Sentence Variety

In-class practice for varying your sentence structures…

SENTENCE VARIETY REVIEW

O Revise this sentence with a DEPENDENT MARKER:Huck and Jim do well when they’re alone together.

O When Huck and Jim are alone together, things go well.

O Unless other people are around, Huck and Jim are fine.

O Although things go fine for Huck and Jim when they’re together, when other people come into the picture, it’s chaotic.

Revise this sentence with a TRANSISTIONAL WORD OR MARKER:

O The Duke, King, and Huck are all pretending to be other people. Jim is being forced to pretend he’s an Arab at the same time.O The Duke, King, and Huck are all pretending to

be other people. Meanwhile, Jim is being forced to pretend, too.

O The Duke, King, and Huck are all pretending to be other people. Similarly, Jim is “tied” to an alternative identity.

O The Duke and King have chosen to change their identities. Similarly, Huck is willingly going along with his role as a servant. On the other hand, Jim is being forced into his role as an Arab.

SENTENCE VARIETY REVIEW

O Revise this sentence with a participle:

OJim and Huck encountered many adventures going down the river.

OGoing down the river, Jim and Huck encountered many adventures.

Sentence Variety Review

O Revise this sentence using a preposition:O Mark Twain writes about the human psyche,

a mob’s mentality, and a deformed conscience in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

O In Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain writes about the human psyche, a mob’s mentality, and a deformed conscience in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Directions:Using any of the outlines -- or even your previous/first “write” – respond to one of your previous prompts.

O You have 15 minutes.O You may use notes or your iPad.

You will be assessed on:1) The evidence of the three “p”s – a position, a plan, and specific points.2) Use of sentence variety, with focus on the beginnings of sentences.

SENTENCE VARIETYAlso known as …

“Varying sentence structure”

Dependent Markers

after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, whenever, whether, and while

O Example: The class became silent when Ms. Stafford announced the assignment.

O Revision: When Ms. Stafford announced the assignment, the class became silent.

Transitional Words or Phrases

accordingly, after all, afterward, also, although, and, but, consequently, despite, earlier, even though, for example, for instance, however, in conclusion, in contrast, in fact, in the meantime, in the same way, indeed, just as... so, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless, not only... but also, now, on the contrary, on the other hand, on the whole, otherwise, regardless, shortly, similarly, specifically, still, that is, then, therefore, though, thus, yet

O Example: Mercer Island schools are working to continue with the tradition of excellence. Other schools in the Seattle area are just trying to get up to standard.

O Revision: Mercer Island schools are working to continue with the tradition of excellence. Meanwhile, other schools in the Seattle area are just trying to get up to standard.

ParticiplesPresent participles end in “ing,” for example: eating, speaking, dreaming, caring.Past participles usually end in -ed, -en, -d, -n, or -t but can be irregular, for example: worried, eaten, saved, seen, dealt, taught.O Example: Evan and Lindsay were alarmed to

get an F on their presentation. They were mad.O Revision (present): Getting an F on their

presentation alarmed Evan and Lindsay. They were mad.

O Revision (past): Alarmed to get an F on their presentation, Evan and Lindsay were mad.

Prepositionsabout, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, as, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, despite, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, near, next to, of, off, on, out, over, past, to, under, until, up, with O Example: The students are facing pressure to

do better junior year. They are working harder than ever.

O Revision: Under pressure to do better junior year, the students are working harder than ever.

ConjunctionsThese are your For And Nor But Or Yet So

O Example: Ms. Stafford calls out her students’ names in an effort to get them to pay attention. Students don’t always find this to be a comfortable situation. They complain that it embarrasses them.

O Revision: Ms. Stafford calls out her students’ names in an effort to get them to pay attention. Students don’t always find this to be comfortable and they complain that it embarrasses them.

Subordinationafter, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, if only, rather than, since, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas, wherever, whether, which, while

O Example: The high school parking problem is getting worse. The high school is not creating any new spots.

O Revision: The high school parking problem is getting worse because the high school is not building any new spots.

Vary it with adependent marker

O The test was hard even though Ms. Stafford let us use our notes.

Vary these with aPresent and Past Participle

O Caleb and Jared were mobbed by fans. They were scared by the attention.

O Harry was expecting a standing ovation. He was disappointed with the simple applause.

Vary it with a Preposition

O The football team is under pressure to beat Juanita. They have been practicing all their best moves.

Vary the Rhythmusing a conjunction

O Every time there is a Powerpoint slide on the screen I take notes. I am still not passing this class.

Vary the Rhythm using subordination

O The announcements seem to be getting better. They are using different voices and showing enthusiasm.

Sentence TypesO Simple: One independent clause and no

dependent clauses.O Compound: A sentence with multiple

independent clauses but no dependent clauses.

O Complex: A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

O Complex-compound: A sentence with multiple independent and at least one dependent clause.

In your articles, highlight and identify the following (total of

eight points):At the beginning of the sentence:1. Dependent Marker2. Transitional word or

phrase3. Participles (actually,

I don’t think any of these have one; tell me if I’m wrong)

4. Preposition

In the sentences (it’s okay to use the same sentence for two things)

1. Use of conjunction2. Complex Sentence3. Subordination4. Complex-compound

sentence5. Simple Sentence