2. AGENDA
REVIEW: SENTENCE TYPES:
SIMPLE AND COMPOUND
NEW: GPU:
COMPLEX AND COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCES
DISCUSSION “STAR TREK OR STAR WRECK?
WHAT IS THE THESIS STATEMENT FOR “STAR TREK OR STAR WRECK?
QUALIFYING YOUR THESIS
WHICH BODY PARAGRAPH IS THE STRONGEST? WHY?
WHERE IS THE COUNTERARGUMENT?
HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE EITHER THE INTRODUCTION OR THE
CONCLUSION?
LECTURE: INTRODUCE ESSAY #2: JUSTIFYING AN EVALUATION
NEW: MOVIE EVALUATION (USE FOUR OR FIVE CRITERIA; ADD AT
LEAST TWO NEW TO YOUR IN-CLASS ESSAY DRAFT)
REVIEW THESIS CONSTRUCTION
4. #1: SIMPLE SENTENCE
A SIMPLE SENTENCE HAS ONE SUBJECT AND ONE VERB.
I LIKE TO STUDY GRAMMAR.
A SIMPLE SENTENCE IS ALSO CALLED AN INDEPENDENT
CLAUSE.
AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ENDS WITH A PERIOD OR
SEMICOLON.
5. Two independent clauses joined together by
a comma and a coordinating conjunction
I love you, and you love me.
Independent
clause (Simple
Sentence)
Independent clause
(Simple Sentence)
6. #3: COMPLEX SENTENCE
A COMPLEX SENTENCE IS A SIMPLE SENTENCE
(INDEPENDENT CLAUSE) TO WHICH A PART OF
A SENTENCE (DEPENDENT CLAUSE) HAS BEEN
ADDED.
BECAUSE I LIKE TO STUDY GRAMMAR, I
LOVE THIS CLASS.
I LOVE THIS CLASS BECAUSE I LIKE TO
STUDY GRAMMAR.
7. This is a dependent clause joined to an independent
clause. (The dependent clause needs the rest of
the sentence for support.)
Because you love me, I love
you.
Dependent clause
Independent clause
8. A dependent clause contains a subject and verb. It begins with a
subordinating conjunction, and thus it does not express a completed
thought. A dependent clause is also called a subordinate clause.
Dependent clauses, like babies, cannot stand
alone.
Because you love me.
Fragment!
9. A TIP ON PUNCTUATION
SINCE DEPENDENT CLAUSES ARE ONLY PART OF A
SENTENCE, YOU CAN NEVER CONNECT THEM TO
ANOTHER SENTENCE WITH A SEMICOLON. SEMICOLONS
ARE ONLY USED BETWEEN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES.
I HAVE LOVED YOU FOR YEARS ; ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER
ADMITTED IT.
I HAVE LOVED YOU FOR YEARS ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER
ADMITTED IT.
ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER ADMITTED IT, I HAVE LOVED YOU
FOR YEARS.
No!
10.
11. COMPLEX SENTENCES
EXAMPLES:
When Trey was little, he played
with blocks.
After class, good students study.
If I pass 1a, I will take 1b.
Use the stairs in case of fire.
Ava stands at the bottom of the
cliff while the climber moves up
the rock.
12. A FOURTH TYPE OF
SENTENCE: LET’S GET
SERIOUS!
1. SIMPLE
2. COMPOUND
3. COMPLEX
4. COMPOUND-
COMPLEX
13. #4: COMPOUND/COMPLEX SENTENCE
A compound/complex sentence is the last and most
complicated type of sentence. It is composed by
combining a compound sentences with a complex
sentence.
It contains at least one dependent clause and at least two
independent clauses.
14. A dependent clause added to two or more independent clauses
Because we are a family, I
love you, and you love
me.
2 independent clauses
Dependent clause
17. THINK YOU’VE GOT IT?
• 1 INDEPENDENT CLAUSE = SIMPLE SENTENCE
• DON’T’ FORGET: THESE CAN HAVE COMPOUND SUBJECTS
AND PREDICATES!
• 2 INDEPENDENT CLAUSES = COMPOUND SENTENCE
• 1 OR MORE DEPENDENT CLAUSE + 1 INDEPENDENT
CLAUSE
= COMPLEX SENTENCE
• 2 OR MORE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES + 1 OR MORE DEP.
CLAUSE
= COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCE
18. DISCUSS THESE
QUESTIONS IN YOUR
HOUSES!
1. What is the thesis statement
for “Star Trek or Star Wreck?
2. Which body paragraph is the
strongest? Why?
3. Where is the
counterargument?
4. How would you improve either
the introduction or the
conclusion?
20. QUALIFYING YOUR THESIS
• Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone is both a compelling and exciting
movie because of the good vs. Evil story line and the terrific special effects.
• Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone promises much more than it delivers: a
predictable story line and bad casting make it both unoriginal and
uninteresting.
• While Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone offers some excitement via
special effects, it falls short of being a great movie because of the
inexperienced child-actors and the very basic story line.
• This film, in spite of the brilliant performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and
Zachary Quinto, great make-up, and the stellar special effects, is quite
mediocre because of weak acting and an unbelievable storyline.
Positive
Negative
Mixed
positive?
negative?
mixed?
22. How would you improve either the introduction or the
conclusion?
• How long is the introduction?
• What purpose does each
paragraph serve?
• How about the conclusion? Is
there a “so what”? If not, what
kind of conclusion is it?
23. LECTURE: INTRODUCE ESSAY #2
JUSTIFYING AN EVALUATION
The Writing Assignment:
• Using both your in-class essay and the basic features of a “justifying an evaluation” essay write a
new essay evaluating the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Examine your subject
closely, and make a judgment about it in a clear and concise thesis statement. Give reasons for
your judgment that are based on at least four widely recognized criteria or standards for
evaluating a film like this one. Support your reasons with examples and other details from your
subject. Your final essay should be between three and five pages. (This means you should
have at least one line on page four to ensure you have filled three complete pages). Do not rely on
your in-class essay to substitute for this new essay. As you will see, this essay assignment requires
both more complex thinking and writing.
• Outside sources: this essay requires at least two direct quotations in addition to other examples.
24. THESE ARE FROM YOUR IN-CLASS
WRITING: DEVELOP YOUR ARGUMENT
• Establish the criteria upon which you will judge the film. Choose at
least four, but you might explore several more to make sure you have
chosen the best options to support your opinion.
• STORY: Does the movie have a plot that tells both an intriguing and unusual story? Does
the plot make sense? Is the story line logical? Is the narrative arc well shaped and stay
focused on the climax? Or is it drawn out and boring with time-killing pointlessness? Are
the character’s actions justified? Are their motives reasonable? Do characters behave
with consistency? Or do some words, thoughts, or actions ring false?
• ACTING: Do the actors convince the audience they are the characters they are
portraying. Do they meet the expectations dictated by the plot and other story elements? If
not, is it their own acting deficiencies that hold them back? Or are they hampered by a
poor script? What could the actors have done differently to make the movie work better?
• SPECIAL EFFECTS: Do film visuals maintain a professional quality and stimulate the
audience? Or are they phony looking and unbelievable? Are special effects used
appropriately? Do they compliment the emotions of a scene and support the setting?
25. THESE ARE NEW
• Suspense: does the film must keep the audience on edge and make them eagerly
anticipate a resolution? Are there particular elements of suspense that you can
name? For example, does the cinematography make it suspenseful? The
dialogue? The film cuts?
• Realism/accuracy: is the film believable? Even fantasy films must operate inside
of the realm of possibility that viewers can accept. Does the film portray events,
people, and events as they are in real-word settings as much as possible? Are
actions and interactions believable, plausible, and at least somewhat relatable
given the genre of the film?
• Setting: are the characters in an environment that contributes to or supports their
actions and interactions. Does the setting emphasize the themes and moods of the
film? Is the scenery aesthetically pleasant? Or does it detracting from the main
focus of the scene?
26. HERE ARE A FEW MORE
NEW CRITERIA TO
CHOOSE FROM
• Technical elements: how do the cinematography, editing, lighting, sound, and
other components support or detract from the film? Does the camera crew
capture the scenes in a manner that best illustrates the story? How do these
elements contribute to or detract from the film?
• Soundtrack: is music appropriate and effectively employed? Does the sound
compliment the visuals? Does it help convey the emotion of each scene?
• Originality: does the film present some new concept or idea that has hardly
been explored by its predecessors? Is there creativity and innovation? Is it fresh
content? Or does it tell an old story in a conventional way?
• Message: is there a message, moral, or ethic in the story? Is the message
important or compelling to contemporary audiences?
27. REVIEW THESIS CONSTRUCTION
• Remember that a strong thesis statement should be clear, arguable,
and appropriately qualified. As you consider your overall judgment,
keep in mind that readers of evaluative essays expect writers to
present a balanced evaluation of a subject by pointing out strengths as
well as weaknesses. At the same time, however, readers expect to
encounter a definitive judgment, not a vague, wishy-washy, or
undecided judgment.
• In you initial draft of your thesis, you might want to make some
reference to the four criteria you plan to evaluation for the out-of-
class essay.
28. HOMEWORK
Read HP COS Chapter 10
HW Discussion 8: Draft at least
four paragraphs for the body of
your essay:
Two should be based on new
evaluation criteria.
Two can be revised versions
of your in-class essay body
paragraphs.
Bring: a copy of your in-class
essay #1 to our next meeting
