Fix the Fragment
Because Mary was shocked.
Answer: Mary was shocked because Patrick told her he was leaving.
Patrick told Mary that he was leaving her she was shocked.
Answers:
1. Patrick told Mary that he was leaving her. She was shocked.
2. Patrick told Mary that he was leaving her, and she was shocked.
3. Patrick told Mary that he was leaving her; she was shocked.
Mary waited happily for her husband, Patrick, to come home from work.
Answer:
Expand: She waited.
Use WHO and WHERE
Possible answer: Mary waited at home for Patrick.
Who is the main character of the story?
Answer: Mary Maloney.
After the police arrived at the house.
Answer: The police arrived at the house after Patrick was found.
Mary went to the grocery store she bought potatoes and peas.
Answers:
1. Mary went to the grocery store. She bought potatoes and peas.
2. Mary went to the grocery store, and she bought potatoes and peas.
3. Mary went to the grocery store; she bought potatoes and peas.
Patrick told Mary that he was leaving her while they were at home.
Answer:
Expand: He arrived.
Use WHO, WHERE, and WHEN.
Possible answer: Patrick arrived home from work in the evening.
What major news does Patrick give Mary?
Answer: He tells her that he is leaving her.
While the officers searched the house.
Answer: The officers searched the house while Mary waited.
At first the officers refused to eat the leg of lamb Mary insisted that Patrick would have wanted his friends to have a proper meal.
Answers:
1. At first the officers refused to eat the leg of lamb. Mary insisted that Patrick would have wanted his friends to have a proper meal.
2. At first the officers refused to eat the leg of lamb, but Mary insisted that Patrick would have wanted his friends to have a proper meal.
3. At first the officers refused to eat the leg of lamb; Mary insisted that Patrick would have wanted his friends to have a proper meal.
Mary grabbed a frozen leg of lamb from the freezer because she was still in shock.
Answer:
Expand: She grabbed the lamb.
Use WHO, WHERE, and WHY.
Possible answer: Mary grabbed the frozen leg of lamb from the freezer because she was going to prepare supper.
What object does Mary use to kill Patrick?
Answer: A frozen leg of lamb.
The frozen leg of lamb in the oven.
Answer: The frozen leg of lamb was cooking in the oven.
The officers searched the house they could not find the weapon.
Answers:
1. The officers searched the house. They could not find the weapon.
2. The officers searched the house, but they could not find the weapon.
3. The officers searched the house; they could not find the weapon.
Mary went to the grocery store after Patrick's death to make her story believable to the police.
Answer:
Expand: She went to the store.
Use WHO, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY.
Possible answer: Mary went to the grocery store after Patrick's death to buy food and make her story believable.
Why do the police believe Mary's story?
Answer: She acts like a grieving wife, has gone to the grocery store, and the grocer confirms her story.
Because Mary wanted the police to believe her story.
Answer: Mary went to the grocery store because she wanted the police to believe her story.
Patrick explained that he was leaving her he said he would make sure she had money and would take care of things, but he wanted the separation to be quiet.
Answers:
1. Patrick explained that he was leaving her. He said he would make sure she had money and would take care of things, but he wanted the separation to be quiet.
2. Patrick explained that he was leaving her; he said he would make sure she had money and would take care of things, but he wanted the separation to be quiet.
The police officers ate the leg of lamb at Mary's house because they were hungry and had been investigating Patrick's death.
Answers:
Expand: They ate it.
Use WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY.
Possible answer: The police officers ate the leg of lamb at Mary's house that evening because they were hungry and Mary offered it to them.
Why is the ending ironic?
Answer: The police are eating the very object they have been searching for. The reader knows the lamb was the weapon, but the officers do not.