Download More Sentence Variety Tools - Garnet Valley School District

Sentence Variety Tools:
Keep it# 2
1.) Mix it up! Use compound and simple sentences. Try a semi-colon:

Simple sentences: __________________________________________________

Compound sentence: ________________________________________________
 Semi-colon: _______________________________________________________
2.) Start a sentence with a participle/participle phrase:
(Participles = ing or ed verbs)

Panting, the dog searched for some shade.
Stunned, Barry looked at the empty space where he had parked his new car.
Laughing, singing, and dancing, the students enjoyed the participle party.
Combing his hair and checking his smile in the mirror, the hamster was ready for a
night on the town.
Crouching under his umbrella, the man waited for a taxi.

________________________________________________________________




________________________________________________________________
3.) Use an Absolute phrase:
(Absolutes = noun + action verb to add detail)




Eyelids drooping, the students struggled to stay awake.
Mouth widening, voice cracking, Mrs. Cleary showed off her singing skills.
Teeth chattering, fingers trembling, he stepped into the haunted house.
She began to pack, clothes soaring into the suitcase.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4.) Sprinkle your sentences with a few Appositives:



His bedroom, a disaster, angered his mother.
The cat, a ball of soft fur, curled up on the couch.
A volcano of anger, the lion roared at its trainer.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5.) Use Adjectives Out of Order:
Instead of: The restless and hungry elephant stole my bag of peanuts.
Try: _____________________________________________________________
Instead of:
The moldy and fetid cheese remained in his locker all weekend.
Try: _____________________________________________________________
6.) Start a sentence with an adverb (How? When? Where?):
HOW?  Briskly, he walked down the street to his interview.
WHEN?  Overnight, all of her friends disappeared.
 WHERE?  Inside, an ominous presence waited.


 _________________________________________________________________
7.) Start a sentence with a prepositional phrase:
Prepositions include words like: about, above, across, after along, at, before, behind,
below, by, down, except, from, in, like, near, off, on, over, to, through, under, up, upon,
with, within, without
Within the mysterious hidden treasure box, she hid her treasure
Behind the old, abandoned shed, the secret box remained.
 In the homeland of my family, I found information about my grandfather.
* If the prepositional phrase has four or less words, you don’t need a comma.
For example: In December we visited my aunt.


 _________________________________________________________________
8.) Use a question here and there:

Informational piece example: __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Narrative piece example: ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
 Persuasive piece example: ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________