Download Sentence Variety

Sentence Variety
Vary the Beginnings of Sentences
Vary Methods of Joining Ideas
Vary the Beginnings of Sentences
A prepositional phrase is a group of words
containing a preposition and its object (a noun
or pronoun).
Preposition
Object
To
you
In
the
evening
Under
the old bridge
Common Prepositions
about
above
across
against
among
at
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
by
except
for
from
in
into
near
of
on
onto
throughout
to
toward
under
up
out
upon
over
with
through without
What do prepositions do?
They define the relationship
between 2 nouns or a noun and a
verb.
Now write 3 sentences with prepositional
phrases. Ex: Behind the door, you should
find a spare key.
Subordinate Clause

A subordinate clause is NOT a complete sentence. It begins with a
subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun, and gives the reader
additional information.

Subordinate Conjunctions:
After
although
as
because
before
even if
even though
if
in order that
provided that
rather than
so that
than
though
unless
until
when
whenever
where
whereas
wherever
whether
while
why
once
that
Subordinate Clauses cont’d.
Relative Pronouns:
that
which
whichever
who
whoever
whom
whose
whosever
whomever
Examples:
Clause: After Amy sneezed all over the tuna salad
After = subordinate conjunction; Amy = subject; sneezed = verb.
Clause: Once Adam smashed the spider
Once = subordinate conjunction; Adam = subject; smashed = verb.
Clause: Until Mr. Sanchez has his first cup of coffee
Until = subordinate conjunction; Mr. Sanchez = subject; has = verb.
Clause: Who ate handfuls of Cheerios with his bare hands
Who = relative pronoun; Who = subject; ate = verb
Now you try:
Finish the sentences above
Note: If the subordinate conjunction comes at the beginning of
the sentence, you need a comma. If you put it at the end, you do
not need a comma.
I.E.:
After Amy sneezed all over the tuna salad, everyone
decided to order pizza.
Everyone decided to order pizza after Amy sneezed all
over the tuna salad.
Practice: combine the following sentences
using subordinate clauses.
Elizabeth was hungry. She ate a whole pizza.
 Eric needs to stop playing videogames. He’s
falling asleep in class.
 Emily refused to eat the broccoli. It was
covered in butter, which she loved.
 Mr. Smith warned John that he needs to finish
his homework. He will end up in detention.

Now write your own sentence using
the list of words.
Join Ideas with a
Compound Predicate!
A sentence with a compound predicate
contains more than one verb, but the subject
is not repeated before the second verb. These
types of sentences are really composed of
two simple sentences with one subject.
1.
2.
3.
The nurse entered.
The nurse quickly closed the door.
The nurse entered and quickly closed the
door.
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 yet and no comma proceeds yet.
Sentences 4 and 5 are joined by but and no comma proceeds but.
Now you try it! Combine the following four pairs of short sentences
into four sentences with compound predicates. Use and, but, or, and yet.
1 – She loves 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.
Joining Ideas with an –ing Modifier is
an excellent way to combine two
sentences!
It is achieved by converting the verb with an –ing and dropping the subject.
 The –ing modifier is set off from the word to which it refers.
 An –ing modifier indicates that two actions are occurring at the same time.
 The main idea of the sentence should be contained in the main clause, NOT in
the –ing modifier.

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 sale” signs.
Quiz Yourself!
Combine the following sentences using –ing modifiers:
1 – She performed the surgery with great skill.
2 – She saved the patient’s 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.
Join Ideas with a Past Participial
Modifier
Some sentences can be joined with a past participial modifier. A
sentence that contains a to be verb and a past participial can be
changed into a past participial modifier.
1 – Judith is alarmed by 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 by
dropping the helping verb is and the subject Judith. The past
participial alarmed now 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
must directly follow the modifier.
Let’s look at some more . . .
1 – The term paper was revised and 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 of
thought.
Now YOU try!
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.
Now you write the sentences . . .
Write three sentences of your own that
begin with past participial modifiers. If you
wish, use the words in this past participial
list:
Thrilled
Honored
Shocked
Awakened
Found
Examined
Rewired
Angered
Seen
Dressed
Lost
Hidden
Stuffed
Annoyed
Pinched
Bent
Join Ideas with an Appositive
A great way to add variety to your writing is to join ideas with an
appositive.
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.
-OR3 – 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. It
renames Carlos. An appositive must be placed either directly after
the word to which it refers or directly before it.
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 for 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.
Write 6 sentences using appositives
In two sentences, place the
appositive at the beginning
 In two sentences, place the
appositive in the middle
 In two sentences, place the
appositive at the end

Let’s 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 paper that was 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.
Join Ideas with a Relative Clause
Relative Clauses can add sophistication to your writing. A
Relative Clause begins with who, which, or that and
describes a noun or pronoun. It can join two simple
sentences 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 a
scholarship from the Arts Council.
Who makes wire sculpture is a Relative Clause and replaces
the subject with who. Who now introduces the subordinate
relative clause.
Now, try these on your own and don’t 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.
Combine each of the following pairs of
sentences by changing one into a relative
clause introduced by who, which, or that.
Remember, who refers to people, that refers to people or things, and which
refers to things. Be careful of the punctuation. Hint: which clauses are
usually set off by commas and that clauses are usually not.
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 Today Show.
2 – He has thirty gold records.
HOMEWORK!
Write a paragraph describing your
thanksgiving plans using varied sentence
structure. Must use all of these sentence
structures:







Relative Clause
Appositive
Past Participial Modifier
ING Modifier
Compound Predicate
Prepositional Phrase
Subordinate clause