Exercises in Scientific Writing: Coordinators, Subordinators

The full PDF (with exercises) endure be downloaded from http//louisville. edu,faculty/ lwolf02, piece-about-data Joining Sentences with Subordinators One of the biggest differences between mature, effective writing and more basic writing is that mature writers use subordinators to show relationships between ideas. The more complex the information that you argon writing about. the more important subordinators are. unfortunately. when tooth root writers start using subordinators, they often produce conviction fragments or punctuate sentences incorrectly.Therefore, this chapter has the following goals 1. Encourage you to use subordinators to connect ideas together. 2. Show that subordinators can be apply in either the beginning or the middle of sentences. 3. Ensure that you understand the correct rules for punctuating subordinators. What is a subordinator? Subordinators are words that join sentences and help us high spot a variety of relationships between ideas, including cause,ef fect relationships, pedigrees, conditions, and surrenders.Here are the subordinators we use most Often Subordinator although, though, even though, While, whereas because, since Logical Relationship Contrast/concession Cause/ResL11t Condition before, after, when, prison term henever, until, as soon as Example While we can model X-ray emissions, much(prenominal) an approach is often laborious, time-consuming, and impractical. The tuff absorbed a long amount of water after the earthquake because it consisted of porous material. The tautness cannot be reproduced if the blocks are too large.Some heart attack victims in our study confessed that they phoned clients and rescheduled meetings before they called an ambulance. When we typeset a subordinator in front of a sentence, we change the sentence from an independent clause to a dependent (or dependent) clause. Heres a quick review of ndependent and dependent clauses. independent clause Contains a subject and verb and can stand a lone as a complete thought. An independent clause is a sentence. Examples of independent clauses Jim studied. It was very noisy. Our material body meets at 900 in the morning.Dependent clause Contains a subject and verb, but can not stand alone as a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. Examples of dependent clauses When Jim studied. Because it was very noisy. After our partitioning meets at 900 in the morning. Copyright 2006-2007 Joanna Wolfe. control for these materials provided by -the Engineering Information Foundation. -3- Note that all of the dependent clauses above begin with a subordinator, such as when, because, after. To turn these dependent clauses into complete sentences, we he became anxious. ependent clause independent clausecan stand as a complete sentence Because it was very noisy, he got into a fight with his roommate. After our class meets at 900 in the morning, I need coffee. These sentences can also be written so that the indep endent clause comes first Jim became anxious when he studied He got into a fight with his roommate because it was very noisy. I need coffee fter our class meets at 900 in the morning Punctuating subordinate clauses 1 . When the dependent (subordinate) clause comes first, it is always followed by a comma. Because the study sample is small , additional research is needed.If the blocks are too large , the stress cannot be reproduced. Before you start, make sure you throw off all the needed parts. Whereas a filch can only lift and lower, a crane can move loads in horizontal and vertical planes. 2. When the dependent (subordinate) clause comes second, a comma is not used unless a contrast or concession subordinator is used, in which case the comma is ptional. Additional research is needed because the study sample is small. no comma The stress cannot be reproduced if the blocks are too large. no comma Make sure you have all the needed parts before you start.. no comma A crane can move l oads in horizontal and vertical planes whereas a hoist can only lift and lower. comma ex gratia because contrast subordinator (whereas) is used Presenting Bad News Joining Sentences to Show Concession We use the contrast subordinators although, though, even though, while, whereas to show contrast. solely they do more than contrast they de-emphasize the points they re attached to and show concession. Concessive subordinators are very useful for presenting bad news they concede that a problem or shortcoming or flaw exists while de-emphasizing this problem.Emphasizing the good news Concessive subordinators are particularly useful in emphasizing a study or tests good points while still acknowledging mistakes or flaws. For instance, we might write Although the studys design has some flaws, problem conceded Although the tests were done in a lab, the results are promising the findings should be applicable to the real world. good point emphasized These sentences use the subordinator althou gh to concede some points, but still leave the reader on a high notethe promising nature of the studies.Emphasizing the bad news Sometimes, however, you want to emphasize the problems. This is especially important when you want to warn readers about authorisation safety issues. In this situation, you should attach the good point to the concessive subordinator and put the problem in the main clause. Although the findings are promising, good point conceded the tests were done in a lab and may not be applicable to real use situations. roblem emphasized This sentence, in contrast to the examples above, ends on a negative point.No accent mark/Equal emphasis If you want to stress the good and bad news equally, use one of the contrast coordinators, but or yet to Join the dickens clauses. The results are promising, but the design has some flaws. This sentence stresses neither the results nor the flaws. The two clauses are given equal emphasis. Note that a comma precedes the coordinator. -8- Summary of contrast and concession words Word Type Subordinators Coordinators Contrast Although Even though Though While But, yet Concession Note that whereas generally works discover for emphasizing contrasts than for emphasizing concessions.Subordinators Join two clauses and de-emphasize the clause they are attached to. Coordinators Join two clauses and give equal emphasis to the ideas they Join. Punctuation If the subordinator appears in the first clause, use a comma Although the studys design has some flaws, the results are promising. If a subordinator appears in the second clause, do not use a comma. (exception an optional comma may be used before the contrast/concession subordinators although, even though, though, while, hereas) The studys design has some flaws even though the results are promising.If a coordinatorsuch as but, yetconnects two independent clauses (complete sentences), a comma should be placed before the coordinator The studys design has some flaws, but the results are promising. -12- Coordinators, Subordinators, and Transitions The English manner of speaking has three basic types of linguistic patterns for connecting main ideas coordinators, subordinators and transitions. The table below summarizes the purposes and differences among these connectors. Connector type Structure Where they connect Emphasis and nor but yet One sentence Middle of Give equal emphasis to two closely connected clauses.