AboutRosemary Lenc Expertise I am a retired Middle School teacher. I am an expert in grammar (structure of the English
language) and writing. I have been a volunteer with AOL Ask A Teacher and have
submitted many articles and special collections (one on diagramming sentences and one
with worksheets and answers so students can check their own practice on grammar skills)
to their knowledge database. I still am with them but would like other work where I can
help students with their English study. I have time to help you with this, if you want me. I
can help with grade school, middle school and high school grammar & writing and can
also look up information on literature (reading) for students and help them with it.
Please let me know if I can be of help in these areas. Thank you.
Rosemary Lenc
Experience
Past/Present clients Have helped many, many students in grade school language arts, middle school and high
school grammar and writing in both the chat rooms (live help that AOL use to have) and
message board answers plus the many students i have taught as a teacher.
Will you please read the following selection and help me with the sentence enclosed in asterisks? If you'd point out any incorrect usage or omission of commas, I'd be grateful too. You may feel free to proof only the selection below or this entire question if you are so inclined. I know that commas precede an independent clause, otherwise, I find it difficult to know when to employ them. The selection:
The function of these circular neoprene pads is to reduce the playing volume of the drum kit substantially while leaving a fair portion of the drums' tones intact. **This makes practice much less irritating to neighbors, without killing the pleasure in practice by reducing each different drum's sound to a uniform monotone thud.**
My point in the asterisked sentence above is supposed to be that neoprene muffling pads do not kill the pleasure of practice because they do not reduce each individual drum sound to a uniform, monotone thud. (The neighbors might prefer monotones, but they will have to settle for substantially reduced volume.) Have I expressed my point grammatically?
Thank you very much for your help.
John
Answer John, I would change a few word positions so that your idea is clearly stated.
This is how I would write it BUT always remember that my way of writing something is not written in brick. You have to have your own persona (own way of saying something) as long as it is grammatically correct.
I would say:
The function of these circular neoprene pads is to substantially reduce the playing volume of the drum kit, while leaving a fair portion of the drums' tones intact. Practice becomes less irritating to the neighbors and yet the drummer's practice is a pleasure because it does not reduce each drum's sound to a uniform montone thud.
