الرحيم الرحمن الله بسم

ITTIHAD UNIVERSITY Prof. A. Al-ObeidyCOLLEGE OF ARTS Course: Technical Report Writing ENGLISH LANGUAGE & TRANSLATION Second Term: 2006-2007

EXERCISES

Dangling Participles (also 'hanging' or 'unattached')

A dangling participle is a present (-ing) or past participle (-ed) whose antecedent (the noun to which it refers) is not the right noun. Example: Walking back home yesterday, a tree nearly fell on my head. As I was walking back home yesterday, a tree nearly fell on my head.

1. If properly secured, you shouldn't be able to remove the cover.2. After being whipped fiercely, the cook boiled the egg.3. Flitting gaily from flower to flower, the football player watched the bee.4. Rushing to finish the paper, Bob's printer broke.5. Driving home in yesterday's storm, a tree fell on the back of my car.6. Crossing the room, her foot bled all over the carpet.7. If properly installed, you shouldn't be able to open the door without first pressing the safety

button.8. Being in a dilapidated condition, I was able to buy the house very cheap.

Run-on Sentences

When sentences containing two subjects are not punctuated or when they are incorrectly punctuated, the result is referred to as "run-on sentences". There are five methods of fixing run-on sentences, depending on the kind of sentence.Example: The vacuum tube burned out, it will be replaced. a) We can separate the two clauses into two sentences, as follows: The vacuum tube burned out. It will be replaced. b) We can replace the comma with a semi-colon, as follows: The vacuum tube burned out; it will be replaced. c) We can support the comma with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, yet, nor, or so), as follows: The vacuum tube burned out, but it will be replaced. d) We can support the comma with a subordinating conjunction (e.g. after, although, before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while) as follows: Since the vacuum tube burned out, it will be replaced. e) We can replace the comma with a semi-colon and a transitional word (e.g. however, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, therefore, consequently, otherwise, as a result) as follows: The vacuum tube burned out; therefore, it will be replaced.

1. Ameen was the best pupil in the primary school, he was very intelligent.

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2. Marwan laughed at Nizar's joke it was very funny.3. The night was cold, we forgot to bring our coats.4. Marwa and Asma like reading, Nadia does not. 5. I expected to pay only Dhs100 for a taxi ride to Dubai, I was wrong.

Sentence Fragments

A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence (an independent clause) missing essential elements, a subject or a verb. It may be just a phrase or a dependent clause.Example: On his lunch hour went to a near-by shop to buy a present for his friend's wedding. This sentence is a fragment because it lacks a subject. It can be revised as follows: On his lunch hour, Ahmed (or he) went to a near-by shop to buy a present for his friend's wedding.

- Fragment: Phrase or dependent clause:

1. Our university offers many majors in engineering. Such as electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering.

2. The coach exemplified this behaviour by walking off the field in the middle of a game. Leaving his team at a time when we needed him.

3. I need to find a new roommate. Because the one I have now isn't working out too well.4. The current city policy on housing is incomplete as it stands. Which is why we believe the

proposed amendments should be passed.5. The tetracyclines a family of antibiotics used to treat infections.

- Fragment: Incomplete main clause:

1. A story with deep thoughts and emotions.2. Toys of all kinds thrown everywhere.3. With the ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.

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