Sentence Sentence ConstructionConstruction

How to bracket your sentences How to bracket your sentences to improve the quality of your to improve the quality of your

sentence structure.sentence structure.

Why are you making me Why are you making me do this?do this?

To increase your awareness of what To increase your awareness of what you are doing when you write.you are doing when you write.

To show you that there is an easy To show you that there is an easy way to improve structure and way to improve structure and variety without pulling your hair out.variety without pulling your hair out.

How does this concept How does this concept work?work?

Bracketing happens in the revision Bracketing happens in the revision stage. After you write a draft or stage. After you write a draft or two, take the time to enclose the two, take the time to enclose the first five to seven words of your first five to seven words of your sentence in brackets (AKA [ ] , or sentence in brackets (AKA [ ] , or if you’re one of those fancy-types if you’re one of those fancy-types { } ). { } ).

TIP: Use a pen of a different color.TIP: Use a pen of a different color.

Observe:Observe:

Take a good look at the way you Take a good look at the way you start your sentences. Ask yourself:start your sentences. Ask yourself:

Do my sentences start with the same word Do my sentences start with the same word or phrase more than twice?or phrase more than twice?

Do my sentences start with the same Do my sentences start with the same grammatical structure more than two or grammatical structure more than two or three times?three times?

Are my sentences all really long or all Are my sentences all really long or all rather short?rather short?

Revise:Revise:

Switch it up! Switch it up! Invert the subject and predicateInvert the subject and predicate Add an introductory phraseAdd an introductory phrase Use a quoteUse a quote Make compound-complex sentencesMake compound-complex sentences Use fragments for emphasis (RULE: You Use fragments for emphasis (RULE: You

can only do this once in a piece because it can only do this once in a piece because it looks erroneous if you do it often.)looks erroneous if you do it often.)

Here’s some practice:Here’s some practice:School lunches: Destroying appetites one School lunches: Destroying appetites one

disgruntled senior at a time. disgruntled senior at a time. I can hear the crowd swelling behind me. I can hear the crowd swelling behind me.

The murmurs of hunger and excitement are mixed The murmurs of hunger and excitement are mixed with the pounding of dozens of feet as we near the with the pounding of dozens of feet as we near the cafeteria. I finally round the corner and brush past cafeteria. I finally round the corner and brush past several kids to make it inside the door. I stop several kids to make it inside the door. I stop abruptly as I notice the lunch menu. Pizza, abruptly as I notice the lunch menu. Pizza, probably re-heated considering it’s the third time probably re-heated considering it’s the third time this week, is listed in bold letters. It wouldn’t so this week, is listed in bold letters. It wouldn’t so bad if the food was actually cooked, but instead bad if the food was actually cooked, but instead we get a rubbery square of plastic-like cheese and we get a rubbery square of plastic-like cheese and two-day-old pizza sauce. I grumble disappointedly two-day-old pizza sauce. I grumble disappointedly as I move into line. This is how it is most every as I move into line. This is how it is most every day. Each day I hope the food will be a bit better day. Each day I hope the food will be a bit better and each day I am let down completely. With the and each day I am let down completely. With the state pushing for healthier food, it puts pressure state pushing for healthier food, it puts pressure on the school system to provide better, healthier on the school system to provide better, healthier food for students while keeping the same budget. food for students while keeping the same budget.