Using a variety of
sentence openers to make
our writing more
interesting.
One of the most common ways to
start a sentence is to begin with
the thing being described as
subject(first word). So we start
with ‘the...’, or ‘she/he/it...’,
followed by the verb (action).
Eg: The lanky, unkempt fellow
sneaked down the canal
This way of structuring the
sentence can get a bit boring...
The car was very fast.
It (the car again) drove around the corner
before spinning out.
Its passenger was saved by the seatbelt as the
car’s breaks gave out and it rolled onto the
pavement.
The passenger managed to prise open the door
and crawl onto a grassy strip out of danger.
Use an ‘ly’ (adverb) opening
word:
Unsteadily, the lanky, unkempt
fellow sneaked down the
alleyway...
Open your sentence with
words indicating location:
Along the canal towpath , the
lanky, unkempt fellow ambled
slowly...
Start the sentence using
a word ending in “ing”:
Ambling along the canal tow path,
the intoxicated thief spied his
victim...
‘Drop in’ clause or
‘comma sandwich’:
The inebriated man, who was
lanky and unkempt, stumbled
along the canal towpath...
Use a variety of sentence
lengths, from short and punchy,
to more complex:
She froze.
They waited.
He fell to the ground, with a
thud.
Use ‘although’, or ‘despite’
as a sentence starter:
Although he was intoxicated, the thief
managed to escape through the
deserted canal towpaths which crisscrossed the city...
Despite his intoxicated state, the thief
was able to escape through the
deserted canal towpaths...
Open using a word
ending in –ed:
Terrified, the girl darted out
of the path of her pursuer...
Use a simile:
The mugger approached his target
like a stealthy cat stalking its
prey...
The pickpocket moved as smoothly
as a sea snake glides through the
water...
Use alliteration:
Ragged, rough and rank, the
criminal closed in on the
student walking alone down
the alley...
Use sentences of three,
for impact:
She staggered home, yanked off
her painful shoes, and made a
cup of tea...
Speech, followed by action
with an ‘ing’ clause:
“Help me!”, he screamed,
tripping on the slimy
cobblestones..
Use personification:
The moon peeped meekly
from behind the sullen
night clouds...
Use time: including time of
day, season, and
temperature:
At 6pm on an icy winter
evening...
Start with a name:
Detective Marshall didn’t
believe a word of the
devious criminal’s story...
Start with a question:
“Are you sure its safe to
walk by the canal
tonight?” asked his anxious
girlfriend.
Start with a wish:
Why couldn’t he be lying safely
wrapped in his fluffy duvet
instead of here bleeding into the
slush and snow...
Describe the scene:
On the edge of town stood
a derelict building that no
one ever dared enter...
Introduce a new character:
Her name was Morwenna
and everyone realised
there was something
mysterious about her right
from the beginning...
Begin a sentence with
dramatic action:
The gun fired as the bank robber
leapt through the window to
escape...