EF6 8:30 May12

 Good morning, everyone.

We will get started at 8:30.

Cameras on. Mics muted.

Today’s agenda:

1. Review ontinue complex sentences- adverb clauses

2. CBC article.

3. Quiz#3  ; TRANS,

Today is Hump Day, Wednesday.

Sentence styles:

*SIMPLE

*COMPOUND , SOBA   ;   ;TRANS,

*COMPLEX

- adverb clauses

- noun clauses

- adjective clauses

* Adverbial conjunctions (adverb clause words) 

time- after, before, ever since, since, until, when, whenever, 

while, when/while

place- wherever

condition - if, even if, provided that, unless

manner- as, as if, though, although, even though, so ... that

cause- because, since

purpose- in order that, in order to, so that, 

Source of confusion- difference between compound and complex sentences, specifically transitional terms and adverbial conjunctions (adverb clause words)

Example of confusion:

We will not take our bicycles; because, it is raining today. XXX

THIS PERSON HAS NOT STUDIED THESE WORDS ENOUGH.

We will not take our bicycles because it is raining today.

It is raining today therefore we will not take out bicycles. XXX

THIS PERSON HAS NOT PRACTICED THESE SENTENCES ENOUGH.

It is raining today; therefore, we will not take out bicycles.

No teacher can make you learn. A teacher can demonstrate and motivate and encourage. However, in the end, it is up to you to do the work and learn the material. You have to put in the hours and hours of practice.

Our goal should be to be a highly-motivated self-directed student.

highly-motivated – You really want to learn.

self-directed – You guide your own learning.

* Compound sentence – transitional term

It rained last night; therefore, the roads were wet this morning.

* Complex sentence – adverbial conjunction (adverb clause words)

The roads were wet this morning because it rained last night.

PRO TIP: Comma usage is very personal. Some really good writers use lots of commas. Some really good writer use very few commas. As you become a more accomplished writer, you can choose your approach to commas usage. This will be part of your writing style.

e.g.  comma because

MY STYLE: The roads were wet this morning because it rained/was raining last night.

Because it rained/was raining last night, the roads were wet this morning.

ANOTHER STYLE: The roads were wet this morning, because it rained last night. I ADVICE AGAINST THIS 

Sometimes in long sentences, you may want to use a comma before ‘because’. This is a case-by-case decision.

Good writing requires focus and a thousand small decisions.

Good writing is not easy.

What I am teaching in this class is how to stay within the rules of good writing. If you want to move outside those rules, be cautious!

There is a big difference between moving outside the rules to suit your personal writing style and moving outside the rules because you don’t really know the rules.

My advice is to stay withing the rules until you know them so well and can write simple, compound, and complex sentences so well that it is boring and routine. Then you can get fancy and start to develop your own personal style.

Good grammar book:

Understanding and Using English Grammar, Betty Azar

different levels- beginner, higher level

Good style book – higher level

Style: 10 Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Joseph Williams

These are two different kinds of sentences. They may look similar, but they are not.

Compound sentences – “Transitional Terms” words, terms

You have to be learning those on your own. If you do not learn them, your writing will remain at the level it is now.

To be clear: You can learn these, but you have to learn these. You have had them for over a week. Have you been studying them?

If yes, good for you. You are doing the work that you have to do in order to improve your writing. 

If no, then that is your decision. You can decide to start doing the work at any time- today or next week or five years from now. Up to you.

Very simple advice to you and to me:

If you want to learn piano, play piano a little bit every day. In a year, you’ll be good.

If you want to learn piano to write sentence styles in English, play 

piano practice the sentence styles a little bit every day. In a year, you’ll be good.

When your English is getting better, you will feel great! However, you have to do the work.

generally = in general

When a student signs up for a class in Adult Education, the expectation is that they will complete the class; generally, a student is not able to withdraw from a class once they have attended.

generally – usually, maybe not always but most often

You can apply for a senior’s bus pass through the provincial government website; generally, applications take 4-6 weeks to process.

likewise – two things similar

Jun goes to church every Sunday; likewise, Amir goes to mosque.

Lori volunteers at an retirement home; likewise, Janet volunteers/ does the same at a hospice.

If you learn these, you will be able to express 99.9% of your ideas.

That is goal – to express ourselves clearly so we can tell people what we think and feel.

These are very powerful terms that you can use to express your thoughts. Often, I tell students that should become familiar with authentic, real English. This is real English that we use all day, every day.

These terms and words can change the way you express yourself in English. They can really help you express your thoughts and ideas clearly. They are very powerful tools, and you should learn to use them.

We can see the many many variations that we can write.

For this class, I will stick mostly to the basic SIMPLE, COMPOUND, and COMPLEX.

TRUE FACT: It is difficult to differentiate between these right now. That will come with practice.

You have the tools. Now you have to learn to use them.

Quiz#3- Compound Sentences

Camera on.

Email to me as an attachment by 10:00.

14-16 point font

Write a compound sentence for each:

1. property therefore

2. change however

3. consider on the other hand

4. purchase moreover

5. corner first

6. decorate however