1. WordinessSentence Beginnings MENUEXIT Continue… When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.

2. WordinessSentence Beginnings MENUEXIT All of these sentences begin with a subject and verb. Identify these words in each sentence. The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city. PREVIOUS When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous. Click to see the answer

3. Wordiness PREVIOUS Click to see a revision MENUEXIT Sentence Beginnings All of these sentences begin with a subject and verb. Identify these words in each sentence. The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city. When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.

4. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Sentence Beginnings The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city. ORIGINAL REVISED Looking lost and scared, the coyote dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy, and it didn’t belong in the city. Next Such monotonous writing can be improved by varying the beginnings of some sentences. When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.

5. Wordiness Use the following strategies for varying the way your sentences begin. Click on the strategy you want to explore. MENUEXIT MENU Sentence Beginnings Start a sentence with a phrase Start a sentence with a single word Start a sentence with a subordinate clause

6. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases A phrase at the beginning of a sentence can add both variety and extra detail. These phrases may also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas or show a sequence. After the race, the runners stretched their muscles. Walking as quickly as I could, I got home in time for dinner. To watch the play and not laugh was difficult. Sentence Beginnings

7. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases A phrase at the beginning of a sentence can add both variety and extra detail. These phrases may also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas or show a sequence. Sentence Beginnings After the race, the runners stretched their muscles. Walking as quickly as I could, I got home in time for dinner. To watch the play and not laugh was difficult.

8. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases A phrase at the beginning of a sentence can add both variety and extra detail. These phrases may also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas or show a sequence. Next Sentence Beginnings After the race, the runners stretched their muscles. Walking as quickly as I could, I got home in time for dinner. To watch the play and not laugh was difficult.

9. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Phrases Which idea in the following paragraph could be changed into a phrase? Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Sentence Beginnings Click to see the idea

10. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT To vary these sentences, change one of these ideas into a phrase. Which idea could be changed into a phrase? Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Click to see a revision Sentence Beginnings Phrases

11. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings To vary these sentences, change one of these ideas into a phrase. Which idea could be changed into a phrase? Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.

12. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. They are the They

13. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.

14. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.

15. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. The, they

16. Wordiness MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. The, they

17. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Phrases Sentence Beginnings Linking the last two sentences with a phrase helps connect the information about their size and breaks up the monotony of the sentences. Menu Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. The, they

18. Wordiness MENUEXIT Single Words A single word at the beginning of a sentence can add variety to a paragraph and change the rhythm of the sentences. Frantic, she waited for the light to change. Starving, he ripped open the plastic sandwich bag. Desperate, she searched the empty streets for a lighted window. Sentence Beginnings

19. Wordiness MENUEXIT Single Words A single word at the beginning of a sentence can add variety to a paragraph and change the rhythm of the sentences. Sentence Beginnings Frantic, she waited for the light to change. Starving, he ripped open the plastic sandwich bag. Desperate, she searched the empty streets for a lighted window.

20. Wordiness MENUEXIT Single Words A single word at the beginning of a sentence can add variety to a paragraph and change the rhythm of the sentences. Sentence Beginnings Next Frantic, she waited for the light to change. Starving, he ripped open the plastic sandwich bag. Desperate, she searched the empty streets for a lighted window.

21. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Single Words Sentence Beginnings Where could adding a single word add variety to this paragraph? The player dribbled the basketball deliberately. He faked a move to the left. He drove toward the basket. Click to see a revision

22. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Single Words Sentence Beginnings Menu The player dribbled the basketball deliberately. He faked a move to the left. Suddenly, he drove toward the basket. The addition of the word changes the rhythm of the sentences and adds interest by giving one action more emphasis.

23. Wordiness MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Beginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas. As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook. Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our electricity for eight hours. After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken. Sentence Beginnings

24. Wordiness MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Beginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas. Sentence Beginnings As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook. Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our electricity for eight hours. After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken.

25. Wordiness MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Beginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas. Sentence Beginnings i Next As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook. Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our electricity for eight hours. After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken.

26. Wordiness MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Sentence Beginnings Beginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas. As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook. Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our electricity for eight hours. After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken. i CLOSE A subordinate clause has a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

27. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Sentence Beginnings Which of these sentences could be changed to include a subordinate clause? My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. She loves music, and she has decided to study it in college. Click to see the sentence

28. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Sentence Beginnings My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. She loves music, and she has decided to study it in college. Click to see a revision Which of these sentences could be changed to include a subordinate clause?

29. Wordiness PREVIOUS MENUEXIT Subordinate Clauses Sentence Beginnings My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. She loves music, and she has decided to study it in college. ORIGINAL My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. Because she loves music, she has decided to study it in college. REVISED Menu