Sentences of the Week to Study and Imitate
Directions: Read and annotate each sentence, noting grammatical structures such as main and
subordinate clauses, phrases (participial, appositive, absolute, prepositional), figurative language, comma
usage, and semicolon usage. Write your observations beside “What I notice” in each box. Next, write an
original sentence that mimics the structure and punctuation of the model sentence. You might think about
your personal essay and practice writing sentences that could be used in it.
Due on Friday, Sept. 4: Place in the appropriate tray before class begins.
Sentence from “The Chase”:
1. I had just embarked on the iceball project when we heard tire chains come clanking from afar.
What I notice: I notice the sentence begins with a main clause that has a strong verb (embarked),
the sentence ending with a subordinate clause –beginning with when. Also, the subordinate
clause contains a participial phrase-“clanking from afar”; clanking is also an example of
onomatopoeia, which adds sound to this sentence. No comma separates the main clause from the
subordinate clause.
My imitation:
I had just woven my way through the busy street when a man brushed past me causing my scarf to unfurl from
my neck.
Sentence from “The Chase”:
2. We all spread out, banged together some regular snowballs, took aim, and, when the Buick drew nigh, fired.
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “The Chase”:
3. Its wide black door opened; a man got out of it, running.
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “The Chase”:
4. At the corner, I looked back; incredibly, he was still after us.
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “The Chase”:
5. The man’s lower pants legs were wet; his cuffs were full of snow, and there was a prow of snow beneath
them on his shoes and socks.
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “The Chase”:
6. Wordless, we split up.
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “The Chase”:
7. We listened perfunctorily indeed, if we listened at all, for the chewing out was redundant, a mere formality,
and beside the point.
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “How It Feels to Be Colored Me”:
8. But in the main, I feel like a brown bag of miscellany propped against a wall. Against a wall in company with
other bags, white , red and yellow.”
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “How It Feels to Be Colored Me”:
9. Among the thousand white persons, I am a dark rock surged upon, and overswept, but through it all, I remain
myself.”
What I notice:
My imitation:
Sentence from “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce:
10. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord.
What I notice:
My imitation: