1. My oh my, my oh my…
Ch. 22: Revising for Sentence Variety
2. What is sentence variety??
It is the different ways you begin, put together, and
structure sentences to help them flow and transition
better.
It spices things up by:
Combining long and short sentences
Using questions, commands, and exclamations
Beginning with adverbs or prepositional phrases
Joining ideas with compound predicates, -ing modifiers,
past participial modifiers, appositives, and relative clauses
Helping to avoid misplaced or confusing modifiers
It helps writers use each sentence/paragraph effectively.
3. Combining long and short
sentences…
If sentences are too short, they create a choppy feel in
the paper.
Ex. I walked to school. It was nice. I am happy. I made it
on time.
If sentence are too long, they can create a heavy, drawn
out feeling in the paper.
Ex: I walked to school because its only five minutes from
my house and because I like to walk. Also, it is a great
source of exercise because it keeps me in shape and
healthy as well as makes me happy.
4. So…
Mixing long and short sentences together:
Will help to transition your sentences and paragraphs
smoothly.
Will help your sentences be engaging.
Ex: I walk to school everyday because I live only five
minutes from it, and walking relaxes me. It is really
nice. Also, walking is a great source of exercise. Plus, I
love it.
6. Using a question, a command, or
an exclamation…
Can draw attention to specific areas of the paper,
making important information stand out.
Shows the points you are going to prove/answer
Gives added emphasis to points and important
information.
Provides direction to the readers
Should only be used when they are beneficial and help
to influence and to strengthen the main topic.
7. Questions…
Are also referred to as rhetorical—you are not looking for
the readers to answer the question but are showing
them what you are about to answer in the paper.
Ex: How can one stop hunger in the world?
So, what is to be done?
Use of questions in papers is dependent on the
professor.
Cannot be carelessly thrown about but must be used
effectively.
8. Commands…
Are also referred to as imperatives—you are telling the
reader to DO something and are giving them direction.
Ex: Action should be taken.
Ex: Don’t pretend it isn’t happening.
Speak from the heart.
Are used frequently in papers.
Need to be used purposefully.
9. Exclamations…
Are also referred to as emphasis—you are trying to
express strong emotions toward the topic/point.
Ex: Car accidents are running rampant!
Ex: Health issues are destroying the world!
Ex: People must take a stand!
Should be used sparingly and only to draw attention to
an important point.
10. Beginning with an adverb…
Can help transition sentences.
Ex: The woman hurried to answer the door. Anxiously, she
invited the lawyer inside.
Helps to not separate subject and verb.
Some subjects and verbs should stay connect
Ex awkward: I excitedly ran to town.
Ex fluid: Excitedly, I ran to town.
Helps to not split infinitives
Infinitive: to place
Split infinitive: to anxiously place
Correct: to place anxiously
Exception: there are some sentences the flow better as a
split infinitive; for example, to boldly go where no man has
gone before.
11. Beginning with a prepositional
phrase..
Can create a setting for the subject.
Creates a dependent clause, so it must follow the D,I
sentence structure.
Remember: A prepositional phrase contains a preposition
and an object
Ex: To me
Ex: At the moment
Ex: Toward the beach
Sentence ex: At the pool, the woman saw her neighbor.
12. However…
Prepositional phrases are not always movable.
Moveable ex:
With a skip, the girl greeted her father.
The girl greeting her father with a skip.
Maintains the same meaning
Unmovable ex:
Joelle bought a bottle of white wine for the dinner.
Of white wine for the dinner, Joelle bought a bottle.
Doesn’t make sense and/ or changes original meaning.
13. Joining sentences with a
compound predicate…
Is when you are joining a sentence together by having
the verbs share the SAME subject.
Compound predicate: two verbs sharing one subject.
Ex:
Two different sentences: Mary ran to the fence. Mary jumped
over the fence.
One sentence joined with compound predicate: Mary ran to and
jumped over the fence.
Must be parallel
―and‖ is linking the two verbs to one subject…not a
conjunction because neither part of the sentence is
complete.
14. Can help…
Avoid short, choppy sentences.
An example of two short sentences: He serves elaborate
meals. He never uses a recipe.
An example of joining sentences with a compound
predicate: He serves elaborate meals and never uses a
recipe.
Differ from joining two complete sentences because the
two parts SHARE ONE subject.
15. Trick to knowing the difference...
Is to look for the subjects
Ex: The man went to the office and prepared for the
presentation.
Two verbs connected to ONE subject
Compound predicate
Ex: The man went to the office, and he prepared for the
presentation.
One separate subject for each verb
Two complete sentences
Must have comma and conjunction (or another punctuation
form for two complete independent sentences)
16. Joining with an –ing modifier…
Can help you join two sentences (occasionally)
Follows the D, I structure
Can indicate two actions occurring at the same time.
Two sentences ex: He peered through the microscope. He
discovered a squiggly creature.
Joining with an –ing modifier ex: Peering through the
microscope, he discovered a squiggly creature.
The main idea should be modified, not the modifying
clause
Correct Ex: Peering through the microscope, he discovered
a squiggly creature.
Incorrect Ex: Discovering a squiggly creature, he peered
through the microscope.
17. Watch out for misplaced
modifiers…
Misplaced modifiers can cause confusion to the readers.
Misplaced Modifier: He discovered a squiggly creature
peering through the microscope.
Who was peering? The man or the squiggly creature??
Correct Modifier: Peering through the microscope, he
discovered a squiggly creature.
Modifies the man, who is the main subject.
18. Joining with past participle
modifiers…
Can show what lead to an action.
Takes sentences that use the To Be verb and a past
participle, and changes them into a past participle modifier.
To Be verb + Past Participle ex: Judith is trapped in a dead-end
job. So, she decided to enroll at the local community college.
Past Participle Modifier ex: Trapped at a dead-end job, Judith
decided to enroll at the local community college.
Follows the D, I structure
Watch out for Misplaced Modifiers! Make sure you are
modifier the subject.
19. Misplaced, confusing, dangling
modifier…
Can cause your readers to have trouble understanding the
sentence and what is being modified.
Misplaced: Perching on the scarecrow in the cornfield, the
farmer saw a large crow.
Who was perching? The famer or the crow?
Reword: The farmer saw a large crow perching on a scarecrow in the
cornfield.
Confusing: A homeless teenager, the nun helped the girl find a
place to live.
Who was a homeless teenager? The nun or the girl?
Reword: The nun helped the girl, a homeless teenager, find a place
to live.
Dangling (does not refer to anything): Tired and proud, the
website was completed at midnight.
Who was tired and proud? There is no subject that fits the modifier.
Reword : Tired and proud, the business man completed the website
at midnight.
20. Joining with an appositive…
Can link information about a subject within a sentence.
A word or group of words that renames or describes the
noun or pronoun.
Appositives can come before or after the noun or pronoun it
renames.
Two separate sentences ex: Carlos is a native of Argentina.
Carlos is new to wrestling.
Joining before: A native of Argentina, Carlos is new to
wrestling.
Joining after: Carlos, a native of Argentina, is new to
wrestling.
Commas set off appositive information and signal that it can be
removed.
21. Joining with relative clauses…
Helps to describe the noun or pronoun.
Helps you to join two shorter sentences into a longer,
completer idea.
Uses who, which, or that
Two complete sentences ex: Jack recently won a
scholarship from the Arts Council. He makes wire sculpture.
Joining with a relative clause ex: Jack, who makes wire
sculpture, recently won a scholarship from the Arts Council.
Main clause is stressed and the minor clause is turned into a
relative clause.
22. A nonrestrictive relative clause…
Is when the added information has no impact or
influence on the meaning of the sentence.
Ex: The little girl, who is sitting on that chair, is my
daughter.
Information between the commas can be removed.
23. A restrictive relative clause…
Is when the added information is vital to the meaning of
the sentence and cannot be removed.
Ex: People who chew with their mouths open should be
smacked.
If you were to remove the relative clause you would get:
People should be smacked.
The meaning of the sentence would change if the relative
clause was to be taken out.
