About Grammar

There are two kinds of grammar problems always appear in my writings——Run-on sentence, and Definite and Indefinite articles. Those problems are very small but important, because they can decide the structures of the sentences, and even more important, they can control your grade.

First, according to a grammar website: “A RUN-ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a "fused sentence") has at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself, but the two parts have been smoothed together instead of being properly connected.” (web, http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/runons.htm,Run-on Sentences, Comma Splices) Both of the  two parts of the sentence are independent sentences, and they are connected by comma. However, comma can not be the only thing stands between them; if you want to connect them together a conjunction is necessary. FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO——they are six common conjunctions.

For example, there is a wrong sentence in my writing: “ Griet had a poor family because of her father’s accident, it moved the huge responsibility onto her young shoulders, but even more pathetic, her younger sister Agnes died in the plague.” In this sentence, there is a comma connect the first two clauses. However, I missed a connecter “AND”. Therefore, the correct sentence should be: “Griet had a poor family because of her afters' accident, and it moved the huge responsibility onto her young shoulders…..” The third clause is right, because it has the connecter “BUT”. Furthermore, adding semicolon between those clauses is also a way to solve the problem.

Second, definite and indefinite articles were also confused to me. “THE” the a definite article; we usually put it in front of some specific nouns. For instance: “Please give me the cup.” In this sentence, the cup is a definite noun, because it is obviously which cup I want. Therefore the definite article “THE” must be put in front of the “cup”. As for the differences between definite and indefinite articles; I found an instruction on the website “YOURDICTIONARY”: “ When We’ve introduced it already, or there is only one in existence that matters, or we describe exactly which one we’re talking about; then we can use definite articles. When we are introducing a noun for the first time in a story, or we don’t care which one exactly; then we can use indefinite articles.” (web,http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules-and-tips/definite-and-indefinite-articles.html,Definite and Indefinite Articles )By the way, both of “A” and”AN” are indefinite articles, and which one to use depends on the initial of the noun.

For instance: “……and that do make me feel like I am standing right in the picture when a warm zephyr is blowing through low tides of L’Ally Point and taking the sunshine away.” The “low tides” is an error in this sentence. It is because those low tides’ location is clear; they are just L’Ally Point’s low tides, so I should add “THE” in front of the “low tides”.

I learned those grammar problems and clarified the usages of them this week. Then, I plan to reread my writings before, and mark all the errors in them, because in this way they can leave me a stronger impression and remind me not to make the mistakes again. Throughout this year, I would be more carefully while writing, and read more excellent books in order to study the sentence structures, because I think the grammar is just the first step towards a great essay, and good sentences should be not only correct, but also beautiful.