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VOICE, DICTION, FELICITOUS EXPRESSION

& other elements of Good Language for General Paper
Taken from : http://schoolworkhelper.net/2010/07/what-is-diction-syntax-voice-and-style/

** Note : This effort to enhance LANGUAGE comes after you demonstrate effective THINKING i.e. your abilities to interpret the question correctly, and craft relevant, logical and defensible arguments.

Diction - A variety of choices combine to create an authors diction, including:

1. 2.

3.

4.

5.

level of formality: language may be formal, informal, colloquial, or slang *** but GP requires formality the denotationsthe specific literal meanings of the words used, and their connotationsthe emotional implication words may carry (connotations, for example, contribute to the tone of a piece of writing by revealing the authors attitude toward a subject) the use of concrete wordswords that refer to objects or events that can be perceived through the sensesto create imagery (as opposed to abstract words such as love, freedom, success, happiness) the use of specific terms to create similar images and associations among readers (as opposed to general terms that make writing seem vague and hard to interpret) the deliberate use of sound devices (e.g., alliteration, consonance, assonance) to create specific effects

Syntax Syntax refers to how writers construct individual sentences to achieve particular effects, such as emphasis or a slower or faster pace. Syntax involves 3 main elements: (1) sentence length (shorter and longer); (2) sentence structure (simple, compound, complex, and compound/complex); (3) and sentence pattern (placement of subjects, verbs, objects, and complements). Effective writing demonstrates variety in each of these main elements. Voice and Style Voice is the distinctive identity or personality a writer reveals. That voice comes through in the writers particular writing style. Style is the result of the decisions a writer makes, such as word choice, use of figurative language, and sentence structure. Felicitous Expression = expression that is well-suited for the occasion
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Other than using apt and precise words, you can also incorporate some of the features below in your writing. The examples suggest how these features can be applied in General Paper Topics.

(1) Figure of speech = an expression of language, such as simile, metaphor, or personification, by which the usual or literal meaning of a word is not employed
Source : http://grammar.about.com/od/rhetoricstyle/a/Brief-Introductions-To-30-Figures-Of-Speech.htm

1. What's the difference between a metaphor and a simile? Both metaphors and similes express comparisons between two things that aren't obviously alike. In a simile, the comparison is stated explicitly with the help of a word such as like or as: "My love is like a red, red rose / That's newly sprung in June." In a metaphor, the two things are linked or equated without using like or as: "Love is a rose but you better not pick it." 2. What's the difference between metaphor and personification? Personification is a particular type of metaphor that assigns the characteristics of a person to something non-human, as in this observation from Douglas Adams: "He turned on the wipers again, but they still refused to feel that the exercise was worthwhile, and scraped and squeaked in protest." 3. What's the difference between hyperbole and understatement? Both are attention-getting devices: hyperbole exaggerates the truth for emphasis while understatement says less and means more. To say that Uncle Wheezer is "older than dirt" is an example of hyperbole. To say that he's "a bit long in the tooth" is probably an understatement. 4. What's the difference between alliteration and assonance? Both create sound effects: alliteration through the repetition of an initial consonant sound (as in "a peck of pickled peppers"), and assonance through the repetition of similar vowel sounds in neighboring words ("It beats . . . as it sweeps . . . as it cleans!"). 5. What's the difference between anaphora and epistrophe? Both involve the repetition of words or phrases. With anaphora, the repetition is at the beginning of successive clauses (as in the famous refrain in the final part of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech). With epistrophe (also known as epiphora), the repetition is at the end of successive clauses ("When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child"). 6. What's the difference between asyndeton and polysyndeton? These terms refer to contrasting ways of linking items in a series. An asyndetic style omits all conjunctions and separates the items with commas ("They dove, splashed, floated, splashed, swam, snorted"). A polysyndetic style places a conjunction after every item in the list ("We lived and laughed and loved and left"). 7. What's the difference between a paradox and an oxymoron? Both involve apparent contradictions. A paradoxical statement appears to contradict itself ("If you wish to preserve your secret, wrap it up in frankness"). An oxymoron is a compressed paradox in JC2 GP 2013

Page |3 which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side ("a real phony"). 8. What's the difference between a euphemism and a dysphemism? A euphemism involves the substitution of an inoffensive expression (such as "passed away") for one that might be considered offensively explicit ("died"). In contrast, a dysphemism substitutes a harsher phrase ("took a dirt nap") for a comparatively inoffensive one. Though often meant to shock or offend, dysphemisms may also serve as in-group markers to show camaraderie. 9. What's the difference between verbal irony and sarcasm? In both, words are used to convey the opposite of their literal meanings. Linguist John Haiman has drawn this key distinction between the two devices: "[P]eople may be unintentionally ironic, but sarcasm requires intention. What is essential to sarcasm is that it is overt irony intentionally used by the speaker as a form of verbal aggression" (Talk Is Cheap, 1998). 10. What's the difference between a tricolon and a tetracolon climax? Both refer to a series of words, phrases, or clauses in parallel form. A tricolon is a series of three members: "Eye it, try it, buy it!" A tetracolon climax is a series of four: "He and we were a party of men walking together, seeing, hearing, feeling, understanding the same world." 11. What's the difference between a rhetorical question and epiplexis? A rhetorical question is asked merely for effect with no answer expected: "Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution?" Epiplexis is a type of rhetorical question whose purpose is to rebuke or reproach: "Have you no shame?"

(2) Idiom = an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round for the round table, and that is not a constituent of a larger expression of like characteristics. (3) Proverb = a short popular saying, usually of unknown and ancient origin, that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought; adage; saw. (4) Cliche = a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.

(2) (3) & (4) HOW TO SLAY A CLICHE (or a too commonly-used proverb, idiom, metaphor)
Source : http://cliche-a-day.blogspot.sg/p/alphabetic-listing.html
a a a a a chip off the old block 11.15.05 a deer in the headlights 04.07.06 for (04.06.06) drop in the bucket 02.26.06 a fish out of water 10.16.05 a knockoff 02.17.06 penny for your thoughts 03.22.06 (for 03.22.06) a quick buck 10.27.05 stitch in time saves nine 10.19.05 a tongue-lashing 01.15.06 watched pot never boils 04.29.06 about as pleasant as a trip to the dentist 02.10.11

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ace in the hole or ace up his sleeve 03.20.06 (for 03.20.06) Achilles' heel 01.11.13 airing dirty laundry 03.20.06 (for 03.19.06) all ears 01.07.13 all that glitters is not gold 01.08.13 always a bridesmaid, never a bride 01.14.13 an ax (axe) to grind 02.05.13 an uphill battle 02.14.06 and the rest is history 10.10.05 another nail in the coffin 11.23.05 apple of my eye, the 01.18.13 as useful as a lead balloon 01.26.06 asleep at the wheel 01.23.13 at the crack of dawn 01.25.13 at the drop of a hat 12.15.05 at the eleventh hour 01.30.13 at the end of my rope 01.31.13 at the end of the day 02.01.13 babe in the woods, a 02.08.13 back against the wall 02.09.12 back from the dead 04.18.06 back handed compliment, a 02.11.13 back in the saddle 10.25.05 back seat driver, a 02.14.13 back to square one 02.22.13 back to the drawing board 02.25.13 back to the salt mines 01.27.06 backstabber, a 02.15.13 bad blood 02.27.13 bare bones 03.05.06 barking up the wrong tree 12.18.05 beat a dead horse 03.25.06 behind the times 07.16.07 between a rock and hard place 03.31.10 big as life, as 04.06.10 born with a silver spoon in his mouth 12.07.05 burn your bridges 01.11.06 by the skin of my teeth 09.29.05 can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear 10.20.05 can't see the forest for the trees 07.17.07 cash cow, a 11.30.05 clear as a bell 04.24.06 come hell or high water 10.05.05 cool as a cucumber 03.31.06 cost an arm and a leg 02.21.06 cry over spilled milk 10.14.05 dead as a doornail 03.01.08 dead as a doornail 04.12.10 death by a thousand cuts 04.15.10 diamond in the rough, a 01.05.06 (for 12.31.05) diamond in the rough, a 04.16.10 dig yourself into a hole 03.13.06 dirt cheap 04.22.10 doesn't have both oars in the water 04.14.10 don't rain on my parade 05.03.06 (for 05.01.06) don't reinvent the wheel 12.04.05 (for 12.03.05) dot the I's and cross the T's 11.02.05 drive me to drink 05.03.06 dropping like flies 07.19.07 early bird catches the worm, the 04.28.10 easy as 123 02.27.06 egg on your face, have 10.12.10 elephant in the room, the 04.23.10 everything but the kitchen sink 10.04.05 everything comes out in the wash 04.20.10 everything's coming up roses 12.22.05 face it (let's) 04.07.10 fall guy, the (a) 05.13.10 fall head over heels 12.19.05 fast buck, a 05.07.10 fat as a cow (pig) 05.14.10 fell through the cracks 10.24.05 fighting like cats and dogs 02.10.06 filthy rich 05.24.10 firing on all cylinders 12.23.05 fits like a hand in a glove (fits like a glove) 03.26.06 free as a bird 03.06.06 get a life 05.30.10 get an earful, to 05.29.10 get cleaned out 01.12.06 get into hot water 12.28.10 get off on the wrong foot 12.01.05 get with the program 06.01.10 get your feet wet 06.10.10 get your foot in the door 06.11.10 give the shirt off your back 04.13.06 give them an inch and they'll take a mile 04.01.06 give my right arm 06.14.10 gloss over, to 06.15.10 go against the grain 12.28.05 go belly up 07.10.10 go for broke 06.25.10 go with the flow 02.24.08 go through the motions 06.30.10 good things come to he who waits 11.10.05 got off on the wrong foot 12.01.05 half-baked idea, a 07.09.10 hammered 10.08.10 hard to swallow 07.27.10 hardheaded 07.29.10 harebrained idea 10.11.10 has egg on his face 02.28.06 haste makes waste 07.12.10 head over heels 10.25.10 heads up! 10.26.10

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heard it through the grapevine 10.27.10 hen pecked 10.28.10 high as a kite 10.29.10 high maintenance 11.02.10 highway robbery 11.04.10 hindsight is 20-20 11.16.10 his bark is worse than his bite 12.07.10 the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing 12.09.10 hit below the belt, to 12.10.10 hit pay dirt 12.16.05 hit the hay, to 12.13.10 hit the nail on the head 12.14.10 hook, line, and sinker 12.16.10 horsing around 12.22.10 Idle hands are the devil's workshop 10.09.05 if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times 01.12.11 if the shoe fits, wear it 01.29.06 if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen 04.20.06 in harm's way 02.04.11 in hot water 04.20.09 in the bag 04.08.11 in the cards, it's 02.06.11 in the clear 02.07.11 in the hot seat 02.08.11 in the nick of time 02.09.11 isn't all it's cracked up to be 02.24.11 it isn't rocket science 02.26.11 <="">it's a lemon 04.07.11 it's no use crying over spilled milk 02.23.11 jack of all trades and a master of none, a 06.17.11 jockeying for position 06.23.11 joined at the hip 04.26.06 journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, a 06.22.11 jump the gun 11.17.05 jump in with both feet, to 06.20.11 jump on the bandwagon 06.21.11 just around the bend 07.05.11 just the tip of the iceberg 12.29.05 keep an eye on you 07.15.11 keep it down 07.06.11 keep your chin up 09.13.11 keep your eyes open (peeled) 09.14.11 keep your fingers crossed 07.19.11 keep your nose to the grindstone 09.20.11 keeping up with the Joneses 03.15.06 keeps his cards close to his vest 03.07.06 kick the bucket 11.28.11 king's ransom, a 11.29.11 kiss and tell 12.01.11 knock out, a 12.05.11 knock your socks off, to 04.28.09 knockout blow 04.08.06 know it like the back of my hand 10.17.05 know the ropes 12.06.11 know the score 12.07.11 know where you stand 12.12.11 knuckle down 12.15.11 Kodak moment, a 12.22.11 last but not least 11.19.05 last hurrah 01.23.12 lay my cards on the table 04.14.06 leave no stone unturned 03.22.06 (for 03.21.06) like a broken record 04.13.10 like a bull in a china shop 09.27.05 like a fish out of water 07.25.07 like a kid on a candy store 11.26.05 like night and day 12.10.05 lock, stock, and barrel 11.11.05 looking for a needle in a haystack 03.27.06 love is blind 03.08.06 make ends meet 03.03.10 making a mountain out of a mole hill 09.30.05 making money hand over fist 01.09.06 (for 01.08.09) many hands make light work 01.31.06 miss the boat 03.29.06 (for 03.28.06) money doesn't grow on trees 04.21.06 nailed it 03.09.06 nerves of steel 03.04.10 nice guys finish last 02.07.06 (for 02.06.06) no pain, no gain 11.12.05 no strings attached 04.03.06 not playing with a full deck 01.04.06 off the cuff 03.05.10 on the same page 11.28.05 on track 02.18.06 one man's garbage is another man's treasure 12.30.05 one picture is worth a thousand words 04.15.06 out of the woods 10.28.05 pass the buck 03.08.10 play the hand you're dealt 11.20.05 play with the big boys (or girls) 12.04.05 pot calling kettle black, the 04.25.09 pull the wool over your eyes, to 10.11.05 put it on the back burner 01.26.06 (for 01.24.06) quiet as a mouse 03.09.10 raking in the money (or dough) 02.19.06 rattle your cage 02.24.06 reopen an old wound 01.23.06 (for 01.22.06) right up your alley 02.01.06

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rock the boat 11.24.05 Rome wasn't built in a day 10.02.05 rotten to the core 12.24.05 rub salt in the wound 04.05.06 (for 04.04.06) run circles around (also run rings around) 04.22.06 same song and dance 03.24.06 (for 03.23.06) see the glass as half empty 10.22.05 shoestring budget, a 03.11.10 something to sink your teeth into 12.05.05 step on your toes 10.12.05 stuck out like a sore thumb 11.28.05 (for 11.27.05) sweep it under the rug 01.09.06 (for 01.09.06) swim against the tide 12.13.05 (for 12.12.05) take a picture, it will last longer 02.07.06 take the bull by the horns 03.15.10 take the gloves off 03.13.10 test the waters 03.10.06 the blind leading the blind 11.09.05 the grass is always greener on the other side 10.08.05 the icing on the cake 01.23.07 the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing 12.09.10 the red carpet treatment 03.17.06 throw gasoline on the fire 02.13.06 time on your (or my) hands 03.29.06 (for 03.29.06) to deep six something 02.09.06 to sugar coat something (candy-coat something) 04.10.06 too many chefs spoil the broth 11.07.05 (for 11.06.05) toot your own horn 12.13.05 (for 12.13.05) turn over a new leaf 09.30.05 (for 10.01.05) under a microscope 11.22.05 until the cows come home 11.01.05 up the ante 03.20.10 variety is the spice of life 10.13.05 waiting for the dust to settle 02.20.06 waiting for your ship to come in 03.24.06 (for 03.24.06) walking on egg shells 09.25.05 watching the clock 03.22.10 welcome to the club 10.03.05 wet blanket, a 03.23.10 what's wrong with this picture? 01.16.06 when all is said and done 04.23.06 when hell freezes over 01.10.06 when pigs fly 12.14.05 where there's smoke there's fire 04.11.06 wipe the slate clean 10.26.05 works like a dog 11.29.05 yank your chain 02.25.06 you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink 12.06.05 you can take that to the bank 03.30.06 you can't fit a square peg in a round hole 02.03.06 (for 02.02.06) you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube 02.09.06 (for 02.08.06) you do the math 05.03.06 (for 04.30.06)

(5) Foreign language

Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lists_of_English_words_of_foreign_origin

LATIN
Latin ad hoc meaning formed or done for a particular purpose only example or comment An ad hoc committee was set up to oversee the matter. The apparent risks of secondary smoking have been debated ad nauseam. Only bona fide members of the club may use the clubhouse.
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ad nauseam repeating or continuing to the point of boredom bona fide genuine; real

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caveat emptor circa; c. de facto Ergo et cetera; etc ex gratia

let the buyer beware around; approximately in fact; in reality therefore and the rest; and so on; and more from kindness or grace (without recognizing any liability or legal obligation) a court order instructing that a person under arrest be brought before a judge in the place of a parent in its original place

The principle that the buyer is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made. The house was built circa 1870. Although the Emperor was the head of state, the de facto ruler of Japan was the Shogun. cogito ergo sum We urgently need to buy medical equipment, drugs et cetera. They received an undisclosed ex gratia payment. The right of habeas corpus has long been regarded as an important safeguard of individual liberty. Teachers sometimes have to act in loco parentis. The paintings have been taken to the museum but the statues have been left in situ.

habeas corpus in loco parentis in situ in vitro

(in biology) taking place outside a living organism (for example in a in vitro fertilization test tube) among other things for each The report covers, inter alia, computers, telecommunications and air travel. This petrol station charges $5.00 per gallon. The population is increasing by about 2% per annum. The country's annual income is $5000 per capita. These facts per se are not important. The post-mortem revealed that she had been murdered. The car rental charge is $50 per day and then pro rata for part of a day. Similar to "tit for tat", "give and take" and "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." Words are a sine qua non of spoken language. Monarchies naturally wish to maintain the status quo. I had to memorize the text verbatim. What are the benefits of organic versus
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inter alia Per

per annum; for each year p.a. per capita per se postmortem pro rata quid pro quo sine qua non status quo Verbatim for each person in itself/themselves; intrinsically examination of a body after death; autopsy proportional; proportionally favour or advantage given or expected in return for something essential condition; thing that is absolutely necessary; "without which not" existing state of affairs in exactly the same words

versus; vs.; against

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v.

inorganic foods? In the case of Bush versus Gore, the judges decided...

vice versa persona non grata

the other way round unacceptable or unwelcome person

My telephone serves me, and not vice versa. From now on, you may consider yourself persona non grata in this house.

Carpe diem! "Seize the day!" An exclamation urging someone to make the most of the present time and not worry about the future. Cogito ergo sum. "I think, therefore I am." French philosopher Descartes' famous formula of 1641 attempting to prove his own existence. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. "It is a sweet and glorious thing to die for one's country." From Horace, Odes III, 2, 13. Used by Wilfred Owen for the title of his anti-war poem Dulce et Decorum Est. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? "Who shall guard the guards?" Veni, vidi, vici. "I came, I saw, I conquered." The message sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate after his battle in 47 BC against King Pharnaces II.

The Olympic motto is the hendiatris Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger".

FRENCH
French la carte meaning example or comment

(in a restaurant) on the menu, with a price Jane ate la carte and for each dish [literally, "according to the John had the buffet. (menu) card"] somebody (often a spy) who encourages other people to commit a crime so that they can be convicted [literally, "provocative agent"] a military officer who acts as a confidential assistant to a senior officer The demonstrators discovered that two agents provocateurs had infiltrated their ranks. The general's aide-decamp spoke to the
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agent provocateur, agents provocateurs

aide-de-camp, aidesde-camp

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ambassador. Au contraire! au fait On the contrary! (exclamation, often humorous) having a good knowledge/understanding about something [literally, to the fact] a young foreign person, usually female, who helps in the house in exchange for accommodation Enjoy the meal! [literally "good appetite"] Have a good trip! Au contraire! I said she was beautiful, not ugly. For the exam you will need to be au fait with the irregular verbs. She stayed in Rome for a year before university, working as an au pair for an American family. Shall we eat? Bon apptit! Bon voyage! And see you next year!

au pair, au pairs

Bon apptit! Bon voyage! carte blanche

The manager gave his complete freedom to choose the course of assistant carte blanche action you think best during his absence. a controversial issue attracting widespread People like to tweet about public interest and debate [literally, many causes clbres on famous case] Twitter. That's life! Such is life! Well, I lost the election. But never mind. C'est la vie! That new luxury hotel is advertising for another cordon bleu chef.

cause clbre, causes clbres C'est la vie!

cordon bleu

of the highest class/quality (especially of cooking) [literally, "blue ribbon"] a line around an infected area to prevent anyone from leaving it and thus spreading the disease; a political or military buffer zone around a state or specific area a sudden seizure of power from a government, invariably illegal and sometimes violent [literally, "blow of state"] a final action to kill a wounded person or animal; a final action or event that puts an end to a deteriorating situation

cordon sanitaire, cordons sanitaires

coup d'tat, coups d'tat

Thailand has had many coups d'tat over the last fifty years, most of them by the Army.

coup de grce, coups de grce crme de la crme

The crme de la crme of the film world gather the very best person or thing of a each year at the particular kind [literally, the cream of the prestigious Cannes cream] International Film Festival.

Don't go down this road. cul-de-sac, culs-de-sac a road that is closed at one end; blind alley; a venture leading nowhere [literally, It's a cul-de-sac.
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bottom of the sack] dj vu a feeling of having seen or experienced the present situation before [literally, already seen] expected or required by etiquette or fashion in a group; all together en route I had this tremendous feeling of dj vu, as though I'd met her before. It used to be de rigeur to have long hair if you played in a band. The government ministers resigned en masse.

de rigueur

en masse

Mary lives between you on the way; during the course of a journey and me. I can pick her up en route. something that has happened or been done before the people affected by it know about it, so that they have no choice but to accept it [literally, accomplished fact] an embarrassing remark or act in a social situation [literally, false step] The new budget was presented to the board of directors as a fait accompli. What a faux pas! He asked her how her husband was, but he died 10 years ago. Many rulers in history have been destroyed through their obsession with a femme fatale.

fait accompli

faux pas

femme fatale, femmes a temptress; a highly seductive and attractive woman, especially one who fatales brings disaster to any man involved with her [literally, fatal woman] grand prix haute cuisine an important sporting event with a very large prize [literally, great prize] the cooking of high-quality food in the traditional French style [literally, high cooking] high fashion a small, extra dish during a meal, usually served at the start as an appetizer [literally, outside the (main) work] a certain indescribable or inexpressible quality [literally, I know not what] joie de vivre laissez-faire a full and healthy enjoyment of life [literally, "joy of living"] a policy or attitude of letting things happen on their own without interfering [literally, "allow to do"] the responsibility of privileged people to

/ haute couture hors d'oeuvre

je ne sais quoi

People with the x-factor have a certain je ne said quoi that makes them irresistible.

noblesse oblige

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act in a generous and noble way towards less privileged people nouveau riche people who have only recently gained wealth (and may be seen as showing off and lacking in taste) [literally, "new rich"] better than all others of the same kind; among the absolute best [literally, "by excellence"] the best feature of a creative work or meal ready-to-wear; ready-to-wear designer clothes [literally "ready-to-wear"] the most important reason for the existence of someone or something [literally, "reason for being"] knowledge of how to act or speak appropriately in social situations; social grace [literally, "know how to do"] in relation to; regarding; a face-to-face meeting [literally "face to face"] Expression of approval for difference between things, especially between men and women [literally, "Long live the difference!"] I dread my annual vis-vis with the MD. He is an artist par excellence.

par excellence

pice de rsistance prt--porter raison d'tre

savoir-faire

vis--vis Vive la diffrence!

Libert, galit, fraternit, French for "Liberty, equality, fraternity " (originated from the French Revolution)

GERMAN (super-short list)

wanderlust the yearning to travel wunderkind child prodigy weltanschauung - calqued into English as world view; a comprehensive view or personal philosophy of human life and the universe zeigeist spirit of the age Proletarier aller Lnder, vereinigt euch!: "Workers of the world, unite!" The Communist Manifesto JC2 GP 2013

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**Remember : Your attempts at enhancing your language will fall flat if you commit basic grammar errors

Grammar Revision Common Errors in General Paper

Subject Verb Agreement Tenses Phrasal Verbs Sentence Fragments
Source : http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/620/1

Fragment:Purdue offers many majors in engineering. Such as electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering. Possible Revision: Purdue offers many majors in engineering, such as electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering. Fragment: Coach Dietz exemplified this behavior by walking off the field in the middle of a game. Leaving her team at a time when we needed her. Possible Revision: Coach Dietz exemplified this behavior by walking off the field in the middle of a game, leaving her team at a time when we needed her. Fragment: I need to find a new roommate. Because the one I have now isn't working out too well. Possible Revision: I need to find a new roommate because the one I have now isn't working out too well. Fragment: The current city policy on housing is incomplete as it stands. Which is why we believe the proposed amendments should be passed. Possible Revision: Because the current city policy on housing is incomplete as it stands, we believe the proposed amendments should be passed.

You may have noticed that newspaper and magazine journalists often use a dependent clause as a separate sentence when it follows clearly from the preceding main clause, as in the last example above. This is a conventional journalistic practice, often used for emphasis. For academic writing and other more formal writing situations, however, you should avoid such journalistic fragment sentences. Some fragments are not clearly pieces of sentences that have been left unattached to the main clause; they are written as main clauses but lack a subject or main verb. No main verb
o o

Fragment: A story with deep thoughts and emotions. Possible Revisions: Direct object: She told a story with deep thoughts and emotions. Appositive: Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," a story with deep thoughts and emotions, has impressed critics for decades. Fragment: Toys of all kinds thrown everywhere. Possible Revisions: JC2 GP 2013

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o o o o

Complete verb: Toys of all kinds were thrown everywhere. Direct object: They found toys of all kinds thrown everywhere. Fragment: A record of accomplishment beginning when you were first hired. Possible Revisions: Direct object: I've noticed a record of accomplishment beginning when you were first hired Main verb: A record of accomplishment began when you were first hired.

No Subject
o

o o o

Fragment: With the ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product. Possible Revisions: Remove preposition: The ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product. Fragment: By paying too much attention to polls can make a political leader unwilling to propose innovative policies. Possible Revisions: Remove preposition: Paying too much attention to polls can make a political leader unwilling to propose innovative policies. Fragment: For doing freelance work for a competitor got Phil fired. Possible Revisions: Remove preposition: Doing freelance work for a competitor got Phil fired. Rearrange: Phil got fired for doing freelance work for a competitor.

These last three examples of fragments with no subjects are also known as mixed constructions, that is, sentences constructed out of mixed parts. They start one way (often with a long prepositional phrase) but end with a regular predicate. Usually the object of the preposition (often a gerund, as in the last two examples) is intended as the subject of the sentence, so removing the preposition at the beginning is usually the easiest way to edit such errors.

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