Analysis of Fragments, Comma-Splices
and Run-ons
RO #47 -- Other (Slipped Pattern, and amplification):
Note that this could be fixed in a variety of ways: Perhaps the worst thing
to do is to make the student simplify: "There are
many kinds of tricks. The sweeper and the boneless are the most popular."
Subordination would work: "There are many kinds of tricks like the sweeper
and the boneless, which are the most popular." The "like" suggests that
amplification with a dash would best fit the writer's meaning. "Tricks"
is a general term; the "sweeper and the boneless" are specific examples:
"There are many kinds of tricks -- the sweeper and the boneless are the
most popular."
RO #48 -- Contrast: If we assume that the
run-on reflects not just a sloppy error, but rather some logical relationship
which the writer had in mind but did not know how to convey, then there
is certaainly a contrast between going up and coming down:
"They have a half pipe in which you ride up one side and do a trick;
then you come down the other side."
RO #49 -- Subordination (or amplification):
This appears to be a cause/effect relationship, although it could also
be seen as amplification: "Most skateboards are not
fit to be ridden because they have truck brakes [?] which might
break on you." or "Most skateboards
are not fit to be ridden -- they have truck brakes [?] which might
break on you."
RO #50 -- Amplification (or sloppy):
This could be a sloppy error. A period would work here. But these are the
only two clauses on the "birdie" before the writer goes on to the "reply
sticks." Thus the second can be seen as providing more details on the first.
"Then you have what is called a birdie, which will raise you up on to the
sidewalk -- it only costs $6.99 on sale." Subordination would have worked,
but it would have resulted in a 23-word main clause. "Then you have what
is called a birdie, which will raise you up on to the sidewalk and only
costs $6.99 on sale." The longest main clause in the passage, however,
is 22 words long, and the writer's average is 10.8.
RO #51 -- Subordination (Slipped Pattern):
This may be the result of a stretch for more subordination: "Then you have
[RNDOwhat
is called reply sticks [RAJFwhichare
the best pair of rails [RAJFyou
can get for a skate board.]]]"
This version, however, includes a third level embedding of a clause, in
a 22-word main clause, which might be too much of a stretch for this student.
If the student were taught how to analyze the syntax of his own writing,
he would have found the problem with the subject of "are," and would probably
have opted for the simpler version: "Then you have [RNDOwhat
is called reply sticks.] Theyare
the best pair of rails [RAJFyou
can get for a skate board.]"
On the other hand, the student might have understood and preferred the
level three embedding. The KISS Approach enables students to understand
and control the sytax of their own writing.
RO #52 -- Subordination (and length):
My guess is that the writer meant "Reply sticks are
the best pair of rails you can get for a skate board because they
help the birdie get you up on the sidewalk." The main clause, however,
had already been messed up. (See RO #51.) Without a clear main clause to
which to attach the subordinate idea, the writer simply wrote the content
and omitted the logical subordinator.
*****
This student obviously has
problems with spelling and usage that go well beyond, and are much worse
than, his problems with sentence structure. But he also has an excellent,
for a seventh grader, sense of detail. (Although it is true that a general
audience would need, at some points, still more detail, my experience has
been that it is easier to teach students who already include good details
how to aim them at a specific audience than it is to teach students who
skip details how to put them in.) Perhaps what this student most needed
was practice in editing his writing, sentence by sentence. Giving him the
ability to eliminate the run-ons would have helped him do that. |