UNITY

SENTENCE UNITYA sentence has

unity if it expresses only one main idea.

HOW TO ACHIEVE SENTENCE UNITY?

Consistent Use of Tenses

A verb in an adverbial clause generally agrees with the tense of the verb in the main clause.

EXAMPLE:

We finished our work before we watched “GGV”.

The verb in the adjective clause doesn’t

need to agree in the tense with the verb in the main clause when the two actions are not necessarily related in time of occurrence.

EXAMPLE:

Ms. Dragona, who was my teacher in

elementary, is now in

Antarctica.

The verb takes the present tense of the verb if the idea being

expressed is a universal truth or a

relatively permanent condition.

EXAMPLE:

The sun rises in the east.

Use the tense form of the word that tells the time

of action one wishes to express.

EXAMPLE:

He was in Manila last

week, but now he is in Baguio.

Consistent use of

Number

Avoid unnecessary

shifting from first person to third person or vice

versa

EXAMPLE:

If the students pass their project on time, they will

obtain a good mark.

Consistent Use of Persons

of pronouns

Shifting persons of pronouns will

destroy unity. The pronouns must agree with their

antecedents.

EXAMPLES:

Everybody is entitled to his own opinion.

She is inviting us to attend her celebration.

Consistent Use of Subject

Do not shift subject in a sentence.

EXAMPLE:

Students stay up late at night but the projects are not usually accomplished.

Consistent use of Voice

Voice is the aspect of a verb

that tells whether the subject performs or receives the

action.

EXAMPLES:Active

The department chair held a meeting and discussed some

important matters for the upcoming seminar.

PassiveAn inspirational message is

given.

Consistent use of Mood

Mood is an aspect of the verb which

indicates whether the action or condition is factual (indicative) or

contrary to fact (subjunctive)

Consistent use of

Language

Use the same language throughout the sentence. Avoid the use of foreign terms and phrases

which have not been incorporated into the

language.

COHERENCE

It means putting ideas in logical order showing their relationship with one another. The sentence elements should be in proper word order.

HOW TO ACHIEVE

COHERENCE IN THE

SENTENCE?

Avoid misplaced

and dangling modifier.

MISPLACED MODIFIERa word or phrase that modifies the wrong word.

Example:

Faulty: Listening to the radio, bits of news are picked up by the students.

DANGLING MODIFIERA word that the verbal phrase should logically modify is not the sentence.

Example:

Faulty: To glean an information, the channel is turned to “Magandang Gabi Bayan”.

One-word modifiers of

nouns are usually placed before the

nouns they modify.

Phrase and clause modifiers of nouns are usually placed immediately after

the words they modify.

EXAMPLES:

The child, playing with his playmates, called his nursemaid to bring them his toys.

I met the man who painted this exquisite artwork.

Phrase modifiers may be placed at the beginning of the sentence that the noun or pronoun that follows is the subject of the word modified.

EXAMPLE:

Having been guilty of the accusations, he finds way for his way out.

Two phrases or clauses which are parallel in form and which modify the same word may be placed either before or after the word they modify.

EXAMPLE:

She is studying hard because she wants to please her parents and because she aims for higher grades.

Having gone to Baguio and having visited some of its places, I wished to have a house in one of those places.

ORDER IN PARAGRA

PHS

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

it is time order, the order in which events happen.

EXAMPLE:

Papier mache sculpture can be made from a few items. First, cut newspaper into one or two inch strips. Then, dip the paper into a mixture of water and white paste. Finally, mold the strips over a box, a hanger, or wadded newspaper. The shape you create will soon harden.

SPATIAL ORDER one describes the position of one part or object in relation to another.

Entering city hall is like traveling in a time machine. Outside, the century old marble steps and columns greet you like an ancient caretaker. But once inside the majestic doors, you are met by clicking typewriters and beeping computers.

ORDER OF IMPORTANCEOne begins with the most important details and end with the least important

details. You can also begin with the least important and end with the most

important.

Example:

Glenda Almo was more fortunate than the motherless, fatherless, little child scavenging for food on streets. She had a father. She had a warm house. - And she had a friend- her grandmother. She was very old and not strong, but she loved Glenda and took care of her. Glenda’s father was too busy to pay much attention to her, but her grandmother was always there when she needed her.