Sentence Variety2 -English Speaking Course Lucknow (CDI) –

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Sentence Variety

Vary the Beginnings of

Sentences

Vary Methods of Joining Ideas


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Vary the Beginnings of Sentences

A prepositional phrase is a group of wordscontaining apreposition and its object(anoun or pronoun).

Preposition Object

To you

In the evening

Under the old bridge


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Common Prepositions

about beneath into throughout

above beside near to

across between of towardagainst by on under

among except onto up

at for out upon

behind from over with

below in through without


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Variety is the spice of life

For variety in your writing, begin an occasional sentence with aprepositional phrase.

1 Charles left the room without a word.

2 Without a word, Charles left the room.

1 A fat yellow cat lay sleeping on the narrow sill.

2 On the narrow sill, a fat yellow cat lay sleeping.

Note the slight shift in emphasis that results from beginning with a

prepositional phrase. Prepositional phrases that begin sentencesare usually followed by commas. However, short prepositionalphrases need not be.


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Join Ideas with a

Compound Predicate!A sentence with a compound predicatecontains more than one verb, but the subject isnotrepeated before the second verb. These

types of sentences are really composed of twosimple sentences with one subject.

1. The nurse entered.

2. The nurse quickly closed the door.3. The nurse enteredand quickly closedthe

door.


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A compound predicate is useful in

combining short sentences.1 He serves elaborate meals.2 He never uses a recipe.

3 He serves elaborate meals yet never uses a recipe.

4 Aviators rarely get nosebleeds.

5 They often suffer from backaches.

6 Aviators rarely get nosebleeds but often suffer from backaches

Sentences 1 and 2 are combined by yetand no comma proceeds yet.Sentences 4 and 5 are joined by butand no comma proceeds but.

Now you try it! Combine the following fourpairs of short sentences into foursentences with compound predicates. Use and, but, or, and yet.

1 She love him. 2 She cannot live without him.

3 The cat loves to watch television. 4 She sits right in front of the screen.5 The fuchsia is a showy houseplant. 6 It droops terribly when it gets dry.

7 These statistics are very interesting. 8 They prove that your theory is true.


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Joining Ideas with an ingModifier

is an excellent way to combine two

sentences! It is achieved by converting the verb with an ingand dropping the subject.

The ingmodifier is set off from the word to which it refers.

An ingmodifier indicates that two actions are occurring at the same time.

The main idea of the sentence should be contained in the main clause, NOT inthe ingmodifier.

1 - He peered through the microscope.

2 - He discovered a squiggly creature.

3 Peering through the microscope, he discovered a squiggly creature.

1 We drove to Tompkins Road.

2 We were surprised by the number of for sale signs.

3 Driving down Tompkins Road, we were surprised by the number of for salesigns.


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Quiz Yourself!

Combine the following sentences using ingmodifiers:

1 She performed the surgery with great skill.

2 She saved the patients life.

1 The child pedaled furiously down the sidewalk.

2 The child ignored the big kids on their flashy ten speed bikes.

1 They conducted a survey of Jackson Heights residents.

2 They found that most opposed construction of the airport.

1 Three flares spiraled upward from the little boat.

2 - They exploded against the night sky.

1 We camped on Mount Snow.

2 We learned a lot about self-reliance.


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Join Ideas with a Past Participial Modifier

Some sentences can be joined with apast participial modifier. Asentence that contains a to be verb and apast participialcan bechanged into apast participial modifier.

1 Judith is alarmedby the increase in meat prices.

2 Judith has become a vegetarian.3 Alarmed by the increase in meat prices, Judith has become a

vegetarian.

The sentence has been made into a past participial modifier bydropping the helping verb is and the subject Judith. The past

participial alarmednow introduces the new sentence.A comma sets off the past participial modifier from the word it modifies,

Judith. In order to avoid confusion, the word referred to mustdirectly follow the modifier.


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Lets look at some more . . .

1 The term paper was revisedand rewritten.

2 It received an A.

3 Revised and rewritten, the term paper received an A.

1 Duffy was surprised by the interruption.

2 He lost his train of thought.

3 Surprised by the interruption, Duffy lost his train ofthought.

Now YOU try!


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1 My mother was married at the age of sixteen.

2 My mother never finished high school.

1 The citizens have started cleanup and consciousness-raising campaigns.

2 They are concerned about conditions in the ghetto.

1 The game will take place on Sunday.2 It was rained out twice.

1 The manuscript is very hard to read.

2 It is written in longhand.

1 The tree is withered and yellow.

2 - It needs a thorough watering.


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Now you write the sentences . . .

Write five sentences of your own that begin

with past participial modifiers. If you wish,

use the words in this past participial list:

Thrilled Angered Seen Honored

Shocked Dressed Hidden Bent

Awakened Lost Stuffed FoundExamined Annoyed Pinched Rewired


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Join Ideas with an Appositive

A great way to add variety to your writing is to join ideas with anappositive.

1 Carlos is the new wrestling champion.

2 He is a native of Argentina.

3 Carlos, a native of Argentina, is the new wrestling champion.-OR-

3 A native of Argentina, Carlos is the new wrestling champion.

An appositive is a word or group of words that renames or describes a

noun or pronoun. A native of Argentina in #2 is an appositive. Itrenames Carlos. An appositive must be placed either directly afterthe word to which it refers or directly before it.


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Here are some more . . .

1 Naomi wants to become a fashion model.

2 She is the daughter of an actress.

3 The daughter of an actress, Naomi wants to become a fashion model.

1 FACT made headlines first the first time in 1981.

2 FACT is now a powerful consumer group.3 FACT, now a powerful consumer group, made headlines for the first

time in 1981.

1 Watch out for Smithers.

2 He is a dangerous man.

3 Watch out for Smithers, a dangerous man.

1 My uncle taught me to use water colors.

2 He is a well-known artist.

3 A well-known artist, my uncle taught me to use water colors.


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Write 6 sentences using appositives

In two sentences, place the appositive

at the beginning

In two sentences, place the appositivein the middle

In two sentences, place the appositive

at the end


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Join Ideas with a Relative Clause

Relative Clauses can add sophistication to your writing. ARelative Clause begins with who, which, orthatanddescribes a noun or pronoun. It can join two simplesentences in a longer, more complex sentence.

1 Jack just won a scholarship from the Arts Council.

2 He makes wire sculpture.

3 Jack, who makes wire sculpture,just won ascholarship from the Arts Council.

Who makes wire sculpture is a Relative Clause andreplaces the subject with who. Who now introduces thesubordinate relative clause.


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Lets try these together:

1 Carrots grow in cool climates.2 They are high in vitamin A.

3 Carrots, which are high in vitamin A, grow in cool climates.

1 He finally submitted the term paper.

2 It was due six days ago.

3 He finally submitted the term paperthatwas due six days ago.

1 My cousin will spend the summer hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

2 She lives in Indiana.

3 My cousin, who lives in Indiana, will spend the summer hiking in the

Rocky Mountains.


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Now, try these on your own and dont forget to

punctuate them correctly.

1 The house is for sale.

2 I was born in it.

1 My boss loves clothes.

2 They are fluid and easy to wear.

1 - He described an attitude.

2 I have experienced it.

1 Job hunting can be fun.

2 Many people dislike it.

1 Parenthood has taught me acceptance, forgiveness, and love.

2 It used to terrify me.


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Combine each of the following

pairs of sentences by changing one

into a relative clause introduced bywho, which, orthat.

Remember, who refers to people, thatrefers to people or things, andwhich refers to things. Be careful of the punctuation. Hint: which

clauses are usuallyset off bycommas and that clauses are usuallynot.

1 You just won an antique pitcher.

2 It is worth two thousand dollars.

1 Professor Wong has lived all over the world.2 He speaks six languages.

1 Leon Jarvis will appear on the TodayShow.

2 He has thirty gold records.


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HOMEWORK!

Write several paragraphs about a schoolsubject that you enjoy.

Use at least one of the following:

Relative Clause

Appositive

Past Participial Modifier

INGModifier Compound Predicate

Prepositional Phrase

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