Section 21 Clarity Dont omit words that are necessary for clarity Verbs Dont omit a necessary verb Examples They thought they could do what no one ever had before Is this sentence clear ID: 786683
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Slide1
Clear and Logical Construction
Section 21
Slide2Clarity
Don’t
omit words that are
necessary
for clarity
Slide3Verbs
Don’t omit a
necessary
verb
Examples:
They thought they
could do
what no one ever
had
before.
Is this sentence clear?
No, it needs a verb;
do
can’t serve both helping verbs
They thought they
could do
what no one
had
ever
done
before.
Is this sentence clear?
Yes, it is
I
have
not and probably never
will visit
Europe.
Is this sentence clear?
No.
Visit
can’t serve both helping verbs
I
have
not
visited
and probably never
will visit
Europe.
Is this sentence clear?
Yes
Slide4Articles
Don’t omit
necessary
articles (
a
,
an
, or
the
)
Examples:
Our neighbor has
a
black and white dog.
Is this sentence clear?
No, because the neighbor owns two dogs not a single black and white one
Our neighbor has
a
black and
a
white dog.
Is this sentence clear?
Yes, it’s talking about two separate dogs
They built a field house and administration building.
Clear?
No, because there is no distinction between separate buildings
They built
a
filed house and
an
administration building.
Clear?
Yes, because I said so
Slide5Prepositions and Conjunctions
Don’t omit
necessary
prepositions and conjunctions
Examples:
We have great confidence and respect
for
our President.
Clear?
Nope…you knew that was going to be the answer…now tell me why it’s
not clear?
We have great confidence
in
and respect
for
our President.
Clear?
Yup!
Do not imagine things will automatically correct themselves.
Clear?
No
Do not imagine
that
things will automatically correct themselves.
Clear?
As mud…I mean…yes
Slide6Comparisons
Don’t omit words
necessary
to complete an alternate comparison
Examples:
Your suggestion was
as
good, if not better,
than
mine.
Clear?
Absolutely…not
The first part of the comparison is not complete
The sentence reads “…was
as
good…
than
mine.”
Your suggestion was
as
good
as
, if not better
than
, mine.
OR
Your suggestion was
as
good
as
mine, if not better.
Clear?
Better be…or else
Slide7Comparison
Another example: (because I’m afraid you don’t understand)
Gabe is
one of the tallest
if not the tallest man in college basketball.
Clear?
You should know the routine by this slide
Gabe is
one of the tallest
men in college basketball, if not the tallest.
Clear?
Just nod yes and make me happy
Slide8Non sequiturs
Don’t write
non sequiturs
What is a
non sequitur
you ask?
It’s a Latin phrase that means “it does not follow”
So, that means it’s a statement that has no logical connection with the rest of the sentence
That means…don’t write them!
Let me give you an example:
Born in Milan, Ohio, in 1847
, Thomas Edison became a famous inventor.
That right there is a
non sequitur
…can anyone tell me why?
Anyone????
It doesn’t logically follow that if you’re born in Milan, Ohio, you’ll become a famous inventor
Slide9Non sequiturs
How about this?
A handsome young man and well liked by all his friends
, Caleb Brown was fatally injured in a car accident today.
Why is this a
non sequitur?
Because it does not follow that if you’re handsome and well liked, that you’ll have a fatal accident
So, the important part:
To correct a
non sequiturs
put it with information to which it is logically related or remove it altogether