Sentence Patterns 4 &

5

Pattern 4: a series without a

conjunction• A, B, C

• Separate items by commas

• Effects• gives your sentence a quick, staccato

sound• Each item receives equal emphasis

Parallel in Form and Function

• Awkward sentences:• The typical teenage user of snuff is white,

active, and athletic, and subjected to very heavy peer pressure.

• Swimming, surfing, to go boating—these were Sally’s favorite sports at the summer camp.

• Revisions• The typical teenage user of snuff is white,

active, athletic, and peer pressure is very heavy.

• Swimming, surfing, boating—these were Sally’s favorite sports at the summer camp.

Pattern 4 Examples

• The teacher handled the situation with great patience, wisdom, humor.

• It took courage, skill, knowledge—and he had them all.

• Their friendship has endured, in spite of arguments, boyfriends, distance.

Pattern 4a: a series with a variation

• A or B or C (in any place in the sentence)

• A and B and C (in any place in the sentence)

• Effect:• Tumbling rhythm• Slow the pacing and flow of a sentence

Examples of Pattern 4a

• Even though he is smart, I have never seen Keith arrogant or annoyed or impatient.

• The intense heat and exhaustion and the twenty-six miles had confused and crippled Gabriela Scheiss, but there was something in her spirit that sustained her during the 1988 Los Angeles Olympic marathon.

Practice: for each number, write

sentences using pattern 4 and

4A.1. oranges peaches kiwismangoes 

2. soccer in spring baseball in summer hockey in winter football in autumn

3. red beans green beans garbanzo beans

4. science math history English

Pattern 5: a series of balanced pairs

• A and B , C and D, E and F (in any place in the sentence)

• Series of at least two pairs with a conjunction between the items in each pair

• Effect: Balanced rhythm

• Remember: check for orderly progression and for items that are similar in length and function

Examples of Pattern 5

• The textbook clearly showed the distinctions between prose and poetry, denotation and connotation, deduction and induction.

• Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, Lancelot and Guinevere were all famous lovers in literature.

• Eager yet fearful, confident but somewhat suspicious, Jason eyed the barber who would give him his first haircut.

Practice : fill in the blanks to use pattern

5.1. Tea or coffee, _________ or ________, __________ or

____________—these are popular drinks.

2. Some foods just seem to go together, like: _____________ and ______________, _____________ and _________________.

3. Americans choose both a president and a vice president every four years; in the past we have chosen from ______________ and ______________, ____________ and _________________.

4. Some Hollywood couples like __________ and ____________ or __________ and _______ manage to have good marriages.

Review

• Write a sentence for each pattern on the topic of WINTER

• Pattern 3

• Pattern 4

• Variation 4A

• Pattern 5