Download Sentence Patterns

Sentence Patterns
Pattern #1: Use strong, active verbs.
1. Any form of the verb “be” is overused. (See, I
just did it).
2. Using a “be” verb is called passive voice.
3. Active voice involves using action verbs to show
action (run, manufacture), condition (feel,
sleep), or process (grow, shrink).
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #1: Use strong, active verbs.
Examples:
1. Fire belched from the dragon’s mouth.
2. The human brain does not shrink, wilt, perish,
nor deteriorate with age.
3. The problem perplexed the student.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #2: Ask a question.
1. Sentences that ask a question are called interrogative
sentences.
2. Sometimes writers use questions to state their central
idea in a paragraph. Weak! Don’t rely on a question to
make your point.
3. Questions most often begin with who, what, when,
where, why, or how.
4. Questions always end with a question
mark (?).
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #2: Ask a question.
Examples:
1. Who settled the American colonies?
2. When might microbes multiply?
3. Why do clubs typically have a mission
statement?
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #3: Use an exclamatory sentence.
1. Exclamatory sentences express a strong, genuine
feeling like surprise, disgust, or joy.
2. Exclamatory sentences end with one exclamation point.
Adding multiple points doesn’t add anything or convey
more emotion.
3. Exclamation points don’t add any weight to a simple
statement of fact.
4. Example: Some dogs possess long
tails, while some have short ones!
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #3: Use an exclamatory sentence.
Examples:
1. Surrender in the name of the King!
2. I do want a donkey ride!
3. How nice of you to come to my party!
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #4: Open with an adverb.
1. An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another
adverb.
2. Adverbs answer these questions: How? When?
Where? Why? How much? How many?
3. Use a comma after an adverb when you use it
as a sentence opener with
special emphasis.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #4: Open with an adverb.
Examples:
1. Tomorrow, I shall enjoy a hearty breakfast.
2. Angrily, the student leaped to his feet.
3. Carefully and cautiously, they walked through
the brush.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #5: Open with a prepositional phrase.
1. A prepositional phrase contains a preposition and a
noun/pronoun known as an object. These phrases modify
nouns and verbs.
2. Prepositions connect their objects to other words in a
sentence.
3. Prepositions describe direction (from, over), position
(under, within), time (at, until), means
(with, by), and relationship (except, of).
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #5: Open with a prepositional phrase.
Examples:
1. With the white flag in his hand, the soldier
surrendered.
2. Without plan or purpose, Jordan moved around
the room.
3. During his day off, Toby read.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #6: Verb precedes the subject.
1. Every sentence has at least one subject and
one verb.
2. Usually, the subject comes first.
3. Precedes means “comes before.”
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #6: Verb precedes the subject.
Examples:
1. Along the avenue sped a brand new Corvette.
2. Next to the hobo sat a mangy squirrel.
3. Throughout the story appear references to the
author’s childhood.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #7: Use a conversation or a quotation.
1. Indent like you would a new paragraph
whenever a new speaker begins.
2. Punctuation goes inside quotation marks.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #7: Use a conversation or a quotation.
Examples:
1. “Anthony,” the teacher smiled, “you have a wonderfully
active imagination.”
2. One of Canada’s greatest prime ministers, Mackenzie
King, summed up the dilemma when he said, “If other
countries have too much history, we have too much
geography.”
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #8: Use an appositive.
1. Appositives are nouns/pronouns that follow another
noun/pronoun and give more information about it.
2. An appositive is not a prepositional phrase.
3. Use commas to set them apart from the rest of the
sentence.
4. Do not use commas if the only information in the
appositive is a name.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #8: Use an appositive.
Examples:
1. My mother, a polite and generous woman, gave
me excellent advice.
2. Our capital city Nashville is located in Middle
TN.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #9: Open with an adverb clause.
1. An adverb (adverbial) clause has a subject and a
predicate but cannot stand alone as its own sentence.
2. Common adverb clause beginners: after, although, as,
because, before, if, in order that, since, so, though,
unless, until, when, where, while.
3. Use a comma after the adverb clause when it opens the
sentence.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #9: Open with an adverb clause.
Examples:
1. Because he reads faster, he finishes before I do.
2. Whenever Georgia forgets her tutu, Donna
performs the solo dance.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #10: Use parallel structure.
When you have multiple words, phrases, and
clauses in a series, make the grammatical
elements the same in each item.
verb
verb
Example: She loved to sing loudly, to dance slowly,
verb
and to play passionately.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #10: Use parallel structure.
Examples:
1. The Chihuahua barked at his shadow, chomped on his
paw, and scurried away.
2. The strict professor demanded that we write in
permanent marker, use only yellow paper, and stay
within the margins.
3. You may go by air, you may travel
by auto, or you may sail by cruise ship.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #11: Open with an adjective.
1. An adjective modifies a noun/pronoun or another
adjective.
2. Adjectives answer these questions: What kind? Which
one? Whose?
3. Normally adjectives precede the noun they modify.
4. When placed at the beginning of the sentence, they get
special emphasis with a comma.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #11: Open with an adjective.
Examples:
1. Furious, Gary slammed his door and screamed
like a girl.
2. Fearful, the hunter fled through the jungle.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #12: Open with an adjective phrase.
1. Adjective phrases consist of adjectives plus a
group of words without a subject and a verb.
2. This group of words is often a prepositional
phrase.
3. Adjective phrases also end with a comma.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #12: Open with an adjective phrase.
Examples:
1. Passionate on the subject of elephant ears, he
spoke for over an hour.
2. Confident in his ability and in possession of his
favorite yoyo, Bob could amaze any crowd with
his tricks.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #13: Open with an infinitive phrase.
1. An infinitive is a verbal — a phrase that acts as
a noun, adjective, or adverb.
2. The preposition “to” + one present tense verb =
infinitive
3. Ex. To + improve = to improve
4. Commas follow long infinitive
phrases at the beginning
of a sentence.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern #13: Open with an infinitive phrase.
Examples:
1. To learn the whip was Eugene’s primary goal.
2. To make a long story short, the dog devoured
my project.
Memory Trick: Since infinitives have an
infinite number of possibilities, I
remember how to form one using the
phrase “To infinity and beyond.”