English Composition/Sentence Writing (Part 3)

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English Composition ＞ Sentence Writing (Part 3)

Sentence Writing (Part 3)

Part 3 shows how to use basic conjunctions and prepositions in sentences.

Using conjunctions

Conjunctions connect words and words, phrases and phrases in separate sentences or sentences in a sentence. There are equality conjunctions, subordinate conjunctions, and connection adverbs, but see the grammar section for details. Here is an excerpt of the basic and frequent and, but, or, so, because .

and

There is additional information in the sentence:

□ It is hot and humid in Tokyo today.

□ Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

□ I think many TV programs are stupid and boring.

Connecting independent clauses, a comma (,) precedes and:

□ Keiko works in accounting and I work in the sales department.

□ Big cars are expensive and waste fuel , and that makes them not practical.

□ I heard the sound of rumbling thunder , and the rain started.

but

There is contrasting information in the sentence:

□ It's sunny but cold today.

□ The Japanese restaurant is expensive but worth it.

□ Mr. Miller is not a lawyer but a certified public accountant.

Connecting contrasting independent clauses, but is preceded by a comma(,):

□ Neither Bob nor Lynn can come to the party , but I will be there.

□ My mother loved the book, but she didn't like the movie.

□ I'll try my best, but I'm not sure if I can.

or

Combining things with multiple choices, opinions, etc.:

□ You can take the subway or the bus to the Metropolitan Museum.

□ Which do you prefer, apple or orange?

□ We will be able to reply to you by e-mail within one or two weeks.

Combining clauses with alternatives, a comma (,) precedes or:

□ You can ride the bus to the Metropolitan Museum, or you can walk.

□ Do you prefer bright colors like red and yellow, or dark colors like black and grey?

□ We can go out for dinner tonight, or we can eat at home.

so

Receiving the previous sentence and expressing the result, so is preceded by a comma (,).

□ It was very hot last night , so I left my air conditioner on throughout the night.

□ This is a delicate matter of timing , so let us get this straight now.

□ My computer wasn't working properly for a couple of days , so I didn't get your email until this morning.

because

Taking the previous sentence and expressing the reason or cause:

□ I left my air conditioner on throughout the night because it was very hot last night

□ I didn't get your email until this morning because my computer wasn't working properly for a couple of days.

□ Lynn didn't go to school yesterday because she felt sick.

Because can also be placed in front of a sentence. In this case, the sentence sections are separated by a comma (,):

□ Because it was very hot last night , I left my air conditioner on throughout the night.

Usage of prepositions

Make preposition phrases with preposition + noun or verbal noun. Prepositional phrases modify nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, other prepositional phrases, etc. in sentences to give information about time, location, position, direction, purpose, and so on. See the grammar section for details.

Preposition for Time

[at, on, in, for, since, from, to, until, by, before, after, during, while ....]

① at (specific or limited time)

□ I have an appointment with the dentist at eleven o'clock.

□ Mr. Garcia was busy at that time, so I didn't see him.

□ Ken, my childhood friend, was a torchbearer at the Winter Olympics.

② on (dates, days of the week, holidays, specific days, etc.)

□ My uncle and aunt are coming to our house on Christmas Day this year.

□ Tina usually goes to the church on Sunday morning.

□ I have been invited to Tracy's wedding on March 29th.

On before date or day of the week can be omitted.

on time, on schedule when people or things are following the schedule

→ We have to stay on schedule otherwise, we won't finish our project on time.

③ in (Morning, evening, year, month, season, era, etc.)

□ I always feel sleepy in the afternoon.

□ The consumption tax is going up again in November.

□ Many castles in Europe were built in the Middle Ages.

• Use at instead of in for night:

□ I usually listen to music at night before bedtime.

on instead of in if the day of the week is in front of the morning, afternoon, evening:

□ They usually go out for grocery shopping on Saturday afternoon.

In for future time (viewed from now):

□ Tracy is getting married in three months.

□ The train will be leaving in a few munites.

You can't put at, on, in in front of last, next, this, every.

□ I have to take a makeup exam next Friday.

□ Tracy got married the last March.

④ for (period)

□ This train ticket is valid for three days including the date of issue.

□ It took me for five years to finish the graduate course.

⑤ since (starting from the current ongoing matter)

□ My parents have lived in the suburbs of Tokyo since 2002.

□ The cathedral has been under renovation since 1995.

⑥ until (When finished)

□ This train ticket is valid until the day after tomorrow.

□ I had to work overtime until 10 o'clock yesterday.

In colloquial style, you may use 'till' instead of until, but the official sentence applies until.

⑦ from .... to / until (period ~ to ~)

□ I normally work from 9 o'clock until 6 o'clock on weekdays.

□ It's about 1.5 kilometers from the Station to my appartment.

⑧ by (deadline)

□ Please let us know by Thursday whether or not you can come to the gathering.

□ If you want to take the class, you should register by the end of March.

Pay attention to the difference in use and meaning between until and by!

□ It's too late to go shopping. The stores are only open until 6 o'clock on Sundays. They'll be closed by now.

⑨ before, after

before, after may be followed by verbal nouns and clauses in addition to nouns.

□ Before going out, I finished my schoolwork. = Before I went out, I finished my schoolwork.

□ I will come straight back home after I've finished the class.

⑩ during

during is followed by a noun.

□ Ashley felt sick during the exam.

□ I read a lot of books during the period of hospitalization.

⑪ while (while you are)

A while or verbal noun follows after the while.

□ Ashley felt sick while she was taking the exam.

□ While running the half-marathon, he hurt his foot.

Prepositions that represent locations and locations

[in, on, at, behind, by, near, above, over, below, under, in front of, next to, between ...]

① in, on, at

☆ in = (image in a box, such as a space, region, or column)

□ When I went there, there's no one in the building.

□ Ken is swimming in the pool in the health club now.

□ When I was in Japan last year, I spent a few days in Kyoto.

□ I found an interesting article 'in' the newspaper.

☆ on = (image in contact with the surface and the outside)

□ A Starbucks is on that corner.

□ What happened! There's a red stain on your shirt.

• On top of (on is acceptable on top of ~)

□ Please put these books back on top of the bookshelf.

Riding on a train, bus, airplane, ship, bicycle, motorcycle, horse => on .

Driving a car => taxi in.

Riding on a taxi => in.

□ I think that a famous actress is in that car. I passed the car on my motorcycle.

☆ at = (images of points, points, relatively narrow places)

□ Turn left at the next traffic light, and you will see the gate.

□ When you leave the hotel, please leave your key at the front desk.

□ Write your name and student ID number at the top of the paper.

• on + street name, at + address

□ Kay lives at 1187 on Broadway Street.

at home means that you are at home. There is no preposition on 'home' including moving homes.

→ I was at home all day yesterday.

→ I am going back home right after school.

② behind, in front of

☆ behind = (in the background)

□ Please stay behind me.

□ There should be complex background behind the incident.

☆ in front of = (before)

□ I found a parking space right in front of the entrance to the home center.

□ He made a speech in English in front of a group of people.

③ by, near, next to

☆ by = (to the side)

□ Please come and sit by me.

□ I walked by the bookstore this morning, but it was closed.

☆ near = (Besides ~) Sense of adjacency is farther than by or next to.

□ The elementary school is located near a bus stop.

☆ next to

□ Joe lives on the third-floor next to Jay.

□ We seated next to each other in the second row from the front.

④ above, over

☆ above

□ The picture above the bookshelf looks very old.

□ A helicopter is flying above the stadium.

☆ over = (~ above, beyond ...)

□ The helicopter flew over the mountain.

□ The thief climbed over the wall and ran away.

⑤ between

□ There is a narrow pathway between the postoffice and my apartment.

□ Let's put this table between these two chairs

Preposition to indicate direction

[in, into, out of, off, to, toward, for, from ...]

① in, into

☆ in, into = (enter, become)

□ I walked in / into the classroom and sat down.

□ Put some small amount of oil in / into a pan.

□ I dropped the glass on the floor, and it broke into pieces.

② out of, off

☆ out of = (go out / out)

□ On hearing the fire alarm, we walked out of the building immediately.

□ I think she is in an area out of cellular phone range.

☆ 'off' = (excluded from, removed)

□ My father fell off a ladder and injured his leg.

□ This area is off limit to children under seven years old.

③ to, toward, for

☆ to = (Image of going straight to the destination, to)

□ Please open your textbook to page 36.

□ I walked to the bookstore this morning and bought a reference book.

☆ toward, for == (image heading in the direction of ~)

□ I am walking toward his office with my sister.

□ To go to Ueno, take Shinkansen (bullet train) bound for Tokyo.

④ from = (image leaving the starting point, from)

□ Ms. Chen arrived in Tokyo from Beijing this afternoon.

□ It is too far to walk from here to St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Other

[with, without, about ..]

① with, without =

☆ with

□ Bob bought a new sports car with a sunroof.

☆ without = (No, not)

□ Nowadays, especially younger people feel nervous without smartphone.

② about

□ This book is about a famous woman novelist written by her ground daughter.

□ It should be about 6 o'clock now in Paris.

Related Links

• English Grammar: a complete guide - Edufind
• Oxford Dictionaries

CAI Exercise

• Go to CAI Exercise page