Chapter 5: Business Style: Sentences and Paragraphs Flashcards
What are the building blocks of complete sentences?
Phrases and clauses.
Define a phrase.
A phrase is a group of words containing either a subject or a verb, but not both, and it cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence.
What is a subject?
The subject is the word or group of words in a phrase, clause, or sentence that performs the action of a verb.
What is a verb?
The verb is the word or group of words in a phrase, clause, or sentence that describes an action, an occurrence, or a state of being.
What is a modifier?
A modifier is a word or group of words that describes or gives more information about another word in a sentence.
What is a sentence fragment?
A phrase punctuated like a complete sentence, but lacking a subject, verb, or both, is a sentence fragment and can cause confusion.
Independent Clauses
Dependent clauses
What is a clause?
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.
How many types of clauses are there?
There are two types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent (or subordinate) clauses.
Define an independent clause.
An independent clause is a clause that functions as an independent grammatical unit.
Define a dependent (or subordinate) clause.
A dependent clause is a clause that cannot function as an independent grammatical unit.
What are the building blocks of sentences?
Clauses and phrases are the building blocks of sentences.
Why is it important to combine and punctuate clauses and phrases carefully?
It is important to combine and punctuate clauses and phrases carefully to ensure clear and effective sentence construction.
What are the two essential elements of a complete and effective sentence?
A subject and a complete verb.
How do the way ideas are linked in a sentence affect the reader’s understanding?
The way ideas are linked in a sentence affects the reader’s understanding of the relationship between and among those ideas and their relative importance
What are the four types of sentences?
The four types of sentences are:
Simple sentences
Compound sentences
Complex sentences
Compound-complex sentences
Define a simple sentence.
A simple sentence is a sentence containing one independent clause.
Define a compound sentence.
A compound sentence is a sentence containing two or more independent clauses joined by one or more coordinating conjunctions.
Define a complex sentence.
A complex sentence is a sentence containing one or more dependent clauses and one independent clause.
Define a compound-complex sentence.
A compound-complex sentence is a sentence containing one or more dependent clauses and two or more independent clauses.
Subordinate Conjunctions
Relative Pronouns
What is the role of a subordinate marker in a clause?
A clause introduced by a subordinate marker relies on an independent clause in the same sentence for its meaning and does not make sense on its own.
Define a dependent clause.
A dependent clause is a clause introduced by a subordinate marker that cannot stand alone and relies on an independent clause for its meaning.
Give an example of a dependent clause in a complex sentence.
Example: “Although tomorrow’s e-business seminar has been cancelled.”
How can longer sentences with multiple clauses affect readability?
Longer sentences with multiple clauses can make it harder to identify the subjects and verbs essential for delivering meaning, resulting in difficulty and confusion for the reader.
What is the “completeness” test for sentences?
The “completeness” test for sentences includes checking for the presence of a verb, ensuring the verb has a subject, and verifying that the subject and verb make sense together to express a complete thought.
What should be present in a sentence that contains subordinating words or subordinate markers?
In a sentence containing subordinating words or subordinate markers, an independent clause should also be present to provide complete meaning.
What is the benefit of varying sentence length in writing?
Varying sentence length adds rhythm and helps break sentence monotony while creating useful distinctions between ideas
What is the impact of sentences of 10 or fewer words on readability?
Sentences of 10 or fewer words have the greatest impact and readability.
How long can sentences be while maintaining a high rate of reader comprehension?
Sentences of up to 20 words also have a high rate of reader comprehension.
How can prepositional and participial phrases be used to combine sentences?
Prepositional and participial phrases can act as modifiers to describe something else in a sentence and can be useful for combining short, simple sentences.
Define a prepositional phrase.
A prepositional phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition that sets out a relationship in time or space
Define a participial phrase.
A participial phrase is a phrase beginning with a participle that modifies the subject of the attached clause.
How can a relative clause be used to combine sentences?
A relative clause, which begins with “that,” “which,” or “who,” can be used to convert two or more sentences into one by adding information to define or describe a particular word or group of words.
What is an appositive?
An appositive is a descriptive noun or noun phrase that renames a neighboring noun and is set off by commas or dashes.
Figure: Closed Questions
Figure: Open Questions
Figure: Hypothetical Questions
What are declarative sentences?
Declarative sentences are sentences that make statements.
Why are questions important in business communication?
Questions are important in business communication as they help gather information.
What is the purpose of asking closed questions?
The purpose of asking closed questions is to elicit a response with a limited number of possible answers.
What is the purpose of asking open questions?
The purpose of asking open questions is to elicit a response with an unlimited number of possible answers.
What is a closed question?
A closed question is a question that has a limited number of possible responses.
What is an open question?
An open question is a question that has an unlimited number of possible responses.
What is a hypothetical question?
A hypothetical question is a question that poses a supposition or hypothetical scenario.
Why is it important to avoid broad references using pronouns like this, that, and it?
It is important to avoid broad references using pronouns like this, that, and it to ensure clarity and prevent ambiguity in the pronoun reference.
What should be done to clarify a vague pronoun reference?
To clarify a vague pronoun reference, ensure that the reader understands what the pronoun renames and replaces. If necessary, repeat the noun after the pronoun or replace it with the noun itself.
What is the issue with embedding dependent clauses in the middle of a sentence?
Embedding dependent clauses in the middle of a sentence can create choppiness and make it difficult to read, especially when they come between the subject and verb.
How can sentences with embedded dependent clauses be revised for clarity?
Dependent clauses should be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence to create a more fluid sentence structure that mimics natural thought processes.
Why should multiple negatives be limited in sentences?
Multiple negatives can lead to confusion due to their range of meanings. It is generally recommended to limit the use of multiple negatives for clarity of communication.