Name: ______________________________
Syntax
Syntax is the way words are arranged in sentences. In other words, syntax is sentence structure. Syntax includes
these important elements:

Sentence parts

Word order

Sentence length

Punctuation
Expert writers understand how our language is put together. They learn about language and experiment with the
way we express ideas. That said you do need to understand some basic vocabulary in order to understand syntax.
First, you need to understand basic sentence vocabulary: subject, verb, clause, phrase, and fragment. Then, you
need to understand how writers use these sentence parts to get the effects they want. Finally, you need to have a
basic understanding of some very special punctuation marks, specifically, the semicolon, the colon, the dash, and
italics.
-
A sentence, as you know, has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
o The subject is the part of the sentence that expresses what the sentence is about. It’s the topic of
the sentence.
o The verb is the part of a sentence that expresses action or connects the subject with the other
words in the sentence.
-
A clause is a group of related words that has a subject and a verb.
A phrase is a group of related words that has no subject or verb.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that is punctuated like a sentence but is not really a sentence.
Here is an example:
o The lion is a wild animal. Really wild.
You have probably been told never to use sentence fragments in your writing. That’s certainly true in
formal writing, but expert writers know how to use sentence fragments and often do. At its best, a
sentence fragment is used for emphasis, to point out the importance of an idea, as in the example above.
The fragment really wild makes the reader stop and think about just how wild the lions are. Sentence
fragments are powerful in writing, but only if you do not overuse them.
Now that you have some basic vocabulary, let’s talk about word order. The normal word order in English is to
place the subject first, then the verb and other details. But word order is a little more complicated than that and
can change the meaning of a sentence:

Jim said that he drives only a truck. (He drives nothing else.)

Jim said that only he drives a truck. (No one else drives a truck.)

Jim only said that he drives a truck. (He probably doesn’t really drive a truck.)

Only Jim said that he drives a truck. (No one else said it.)
Expert writers sometimes change things around for special effect or emphasis. Look at these examples;
Am I ever happy about my report card!
Pizza I want – not soup.
Putting the words of these sentences in an unusual order catches the reader’s attention and emphasizes the ideas.
Sentence length is another important part of syntax study. Sentences come in all shapes and sizes from one word
(Help!) to very long and complicated sentences. Writers vary sentence length to keep their readers interested
and to control what their readers pay attention to. Most modern writers put the main ideas in short sentences
and use longer sentences to expand and develop their main ideas.
A word about punctuation. Punctuation helps us understand the written word. In speech, we pause and use
expression in our voices and on our faces to help the listener understand us. Writing has to depend on
punctuation. It helps us fine-tune language and say exactly what we really want to say. Let’s look at the
punctuation used most often in shaping voice: semicolon, colon, dash, and italics.

The semicolon joins two or more clauses when there is no connecting word (and, but, or). When a
semicolon is used, all clauses are equally important, and the reader should pay equal attention to them
all.
o Example: He is my best friend; I have known him most of my life.

The colon tells the reader that something important will follow. It’s very important not to confuse the
colon and the semicolon. While the semicolon shows equal importance, the colon throws the emphasis
onto what comes after it.
o Example: He is my best friend: he helps me through hard times and celebrates good times with
me.

The dash marks a sudden change in thought or sets off a summary. Parentheses can do this, too, but the
dash is more informal and conversational.
o Example: John – my best friend – lives right down the street.

Italics are used to talk about a word as a word (He used the word really too many times in that
paragraph.) or for emphasis. When we handwrite something, we show italics by underlining.
o Example: Of all the people I’ve ever known, John is my best friend.
Name: ______________________________
Syntax
Syntax is the way ______________________________. In other words, syntax is ____________________. Syntax
includes these important elements:

Sentence ______

______________

_________ length

______________
Expert writers understand how our language is put together. They learn about language and experiment with the
way we express ideas. That said you do need to understand some basic vocabulary in order to understand syntax.
First, you need to understand basic sentence vocabulary: subject, verb, clause, phrase, and fragment. Then, you
need to understand how writers use these sentence parts to _______________________. Finally, you need to
have a basic understanding of some very special punctuation marks, specifically, _________________________
____________________________________.
-
A sentence, as you know, has a ___________ and a ________ and expresses a ____________ thought.
o The subject is the part of the sentence that expresses what the sentence is about. It’s the _______
of the sentence.
o The verb is the part of a sentence that ___________________________________ with the other
words in the sentence.
-
A __________ is a group of related words that _________________________.
A __________ is a group of related words that _________________________.
A __________________________ is a group of words that is ______________ like a sentence but is not
really a sentence. Here is an example:
o The lion is a wild animal. Really wild.
You have probably been told never to use sentence fragments in your writing. That’s certainly true in
formal writing, but expert writers know how to use sentence fragments and often do. At its best, a
sentence fragment is ___________________, to point out the _________________________, as in the
example above. The fragment really wild makes the reader stop and think about just how wild the lions
are. Sentence fragments are powerful in writing, but only if you do not ______________________.
Now that you have some basic vocabulary, let’s talk about ____________________. The normal word order in
English is to place the _____________ first, then the ____________ and other details. But word order is a little
more complicated than that and can ___________________________________.

Jim said that he drives only a truck. (_______________________.)

Jim said that only he drives a truck. (_______________________.)

Jim only said that he drives a truck. (_______________________.)

Only Jim said that he drives a truck. (_______________________.)
Expert writers sometimes change things around for special effect or emphasis. Look at these examples;
Am I ever happy about my report card!
Pizza I want – not soup.
Putting the words of these sentences in an unusual order __________________________ and _______________
the ideas.
____________________ is another important part of syntax study. Sentences come in all shapes and sizes from
one word (Help!) to very long and complicated sentences. Writers vary sentence length to _______________
_______________and to __________________________________ Most modern writers put the main ideas in
_____________________ and use longer sentences to __________________________ their main ideas.
A word about punctuation. Punctuation helps us understand the written word. In speech, we pause and use
expression in our voices and on our faces to help the listener understand us. _____________ has to depend on
punctuation. It helps us fine-tune language and say exactly what we really want to say. Let’s look at the
punctuation used most often in shaping voice: _______________________________________.

The semicolon _______________________ when there is no connecting word (and, but, or). When a
semicolon is used, all clauses are _________________, and the reader should pay equal attention to them
all.
o Example: He is my best friend; I have known him most of my life.

The colon tells the reader that ______________________________. It’s very important not to confuse
the colon and the semicolon. While the semicolon shows equal importance, the colon throws the
emphasis onto ______________________.
o Example: He is my best friend: he helps me through hard times and celebrates good times with
me.

The dash marks a _______________________ in thought or sets off a ______________. Parentheses can
do this, too, but the dash is more _________________________________.
o Example: John – my best friend – lives right down the street.

Italics are used to talk about a word as a word (He used the word really too many times in that
paragraph.) or for emphasis. When we handwrite something, we show italics by ___________________.
o Example: Of all the people I’ve ever known, John is my best friend.
Take a look at the following examples and complete the exercises that follow.
Example One: When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a
little – a very , very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it – you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily –
until, at length, a single dim ray, like the thread of a spider, shot from out the crevice and full upon the vulture
eye. - Edgar Allen Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart”
1. Look carefully at the first sentence. There are several groups of words called phrases (very patiently,
without hearing him lie down, a very, very little) that interrupt the flow of the sentence. Why do you
think Poe wrote the sentence like this?
2. Look at the second sentence. What is the purpose of the dashes? How do these dashes, and the words
they set off, involve the reader in the action of the passage?
3. Now you try it. Write a sentence about doing your homework. Try to imitate the way Poe uses phrases
to slow down the way you read the sentence, and use at least one dash.
When I ________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________.
Example Two: Grayson said, “Pitcher.” This word, unlike the others, was not worn at all, but fresh and robust. It
startled Maniac. It declared: I am not what you see. I am not a line-laying, pickup-driving, live-at-the-Y, beanbrained parkhand. I am not rickety, whiskered worm chow. I am a pitcher. – Jerry Spinelli, Maniac Magee
1. Notice that the passage alternates long, layered sentences with short sentences. What is the purpose of
the short sentences? What is the purpose of the longer sentences?
2. Why is the last sentence in italics? What effect does this sentence have on the impact of the passage?
3. Now you try it. Write a short sentence that follows and emphasizes the long sentence below.
Although I’m not a great athlete, that day I was flying – running as if I’d been training for weeks – and I
felt capable, for the very first time, of winning a race, of being a track star, of helping my team. _______
______________________________________________________________________________________.