January 10th, 2018

Miss Congeniality

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Sony plans to launch electronic-paper watch 

Video: Video

Discussion: Time

Matching: Matching

Flash Cards: Flash Cards

Articles: Article Gap Fill

Missing Words: Missing Words

Quiz: Quiz

Coordinating conjunctions:

FOR:  Mary enjoys math, for it is challenging.                               result/cause

AND: Judy has won several trophies, and she is an honor             addition

           student.

NOR: Judy doesn't work, nor does she want a job.                        addition of negatives

BUT:  Nabil is pretty good at gymnastics, but he prefers                contrast

           swimming.

OR:    Jaime needs a vacation, or he'll go crazy.                              alternative

YET:   Irma doesn't earn much, yet she spends money like a          contrast

           millionaire.

SO:    The coach praised the team excessively, so the players        cause/result

           stopped believing him.

A common problem writers face is the incorrect usage of conjunctive adverbs. Many times it is because they confuse them with coordinating conjunctions.

A coordinating conjunction is a familiar part of the English language and includes the the previous examples of: and, but, or, nor, so, for, yet. A conjunctive adverb is not so common in everyday speech, but occurs frequently in written prose. These include the following: however, moreover, therefore, thus, consequently, furthermore, unfortunately.

Most of the time, problems occur when the writer uses a conjunctive adverb in the middle of a sentence when a coordinating conjunction is actually needed. But remember that conjunctive adverbs can be used in any part of a sentence.

This page addresses the problem that arises when conjunctive adverbs are used wrongly to connect two sentences. To avoid this problem, a basic rule to follow is this: If the two parts you are connecting can stand on their own as separate sentences, then you have probably misused the conjunctive adverb. If this is the case, you have a few options for fixing it. Usually a semicolon is the best choice, but you may also use a period or a coordinating conjunction.

Incorrect:

Watering and feeding new plants is necessary for growth, however, too much water or fertilizer can kill them.

Erica felt as if she might faint from hunger, therefore, she decided a trip to McDonald’s was necessary.

Joyce Carol Oates is a novelist, essayist, playwright, and poet, moreover, she is a distinguished scholar.

Correct:

All of these examples create comma splices because there are complete sentences to the left and the right of the conjunctive adverbs however, therefore, and moreover. The commas after “growth,” “hunger,” and “poet” create the comma splices. Here is the correct way to punctuate these sentences.

Watering and feeding new plants is necessary for growth, but too much water or fertilizer can kill them.

Erica felt as if she might faint from hunger. Therefore, she decided a trip to McDonald’s was necessary.

Joyce Carol Oates is a novelist, essayist, playwright, and poet; moreover, she is a distinguished scholar.