Using varied sentence patterns in writing. The ABC's of Cinderella Using varied sentence patterns in writing. Canipe, Penny. "The ABCs of the Three Little Pigs." LEARN NC. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. <http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3310?ref=search>.

Good writers use a variety of simple and compound sentences to make their writing sound interesting.

They also use a variety of- introductory phrases and clauses and transition words to make their writing style smoother and less monotonous.

Monotonous Cinderella How does this sound? Monotonous Cinderella Cinderella moved in with her wicked step-mother after her mother died. Her father died. Her wicked stepmother took over. Cinderella knew how much more her stepmother liked her step-sisters. Her stepmother told her to clean the chimney.

Cinderella said, “No one likes me. “ She had to clean the chimney, even though it hadn't been used. She was sent to bed, every single night, with no supper. She always obeyed, even though she knew the chores were unfair and ridiculous. One day the doorbell rang. Cinderella answered the door.

There stood a messenger from the palace. Cinderella took the message. She ran upstairs gleefully to show her step-mother. She did her chores joyfully. She made a dress to wear to the ball.

Her step-mother said, kindly, "You can go as long as you get your chores done." She laughed to herself as she looked at Cinderella's impossible work list. Cinderella did her chores and made her dress. She dressed for the ball. Her stepsisters tore off her dress in a fit of jealousy. Cinderella cried, "Now I won't be able to go to the ball!"

Her Fairy Godmother appeared, and Cinderella stopped crying. Cinderella stood up and asked the visitor who she was. The Fairy Godmother explained. She raised her wand. She created a lovely coach and evening gown, complete with glass slippers.

The Fairy Godmother sent Cinderella on her way. She told Cinderella that she could stay until twelve, for when the clock struck twelve the spell would be over. Cinderella arrived and the Prince saw her and immediately fell in love with her, forgetting everything else. Cinderella looked at the clock; it was one minute to twelve! Cinderella ran from the ball. She dropped her glass slipper.

The prince picked it up and used as a means of locating the mysterious, beautiful girl. The prince, on his journey from home to home, arrived at Cinderella's house. Her step-mother locked Cinderella in her room.

One of the prince's many servants, demanded that the door be unlocked and Cinderella be permitted to try on the shoe. The shoe fit. Cinderella and the prince were married! They lived happily ever after.

What did you notice? Sentences are short and choppy. Not much variety. Make a list of ‘first words’ of each sentence. Tally them up and see how many times the same word was used.

Did you notice? Most of the first words are nouns and the sentence structure for all of the sentences is the same: Subject/predicate.

How can we do better? One way to make their story sound less monotonous is to use a variety of sentences of different lengths and starting with different words.

Let’s practice…. Using a variety of sentences, rewrite a fairytale so that every sentence starts with a different letter of the alphabet.

It should look like this…. A young lady named Cinderella moved in with her wicked step-mother after her mother died. Before her father died, everything was going well, but after his death her wicked step-mother took over. Cinderella knew and was many times reminded how much more her step-mother liked her step-sisters. “Dog gone, that woman is really getting to me,” Cinderella said to herself when asked to clean the chimney.

Every day she had to clean the chimney, even though it hadn’t been used. Faithfully she was sent to bed, every single night, with no supper. Good, obedient Cinderella always obeyed, even though she knew the chores were unfair and ridiculous.

Hopeless and despondent, Cinderella answered the door one day when the bell rang, and there stood a messenger from the palace. In a rush, Cinderella took the message and ran upstairs gleefully to show her step-mother. Joyfully Cinderella did her chores and made her dress. Kindly her step-mother said, “As long as you get your chores done,” laughing to herself as she looked at Cinderella’s impossible work list.

Lovingly Cinderella did her chores and made her dress. Merrily she dressed for the ball, but her dress was torn off by her sisters in a fit of jealousy. “Now I won’t be able to go to the ball!” she cried. “Oh why does this always happen to me!?” she lamented. Presently her Fairy Godmother appeared, and Cinderella stopped crying. Questionably Cinderella stood up and asked the visitor who she was.

Raising her magic wand, the Fairy Godmother explained and created a lovely coach and evening gown, complete with glass slippers. So the Fairy Godmother sent her on her way, until twelve, for when the clock struck twelve the spell would be over. Then, as she arrived, the Prince saw her and immediately fell in love with her, forgetting everything else. Unbelieving, Cinderella looked at the clock; it was one minute to twelve!

Vigorously she ran from the ball, dropping her glass slipper which, fortunately, was picked up by the prince and used as a means of locating the mysterious, beautiful girl. When the prince, on his journey from home to home, arrived at Cinderella’s house, her step-mother locked Cinderella in her room. Xavier, one of the prince’s many servants, demanded that the door be unlocked and Cinderella be permitted to try on the shoe. Yes, the shoe fit, and Cinderella and the prince were married! Zama was the town they moved to and lived happily ever after.

Now it’s your turn…. Rewrite a fairytale so that every sentence starts with a different letter of the alphabet.

Your story be 26 sentences long (duh). Each sentence must begin with the next letter of the alphabet. Compound sentences count as one sentence. The second sentence in the compound cannot be used for the next letter. Use a variety of parts of speech for the first words, not just nouns. The dictionary/thesaurus may be useful when you reach a “block” in your writing.