Practising Sentence Structure
Read the paragraphs below. Each is attached to question about sentence
structure. Try answering the questions. Then compare what you’ve got with
the suggested answers.
1. Dozy. That’s what his teacher had called him. Dozy. He’d always been like
that. Dreaming in class. Off in a world of his own. Unreliable. Vague. He
was sick of all the labels they attached to him – they had really absolutely
no idea what was going on in his head.
Question: How does the sentence structure here help distinguish the
teacher’s opinion from the narrator’s?
2. The boat was carrying an incredible cargo – so incredible that George’s
mouth dropped open. He couldn’t believe it.
Question: How does the sentence structure emphasise George’s emotional
reaction?
3. Jemima was the name of one of Beatrix Potter’s characters – yes – that
was right. But what was the name of the Squirrel? She had a feeling it was
something to do with nuts; it was right on the edge of her tongue. Wait a
moment. Wait- Yes! That was it. Squirrel Nutkin.
Question: Show how the sentence structure is used to reflect the narrator’s
thoughts.
4. George was on his way to the golf-course (he went there every week at
exactly this time) when the tractor hit him.
Question: Show how the sentence structure contributes to the formal tone.
5. My mother, grabbing one twin in each hand and with a face the colour of a
ripe tomato, opened her mouth and began a tirade the like of which we
had never heard before – never in a month of Sundays.
Question: Show how sentence structure contributes to the dramatic effect of
the scene.
6. It was our first meeting. I went out wearing a short skirt, a skimpy blouse, a
great deal of scarlet lipstick and the longest false eyelashes available in
Boots. What effect did all this have on him? Absolutely none. I might as
well have been dressed in a boiler suit and wellingtons.
Question: Comment on the way sentence structure helps convey the
narrator’s sense of disappointment.
Sentence Structure – Answers
1. Dozy. That’s what his teacher had called him. Dozy. He’d always
been like that. Dreaming in class. Off in a world of his own.
Unreliable. Vague. He was sick of all the labels they attached to
him – they had really absolutely no idea what was going on in his
head.
Question: How does the sentence structure here help distinguish the
teacher’s opinion from the narrator’s?
Answer: There is a contrast between very short sentence fragments
(“Dozy”, “Vague’) and the longer last sentence. The short sentences
sound like the commands or criticisms the teacher might have shouted.
The last sentence, which is longer and flows better, reflects the boy’s
own thoughts. The dash in the last sentence introduces an expansion
of the first point about the labels – and the expansion is dramatic and
effective: “they had absolutely no idea.”
2. The boat was carrying an incredible cargo – so incredible that
George’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t believe it.
Question: How does the sentence structure emphasise George’s
emotional reaction?
Answer: The dash after ‘cargo’ introduces an expansion of the
previous point. The repetition of ‘incredible’ helps to reinforce a feeling
of astonishment. The contrast between the first complex sentence and
the next very short simple sentence (“He couldn’t believe it”) drives the
emotion home.
3. Jemima was the name of one of Beatrix Potter’s characters—
yes—that was right. But what was the name of the Squirrel? She
had a feeling it was something to do with nuts; it was right on the
edge of her tongue. Wait a moment. Wait— Yes! That was it.
Squirrel Nutkin.
Question: Show how the sentence structure is used to reflect the
narrator’s thoughts.
Answer: The sentences are jerky with interruptions to reflect the way
someone thinks when they aren’t sure. ‘Yes’ is inserted in parenthesis
to express hesitation. A question is used to convey the sense of the
narrator searching her own memory. The semi-colon in the third
sentence connects two similar feelings – nearly guessing what the
answer is. The repetition of ‘Wait’ reflects exactly what she is thinking
and the full stop after ‘moment’ followed by a dash in the next sentence
create pauses to reflect the waiting. The exclamation mark after ‘Yes’
conveys a feeling of triumph.
4. George was on his way to the golf-course (he went there every
week at exactly this time) when the tractor hit him.
Question: Show how the sentence structure contributes to the
formal tone.
Answer: The language is very precise and factual and extra
information is inserted in parenthesis. The fact that he ‘went there very
week at exactly this time’ sounds almost like a court statement. The
brackets help to clarify exactly what information is being offered.
5. My mother, grabbing one twin in each hand and with a face the
colour of a ripe tomato, opened her mouth and began a tirade the
like of which we had never heard before – never in a month of
Sundays.
Question: Show how sentence structure contributes to the
dramatic effect of the scene.
Answer: The simple thread of the sentence runs ‘My mother…opened
her mouth’. However a long descriptive clause is inserted between
commas. The description adds to a vivid visual sense of what is going
on. The dash before ‘never in a month of Sundays’ dramatises how
astonished the children are. The repetition of ‘never’ also adds to this.
6. It was our first meeting. I went out wearing a short skirt, a skimpy
blouse, a great deal of scarlet lipstick and the longest false
eyelashes available in Boots. What effect did all this have on him?
Absolutely none. I might as well have been dressed in a boiler suit
and wellingtons.
Question: Comment on the way sentence structure helps convey
the narrator’s sense of disappointment.
Answer: One long sentence lists the elaborate clothes the narrator
was wearing. This listing device creates a sense of expectation which
is quickly deflated by the question, sarcastic in tone: “What effect did
this have on him?” The question allows the narrator to answer in a
short sharp dramatic fragment which conveys her complete disgust:
“Absolutely none