Lesson 2 The Making of Sentences

Lesson 2 The Making of Sentences

I. Time Allotment:2 periods

II. Teaching Objectives and Requirements

1.help students to get to know basic structure of sentence and different types of

sentences

2.help students to write sentences effectively.

III. Key Points and Difficult Points in Teaching

1. get to know the basic structure of sentences

2. get capable of writing effective sentences

IV. T eaching Methods and Means

Lecture and Exercises

V. T eaching Process

Part I. Definition and Structure of sentence

I) Definition

A sentence is a group of words that form a statement, command, exclamation, or questions.

II) Structure

a subject + a predicate

↓↓

a noun or its equivalent Vi. / Vt.+ an object/link ver

b + a complement

Part II Different types of sentences

I) According to grammar

1. According to the kind of communication function

1)declarative sentence: it makes a positive or negative statement.

2)interrogative sentence: it asks a question

3)imperative sentence: it expresses a command or a request.

4)exclamatory sentence: it shows a strong feeling or emotion.

2. According to the number and arrangement of the clauses

1)simple sentence: it contains a single independent clause

2)compound sentence: it contains two or more independent clauses which have

equal relations

3)complex sentence: it contains one independent clause and one or more

subordinate or dependent clauses

4)compound-complex sentence: it is the combination of a compound and a

complex sentence

II) According to rhetoric

1. 1) loose sentence: a sentence in which the main idea is placed first.

more formal↓important→less important

2) periodic sentence: a sentence in which the main idea is withheld until the end of

the sentence.

more formal↓

3) balanced sentence: a sentence which comprises two parts of the same structure

and roughly of the same length with contrasted or similar

ideas.

Exercise 1 on P40

2. 1) short sentences: simple sentences (clear and straightforward, used in describing

one’s feelings or mental activity)

2) long sentences: complex sentences (used in describing details or making explanations)

Part III Requirements of effective sentences

I) Unity

A sentence should focus on only one main idea and reject whatever is irrelevant to the main idea of a sentence.

II) Coherence

How to achieve coherence:

1. Keep consistency in voice, mood and person

Disagreements/in consistency: 不一致，包括语态，语气，主谓，时态，数的不

一致，代词指代不一致，人称不一致等。

e.g. ①After I locked the door, my key was left in the room.(inconsistency in voice)

②Emphasize the main idea, and you point out the supporting details.

(inconsistency in mood)

③When one have money, he can do what he want to.

There is all kinds of people. (inconsistency in number)

④Some people thought that money is the source of happiness.(inconsistency in tense)

2. Parallelism（对称结构）

1)to join elements by using co-ordinate conjunctions. (and)

2)to join elements by using correlative conjunctions.(not only…but also…;

either…or…; neither…nor…; both…and…)

3.Subordination（从属结构）

Correct use of subordination helps clarify the relationship between ideas. Exercise 3 on P42

III) Conciseness

It refers to the absence of redundant words in writing.

e.g.1) In spite of the fact that he is lazy, I like him.

(In spite of his laziness, I like him.)

2) The chairman of the board will give up his job next year because of the age.

(The chairman of the board will retire next year.)

Exercise 4 on P42

IV) Emphasis

Different ways to put emphasis:

1. Positioning:

To put the important element in an important position in the sentence.

↓

the principle of end-focus: most important→the end

less important→the beginning

least important→the middle

2. Repetition

3. Parallel Structure

Exercise 5 on P42

V) Variety

Mixture of different kinds of sentences

VI. Reflection Questions and Assignment

Assignment after class: Revise the following sentences

1) Fifteen years teaching experienced qualified full time tutor - Available for all levels Chinese subjects.

2)All materials are good quality with latest design and guaranteed.

3) To sell or to market such a highly valued asset professionally, you should entrust the job to a true professional in order to optimize your property's full potential to secure the highest price at the shortest period of time.

4) His wife was about thirty, and I was talking to him when she arrived.

5) Born in a small town in South China in 1960, he grew up to be a musician.

6) To tell my friend the good news, a letter was written and posted at once.

7) There are many farmers in the area who are planning to attend the meeting which is scheduled for next Friday.

8) What I’m trying to say is that in my opinion he is a very honest man.

Key to Exercises:

1. A qualified full-time tutor with 15 years of teaching experience is available for all

levels of Chinese.

2.All materials are of good quality, with the latest design and under permanent

guarantee.

3.To sell or to market such a high value/highly valued or highly valuable asset

professionally, you should entrust the job to a true professional in order to optimize your property's full potential to secure the highest price and/at the shortest period of time. (又optimize 和full 意思重叠)

4-6.Incoherence

7. There are many farmers in the area who are planning to attend Friday’s meeting.

8. In my opinion, he is a very honest man.

VII. Major Reference

《新编商务英语写作》（一）

VIII. Teaching Journal

经过课堂讲授与练习，学生对于句子的基本结构和不同类型已有所了解。但要写出准确、地道的英文句子，仍需平时多加强练习。