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Editing Tips for Writersby Brenda Dupas, MLS As a new service to writers, we are beginning a series of articles aimed at helping you self-edit the initial drafts of your articles and books. Nothing can beat a professional editor, however, for spotting those things that, as an author, you are just too closely involved in to recognize as needing revision. For a list of editors, visit our book marketing page. Here's the first article:
Grammar Tips and Tricks for New Authors by Brenda Dupas, MLS According to The Elements of Grammar by Margaret Shertzer, grammar may be defined “as a system of rules for the use of language, or as a study of what is preferred and what is to be avoided in effective speech and writing.” Unfortunately, remembering all the rules can be a rather daunting task and consulting authoritative grammar handbooks becomes a necessity. Writing both effectively and correctly is not easy and we at New Radiance recognize this. One of the objectives of our free book review service is to provide some editorial feedback to beginning authors who may not have the services of professional proofreaders or editors. We do not aim to take their place; we do aim, however, to assist you in your future work. From time to time, we will be posting some grammar reminders that we hope will be of some help to you. Since many writers have difficulties with “run-on sentences,” our first grammar post will address the topic of fused sentences and comma splices. Fused Sentences and Comma Splices More commonly known as “run-on sentences,” fused sentences and comma splices are independent clauses that are incorrectly joined. An independent clause is a group of words that can stand on its own as a sentence. When two independent clauses appear in the same sentence, they must be joined in one of the following ways:
According to Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, there is an exception to the above grammar rule. It states that a comma is preferable when the clauses are very short and alike in form, or when the tone of the sentence is easy and conversational. They offer the following examples:
Fused Sentences: When there is no punctuation mark and no coordinating conjunction between independent clauses, the result is a fused sentence. The following is an example:
Comma Splices: When independent clauses are joined by a comma without an accompanying coordinating conjunction, the result is a comma splice. The following are examples:
In the second example, “therefore” is a conjunctive adverb, not a coordinating conjunction. It must be preceded by a semicolon. Correcting fused sentences and comma splices: 1. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet). For example:
2. Use a semicolon (or, if appropriate, a colon or a dash). A semicolon may be used alone; it can also be accompanied by a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase. For example:
3. Make the clauses into separate sentences. For example:
4. Restructure the sentence. For example:
Keep in mind that if you are writing a sentence with two short independent clauses and there is no danger of misreading, the comma may be omitted before the coordinating conjunction. For example:
Bibliography Hacker, Diana. A Canadian Writer’s Reference. Nelson Thomson Learning, 2001. Shertzer, Margaret. The Elements of Grammar. Macmillan, 1986. Strunk, William Jr., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. Macmillan, 1979. |
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