Graduating from Word to Sentence to Essay

ESL 970G Advanced Grammar and Editing

Marsha Chan

An essay comprised of 14 complex and compound-complex sentences

Mission College, where I teach, has a well-developed ESL program. It includes courses that range from 910 Foundations, where students learn words and short sentences, to 970 Advanced, where students give speeches and write essays. Some of the students who take my classes have studied English for several years. After students have completed ESL 960G, 960LS, and 960RW, they are eligible for 970G. However, some students are able to waive the ESL 960 course prerequisites since they can demonstrate that they have learned English elsewhere. The ESL 970G students whom I teach online access the course at AngelLearning every day of the week. ESL 970G students realize that they need to review and refine their sentence writing skills so that they will be able to communicate more effectively. Diligent students try to learn whenever, however, wherever, and whatever they can during the sixteen-week semester.

As I have learned many languages and taught ESL for over two decades, I understand how hard it is to learn another language unless one starts at a very young age. If a student does not pass the class the first time, he or she may repeat it; even students who pass the class with an A, B, or C take it again because they know that there is always something new for them to learn.

In Fall 2006, when an adult essay contest was announced, one of my ESL 970G students, an engineer, wrote and submitted an essay. Although she did not win that particular contest, she was among the top ten of over sixty submissions, which made me very proud and gave her confidence a big boost. Since that time, her essay A Profound Change has been published in the Mission College Counseling Connections and the TESOL Newsletter As We Speak. Whenever you wonder whether you can accomplish something, just remember that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Sentence Structure Analysis

[dependent clause]

subordinator

Adverbial clause

Restrictive relative adjective clause

Nonrestrictive relative adverb clause

Noun Clause

1. Mission College, [where I teach], has a well-developed ESL program.
   Nonrestrictive relative adverb clause (NR rel adv cl)
   where = the place
2. It includes courses [that range from 910 Foundations, [where students learn words and short sentences], to 970 Advanced, [where students give speeches and write essays]].
   Restrictive relative adjective clause (Res rel adj cl)
   Adv cl of place
   Adv cl of place
   that = subj of range
3. Some of the students [who take my classes] have studied English for several years.
   Res rel adj cl
   who = subj of take
4. [After students have completed ESL 960G, 960LS, and 960RW], they are eligible for 970G.
   Adv cl of time
5. However, some students are able to waive the ESL 960 course prerequisites [since they can demonstrate [that they have learned English elsewhere]].
   Adv cl of reason
   N cl = obj of demonstrate
6. The ESL 970G students [whom I teach online] access the course at AngelLearning every day of the week.
   Res rel adj cl
   whom = obj of teach
7. ESL 970G students realize [that they need to review and refine their sentence writing skills] [so that they will be able to communicate more effectively].
   N cl = obj of realize
   Adv cl of result
8. Diligent students try to learn [whenever, however, wherever, and whatever they can during the sixteen-week semester].
   N cl = obj of learn
9. [As I have learned many languages and taught ESL for over two decades], I understand [how hard it is to learn another language] [unless one starts at a very young age].
   Adv cl of reason
   N cl = obj of understand
   Adv cl of condition
10. [If a student does not pass the class the first time], he or she may repeat it; even students [who pass the class with an A, B, or C] take it again [because they know [that there is always something new for them to learn]].
    Adv cl of condition
    Res rel adj cl
    N cl = obj of know
    Adv cl of reason
11. In Fall 2006, [when an adult essay contest was announced], one of my ESL 970G students, an engineer, wrote and submitted an essay.
    Adv cl of time
12. [Although she did not win that particular contest], she was among the top ten of over sixty submissions, [which made me very proud and gave her confidence a big boost].
    Adv cl of contrast
    NR rel adv cl modifies the whole previous clause
13. [Since that time], her essay "A Profound Change" has been published in the Mission College Counseling Connections and the TESOL Newsletter As We Speak.
    Adv cl of time
14. [Whenever you wonder [whether you can accomplish something]], just remember [that you can do [whatever you put your mind to]].
    Adv cl of time
    N cl = obj of wonder
    N cl = obj of remember
    N cl = obj of do

Vocabulary Analysis

Click here to view an analysis of the lexical items in the sentences above.

A Profound Change

Click here to read the essay by Kim Le

Writing Assignment

Write ten complex or compound-complex sentences related to a topic of your choice. Compose at least two sentences with adverbial clauses, two sentences with noun clauses, and three sentences with relative clauses (at least one restrictive and one nonrestrictive). Set each dependent clause in square brackets. Use a different subordinator in each sentence. Include count and noncount nouns. Pay attention to prepositions, articles, determiners, noun forms, verb forms, and punctuation. On the appropriate discussion board, type a suitable title in the subject line, and enter the sentences in the body of the message. Annotate each sentence with an explanation of the complex sentence structure.

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