SENTENCE VARIETY & STRUCTURE
The basis for English sentence structure is the clause. An independent clause is one that can stand on its own as a sentence. Such a clause consists of at least one subject (noun or pronoun) and an action
(verb) that the subject is performing.
Ex. Students learn . noun verb
Independent clauses can include other material –object nouns, modifying words or phrases, etc. – but at the heart always include an actor and an action.
Ex. The students of VAPA High learn a great deal about how to write essays.
noun (actor) verb (action)
Similarly, a dependent (or subordinate) clause includes a noun and a verb but adds a word that precludes the clause standing alone as a sentence.
Ex. While students learn .
Subordinate conjunction+ noun + verb
The subordinate conjunction “while” makes this clause dependent or subordinate and thus a “sentence fragment.” To correct the error, add an independent clause.
Ex. While students learn , they eat junk food.
Sub.conj. + noun + verb (COMMA) + noun + verb + object noun
II. Why Vary Sentence Structure?
Simple sentences offer one simple thought. They generally begin with a subject followed by a verb and may end with an object:
The sun rose this morning.
The dew glistened on the grass.
The birds began to sing to each other.
Small animals awoke and searched for breakfast.
When several of these sentences follow one another, the writing style becomes very monotonous and does not reflect the variety of complex thinking patterns so common to the human mind.
- As the sun rose over the horizon, birds began to sing to each other and small animals awoke and searched for breakfast in the glistening, dew-covered grass.
- The dew glistened on the grass as the sun rose over the horizon. While the birds began to sing to each other, animals awoke and searched for breakfast.
Varying sentence length and pattern results in a natural, fluid form of writing. Writing should be pleasing to readers. If all of your sentences follow the same pattern, however, the writing and rhythm become boring and dull. Creating a variety of sentence patterns not only holds a reader’s interest (which, after all, is the purpose of writing), but it also reflects your mind’s ability to think creatively and complexly.
Writers have a number of options for transforming simple sentences into more sophisticated sentences.

III. Four Sentence Structures
A sentence in its simplest form is an independent clause, which consists of a subject noun and a predicate verb
– that is, an actor and an action. You could write a grammatical essay using only simple sentences, but the result would inevitably be choppy, repetitious, and boring.
You can add interest to your prose by varying types of sentences you use in an essay. Including the simple sentence, there are four basic classifications of sentences depending on the number of independent and dependent clauses you include.
A.
Simple sentence (one independent clause, no dependent clauses)
Ex. Flamingos eat algae.
independent clause
B.
Compound sentence (two or more independent clauses, no dependent clauses)
Ex. Flamingos eat algae, and they stand on one leg.
independent clause independent clause
C.
Complex sentence (one independent clause, one or more dependent clauses)
dependent clause
Ex. While they eat algae, flamingos stand on two legs. independent clause
D.
Compound, complex sentence (two or more independent clauses, one or more dependent clauses)
Ex. While they eat algae, flamingos stand on two legs, but they stand on one leg at other times.
Dependent clause independent clause independent clause
Creating different sentence structures requires coordination and subordination
IV. Coordination
If you are prone to creating short, choppy sentences, you might combine thoughts using either coordination or subordination to add variety and smooth transitions between your thoughts.
1. COORDINATION – When we say that someone is coordinated, we mean she/he is well balanced. Athletes and dancers, for example, are considered to be very coordinated because they aren’t clumsy or out of balance. A coordinated sentence is also well balanced because it balances two complete thoughts (or clauses: subject + verb combinations) in which the information is of equal value.
Grandma lost her eye sight. Her hearing sharpened over time.
Grandma lost her eye sight, but her hearing sharpened over time.
You can say you’re sorry. You can go to your room.
You can say you’re sorry, or you can go to your room.
The tornado hit. The town was leveled.
The tornado hit, and the town was leveled.

The key words (coordinating conjunctions) we use to create coordinated sentences are the following:
For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (FANBOYS)
Punctuation note: In a coordinated sentence, a comma always precedes the coordinating conjunction. It is not an option; it is a requirement of the sentence structure.
Coordination can also be created by joining two complete sentences that are closely related in meaning with a semi-colon (;)
Many web sites are interesting. Some are inaccurate.
Many web sites are interesting, but some are inaccurate.
Many web sites are interesting; some are inaccurate.
Many web sites are interesting; however, some are inaccurate.
Semi-colons can only connect complete thoughts that can stand on their own.
Punctuation note: Notice that if you add a transition word after the semi-colon (words like however, therefore, consequently, etc.), you must add a comma after the transition word.
Use can also use coordination ( fanboys ) to create compound subjects and verbs.
Ex: The phoenix is a legendary creature. The Minotaur is also a legendary creature.
The phoenix and the Minotaur are legendary creatures.
(Compound subject noun)
Ex. When the phoenix bursts into flames, it dies. It is then reborn from the ashes.
When the phoenix bursts into flames, it dies but is reborn from the ashes.
(Compound verb, NO COMMA before the coordinating conjunction “but” )
V.
Parallelism combines 3 or more words, phrases, or clauses that have roughly equal importance in a sentence using similar structures and coordinating conjunctions.
Ex. He eats, studies, and dreams new food combinations.
(1 actor, 3 actions, 1 object)
Ex. The cookbook author combines food in new ways, evaluates the success of his combinations, and writes a weekly food column for the local paper.
(3 verb phrases)
VI. Subordination
When we call someone a subordinate, we mean that she/he is lower in rank than we are and we, therefore, have more power than she/he has. In the military, for example, subordinates depend on their commanding officers to lead the way. Alone, they have no power. A subordinated sentence also contains a power structure and reflects a complex level of thinking.
Subordination combines phrases and/or clauses of unequal weight into sentences that show the relative importance of the “facts.” Use different subordinating conjunctions to emphasize the relationship these facts have, and remember that the clause beginning with one of these subordinating conjunctions is a dependent clause and cannot stand alone:
I can’t float. I just sink. I even hold my breath.
Even though I hold my breath, I seem to sink rather than float.
(dependent/subordinate clause) (independent clause)

I seem to sink rather than float even though I hold my breath.
(independent clause) (dependent/subordinate clause)
The independent clause (subject + verb combination) is a complete thought/idea with meaning that can stand on its own. The subordinate clause is not; it depends on the independent portion of the sentence to give it meaning. Alone, it is just a fragment.
Causal relationship : (after, as, before, because, if, in order that, since, so that, unless)
Ex. I changed my thesis statement because I could not find enough support for it in the readings. independent clause (NO COMMA) + subordinating conjunction + dependent clause
Oppositional relationship, or one of degree : (although, than, though, while)
Ex. Although I changed my thesis to fit my arguments, I was not happy with the final paper.
subordinating conjunction + dependent clause (COMMA) + independent clause
Time relationship : (after, as, before, (ever) since, until, when, where, while)
Ex. Before I handed in the final draft, I read it aloud and backwards, sentence by sentence.
subordinating conjunction + dependent clause (COMMA) + independent clause
Relative clauses : (that, which, who, whom, whose)
Ex. The paper that I changed because I needed more support for my thesis earned a B+.
noun [subord.conj. +relative clause + subord. conj.+dependent clause] + verb of indep. clause.
The key words (subordinating conjunctions) we use to create subordinated sentences are the following:
After In case Supposing that
Although
As (far/soon) as
As if as though
In that
In as much as
In so far as
Lest
Than
Though
Till
Unless
Because
Before
Even if
Even though
How
If
No matter how
Now that
Once
Provided (that)
Since
So that
Until
When, whenever
Where, wherever
Whether
While
Why
Punctuation note: When a subordinate (or complex) sentence begins with the subordinate clause, a comma always follows the subordinate clause. It is not an option; it is a requirement of the sentence structure.
Because I wanted to pick the best seat, I needed to get to class early.
However, notice that when the sentence begins with the independent clause a comma is not inserted into the middle of the sentence.
I needed to get to class early because I wanted to pick the best seat.