1. Sentence Variety Making Choices Copyright 2014 by Write Score, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

2. Vary Sentence Structure Most sentences follow a basic pattern: The batter hit the ball. Subject + Verb + Object or Receiver  We can expand sentences by adding modifiers or moving words and phrases: In the final inning of the game, the last batter hit the ball out of the park. The last batter hit the ball out of the park in the final inning of the game.

3. Vary the Beginning Notice how this sentence changes when the order of the sentence is reversed:  She was not ready to start living on her own financially, emotionally, or in any other way. Not financially, not emotionally, nor in any other way was she ready to start living on her own.

4. More Examples  He thought about winning the big race every minute of the day. Every minute of the day, he thought about winning the big race.  Tom walked to work since he did not have a car. Since he did not have a car, Tom walked to work.  Laura felt nervous and alone when she arrived at the new school. Arriving at the new school, Laura felt nervous and alone.

5. Warning: Be Careful! Be sure to place descriptive phrases next to the words they describe to avoid misplaced modifiers. DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE:  Arriving at the new school, feelings of nervousness and loneliness were felt by Laura. This sentence makes it sound as if the feelings were arriving at the school. Be sure the sentence revision is still clear and correct.

6. Your Choice When you revise a sentence for variety, you may add or change a few words as long as you do not change the meaning of the sentence. How would you revise this sentence?  Americans love their peanut butter and eat millions of pounds of it each year. Each year____________________________

7. Your Turn  Now try the sentence revisions # 1-10 on your handout.  When you have finished your sentence revisions, share them with the class.

8. Combine Short Sentences Another way to practice writing sentences with variety is to combine a number of short sentences into one strong sentence:  The car was old.  The car was for sale.  The car was in my neighbor’s driveway. The old car in my neighbor’s driveway was for sale.

9. Your Turn  Now try combining the short sentences in set #11-15 on your handout.  When you are finished, share your sentence combinations with the class.