English-grammer英语语法

英文语法联系 English Grammar Training

Part A: Concision. Eliminate unnecessary wordiness—redundancies and passive and expletive constructions—in each of the following sentences, using active verbs wherever possible. Do not otherwise change the sentences. (10 marks)

1.When I first began to study the active voice, I was not able to understand the end result: an improvement in the clarity and concision of my writing.

When I began to study the active voice, I did not understand the result: an improvement

in the clarity and concision of my writing.

2.I started out studying the four types of basic sentences, which are explained by our textbook.

I started studying the four types of basic sentences, which our textbook explains.

3.Some form of “to be” can be followed by a noun, adjective, or adverb as predicate.

A noun, adjective, or adverb as predicate can follow some form of “to be.”

4.There can be a linking verb—such as seems, feels, remains, or becomes—that can be combined together with a noun or adjective as predicate.

A linking verb—such as seems, feels, remains, or becomes—can combine with a noun or

adjective as predicate.

5.It is safe to say that, in general, reading is never impaired by the reader’s coming first to the subject of a given sentence and then to its elaboration.

The reader’s coming first to the subject of a given sentence and then to its

elaboration never impairs reading.

Part B: Parallelism. Replace faulty parallelisms with parallel constructions. Do not delete correlative conjunctions. (10 marks)

1.It is better to read the lecture notes carefully each week than studying them furiously on the night before the quiz.

It is better to read the lecture notes carefully each week than to study them furiously on

the night before the quiz.

2.Not only will reading this way help you to learn the conventions of punctuation, but it will improve your writing as well.

Reading this way will not only help you to learn the conventions of punctuation but also

improve your writing.

3.Either consult Cicero or Quintilian to learn the five canons of rhetoric.

Consult either Cicero or Quintilian to learn the five canons of rhetoric.

4.For the course, I need to read the assigned chapters, complete assignments, and posting on the forum.

For the course, I need to read the assigned chapters, to complete assignments, and to post on the forum.

5.Reading style manuals, diagramming sentences, and crossword puzzles occupy a good deal of my time.

Reading style manuals, diagramming sentences, and doing crossword puzzles occupy a

good deal of my time.

6.Many budding grammarians like to parse sentences and analyzing the prose of eminent stylists.

Many budding grammarians like parsing sentences and analyzing the prose of eminent

stylists.

7.During my first class, I was not only taught how to avoid faulty parallelisms, but also how to use the semicolon correctly.

During my first class, I was taught not only taught how to avoid faulty parallelisms but

also how to use the semicolon correctly.

8.My fellow undergraduates are neither anxious to have the library renovated nor are they happy about the number of books removed from the shelves.

My fellow undergraduates are neither anxious to have the library renovated nor happy

about the number of books removed from the shelves.

9.Isocrates will meet us either at the courtroom, or he will be at the school.

Isocrates will either meet us either at the courtroom or be at the school.

Isocrates will meet us either at the courtroom or at the school.