Keys to improving analysis and your own writing SYNTAX Keys to improving analysis and your own writing

First Step: Look at the WHOLE PASSAGE, not just individual words or even single sentences. Syntax analysis is based on what the sentences do and HOW they work together in the passage. Look for syntax indicators…

Syntax Indicators: Sentence Function Grammatical Classification Sentence Length Kinds of Sentences Punctuation Schemes Used (ex: anaphora, parallelism, etc)

Sentence Function Declarative: makes a statement “You ate lunch.” Interrogative: asks a question “Did you eat lunch?” Imperative: gives a command “Eat your lunch now.” Exclamatory: expresses strong feeling “Please eat your lunch!”

Grammatical Classification Simple: one independent clause (no dependent clauses) John and Mary waved at Sue. Compound: two or more independent clauses (no dependent clauses) combined with comma and fanboys John and Mary waved, but they didn’t speak. Complex: one independent clause with one or more dependent clause Although John and Mary waved at Sue, they did not speak. Compound-complex: contains two independent clauses and one or more dependent clause Although John and Mary waved, they did not speak, and they did not stop.

Sentence Length Short Long Combination of lengths: a lengthy sentence(s) followed by a very short one will effectively stress a point Too many short sentences can hurt an essay, for it can make the writing seem choppy and below college level.  Because of this, readers may lose interest and may not want to continue reading. Vary your sentence length.

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words “This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.” ― Gary Provost

Kinds of Sentences Periodic: the main idea or most important information is not revealed until the end of the sentence Sitting in her lounge chair, sunglasses shading her eyes, tilting her head back, her book laying open on her lap, Susan patiently waited. Loose: the sentence reveals the key information right away and unfolds loosely after that Susan patiently waited, sitting in her lounge chair, sunglasses shading her eyes, tilting her head back, her book laying open on her lap. Rhetorical Question: a question that does not require an answer because the answer is obvious Are you not entertained?

Punctuation Look for punctuation other than periods and commas. Writers try to convey emotions like fear, distress, excitement through use of dashes or exclamation points. Authors can use questions as a spring-board to make a point or for a tonal shift. “May she wake in torment!" he cried, with frightful vehemence, stamping his foot, and groaning in a sudden paroxysm of ungovernable passion. "Why, she's a liar to the end! Where is she? Not there—not in heaven—not perished—where? Oh! you said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form— drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”

Schemes Used Anaphora and other forms of repetition Parallelism Isocolon Antithesis Anastrophe (inversion)