GG1: Lesson Three

Exercise 3-1
a.) For this practice, use the modifier “only” and create different meanings for the following sentence. How many different sentences can you create?

1) The only high school choir sang for the guest.
2) Only the high school choir sang for the guest.
3) The high school choir only sang for the guest.
4) The high school choir sang only for the guest.
5) The high school choir sang for only the guest.
6) The high school choir sang for the only guest.
7) The high school choir sang for the guest only.

b.) For this exercise, use the phrase “covered with snow” and see how many different sentences you can make by adding it to the following sentence. In each sentence, identify the noun this adjective phrase is modifying. Finally, indicate those sentence(s), which have unclear subjects. (Feel free to rearrange the words, but do not add or delete any.)

1) The cabin, covered with snow high on the mountain slope, had a circle drive. (unclear because it could modify either the cabin or the mountain slope)
2) The cabin, high on the mountain slope, covered with snow, had a circle drive. (mountain slope)
3) The cabin, high on the mountain slope, had a circle drive covered with snow. (circle drive)
4) Covered with snow, the cabin, high on the mountain slope, had a circle drive. (The cabin)

Exercise 3-1
Go back to Writing exercise 2-1 and rewrite your passage, changing the verb tense. If you used present tense, change it to past tense, or future tense. If you used past tense, change it to present or future tense, etc. Try to keep everything else about your passage the same (unless I suggested changes to you, you may make those changes…in fact I hope you will!)

(Past tense)
Owning my own business has been an amazing and challenging experience. I have spent ten years working for various companies and earned a wage that didn't reflect my contributions or skills as an employee. However, as my own boss, when I worked hard, I saw direct results and benefits from my hard work. I didn't need to report my hours to a boss in order to get paid. I worked as my schedule allowed.

I was also a mother and being a business owner allowed me flexibility in my schedule to be with her more than if I worked a full-time job. I earned compensation that was a reflection of my contributions and skills in the business. I also received tax benefits by being able to deduct expenses from my business that I might not otherwise, such as portions of my utilities, cell phone, internet usage, and mileage when I used them for business purposes. Because of my tax bracket and income, I was exempt from paying taxes for the last two years. I saved my tax refunds to buy my first house. I wanted to purchase my home in two years.