Some examples illustrate both a general class and a statement about it
DEFINITION AND TYPES OF EXAMPLE-GIVING
Example-giving has four main features. Firstly, it names members of a previously-mentioned general class. For instance, cats or cats and dogs given as examples might be found alongside the general class name animals.
Secondly, example-giving indicates that fewer than all of the general class members are being mentioned. Without such indication, the reader will take any list of class members to be a complete one (see 54. Sentence Lists 1: Incidental) and mention of just one to be an identification (see 117. Restating Generalizations More Specifically). Writers might selectively mention class members because the class is too large. Sometimes they might indicate unmentioned members because they do not know if any exist and they want to avoid wrongly suggesting that none do (see 96. Making Statements More Uncertain 2).
Thirdly, class members named as examples are not chosen because they are special in any way; their choice is random. Thus, any statement beginning with in particular or above all or the most… is unlikely to be example-giving. For more about statements like these, see 54. Sentence Lists 1: Incidental.
Fourthly, the purpose of naming the class members is to clarify or verify the class name and/or statement about it. One can selectively name class members for other purposes, for example as an introduction to their longer discussion (see 263. Uses of “One” and “Ones”, #3), but then they are not examples. One can also clarify or verify with a complete list of class members – again not exemplification.
One kind of example-giving deals just with single general expressions. For the language choices available to facilitate it, see 1. Simple Example-Giving. Here, I wish to consider exemplification of multiple general expressions in the same sentence, like this:
(a) Many animal species have died out in the past. Dinosaurs, for example, disappeared 60 million years ago.
In this example, dinosaurs is a member of the class many animal species in the first sentence, but 60 million years ago can also be linked to a more general equivalent there: the past. The verb disappeared is just a differently-worded repetition of have died out. “Complex example-giving” is my own name for this sort of exemplification. It has a number of language features that can cause problems for writers.
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HOW TO GIVE A COMPLEX EXAMPLE
Unlike simple examples, complex ones allow much less choice about whether or not to place them in the same sentence as the general idea that they illustrate: they normally need a new sentence. Often this new sentence is introduced with example-showing words, but not always: in research that I conducted in 19851, I found that around 30% of new-sentence exemplification had no example-showing language. In such cases, the meaning of exemplification is understandable just from the positioning of the example sentence after the one containing the class name (see 18. Relations between Sentences).
The example-showing language most commonly associated with complex example-giving is for example, for instance and thus. Used like this, they are acting as connectors, like therefore and however (see 40. Conjunctions versus Connectors). The example-indicating use of thus needs to be distinguished from various other uses that it has (see 289. Exotic Grammar Structures 8, #1).
Other words that can show complex examples are take, consider, suppose and imagine (see below), plus various synonyms of connectors. One could, for example, start the example-containing sentence(s) with As an illustration…, or incorporate one of the words more typically associated with simple examples, such as one is, etc., say, an example or include.
Because for example and for instance are connectors, they are usually found with a comma after them, and their position is flexible. These are very different features from those that they have in simple example-giving, where they usually accompany noun-like examples and are hence more like prepositions (see 84. Seven Things to Know about Prepositions, #1). Note in particular that, while the connector use of for example (with complex examples) normally has a comma or full stop directly after it (as well as one before), the preposition use (with simple examples) generally has no directly-following punctuation (see 226. Words with Complicated Grammar 2, #4).
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COMMON ERRORS IN COMPLEX EXAMPLE-GIVING
The following are the main pitfalls to avoid:
Error 1: Incorrect Comma Use with “For Example” & ”For Instance”
It is easy to confuse the two different uses – connector and preposition – of these two expressions. As explained in the last section, complex example-giving needs the connector use (full stop/comma before and after).
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Error 2: Everything Said in One Sentence
Two forms of this error are:
(b) *Many environmental problems result from the use of air pollutants, for example acid rain is caused by sulphur dioxide.
(c) *Many environmental problems result from the production of air pollutants, for example sulphur dioxide, which causes acid rain.
The first of these is incorrect because it breaks the full stop rule of “new verb, new sentence”. The new verb (is caused) can only stay in the same sentence as the old one (result) if there is also a joining device (see 30. When to Write a Full Stop). There is no joining device in (b): the words for example are a connector, not a joining device.
Sentence (c) is grammatically correct (the joining device is which) but not recommended because its form is very rare: writers of formal English prefer to give complex examples in a new sentence.
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Error 3: “For Example”/“For Instance” in a Sentence without a Verb
It is possible to give the class member and the information about it in separate new sentences (see below), but not with for example or for instance, because they would then produce a sentence without a verb, like this:
(d) *Air pollutants cause many problems. For example sulphur dioxide. It leads to acid rain.
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Error 4: Repetition of the Class Name with “it”
Sentence (d) cannot be corrected by simply changing the full stop after sulphur dioxide into a comma. The problem then is the repetition with it. Although conversational English allows this sort of same-sentence pronoun repetition, formal written English does not (see 24. Good & Bad Repetition).
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“TAKE”, “CONSIDER”, “IMAGINE” AND “SUPPOSE
TAKE and CONSIDER enable a complex example to be given in more than one sentence:
(e) Air pollutants cause many problems. Take (or Consider) sulphur dioxide. This leads to acid rain.
TAKE and CONSIDER here are in the “imperative” form (see 128. Imperative Verbs in Formal Writing, #5). Their meanings are roughly the same (see 264. Variations in the Use of TAKE, #11). The noun after them (sulphur dioxide) exemplifies the first of two general ideas mentioned in the first sentence (air pollutants). The other general idea (problems) is exemplified in a later sentence (acid rain).
This kind of division does not lead to a sentence without a verb, like the “sentence” with for example/ for instance in (d) above, because TAKE and CONSIDER are themselves verbs. For example or for instance can actually be added after TAKE or CONSIDER, or at the end of their sentence.
Using TAKE or CONSIDER to exemplify in two sentences has a slightly different effect from using for example to exemplify in one: it places the focus more on the information in the last sentence. The information carried by the object of TAKE or CONSIDER is implied to be already known to the addressee. Thus, in (e), addressees are assumed to know already that sulphur dioxide is an example of air pollutants, and they are being informed primarily of its link with acid rain.
TAKE and CONSIDER seem equally usable most of the time. However, CONSIDER has to be used before objects beginning with a question word, such as how writers can show disagreement.
Instead of both TAKE and CONSIDER, it is also possible to use is a case in point:
(f) Air pollutants cause many problems. Sulphur dioxide IS A CASE IN POINT. It leads to acid rain.
Note how the third sentence here has it instead of this, because the noun it refers to is now the subject of the sentence before, not its object.
IMAGINE and SUPPOSE are similar to TAKE and CONSIDER but introduce hypothetical rather than factual examples. The object of both is commonly a that statement:
(g) Driving at high speed is sometimes necessary. Imagine that you are on a fast road. …
IMAGINE can also have an ordinary noun as its object, but SUPPOSE cannot.
Now here is an exercise that might help some of the above points to be better understood and remembered.
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PRACTICE EXERCISE (COMPLEX EXEMPLIFICATION)
In this exercise, you have to find example-giving that should have a full stop before it, and then identify the verb(s) in it that make the full stop necessary. Answers are given below.
1. Many countries besides Spain are Spanish-speaking for example Venezuela.
2. Some numbers below 25 can be exactly divided by at least five other numbers for instance 12 can be divided by 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.
3. Essay writing involves particular skills for example grouping and sequencing points in a logical way.
4. There are numerous requirements for giving a successful oral presentation for example using signpost language promotes audience attention.
5. Building more roads is desirable for various reasons for instance it can reduce accidents.
6. Languages can be learned with the help of special books for example dictionaries, which assist vocabulary acquisition.
7. Nature is an influential source of technological innovation consider the wings of birds these have facilitated aircraft design.
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ANSWERS: The new-sentence example giving should be in nos. 2 (can be divided), 4 (promotes), 5 (can reduce) and 7 (consider and have facilitated = two example sentences). Note that verbs with –ing or which (e.g. grouping in 3 and which assist in 6) do not by themselves require a new sentence.
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1FANNING, P. (1985) Exemplification in Academic Textbooks (MPhil Dissertation). Reading (England): University of Reading.
guinlist 
Sir,I read this post,and I found it much helpful. I have a confusion in that can I use “suppose” or “Let us consider” instead of take or consider for giving complex example.If these words cannot be used instead of take/consider then please state the use of those words.Actually I want to know the correct use of “suppose” or “Let us consider”.Please give one example of each and instances for using it.Thanks for the contribution that you provide us to learn English.
You are right: “suppose” and “let us suppose” do introduce complex examples. They need different grammar from “take” and “consider”, though: a following “that” (explicit or “understood”) plus a verb with its subject, like this: “Moral decisions are not always easy. SUPPOSE (THAT) you are very hungry. If you saw … etc”. There is also the verb IMAGINE. It can be used before either an object noun or “that” + verb.
Reblogged this on Erin Smith Summary.
No.6. Languages can be learned with the help of special books. For example, dictionaries assist in vocabulary acquisition. [ am i right?]
Thanks for your question, Daniel; it raises a useful point. In answer, your sentence is correct grammar (except that you added an unnecessary “in” after “assist” – there is no “in” in the original sentence). The point is that the original sentence, with a comma added before “for example” and the word “which” included, is also correct. This is because “which” (or “who”) in an example joins a verb in the example (here “assist”) onto the previous sentence. So there are two ways to give this example: either with a comma before and “which” included, or with a full stop before and no “which” (as you have done it). Your way is probably better English style. Note that examples with “which” break the normal rule that a complex example must be in a new sentence.
Thank you very much Mr.Paul for all your efforts.
part b. if i say, many academic subjects are influenced by ancient Greek thinkers. For example, philosophy is one of them. Asiimwe Denis
Interesting question, as many ask the same. Your suggested sentence is grammatically correct, but not good writing. The reason is repetitiveness: “for example” and “is one” mean the same thing, so you are saying it twice. You need a verb in this new sentence, so “one is” is possible by itself but “for example” is not.
thank you very much Mr.Paul.
according to me,the answer to number 7 is
Nature is an influential source of technology innovation.Consider the wings of birds these have facilitated aircraft design.
What do you think?
Thanks for your feedback, Ronald. Your answer is almost correct. What is missing is the full stop after “birds”. Remember that using “take” and “consider” requires the example-giving to be in two sentences.
are there other words that can replace ”which” in sentence 6?
No, I don’t think there is any other word that can replace “which” here. You could not use “that” because of the comma before “which” (“that” must have no comma before it). The next post on the site (no 34) will be about commas with “which” and “that”.