I need to practice my English more, since I'll apply for jobs, and write proposals or reports in future. I need to write more, and be careful about the grammar.
The only social interaction I have now is the Chinese language group, otherwise I live in my lab. Before I go back for wedding in 5 months, I need to finish a paper, attend a conference, start my thesis, apply for jobs, and also visit uncle Liu in Indiana who could give me serious financial help. I don't need money now, but will do if I can't get a job before Spring 2008. But no worry, God will provide a way. I have confidence in HIM.
After a soccer game, good food and a cup of sencha make me feel drowsy. Taking a nap in a summer Saturday afternoon sounds so comfortable..
Saturday, August 19, 2006
write write write
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4 comments:
If you need grammatical assistance Tian, I'm here for ya. I majored in English, so I spent like the last 4 years of my life doing nothing but writing. Just give me the OK, and I can correct your blog and offer lessons from that. If you want. (That last sentence, by the way, is a fragment and technically ungrammatical.)
ah, thanks, besides me, also my fiance's application letters also will need your editting. That will be in next year hopefully.
I wish I had a grammar book to give you, but alas, I do not. So here's something to start.
Lesson #1: Commas. You should use them sparingly. The general rules for when to use commas are 1) when two complete sentences are joined with a conjuntcion (and, but, or), 2) following a subordinate clause (subordinate clauses usually begin with words like after, when, if, and loads of others), 3) before an appositive or descriptive clause (like "Tian, who is a great speller, needs to write more"--you set off the descriptive clause in commas), 4) following multiple prepositional phrases (like you'll see in my next sentence).
In the first two sentences of your entry, all your commas are unnecessary. You don't need one before "since." Ironically, if you began the sentence with "Since I'll apply for jobs..." you would need a comma after that clause, but if the subordinate clause follows the complete sentence (here "I need to practice my English more"), you don't need to separate it with a comma. The first sentence of your last paragraph follows the rule correctly, separating the subordinate clause "After a soccer game" with a comma.
Also, the commas you use before "and" in these sentences are unnecessary becuase the clauses following "and" are not complete sentences. You would use a comma if the sentence read "I need to write more, and I need to be careful about the grammar," but since their is no subject in the second clause (only an object), you don't need the comma.
I almost forgot about another comma rule which you used perfectly: commas to separate the items on a list. Awesome.
Hopefully that makes sense.
I guess this is the first ever blog comment that is printed out.
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