TYPES OF SENTENCES

SENTENCE PATTERNS #1-10

FOUR BASIC TYPES OF SENTENCES: Declarative: expresses a fact, wish, intent or

feeling. It ends with a period. “We’ve never swum out this far before.”

Interrogative: asks a question and ends with a question mark.“Is that a shark following us?”

Exclamatory: expresses strong feeling. It ends with an exclamation point. “We almost didn’t make it!”

Imperative: expresses a command, request, or direction. It ends with a period or exclamation point.“Hide until it leaves. Now swim for shore!”

SENTENCE PATTERN #1: USE STRONG, ACTIVE VERBS:

In declarative or imperative sentences, strong, active verbs can bring your writing to life.

Fire belched from the dragon’s mouth. The car careened down the highway. The problem perplexed the student.

ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE

The tiger prepared to leap across the water.

The water was leapt across by the tiger.

The tiger looked at his reflection in the lake.

The reflection was looked at by the tiger.

PATTERN #2: ASK A QUESTION

Interrogative sentences ask a question. Interrogative sentences frequently begin with one of these words: who, what, where, when, why, or how.

Who is Captain Ahab? Why does Melville portray Ahab as a crazed man obsessed with vengeance? Where is Moby Dick?

PATTERN #3: USE AN EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE

An exclamatory sentence expresses a strong, genuine feeling or surprise. Using double or triple exclamation marks does NOT add to the feeling.

I had the best day ever! What an amazing place Disneyland is!

Pattern #4: State a command (Imperative Sentence)

Don’t forget to read your book.

Tell me when you want to meet.

Get out of the way!

INVERTED SENTENCES:

Sentences can vary from the normal subject/verb order. In fact, using inverted order throughout your writing can more readily keep the reader’s attention and will add sophistication to your style.

Usual order: The savage storm came down on the ship.

Inverted order: Down came the savage storm on the ship.

Usual order: John Burke, Miss Lottie’s son, sat in front of the house in a squeaky rocking chair.

Inverted order: In front of the house in a squeaky rocking chair sat Miss Lottie’s son, John Burke.

PATTERN #5: WRITE A SENTENCE IN WHICH A VERB PRECEDES THE SUBJECT

In the following sentences, the subject is red, and the verb is blue. Notice how the verb comes before the subject, despite any adverbial or prepositional phrases:

• Along the avenue sped a new corvette.• Across the page seared the frightening

image. • Behind the door crouched Mr. Hyde.

Not Inverted: (passive voice): a bottle of milk was given to the tiger cub by the monkey.Inverted: a bottle of milk gave the monkey to the tiger cub.

PATTERN #6: OPEN WITH A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

Prepositions describe: Direction (from the hill, to the store, along the

shore). Position (at the fair, on the table, within the house). Time (by nightfall, in ten minutes, until later). Means (by hard work, with no help, without help). Abstract (against all odds, of the war, except the

toys).

o With a smile on her face, she danced happily.o During the day he read.o On Sunday we went to the park.

MORE INVERTED SENTENCES:PATTERN #7: OPEN WITH AN ADVERB

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They answer: How? When? Where? Why? How much? How many times?

Remember, many but not all adverbs end in “ly.” Use a comma after the opening adverb only if it

needs special stress:

Examples:Honestly, the roller coaster took my breath away.Brilliantly the star shines. Carefully the woman walked in her crazy shoes.

SENTENCE PATTERN #8:OPEN WITH AN ADVERBIAL CLAUSE

Has a subject AND predicate, but cannot stand alone.

Is part of the sentence by modifying verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or main clauses.

If it opens the sentence, follow it with a comma.

Common adverbs used for adverbial clauses:After, although, as, as if, as long as, before, if, in order that, provided that, since, so that, though, till,

unless, until, whenever, where, wherever, while, because, so, when

While the group looked for lions, the lion watched from behind.

MORE EXAMPLES OF OPENING WITH ADVERBIAL CLAUSES:

Although he appeared happy, I knew he felt sorrow.

If the barometer drops sharply, a change in temperature will occur.

While we walked, he told me his life story.

SENTENCE PATTERN # 9:OPEN WITH AN ADJECTIVE

By putting an adjective as the opening word of a sentence, it adds emphasis to the noun or pronoun it describes.

Fearful, the hunter fled through the jungle.

Breathless and weary, he trudged down the road.

Furious, Peter felt helpless and frustrated.

Amorous, the elephant gave his beloved some flowers.

SENTENCE PATTERN #10:OPEN WITH AN ADJECTIVE PHRASE:

Adjective phrases consist of adjectives plus a group of words, often a prepositional phrase, without a subject and verb.

Use a comma when opening a sentence with an adjective phrase.

Passionate about the subject, he spoke for an hour.

Shrewd in her practice of law, Sarah rose quickly to the top of the firm.

Confident with a pen and paper, she wrote four full pages.

Pattern #10: Eager for salmon, the bears congregated at the river.

Unhappy with his costume, the little boy was taken trick-or-treating.