Sentences Patterns

Modal Sentences
https://moodle.hollandchristian.org/pluginfile.php/45478/mod_resource/content/0/SP_M/Sentence_Patterns_1-20.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-13,792
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file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/alzafar/My%20Documents/Downloads/Documents/The%20Art%20of%20Styling%20Sentences.pdf
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book of sentence patterns 
file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/alzafar/My%20Documents/Downloads/Documents/The_Art_of_Styling_Sentences_-_Fourth_Edition.pdf

=http://www.powayusd.com/teachers/bsantibanez/sentence_pattern_1.htm#SENTENCE%20PATTERN%203:%20%20Adverb%20+%20adverb,%20Independent%20Clause%20%28Adv,%20IC.%29

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http://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qacps.k12.md.us%2Fqhs%2Fteachers%2FHansenK%2FAdvanced%2520Placement%2520Sentence%2520Patterns.doc&ei=W5G5U82qOKmm0AWskYHgCA&usg=AFQjCNH70pRvwgKksxA5Sf65nPmavl7qVQ&sig2=JjsEJ3qI0B9lPT4XQpSBig

3
file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/alzafar/My%20Documents/Downloads/SENTENCE%20PATTERNS_w%20Answers.pdf

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about grammar and structures
 file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/alzafar/My%20Documents/Downloads/SENTENCE%20PATTERNS_w%20Answers.pdf

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Sentence Structure 101

by Campbell

One of the first things we learned in English class was the definition of a sentence: a group of words that expresses a complete thought, containing a subject (the person, place or thing about which something is said) and a verb (the action word or words referencing the subject). By this definition, you could make a sentence from two words, such as: I study.

To make our writing appealing and interesting to our readers, however, we should go beyond the two-word sentence and vary how we construct our sentences, using:

· Simple Sentences. These can vary in length, but express only one thought and may contain more than one subject and verb. Example: My best friend and I study every afternoon and complete our assignments. (Subjects: friend, I; Verbs: study, complete)

· Compound Sentences. Expressing two or more related thoughts, compound sentences are joined by either a semicolon or a conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet). When constructing a compound sentence, each complete thought should be able to stand alone as a simple sentence. Example: My best friend and I study every afternoon; we strive to complete our assignments quickly.

· Complex Sentences. When a sentence contains at least one complete thought and one or more incomplete thoughts (phrases), you have constructed a complex sentence. Incomplete thoughts begin with words such as after, although, as, as long as, before, unless, though, since, when, if and while. Example: Because my best friend and I study every afternoon, we complete our assignments quickly.

Once you understand the architecture of these three sentence types, you can sprinkle your writing with a variety of sentence structures, while always being alert for certain pitfalls:

Sentence Fragment – When a period is used after a part of a sentence that does not express a complete thought, this is known as a “sentence fragment.” Example of sentence fragment: You study every afternoon. Which allows you to complete your assignments quickly.

Loose Hook-up – This occurs when a compound or complex sentence contains unrelated thoughts. Be careful with excessive use of “and” and “but” to try to connect loosely related ideas; even if the grammar and punctuation are correct, the sentence is faulty. Example: My best friend and I study every afternoon, but my little sister takes dancing lessons on Saturday.

Word Omission – Omissions of necessary words results in awkward and unclear writing. It is never advisable to sacrifice clarity for brevity, as your reader will then have to supply the missing words. Example: Studied all afternoon. Assignments completed.

Comma Fault – Placing a comma between two complete thoughts creates a “comma fault.” Example: My best friend and I study every afternoon, we complete our assignments quickly. To avoid comma faults, try one of the following:

· Place periods at the end of each complete thought.
· Place a semicolon between the complete thoughts.
· Place a comma and a coordinating conjunction between the complete thoughts.
· Begin the sentence with an incomplete thought followed by a comma, then end the sentence with a complete thought.

It is extremely important that sentences are coherent, with words and thoughts connected in proper relationships to avoid misunderstanding on the part of the reader. Always proofread your writing to ensure that the meaning of each sentence is clear, based on these guidelines:

Placement of Sentence Parts: Make sure that words are placed with the unit of thought to which they are related. Misplacing even one word can change the meaning of a sentence, as demonstrated in the following examples:

1. Only I study in the afternoon. (I alone study in the afternoon.)

2. I only study in the afternoon. (I never do anything else in the afternoon.)

3. I study only in the afternoon. (I never study any other time.)

Parallel Construction: Ideas of equal value in a sentence should be expressed in the same form to help the reader recognize the similarity of the ideas. Study these examples of “wrong” and “corrected” parallel construction:

1. (Wrong) When I study in the afternoon, I read my textbook, write my essays and to improve my spelling. (Corrected) When I study in the afternoon, I read my textbook, write my essays and improve my spelling.

2. (Wrong) The three objectives of studying in the afternoon are: (1) to complete assignments quickly, (2) learning to spell and (3) making a good grade. (Corrected) The three objectives of studying in the afternoon are: (1) completing assignments quickly, (2) learning to spell and (3) making a good grade.

Complete Comparison: When making comparisons in your sentences, supply all the words needed to complete the comparative thought.

1. (Wrong) I study faster. (Corrected) I study faster than my best friend.

2. (Wrong) I have been studying longer. (Corrected) I have been studying longer than anyone else in my class.

Pronoun Reference: (This is my worst editing nightmare.) The word to which a pronoun refers must be clear to the reader. It, he, she, they, you and this take the place of nouns (person, places or things), and must agree with the nouns to which they refer so that a consistent viewpoint is maintained. If your reader has to re-read the sentence to determine the noun to which the pronoun refers, then your sentence is faulty.

1. (Wrong) After studying with my best friend, she thought we would get a good grade. (Corrected) After studying with me, my best friend thought we would get a good grade.

2. (Wrong) A student who completes assignments quickly will turn in their work on time. (Corrected) Students who complete assignments quickly will turn in their work on time.

The English language is one of the most difficult languages in the world; there are rules, and then there are exceptions to those rules. At editavenue.com, however, we pride ourselves on our expertise and ability to help you make your writing the best it can be.






























what might go badly wrong
now is not the time to talk about
there is mistaking
they are just casual accquaintances
I love that quality about her.
their significant other is their soul mate.
she is just  not my type.
i am more than happy.
she is cheating on her husband.

Your protagonist and other characters don't have to be likable, but do have to be interesting
the second person, less commonly used
 To cause to be especially enjoyable or rewarding: You made my day.
 To begin or appear to begin an action: made as if to shake my hand.
cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable
 "I don't see the situation quite as negatively as you do"
"The apple tree bore delicious apples this year"; "
The unidentified plant bore gorgeous flowers"

Tip 7: "Interesting verbs are seldom very interesting." — Jonathan Franzen
 the audience gets to know the main character (protagonist)
She isn't really working--she's just going through the motions"
"I inherited my good eyesight from my mother"

 reduce the likelihood of an import-led consumer spending surge.
John did the painting, the weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters
"the skater executed a triple pirouette"; "she did a little dance"

She holds her head high"; "He carried himself upright"
"The usher showed us to our seats"

    conduct - transmit or serve as the medium for transmission conduct - transmit or serve as the medium for transmission; "Sound carries well over water"; "
The airwaves carry the sound"; " Many metals conduct heat"

channel, transmit, carry, impart, convey
convey, express, carry - serve as a means for expressing something; "The painting of Mary carries motherly love"; "His voice carried a lot of anger"
music - musical activity (singing or whistling etc.); "his music was his central interest"



perform - give a performance (of something); "
It's getting to the stage/point where...
used for saying that a situation has reached a very bad stage

Things are getting to the point where w
(Escort stresses protective guidance:
The party chairperson escorted the candidate through the crowd.)

It also really does tend to make developers 2x-20x more productive
don't get hung up on what language to learn first
A common pitfall for beginners is getting stuck figuring out which programming language is best to learn first.
Pakistan is in dire need of intelligent, academically sound and knowledgeable leaders

1. 
   

For a story to be believable, the characters have to feel genuine.

When trying to come up with flaws, you don't need to give your character some huge,bizarre issue(although you definitly can)

There are three main point of view from which to tell a story. first person second person third person.

Having this done will help you keep focused when writting a story.

I kind of like this college.

Joe sort of felt betrayed by his sister.
the second person, less commonly used

with deliberate intention

with utter surprise

in blissful ignorance

adversities of life

indulge in vagrant speculations

take a blind bit of noice            not to pay any notice

the three smaller parties have forged/formed an alliance against the government.

the runners set off at a blistering and brisk  pace.

the bitter fruits of

not bear thinking about

bound up (after verb) connected with or involved in

risks are bound up with your suggestion



it takes ages to cook

agravated assualt

=========================

raise the alarm

the name ring/ sound alarms bells in her mind

the city centre really comes alive at the weekend

a word of appology would not might not go amiss

he ran amuk

keep sb amoused

draw an analogy between

trace ancestry

make your apologies for sth

Spielberg films have a wide appeal.

I have read an excerpt of the book on the web and it s whetted my appetite(increased my interest in it)

QUENCH an insatiable sexual appetite.

his speech met with (received) loud applause.

A photo of a small boy arrested my attention .

an arresting looking women (very attractive )

Julie walked in . ashen-faced with shock.

he struck an attitude of offended dignity and marched out of the room.

greed is my pet aversion.(the thing I dislike most of all)

the window slammed shut with a loud band.

considered himself master of witty banter                    (ALEXANDER POP)

she set bolt upright

broach the subject with him

the lake had reached an all-time low

alas and alack

all the ........... you have

all along         from the very beginning

along              

along with sth/sb      in addition to sth sb

much to our annoyance(we were very annoyed that )we could not see anythinf from the back row of the theatre.

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HE MADE OR DID A QUICK ABOUT-TURN

 you shouldn't get too bogged down with all these details first

You can get inspired by something simple

You may get lucky

Many wonderful writers go unnoticed and unread because their drawers are filled with unfinished novels

 he did 100 pushups"

got blissed out adjective

achingly

action-packed

act your age

WITH ONE ACCORD

24 SENTENCE PATTERNS

1. Use specific nouns and verbs in a noun-verb sentence

Fire belched from the dragon’s mouth.

2. Use specific nouns and verbs in a noun-verb-noun sentence

The car crusher devoured the wrecked cars.

3. Interrogative—ask a question

What steps do good writers follow to produce a good work?

4. Open with an adverb

Noisily, the mosquitoes buzzed around our heads.

5. Open with a prepositional phrase.

During the day the robber hid in a dingy basement apartment.

6. Use an appositive

Claude Monet, a French Impressionist, painted many outdoor scenes.

7. Open with an adverb clause

Because Renoir painted many oils of clowns, people often recognize his work.

8. Close with an adverb clause

Hulk Hogan will run for President of the United States after he retires from wrestling.

9. Use Parallel structure in words

Mom bought chips, soda, and pickles for the picnic.

10. Use parallel structure in phrases and clauses

Fabio drew her to him, whispered in her ear, and asked for change for the soda machine.

11. Open with an adjective

Angry, the child threw the toy across the room.

12. Open with an adjective phrase

Afloat with confidence, the homecoming queen tripped on the steps.

13. Open with a present infinitive

To prevent a mess, the chef covered the counter with wax paper.

14. Open with a present participle

Gazing at the ballerinas, Degas planned his next painting.

15. Open with a past participle

Known as a landscape painter, Monet gave a shimmering quality to his artwork.

16. Open with a perfect participle

Having kissed her father’s forehead, the teenager snatched the car keys and headed outside.

17. Use a restrictive adjective clause

This morning the technician tossed the computer that never worked into the dumpster.

18. Use a non-restrictive adjective clause

Our art class studied the paintings of Seaurat, who developed a technique called pointillism.

19. Compound sentence with a coordinating conjunction

The right tackle must stop the quarter back, or we will lose this game.

20. Compound Sentence with a semi-colon

Zeus blasted a lightning bolt from the sky; Io had made him angry.

21. Compound sentence with a conjunctive adverb

Van Gogh suffered from severe mental problems; nevertheless, his still-lifes and landscapes hang in the world’s greatest museums.

22. Compound sentence with an elliptical expression

Darby played a musical number by Bach; Joan, one by Mozart.

23. Use a parenthetical expression between subject and verb

Gaugin, inspired by the island of Tahiti, used bold colors while painting.

24. Open with a parallel structure followed by a closing statement

Chocolate, good books, and motorcycles—all of these bring a smile to our teacher’s face.

All Students Will:

Participate while the class analyzes the sentence pattern

Work with a peer group to write 5 sentences that follow the pattern

Individually write 20 sentences that follow the pattern

Grading

All sentences must be perfect:  no errors in spelling, punctuation, or style.

No weak verbs are allowed.

Nouns must always be specific:  no pronouns.

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SENTENCE PATTERNS

SP 1: Independent Clause (IC)	SP 2: Adjective(s), IC.	SP 3: Adverb + adverb, IC.
SP 4: Prepositional phrase, IC	SP 5: Present participial phrase,IC.	SP 6: Past participial phrase,IC
SP 7: Appositive Phrase, IC.	SP 8: IC, conjunction  IC. (or IC; IC.)	SP 9: IC,conj. adv, IC.
SP 10: Adj(s), IC, conj  adv, IC.	SP 11: IC + DC (adj clause). (or DC, IC.)	SP 12: Adverb Clauses
SP 13: Using Whom (vs. who)	SP 14:Using Who’s and Whose	SP 15: Writing Dialogue
SP 16:Using Colons to List	SP 17: Parallel Structure	SP 18: Similes & Metaphors
SP-19: Using Possessives	SP-20: SP-17 + SP-19	Sentence Pattern Review 1-20

SENTENCE PATTERN 1:  Independent Clause (IC.)

• An independent clause (IC) is a complete sentence that can stand alone.
• An independent clause is a complete thought.
• An IC must have BOTH a subject (noun or pronoun) and a verb (action word).

Examples:
            The grizzly devoured the salmon.
            The bear plunked down.

• An IC can also contain adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases. 

Examples:
            The weak, hungry grizzly greedily devoured the salmon.
            The weary bear lazily plunked down for a nap.  

SENTENCE PATTERN 2:  Adjective + adjective, IC.

IC = subject + verb

• This pattern begins with one or more adjectives, followed by IC (S+V).
• An adjective describes a noun or pronoun.

Here are just a few examples of adjectives:

colorful    blue    sparkling    beautiful    shiny    clear    immaculate    rocky    courageous    soft    pink    bright    cute    dark    hungry    rebellious
gigantic    purple    filthy    fuzzy     rough    tiny    prickly    clean    spotless    radiant    peculiar   miniscule     evil    precarious    dandy    hyperactive    gorgeous       ecstatic    gloomy    mischievous     caring    huge    demonic    seamy    professional    ugly    hideous    strategic    lazy    frilly    microscopic    lacy    spectacular    amazing    devious    heinous    awesome        disgusting    slimy    freezing     dexterous         

• In SP-2, the adjectives must describe the subject of the sentence when they come before the IC.
• Examples:

Lazy but clever, the student contrived a colorful excuse for his missing homework.
NOT:   The lazy, clever student contrived....

Subversive and seamy, the terrorists attacked New York City on September 11, 2001.
NOT:  The subversive, seamy terrorists attacked...

Skillful and  dexterous, baseball players generally catch pop flies  and line drives.
   NOT:  The skillful and dexterous baseball players...

SENTENCE PATTERN 3:  Adverb + adverb, Independent Clause (Adv + adv, IC.)

• This pattern begins with two adverbs, followed by a comma and then the IC.
• An adverb modifies a verb.  It tells how, when, where, or to what extent the action took place.
• Adverbs  Open this link for more information about adverbs.
• List of adverbs  Open this link for a list of adverbs.

Examples:

Hungrily and greedily, the grizzly devoured the salmon. 

(How did the grizzly devour?)

NOT:  Hungry and greedy, the grizzly devoured the salmon.
            (Hungry and greedy are adjectives.)

Suddenly but quietly, the bear plunked down for a nap. 

(When and how did the bear plunk?)

NOT:  Sudden and quiet, the bear plunked...

Lucidly and placidly, the gigantic football player meditated into a deep trance near the tranquil pond and cleared his troubled mind.

Skillfully and subversively, the adversary of Harry Potter, Voldemort, eradicated his enemies who plotted against him.

Lazily but gracefully, the lethargic sloth climbed back up the massive pine tree. (AM class, 2012)

Cleverly but deviously, Jessie contrived an excuse for being late that would placate his mother.(PM class, 2012)

SENTENCE PATTERN 4:  Prepositional phrase, Independent Clause (Pp, IC.)

• This pattern begins with a prepositional phrase, followed by an independent clause.
• Prepositions begin a phrase that is followed by an object (noun or pronoun).

        Examples:  under, before, after, for, to, from, in, out, beneath, at, despite

• A prepositional phrase contains a preposition and the object of the preposition.

        Examples:  under the bed, before school, in the closet, after the storm

• Prepositional phrases describe nouns or verbs.

Examples: 

Under the bed, the cat hid from its owner. (Where did the cat hide?)

     After the storm, the sun came out, forming a rainbow. (When …?)

    With great care, the veterinarian removed the thorn from the tiger's paw.

        (How did the veterinarian remove the thorn?)

• If the prepositional phrase precedes the IC, it must describe the subject or verb of the IC (not some other noun or verb in the sentence).
  Advanced SP-4:  Prepositional phrase, IC DC, IC
  Open these links for more help:
  Prepositions       
  Prepositional Phrases
  Prepositions (list)

SENTENCE PATTERN 5: Present participial phrase, Independent Clause (Ppp, IC.)

• This pattern begins with a present participial phrase, followed by the independent clause.
• A present participial phrase begins with a present participle.
• A present participle is a verb form that ends in -ing and functions as an adjective. 
• In SP-5, the Ppp describes the subject of the IC.
• Examples:  running, yelling, sleeping, daring, intending, jumping, walking, crying, staggering, strolling, sprinting, wailing, whimpering, bawling, striving, bowling, illuminating, dying, riding, risking
• A present participial phrase has a present participle followed by an adverb(s) or prepositional phrase or some other words.

Examples: 

• Running down the hill, the dog chased the cat.
• Yelling loudly, Bob clung to the broken branch dangling above the river.
• Daring his friend to jump too, Bert leaped into the swollen river.
• Striving to do his best, Johnny Tremain was adept at being a silversmith but became melancholy when his hand was crippled and he was no longer dexterous.
• Sailing to Cuba, the affluent Spaniard sold slaves to plantation owners, though some were sent to the slave market in Havana. (AM Class 2012)
• Running on the deck of the Moonlight, Ben Stout acted as a liaison between the captain and the crew. (PM Class 2012-13)
• Monitoring the ship's inhabitants, ...
• Fulfilling the captain's orders, ...
• Shouting across the deck, ...
• Walking on the deck in the moonlight, ...
• Strolling on the deck while becalmed, ...

SENTENCE PATTERN 6: Past participial phrase, Independent Clause. (Ppp, IC.)

• This sentence pattern is similar to sentence pattern 5, but the participle is in the past tense (-ed) instead of the present tense (-ing).
• Past participles are verb forms in the past tense form that act like adjectives.  Regular verbs end in -ed.

Examples:  exhausted, famished, stripped, bleached, crazed

• These verbs function as adjectives.  They describe the subject of the IC.

Examples: 

    Uninhabited a few days earlier, the shore was now crowded with grizzlies.

WRONG:  Crazed with hunger, the shore was lined with grizzlies.

RIGHT:    Crazed with hunger,  the grizzlies lined the shore.

Exhausted from fishing all day, the bear plunked down for a nap.

Stripped clean by hungry grizzlies, salmon bones now littered the shore.

Crazed with jealousy, Bob raced recklessly to his girlfriend's house when he heard Bert was taking her to the dance.  

Freed from ignorance and superstition, Enlightenment thinkers postulated that natural laws governed society.

SENTENCE PATTERN 7: Appositive Phrase, Independent Clause.  (AP, IC. or AP inside the IC.)

• This pattern contains an appositive phrase, followed by the Independent Clause (IC).
• An appositive is a noun or pronoun that renames another noun or pronoun that immediately precedes or follows it. 
• Examples:

The grizzly, a predator, eats fish.  appositive AFTER the noun

A predator, the grizzly eats fish.   appositive BEFORE the noun
Sam, my brother, is exasperating.  appositive AFTER the noun              
My brother, Sam, is exasperating.  appositive AFTER the noun
Harry Potter, a literary character, is well known. appositive phrase AFTER... A literary character ,Harry Potter is well known. appositive phrase BEFORE..

• An appositive can be used with any noun in the sentence, not just the subject of the sentence.

          Example: Cassie Logan, a nine-year-old African-American, despised Lillian Jean, an uppity white girl.         

• An appositive phrase contains an appositive and at least one adjective or a prepositional phrase.  

EXAMPLES:
The grizzly, a fearless predator, eats little meat other than fish. 
Sam, my pesky little brother, is exasperating.  
My pesky little brother, Sam, is exasperating.
A pesky little brother, Sam is exasperating.

George, one of Michael's friends, was not placid during the last test; he was so nervous and jittery that he failed.            
The infamous Joker, an evil adversary of Batman and Robin, caused much mayhem in Gotham City.
The Nazis, brutal, evil people, were ruthless and chaotic, planning subversive attacks on their innocent adversaries, the Jews.

• COMMA RULES:  Study the above examples.  Notice when and where commas are used.  Commas surround an appositive (phrase) when it comes after the subject or another noun in the sentence.
• When the appositive (phrase) precedes the IC, it is followed by a comma.  

A fearless predator, the grizzly eats little meat other than fish.  
A pesky little brother, Sam is exasperating.
A well-known author, Shel Silverstein  writes children’s poetry.
A well-known character, Harry Potter  is an adventurous young man.  

AM Class Example:  John Hancock, an arrogant delegate at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, treated people like they were his lackeys.

HOMEWORK: due Wed. (1st draft) and Friday (revised copy)
* 10 sentences using SP-7 and vocab. 51-60
* Must relate to SS Ch 3 (and We the People Units 3 and 4)

SENTENCE PATTERN 8: IC, conjunction IC. (or   IC;IC.)

• In this pattern, there are two independent clauses.
• Each independent clause has BOTH a subject and a verb and could stand alone because they are each complete sentences.
• Comma Rule:  Use a comma with a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but) to join the IC’s or use a semi-colon only.

 Examples:

    The insatiable grizzly devoured the salmon, and its belly was soon bulging.
    The insatiable grizzly devoured the salmon; its belly was soon bulging.

    Flamboyant Bob went to the movies, but bashful Bert rented a video.  
    Flamboyant Bob went to the movies; bashful Bert rented a video.  

   John was asked to deliver an impromptu speech, and his mind raced with fear.  
   John was asked to deliver an impromptu speech; his mind raced with fear.  

After his tummy tuck, Peter Griffin looked very emaciated, but his family preferred him chubby rather than gaunt.
Ms. Real  allowed her students to chew bubble gum in class, and the principal fired her for being too permissive.

Some ICs have compound subjects or compound verbs but they are not compound sentences (SP-8).  These are NOT SP-8:
    S + V + V.  (no comma needed)  The foolish caveman killed the mammoth but spared the saber-tooth tiger's life!
    S + S + V.  (no comma needed)  The cave-bear and saber-tooth tiger attacked the barbaric caveman simultaneously.

Each IC has a S + V.   THESE are SP-8:
IC, but IC.  The foolish caveman killed the mammoth, but he spared the saber-tooth tiger's life!
IC; IC.        The foolish caveman killed the wooly mammoth; the mammoth was not an adversary but a meal!   

HOMEWORK DIRECTIONS: Relate all five sentences to any of the five plays or the short stories.  Write at least one sentence for each of the following:  IC, and IC.  IC, but IC.   IC, or IC.   IC; IC.

SENTENCE PATTERN 9: IC, conj adverb, IC.

SP 9 =SP-3 + SP-8!
SP 9 = IC, conjunction adverb, IC.

IC = Independent Clause = a complete sentence with a subject (S) and a verb (V)
Adverb = a word that tells how, when, or where the action (verb) occurs

Comma Rules: 
* Use a comma and a conjunction (and, or, but, so) to join two Independent Clauses (IC's).                                            
* When an adverb precedes an IC, use a comma.  EX: Angrily, Bob protested.
Example:  Pluto stepped in a puddle, and slowly, murky water permeated his shoes.
Example:  Suddenly, a calamity struck the mid-western town, but everyone survived the tornado unharmed.
** You can also reverse this pattern, like this:  Adverb, IC, conjunction IC.
Example:  Yesterday, a tornado struck the mid-western town, and the calamity took many lives.
Example:  Unknowingly, Bojangles walked into a ghetto, and suddenly, he was immersed in a world of gangs and graffiti.

* This week, use five unit 9 spelling words to write your sentences using SP-9.
1st draft due Wed.  Final copy due Friday (edited, revised, typed or recopied in INK).

SENTENCE PATTERN 10: Adj + adj, IC, conjunction adverb, IC.

SP 10 is a combination of SP 2, 3, and 8!
SP 10 = Adj + adj, IC, conjunction adverb, IC.
SP 10 = Adj + adj, subject + verb, conjunction adverb, subject + verb.

Ex:  Gaunt and weak, the model staggered down the runway, and suddenly, she collapsed.
Ex:  Careful and concerned, Beatrice borrowed her friend's boat, but unfortunately, a renegade rowboat rammed into it during the raging storm.
EX:  Lonely and depressed, the nomad traveled down a hill on his bike, and hopefully, he was trying to find a new home.

SENTENCE PATTERN 11: IC + DC (adj clause)

SP 11 = IC + adj DC (adjective Dependent Clause)
adj DC = a dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun as the subject
        This clause functions as an adjective because it describes a noun.
Relative Pronoun = a pronoun that relates to a noun in the IC (any noun): that, which, who, whose, whom
Comma Rules:
1.  If the adj DC is extra information, use commas
2.  If the adj DC is essential information, use NO commas
3.  If the relative pronoun used is "that," use NO commas.
    Ex:  Joe ate a deplorable pizza that was moldy, and it made him sick.
4.  If the relative pronoun used is "which," use commas.  (IC DAC, and IC.)
    Ex:   Joe ate a deplorable pizza, which was moldy, and then drank a gallon of Gatorade.  (IC, adj DC, IC continued.
5.  For who, whose, or whom give it the extra or essential test.

Ex: Stout, who was a cruel, sadistic man, threw a slave overboard.(extra info)
 Ex: Cawthorne was another cruel man who was the captain of the Moonlight.(essential info)
Ex: Jane read a book that was 500 pages long in just three days!  (essential info)
Ex: Jane read a book, which was 500 pages long, and then wrote a book report.  (extra info)

* When you write these sentences for homework, underline the subjects and verbs in both the IC and the adj DC.  Remember, the relative pronoun is the subject of the adj DC.  

HOMEWORK:
Five sentences due 11/21/13 (1st draft)  
Final, TYPED revised copy due 11/22/13.
Use vocab words 56-60; sentences must relate to Poe, his works, or SS.
Underline ALL subjects & verbs in ICs and adj DC.
Highlight the adj DC in yellow.
Highlight the vocab word in another color.
Use each rule (and relative pronoun) at least once: that, which, who.
 

SP 12: Adverb Clauses (DC, IC.   -or-    IC + DC.)
* An adverb clause is a dependent clause (DC) that tells how, when, where, or why the action (verb) takes place. 
* All clauses have a subject and a verb, even DCs.
* An adverb clause begins with SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION such as before, after, because, so, when, while  or a  (see Language Network p. 192).  Some adverbs are also subordinating conjunctions.  (Coordinating conjunctions- and, or, but-  join two IC's.  Subordinating conjunctions join a DC to an IC.)  See Conjunctions for more information.
* Comma Rules:
    1.  If the DC (adverb clause) precedes the IC, use a comma.   (DC, IC.)
    2.  If the IC precedes the DC (adverb clause), use NO comma.  (IC + DC.)
Examples:
    1.  Because he was famished, Bob ate an entire extra-large pizza.   (DC, IC.)  COMMA REQUIRED
    2.  Bob ate an entire extra-large pizza because he was an insatiable glutton.  (IC + DC.)  NO COMMA
    3. The teacher rescinded her offer to give us ten points after we got our parent's signature on the test.   (IC + DC.) NO COMMA

SP 13:  Using whom (vs. who or whose) in Interrogative Sentences
Write questions using whom to rename a noun which functions as an object in the answer.)  Hint:  To determine the parts of speech, write or think about the answer to the question.  What is the subject?  Verb?  Direct object? (or object of a prepostion)?  These words will play the same role in the question format.

Whom is always used as a direct object or the object of a preposition when renaming a person or group of people. (Otherwise, use what.)
    1. Direct object: Use whom to rename the direct object in a question.
        Whom did you call?
         (Answer: I called Joe.  Joe is a direct object.)
        Whom did you pay for the dance tickets?
        (Answer:  I paid Dave for the dance tickets.  Dave is a direct object.)

    2. Object of preposition: Use whom to rename the object of a prepostion.
            To whom did you speak?  (NOT: Whom did you speak to?)
             (Answer: I spoke to Joe.  Joe is the object of a preposition.)
            You gave my number to whom ?
            (Answer: I gave your number to Joe.)

Example:
Q:  Whom are Joe and his friends, a group of fourteen-year-old athletes, savvy about?
Q:  Joe and his friends, a group of fourteen-year-old athletes, are very savvy about whom?
A:  Joe and his friends, a group of fourteen year-old athletes, are very savvy about soccer players.

* Who is always used as a subject or a predicate pronoun (a pronoun that follows the verb).  We used who (and that or which) is SP 11.
    Subject of IC: Who called the power company?
    Subject of DC: The person who hit my car should have to pay to fix the damages.
    Predicate Pronoun: The electrician is who?

Go to this Website to find out more about the use of who, whose, and whom:
    http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/pronouns.htm
        Find and read Basic Principle # 5.  For more help, take one or more of the quizzes at the bottom of this Website and check your answers.  Use the HINTS provided to learn the rules.

SP 14:  Using Who’s and Whose in Interrogative Sentences

Write 2-3 interrogative sentences (questions) using whose correctly and 2-3 using who’s correctly.  Use one vocabulary word from Week 13 in each sentence. 

whose = a possessive pronoun showing ownership  (Whose book is this?  This book is mine.)
who’s = who is (Who’s going to the dance?  Everyone is going to the dance.)     Who = the subject;  is = the verb

(The only problem most writers have with whose is confusing it with who's, which looks like a possessive but is really the contraction for who is.  In the same way that we should not confuse his with he's (he is) or hers with she's (she is) or its with it's (it is), we should not confuse whose with who's.)
For example:
    Who's that walking down the street?
    Whose coat is this? (This is whose coat?)
    I don't care whose paper this is.  It's brilliant!

Whose can be used to refer to inanimate objects as well as to people (although there is a kind of folk belief that it should refer only to humans and other mammals): "I remember reading a book — whose title I can't recall right now — about a boy and a basenji." SP 15: Writing Dialogue
Here are three ways to use speaker tags and quotation marks with dialogue:
1) The speaker tags come before the dialogue:
   EX:  Mary moaned, "That eerie haunted house gave me nightmares."
          ____ _____, "__________________________________."
2) The speaker tags come after the dialogue:
"That eerie haunted house gave me nightmares," moaned Mary.
" Did that eerie haunted house give you nightmares?" questioned Mary.
"____________________________?" _______ ______.
" That eerie haunted house gave me nightmares!" exclaimed Mary.
           "__________________________________!"  ______ ____.
3) The speaker tags come in the middle of the dialogue, in the middle of a sentence:
     EX:  "That eerie haunted house," moaned Mary, "gave me nightmares."
            "___________________," ______ ____, "______________."
            "___________________," wondered _____, "______________?"
           "___________________," declared_____, "______________!"
4)  "Sometimes my teacher can be a kibitzer," complained Fred. "She often tells us to go to bed early."

Homework: 
Write 6 sentences using Week 15 Vocabulary words (+and one other vocabulary word from the past weeks).  Use the four ways described above at least once each.  Underline the subjects and verbs in both the dialogue and the speaker tags, e.g."That eerie haunted house gave me nightmares, " moaned Mary. Check for correct placement of quotation marks, commas, periods and capital letters.  Make sure each sentence is 12 words or more, including the speaker tags.   
SP 16: Using Colons in Sentences to List
Use a colon (:) in a sentence when listing objects, people, places, activities, etc.
NEVER use a colon AFTER a VERB or PREPOSITION!
Never place a colon between the subject and the verb.
Example: We need the following items for school: pens, paper, pencils, and scissors.
    Wrong:  For school we need: pens, paper, pencils, and scissors.
        Why?  When the list immediately follows a verb, no colon is needed.
Example: Robin Williams impersonates these people: Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Bill Gates.
    Wrong: Robin Williams impersonates: Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Bill Gates.
        Why? When the list immediately follows a verb, no colon is needed.
Example:  Many people work in government positions: members of the judicial branch, heads of the president's cabinets, and representatives in Congress.  (Use parallel structure. See SP-18)
Example: Proper etiquette includes the following: listen to others, raise your hand to speak, and wait to be called on.
    Wrong: Proper etiquette includes: listening to others, raising your hand to speak, and waiting to be called on.
        Why? When the list immediately follows a verb, no colon is needed.
SP 16 Using Colons to List (in Parallel Structure):
Here are some materials that are inflexible: a piece (of wood), a slab (of granite), and a block (of cement).
Many activities occur in a ghetto: basketball, bootlegging, and gambling.
These chores are very mundane: doing laundry, emptying the trash, vacuuming the carpet, and washing the dishes.

Sentence Pattern 17: Using Parallel Structure
Copy and paste this lesson into your Lang. Arts spiral (grammar section) and do the "Homework" exercises below.
Parallel Structure
For additional help using parallel structure, see Capital Community College Guide to Grammar and Writing http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/parallelism.htm
                Coordinated ideas must use the same verb tense or structure.  (These examples are taken from PUSD's Writing Manuel.)

Wrong:	We learned how to change a tire, shift sixteen gears, and once almost ran the truck off the road.
Correct:	We learned how to change a tire, shift sixteen gears, and keep the truck from running off the road.
	(All the infinitives and direct objects are parallel.)
Wrong:	I have mowed the lawn, washed the dog, rescued our hamster, and gone to the store all in one day.
Correct:	I mowed the lawn, washed the dog, rescued our hamster, and went to the store all in one day.
	(All the verbs are parallel)
Wrong:	Water skiing no longer interests me as much as going scuba diving.
Correct:	Water skiing no longer interests me as much as scuba diving.

When you include two or more similar thoughts in the same sentence, they should be constructed in a similar way.  Similar construction is called "parallel structure."  There are many situations when parallel structure is used.  Here's a few:
1.  If one item in a series is listed as a prepositional phrase, the others should be in a prepositional phrase also.
    GOOD example:  After a game of soccer, Bob quaffs a gallon of Gatorade, a quart of Quencher, and a pint of prune juice.
    NOT: ...Bob quaffs a gallon of Gatorade, a quart of Quencher, and some prune juice.
AM example:  Bill was so famished that he could eat the hind leg of a cow, the tongue of a pig, and the brain of a monkey.
PM example: The hostile mercenary was as sneaky as James Bond, as delirious as a drunken hobo, and as merciless as the Grim Reaper.   

2.  If one clause of a sentence is in ACTIVE voice, the other clause should also be in ACTIVE voice (not PASSIVE), i.e. all clauses should be in the same voice, ACTIVE or PASSIVE.
    GOOD example:  Bob participated in three events and won awards in all three.
    NOT:  Bob participated in three events and was awarded a prize in all three.
AM example:  An alien immigrated to America and applied for citizenship.  WRONG:  An alien immigrated (active voice) to America and was given citizenship (passive voice).
PM example: The fickle teacher impetuously offered to give her PM students a hundred dollars each if they washed her car, but she rescinded the offer when the principal offered to buy her a new Mercedes Benz.  (IC + DC, but IC + DC.)
3.  If listing a series of actions (verbs) in a sentence, use the same verb tense.
    Example:  Whenever he feels melancholy, Bob runs on the beach, plays tennis, sees an upbeat movie, or calls a friend.   (All verbs are in present tense.)
    NOT:  ..., Bob runs on the beach, plays tennis, saw an upbeat movie, or calls a friend.  (Saw is in past tense.)
4.  There are lots of other situations in writing that require parallel structure.  It's hard to classify all of them.  Here's a few other examples of parallel structure.
    Right:  Fearing failure, Bob began trembling, sweating, and vomiting.
    Wrong:  ..., Bob began trembling, sweating, and he vomited.
    Right: Because Bob became an investigative reporter, he asked where the accident occurred, when it occurred, and why it occurred.
    Wrong: ...., he asked where the accident occurred, when it occurred, and the reason it occurred.
SP 17 Homework:  Underline the correct ending for each sentence below.
1.  The movie Catch Me If You Can featured a character who was daring, racy, and...
(a) ...intelligent.    (b) ...used his intelligence.
2.  Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed a charlatan who impersonated others, accepted jobs he was not qualified to do, and...   (a) ...put others in perilous situations.  (b)...others were put in perilous situations.
3.  Before the 10-mile run began, Fritz ate a protein bar and...  (a)...quaffed a jug of Gatorade.     (b)...will quaff a jug of Gatorade.
4.  "Don't mock me and ... (a) ...don't mock others," warned the principal.   (b)...it's not nice to mock others," warned the principal.
5.  Finding herself in a perilous predicament, Porsha decided she should retrace her steps, find a map,and..
   (a)...take a safer route.   (b)...a safer route was found.
SP 18: Writing Similes & Metaphors
Write a sentence for each vocabulary word which uses a simile or metaphor.  Each sentence must have 12+ words.  Edit all spelling, punctuation, capitalization.  Use vocabulary words meaningfully.  Highlight or box vocab. word.
Examples:
    Simile:  My teacher gives as much advice as a kibitzer because she tells us every day to work hard and prioritize academics.
    Metaphor:  My teacher is a kibitzer who tells us every day to work hard and prioritize academics.
    Simile:  The clouds were like white snow balls, dancing across the sky..
    Metaphor:  The clouds were white snow balls, dancing across the sky.

SP-19:  Using Possessive Nouns (from PUSD’s Writing With Style Manual)
Write one sentence for each of the six rules shown below.  Each sentence must use one of this week's vocabulary words.

1. Add an apostrophe and an s to form the possessive of singular nouns, even if the noun ends in s:
Bob Dylan’s voice	the kiss’s meaning				Dickens’s novels
2. Add only an apostrophe to form the possessive of plural nouns ending in s.  If the plural does not end in s, add ‘s to form the possessive:
the Joneses’ father	the Padres’ last game				children’s library
3. For the possessive form of a compound noun or an indefinite pronoun, place an apostrophe and an s after the last word:
mother-in-law’s apartment			Secretary of State’s telephone
everybody’s		someone else’s		anyone’s
4. Possessive personal pronouns (his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs and the relative pronoun whose) do not require an apostrophe.
Remember that the word immediately before the apostrophe is the owner:
parent’s car = one parent owns			boss’ office = one boss owns
parents’ car = two parents own			bosses’ office = many bosses own
5. When ownership is shared, the apostrophe is also shared; use the possessive form only on the last item in a series to indicate shared ownership:
Caitlin, Chris, and Joshua’s house = the house is shared by all three
6. When ownership is individual, each noun in a series gets its own individual apostrophe and s:
Caitlin’s, Chris’s, and Joshua’s jackets = each has his or her own jacket

SP-20 = SP-18 Using Parallel Structure + SP-19 Using Possessive Nouns

Write five sentences that use possessive nouns (SP-19) AND parallel structure (SP-18).  Review each of these sentence patterns above and study the examples below.

EXAMPLES:

1.  John Steinbeck's novel,The Pearl, contains many examples of imagery and illustrates multiple themes.

2.  My three friends' favorite sports are snowboarding at Big Bear, snorkeling in La Jolla, and playing basketball at the YMCA.

3.  The Secretary of Defense's responsibilities are to  serve as a liaison between the military and the president and advise the president on military preparedness.

Sentence Pattern 1-20 Review


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Alphabetical Original

compound sentences: semi colon, no conjunction (must be independent clauses)

*Caesar, try on this toga; it seems to be your size
*Oh, rage is anger beyond control; tis' a joyful dictator of destruction
*Despite its colorful blossoms, oleander is a dangerous shrub; the stems, when broken, exude a highly poisonous, milky fluid.

Compound sentences with elliptical construction (semi-colon and the omitted verb must be the same as the first verb)

*The eskimo lives in an igloo; the American Indian, in a teepee
*The Scottish highlander sports a team tam-o-shanter; the Texas Ranger, a Stetson
*The Russian ballerina wears a tutu; the Malaysian dancer, a brightly colored sarong.

Compound sentence with explanatory statement (colon separates two independent clasuses)

*Darwin's Origins of the Species forcibly states a harsh truth: only the strong survive.
*The empty coffin in the center of the crypt had a single horrifying meaning: Dracula had left his tomb to stalk the streets in search of blood
*Creative writing is a little biological creation: the offspring is sometimes quite different from the parent.

Series without a conjunction

*The goals of the ecology awareness movement are clear: breathable air, drinkable water, livable space, viable soil.
*The song swept through the land and told more to the people than all the books, all the speeches, all the pamphlets that had preceded it.
*Shortly after midnight in a serene, enchanting, mysterious performance the night-blooming cereus gradually begins to blossom

Series of balanced pairs

*Anthony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Lancelot and Guinevere were all famous lovers in literature.
*Eager yet joyful, confident yet somewhat suspicious, little Johnny eyed the barber who give him his first haircut.

An introductory series of appositives(with a dash must be nouns)

*The crack of the lion trainer's whip, the dissonant music of the calliope, the neighs of Arabian stallions--these sounds mean "circus" to all children.
*An old photograph, a haunting fragrance, a sudden view of a half-forgotten scene--something unexpectedly triggers our nostalgia for the past.

Dependent clauses in a pair or in a series

*Because it might seem difficult at first, because it may seem forced, because it often created lengthy sentences where the thought gets lost, this pattern seems forbidding to some writers.
*Can also use if...if..., then or when...when..,

repetition of a key term

*She was a child full of love, loving towards friends, loving towards strangers, loving to all she met.

Repetition of a key term in parallel structure

*The South Pacific island community, isolated from the values of the West, isolated from the spiritual heritage of the East.
*"Porphyria's Lover" captures a moment of time, a moment of passion, a moment of tears.

Emphatic appositive at end, after a colon (second part is an idea not a full sentence)

*A soldier goes AWOL for a very specific purpose: to hide from the MPS.
*A teenage girl never forgets one thing: how to ace the math test.

interrupting modifier between subject and verb

*A small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, can make millions think.
*Her manner--pompous and overbearing to say the least--was intolerable.

introductory or concluding participles

*Overwhelmed by the tear gas, the rioters groped their way toward the fountain to wash their eyes.
*The wrangler reached for his lasso, knowing her must help to corral the straying steer.
*Having once been burned on a hot stove, the cat refused to go in the kitchen.

A single modifier out of place for emphasis

*Below, the traffic looked like a necklace of ants.
*Frantically, the young mother rushed out the door with the baby in her arms.
*Frantic, the young mother rushed out of the door with the baby in her arms.

Prepositional phrase before subject verb

*With slow and stately cadence the honor guard entered the palace grounds.
*Into the arena rushed the brave bulls to defy death and the matador.

Object or complement before subject verb

*His kind of sarcasm I do not like.
*Celia's interest in tarot cards and Sam's absorption in horoscopes Mrs.Renza could never understand.

paired constructions

*Each man lives not only his personal life as a unique individual but also the life of his contemporaries and his epoch.
*Just as wisdom cannot be purchased, so virtue cannot be legislated.
*Not only... but also, Just as...so too, If not... at least, The more... the more, the former... the latter.

dependent clauses as subject or object or complement

*How he could fail is a mystery to me.
*He became what he long aspired to be.
*What man cannot imagine, he cannot create.
*Juliet never realizes why her decision to drink the sleeping potion is irrational.

absolute construction anywhere in sentence (noun plus participle and the clause cannot be dependent on the participle aka don't use because)

*His blanket torn, Linus cried on Charlie Brown's shoulder.
*The wall being blank, the new tenant-- an unemployed artist--promptly set about covering all of them in a mural of orange.
*The crayons all used up, Angelo stopped marking on the newly painted table.

The short simple sentence for relief or dramatic effect (provides a transition or comes after long sentences)

*Days passed.
*All efforts failed.
*God help us.

An internal series of appositives or modifiers ( enclosed in dashes)

*All the scholarly disciples and especially the sciences--physical, biological, social--share the burden of searching for truth.
*Which famous detectives--Sherlock Holmes or Nero Wolfe or Dick Tracy-- will you use in your creative writing assignment?

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Use strong Active Verbs

The cloud darkened the moon.

Use parallel Structure

You may go by air, you may travel by auto or you may sail by cruise ship.

Open with an adverbial clause.

After he seized control, the situation changed drastically.

Use Apposition (nouns or pronouns)

My father, a wise and grave man, game me an excellent counsel.

Use conversation or a quotation.

"Sally lives in Washington," Blackford spoke for the first time.

Verb precedes the subject

Beside the house grew a large maple tree.

Open with a prepositional phrase

With a smile on his face, the lion savored his meal

Open with an Adverb

Wisely, Helen made her course choices.

Use an exclamatory sentence

What incredible luck!

Ask a Question

When do fishermen go to sea?

Open with an adjective.

Fearful, the hunter fled through the jungle.

Open with an adjective phrase.

Afloat with confidence, Blackford told his contact everything.

Open with a present infinitive.

To make a long story short, Father carried his point.

Open with a perfect infinitive.

To have gone by train, I would have needed a reservation.

: Open with a present participle

Stepping up to the door, I saw my father on the sofa.

Open with a past participle.

Moved from his home at an early age, he soon learned to fend for himself.

Open with a perfect participle

Having barely begun to read, Mary laid the newspaper down

Open with a direct object

Real estate Jeff Sherwod sells.

Open with the verb

Answered Andy, "I didn't hear you call me"

Open with a present gerund (½ noun ½ verb)

Writing contemporary essays posed a problem for him.

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ENTENCE PATTERNS 1-20

PATTERN 1
Description: Compound Sentence: semicolon, no conjunction
Pattern: S V; S V.

Example: Talent is only one side of the equation; hard work is the other.

PATTERN 1A
Description:(Variation) Compound Sentence: semicolon, conjunctive adverb
Pattern: S V; conjunctive adverb, S V.

Example: Talent is very important; however, hard work is essential.

PATTERN 1B
Description:(Variation) Compound Sentence: semicolon, coordinating conjunction
Pattern: S V, coordinating conjunction S V ; S V.

Example: Talent is very important, but hard work is essential; you must have

         both to be successful.

PATTERN 1C
Description:(Variation) Compound Sentence: semicolon, no conjunction
Pattern: S V; S V ; S V.

Example: Talent is important; hard work is essential; together they make a

         winning combination.

PATTERN 2
Description: Compound Sentence with Elliptical construction
Pattern: S V DO or SC; S, DO or SC
Example: A red light means stop; a green light, go.
PATTERN 3
Description: Compound Sentence with Explanatory Statement
Pattern: General statement: specific example

Example: Darwin's Origin of Species forcibly states a harsh truth: only the

         fittest survive.

PATTERN 4
Description: A Series without a Conjunction
Pattern: A,B,C

Example: The United States has a government of the people, by the people, for

         the people.

PATTERN 4A
Description:(Variation) A Series with a Variation
Pattern: A or B or C

Example: Despite his handicaps, I have never seen Larry angry or cross or

         depressed.

PATTERN 5
Description: A Series with Balanced Pairs
Pattern: A and B, C and D, E and F.

Example: My love is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, abundance

         and hunger.

PATTERN 6
Description: An Introductory series of Appositives
Pattern: Appositive, appositive, appositive--summary word S V

Example: Vanity, greed, corruption-- which serves as the novel's source of

         conflict?

PATTERN 7
Description: An Internal Series of Appositives or Modifiers
Pattern: S --appositive, appositive, appositive--V

Example: The necessary qualities for political life--guile, ruthlessness, and

         garrulity--she learned by carefully studying his father's life.

PATTERN 7A
Description:(Variation) a Single Appositive or a Pair
Pattern: S --appositive--V

Example: A sudden explosion--artillery fire--signaled the beginning of a

         barrage.

PATTERN 8
Description: Dependent Clauses in a Pair or in a Series
Pattern: If..., if..., if..., then S V

Example: If you clothes are made of cotton, if you wash them with soap, if you

         hang them on the line, you may not need a fabric softener.

PATTERN 9
Description: Repetition of a Key Term
Pattern: S V key term, repeated key term

Example: "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however

          long and hard the road may be [. . .]." Winston Churchill

PATTERN 9A
Description:(Variation) Some Word repeated in a Parallel Structure
Pattern: S V repeated key word in same position

Example: His greatest discoveries, his greatest successes, his greatest

         influence upon daily life came to Edison only after repeated failure.

PATTERN 10
Description: Emphatic Appositive at End, after a Colon
Pattern: S V word: appositive
Example: Airport thieves have a common target: unwary travelers.
PATTERN 10A
Description:(Variation) Appositive (single or pair or series) after a Dash
Pattern: S V word--appositive
Example: Adjusting to a new job requires one quality above--a sense of humor.
PATTERN 11
Description: Interrupting Modifier Between S and V
Pattern: S (modifier that whispers) V

Example: The hunter (a common sight in New Hampshire woods during the winter)

         carried a large caliber rifle.

PATTERN 11A
Description:(Variation) A Full Sentence as Interrupting Modifier
Pattern: S--a full sentence--V

Example: Juliet's famous question--"Wherefore art thou, Romeo?"--is often

         misunderstood.

PATTERN 12
Description: Introductory or Concluding Participles
Pattern: Participial Phrase, S V (or reverse)

Examples: Laughing at his foolish behavior, she fell backwards in her chair.

 

PATTERN 13
Description: A Single Modifier Out of Place for Emphasis
Pattern: Modifier, S V
Example: To begin with, some ideas are just plain difficult.
PATTERN 14
Description: Prepositional Phrase Before S--V
Pattern: Prepositional Phrase S V (or V S)
Example: During the long winter months, Tom toiled as a trapper.
PATTERN 15
Description: Object or Complement Before S--V
Pattern: Object or Complement S V
Example: His kind of sarcasm (,)I do not like.
PATTERN 15A
Description:(Variation) Complete Inversion of Normal Pattern
Pattern: Object or Complement or modifier V S

Example: Down the field and through the tacklers ran the Heisman Trophy winner.

PATTERN 16
Description: Paired Construction
Pattern: The more S V, the more S V

Example:The more I saw of his work, the more I knew I didn't want to purchase it

PATTERN 16A
Description:(Variation) A Paired Construction for Contrast Only
Pattern: A "this, not that" or "not this but that" construction
Example: Genius, not stupidity, has limits.
PATTERN 17
Description: Dependent Clause as Subject or Object or Complement
Pattern: S [dependent clause] V
Example: What a man cannot imagine cannot be created.
PATTERN 18
Description: Absolute Construction Anywhere in Sentence
Pattern: Absolute construction, S V

Examples: The French defeated, the Germans advanced on Paris.

PATTERN 19
Description: The Short, Simple Sentence for Relief or Dramatic Effect.
Pattern: S V
Example: Perseverance pays.
PATTERN 19A
Description:(Variation)  A Short Question for Dramatic Effect
Pattern: Interrogative word standing alone. Question based solely on intonation
Examples: Why not?
                    You really care?
PATTERN 20
Description: The Deliberate Fragment
Pattern: Merely a part of a sentence
Examples: Fine.
          First, the nuts and bolts.





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Seven Basic Punctuation Patterns

SVC.

SVC ,and SVC.     SVC;SVC.

___, SVC.

S,___,VC.

SthatVC.    SwhoVC.

SVC,___.   SVC:___.   SVC--___.

SVC;___,SVC.

Identifying, Using, and Punctuating Basic Sentence Patterns

The following patterns are the most common ones in written American English. Each sentence pattern contains an independent clause that can be a complete sentence.

The independent clause (SVC.) contains a subject (S), a verb (V), and a completer (C),. The completer = any word or words that complete the thought.

                                    Subject                Verb        Completer

                        The man in the gray suit   ran   to get out of the rain.

                               My youngest brother  is   a very good guitar player.

Most of the patterns contain additional words, phrases, or subordinate clauses that attach to the main SVC. 

Phrases are word groups that function within the sentence. (See the list of phrases in Pattern #3 below):

Subordinate clauses are not complete sentences because they have a subordinator before their subject. (See the list of subordinators in Pattern # 3 below):

Each basic sentence pattern is indicated by combinations of SVC  and ___ .

       SVC  = an independent clause that can be a complete sentence.

       ___   = a word, phrase, or subordinate clause that is part of a complete sentence.

        

By combining the ___ and SVC chunks, you can create the following basic patterns:

#1:  SVC.     Independent clause (simple sentence)

#2:  SVC, and SVC.    Independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

#3.  ___, SVC.     Lead-in word, phrase, or subordinate clause

#4.  S,___,VC.     Interrupting word, phrase, or clause

#5.   S that____ VC.    S who____VC.     Necessary or Essential relative clauses

         

#6.   SVC, ___.   SVC:___.   SVC--___.     Additional or Nonessential words, phrases, or clauses

#7.   SVC ; ___, SVC.     Sentence; lead-in word, sentence.

Pattern #1:  SVC.     The independent clause

This pattern may have more than one subject, verb, or completer but not more than one independent clause.

                             S        V       C

     SVC.           George ate six apples.

                                        S                     V          C

     SVC.           Driving to Minneapolis takes four hours from my house.

                                               S                         V                    C                           

     SVC.          That Martha was late to school was a surprise to her mother.

                                                    S                      V                C

     SVC.           Whether Tim goes to the dance is his decision to make.

                            S    &        S        V              C

    S&SVC.      Helen and Mauren gave a party for Jane.

                           S         V         &    V              C

     SV&VC.     Mark designed and built an ultralight aircraft.

                             S     V             C             &           C

     SVC&C.     Harvey ate the whole cake and all the cookies.

                           S       V         C         &         V             C

     SVC&VC.  Tom baked the cake and bought the decorations.

NOTE:  Do not confuse Pattern #1:  SVC and VC.  with Pattern #2:  SVC ,and SVC.

         S     V          C         &      V               C

     Tom baked the cake and bought the decorations.   (One independent clause)

         S       V         C                   S      V             C

     Tom baked the cake ,and  he bought the decorations.  (Two independent clauses)

Pattern #2:  SVC ,and SVC.      SVC ; SVC.    The compound sentence.

This pattern consists of two independent clauses joined by a semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

                                                       (FANBOYS)

                                                               for

                                                               and

                                         Sentence ,   nor     sentence.

                                                 SVC  ,   but   SVC.

                                                               or

                                                               yet

                                                               so

     SVC ,but SVC.       John was mad at Allison, but he still took her to the dance.

     SVC; SVC.             John gave Allison a sweater ; she gave it to her sister.

.

     Note the difference:   SVC ,so SVC.      SVC so that svc.

     Two sentences joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction:

           John was mad at Allison, so he broke up with her.

     SVC and attached dependent clause:  See also Pattern #5 below.

          John gave Ella a gift so that Alison would be jealous. (Subordinate Clause)

   

       

     Note: Three or more SVC chunks may also be combined into one sentence:

         S       V         C            S       V         C                S        V      C

     John bought the tickets, Mary brought popcorn, and Helen drove the car.

     John bought the tickets; Mary brought popcorn; Helen drove the car.

Pattern #3:   ___, SVC.   Lead-in words, phrases, subordinate clauses

Ø      A comma separates lead-in words from the SVC.

                                S     V                               C

     Unfortunately, Max broke his leg in the first game of the season.

     Nevertheless, he still wants to play hockey next year.

                                    

                           Some common lead-in words

Accordingly                   Furthermore                   Moreover                       Still

Also                              However                        Nevertheless                  Thereafter

Anyway                         Instead                          Nonetheless                  Therefore

Besides                                    Likewise                        Otherwise                      Thus

Consequently                Meanwhile                     Similarly                        Undoubtedly

First                              Second                         next                              Finally

 

 

Ø      A comma separates lead-in phrases from the SVC.

     Sprinting toward the huddle, John twisted his ankle.  (present participle phrase)

     Annoyed beyond endurance, I told Joey to shut up.   (past participle phrase)

     Curious about the gift, Annie shook the box.   (adjective phrase)

     Slowly and carefully, Joan climbed the ladder.   (adverb phrase)

     To reach the top, Tom leaped and grabbed the branch. (infinitive phrase)

     On the way to school, the car stopped running.   (prepositional phrase)

         hw      vbl

     Hands shaking, Bill reached for the fire extinguisher.   (absolute phrase)

       hw        vbl

     Arms outstretched, Mary ran toward her fiancé.   (absolute phrase)

NOTE: An absolute phrase has a head word (hw) and a verbal (vbl). The verbal is usually a present or past participle. The phrase provides information about the subject.

                    

     Examples of present participles:  running   watching           

     Examples of past participle:  scared   exhausted

Pattern #3:   ___, SVC.   Lead-in words, phrases, subordinate clauses

Ø      A comma separates lead-in subordinate clauses from the SVC.    

                   A dependent clause begins with a subordinating word or phrase.

      after            although            as                     as if                  as though          because

      before         even if               even though       if                       once                 since

      so that        though              that                   unless               until                  when

      where          which                while                 who                  whether             whoever           

Note that a subordinate clause has a subject, verb, and completer (indicated as svc) after the subordinating word or phrase:

                      s    v            c            S   V        C

    Because you are annoying me, I want you to leave.

     If you want to win, you need to practice harder.

     So that he could play football, Matt began to lift weights.   

     Once the flooding began, many people fled to the Superdome.

     Even though the experiment failed, Tony learned the importance of teamwork.

NOTE:  Look carefully to see whether the subordinating word begins a subordinate clause or whether the clause is the subject of the sentence!

                                    

                                                          

   Subject  V C.        

                                                          S                  V                 C

                                 Where we went after school is none of your business.   

                                                          

                                                            S                                    V             C

                                 Whether you buy the car or not does not concern me.

          

                                                                                                

   Subordinate clause, SVC.     

                                                                                   S     V                C

                                  When the snow began to fall, we were ready to go skiing. 

   

Pattern #4:  S, ___, VC.     Sentence Interrupters

Additional information can be placed as an interrupter between the subject and verb or the verb and completer. Surround the interrupting word, phrase, or subordinate clause with a pair of commas, dashes, or parentheses.

Ø      Commas surround interrupting words, phrases, or clauses.

               S                          V                   C

Pam, however, decided not to attend the party.

Mr. Jefferson, our next door neighbor, bought a new riding lawnmower.

John, sprinting toward the huddle, twisted his ankle.

Marie, annoyed beyond endurance, told Joey to shut up.

Annie, curious about the gift, shook the box.

                 S     V                                                             C

             Alan knew, when he heard the sirens, that a tornado had been sighted..

                S                                   V                                           C

            Jerry, hearing the bell, knew from experience that the drill was over.

Ø      Parentheses enclose interrupting information.

            Our advisor (Mr. Jackson) suggested we hire a live band.

            That date (December 7, 1941) will live in infamy.

Ø      Dashes surround abrupt or unexpected interruptions.

            The judges—those ignorant blockheads—gave the prize to Henry.

            She was shocked—seeing the photo of a dangerous sex offender—to realize that

he was her next door neighbor!

Kate raced home—averaging 90 mph—and was pulled over for speeding.

Pattern #5:  Sthat___VC.     SVCwho___.    Necessary or Essential Clauses

Essential clauses add necessary information that should not be set off by commas. 

Ø      Essential clauses are not surrounded by commas.

                                  S                                   V                  C

     The man who is standing next to George ran in the Boston Marathon.

     The who clause is an essential part of the subject because it identifies the man.

           S          V                            C

     Heather opened the door that led to the garage.

     The that clause is an essential part of the completer because it identifies the door.

Ø      Differences between essential and nonessential clauses:

     In the first sentence, we need the essential clause to identify the subject and tell us

     which woman.

                                     Essential

            The woman who just drove past owns the newest restaurant in town.

 

      In the second sentence, the subject’s identity is clear, and the clause provides

      additional (nonessential) information about him.

                                                   Nonessential

            My uncle George, who lifts weights every day, ran in the Boston marathon.

Ø      The word that often begins an essential clause:

He bought the car that had the lowest mileage.

The car that had the lowest mileage was the most expensive.

           

Ø      The word which often begins a nonessential clause:

He bought the red car, which I didn’t like, for less than $1,000. (Pattern #4)

He bought the car for $1,000, which was a good deal for him.   (Pattern #6)

    

Pattern #6: SVC,___      SVC: ___      SVC--___.

Often, nonessential words, phrases, and subordinate clauses are added after the SVC and set off with a comma, dash, or colon.

SVC, ___.  Using Commas after the SVC

Ø      A comma sets off nonessential words after the SVC.

     Henry was happy with his new car, naturally.

     His parents’ checking account was now very low, however.

Ø      A comma sets off nonessential phrases that follow the SVC.

     Jane started to dance, whistling softly.

     Annie shook the box, curious about the gift.

Ø      A comma sets off nonessential subordinate clauses that follow the SVC.

          S         V               C              sub.         s                v               c

     Arnold skipped the math test, which his brother advised him not to do.

           S         V              C                s      v               c

     Arnold skipped the math test, which was a dumb thing to do.  

     NOTE: Which is the subordinator in the first subordinate clause.  It is both the

     subordinator and the subject of the second subordinate clause.

   

SVC: ___.   Using Colons after the SVC

Ø       A colon introduces a list after the SVC.

     We bought many supplies: juice, bread, canned meat, matches, and sleeping bags.

Ø      A colon introduces a conclusion or example after the SVC.

     Ann knew there was only one thing to do: sneak home and crawl into bed.

     George knew that he was in trouble: his father could not miss the broken taillight.

Ø       A colon introduces a quotation after the SVC.

     President Bush made a surprising admission: “I take full responsibility for FEMA’s failure.”

    

SVC-- ___.   Using Dashes after the SVC

Ø      A dash sets off an abrupt comment or surprising details after the SVC.

     Martha answered Martin’s question—angrily.

     Harriet crossed the finish line first—to the delight of her fans.

     Bill forgot one important rule—Always stop for a red light.

     The wind howled and the sky grew dark—then lightning struck the house next door.

Pattern #7: SVC;___ , SVC.  Sentence; lead-in word, sentence.

Ø      Use a semicolon after the first sentence and a comma after the lead-in word.

      She liked Henry; however, she liked Robert even better.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                     COMBINING SENTENCE PATTERNS

     Here are some ways to combine the SVC and ___ parts for sentence variety.

                        Shouting with joy, Gerry ran home after the game.

                        Gerry, shouting with joy, ran home after the game.

                        Gerry ran home after the game, shouting with joy.

Caught red-handed, knees knocking, voice quavering, Betty admitted her guilt.  

                                                                                                                              S

Snorting impatiently, pawing the dust, swinging its horns from side to side, the red bull, a

                                               V                       C

champion of many fights, watched the matador approach, readying itself for the charge.  

                                                                       S

After the fans had left the arena, the women’s basketball team, elated by their victory and

                                    V                                        
=========================

Seven Basic Punctuation Patterns

SVC.

SVC ,and SVC.     SVC;SVC.

___, SVC.

S,___,VC.

SthatVC.    SwhoVC.

SVC,___.   SVC:___.   SVC--___.

SVC;___,SVC.

Identifying, Using, and Punctuating Basic Sentence Patterns

The following patterns are the most common ones in written American English. Each sentence pattern contains an independent clause that can be a complete sentence.

The independent clause (SVC.) contains a subject (S), a verb (V), and a completer (C),. The completer = any word or words that complete the thought.

                                    Subject                Verb        Completer

                        The man in the gray suit   ran   to get out of the rain.

                               My youngest brother  is   a very good guitar player.

Most of the patterns contain additional words, phrases, or subordinate clauses that attach to the main SVC. 

Phrases are word groups that function within the sentence. (See the list of phrases in Pattern #3 below):

Subordinate clauses are not complete sentences because they have a subordinator before their subject. (See the list of subordinators in Pattern # 3 below):

Each basic sentence pattern is indicated by combinations of SVC  and ___ .

       SVC  = an independent clause that can be a complete sentence.

       ___   = a word, phrase, or subordinate clause that is part of a complete sentence.

        

By combining the ___ and SVC chunks, you can create the following basic patterns:

#1:  SVC.     Independent clause (simple sentence)

#2:  SVC, and SVC.    Independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

#3.  ___, SVC.     Lead-in word, phrase, or subordinate clause

#4.  S,___,VC.     Interrupting word, phrase, or clause

#5.   S that____ VC.    S who____VC.     Necessary or Essential relative clauses

         

#6.   SVC, ___.   SVC:___.   SVC--___.     Additional or Nonessential words, phrases, or clauses

#7.   SVC ; ___, SVC.     Sentence; lead-in word, sentence.

Pattern #1:  SVC.     The independent clause

This pattern may have more than one subject, verb, or completer but not more than one independent clause.

                             S        V       C

     SVC.           George ate six apples.

                                        S                     V          C

     SVC.           Driving to Minneapolis takes four hours from my house.

                                               S                         V                    C                           

     SVC.          That Martha was late to school was a surprise to her mother.

                                                    S                      V                C

     SVC.           Whether Tim goes to the dance is his decision to make.

                            S    &        S        V              C

    S&SVC.      Helen and Mauren gave a party for Jane.

                           S         V         &    V              C

     SV&VC.     Mark designed and built an ultralight aircraft.

                             S     V             C             &           C

     SVC&C.     Harvey ate the whole cake and all the cookies.

                           S       V         C         &         V             C

     SVC&VC.  Tom baked the cake and bought the decorations.

NOTE:  Do not confuse Pattern #1:  SVC and VC.  with Pattern #2:  SVC ,and SVC.

         S     V          C         &      V               C

     Tom baked the cake and bought the decorations.   (One independent clause)

         S       V         C                   S      V             C

     Tom baked the cake ,and  he bought the decorations.  (Two independent clauses)

Pattern #2:  SVC ,and SVC.      SVC ; SVC.    The compound sentence.

This pattern consists of two independent clauses joined by a semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

                                                       (FANBOYS)

                                                               for

                                                               and

                                         Sentence ,   nor     sentence.

                                                 SVC  ,   but   SVC.

                                                               or

                                                               yet

                                                               so

     SVC ,but SVC.       John was mad at Allison, but he still took her to the dance.

     SVC; SVC.             John gave Allison a sweater ; she gave it to her sister.

.

     Note the difference:   SVC ,so SVC.      SVC so that svc.

     Two sentences joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction:

           John was mad at Allison, so he broke up with her.

     SVC and attached dependent clause:  See also Pattern #5 below.

          John gave Ella a gift so that Alison would be jealous. (Subordinate Clause)

   

       

     Note: Three or more SVC chunks may also be combined into one sentence:

         S       V         C            S       V         C                S        V      C

     John bought the tickets, Mary brought popcorn, and Helen drove the car.

     John bought the tickets; Mary brought popcorn; Helen drove the car.

Pattern #3:   ___, SVC.   Lead-in words, phrases, subordinate clauses

Ø      A comma separates lead-in words from the SVC.

                                S     V                               C

     Unfortunately, Max broke his leg in the first game of the season.

     Nevertheless, he still wants to play hockey next year.

                                    

                           Some common lead-in words

Accordingly                   Furthermore                   Moreover                       Still

Also                              However                        Nevertheless                  Thereafter

Anyway                         Instead                          Nonetheless                  Therefore

Besides                                    Likewise                        Otherwise                      Thus

Consequently                Meanwhile                     Similarly                        Undoubtedly

First                              Second                         next                              Finally

 

 

Ø      A comma separates lead-in phrases from the SVC.

     Sprinting toward the huddle, John twisted his ankle.  (present participle phrase)

     Annoyed beyond endurance, I told Joey to shut up.   (past participle phrase)

     Curious about the gift, Annie shook the box.   (adjective phrase)

     Slowly and carefully, Joan climbed the ladder.   (adverb phrase)

     To reach the top, Tom leaped and grabbed the branch. (infinitive phrase)

     On the way to school, the car stopped running.   (prepositional phrase)

         hw      vbl

     Hands shaking, Bill reached for the fire extinguisher.   (absolute phrase)

       hw        vbl

     Arms outstretched, Mary ran toward her fiancé.   (absolute phrase)

NOTE: An absolute phrase has a head word (hw) and a verbal (vbl). The verbal is usually a present or past participle. The phrase provides information about the subject.

                    

     Examples of present participles:  running   watching           

     Examples of past participle:  scared   exhausted

Pattern #3:   ___, SVC.   Lead-in words, phrases, subordinate clauses

Ø      A comma separates lead-in subordinate clauses from the SVC.    

                   A dependent clause begins with a subordinating word or phrase.

      after            although            as                     as if                  as though          because

      before         even if               even though       if                       once                 since

      so that        though              that                   unless               until                  when

      where          which                while                 who                  whether             whoever           

Note that a subordinate clause has a subject, verb, and completer (indicated as svc) after the subordinating word or phrase:

                      s    v            c            S   V        C

    Because you are annoying me, I want you to leave.

     If you want to win, you need to practice harder.

     So that he could play football, Matt began to lift weights.   

     Once the flooding began, many people fled to the Superdome.

     Even though the experiment failed, Tony learned the importance of teamwork.

NOTE:  Look carefully to see whether the subordinating word begins a subordinate clause or whether the clause is the subject of the sentence!

                                    

                                                          

   Subject  V C.        

                                                          S                  V                 C

                                 Where we went after school is none of your business.   

                                                          

                                                            S                                    V             C

                                 Whether you buy the car or not does not concern me.

          

                                                                                                

   Subordinate clause, SVC.     

                                                                                   S     V                C

                                  When the snow began to fall, we were ready to go skiing. 

   

Pattern #4:  S, ___, VC.     Sentence Interrupters

Additional information can be placed as an interrupter between the subject and verb or the verb and completer. Surround the interrupting word, phrase, or subordinate clause with a pair of commas, dashes, or parentheses.

Ø      Commas surround interrupting words, phrases, or clauses.

               S                          V                   C

Pam, however, decided not to attend the party.

Mr. Jefferson, our next door neighbor, bought a new riding lawnmower.

John, sprinting toward the huddle, twisted his ankle.

Marie, annoyed beyond endurance, told Joey to shut up.

Annie, curious about the gift, shook the box.

                 S     V                                                             C

             Alan knew, when he heard the sirens, that a tornado had been sighted..

                S                                   V                                           C

            Jerry, hearing the bell, knew from experience that the drill was over.

Ø      Parentheses enclose interrupting information.

            Our advisor (Mr. Jackson) suggested we hire a live band.

            That date (December 7, 1941) will live in infamy.

Ø      Dashes surround abrupt or unexpected interruptions.

            The judges—those ignorant blockheads—gave the prize to Henry.

            She was shocked—seeing the photo of a dangerous sex offender—to realize that

he was her next door neighbor!

Kate raced home—averaging 90 mph—and was pulled over for speeding.

Pattern #5:  Sthat___VC.     SVCwho___.    Necessary or Essential Clauses

Essential clauses add necessary information that should not be set off by commas. 

Ø      Essential clauses are not surrounded by commas.

                                  S                                   V                  C

     The man who is standing next to George ran in the Boston Marathon.

     The who clause is an essential part of the subject because it identifies the man.

           S          V                            C

     Heather opened the door that led to the garage.

     The that clause is an essential part of the completer because it identifies the door.

Ø      Differences between essential and nonessential clauses:

     In the first sentence, we need the essential clause to identify the subject and tell us

     which woman.

                                     Essential

            The woman who just drove past owns the newest restaurant in town.

 

      In the second sentence, the subject’s identity is clear, and the clause provides

      additional (nonessential) information about him.

                                                   Nonessential

            My uncle George, who lifts weights every day, ran in the Boston marathon.

Ø      The word that often begins an essential clause:

He bought the car that had the lowest mileage.

The car that had the lowest mileage was the most expensive.

           

Ø      The word which often begins a nonessential clause:

He bought the red car, which I didn’t like, for less than $1,000. (Pattern #4)

He bought the car for $1,000, which was a good deal for him.   (Pattern #6)

    

Pattern #6: SVC,___      SVC: ___      SVC--___.

Often, nonessential words, phrases, and subordinate clauses are added after the SVC and set off with a comma, dash, or colon.

SVC, ___.  Using Commas after the SVC

Ø      A comma sets off nonessential words after the SVC.

     Henry was happy with his new car, naturally.

     His parents’ checking account was now very low, however.

Ø      A comma sets off nonessential phrases that follow the SVC.

     Jane started to dance, whistling softly.

     Annie shook the box, curious about the gift.

Ø      A comma sets off nonessential subordinate clauses that follow the SVC.

          S         V               C              sub.         s                v               c

     Arnold skipped the math test, which his brother advised him not to do.

           S         V              C                s      v               c

     Arnold skipped the math test, which was a dumb thing to do.  

     NOTE: Which is the subordinator in the first subordinate clause.  It is both the

     subordinator and the subject of the second subordinate clause.

   

SVC: ___.   Using Colons after the SVC

Ø       A colon introduces a list after the SVC.

     We bought many supplies: juice, bread, canned meat, matches, and sleeping bags.

Ø      A colon introduces a conclusion or example after the SVC.

     Ann knew there was only one thing to do: sneak home and crawl into bed.

     George knew that he was in trouble: his father could not miss the broken taillight.

Ø       A colon introduces a quotation after the SVC.

     President Bush made a surprising admission: “I take full responsibility for FEMA’s failure.”

    

SVC-- ___.   Using Dashes after the SVC

Ø      A dash sets off an abrupt comment or surprising details after the SVC.

     Martha answered Martin’s question—angrily.

     Harriet crossed the finish line first—to the delight of her fans.

     Bill forgot one important rule—Always stop for a red light.

     The wind howled and the sky grew dark—then lightning struck the house next door.

Pattern #7: SVC;___ , SVC.  Sentence; lead-in word, sentence.

Ø      Use a semicolon after the first sentence and a comma after the lead-in word.

      She liked Henry; however, she liked Robert even better.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                     COMBINING SENTENCE PATTERNS

     Here are some ways to combine the SVC and ___ parts for sentence variety.

                        Shouting with joy, Gerry ran home after the game.

                        Gerry, shouting with joy, ran home after the game.

                        Gerry ran home after the game, shouting with joy.

Caught red-handed, knees knocking, voice quavering, Betty admitted her guilt.  

                                                                                                                              S

Snorting impatiently, pawing the dust, swinging its horns from side to side, the red bull, a

                                               V                       C

champion of many fights, watched the matador approach, readying itself for the charge.  

                                                                       S

After the fans had left the arena, the women’s basketball team, elated by their victory and

                                    V                                        
========================================================================

Advanced Placement Sentence Patterns

RATIONALE:

An important characteristic of any college student—not just an English major—is the ability to write well.  Effective writing must be cogent and coherent, but what truly makes competent writing excellent is style. 

One of the challenges this semester will be to take your writing from competent to excellent, to move it up to the next level.  We will use many strategies to improve your writing style, and of these strategies, using a variety of sentence patterns is one the most effective ways to improve your writing.

Throughout the semester, you will not only learn and practice new sentence patterns, but you will also incorporate these patterns into your writing.

The Plan:

We will work on one sentence pattern each week with the goal of completing all fifteen by the end of first semester.  However, you know what Burns said about the best laid plans of mice and men… (If you don’t, find out!) 

Therefore, be prepared to be flexible.  Sometimes we may skip a week, or we may do two in one week.  We may not even go in order.  I will give you plenty of notice about due dates. 

I will also review the rules for most patterns.  Please ask for help or ask me to check your sentences if you’re not sure you’re doing them correctly.

Requirements:

ð     Write 12 sentences for each pattern.

ð     TEN of the twelve sentences must focus on one major literary work—novel, play or epic poem.  Use a different work for each pattern.  Two of the sentences can be fun, but they still have to follow the pattern.

Grading:

The sentences will be graded on following the pattern, using it appropriately, and focusing on one literary work.

PATTERN # 1

Compound sentence: semicolon, no conjunction

(two short, related sentences now joined)

S V ; S V.

Models:

®    The cry for freedom stops at no border; it echoes endlessly in the hearts of all men.

®    The vicuna is a gentle animal living in the central Andes; his fleece often becomes the fabric of expensive coats.

þ  Two complete sentences

þ  Two closely related ideas

 

PATTERN # 2

Compound sentence with elliptical construction (comma indicates the omitted verb)

S V DO or SC ; S , DO or SC.

This pattern is really the same as PATTERN #1, but here you will omit the verb in the second clause BECAUSE and ONLY if it would needlessly repeat the verb of the first clause.

Models:

®    The Eskimo lives in an igloo; the American Indian, in a teepee.

®    A red light means stop; a green light, go.

®    The Russian ballerina wears a tutu; the Malaysian dancer, a brightly colored sarong.

þ  Two independent clauses

þ  Be sure the verb omitted in second clause matches exactly the verb in the first.  Test this by putting the verb in first, e.g. A red light means stop; a green light means go.  The following is wrong: We like classical music; George, hard rock.

þ  Use semicolon if there is no conjunction; use comma if there is a joining, coordinate conjunction.  Susan likes classical music, and George, hard rock.

PATTERN #3

Compound sentence with explanatory statement

General statement (idea) : specific statement (example).

                           (independent clause)       :      (independent clause)

This pattern is exactly like #1 and #2 in structure; it is a compound; however, it is very different in content as the colon implies.  The colon signals the reader that something important or explanatory follows.

Models:

®    Darwin’s Origin of Species forcible states a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.

®    The empty coffin in the center of the crypt had a single horrifying meaning: Dracula had left his tomb to stalk the village streets in search of fresh blood.

®    Creative writing is a little like biological creation: the offspring is sometimes quite different from the parent.

þ  Don’t use this pattern unless the second independent clause in some way amplifies and explains the first.

 

PATTERN #4

Series without a conjunction

(a series in any part of the sentence)

A,B,C

This pattern is the simplest form of the series.  The items making up the series are separated by commas, and in this special pattern there is no conjunction linking the final two items.  Omitting this conjunction in the series here is effective, for it gives your sentence a quick, staccato sound, a sound of crispness and liveliness.  Remember that tone and sound fluency are important considerations here. 

Models:

®    The United States has a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

®    The goals of the ecology-awareness movement are clear: breathable air, drinkable water, livable space, viable soil, unpolluted oceans.

®    Shortly after midnight in a serene, enchanting, mysterious performance, the night-blooming cereus gradually begins to bloom.

þ  Series may be in any part of the sentence

þ  Make sure the items in the series are parallel in structure

Pattern #5ï

Series of balanced pairs

(note the rhythm)

A and B , C and D , E and F

                                               (may be in any slot in the sentence)

Models:

®    Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Lancelot and Guinevere were all famous lovers in literature.

®    Lorenzo had that paradoxical character of the Renaissance man—idealist and materialist, artist and debauchee, angel and devil.

®    Jane Austen depicts with gentle satire the foibles and weaknesses, eccentricities and ambitions, triumphs and defeats of the human species.

þ  Pairs may be in any sentence slot

þ  Listen to rhythm and sound

þ  Pairs must be parallel

 

PATTERN #6

Single appositive

S , appositive , V

                                                         commas = ordinary

                                                         dashes = dramatic

                                                         parentheses = whisper

Models:

®    His father, the minister, performed the ceremony.

®    A familiar smell—fresh blood—assailed his jungle trained nostrils.

®     The Elizabethan concept of artifice (craftsmanship well-executed and therefore admirable) made the word “artificial” a compliment, not a criticism.

þ  An appositive takes two punctuation marks

PATTERN #7

Emphatic appositive at end, after a colon

S V : the appositive

                                                       (with or without modifiers)

Models:

®    Most contemporary philosophies echo ideas from one man: Plato.

®    Anyone left abandoned on a desert island should avoid two dangers: cactus needles and rattlesnakes.

®    Were those twins my children, I’d make one thing perfectly clear to them: the curfew hour.

þ  Independent clause before the colon

þ  The appositive is a word or phrase, not a complete sentence

 

PATTERN #8

Introductory series of appositives with a dash and summarizing subject

(An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that identifies, or provides further information about, another noun or noun phrase)

Appositive, appositive , appositive — summary word S V.

The key summarizing word before the subject may be one of these: such, all, those, this, many, each, which, what, these, something, someone.  Sometimes this summary word will be the subject, but sometimes it will merely modify the subject.

Models:

®    The trees, the earth, the hills, the green water of the lakes—all told their stories.

®    To struggle, to exist, and to create his own soul—this is man’s great task.

®    Love, hate, fear, anger, ambition—how many are the emotions that direct our daydreams?

®    An old photograph, a haunting fragrance, a sudden view of a half-forgotten scene—something unexpectedly triggers our nostalgia for the past.

þ  Check commas, summary word, dash, parallel structure

PATTERN #9

Internal series of appositives or modifiers

(enclosed by a pair of dashes)

                                    S — appositive, appositive, appositive — V.

                                    S — modifier, modifier, modifier — V.

Because the series itself will have commas, there must be a pair of dashes to set off the series from the rest of the sentence.

Models:

®    Any famous detective—Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe or Dick Tracy—would be an excellent model?

®    Young Beauregard—handsome, dashing, and debonair—kept all the young ladies breathless.

®    All the sciences—physical, biological, and social—share in the search fro truth.

þ  Two dashes

þ  Is it a complete sentence without the interrupter?

þ  Parallel structure

 

PATTERN #10

Interrupting Modifiers between subject and verb

                                                S , modifier , V .

                                                S — modifier — V .

                                                S (whispering modifier) V .

Models:

®    A small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, can make millions think.

®    He jumped at the chance (too impetuously really) to shoot the rapids in a kayak.

®    Her joyous laughter—delightful to all who knew her—no one will ever forget.

þ  The punctuation marks for this pattern must go in pairs

PATTERN #11

Introductory or concluding participial phrases

                                                Participial phrase, S V.

                                                S V, participial phrase.

Models:

®    Overwhelmed by the tear gas, the rioters groped their way toward the fountain to wash their eyes.

®    Chaucer’s monk is quite far removed from the ideal occupant of a monastery, given as he was to such pleasures as hunting, dressing in fine clothes, and eating like a gourmet.

®    Printed in Old English and bound in real leather, the new edition of Beowulf was too expensive for the family to buy.

þ  Don’t dangle participles

 

PATTERN #12

Dependent clauses as subject or object or complement

                                                S V.

                                                (dependent clause as subject)

                                                S V.

                                                (dependent clause as object or complement)

Models:

®    How he could fail is a mystery to me.

®    He became what he had long aspired to be.

®    Why many highly literate people continue to watch insipid “situation comedies” on television constantly amazes writers, producers, even directors.

þ  Who, whom, which, that, what, why, where, when are the words that introduce these clauses.

PATTERN # 13

Dependent clauses in a pair or series

(at the beginning or end of a sentence)

                                                If … , if … , if … , then S V .

                                                When … , when … ,  S V .

Save this pattern for special places.  It can be effective at the end of a single paragraph to summarize the major points, in structuring a thesis statement, or in the introductory or concluding paragraphs to bring together main points of a composition in a single sentence.

Models:

®    Whether one needs fantasy or whether one needs stark realism, the theater can become a Mecca.

®    If you promise not to keep your socks under the bed, if you agree to help me with the dishes every evening and take out the garbage every morning, if you really will “love, honor, and cherish,” then I might marry you.

®    In Biology 101 Stella learned that a hummingbird does not really hum, that a screech owl actually whistles, and that storks prefer to wade in water rather than fly around carrying tiny babies.

þ  Two or three dependent clauses will work

þ  No matter the number, or the position within the sentence, you should arrange the dependent clauses in some order of increasing impact.

 

PATTERN # 14

Repetition of a key term

(in a modifying phrase attached to the main clause)

                                                S V key term — repeated key term .

                                                (use dash or comma before repetition)

You may repeat the word exactly as it is or you may use another form of it.  Be sure the word is worthy of repetition.

Models:

®    He was a cruel brute of a man, brutal to his family and even more brutal to his friends.

®    We all inhabit a mysterious, inorganic world—the inner world, the world of the mind.

þ  Be sure that the attached phrase with the repeated key term is not a complete sentence; if it is, you will inadvertently create a comma splice.

PATTERN # 15

Complete inversion of normal pattern

                     Standard =        S V  or  S V ADJ  or  SV DO  or  SV SC

                     Inverted =          V S  or  ADJ V S  or DO V S  or SC V S

Models:

®    Down the street and through the mist stumbled the unfamiliar figure.

®    From his years of suffering came eventual understanding and compassion.

®    Westward fly their dreams.

þ  Never offend the ear.

þ  This pattern adds spice, but too much seasoning can ruin the dish.