Today, we are dealing with the grammar topic of WORD ORDER.
Task 1:
Read / skim through the 9-page chapter "The Order of Words" by Ken Macrorie from his book Telling Writing, which is posted here as a Picasa slide show.
Task 2:
Write a comment to this blog (100-250 words) about your personal opinion regarding WORD ORDER.
It should contain at least some of the following issues (you can also add to them):
a) How secure/insecure are you with regard to word order in your writing?
b) Do you shift words around for stylistic purposes? If yes, why, when, what for?
c) Do you think word order is a problem nowadays for high school and college students?
d) Do you think word order is rather a problem for ESL students than for native speakers?
e) Are there any public or well-known texts where the word order has caught your attention, or disturbed you?
f) Can you give an example sentence where an uncommon word order might be needed for expression or stylistic purposes?
g) After reading this article, did your view of the importance of word order change?
If you cannot post to this blog (as a comment, NOT a new thread!!!) because of password issues, I'll either log in for you, or you can email me your post and I will publish it. The purpose of a blog is for your peers to be able to see your responses, so all contributions should be public rather than in an email to your professor ;-)
If you are not in class today and are excused, you can post from home and receive the points. If you cannot post, email your instructor.
Task 3:
Go to this Cliff Notes website and read through the examples. Then, we are doing a little exercise:
Invent sentences with the following structure, and type them in a blank Word document. When you have all your sentences, copy them and paste them into another comment to this blog:
1) one sentence where you begin with a single-word modifier;
2) one sentence where you begin with a modifying phrase or clause;
3) one sentence where you begin with an appositive;
4) one sentence where you put the verb before the subject;
5) one sentence where you delay completing your main statement;
6) one sentence where you insert an interruption as a surprise element, using parentheses or dashes.
If you want, you can work with a partner (maximal: groups of 3). Then, put all your names on the comment when you post your six sentences!
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Task 2 - Courtney Strieker
ReplyDeleteI believe that in a novel or in a work of writing, incorrect word order can give an author some sort of unique identity. I don't think that dangling modifiers or a lot of pronoun/antecedent disagreements are acceptable, but some more, smaller, subtler mistakes are good. However, for high school and college students, it is important for them to learn proper grammar. All that the younger generation knows is texting language, not proper English grammar. Once they become a big shot author, then they can put their own spin on word order.
Carl Lass Word Order Comment
ReplyDeleteI can appreciate the need for correct word order, as assignments and other writings I have done demand it. On the other hand, I am a firm believer of writing it as it is said. There seems to be more instances in life when writing as it flows from the mouth makes the literature not only easier to read, but easier to understand. I have always worked in the trades, therefore I honestly don't notice when word order is incorrect. I would be more inclined to tell you why the circuit breaker for your kitchen keeps tripping. I do enjoy playing with words and poetry, for instance an example of a sentence where uncommon word order could have an expressionistic approach would be: Open the day, and see if it be the window. This is a fun sentence, that can make one think critically and imaginatively.
I consider myself a fairly proficient writer, as such I am fairly confident in my choices regarding word order. Occasionally I will use word order as a stylistic element for example, leaving an important phrase at the end of a sentence in order to achieve a dramatic effect. I think word order and general quality of writing are often problems for high school and college students; many times when reviewing the work of other students, I find the lack of depth, style, and knowledge of basic grammatical structures in their writing disturbing. ESL students may have even more problems with word order than native speakers due to the fact that not all languages share the subject-verb-object order found in English.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to correct word order, I like to think that I am very sure when it comes to writing. However, after reading this article I too have noticed some minor mistakes that I make while writing. I do believe that word order is and can be a problem amongst high school and college students. My reasoning behind that is because so many times students are unaware of the mistakes that they are making. Also, often times students are not being taught the prpper way to write and structure sentences.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty secure with word order in my writing, I know I make mistakes in it sometimes but they are easily corrected. I do not change around word order for stylistic purposes; I'm so great of a writer so I don't really know how to go about doing that and having it sound good. Word order is a problem for high school and college students, I don't think it's a huge problem, but some have a hard time with it. It's more of a problem for ESL students I would think, they might not understand what to say, or write. I have never read anything where the word order stuck out to me. I think if someone were to change around word order, it would be to show an accent or a way to show someone’s mannerisms. This article did make me feel word order is important, but for the most part I know when someone means when they make an order mistake.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading The Order of Words by Ken Macrorie, I've realized that there are many errors in writers' text that go unnoticed. I myself have made many of the mistakes that were brought up in the passage. Writing this way is a habit from the natural way that I speak. A problem like this probably starts in middle school and works it's way through high school. I remember watching a show where a girl said "There is a boy or girl out there for me and will love them so much." The problem here is that the word them is plural, while boy or girl is singular. This just adds to the problem with everyone's writing.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I love changing the word order in my writing, particularly in poetry and in special notes/stories for others. However, one of the last comments was that a writer should use these sparingly, so I will have to think about that when writing. I like to do it because of stylistic purposes to keep the reader's attention. I think normal word order [or too much of it] can become boring and mundane, especially in a genre of writing renowned for style and accent (i.e. poetry). Poets and writers who use words and their order to surprise, interest, and inform have inspired me to experiment with word order. I can only hope to be able to surprise, interest, and inform others one day, as well.
ReplyDeleteI feel that word order is of particular significance and of particular trouble to ESL speakers, who often confuse word order according to their own language syntax. However, it is also a problem for native speakers and young writers who have not internalized the rules and use them incorrectly in an attempt to resolve this, such as J.D. Salinger's main character in Catcher in the Rye. I liked the examples used in this article, and I realized that I should pay more attention to word order than I have in the past. The author mentioned that there are more crucial matters on which to focus, but I should still think about it, nonetheless.
c) Texting is an incredibly popular form of communication today, but it may be ruining how people speak and spell words. It is very popular among high school and college students and it could have negative effects. Texting can affect word order for these students nowadays and it could hurt them when they try to get a job. I am secure with how I use word order in my writing because I make sure and re-read my paper but of course every once and awhile I will make a mistake. Word order can trip some people up but everyone does it and it is not a big deal.
ReplyDeleteBy: Alex Bassett
Word order is very important in writing. After writing a paper and revising it, I always seem to change my word order. The reason for this is because I usually write carelessly on my rough draft, but I edit my paper very carefully. Most of the time I end up changing the word order of my sentences. After reading the article and examining all of the changes done to sentences, I see just how important word order can be. I will continue to change the word order in my papers to make the sentences sound better.
ReplyDelete~By Kyle Doran
I believe that word order is a major issue today for college and high school students. I know that it is sometimes an issue for me, and I am in college so I know that it is a problem.
ReplyDeleteAfter, reading this article, I have realized that word order is a very important thing to correct because if you have words out of place it can make the sentence look weird or even change the meaning of a sentence altogether.
I believe that in my own righting I tend to have trouble with word order from time to time. I believe that the cause of these mistake comes from moving through fast through the paper instead of slowing down and taking the necessary time. I believe that for the majority of students that word order is not a problem for students, however there are still those who do have the problem. I think that word order is more difficult to learn for those who that learn English as a second language. Word order comes natural to most individuals if time is taken to be correct.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty secure about the word order in my writing, because I never really look at how a can change the words around to make the sentence more powerful. I think word order can be a problem for writers at any level. I think word order at the high school and colleges levels is a big problem. Most high school and college students do not use good grammar, or even know how to use good grammar, so when it comes to word order they are not capable of switching the words around to change the styles of their writing.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the blog it was easy for me to detect word order errors. In relation to this, sometimes I find myself making the same mistakes. Most of the time I misplace words to make a sentence or paragraph flow more easily, but instead produce a sentence that sounds strange. As for high school and college students I believe it is easy to make this common mistake but as one continues to write more and take a various number of English classes, that detecting this error is easier to recognize. Along with this, I believe that students taking English as a second language make this error more than people who speak English as their main language. Since English is not their native tongue, some sentences that may seem correct are actually not in proper order. Word order sure is tricky and to my luck I probably already made a word order mistake in this short comment! :0)
ReplyDeleteI believe that at times I lack correct word order. This is partly due to rushing to finish a paper or simply not reviewing it properly. Word Order is an important part of grammar among academic paper, books, etc. However, I do believe there can be some exceptions to the order of words in some cases. There are several famous writers with their own writing order and style. To many beginning writers, the word order they know is usually a habit out of wrong character and is very hard to break. For example, texting on cell phones has influenced the grammar of many young adults today.
ReplyDelete1. Freezing, I recalled that I forgot my jacket.
ReplyDelete2. After leaving class, Courtney went home to take a nap.
3. Brandon, Shanna's fiance, proposed under the stars.
4. In the room sat some very cold students.
5. I watched my dog, Snowball, so cute, fluffy, and loving, eat rabbit turds in the yard.
6. My room - it is more like a pig sty than a room - needs to be cleaned.
TASK 3:
ReplyDeleteSparingly she dished out the rest of the potatoes.
When awoken early in the morning, she becomes silent and sullen.
A highly contagious condition, H1N1 has become feared in colleges across the country.
Staring her right in the face sat the article for which she desperately searched.
He introduced the person, so anticipated by family and friends, as his new girlfriend.
Her yellow scarf—which could become a head wrap, skirt, or blanket, as needed—flapped in the wind as they drove.
-Courtney Butler and Mercedes Dunn
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQuickly I ran to the car.
ReplyDeleteIn the morning is when I drink my coffee.
The superior computer, Apple is easier to use than a PC.
Went riding my bike all day and had fun.
We went to the movies, which was a lot of fun to do with my family, and saw a great movie.
My car, which is falling apart, I got for a good price when I was in high school.
I think that with the world getting faster and faster people are always trying to find shortcuts,even in writing and speaking. Texting and IM are good examples of this. People will mispell words, and place them in wrong orders just to save time. High school and college students are most often guilty of this. With sentences like, "were u b @", or "LOL WTF". It is clear that we are not only lacking word placement, but also clear messages, which is a key part of communication.
ReplyDeleteTask 3:
ReplyDelete1) Abruptly, the car stopped.
2) After hearing her story, I decided to join the cause.
3) A very deceitful person, Charlie cheated his way to the finals.
4) The lost the championship game, even though everybody’s hopes were to win, on the last play of the game.
5) We saw the movie, even though they wanted to see it too, without Jim and Rachael.
6) The soccer game-more like a boxing match- got very ugly in the second half.
1. Hungrily, the boy ate the pizza.
ReplyDelete2. Waiting outside, the boy ate the pizza.
3. A savory pie of baked dough, tomato sauce, and cheese, pizza is a favorite food of many children.
4. Before him sat a glorious pizza pie.
5. The pizza, with its crisp golden crust and molten cheese glistening with grease, was quickly eaten by the child.
6. My mother made my favorite pizza- spinach, anchovy, and garlic- as a special treat last night.
Sheehan & Shubert
ReplyDelete1) That guy is always wrong.
2) That guy is most definitely always wrong.
3) That guy, and idiot, is most definitely always wrong.
4) Always wrong, and an idiot, is that guy.
5) I watched the baseball game, it was fantastic, I had popcorn, and my favorite team won.
6) I was sitting in English class (BORING!, jk lol), when I turned in this assignment.
Alex Bassett and Kyle Doran
ReplyDeleteSingle-word modifier: Frequently the spider lays eggs
Modifying phrase or clause: Cocky and arrogant, the dodge ball opponents displayed poor sportsmanship.
Appositive: An increasingly growing problem, global warming is melting the glacial icecaps.
Verb before Subject: Slightly to the left of him landed the dodge ball.
Delay completing the main subject: We saw our friend’s dodge ball match, an important game in order to reach the championship, end with a victory.
Insert an interruption: SIUC – a large and growing university- just completed building a new library.
Single word modifier
ReplyDeleteQuickly the student ran into the room.
Modifying phrase or clause
In front of the class, she sang a song.
Appositive
A misunderstood situation, can lead to hurt and pain.
Verb before subject
Directly to the left of him slept his sick dog.
Delay completing your main sentence
We saw the score, so important to the coaches, players, and fans; we lost the game by five.
Insert a surprise interruption
My car- which was all rusty- got a new paint job.
Brandon Goeke, Cameron Krones, scott carpenter