Download DRESS UP SENTENCES and SENTENCE OPENERS

DRESS UP SENTENCES and SENTENCE OPENERS
Dress Up Sentences are 6 different ways you can make your sentence structure different, so you’re not always
writing sentences the same way.
Sentence Openers are 6 different ways you can start your sentences differently, so you’re not always starting
your sentences the same way.
Your task will be to work through this assignment to learn the 6 Dress Ups and 6 Sentence Openers. As this is a
supplement to your Writer’s Workshop, we will not be spending much time on this. Instead, you will be
expected to work through this yourself and we will have mini-lessons on this information at the beginning of
each Writer’s Workshop class.
There will be an assessment on how well you include Dress Ups and Sentence Openers in your writing.
Dress Up Sentences
1. Because Clause
A because clause is words added to a sentence that begins with the word “because.”
Example:
The crowd surged through the door because it was excited to begin class.
Activity: Rewrite the following sentences adding a Because Clause.
Original Sentence
Re-written Sentence with Dress Up
Orlando Bloom is a
great actor.
Dogs make good pets.
2. Strong Verb
A verb is an action word. A verb can always go after the word “I”.
Example:
I sprint
A strong verb is an action word that is original and not used too often. Strong verbs replace boring
verbs. You can often find a stronger verb by using a thesaurus.
Example:
Mark runs to school.
Mark sprints to school. (Mark gallops to school)
….. activity on next page
Activity: Rewrite the following sentences replacing the boring verb in bold italics with a strong verb.
Original Sentence
Re-written Sentence with Dress Up
“This is so easy”, thinks Billy.
Sally said the classroom is
cold.
3. Quality Adjectives
Adjectives are words that described nouns (person, place or things)
Example:
The dog devoured his food.
The ravenous, hungry dog devoured his tasty, delicious food.
Some adjectives are better choices than others:
Poor
sad
happy
tall
Quality
miserable
ecstatic
immense
Activity: Rewrite the following sentences with at least two quality adjectives in front of each noun in
bold italics.
Original Sentence
The homework was left on
the bus.
Re-written Sentence with Dress Up
The student was sent to the
principal’s office.
4. Who / Which Clause
A clause is an extra addition to a sentence. A Who / Which Clause is one that begins with the word
WHO or WHICH and describes a person or thing. Who/Which Clauses should be written directly after
the word being described.
Examples:
Orlando Bloom is an actor.
Orlando Bloom, who is adored by Ms. Perras, is an actor.
Orlando Bloom read the fan letter.
Orlando Bloom read the fan letter which was written by his biggest fan.
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Activity: Rewrite the following sentences with a “who” or a “which” clause at the appropriate place.
Original Sentence
My friend went to Hawaii.
Hockey is my favourite
sport.
Re-written Sentence with Dress Up
(who)
(which)
5. “LY” ADVERBS
Adverbs are words that describe verbs. They answer the questions “when”, “where”, and “how”.
Many adverbs end in “LY” and can be put in a variety of places in a sentence.
Examples:
The boy sprinted quickly.
The boy quickly sprinted.
Quickly, the boy sprinted.
Activity: Rewrite the following sentences with an LY adverb in front of or behind the verb in bold
italics.
Original Sentence
The baker dropped the
cake.
Re-written Sentence with Dress Up
Competitors in the
marathon raced to the
finish line.
6. WWW.ASIA
WWW.ASIA is an acronym used to represent words that can be placed in sentences
W
W
W
= when
= where
= while
A
S
I
A
= as
= since
= if
= although
WWW.ASIA words usually begin a clause, so they are considered additions to a sentence. WWW.ASIA
clauses can be placed anywhere in a sentence.
Examples:
When I do my homework, I receive excellent grades.
I enjoy traveling to Hawaii where the climate is hot.
The puppy, since it is only 6 weeks old, must remain with its mother.
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Activity: Rewrite the following sentences with a WWW.ASIA phrase.
Original Sentence
School is fun.
Re-written Sentence with Dress Up
Summer holidays are
boring.
END OF DRESS UP SECTION
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SENTENCE OPENERS
Sentence Openers are 6 ways to begin sentences. This means that sentence openers refers to the first
word written in a sentence.
1. Subject
A subject sentence opener is a sentence that begins with “who” or “what” the sentence is about.
Example:
Orlando is a famous actor.
Trees swayed dangerously in the wind during the storm.
Activity: Create sentences with a subject sentence opener by using the words provided.
Words
Sentence with Sentence Opener
Pets
fur
shed
swing
tire
backyard
2. Prepositional
A prepositional sentence opener is a sentence that begins with a preposition. Prepositions are words
like:
Above
Beside
Over
Without
Example:
Across
During
Through
After
Inside
Underneath
Before
Near
Until
Below
On
With
Inside the car was a dog.
Below the tree, a squirrel scurried.
Without practice, students find school difficult.
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Activity: Using the preposition provided, write a sentence with that word as a prepositional sentence
opener.
Word
Sentence with Sentence Opener
Behind
Underneath
3. “LY”
An “LY” sentence opener is a sentence that begins with an “LY” word.
Example:
Quickly, Sally dashed down the hallway.
Furiously slashing at the antelope, the tiger caught its prey.
Lovingly, the bird cuddled its mate.
Activity: Using the LY Adverb provided, write a sentence that includes that word as an LY sentence
opener.
Word
Sentence with Sentence Opener
Surprisingly
Suddenly
4. “ING”
An “ING” sentence opener is a sentence that begins with an “ING” word.
Example:
Counting the students during spirit week was fun.
Laughing while she worked, Betty enjoyed her job.
Surrounding the teacher were her amazing students.
Activity: Using the ING word provided, write a sentence that includes that word as an ING sentence
opener.
Word
Skiing
Singing
Sentence with Sentence Opener
5. Very Short Sentence (“VSS”)
A “VSS” sentence opener is a sentence that is 5 or less words.
Example:
Benji found his home.
“Be quiet!” yelled Ms. Perras.
Keep up.
Activity: Using the word provided, write a sentence that includes that word in a VSS sentence opener.
Word
Sentence with Sentence Opener
Pumpkin
Skeleton
6. Clausal
A clausal sentence opener is a sentence that begins with a word that begins a clause. This is similar to
the WWW ASIA dress up words and the Because Clause.
Example:
Because I was late for school, I received detention.
While I meant to study, I forgot and failed the test.
Since we left, everyone has missed us.
Although the dog was beautiful, he did not win the award.
Activity: Using the Clausal word provided, write a sentence that includes that word as clausal sentence
opener.
Word
Since
If
Sentence with Sentence Opener