Sentence Coherence

Coherence means the quality of sticking together. a objurgate has coherence when the fate elements are so arranged as to show their relationship. Clarity in the sentence depends largely on proper record order A. Achieving coherence through proper placement of qualifiers A modifier is a word, phrase, or article that describes, strengthens, or clarifies another word (or group of words) in a sentence. When a modifier is placed in its proper position in a sentence, a smell out of clarity is established for the reader. representative Confusion He barely kicked that ball twenty yards. Repair swear out He kicked that ball barely twenty yards.The issue of the proper placement of only has long been argued among grammarians. numerous gondolaeful writers will insist that only be placed immediately before the word or phrase it modifies. Thus I only gave him ternion dollars would be rewritten as I gave him only three dollars. Some grammarians, however, have argued that such precision i s not in truth necessary, that there is no danger of misread I only gave him three dollars and that only can safely and lifelikely be placed mingled with the subject and the verb. The argument has been going on for two hundred years.Other examples (boardwork) 1. Mother loves the bungalow which she catching from her grand mother. (Spanish- style, maternal) 2. The bride walked down the aisle on the arm of her father. (slowly) A. 1. Avoiding Misplaced modifiers Misplaced modifiers-a word, phrase, or cla expend that is improperly scattered from the word it modifies How to correct a misplaced modifier Place the modifier close to the word it modifies illusion I brought the dress from that store that I really wanted. Correction I brought the dress that I really wanted from that store. A. 2. Avoiding Squinting ModifiersSquinting Modifiers -a phrase or clause that seems to modify two words at a time Example Students who miss classes frequently fail the course. We cant tell which part o f the sentence the word frequently is supposed to modify. Look at these two possible meanings Students who miss class frequently or frequently fail the course. Correct a squinting modifier error by repositioning the modifier to place it next to the word it modifies. Example 2 Cycling up hills quick strengthens your quadriceps. (In this example, the word quickly is a squinting modifier. It is not clear whether quickly pertains to Cycling up hills or strengthens. B. Achieving coherence by Avoiding Dangling Modifiers Dangling modifiers- It is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and logically cogitate to the word or words it modifies How to correct a Dangling Modifier 1. Change the main clause of the sentence so that it begins with the word actually modified Example 1. Changing the oil every 3,000 miles, the car seemed to run burst. Correction Changing the oil every 3,000 miles, Fred found he could get much better fuck up mileage. Example 2 To keep the young recruits interested i n acquire in shape, an operate program was set up for the summer months.CorrectionTo keep the young recruits interested in getting in shape, the coaching staff set up an exercise program for the summer months. 2. Change the hiatus modifier phrase to a subordinate clause, creating a subject and a verb Example 1 raise in Nova Scotia, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea. Correction For a person raised in Nova Scotia, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea. The introductory phrase in the above sentence looks as if it is meant to modify a person or persons, but no one is mentioned in the sentence.Such introductory adjective phrases, because of their position, mechanically modify the first noun or pronoun that follows the phrase in this case, it. The connection in this case is illogical because it was not raised in Nova Scotia. You could revise the sentence in a number of ways In correction (the phrase functions as an adjective but now automatically modifies I, a logical connection) Example 2 Although tight finished, we left the play early because we were disturbed about our sick cat. Correction Although the play was or so finished, we left early because we were worried about our sick cat.A dangling modifier can overly appear when you place an elliptical clause improperly Although almost finished, we left the play early because we were worried about our sick cat. The way this sentence is structured, the clause Although nearly finished illogically modifies we, the pronoun directly quest the clause. An easy way to rectify the problem is to re-insert the subject and verb that are understood in the elliptical clause Although the play was nearly finished, we left early because we were worried about our sick cat. C. Achieving Coherence by suck Reference of pronounsA pronoun refers to or replaces a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun already mentioned. The word the pronoun replaces is know as the pronouns antecedent. A pronoun should always refer to a clear and definite antecedent. C. 1. Wrong reference lick sure that a pronoun refers to a specific noun, not a possessive noun or a noun at heart a prepositional phrase. Faulty In George Orwells essay Shooting an Elephant, he reports an incident that shows the evil cause of imperialism. The pronoun he cannot refer to the possessive noun Orwells. Revised In his essay Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell reports an incident that shows the evil effect of imperialism. The possessive pronoun his can refer to the subject noun Orwell. Avoid using a pronoun such as they or it without an explicit antecedent. Faulty When Rivera applied for a occupier strange card, they put him through many bureaucratic procedures. The sentence does not have a clear antecedent for the pronoun they. Revised When Rivera applied for a resident alien card, government officials put him through many manybureaucratic procedures.Before government officials issued Rivera a resident alien card, they p ut him through many bureaucratic procedures. C. 2 Ambiguous References Your readers should never be left inquire which this, they, or it is being discussed. Faulty My save told my father that he should choose the babys place. Does he refer to husband or to father ? Revised My husband told my father to choose the babys name. My husband wanted to choose the babys name and told my father so. Example 2Ted told Hanz that he was hungry.Ted told Hanz that the former was hungry or Ted told Hanz, I am hungry. Example 3 Sylvia told her mother, I need a new military press. Sylvia told her mother that she needed a new wardrobe C. 3. No Reference Examples 1. When we went to the motor vehicle division to register our car, they kept us waiting for nearly an hour. Correction When we went to the motor vehicle division to register our car, the clerk kept us waiting for nearly an hour. 2. Elizabeths mother and father are both pilots however, Elizabeth is not interested in it.Correction El izabeths mother and father are both pilots however, Elizabeth is not interested in flying. 3. It says in the recipe that one must use butter, not margarine. Correction According to the recipe, one must use butter, not margarine. 4. We prefer the kind of gas stations where gamy food is sold. Correction We prefer the kind of gas stations where they sell hot food. 5, tammy applied for a scholarship, but her advisor told her that her parents make too much money. Correction Tammy applied for a scholarship, but they told her that her parents made too much money.