1. The way words are arranged within sentences.
Syntax
The way words are arranged within sentences.

2. Syntax
Word order
Sentence length
Sentence focus
Punctuation

3. Word Order Most follow subject-verb-object pattern
Deviating startles reader
Draws attention to sentence

4. Word Order Inverting subject and verb Complement at beginning
Am I ever sorry!
Complement at beginning
Hungry, without a doubt, he is.
Object in front of verb
Sara I like– not Susan.

5. Sentence Length Vary to prevent boredom and control emphasis.
Long-to-short: shifts attention, emphasizes importance of short sentence.
Use varies by historical periods.
Modern writers tend to put important ideas in short sentences.

6. Sentence Focus Variation/Emphasis within sentence.
Main ideas usually in main clause.
Position of main clause determines writer’s focal point.
Achieved by syntactic tension and repetition.

7. Syntactic tension Withholding of syntactic closure
(completion of grammatical structure)
Periodic sentences-delay closure
carry high tension/interest
reader must wait until end of sentence to find meaning.
As long as we ignore our children and refuse to dedicate the necessary time and money to their care, we will fail to solve the problem of school violence.

8. Syntactic tension Loose sentences-early syntactical closure
relieve tension
allow reader to explore sentence without urgency
most common in modern usage
We will fail to solve the problem of school violence as long as we ignore our children and refuse to dedicate the necessary time and money to their care.

9. Sentence Focus Repetition of word, phrase, or clause
Emphasizes repeated structure
Focuses reader’s attention on its meaning
Repeated grammatical forms balance parallel ideas and give them equal weight.
infinitives
gerunds
prepositional phrases

10. Balanced Sentence Characterized by parallel structure
Two or more parts have same form
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…
White chickens lay white eggs, and brown chickens lay brown eggs; so if white cows give white milk, do brown cows give chocolate milk?

11. Parallel Sentence Concerns the balance of a sentence
Similarity of words, phrases, clauses in a list or series
Bethany enjoys baking cakes, cookies, and brownies.
She doesn’t like washing dishes, ironing clothes, or mopping the floor.

12. Punctuation Used to: Types often used include: reinforce meaning
construct effect
express writer’s voice
Types often used include:
semicolon
colon
dash

13. Semicolon Gives equal weight to two or more independent clauses
Resulting syntactical balance reinforces parallel ideas and imparts equal importance to both clauses.

14. Colon Directs attention to words that follow.
Used between independent clauses if the second summarizes or explains the first.
Sets expectations that important, closely related information will follow.
Words after the colon are emphasized.

15. Dash Marks a sudden change in thought or tone Sets off a brief summary
Sets off a parenthetical part of the sentence
Conveys a casual tone