SOME
BASIC SENTENCE PATTERNS
Sentence
Construction and Sequencing
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The periodic sentence is one in which the main idea is withheld until the end of the sentence has been read. |
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The loose sentence is one in which the main idea is given before the end. |
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Balanced sentences are sentences that has two or more parts that are similar in structure and length. |
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Most sentences are loose and are appropriate in most cases. However, when you wish special emphasis, you may choose to use a periodic sentence. |
Examples:
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LOOSE: He discovered a human skeleton when he entered the cave, although he had doubted the rumors. |
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PERIODIC: Although he doubted the rumors, when he entered the cave he discovered a human skeleton. |
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BALANCED: Marriage has many pains but celibacy has no pleasures. |
SENTENCE VARIETY: Vary your sentences in structure, length, pattern and order. Lack of variation makes your writing dull, repetitious and monotonous.
STRUCTURE: Vary your writing by using simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences. Avoid excessive repetition in any one kind of sentence.
LENGTH: Write short, long and medium length sentences. Short choppy sentences are simplistic and create monotony for your reader. Long involved sentences may be difficult for your reader to follow. Use a variety and make sentence length appropriate to the content and the audience.
PATTERN: Write loose, balanced and periodic sentences. A passage in which all sentences are loose usually lacks emphasis. However, a passage consisting of only balanced or periodic sentences seems artificial and unnatural.
ORDER: Try to vary the order of words in your sentences. If all your sentences follow the normal pattern of subject-verb-complement, your writing will be dull and monotonous. Invert the order occasionally.
REPETITION is a big problem for many students who are learning to write proper sentences and paragraphs. Generally, repeating words, phrases and ideas demonstrates confusion on the part of the writer who is having difficulty developing his ideas.