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:
O Jim and Huck encountered many
adventures going down the river.
O Going 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
VARIETY
Also 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.
Participles
Present 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: Jasmine and Anna were alarmed to get an
F on their presentation. They were mad.
O Revision (present): Getting an F on their
presentation alarmed Jasmine and Anna. They were
mad.
O Revision (past): Alarmed to get an F on their
presentation, Jasmine and Anna were mad.
Prepositions
about, 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.
Conjunctions
These 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.
Subordination
after, 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 a
dependent marker
O The test was hard even though Ms. Stafford
let us use our notes.
Vary these with a
Present 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
Liberty. They have been practicing all their
best moves.
Vary the Rhythm
using 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 Types
O 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 Marker
2. Transitional word or
phrase
3. 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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Use of conjunction
Complex Sentence
Subordination
Complex-compound
sentence
Simple Sentence