SENTENCE COMPOSITION
SENTENCE COMPOSITION
A sentence is the most fundamental and
versatile tool available to the writer.
Sentences generally flow from a subject,
to a verb, to any objects, complements,
or modifiers, but can be ordered in a
variety of ways to achieve emphasis. We
can define a sentence as a group of
words that express a complete thought.
Consider the following group of words:
Ex. "The notorious robbers"
SENTENCE COMPOSITION
According to the definition, a sentence
must express a complete thought. It is
true that the words "The notorious
robbers" create a mental image, but in
terms of communicating a thought to
the reader, something is lacking. To
complete the thought started by the
words, you must tell what the robbers
did, or what happened to the robbers, or
what the robbers are.
SENTENCE COMPOSITION
Incomplete Thought Complete Thought
struck again.
were cornered by authorities.
The notorious robbers are from Legazpi City.
posted bail bond.
regrouped in Naga City.
killed the victims.
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
A sentence consists of two basic parts,
the subject and the predicate. The subject
of a sentence, a noun or a pronoun (and
its modifiers) is the part about which
something is being appear anywhere in a
sentence, it most often appears at the
beginning. said. The predicate is the part
that says something about the subject.
EX. Subject - Lightning
Predicate - strikes
THE SIMPLE PREDICATE, OR VERB
The simple predicate is the verb (or verb phrase) alone; the
complete predicate is the verb and its modifiers and
complements. A compound predicate consists of two or more
verbs with the same subject. It is an important device for
conciseness in writing. The principal word or group of words in
the predicate is called the simple predicate, or the verb.
The predicate is the part of a sentence that contains the main
verb and any other words used to complete the thought of the
sentence the verds modifiers, and complements).
Ex. Helen worked quickly and eficiently.
THE SIMPLE SUBJECT
The simple subject is the main word or combination of words
that names the person, place, thing, or idea about which
something is being said. Ex. The performance of these engines
shows the expertise of industrial technicians in the late 1800's.
[The complete subject is "The performance of these engines".
The simple subject is "performance"]
COMPOUND SUBJECTS AND COMPOUND VERBS
A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are
joined by a conjunction and have the same verb. The usual
connecting words are and and or.
Ex. The books and all the documents were at the library.
[compound subject: books and documents]
CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES
Sentences may be classified according to their purposes:
(1) to make a statement,
(2) to ask a question,
(3) to command or request, or
(4) to exclaim.
A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a
statement. Ex. Police Inspector is the initial rank of police
commissioned offcer.
CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES
An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a question.
Ex. Have you seen the PNP journal?
An imperative sentence is a sentence that gives a command
or makes a request. effective tomorrow.
Ex. Deliver this message to the Chief of Operations.
Please carry me on leave effective tomorrow.
An exclamatory sentence is a sentence that expresses a
strong feeling or emotion.
Ex. Ah, you have solved the problem!
SENTENCES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE
Classified according to their structure, there are four kinds of
sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-
complex.
A simple sentence is a sentence with one independent clause
and no subordinate clauses.
Ex. The invention of the microchip is the beginning of personal.
A compound sentence is a sentence that is composed of two
or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses. Ex.
The invention of the microchip is the beginning of personal
computing but it meant the end of macro-computers.
SENTENCES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE
A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one
independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.
Ex. The person who looks for success often finds it.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
As previously discussed, effective police reports must be
organized, logical, and present all relevant information. An
effective report must also be written in plain English to be
useful and understandable for the reader.
1. Paragraphs
Paragraphs are the structural units for grouping information.
Regardless of whether a narrative or category format is used
for the investigative report, all paragraphs within the report
must be clear and easy to understand.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
When writing an investigative report, the first sentence (lead-in
sentence) of each paragraph should clearly state the primary
topic or subject of the paragraph.
The sentences that follow within the paragraph should present
facts, ideas, reasons, or examples that are directly related to
the primary topic.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
The following table presents examples of poorly organized and
well organized paragraphs.
Poorly Organized Well Organized
When we arrived, the husband let us into the My partner and I were dispatched to a
house. We were responding to a 9-1-1 call. My domestic violence incident after a woman
partner and I had been dispatched to an dialed 9-1-1. The woman called for help
incident of domestic violence. A woman called because she was afraid her husband would
for help to keep her husband from beating beat her. When we arrived, the husband let
her. us into the house
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
The following table presents examples of poorly organized and
well organized paragraphs.
Poorly Organized Well Organized
Marie Parker said her husband refused to took Marie Parker's statement
answer the door at first when he heard the approximately 45 minutes after the assault
man on the other side begin to shout. I took took place. Parker said she was sitting in the
her statement approximately 45 minutes family room when her husband went to see
after the assault took place. She was sitting who was at the door. Initially her husband
in the tamily room when her husband went to refused to answer the door when he heard
see who was at the door the man on the other side begin to shout.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a
single topic. Learning to write good paragraphs will help you, as
a writer, stay on track during your drafting and revision stages.
Good paragraphing also greatly assists your readers in
following a piece of writing. You can have fantastic ideas. But if
those ideas aren't presented in an organized fashion, you will
lose your readers (and fail to achieve your goals in writing).
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
2. The Basic Rule: Keep one idea in one paragraph. The basic
rule of thumb with paragraphing is to keep one idea in one
paragraph. If you begin to transition into a new idea, it belongs
in a new paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you
are on the same topic or a new one.
You can have one idea and several points in a single paragraph
as long as they relate to the overall topic of the paragraph. If
the single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on
each of them and placing them in their own paragraphs is the
route to go.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
3. Elements of a paragraph To be as effective as possible, a
paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity,
Coherence, A Topic Sentence, and Adequate Development. As
you will see, all of these traits overlap. Using and adapting
them to your individual purposes will help you construct
effective paragraphs.
a. Unity. The entire paragraph should concern itself with a
single focus. If it begins with one focus or major point of
discussion, it should not end with another or wander within
different ideas.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
B. Coherence.
Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily
understandable to eader. You can help create conerence in
your paragraphs by creating logical and verb: bridges using
appropriate transition words.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
i. Logical bridges - The same idea of a topic is carried over from
sentence to sentence. Successive sentences can be
constructed in parallel form.
ii. Verbal bridges - Key words can be repeated in several
sentences. Synonymous words can be repeated in several
sentences. Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences,
and pronouns should agree with their antecedents in person,
number, and gender. Transition words can be used to link ideas
from different sentences.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
c. Topic sentence.
A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way
what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. Although
not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and despite
the fact that topic sentences can occur anywhere in the
paragraph (as the first sentence, the last sentence, or somewhere
in the middle), an easy way to make sure your reader understands
the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic sentence near the
beginning of the paragraph. (This is a good general rule for less
experienced writers, although it is not the only way to do it.
Regardless of whether you include an explicit topic sentence or
not, you should be able to easily summarize what the paragraph
is about.
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
d. Adequate development.
The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be
discussed fully and adequately. Again, this varies from paragraph
to paragraph, depending on the authors purpose, but writers
should be wary of paragraphs that only have two or
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
4. Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:
Use examples and illustrations
Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)
Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and
paraphrases)
Use an anecdote or story
Define terms in the paragraph
Compare and contrast
Evaluate causes and reasons
Examine effects and consequences
Analyze the topic
Describe the topic
Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
5. When to start a new paragraph. You should start a new
paragraph:
i. To begin a new idea or point. New ideas should always start in
new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans
multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should
have its own paragraph.
ii. To contrast information or ideas. Separate paragraphs can
serve to contrast sides in a debate, different points in an
argument, or any other difference
WRITING CLEARLY AND LOGICALLY
iii. To pause for the readers. Breaks between paragraphs
function as a short «break» for your readers-adding these in
will help your writing be more readable. You would create a
break if the paragraph becomes too long or the material is
complex.
iv. To end the introduction or to start the conclusion. The
introductory and concluding materials should always be in a
new paragraph. Many introductions and conclusions have
multiple paragraphs depending on their content, length, and
the writer's purpose.
TRANSITIONS
Transitions are words or phrases that show relationships
between thoughts, sentences, or paragraphs. By selecting
appropriate transitional words, officers can help readers move
smoothly and logically from detail to detail and sentence to
sentence within the report. following table suggests a few of
the possible transitional words and phrases officers may use
within their reports.
TRANSITIONS
Type of Transition Words/Phrases Examples
Time Caster said he noticed the
Immediately door was not completely
In the meantime shut, so he decided to find
At the same time out why.
When
Before Immediately after entering
Prior to the room, he saw the
window was broken.
TRANSITIONS
Type of Transition Words/Phrases Examples
Place Near Caster said he saw broken
Beyond glass on the floor under the
Next to window.
Under
Behind Near the glass, he saw a
Around large brick.