WRITING PRACTICE
Varying Syntax for Effect
Choose one of the following creative writing prompts then write a short passage
practicing varying syntax for effect. Try to use a range of simple, compound,
complex and compound-complex sentences and if you're feeling brave, experiment
with using some other syntactic devices we've learnt about (you can use the
reference page to give you ideas!)
Prompts:
a cross country road trip
adjusting to life in a foreign country
deserted in an isolated location
volunteering at a homeless shelter
a crowd at a protest
the woods at night
Writing Space:
WRITING PRACTICE
Varying Syntax for Effect
Choose one of the following creative writing prompts then write a short passage
practicing varying syntax for effect. Try to use a range of simple, compound,
complex and compound-complex sentences and if you're feeling brave, experiment
with using some other syntactic devices we've learnt about (you can use the
reference page to give you ideas!)
Prompts:
a cross country road trip
adjusting to life in a foreign country
deserted in an isolated location
volunteering at a homeless shelter
a crowd at a protest
the woods at night
Writing Space:
TYPES OF SENTENCES AND SYNTACTIC DEVICES
Sentence Types by Function
Declarative
A sentence used to make a statement.
E.g. This city is boring.
Interrogative
A sentence used to ask a question.
E.g. Is this city boring?
Exclamatory
A sentence used to make an
exclamation.
E.g. What a boring city!
Imperative
A sentence used to give a command.
E.g. Get me out of this boring city!
Sentence Types by Structure
Simple
One independent clause. No commas
seperate two compound elements.
E.g. Anna eats lollies.
Compound
Two independent clauses joined by a
coordinating conjunction, a conjunctive
adverb or a semicolon.
E.g. Anna eats lollies but Jamie eats
fruit.
Complex
One dependent clause (headed by a
subordinating conjunction or a relative
pronoun) joined to an independent
clause.
E.g. Although Anna eats lollies, Jamie
eats fruit.
CompoundComplex
Two independent clauses joined to one
or more dependent clauses.
E.g. While Anna eats lollies, Jamie
eats fruit, but Matt only eats bread.
Sentence Length
Telegraphic
5 words or less
E.g. Stop. Now. Don't move an inch. Don't even
breathe.
Short
5-10 words
E.g. I walk to the road alone. I carefully check each
way. `
Medium
15-20 words
E.g. The winding road, surrounded by tall trees,
stretched out before us, beckoning us on a journey of
adventure.
Long
Two independent
clauses joined to one or
more dependent clauses.
E.g. The winding road snaked through the dense
forest, its asphalt surface glistening under the bright
sun, as it led travellers to the quaint little town
nestled at the foot of the mountain.
Arrangement of Ideas
Anaphora
The repetition of words or phrases at the
beginning of successive clauses.
E.g. We're sorry for being messy,
we're sorry for being moody and
we're sorry for not listening to your
advice.
Epiphora
The repetition of words or phrases at the
end of successive clauses.
E.g. He pets the dog, he feeds the
dog, he walks the dog and
everything else in his life centres
around the dog.
Tricolon
A three-part sentence. They are effective
because the human brain seems to more
readily process ideas presented in
groups of three.
E.g. The culling of kangaroos is cruel,
wasteful and a disgrace to our
national emblem.
Tetracolon
A four-part sentence. They often create a
sense of drama and of building to a
climax.
E.g. He launched at the ball, leapt
high into the air, caught it tightly with
both his hands and held it to his
chest as he tumbled to the ground.
Antithesis
These sentences position opposite ideas
using a parallel grammatical structure to
create contrast.
E.g. Keep your friends close but keep
your enemies closer.
E.g. Get busy living or get busy dying.
Inverted Order
These types of sentences switch the
placement of the verb before the subject
as if in a question.
E.g. Not only is he smart, but he is
also funny.
E.g. Rarely have I eaten tastier food.
Polysyndeton
When conjunctions like 'and', 'or' and 'but'
are used repeatedly in rapid succession.
It can emphasise items on a list, add
rhythm, build pace, mirror a child-like
voice or create a stream-ofconsciousness style.
E.g. The sun rose and the birds sang
and the flowers bloomed and the
world came to life.
E.g. We could go to the park or the
mall or the movies or the beach.
Asyndeton
The opposite of polysyndeton where
conjunctions are left out deliberately to
create a more dramatic effect, speed up
the rhythm or pace or emphasise the
gravity of a situation.
E.g. The sun was shining, the birds
were singing, the flowers were
blooming.
E.g. She sang, danced, laughed, cried
with joy.