Yes, sentences affect rhetoric, too! Basic Syntax Analysis Yes, sentences affect rhetoric, too!

Sentence Lengths Telegraphic: shorter than 5 words in length Short: approximately 5 words Medium: approx. 18 words Long and involved: 30 or more words

Sentence Types (AKA, “Stuff you should already know”) Simple: An independent clause without additional modifying information (i.e. dependent clauses). Don’t open the door. Compound: Two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. Don’t open the door or the deadly smell will kill you. Complex: A combination of a dependent clause and an independent clause in some order (DC, IC or IC DC). If you walk to the top of the tower, you will find a sacred sardine can. Compound-complex: A combination of a compound and a complex sentence. Because the swamp is near your back door, you might expect the Creature of the Black Lagoon to come and tear apart Uncle Al’s Fishin’ Shack because it’s in his way.

Other Types (more stuff you should already know) Declarative Sentence: Makes a statement. Mr. J. is awesome. Effects: usually punchy and direct. Can create “oomph” by providing direct and to-the-point assertions.

Exclamatory sentence: a sentence conveying excitement or force. Wow, Mr. J., I never realized Wikipedia is the devil before! Effects: again, often punchy and direct. Often even more forceful than declarative sentences.

Inverted order/sentence inversion: sentence where the predicate comes before the subject. In California grow the oranges. Effects: Creates an emphatic or rhythmic effect.

The (probably) new stuff Loose sentence: independent clause followed by other stuff, usually DCs. She wore a yellow ribbon, which matched the shingles of the house, which were painted last year, just before he left for the war. (IC + DC<s>

Periodic Sentence: A sentence with several dependent clauses that precede the independent clause. The independent clause appears right before the period. (DC + IC) While watching the cave and wondering why the rain had not stopped, nor taken any time to abate, the hero filed his fingernails and waited. Effects: builds up to a final point. Like parallel structure, often gathers momentum. Conversely, can “put off” the main point, making it seem less important than it may be.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Parallel Structure: A pattern of language that creates a rhythm of repetition. Can be parallel sentences or clauses within a sentence. There are several varieties: we will discuss these when we talk about schemes and tropes. EX: We will fight them on the beaches, and fight them in the hills, and fight them in the forests, and in the villages of the dell. Effects: Works like a train gathering steam; creates emotional “steam” as it drives forward. Can also effectively create contrast and comparison of ideas: see the opening to A Tale of Two Cities for a prime example.

How to analyze syntax Figure out what is most important in the piece. Do the lengths have more of an effect? The types? Don’t try to analyze everything! Pick what is most significant! Connect what you notice from #1 to the tone and ethos of the author. USE YOUR TONE WORDS LIST! How does the syntax affect how the author “comes across” to the audience? “Positive” or “negative” tone is not enough—find the specific “flavor” of positive or negative. See if the syntax mirrors the emotions or attitude of a character (fiction) or narrator (fiction and nonfiction).

Connect what you notice in #1 and #2 to the purpose Connect what you notice in #1 and #2 to the purpose. How do these types/lengths of sentences help the author to get his or her argument across? Do the sentences create pathos? Logos? Explain the connection! Analyze any parallelism. It appears in most pieces on the AP text, and in most passages generally speaking. If it’s there, how does it help to build the appeals? How does it help to convey the argument?