Download Sentence Patterns #4-6

Sentence
Patterns
Sentence Patterns
#1-3
1. Use strong, active verbs.
2. Ask a question.
3. Use an exclamatory sentence.
#1 Strong, Active
Verbs
 Any form of the word “be” is overused (see,
just did it).
 Using “be” is called passive voice.
 Active voice involves using action verbs to
show action (run, manufacture), condition
(feel, sleep), or process (grow, shrink).
#1 Strong, Active
Verbs
 Fire belched from the dragon’s mouth.
 The human brain does not shrink, wilt,
perish, nor deteriorate with age.
 The problem perplexed the student.
#2 Ask a Question
 Sentences that ask a question are called
interrogative.
 Sometimes writers use questions to state their
central idea in a paragraph---we’re better than
this!
 Questions most often begin with who, what, when,
where, why, or how.
 Questions always end with a question mark (?).
#2 Ask a Question
 Who settled the American colonies?
 When might microbes multiply?
 Why do clubs typically have a mission
statement?
#3 Use an Exclamatory
Sentence
 Exclamatory sentences express a strong, genuine
feeling, whether it’s surprise, disgust, or joy.
 It ends with ONE exclamation point—adding
multiple doesn’t add anything or convey more
emotion.
 It doesn’t add any weight to a simple statement of
fact.
 Ex.: Some dogs possess long tails, while some
have short ones!
#3 Use an Exclamatory
Sentence
 Surrender in the name of the King!
 I do want a donkey ride!
 How nice of you to come to my party!
Sentence Patterns
Classwork
For each sentence pattern, you must copy one (1) of my
examples and write three (3) original sentences.
These sentences must be COMPLETE sentences.
I will take off for grammar and spelling errors. Skip a line
between each pattern, not each sentence. Keep up with
these because we will be using them in writing.
All original sentences must be about one topic. You can
change topics with sentence patterns.
Sentence Patterns
#4-6
4. Open with an adverb.
5. Open with a prepositional phrase.
6. Write a sentence in which the verb
precedes the subject.
#4 Open with an
Adverb
 An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or
another adverb.
 Adverbs answer these questions: How?
When? Where? Why? How much? How many?
 Use a comma after an adverb when you use
it as a sentence opener with special
emphasis.
 Ex.: Wisely, Helen made her course choices.
#4 Open with an
Adverb
 Tomorrow I shall enjoy a hearty
breakfast.
 Angrily the student leaped to his feet.
 Carefully and cautiously they walked
through the brush.
#5 Open with a Prepositional
Phrase
 A prepositional phrase contains a preposition and a
noun/pronoun known as an object. These phrases
modify nouns and verbs.
 Prepositions connect their objects to other words
in a sentence.
 Prepositions describe direction (from, over),
position (under, within), time (at, until), means
(with, by), and relationship (except, of)
#5 Open with a Prepositional
Phrase
 With the white flag in his hand, the soldier
surrendered.
 Without plan or purpose, Jordan moved
around the room.
 During the day off, Toby read.
#6 Verb Precedes the
Subject
 Every sentence has a subject and a verb,
and usually the subject comes first.
 Precedes=comes before
#6 Verb Precedes the
Subject
 Along the avenue sped a brand new
Corvette.
 Next to the hobo sat a mangy squirrel.
 Throughout the story appear
references to the author’s childhood.
Sentence Patterns
Classwork
For each sentence pattern, you must copy one (1) of my
examples and write three (3) original sentences.
These sentences must be COMPLETE sentences.
I will take off for grammar and spelling errors. Skip a line
between each pattern, not each sentence. Keep up with
these because we will be using them in writing.
All original sentences must be about one topic. You can
change topics with sentence patterns.
Sentence Patterns
#7-12
7. Use conversation or a quotation.
8. Use an appositive.
9. Open with an adverb clause.
10. Use parallel structure.
11. Open with an adjective.
12. Open with adjective phrase.
#7 Use Conversation or a
Quotation
 Indent like you would a new paragraph
whenever a new speaker begins.
 Punctuation goes INSIDE quotation marks.
#7 Use Conversation or a
Quotation
 “Anthony,” the teacher smiled, “you have a wonderfully
active imagination.”
 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.”
#8 Use an Appositive
 Appositives are nouns/pronouns following another
noun/pronoun that give more information about it.
 An appositive is NOT a prepositional phrase.
 Use commas to set them apart from the rest of the
sentence.
 Ex. Ginger, my first dog, only had three legs.
 Don’t use commas if the only information in the
appositive is a name.
#8 Use an Appositive
 My mother, a polite and generous
woman, gave me excellent advice.
 Our capital city Nashville is located in
Middle TN.
#9 Open with an Adverb
Clause
 An adverb (adverbial) clause has a subject and a
predicate, but cannot stand alone as its own sentence.
 Common Adverb Clause beginners: after, although, as,
because, before, if, in order that, since, so, though,
unless, until, when, where, while
 Use a comma after the adverb phrase when it opens the
sentence.
#9 Open with an Adverb
Clause
 Because he reads faster, he finishes
before I do.
 Whenever Georgia forgets her tutu,
Donna performs the solo dance.
#10 Use Parallel
Structure
 When you have multiple words, phrases,
and clauses in a series, make the
grammatical elements the same in each
item.
 Ex. The chihuahua barked at his shadow,
chomped on his finger, and scurried away.
#10 Use Parallel
Structure
 The strict professor demanded that we
write in permanent marker, use only yellow
paper, and stay within the margins.
 You may go by air, you may travel by auto,
or you may sail by cruise ship.
Sentence Patterns
Classwork
For each sentence pattern, you must copy one (1) of my
examples and write two (2) original sentences.
These sentences must be COMPLETE sentences.
I will take off for grammar and spelling errors. Skip a line
between each pattern, not each sentence. Keep up with
these because we will be using them in writing.
All original sentences must be about one topic. You can
change topics with sentence patterns.
#11 Open with an
Adjective
 An adjective modifies a noun/pronoun or another
adjective.
 Adjectives answer these questions: What kind?
Which one? Whose?
 Normally adjectives precede the noun they modify.
When placed at the beginning of the sentence,
they get special emphasis with a comma (always).
#11 Open with an
Adjective
 Fearful, the hunter fled through the
jungle.
 Furious, Gary slammed his door and
screamed like a girl.
#12 Open with an Adjective
Phrase
 Adjective phrases consist of adjectives plus
a group of words without a subject and a
verb. This group of words is often a
prepositional phrase.
 Adjective phrases also end with a comma.
#12 Open with an Adjective
Phrase
 Passionate on the subject of elephant ears,
he spoke for over an hour.
 Confident in his ability and in possession of
his favorite yoyo, Bob could amaze any
crowd with his tricks.
#13 Open with a Present
Infinitive
 An infinitive is a verbal—a half-verb phrase that
acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
 The preposition “to” + 1 present tense verb =
infinitive
 Ex. To + improve = to improve
 Commas follow long infinitive phrases at the
beginning of a sentence.
#13 Open with a Present
Infinitive
 To learn the whip was Eugene’s primary
goal.
 To make a long story short, the dog
devoured my project.
#14 Open with a Perfect
Infinitive
 Present perfect tense means that something
was finished in the past and may/may not
be continuing to the future.
 To + have + past tense verb = perfect
infinitive
 Ex. To have frolicked
#14 Open with a Perfect
Infinitive
 To have won the lottery, I would have
needed a lottery ticket.
 To have murdered that man, the criminal
would have had to have been a nine-foot
tall gorilla.
Sentence Patterns
Classwork
For each sentence pattern, you must copy one (1) of my
examples and write three (3) original sentences.
These sentences must be COMPLETE sentences.
I will take off for grammar and spelling errors. Skip a line
between each pattern, not each sentence. Keep up with
these because we will be using them in writing.
All original sentences must be about one topic. You can
change topics with sentence patterns.
#15 Open with a Present
Participle
 A participle is another type of verbal. It is halfverb, half-adjective.
 Present Participle = the ing form of the verb
 Swimming, burping, lying
 Present participial phrases are only formed by:
 Combining with an adverb
 Combining with a prepositional phrase
 Taking an object
 Use a comma after the participle/participial
phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
#15 Open with a Present
Participle
 Walking quietly into the den, I saw my
father and the cat dozing on the sofa.
 Dying of stab wounds, Caesar
muttered, “Et tu, Brute?”
 Drying my hair, I noticed I was going
bald.
#16 Open with a Past
Participle
 A past participle is still a verb acting like an
adjective.
 It is the past form of the verb
 Ex. Bought, Ventured
 Past participial phrases are only formed by
combining with:
 An adverb
 A prepositional phrase
#16 Open with a Past
Participle
 Satisfied immensely, the villian retired to
his lair.
 Exhausted from the swim meet, Freddy
came home and slept for four days.
#17 Open with a Perfect
Participle
 Perfect Participle = having + past
tense verb
 Perfect participial phrases are only
formed by:
 Combining with an adverb
 Combining with a prepositional
phrase
 Taking an object
#17 Open with a Perfect
Participle
 Having shrieked loudly, the kindergartener
alerted the playground of the presence of
cooties.
 Having come from the Mexican restaurant,
Charlie smelled like salsa.
 Having purchased a new swimsuit, Mel was
prepared for her trip to Hawaii.