How to write effective sentences? You will learn that by correcting the sentences below.
1. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Apparently not noticing that half the class was asleep.
2. You might think people would resent such a talkative boy, but they do not. The reason being Steve’s poise and appearance.
3. He finally decided to leave school. Because he was utterly bored with his work and was failing all his courses.
4. Just a lazy weekend vacation. No work. No worries.—That’s what he promised me.
5. He spends eight hours a day in a factory, it’s a relief to get out in the open air after work.
6. They argued the subject while I tried to study at fever pitch.
7. My eyes began to wander around the room and I almost forgot why I had come while I sat in the cozy little parlor.
8. The rain that the crops had needed badly damaged the roads.
9. She, since the manager seemed to dislike her, simply went to the other company.
10. After it got dark, the boys bedded down beside a stream, wet, tired and discouraged.
11. I want to soberly and patiently analyze the problem.
12. Standing by the window, the park opposite our house is in full view.
13. To do well in sports, a training schedule must be followed.
14. In old age, my father’s impatience with new ideas became intolerable.
15. Without shoes, the tough stone cut the feet of the hikers.
16. If well packed, he had no trouble handling the boxes.
17. He broke his glasses, thus preventing him from doing the assignment.
18. I had a summer job that year, thereby enabling me to return to school.
19. When Jack put the sculpture on the table, it broke.
20. Students usually like science teachers because they are realistic and practical.
21. My mother was a musician; therefore, I have also chosen it as my profession.
22. The new cashier was honest, she arrived at work on time, and she was well dressed. However, this was not enough to get her a permanent job.
23. As time passed, his feeling turned to anxiety, disbelief, and finally becoming deeply concerned.
24. He was beaten and robbed, and then they left him to die in the gutter.
25. He returned to the office as soon as his lunch had been eaten.
26. When I saw the grade on my report card, I was terribly disappointed, because I studied very hard.
Key to exercise of effective sentences
1. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Apparently he did not notice that half the class was asleep.
2. You might think people would resent such a talkative boy but, because of Steve’s poise and appearance, they do not.
3. He finally decided to leave school because he was utterly bored with his work and was failing all his course.
4. Just a lazy weekend vacation with no work or worries—that’s what he promised me. (What he promised me was a pleasant weekend vacation, with no work and no worries.)
5. He spends eight hours a day in a factory; it’s a relief to get out in the open air after work.
6. They argued the subject at fever pitch while I tried to study. (At fever pitch they argued the subject while I tried to study.)
7. While I sat in the cozy little parlor, my eyes began to wander around the room and I almost forgot why I had come.
8. The rain that the crops had badly needed damaged the roads. (The rain that the crops had needed damaged the roads badly.)
9. Since the manager seemed to dislike her, she simply went to the other company.
10. After it got dark, the wet, tired and discouraged boys bedded down beside a stream. (After it got dark, the boys—wet, tired and discouraged—bedded down beside a stream.)
11. I want to analyze the problem soberly and patiently. (I want to make a sober and patient analysis of the problem.)
12. Standing by the window, we can have a full view of the park opposite our house.
13. To do well in sports, one must follow a training schedule.
14. In his old age, my father’s impatience with new ideas became intolerable.
15. The tough stone cut the feet of the barefooted hikers.
16. If the boxes were well packed, he had no trouble handling them.
17. He could not do the assignment because he broke his glasses.
18. The money I made on a summer job that year enabled me to return to school.
19. The table broke when Jack put the sculpture on it.(The sculpture broke when Jack put it one the table.)
20. A student usually likes science teachers because they are realistic and practical.
21. My mother was a musician; therefore, I have also chosen music as my profession.
22. The new cashier was honest, she arrived at work on time, and she was well dressed. However, these qualities were not enough to get her a permanent job.
23. As time passed, his feeling turned to anxiety, disbelief, and finally deep concern.
24. He was beaten, robbed, and left to die in the gutter.
25. He returned to the office as soon as he had eaten his lunch.
26. When I saw the grade on my report card, I was terribly disappointed, because I had studied very hard.