Name:__________________|______________
Student Number: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
(English and Chinese)
(The last six digits.)
Modeling the Masters
TEN DISTINGUISHED SENTENCE PATTERNS
The flexibility of English allows writers to craft sentences that more
accurately express ideas and emotions, to create tone and mood, to set
the pace and rhythm of a composition. The most natural way to improve
your writing craft is to constantly experiment with style. One way to do
that is to study and tryout different sentence patterns from master writers.
Consider the following sentence patterns worthy of emulation, not only in
grammatical arrangement but also in diction.
Pattern 1 – Introductory Prepositional Phrases for Background

“On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera, about halfway between Marseilles and
the Italian border, stands a large, proud, rose-colored hotel.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Within the bowels of Harlem, amid the rat-infested squalor of the ghetto, cowers a
dilapidated tenement building teeming with filth and hopelessness.

Just off a cobblestone street, in the drowsy, postcard city of Cuernavaca, Mexico,
sprawls a rambling whitewashed hacienda.
Assignment: Describe a building in a sentence constructed like the one above. Begin with a
background image in a prepositional phrase naming a state, country, or town. Then,
as Fitzgerald does, use another prepositional phrase to identify the place more
exactly. Finally, use the verb and subject in reverse order. The progression in the
Fitzgerald sentence is background, middle ground, and foreground.
Pattern 2 – An Adjective Following the Subject

“A half-moon, dusky-gold, was sinking behind the black sycamore tree.”
– D.H. Lawrence

The morning sky, milky-grey, suffocated the dying vestiges of the pale yellow sage.

The autumn sun, orange-red, settled slowly beneath the brassy horizon.
Assignment: Write a sentence like the examples in construction and intensity of diction. Do
not use a weak helping verb like the one in Lawrence’s sentence! Use a hyphenated color
word following the subject. Use one other color in your sentence.
Pattern 3 – Personification with a Past Participle Following the Subject

The lazy October afternoon, bathed in the soft warmth of a reluctant sun, held a hint
of winter’s coming chill. – Ruth Firor

The frail kite, beaten and battered by the March wind, took one last dive and was
swallowed by the tall grass.

The neighbor’s wizened yard, cluttered with the remnants of children’s toys, mourned
for the lost years of laughter and love.
Assignment: Describe an afternoon, a morning, a home, or a yard. Try for personifying
words (such as “lazy” and “reluctant”) just like in the sentences above. Use a past
participle after the subject.
Pattern 4 – Three Absolute Constructions Visualizing a Person

Sun Wukong flew across the sky, his tail fluttering in the wind, his furry monkey paw
gripping a stolen bottle of the Jade Emperor’s wine, his arrogance keeping pace.

The werewolf’s teeth glistened with blood, his fur matted in bodily fluids, his claws
covered in human flesh, his yellow and red eyes burning like the flames of Hell.

Maggie slouched in the doorway, her emaciated frame trembling, her quivering lips
forcing a smile, her lifeless eyes beseeching someone’s, anyone’s, kindness.
Assignment: Describe an individual in one sentence with the use of three absolute
constructions as in the example above.
Pattern 5 – Three Parallel Verbs of Action

The rain jettisoned from the cloud, pierced through the frigid air, crashed into the
briny ocean.

The snow, gentle snow, drifted silently toward the earth, lifted itself into the wind,
settled calmly on a face with a childlike grin.

Wisps of smoke escaped from the dying campfire, writhed heavenward, died in the
moonlight.
Assignment: Write a sentence describing the movement of light, smoke, wind, rain, snow, or
dust as in the sentences above using three parallel verbs.
Pattern 6 – Three Parallel Verbs to Describe

The aurora’s vibrant greens and blues snaked across the arctic sky, shimmered
through the sullen glaciers, caressed the surface of the pensive lake.

The candle’s flame was dancing in her eyes, playfully mimicking her breath, abruptly
extinguishing itself in a sullen sigh.

Shards of sunshine crept through the stained glass, christened the pews with color,
illuminated the parquet floor in pale vibrancy.
Assignment: Write a sentence containing three parallel verbs describing the movement of
light on a subject of your choice.
Pattern 7 – Adverbial Clause Followed by an Absolute Construction

“Even as she was falling asleep, head bowed over the child, she was still aware of a
strange wakeful happiness.” – Katherine Anne Porter

As he sat before the doctor, his mangled hand dripping with blood, the fluorescent
light accented the pallor of his skin and the fear in his eyes.

As they courageously crawled toward the crest of the crag, their feet festering from
fatigue, the climbers collapsed from exhaustion.
Assignment: Open with an adverbial “as” clause followed by an absolute construction
describing the image of a person.
Pattern 8 – Two Participles, Two Verbs, and a Simile

“Streaming with perspiration, we swarmed up the rope, and coming into the blast of
cold wind, gasped like men plunged into icy water.” – Joseph Conrad

Straining with tension, I clambered up the castle wall, and coming in through the
gallery windows, shuddered like a man in his death rattle.

Taxiing off the runway, the plane soared toward the horizon, and fishtailing out of
control, plunged to its icy death like an avalanche.
Assignment: Write a sentence with grammatical elements similar to the one above, opening
with a present participle (ending in -ing), incorporating two visual and dynamic verbs, and
ending with a simile.
Pattern 9 – Opening with an Adverb and a Prepositional Phrase Containing a Gerund

“Instinctually, by soaring above the great valley, the eagle could target a tuft of fur
rustling in the tall grass and guarantee another meal.” – Greg Hafer

Quietly, without moving his books, she straightened the dresser and hung his clothes.

Slowly, with cunning and trepidation, the priest exorcised the spirits from the
possessed nun and chased the demons from the tortured crevices of her mind.
Assignment: Write a sentence of action opening with an adverb followed by a prepositional
phrase containing a gerund. At the end of the sentence, use two action verbs
followed by direct objects.
Pattern 10 – Opening with an Appositive and a Prepositional Phrase

“A lonely daughter of culture, with a strong mind and a dense will, she browsed all her
life on the hard stones of archeological remains.” – D.H. Lawrence

The greatest military commander in history, in the heart of Persia, King Alexander
continued to march on, even after the fall of King Darius.

A veritable beauty, with a keen mind to match, Miss Zhao never ceases to amaze us!
Assignment: Write a sentence of action opening with an appositive phrase followed by a
prepositional phrase.