Variety in

structure & length

Why use variety in your sentences?

Sentence variety is Sentence variety is necessary for a number of necessary for a number of reasons:reasons:

Sentence variety makes your Sentence variety makes your writing more interesting to readwriting more interesting to readSentence variety adds style & Sentence variety adds style & liveliness to your writingliveliness to your writingSentence variety will help Sentence variety will help develop your writing skillsdevelop your writing skills

4 Basic Sentence Structures

Simple: 1 independent clause; can have Simple: 1 independent clause; can have multiple phrasesmultiple phrases

Complex: 1 independent clause and at Complex: 1 independent clause and at least 1 dependent clause; can have least 1 dependent clause; can have multiple phrasesmultiple phrases

Compound: 2 or more independent clauses; Compound: 2 or more independent clauses; can have multiple phrasescan have multiple phrases

Compound: Complex: 2 or more independent Compound: Complex: 2 or more independent clauses; 1 or more dependent clauses; clauses; 1 or more dependent clauses; can have multiple phrasescan have multiple phrases

Elements of sentences

Independent Clause: has a Independent Clause: has a subject & verb; expresses a subject & verb; expresses a complete thought; can stand complete thought; can stand alone as a sentence.alone as a sentence.Dependent Clause: has a subject & Dependent Clause: has a subject & verb; does not express a complete verb; does not express a complete thought; cannot stand alone as a thought; cannot stand alone as a sentence.sentence.

Phrase: group of related word Phrase: group of related word functioning as a single unit; does functioning as a single unit; does not have a subject and / or verb; not have a subject and / or verb; does not express a complete does not express a complete thought; cannot stand alone as a thought; cannot stand alone as a sentence. sentence.

ExamplesSimple: The lonely young girl Simple: The lonely young girl stood dejectedly in the corner of stood dejectedly in the corner of the classroom.the classroom.Complex: While others chatted amiably Complex: While others chatted amiably around her, the girl remained silent around her, the girl remained silent and withdrawn.and withdrawn.

Compound: The room was crowded and Compound: The room was crowded and noisy, but she felt abandoned and noisy, but she felt abandoned and alone.alone.

Compound-Complex: Although she knew Compound-Complex: Although she knew they didn’t mean to ignore her, she they didn’t mean to ignore her, she still couldn’t help but feel left still couldn’t help but feel left out; it was as if she was completely out; it was as if she was completely invisible to her classmates.invisible to her classmates.

Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase is a A prepositional phrase is a phrase that begins with a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun preposition and ends with a noun known as the object of the known as the object of the preposition.preposition.Prepositional phrases usually Prepositional phrases usually indicate location, direction, or indicate location, direction, or association between elements in a association between elements in a sentence.sentence.

Example: Mrs. Custer organizes all Example: Mrs. Custer organizes all the novels the novels on her bookshelf.on her bookshelf.

Participial Phrases

A participle is an –ing verb that A participle is an –ing verb that is used as an adjective. Example: is used as an adjective. Example: The The singingsinging girl created a girl created a commotion in the hallway.commotion in the hallway.A participial phrase is a group of A participial phrase is a group of words that begins with a participle words that begins with a participle and functions together as an and functions together as an adjective.adjective.

Example: Example: Sitting quietly in her Sitting quietly in her deskdesk, Katrina concentrated on the , Katrina concentrated on the problem her math teacher had just problem her math teacher had just assigned.assigned.

Gerund PhrasesA gerund is an –ing verb that A gerund is an –ing verb that functions as a noun. Example: functions as a noun. Example: SwimmingSwimming is my favorite form of is my favorite form of exercise.exercise.A gerund phrase is a group of words A gerund phrase is a group of words that begins with a gerund and that begins with a gerund and functions together as a noun.functions together as a noun.

Example: Example: Running five miles Running five miles is is difficult for most people.difficult for most people.

Infinitive Phrases

An infinitive is a verb that is An infinitive is a verb that is preceded by the word “to”. preceded by the word “to”. Infinitives can function as Infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.Example: I am excited Example: I am excited to go to go to the to the beachbeach

An infinitive phrase is a group of An infinitive phrase is a group of words that begins with an infinitive words that begins with an infinitive and functions together as a noun, and functions together as a noun, adjective, or adverb.adjective, or adverb.

Example: Over the summer, I trained Example: Over the summer, I trained to run a marathon. to run a marathon.

AppositivesAn appositive is a word or group An appositive is a word or group of words placed close to a noun of words placed close to a noun to further identify or provide to further identify or provide more information about that noun.more information about that noun.Example: My favorite subject, Example: My favorite subject, EnglishEnglish, includes the study of , includes the study of different literary genres.different literary genres.Appositives can be either essential Appositives can be either essential or nonessential. or nonessential. Essential appositives are necessary Essential appositives are necessary to make the meaning of the sentence to make the meaning of the sentence clear.clear.Nonessential appositives are not Nonessential appositives are not necessary but provide extra necessary but provide extra information.information.

Tips for adding variety to boring sentences

Sentence Patterns

Six Sentence Patterns to Give Your

Writing Liveliness & Variety

Double adjective openingDouble adjective opening

““-ing” (participial phrases) -ing” (participial phrases) beginning or endbeginning or end

““-ly” (adverbial) opening-ly” (adverbial) opening

Informative interrupters Informative interrupters (appositives)(appositives)

Parallel StructureParallel Structure

Dependent clausesDependent clauses

Double Adjective Openings

Tall, handsomeTall, handsome lifeguards lifeguards flirt wildly with the pretty flirt wildly with the pretty girls.girls.

Rickety and dilapidatedRickety and dilapidated, the , the old schoolhouse didn’t stand old schoolhouse didn’t stand a chance in an earthquake.a chance in an earthquake.

YourTurn:

“-ing” (participial phrase) at beginning

Running like the windRunning like the wind, , Forrest Gump made national Forrest Gump made national headline news.headline news.

Saving the best for lastSaving the best for last, , Lisa finally ate her Lisa finally ate her Reese’s peanut butter cup.Reese’s peanut butter cup.

Your Turn:

“-ing” (participial phrase) at end

He trudged along the hot desert He trudged along the hot desert for days, for days, wishing he had brought wishing he had brought more water.more water.

Sandy gave the homeless man all Sandy gave the homeless man all the money she had, the money she had, hoping that hoping that her small act of kindness might her small act of kindness might bring him some comfortbring him some comfort..

Your Turn:

“-ly” (adverbial) at beginningCheerfullyCheerfully, she answered , she answered the phone for her mother.the phone for her mother.

Slowly opening the doorSlowly opening the door, , the servant tried not to the servant tried not to wake his master.wake his master.

Your Turn:

Informative Interrupters (appositives)

The fishThe fish, a slimy mass of flesh, , a slimy mass of flesh, felt the alligator’s giant teeth felt the alligator’s giant teeth sink into him as he struggled to sink into him as he struggled to swim away.swim away.

The childThe child, face covered with , face covered with chocolate doughnut,chocolate doughnut, asked his asked his mother if he could have some mother if he could have some milk.milk.

Your Turn:

Parallel Structure

He He goes out onto the baseball goes out onto the baseball fieldfield, , spins around second basespins around second base, , and and looks back at the academylooks back at the academy..

Choosing a Christmas treeChoosing a Christmas tree, , putting up Christmas lightsputting up Christmas lights, and , and baking Christmas cookiesbaking Christmas cookies are all are all included in my December included in my December traditions.traditions.

Your Turn:

Dependent Clauses

Because it rainedBecause it rained, the , the garden party was postponed.garden party was postponed.

Since the road construction Since the road construction is completeis complete, Jim can make , Jim can make it home in only ten it home in only ten minutes.minutes.

Your Turn: