作者: 北方北北 时间: 2008-3-2 01:42 标题: Sentence Structure The fundamental principles described here will play a roll in nearly every Sentence Correction item you see, whether in the original version or among some of the answer choices. Understanding the basic rules of sentence structure enables you to spot the classic GMAT errors quickly. Especially if English is not your native language, be sure to know this basic material.
COMPLETE SENTENCES
The basic building blocks of sentences are clauses and phrases.
Phrase: a group of words that does not have subject and verb.
Demanding civil right, more than 200,000 people marched to Washington in 1963.
A penthouse owner might plant a garden on the roof.
Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War hero and former president, lost all his money to crooked businessmen.
Clause: a group of words that does contain a subject and a verb. Every sentence contains at least one independent clause; that is, a clause that can stand alone.
More than 200,000 people marched to Washington in 1963.
Most sentences contain an independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses—clauses that cannot stand alone.
Because she was ill, Mary couldn’t attend the play.
RUN-ON SENTENCES
When a sentence consists of more than one clause, those clauses must be joined properly. It is never acceptable to hook two independent clauses together with a comma, as the “sentence” below does. That’s called a run-on sentence.
Wrong: Nietzsche moved to Basel in 1869, he planned to teach classical philology.
There are a number of acceptable ways to fix a run-on.
1. Make two separate sentences:
Nietzsche moved to Basel in 1869. He planned to teach classical philology.
2. Change the comma to a semicolon:
Nietzsche moved to Basel in 1869; he planned to teach classical philology.
3a. Join the two clauses with a coordinating conjunction (usually preceded by a comma):
Nietzsche moved to Basel in 1869, and he planned to teach classical philology.
The coordinating conjunctions are: and or for but nor yet
3b. Certain coordinating conjunctions are preceded by semicolon:
Nietzsche planned to teach classical philology; therefore, he moved to Basel in 1869.
These conjunctions are: however consequently then nevertheless besides thus hence furthermore moreover otherwise therefore still
4a. If doing so is appropriate to the meaning, you can join the sentences with a subordinating conjunction:
Because Nietzsche planned to teach classical philology, he moved to Basel in 1869.
There are many subordinating conjunctions. Here are some of the most common ones:
although if though where so after since unless while before because than until thereby
4b. A special kind of subordinate clause is a relative clause. Relative clauses usually begin with who, that, or which, and they relate the information in one clause to the subjective of the other clause:
Nietzsche, who planned to teach classical philology, moved to Basel in 1869.
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
Every sentence must contain at least one complete independent clause. If there is no independent clause at all, or if what’s supposed to be the independent clause is incomplete, you’ve got a sentence fragment.
Wrong: While many people, who have worked hard for many years, have not managed to save any money, although they are trying to be more frugal now.
This sentence fragment consists of nothing bus subordinate clauses. One of the subordinate clauses must be made into an independent clause.
Correct: Most people, who have worked hard for many years, have not managed to save any money, although they are trying to be more frugal now.
Also Correct: While most people, who have worked hard for many years, have not managed to save any money, they are trying to be more frugal now.