1、College English Grammar:Grammar and WritingUnit 10Phrases:Gerund Phrases and Absolute Phrases Grammar:1.Gerund Phrases 2.Absolute Phrases Writing:Correcting:Missing Commas with Nonessential Elements Rewriting:Intra-sentence coherenceI.Gerund Phrases Both a gerund and a present participle end in ing
2、but they function as different parts of speech.A gerund is used as a noun,whereas a present participle is used as an adjective or an adverb.I.1.Form and functionA gerund phrase includes the gerund and the object of the gerund or any modifiers related to the gerund.Like a gerund,it is used as a nouna
3、s subject,predictive,object,object of a preposition,or appositive.1)as a noun to be subjectYou must know your enemy.That is the best defense.Knowing your enemy is the best defense.2)as a noun to be predictive He finishes his supper.He takes a short walk.That is his habit.In this habit,he keeps healt
4、hy.His habit to keep healthy is taking a short walk after supper.3)as a noun to be appositiveHis dream is finding lost treasure.His dream almost came true recently.His dream,finding lost treasure,almost came true recently.4)as a noun to be object I travel in the country.I love that.I lose my way.I d
5、ont like that.I love traveling in the country,but I dont like losing my way.5)as a noun to be object of a prepositionThey wanted to travel to foreign country.They have made preparation for it.They have made preparation for traveling to a foreign country.I.2.Position and punctuation Gerund phrases ca
6、n either hold the subject position or the direct object position.A gerund nearly never requires any punctuation with it except its function as appositive.When a gerund phrase is used as an appositive,we use a comma to set it off from the word it modifies.Beggars sell themselves as human beings.Such
7、behavior arouses the pity of passers-by.Beggars behavior,selling themselves as human beings,arouses the pity of passers-by.She made a request.She wanted to send for a doctor at once.She made a request,sending for a doctor at once.Notes:1)The difference is that a gerund phrase will always function as
8、 a noun while a present participle phrase functions as an adjective or an adverb to modifies another word in the sentence.Eating quietly,they seemly enjoyed what they are served.(A participial phrase as an adjective modifies“they”)Eating quietly can be difficult for children.(A gerund phrase as a no
9、un functions as a subject.)2)Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a sentence.However,gerunds sound more natural and would be more common in everyday English.If you are not sure whether you should use gerund or infinitive,just remember that 90%of the time,you w
10、ill use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.Living a happy life is everyones deepest desire.(normal subject,more natural)To live a happy life is everyones deepest desire.(abstract subject,less common)3)When the action happened in the past,a gerund is usually used.She has had quick th
11、inking.That saved us all a lot of trouble.Her quick thinking saved us all a lot of trouble.4)The following is a list of verbs that can have gerund objects,but not infinitivesadmit,anticipate,appreciate,avoid,complete,consider,defend,delay,deny,detest,discuss,dislike,enjoy,escape,excuse,finish,get th
12、rough,give up,go on,cant help,imagine,involve,keep(on),would like(him),mention,(not)mind,miss,postpone,practice,put off,quit,recall,recollect,recommend,report,resent,resist,resume,risk,(cant)see,stop,suggest,take up,tolerate,understandExercises:Combine the sentences in each set into a single clear s
13、entence containing at least one gerund phrase.1.In a short time I was busy.I mixed butter and flour.In a short time I was busy mixing butter and flour.2.I pretended.I had not seen himIt was no use.It was no use pretending that I had not seen him.3.They dont catch fish.They catch old boots.They catch
14、 rubbish.Instead of catching fish,they catch old boots and rubbish.4.The woman simply took the parcel.She walked out of the shop.She didnt pay.The woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying.5.He wanted to follow me around all morning.I had to think of a way.By the way I c
15、an prevent him from that.I had to think of a way of preventing him from following me around all morning.6.I tried to wake up my wife.I rang the doorbell.She was fast asleep.I tried to wake up my wife by ringing the doorbell,but she was fast asleep.II.Absolute PhrasesII.1.Form An absolute phrase cons
16、ists of a noun or a pronoun as a subject that is modified by a participle or participial phrase.It looks like a complete sentence but acts as an adverbial.It contains a subject,but not a predicate verb.Although it states a complete thought,it can not stand by itself as its predicate verb is replaced
17、 by a participle or participial phrases.Noun+participle phrase=an absolute phrase a sentence an absolute phrase We are waiting in line.The students held a meeting.The ruler was broken.The train was crowded.The climate is mild.The soil is rich in nutrients.we waiting in line the students holding a me
18、eting the ruler broken the train crowded the climate(being)mild the soil(being)rich in nutrients The poor man lay there.His hands were trembling.The poor man lay there,his hands trembling.The job has not finished.We couldnt see the film.The job not finished,we couldnt see the film.Nobody was at home
19、.The thief took a lot of things away.Nobody(being)at home,the thief took a lot of things away.II.2.FunctionAn absolute phrase functions as an adverb,indicating manner,time,place,cause,condition,or degree.It modifies the whole sentence rather than a particular word.All absolute phrases can be turned
20、into correspondent adverbial clauses.The wings were damaged by the storm.The aircraft crashed.Its wings damaged by the storm,the aircraft crashed.(Or:Because its wings were damaged by the storm,the aircraft crashed.)The weather permits.We will have the picnic tomorrow.Weather permitting,we will have
21、 the picnic tomorrow.(Or:If the weather permits,we will have the picnic tomorrow.)II.3.Position and punctuation As an absolute phrase acts as an adverb,its position in a sentence is very flexible.As sentence opener or subject-verb split,an absolute phrase usually expresses cause,time,condition,or pu
22、rpose.As sentence closer,it shows effect or adds more detail or focus to the idea of the main clause,particularly when the absolute refers to an event that occurs later than the event in the main clause.An absolute is always treated as parenthetical element and is set off from the rest of the senten
23、ce with a comma or a pair of commas(sometimes by a dash or pair of dashes).The dark clouds have dispersed.The sun shone again.The dark clouds having dispersed,the sun shone again.The peoples livelihood is secure.The people now have the leisure.They can take up sports.The people,their livelihood secu
24、re,now have the leisure to take up sports.Two hundred people died in the accident.Many of them were children.Two hundred people died in the accident,many of them children.Exercises:Combine the sentences in each set into a single clear sentence containing at least one absolute phrase.1.The soil is ri
25、ch in nutrients.Everything grows quickly.(As the soil is rich in nutrients,everything grows quickly.)The soil(being)rich in nutrient,everything grows quickly.2.The students had done well on the examination.The teacher gave them less homework.(As the students did well,the teacher gave them less homew
26、ork.)The students having done well on the examination,the teacher gave them less homework.3.The hour was very late.We went home.(For the hour was very late,we went home.)The hour having been very late,we went home.4.The boy led the way.We had no trouble.We found the cave.The cave was strange.The boy
27、 leading the way,we had no trouble finding the strange cave.5.He died in 1892.People considered his death as a calamity.The calamity was national.He died in 1892,his death being considered as a national calamity.6.My shoes were removed.I entered a room.The ceiling of the room was low.My shoes remove
28、d,I entered a low-ceilinged room.7.He lay at full length.He was upon his stomach.His head rested upon his left forearm He lay at full length upon his stomach,his head resting upon his left forearm.Missing Commas with Nonessential Elements Nonessential elements are words or phrases or clauses that ma
29、y be removed from a sentence without changing the meaning of that sentence.A nonessential element should be set off with commas from the rest part of the sentence.1.With nonessential participles,infinitives,and their phrases When the participle,infinitive,or their phrases is not essential to the mea
30、ning of the sentence,we separate it from the rest of the sentence with commas.To tell the truth we never doubt that he is honest.To tell the truth,we never doubt that he is honest.Simon absorbed in his book neglected food and sleep.Simon,absorbed in his book,neglected food and sleep.2.With nonessent
31、ial adjective clauses If an adjective clause is not essential to the meaning of the sentence,we set it off from the main clause with commas.The president who spoke first sat just in front of me.The president,who spoke first,sat just in front of me.The train I usually catch is a slow train.The train,
32、I usually catch,is a slow train.3.With nonessential appositives An appositive is a noun or pronoun that renames another noun or pronoun.It is placed directly after the noun or pronoun it identifies.If the appositive is not essential to the meaning of the sentence,we set it apart from the rest of the
33、 sentence with commas.Compare:George Eliot,our neighbor,is a captain of an aircraft carrier.(nonessential)Our captain George Eliot is a captain of an aircraft carrier (essential)Hamlet a great play in English was written by Shakespeare.Hamlet,a great play in English,was written by Shakespeare.Thomas
34、 Jefferson the third president of the United States may be less famous than George Washington.Thomas Jefferson,the third president of the United States,may be less famous than George Washington.4.With interjections Interjections are words or phrases used to exclaim or protest or command.They are add
35、ed to a sentence to convey emotion,grammatically unrelated to any other part of the sentence.They are rarely used in formal or academic writing.An interjection should be set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.Oh no I forgot that the exam was tomorrow.Oh no,I forgot that the exam was tomorro
36、w.I dont care about it but good lord I think taxes are too high!I dont care about it but,good lord,I think taxes are too high!5.With parenthetical expressions A parenthetical expression is an expression inserted into the flow of thought.It may be placed in the middle of a sentence or between sentenc
37、es,providing relevant yet nonessential information.It is set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.Phrases commonly used as parenthetic expressions include the following:As you know,as a matter of fact,as far as I know,as a result,After all,by the way,for example/instance,I guess,well,etc.This
38、 principle is in fact extremely important.This principle is,in fact,extremely important.It is time for us to take an action I guess.It is time for us to take an action,I guess.Exercises:Correct the following sentences by adding missing commas.The castle burnt down a few years ago was never rebuilt.M
39、any villagers knowing all this still insisted on my paying for the damage.Many students who followed the instructions mechanically failed to obtain satisfactory results.Columbia University the second-largest landowner in New York City is part of the Ivy League.The tortoise as far as I know has been
40、on earth for thousands of years.You should forgive him for his forgetfulness;after all he is over seventy.The child needed sturdy shoes which were expensive.The old lady has just retired from India where she had lived for ten years.Correcting:The castle,burnt down a few years ago,was never rebuilt.M
41、any villagers,knowing all this,still insisted on my paying for the damage.Many students,who followed the instructions mechanically,failed to obtain satisfactory results.Columbia University,the second-largest landowner in New York City,is part of the Ivy League.The tortoise,as far as I know,has been
42、on earth for thousands of years.You should forgive him for his forgetfulness;after all,he is over seventy.The child needed sturdy shoes,which were expensive.The old lady has just retired from India,where she had lived for ten years.The exercise in this section is to create effective passages by comb
43、ining the short sentences which you think is related into longer,more complex ones.If there are some mistakes,correct them.Passage 1(Adapted from Lesson 8,New Concept English III by L.G.Alexander)The Great St.Bernard Pass connects Switzerland to Italy.It is 2,473 meters high.it is the highest mounta
44、in pass in Europe.The monastery of St.Bernard is famous.People set it up in eleventh century.It lies about a mile away.For hundreds of years,St.Bernard dogs have saved the lives of travelers.These travelers were crossing the Pass.The Pass was dangerous.These dogs were friendly.People first brought t
45、hem from Asia.People used them as watchdogs.They did so even in Roman times.They built a tunnel.It was through the mountains.The Pass is less dangerous.Each year,people still sent the dogs out into the snow.At any time a traveller is in difficulty.There is the new tunnel.There are still a few people
46、.They attempt to cross the Pass.They rashly did so.They are on foot.The monastery is very busy during the summer months.Thousands of people visit it.They cross the Pass in cars.There are so many people about.They have to keep the dogs in a enclosure.the enclosure is special.In winter,life is quite d
47、ifferent.The life is at the monastery.The temperature drops to 30o.There are very few people.They attempt to cross the Pass.The monks like summer.The monks are more like winter.They have more privacy.The dogs have greater freedom.People allowed them to wander outside their enclosure.Parties of skiers are the only visitors.They visit the monastery regularly.They do so in winter.They go there at Christmas.They go there at Easter.They are young people.They love the peace of mountains.The monks always give them a warm welcome at St.Bernards monastery.
