Pasco-Hernando Community College Tutorial Series Sentence Variety Pasco-Hernando Community College Tutorial Series

Using a variety of sentence types Good writing involves using a variety of sentence types depending upon context and thoughts to be expressed.  Such variety is a key element in creating unity and coherence and making the writing interesting and lively.

Simple Sentences A simple sentence requires only a subject and a verb: Bunnies hop. Simple sentences can have prepositional or other phrases: Bunnies hop in the meadow. After it rains, bunnies hop in the meadow.    Two prepositional phrases.

Simple Sentences Simple sentences can have adjectives: words which describe a noun. Pink bunnies hop.  Pink describes the noun bunnies. Simple sentences can have adverbs: words which describe a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Bunnies hop quickly.  Quickly describes the verb hop. Very pink bunnies hop.  Very pink bunnies hop. Bunnies hop very quickly. Very is an adverb describing quickly.

Simple Sentences Simple sentences can have compound subjects. Bunnies and kangaroos hop. Simple sentences can have compound verbs. Bunnies and kangaroos hop and play.

Simple Sentences Simple sentences can have direct and indirect objects. Kangaroos kick attackers.  Attackers is a word that receives the direct action of the verb: a direct object. Kangaroos kick in defense.  In defense is a phrase that receives the indirect action of the verb: an indirect object. (It also happens to be a prepositional phrase.) Kangaroos kick attackers in defense.  A sentence with both a direct and indirect object.

Compound Sentences Compound sentences are composed of two independent clauses joined with a coordinating conjunction: BOYFANS.  See Coordination and Subordination. The storm came without notice, and the people scrambled to avoid getting wet. Notice the two independent clauses in green joined with the coordinating conjunction in red.

Complex Sentences Complex sentences are composed of an independent clause and a dependent clause.  See Coordination and Subordination. Because the storm came without notice, the people scrambled to avoid getting wet. Notice the dependent clause in purple and the independent clause in green.  Notice also that there is a comma after the dependent clause since it is introductory to the main clause. The people scrambled to avoid getting wet because the storm came without notice. Since the independent clause is first, there are no longer introductory words and, consequently, no comma.

Compound/Complex Sentences Compound/Complex Sentences are composed of two independent clauses and a dependent clause. Because the storm came without notice, the people scrambled to avoid getting wet, but few escaped getting drenched.