a wonderful place for a restful
holiday, Tourism was
the major industry. Since for many people, exhausted by the daily grind, to have their batteries quickly recharged,
was wonderful. Sumptuous dinners miraculously were served, and with all needs provided in perfectly immaculate
suites, this place had to be a taste of Heaven. Chambermaids were not seen, yet all the work was not only promptly
done, but with all comforts considered. Amazing how quickly living the life of the idle rich had to be the only
life to live.
. . . Instant change of course was not to be.
. . . At first, work-weary tourists were energized,
feelings of health and old habit were so insistent that tennis games were attended by new guests at the court.
Their matches were boring however, for every volley was returned and no raquet swings were missed. The rack of
bicycles soon remained untouched when the pedals were found to rotate and propel, and the handles to steer. Even
shopping was a bore with each perfect purchase immediately found.
. . . With everything done, nothing was left
for them to do. An uncanny sense of automatism was the result. When mail was received, it was same old same old
until the messages were lost. Adaptable as ever, without resistance or wish to leave, the population was larger
year by year, all wishes served, all wants and needs, fulfilled.
. . . The community was run by powers unknown,
and after decades, the abnormality of their passive existence was not questioned. Laziness was the norm, for anything
else was waste,
and a time when life still had meaning was remembered briefly by only a few remnant minds, not yet bored beyond
functioning.
TG 2006 |
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justified
.
. . b) Discussing Active and Passive writing,
. . . . and when use of the passive is justified
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D8
REFERENCE, PASSIVE VERBS
.
Section 407 to 411, Swan .
.
It "WILL
BE POSTED" is the passive form
for I WILL POST it, active.
.
Generally, for lively writing, we use the active forms of the verb.
Occasionally, especially in historical data, the passive makes sense.
.
Consider: We were not there then: We do not know
who "they" were.
.
Active: They built [this bridge] in 1929. Bridge is the object.
. We see an old bridge
Passive: . . . SUBJECT: This __bridge__ was built in 1929.
Active: This book will change your [life]
Passive That object becomes the
subject:
Your __life__ will be changed by this book.
.
Active: Most of the people in Quebec
speak [French.]
Passive: Object
becomes subject: __French__is spoken by
most people in Quebec
.
Active: They are repairing [the street near my house.] Object
Passive: Subject: The __street__ near my
house
is being repaired.
.
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Active-passVBs
| . . . .
. .c) Comparing Active and Passive verb forms |
REVIEW:
There are three main parts of any ACTIVE regular verb.
.
1. the Infinitive - - Simple past - -Past Participle for reference.
.
to want - - - -wanted - - - (has) wanted - - - [Passive, is wanted ]
to play - - - - played- - - - (has) played - - - [Passive, was played ]
to learn - - - -learned - - -(has) learned - - - [Passive, is learned ]
.
Many of the names that follow are new,
(Changed from Past Indefinite, Past Definite, etc. )
The main tenses of ACTIVE verbs are: [Passive are in brackets]
Present: I speak [Passive, is spoken ]
Present progressive: I am painting [Passive, is being painted]
Present Perfect: I have told [Passive,
it has been told]
Present Perfect progressive: I have been working
"continuously"
. "It has been worked before" is seldom used.
Future: I will tell, shall tell
[Passive, you will be told]
and [Passive going to be told]
Future progressive: I will/shall be working
"continuously"
Future perfect progressive: I will have been telling
[Passive, it will have been told]
.
Simple past: She invited me [Passive,
I was invited]
Past progressive: I was watching "continuously"
. . . .. . [Passive I was being watched]
Past perfect : I had chosen [Passive,
I had been chosen]
Past perfect progressive: I had been working.
Some verbs do not have a passive form: have, fit, resemble, lack, have, walked
("She'd been had" is slang for someone cheated, fooled her
and the dog had been walked already means someone took the dog out for a walk.)
.
.and
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.
All assignments are OPEN-BOOK, where help is available to make work easier.
You just have to find it.
. . . . ... . .
. Assignment D8a: Passive Resistance
Using Story.a) The
Passive Voice, Avoiding effort
Take the content of the tourist community described
passively, and find the humor in converting as many
of the passive verbs as possible into ACTIVE form.
Choose among the content; not all can be converted.
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may-might
. . . .
.d) Use of "may" and "might" Literacy issues,
. . .
.and for permission, conditional, and possibility. |
Use of "may" and "might" has become another source of confusion, with
overtones of illiteracy when used wrong.
Simply put, when it is in the present or future, "may" is
the one to be used. "Might" refers to an event in the past.
It is especially confusing in a verb phrase like "may have"
and "might have." It works similarly with verb phrases.
We may have time to visit them on our way.
They might have lived if we had found them in time.
We may be able to
go next week.
It might have been a better time last week.
With luck, we may
catch the last flight.
The plane we thought we might catch is already
leaving.
We may help if we hurry.
We thought we might buy some, but got there too
late.
Otherwise, may I borrow the car? (permission)
I might agree if you fill up with gasoline.
(conditional)
We may have enough cash for that... (possibility)
.
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. . E8 REFERENCES
. . . Going
Realistic, Analyzing "everything"
. . Fragments, Complex
and Compound Sentences
a) Fragments have parts
missing.
b) Complex Sentences have one principal clause and at least one subordinate
clause.
. . . .
. . . . .... c) Compound
Sentences have at least two
. . . .
. . . . ....principal
clauses, but no subordinate clauses.
d) And horrors! Compound-Complex sentences have more than one.principal clause and at least one subordinate clause,
and there really is no limit how many there might have been on a single half-page sentence in a Charles Dickens
novel !
e) Mixed assignments
.
|
E
.. . . . . . . . . . Reference: how to analyse . . .:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .a) Sentence Fragments |
. . . ."No!"
Probably the shortest sentence, it is not necessarily a fragment,
however. If it is an answer, the speaker ( __he__ shouted ) is understood . . .
He shouted what? __He__ \\shouted . . . \\ [no]
Most fragments can be analyzed according to their meaning in context, using "understood" our code . . . (un-der-stood)
If it is a reaction to a dangerous event, it stands alone, and
the significance is found in context.
Those two ways can apply to any group of words.
Let's look at a few bona fide fragments to see if it works.
Self-tester Try it on paper. See end for answers.
From B8 intro
. . . "Who was that?" Constable Hallett asked.
. . . "The wingnut."
. . . "Oh? What catastrophe did she report this time?"
. . . "Gunshots. Big gun."
From B8a Self-testers to be analysed
a) Trying to explain an embarrassing situation to the
boss, parent, or teacher.
b) Spoken characterization, with shock and mannerisms, possibly written dialog where
misunderstanding creates parallel events.
From C8: Self-tester Practice
Not to be submitted.
================ Answers: ================
From B8 intro
Here our code for "un-der-stood" is bold " . . .
"
"Who was that?" Constable Hallett asked.
["Who was that?] __ Constable Hallett__ \\asked.\\
--not a fragment. Note although you may, it is
not necessary to analyse simple subordinate clauses. Only if a sub. clause contains another clause, should it be
shown..
"The wingnut."
["The wingnut."]
--answer to question, fragment Speaker . . .
"Oh? What catastrophe did
she report this time?"
["Oh? (What) catastrophe] \\did\\ __she__ \\report\\
//(this) time?"// not a fragment
"Gunshots. Big gun."
["Gunshots. Big gun."]
--answer to question, fragment, Speaker . . .
Note, in dialogue where no confusion exists, the speaker can be
understood . . .
(dialog, in US.)
---------------------------------------------------
B8a Self-tester Practice
Trying to explain an embarrassing situation to the
boss, parent, or teacher.
"Trying" is a either a GERUND or a PARTICIPLE
Trying to explain [(an embarrassing) situation] # to the
boss, parent, or teacher. #
but is it a fragment? Yes, not only because it feels
like one.
Add a subject and verb "__You__ \\are-- . . . Trying to explain\\
[(an embarrassing) situation] # to the boss, parent, or teacher.#
Spoken characterization, with shock and mannerisms, possibly written dialog where misunderstanding
creates parallel events.
(Spoken)__characterization__, (with shock and mannerisms,) //possibly// [( written) dialog] ( where misunderstanding creates parallel events) \\can be added,\\.
. .
Misunderstanding is a GERUND, subject of the verb creates. It is a fragment because the only verb, "creates," is part of a subordinate clause.
Obviously other right answers are possible if
they make sense.
(Spoken)__characterization__, (with shock and mannerisms,) may. . . //possibly// be. .
. {( written) dialog (
where misunderstanding creates parallel events)}
Caution: the verb "be" alone, needs a subjective completion!
Characterization IS dialog.
From C8:
Not to be submitted.
__This__ \\is\\ .
. . //Not// \\ to be submitted.\\
It is a fragment because both the subject and verb "IS" were omitted.
.
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plexAndAnalys
com
Caution: Continuing Part E
Although it is interesting to attempt this assignment now,
please do not submit for marking until you have
checked it against the examples in Part E!
There are tricks in it that need detailed study first.
-complxAnalysis
And at last, the final challenge.
*For the student who can handle all of them,
my personal bonus up to 250 points !
--Remind me!--
.. . . . ..All assignments
are OPEN-BOOK, help is available
. . . . .... . . . .to
make the work easier. You just have to find it. m
. . . . .Assignment
E8a
. . . . .Analyse, using the code, the following
sentences.
. .. . . .. . . .. . Feel free to use the ". . . understood" code.
. . . . . .. . . .. . . .For a
pass, your best three will count.
. . . . ... . . . ... . . . ... . . . ..AND
. . . . .Assignment
E8b
. . . . .Identify each sentence by its kind:
fragment, .simple, . . . . .. . . . .. . . complex, compound, or compound-complex.
Please copy/paste the sentences and use italics
where they will clarify your thinking.
. . 1.
My personal choice for years have been the columnists whose humour leavens all that they write.
. . 2.
Use of "may" and "might" has become another source of confusion, with overtones of illiteracy
when used wrong.
. . 3.
Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" was such a work, satirizing the upper classes, and It is the unexpected
quality that we find outrageous even yet.
. . 4.
On TV, Jon Stewart's Daily Show often
has that same comic effect but it is on the Colbert Show that follows, that we see the folly that politicians would
have been wiser to avoid.
. . 5.
Silence. Then, in a voice not his own, Rolly continued, "Next door. . ."
. . 6.
Each new call from her was less credible than the one before, so it was no wonder that this time the eyeballs rose
to the ceiling, and nothing was done.
. . 7.
Jeanne had things in hand, unaware that the the police would stare at each other and burst out laughing, or that
her husband would become a suspect as he poured himself the stiffest of stiff drinks.
.
.
*Bonus for AP course members
only.
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e
. . .
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