Clauses: Characters of Clauses and How to Structure Them

Hello dear reader, welcome back! Today we will be discussing clauses and their importance in speech and writing. Understanding clauses is crucial to creating interesting and effective language.

To begin with, a clause is a complete sentence or group of words that includes a subject and a verb. It can also have an object that serves as additional information, and its typical arrangement is subject + verb (+ object).

There are two types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses.

An independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone and is punctuated accordingly.

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On the other hand, a dependent clause is a sentence that cannot stand on its own and must be joined with an independent clause using a subordinate conjunction, such as although, since, if, when, because, etc. Dependent clauses provide added information to independent clauses.

Here are some examples of sentences using clauses, independent clauses, and dependent clauses:

Examples of clauses (subject + verb):

• Anna is swimming.
• Anna is surfing.
• Anna ran away.
• Anna is driving.

Examples of clauses with objects (subject + verb + object):

• Anna is swimming at the beach.
• Anna is surfing on the surfboard.
• Anna ran away from her friends.
• Anna is driving her car.

Examples of independent clauses:

• Anna is swimming.
• Anna is surfing.
• Anna ran away.
• Anna is driving.

Examples of dependent clauses:

• Because Anna is swimming...
• When Anna is surfing...
• Since Anna ran away...
• Although Anna is driving...

Dependent clauses can also function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs:

Clauses as a noun:

• Anna forgot what she did last night. (What she did last night serves as a noun.)
• Anna achieved what she wanted yesterday. (Similar to saying "Anna achieved her goals.")

Clauses as an adjective:

• Anna, who is brave with the ocean waves, is surfing on the fierce waves. (The clause "who is brave with the ocean waves" describes how Anna is.)
• Anna, who loves her family, always brings foods her family loves. (The clause "who loves her family" serves as an adjective.)

Clauses as an adverb:

• Anna jumped off her surfboard when a giant wave hit her. (The clause "when a giant wave hit her" explains when Anna jumped off.)
• Anna was coming home when her mother called her. (The clause "when her mother called her" functions as an adverb.)

In conclusion, being able to read, listen, speak, and write English is a wonderful skill to have, and using tools like ProWritingAid can make proofreading and editing your writing much easier.

Thank you for reading, and have a great day!

Best regards,

Santosa Laksana

Bad Adverbs: How to Recognize and Avoid Bad Adverbs?

To Recall... Adverbs are devices that add color and refine the meaning of verbs, adjectives, and even sentences. They can modify words and change their meaning.

If you don’t know what adverbs are, please visit my earlier article here.


What are bad adverbs?

A bad adverb shows or modifies a weak verb or adjective in your writing, which you could replace with a stronger one.

Example:

Weak adverb: Anna ran quickly to the library.
Strong adverb: Anna rushed to the library.


Overusing adverbs can degrade your writing quality and show laziness.

Not all adverbs end in "ly." Some examples are: afterward, already, almost, back, better, best, even, far, fast, hard, here, how, late, long, low, more, near, never, next, now, often, quick, rather, slow, so, soon, still, then, today, tomorrow, too, very, well, where, yesterday.


There are three categories of bad adverbs:

A. Redundant adverb with the verb it alters.

Example: Anna whispered quietly to her boyfriend.
Correct: Anna whispered to her boyfriend.


B. Adverbs that alter a weak verb or adjective.

Example: Anna talked quietly to her boyfriend.
Strong verb: Anna whispered to her boyfriend.


C. Adverb that doesn't provide solid information.

Examples: extremely, definitely, truly, very, and really.


What are good adverbs?

Good adverbs provide clarity and add meaning to your text.

Examples:

Adverbs that give new information about the time.
Example: Anna came early to the beach to avoid the crowd.

Adverbs that replace clunky words.
Example: Anna held her mother's hand gently.


Done! Keep it up, dear readers. May you become great writers.

"ProWritingAid just highlights the bad adverbs in your writing so you can replace them as necessary." 

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Regards,
Santosa Laksana.

Understanding Articles: What They Are and How to Use Them

Hello, friends! Today, we'll discuss articles - "a," "an," and "the."

Indefinite articles "a" and "an" are used for singular and non-specific nouns. Use "a" before consonant sounds, and "an" before vowel sounds.

Definite article "the" is used for specific nouns, both singular and plural. It can be used with countable and uncountable nouns.

Articles are determiners that show whether a noun is general or specific. 

Here are some examples:

A) "A" and "an" examples:

• Anna bought a doll and kicked a ball.
• Anna joins an organization and bought an umbrella.

B) "The" examples:

• Anna went to the beach alone.
• Anna walks on the red carpet.
• Anna watched the movie "The Blue Arrow."
• Anna answered, "The cars are blue."

Don't overlook the importance of articles in your writing. Thank you for reading, and see you soon for a discussion on bad adverbs to avoid.

Regards,

Santosa Laksana

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Anaphora: The Power of Two Good Friends

Because of two good friends, I can save my life.

Because of two good friends, I can move on with my life.

Because of two good friends, I could save my son's behavior, attitude, and character.

Because of two good friends, I can improve my life.

Because of two good friends, I can realize my dream.

Because of two good friends, I can smile.

Because of two good friends, I can feel happy.

Because of two good friends, I can eat.

Because of two good friends, I can keep learning.

Because of two good friends, I can sleep well.

Because of two good friends, I can keep writing.

Thanks to two amazing friends of mine who live far away, I can say that my son's behavior, attitude, and character have improved, I can move on with my life, and I can even pursue my dream of becoming a writer. I owe everything to them.

Because of these two friends, I can smile, feel happy, eat, keep learning, sleep well, and keep writing. I pray for their good health, happiness, and success, and I hope that God, Buddha, and the Beautiful Universe will always bless, protect, and love them.

To express my gratitude and emotions, I have used a rhetorical device called "anaphora." By repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of each sentence, I hope to create a powerful cadence and emphasis that will stick with my friends forever. They saved my son's and my life, and I want them to know that they are truly special.

Anaphora is a popular rhetorical device that many writers, poets, and speakers use to add emotional impact and make their words memorable. By repeating key words, you can create a powerful message that resonates with your audience.

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Examples of anaphora include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities," Winston Churchill's "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" speech, and The Police's "Every Breath You Take."


In conclusion, anaphora is a great tool for writers who want to make their words more impactful and memorable. If you want to add emotional weight to your message, consider using repetition to emphasize key words and phrases.


Regards,
Santosa Laksana.

The Art of Adverbs: What's an Adverb and How to Use It In a Sentence?

Writing is an Art - Not a Science.

Like painting, writing is an art that allows us to express our ideas and emotions. While painting uses shapes, lines, colors, tones, and textures on a medium or surface to create a two-dimensional or three-dimensional visual representation — writing uses words to convey meaning and evoke emotions.

In linguistics and grammar, a complete sentence consists of a subject and a predicate, and sometimes an object, and it should follow certain rules of grammar, including punctuation and mechanics.

Adverbs play a crucial role in writing. They add color and refine the meaning of verbs, adjectives, and even entire sentences. Adverbs are modifiers, and writers use them to enhance the reader's understanding of the text.

Examples:

• Anna walked quickly to the office. "Quickly" modifies the verb "walked."
• Anna rides her horse very comfortably. "Very" modifies the adjective "comfortable."
• Anna is riding her horse somewhat cautiously. "Somewhat" modifies the adverb "cautiously."
• Unfortunately, Anna can't make it to our party. "Unfortunately" modifies the entire sentence.

Not all adverbs end with "-ly." Some examples include afterward, already, almost, back, better, best, even, far, fast, hard, here, how, late, long, low, more, near, never, next, now, often, quick, rather, slow, so, soon, still, then, today, tomorrow, too, very, well, where, yesterday.

Although adverbs can enhance a sentence, using redundant adverbs is unnecessary.

Examples:

• Anna sprints quickly to chase her dog. "Quickly" is redundant because sprinting is always quick.
• Anna pouts sadly at the loss of her shoes. "Sadly" is redundant because pouting is always sad.

Writers should use adverbs thoughtfully and sparingly.

When to use an adverb: 

To add context or new information, such as showing time and place.

Example: Anna came early to her friend's wedding rehearsal.

To replace clunky phrasing.

Example: Anna gently pulled her sister's hand.

When other words won't work.

Example: He was crying happily.

When to replace an adverb:

When it restates part of the word it modifies or is redundant.

Example: Anna whispered to her sister.

When it changes a vague or weak verb.

Example: Anna screamed for help as the water gushed in.

When you use "very" or "really."

Example: The humongous elephant.

If you want to remove adverbs from your writing, consider using ProWritingAid, which can help identify adverbs and suggest alternative ways to express yourself.

Writing is an art that requires skill, practice, and patience. Adverbs can enhance your writing, but it's crucial to use them thoughtfully and sparingly. Keep writing, and don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques to improve your craft.


Best regards,
Santosa Laksana.