Introductory phrases & sentence combining

1. Introductory phrases & sentence combining English 9

2. Today’s Schedule • Objective: Improve our paragraphs by adding substance • WNB • Introductory phrases • Sentence Combining • Write your own paragraph …with a bit of a twist

3. WNB: Free Write FRIDAY

4. Introductory phrases/ dependent clauses • These openings introduce the subject • They CANNOT be read by themselves • They won’t make any sense • We need to check subject verb agreement

5. Our sample Walking down the street, Ashley and Steve stopped to check the tree for any hidden treasures • The opening introduces the subject • Ashley and Steve • It CANNOT be read by itself • Walking down the street…? • Subject verb agreement? • Who was walking down the street? Ashley and Steve

6. Our incorrect sample Walking down the street, the tree was empty when Ashley and Steve checked it for treasure • The opening introduces the subject • A bit unclear who was walking • It CANNOT be read by itself (this one is good) • Walking down the street…? • Subject verb agreement? • Who was walking down the street? The tree? • Our subject needs to be established right after the comma!

7. So… • Write five sentences with introductory phrases • They can be on whatever you want, but need to match the following • Must introduce the subject • Cannot be read on its own • And therefore needs a comma • Must have subject verb agreement

8. Sentence combining • Instead of short, choppy sentences, let’s some flow! Short sentences • Lennie is a large man. Lennie does not know his own strength. He accidentally injures those around him.

9. Option One: Commas Lennie, a large man, does not know his strength and, because of that, accidentally injures those around him

10. Option Two: semi-colon • Use semi-colons to link two COMPLETE sentences • Lennies is a large man who does not know his own strength • because of his strength, Lennie accidentally injures those around him So… Lennies is a large man who does not know his own strength; because of his strength, Lennie accidentally injures those around him

11. Option Three: Colon • Use a colon when listing Lennie has many character traits: he is a large man, he does not know his own strength, and he accidentally injures those around him.

12. Your objective(it’s a tough one… let’s see who can do it) • Write a well-developed paragraph on whoever you think is the best musical artist right now • Green  yellow pink pink! Yellow pink pink! • At some point, use either a semi-colon or colon • Then, when you are done, see if you can eliminate the following words. If you can, you will earn extra credit on your paragraph! And yes, , you can do this! • was, were, are, I, you, we, thing(s), stuff, that • Removing “is” counts as even more extra credit! • Contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, I’m, etc.