1. Sentence Variety The Basics

2. What is it? RGood writing offers the reader a mixture of sentence types and sentence constructions. RThis is called sentence variety. RGood writing offers the reader a mixture of sentence types and sentence constructions. RThis is called sentence variety.

3. How do you do it? RFirst, you need to be sure that you can identify the basic sentence types (and some of the errors that often accompany these sentence types).

4. Type 1: RThis kind of sentence has only one subject and one verb. RThe formal name of this sentence is… RThis kind of sentence has only one subject and one verb. RThe formal name of this sentence is…

5. A simple sentence-- R I did my homework last night. Rhas one subject. Rhas one verb. RThere may (or may not) be other decoration in the sentence: objects, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, etc. RThere can not be a subordinating conjunction in a simple sentence (after, when, although, etc.). R I did my homework last night. Rhas one subject. Rhas one verb. RThere may (or may not) be other decoration in the sentence: objects, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, etc. RThere can not be a subordinating conjunction in a simple sentence (after, when, although, etc.).

6. Important! RIf you are missing the subject or if you are missing the verb, you have a fragment. RFragments are common errors, especially in early drafts, because your brain is going faster than your hand. RIf you are missing the subject or if you are missing the verb, you have a fragment. RFragments are common errors, especially in early drafts, because your brain is going faster than your hand.

7. Examples of fragments: RWrote the sentence. RShe the test. RWhen I got there. RBecause she wants to. RLearn to proofread your paper for fragments. RWrote the sentence. RShe the test. RWhen I got there. RBecause she wants to. RLearn to proofread your paper for fragments.

8. Type 2: A Compound Sentence -- R is made of two independent clauses (it has two subjects and two verbs). R must always have a coordinating conjunction in the middle. R must always have a comma before the coordinating conjunction. R is made of two independent clauses (it has two subjects and two verbs). R must always have a coordinating conjunction in the middle. R must always have a comma before the coordinating conjunction.

9. Coordinating Conjunctions RAn easy way to remember these is FANBOYS (handout coming later): RF : for RA: and RN: nor RB: but RO: or RY: yet RS: so RAn easy way to remember these is FANBOYS (handout coming later): RF : for RA: and RN: nor RB: but RO: or RY: yet RS: so

10. Examples: R She only wrote one draft, yet she got an A. RHes allergic to dogs, but he bought the puppy anyway. R She only wrote one draft, yet she got an A. RHes allergic to dogs, but he bought the puppy anyway.

11. Careful! RIf you forget the coordinating conjunction, you have a comma splice. ROK: In The Jacket, Soto uses metaphors, and he uses similes. RNOT OK (comma splice): In The Jacket, Soto uses metaphors, he uses similes. RIf you forget the coordinating conjunction, you have a comma splice. ROK: In The Jacket, Soto uses metaphors, and he uses similes. RNOT OK (comma splice): In The Jacket, Soto uses metaphors, he uses similes.

12. Type 3: A Complex Sentence R has two subjects and two verbs. Rmust have a subordinating conjunction. Ris similar to a compound sentence in that is has two clauses. However, one is a dependent clause and one is an independent clause. R has two subjects and two verbs. Rmust have a subordinating conjunction. Ris similar to a compound sentence in that is has two clauses. However, one is a dependent clause and one is an independent clause.

13. Subordinating Conjunctions? You know these… words like: RWhen RWhile RBefore RAfter RAs soon as RIf RAlthough RSince RWhere RAs long as RWhen RWhile RBefore RAfter RAs soon as RIf RAlthough RSince RWhere RAs long as RAs RAs long as RSo that RIn order to RAs if RNow that RThough RUnless RUntil RWhenever RAs RAs long as RSo that RIn order to RAs if RNow that RThough RUnless RUntil RWhenever

14. For example: R When I got to the classroom, I realized the students had left. RWe went to the computer lab after we had met in the classroom. RIf you proofread your paper, you will probably get a better grade. R When I got to the classroom, I realized the students had left. RWe went to the computer lab after we had met in the classroom. RIf you proofread your paper, you will probably get a better grade.

15. When do I use the comma? If your subordinating conjunction begins the sentence, use the comma between clauses. (… notice the comma in that sentence…) Why isnt this a comma splice? If your subordinating conjunction begins the sentence, use the comma between clauses. (… notice the comma in that sentence…) Why isnt this a comma splice?

16. RDont use the comma if the subordinating conjunction comes in the middle.

17. Another type of fragment… RIf you use the dependent clause without the independent clause, you have a different kind of fragment. RYou saw some of these earlier. We speak like this all the time, but you cant write it! RIf you use the dependent clause without the independent clause, you have a different kind of fragment. RYou saw some of these earlier. We speak like this all the time, but you cant write it!

18. Examples: RIf Helene had fallen in love with him, too. RBecause description helps the reader see what the writer is saying. RAlthough she didnt buy him the leather jacket. RIf Helene had fallen in love with him, too. RBecause description helps the reader see what the writer is saying. RAlthough she didnt buy him the leather jacket.

19. One more error… R… is the run-on sentence (our book calls this a fused sentence). RA run-on sentence has too many clauses together. R… is the run-on sentence (our book calls this a fused sentence). RA run-on sentence has too many clauses together.

20. For example: R He asked for the jacket she bought him the jacket but he didnt like it. RIt was on a Thursday I was sitting in the back of the room, in a seat with a chalk circle drawn around it. R He asked for the jacket she bought him the jacket but he didnt like it. RIt was on a Thursday I was sitting in the back of the room, in a seat with a chalk circle drawn around it.

21. Back to sentence variety! R When you write your paper, you want a mixture of simple, compound and complex sentences. ROne sentence type alone becomes tedious and uninteresting for a reader. RYour job as a writer is to try to use all three types - and to learn how to correct these common mistakes! R When you write your paper, you want a mixture of simple, compound and complex sentences. ROne sentence type alone becomes tedious and uninteresting for a reader. RYour job as a writer is to try to use all three types - and to learn how to correct these common mistakes!