SENTENCE PATTERNS

 

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION

 An exercise which shows how word order influences style.  Students examine 12 sentence patterns.  Then they write a paragraph describing a short, true incident—limiting themselves to one of these sentence patterns.  Next they rewrite the paragraph using at least four patterns.

 

 

  1. Begin with the subject.

The sea is a whole world unto itself.

 

  1. Begin with a prepositional phrase.

In the past, the treasures of the sea were thought to be limitless.

 

  1. Begin with an adverb.

Slowly the sea reveals its secrets to us.

 

  1. Begin with and adjective.

Silver clouds blocked the sun.

 

  1. Begin with a pronoun.

They were so boisterous the security guard had to remove them from the arena.

 

  1. Begin with a gerund.

Swimming in the Mediterranean is like bathing in a large turquoise tub.

 

  1. Begin with an infinitive phrase.

To protect our future on this earth we must protect ocean life as well.

 

  1. Begin with a present participle phrase.

Skimming the choppy surface, pelicans search hungrily for their evening meal.

 

  1. Begin with a past participle phrase.

Satisfied with the day’s catch, the sun-parched fisherman turned his boat toward shore.

      

  1. Begin with an adverbial clause.

Whenever man sails away from his homeland, he is inevitably caught by the romance of the sea.

 

  1. Begin with an interjection.

No, I won’t do that ever!

 

  1. Use an appositive.

The Pacific, the largest body of water on the planet, touches the shores of six continents.

 

  1. Ask a question.

Who wouldn’t want to sail off to a tropical island?

 

  1. Use an exclamation.

Beware the fury of an Atlantic storm!

 

  1. Use conversation.

The captain warned, “All those with queasy stomachs should stay be the rail.”