Additional Practice with Washington’s Syntax
*Teachers Note: This version of the text has markings not found on the student version. Also, see the comments
after the last exercise.
The structure of Washington’s sentences—this is called syntax—makes his speech difficult to read. Let’s look at
one sentence structure that can cause a student to lose Washington’s main point.
Sometimes writers insert words, phrases, and subordinate clauses into the middle of their sentences. When just a
single word is inserted, it’s not difficult to focus on the main point of the sentence. Whether or not you get rid of the
word “however” in the middle of the second sentence, the main point is easy to understand.
The children were worried about their father’s illness. The doctor, however, was fully confident that the
patient would recover.
Yet if the thing stuffed into the middle of the sentence is longer, it may be helpful to cut it out and read the main
clause that is left to get the point. Then you can put it back in and see what additional information is included.
The doctor, unlike the children who were deeply concerned for the health of their father, was fully
confident that the patient would recover.
1. Read the sentence without the stuff in the middle first.
The doctor was fully confident that the patient would recover.
2. Now read it again with the stuff in the middle.
Independent Practice
1. Read the following sentence from the address. Underline the middle portion. Read the sentence without
reading the middle. Then insert the middle back in and read it.
I constantly hoped that it would have been much earlier in my power, consistently with motives which I
was not at liberty to disregard, to return to that retirement from which I had been reluctantly drawn.
What had Washington hoped to do?
2. Here are three more sentences for you to practice this strategy with. On the lines below each sentence, restate
the point of the sentence in your own words.

I have the consolation to believe that, while choice and prudence invite me to quit the political scene,
patriotism does not forbid it.
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
The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride
of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.
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
But these considerations, however powerfully they address themselves to your sensibility, are greatly
outweighed by those which apply more immediately to your interest.
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3. Here’s a really challenging sentence for you to work with. Using a pencil, lightly scratch though anything that is
not the basic, main clause. Then ask your peers or your teacher for feedback. Teachers: the first main clause
is underlined.
But a solicitude for your welfare, which cannot end but with my life, and the apprehension of danger, natural to
that solicitude, urge me, on an occasion like the present, to offer to your solemn contemplation, and to
recommend to your frequent review, some sentiments which are the result of much reflection, of no
inconsiderable observation, and which appear to me all-important to the permanency of your felicity as a
people.
Long information up front
When writers put a long phrase or clause before the main clause, it can also confuse students. But the same
strategy can work to help you make sense of the sentence. Here’s a sentence of this type from the address:
In looking forward to the moment which is intended to terminate the career of my public life, my feelings
do not permit me to suspend the deep acknowledgment of that debt of gratitude which I owe to my
beloved country for the many honors it has conferred upon me;
Apply the same strategy. Remove the long clause in red. Read only the main clause. Then insert the information
again and see what additional information is present.
1. What is the main point of this sentence? (the portion in black)
2. What prompted Washington to have these feelings? (the portion in red)
3. Here are some additional sentences of this type. On the line below each sentence, restate the point of the
sentence in your own words.

While, then, every part of our country thus feels an immediate and particular interest in union, all the parts
combined cannot fail to find in the united mass of means and efforts greater strength, greater resource,
proportionably greater security from external danger, a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign
nations;
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
In contemplating the causes which may disturb our Union, it occurs as matter of serious concern that any
ground should have been furnished for characterizing parties by geographical discriminations, Northern
and Southern, Atlantic and Western; whence designing men may endeavor to excite a belief that there is a
real difference of local interests and views.
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Teachers, in addition to these two sentence types, many of Washington’s sentences are compound or compoundcomplex. You may wish to further adapt this exercise to illustrate for students how they can divide a compound
sentence into two distinct main clauses and derive meaning from each clause separately before combining.