Sentence Variety

People normally talk and write using one boring

sentence pattern:

subject/verb,

subject/verb,

subject/verb…

ExampleEl Cielo is the most beautiful vacation spot in

the world. It is located on the coast of Mexico.

People arrive from many different countries to

relax in luxurious surroundings. El Cielo has a

great spa facility and an outstanding hotel. It is

fabulous!

ProblemI can’t think of ways to revise

my boring subject/verb

sentences into more

interesting ones.

SolutionLearn just a few new, sophisticated sentence

structures. After you finish a paragraph (or

your entire paper), revise some of your

sentences.

QuestionHow many of my sentences

should I revise? All of them?

A few of them? One in each

paragraph? What?

AnswerRevise about 1/2 of your sentences. (That’s about 3-4

per paragraph.)

Then reread your paper. Revise some more if you think

it would improve your paper. Reread your paper out

loud. Revise even more.

What are some of the best kinds of sentences to use?

Start with an –ing or –ed word.

(Introductory Participial Phrase)

Since –ing and –ed are verb endings, this sentence

pattern starts with action!

Using an introductory participial phrase does two

things:

1. It “actions up” the start of the sentence.

2. It helps you to combine two short sentences into one

longer one.

Molly stared at the test question.

She began to cry silently.

Staring at the test question, Molly

began to cry silently.

Serina was shocked at what her

teacher said. She shook her

head in disbelief.

Shocked at what her teacher

said, Serina shook her head in

disbelief.

Use an appositive phrase.

(Renames something)

This sentence pattern helps you to combine two short

sentences into one longer one.

Martie is President of the Senior Class. She works for a local attorney.

Martie, the Senior Class President, works for a local attorney.

Start with an infinitive phrase(“to” plus a verb)

Since an infinitive is a verb form, this sentence start is energetic and full of action.

Melek would love to go skydiving again.

To go skydiving again would be Melek’s greatest dream.

Start with an introductory adverb clause

(Adverb clause begins with a

subordinating conjunction: when, while,

until, since, because, if, after, before,

although, even though, as long as, as

soon as, as though, whenever . . .)

I finished my homework. Then I called Kyle.

When I finished my homework, I called Kyle.Until I finished my homework, I could not call Kyle.

As soon as I finished my homework,…

After I finished my homework,…

Since I had not finished my homework,…

Because I had not finished my homework,…

Compound sentence

(Two short sentences connected by a

comma and a conjunction: and, but, or,

nor, for, yet)

Compound sentences turn short, choppy

sentences into longer, more interesting

ones.

We went to Six Flags last week. It was exciting.

We went to Six Flags last week, and it was exciting.We went to Six Flags last week, but it was boring.

Try a compound sentence with a semicolon instead of a comma/conjunction

Just make sure you put an independent clause on each side of the semicolon.

We went to London this summer for our vacation. It was educational, but it was also fun.

We went to London this summer for our vacation; it was educational, but it was also fun.

Start with an introductory

series of prepositional phrases

(from, to, with, without, of, for,

about, over, under, by, in, out,

up . . .)

I can see the lake from the tree on the hill.

From the tree on the hill, I can see the lake.