Sentence Patterns #1-10
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Use strong, active verbs. (Declarative)
Ask a question. (Interrogative Sentence)
Use an exclamatory sentence. (Exclamatory Sentence)
State a command (Imperative Sentence)
Write a sentence in which the verb precedes the subject.
Open with a prepositional phrase.
Open with an adverb.
Open with an adverbial clause.
Open with an adjective.
Open with an adjective phrase.
Sentence Pattern #1: Use strong active verbs …
In the following examples note the bold, active verbs. These are in contrast to PASSIVE verbs, in which
the subject is not performing the action (ie. The problem was diagnosed by the doctor.)
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Fire belched from the dragon’s mouth.
The specialist quickly diagnosed the problem.
The cloud darkened the moon.
The problem perplexed the student.
The coyote howled at midnight.
The ship cruised through the islands
The police dogs patrolled the area.
The group toured Disneyland.
Sentence pattern #2: Ask a question …
Sentences may appear as questions, also known as interrogative sentences. A question may appear
anywhere in a paragraph. It often expresses the main idea. The rest of the writing then develops the answer
to the question. Questions most frequently begin with one of these words: who, what, when, where, why,
or how. Questions end with the question mark, also known as the interrogation point.
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Who settled the American colonies?
What steps do writers pursue in research?
Why does Melville portray Ahab as a man obsessed with vengeance?
When might microbes multiply?
Where in the world might one find good farming conditions?
Why did the Vikings turn to the sea for living?
How have your appetite and taste in literature changed over this last year?
Sentence Pattern #3: Use an exclamatory sentence …
An exclamatory sentence expresses a strong, genuine feeling or surprise. It ends with an exclamation point.
The exclamation point will not lend weight to a simple statement of fact, nor will the use of double or triple
exclamation marks add anything.
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What a beautiful day!
How lucky you are!
I’ll lock them in the dungeon!
Never darken my door again!
Only prejudice could so blind a jury!
How lovely the flowers are!
What torments Captain Ahab endured!
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Sentence Pattern #4: State a command …
An imperative sentence gives a command, or tells someone to do something. It can end with a period or an
exclamation point, depending on the emotional strength of the command. In an imperative sentence, the
subject – YOU – is understood.
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Do all your homework.
Don’t forget to read your book.
Tell me when you want to meet.
Go away, rain!
Run as fast as you can!
Get out of the way!
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: A key way to introduce Sentence Variety into your writing
is to begin your sentence with a grammatical form other than the SUBJECT. ***
Sentence Pattern #5: Write a sentence in which a verb precedes the subject …
In the following sentences the subject appears in bold type and the verb in bold type and underlined. In
these particular examples we also find Sentence Patterns #6 and #7, sentences opening with adverbs or
prepositional phrases; however, here the verb precedes the subject.
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Beside the house grew a large maple tree.
Along the avenue sped a new corvette.
Closer and closer floated the blimp.
Higher and higher rose the suspense.
Over the cabin flew a white flag.
Down the road limped an old man.
Across the page seared the frightening image.
Behind the door crouched Mr. Hyde.
Sentence Pattern #6: Open with a prepositional phrase …
A preposition describes direction (from the hill); describes position (above the door); tells time (at dinner);
describes means (with pencil); or shows some abstract relationship (except Jack, of independence).
Prepositional phrases modify nouns or verbs; therefore, they do the jobs of adjectives and adverbs. Use a
comma after a long, introductory prepositional phrase or if the prepositional phrase requires special stress.
Omit the comma after relatively short phrases. The following table lists important prepositions of the
language according to their uses:
Direction: along, down, from, into, over, through, to, toward, up
Position: above, across, against, among, around, at (the fair), before (the mantle), behind, beneath,
beside, between, by (the lake), in, off, on, under, within (the house).
Time: after, at (1 p.m.), before (dinner), by (dawn), during, in (a minute), until, within (a short time)
Means: by (hard work), with (no help), without (help)
Abstract: against (all odds), except, for, of
In the following examples, opening prepositional phrases appear in bold type.
1. During the day he read.
2. At that moment the telephone rang.
3. Toward his goal he plodded.
4. For his gold I had no desire.
5. After a moment of surprise, the story allows the reader comic relief.
6. On the affirmative side the debaters included Jill and Larry.
7. With a smile on his face, the lion savored his meal.
8. Behind the tree they found the lost dog.
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Sentence Pattern #7: Open with an adverb …
An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs answer these questions: How? When?
Where? Why? How much? How many times? Many adverbs in the English language end in –ly. Use a
comma after an adverb as a sentence opener if the adverb receives special stress.
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Anxiously, the reader awaits the explosive climax of “The Tell Tale Heart”.
Tomorrow I am planning to leave on my cross-country trek.
Honestly, it took my breath away when I saw her.
Wisely, Helen made her course choices.
Angrily, the student leaped to his feet.
Tiredly, the athletes went home from their practice.
Sneakily, Colonel Graff used Ender to battle the Buggers.
Cleverly, Harper Lee uses Biblical and historical names to give more dimension to her characters.
Sentence Pattern #8: Open with an adverbial clause …
An adverbial clause has a subject and a predicate, but it cannot stand alone; it functions as part of the
sentence and is a subordinate, or dependent clause. Alone, it forms a FRAGMENT:
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Although the rain stopped before the game ended.
Since that day last summer when he broke his leg.
When adverbial clauses open a sentence, follow them with a comma. When they appear at the end of a
sentence, a comma is not needed. Adverbial clauses usually express a relationship of time, place, direction,
cause, effect, condition, manner, or concession. The following words serve as common connections for
expressing these relationships:
after
although
as/as long as
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before
if /as if
in order that
so that
though
wherever
whenever
where
because
so
when
while
After she seized control, the situation changed drastically.
Although he smiled, I knew John’s sorrow.
If the barometer drops sharply, a change in the weather will occur. .
Unless unexpected delays occur, the workers will finish the new wing by spring.
Before we finish, we should take some pictures.
When Ender learned the truth, he was very upset,
While we walked, he told me his life story.
As if it were on cue, they stopped dancing just as the music ended.
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since
until
unless
Sentence Pattern #9: Open with an adjective …
An adjective describes a noun or pronoun. It tells what kind, what color, how many, which one, whose.
Adjectives enable a writer to specify (that one), to distinguish (the lowest shelf). They add descriptive
details. They also limit or make more definite the meaning of a key word (the first book). Typically,
adjectives immediately precede the words they modify; however, pulled away from those words and placed
on the front of a sentence and followed by a comma, they gain emphasis.
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Fearful, the hunter fled through the jungle.
Happy, Dorothy announced her graduation from medical school.
Wiser, Gary decided to pursue another goal.
Outraged, John Steinbeck graphically depicted the plight of the poor and the homeless.
Weary, the soldiers walked away from the field.
Confused, he looked to his leader for some answers.
Breathless and weary, he trudged down the road.
Influential, the senator swayed the opinions of her colleagues.
Sentence Pattern #10: Open with an adjective phrase …
Adjective phrases consist of adjectives plus a group of words, often a prepositional phrase, without a
subject and verb. Adjective phrases serve the same function as adjectives: they modify nouns or pronouns.
They also tell what kind, what color, how many, which one, and whose. Placed as sentence openers,
adjective phrases end with a comma.
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Passionate on the subject, he spoke for an hour.
Sympathetic to a high degree, Blake forgave her for her transgressions.
Shrewd in her practice of law, Helen rose quickly to the top of the firm.
Superstitious to a high degree, Sarah shunned black cats.
Exact in his portrayal of the migrant workers, Steinbeck educated the reading public about the
anguish of the dispossessed.
Afloat with confidence, the team sprinted onto the court.
Shocked at the news of Mr. Rochester’s demented wife, Jane Eyre fled Thornfield Hall.
Confident with pencil and paper, she could write a paragraph on a moment’s notice.
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Quick Practice
Part I: Find and copy one example of each of the four main types of sentences (Sentences Patterns #1-4).
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Declarative –
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Interrogative –
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Exclamatory –
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Imperative –
Part II: Rewrite each of the following PASSIVE sentences using active verbs (Sentence Pattern #1).
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The student was called on by the teacher.
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An answer was given by the student.
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The students were prepared for the test by the teacher.
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High grades were earned by the entire class.
Part III: Underline the subject once and the verb twice (Sentence Pattern #5)
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Down the street walked the dog.
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Gleefully sang the children in the concert.
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Along the highway sped the motorcycle.
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Wisely spoke the valedictorian.
Part IV: Underline the prepositional phrase (Sentence Pattern #6)
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At the store she bought a new sweater.
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On the sidewalk he found a penny.
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Around the track they ran as fast as they could.
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Behind the tree he parked his bike.
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Part V: Punctuate the following sentences (Sentence Patterns #8).
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Although she was sad the girl did not cry
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The crowd kept shopping even after the store announced it was closing
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When they arrived everyone started clapping.
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The protesters started chanting though the president could not hear them
Part VI: Mark whether each sentence opens with an adjective or an adverb (Sentence Patterns #7 and 9)
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Immediately, she began working on her speech.
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Tomorrow the class will give their presentations.
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Confident in her manner, the student walked to the front of the classroom.
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Confidently, she spoke to the class.
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Satisfied, she returned to her seat.
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Anxiously, the next student rose to give his speech.
Part VII: What patterns are these?
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