The document provides key principles for effective narrative writing, emphasizing the importance of varying sentence length and structure to create pace and tension. It includes techniques such as using figurative language, showing rather than telling, and strategically changing paragraphs to maintain reader engagement. Additionally, it offers examples of sentence variety to illustrate how different constructions can impact the narrative's mood and flow.

1. NARRATIVE
WRITING: VARIETY
IN SENTENCES

2. OBJECTIVE:
• To recap the essentials of Narrative writing
• To use different variety of sentences to develop engaging
narrative

5. WHEN TO CHANGE A PARAGRAPH
TIME, PLACE, TOPIC, PERSON
Start a new paragraph whenever you are:
•moving to a different time in your story
•changing location
•bringing in a new idea
•introducing a new character
•starting a new piece of action
•starting dialogue
You can also use paragraphs to highlight tense or
significant moments within your story. For example, a one-
sentence paragraph is likely to add tension or highlight a
turning point in a narrative.

6. SENTENCE VARIETY
• Demonstrating variety within a piece of writing
• Using a variety of sentences can help you to create pace and tension in
your writing. Experiment with different sentence lengths and types to
build atmosphere, mood and suspense.
• Varying sentence length
• Use your sentence lengths to reflect the pace of the action in
the narrative. On a basic level, short sentences can show a faster pace
whereas longer sentences slow it down.

7. • Using vocabulary to create effects
• Using a wide range of vocabulary demonstrates a strong command of
language. More importantly, your vocabulary choices should make
your writing more lively, engaging and interesting to read.
• Using particular techniques to create a specific effect
• You can use figurative devices such as similes and metaphors in your
writing. These can add colour and depth to your narrative, allowing
your readers to relate to the scenes you describe.
• Take care to match your figurative language to the mood of your piece.
For example, if you are writing about a topic that is particularly sad
or sinister, 'the clouds gathered conspiringly overhead, the rumbles of
thunder like whispers between them’ would probably be more fitting
than ‘the clouds above me were as fluffy as marshmallows’.

8. COMPARE THESE TWO DESCRIPTIONS
OF A FOREST:
WHICH ONE DO YOU FIND INTERESTING?
• The trees were tall and an owl sat on a low branch above
me. The green leaves were dark, even by the light of the
moon.
• An owl screeched from the low branch above me. I couldn’t
make out the tops of the trees, no matter how far I craned
back my neck. The green leaves seemed to whir in the cool
breeze. The moon failed to pierce the darkness.

9. SHOW, DON’T TELL
• Telling - The woman walked into the room looking
intimidating and angry.
• Showing - The woman stormed into the room, her
black coat flying behind her. Her scowl was fierce as
she scanned the room. Her piercing eyes settled on
Sarah.

10. WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF
SHORT AND LONG SENTENCES ?
Short sentences
• To create tension
• To grab the attention of reader to some
detail
• To present the sudden events
Long sentences
• To develop tension. While a short
sentence is the ultimate sign of the
tension, long sentences could be used to
develop this tension to a point of
culmination.
• To give vivid descriptions.
• To investigate the argument, idea or
fact thoroughly.

11. LONG AND SHORT SENTENCES
CONVEY DIFFERENT EFFECT
• Here is an example using a long sentence:
• He looked out of the window, noticing the girl who at that moment
was walking towards the heavy door to the library.
• Notice the difference in pace when the same scene is described with
short sentences:
• He looked out of the window. He noticed the girl. She was walking
towards the library door.

12. VARYING SENTENCE OPENINGS
Vary the tenses to keep your writing interesting and lively. For example:
Sentence opener type Example
Simile - comparing
something to something else
As quiet as a whisper, he
turned to me
Preposition - informs you of
the position of someone or
something
Beyond the gate, the road
stretched far away
Adverbs - an adjective to
describe a verb
Cautiously, he moved away
from the lion
Connectives – joining words
Despite the sunshine, Mr
Tucker was wearing a heavy
coat
Time preposition - moves
the timeframe to a different
point
Afterwards, it was clear that
he regretted his actions
Sentence opener type Example
Simile - comparing something to something else As quiet as a whisper, he turned to me
Preposition - informs you of the position of someone
or something
Beyond the gate, the road stretched far away
Adverbs - an adjective to describe a verb Cautiously, he moved away from the lion
Connectives – joining words
Despite the sunshine, Mr Tucker was wearing a
heavy coat
Time preposition - moves the timeframe to a different
point
Afterwards, it was clear that he regretted his actions

13. SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
Here’s a piece of writing that lacks variety:
• I woke up. The sun was beaming through the window and warmed my face. I turned
towards it, closing my eyes to enjoy the moment. I stayed there for a moment, and
then got out of bed. I padded across to the window. I opened it to hear the birds
outside. It looked like it was going to be a good day.
Notice how sentence variety changes the feel of the piece:
• I opened my eyes to the warmth of the sun that was beaming through the window.
Turning towards it, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment. Moments later I got out
of bed and padded across to the window. I opened it. I heard the birds outside. I knew
it was going to be a good day.

14. AFL: FIND THE VARIETY IN SENTENCE
OPENERS.
Paragraph
• As lazy as a turtle , I opened my eyes to the
warmth of the sun that was beaming through
the window. Turning towards it, I closed my
eyes and enjoyed the moment. Moments later
I got out of bed and padded across to the
window. I opened it. Amid the oak trees , the
birds were chirping melodiously. Obviously ,
it was going to be a good day.
Questions
• Sentence 1:
• Sentence 2:
• Sentence 3:
• Sentence 4:
• Sentence 5:
• Sentence 6:

15. AFL: ANSWERS
• As lazy as a turtle , I opened my eyes to
the warmth of the sun that was beaming
through the window. Turning towards it, I
closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.
Moments later I got out of bed and
padded across to the window. I opened it.
Amid the oak trees , the birds were
chirping melodiously. Obviously , it was
going to be a good day.
• Sentence 1: Simile+ Complex
Sentence
• Sentence 2: Participle Phrase
• Sentence 3: Time Connective
• Sentence 4:Three worded sentence
• Sentence 5:Prepositional Phrase
• Sentence 6: Adverb