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The 1986 Study
Record Number: W7N25A
Transcript of the Student's Text
Coded for Statistical Analysis
Statistics: Table of Contents

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My One Week of Camp

      \-\I wanted to go*INFDO07 {to camp} {with my friends.} \-\So I went to sign*INFAV03 up. \-\I got to be {in the cabin} {with some} {of my friends.} \-\But two {of them} were {in another cabin.} \-\Well#Inj01 my friends and I=CS were {in different groups} {for the daily schedule.} \-\But we got to be together {in Breakfast, lunch and dinner.}\F\Frag#11Also {in swimming*GerOP01} and all groups get together. \-\I signed up {for swimming,*GerOP01 tennis, arts & crafts,} \C\and everyone had to take music class. \F\Frag#12[RAVFBecause know one wanted to take*INFDO03 it.] \-\Camp was fun \C\but the food no good. \-\Everyone ate cereal {for Breakfast.} \-\But the dinner was pretty good. \-\We got to have cookouts and dance party's=CC and campfires.=CC \-\And I got a ttobly sunburn {in camp} [RAVRwhile wearing this teroably looking bathing suit.] \-\I met a lot {of new people.} \F\Frag#13And a lot {old ones} too. \-\But everyone got a sign {on their door} [RAJFthat said [RNDOif the room was neat or not neat.=CC]] \-\My room was not neat. \F\Frag#14[RAVFBecause hardly anyone usually got up that early#NuA02 {in the morning.}] \-\And then you had to take a shower and get dressed=CV and then wash=CV your face and brush=CV your tooth. \F\Frag#15And whatsoever else. \-\{By that time} all [MAJFwe could do] was quickly make*INFPN05 up your bed. \-\We were allready late [RAVFas it was.] \-\So that's the whole reason way.#App01 \-\Well#Inj01 anyway#Inj01 I wrote my mom a letter \C\but I never sent it off.  \-\Well#Inj01 I had a really great, fun, and wonderful time. 
 

 
Analysis of Fragments, Comma-Splices and Run-ons

Frag #11 -- Other: This may be an afterthought, but it is more likely that the student was stumped by how to handle the sentence structure. The preceding sentence ends with a prepositional phrase that lists meal times. The writer may have wanted to add "in swimming," but sensed a difference in type of category. The probable repetition of "and" may have thrown him: "But we got to be together in Breakfast, lunch and dinner, and also in swimming and [sic] all groups get together." This explanation gains further support from the "and" which appears where there should have been a "when." The "and" problem, in other words, may have been floating around in the writer's STM.
Frag #12 -- Subordination:  ". . . and everyone had to take music class, because no one wanted to take it." Personally, I prefer this as a fragment. Its being cut off from the main clause not only emphasizes the difference between "everyone" and "no one," but it also emphasizes the logic of the "because" clause. Do I perceive some subtle questioning of the camp leaders' reasoning here?
Frag #13 -- Acceptable:  Although it could be joined to the preceding clause with a comma or a dash, I don't see any problem with this as a fragment. I doubt that anyone would have any problem understanding it.
Frag #14 --  Subordination"My room was not neat, because hardly anyone usually got up that early in the morning." Although I have put this in the subordination group, I have no trouble with it as a fragment. To me, the full stop of the period and the fragment fit with the conversational tone of the writing and also suggest a slight reluctance to admit that they all preferred sleeping to getting up early to clean the room.
Frag #15 -- Afterthought: My guess is that the writer had the "excuses" in the preceding clause all in STM at once: "And then you had to take a shower and get dressed and then wash your face and brush
your tooth." [I hope someone pointed out to the student the humor implicit in "tooth."] Having written these down, and closed with a period, the student may have felt that, as excuses, they were not sufficient, but he could not think of any more. To suggest, however, that more exist, he added the fragment.