1. The rhyme and reason behind sentence structure.
Syntax
The rhyme and reason behind sentence structure.

2. Syntax Syntax is sentence structure.
Plays an important role in how a writer shapes his/her work and how a reader experiences the text.
Syntax impacts a work’s tone, mood, and rhetorical effectiveness.
When analyzing syntax, it’s important to note sentence types as well as sentence constructions.

3. Sentence Constructions

4. Sentence Types Simple Sentence: one independent clause.
The children played in the snow.
Complex Sentence: one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
After the children played in the snow, they ate candy canes.
Compound Sentence: two or more independent clauses.
The children played in the snow, and then they ate candy canes.
Compound-Complex Sentence: two or more independent and one or more dependent clauses.
After the children played in the snow, they ate candy canes, and then they watched a movie.

5. Sentence Types Declarative Sentence: makes a statement.
Imperative Sentence: makes a command.
Interrogative Sentence: asks a question.
Exclamatory Sentence: makes an exclamation.

6. Syntactic Structures used for balance, emphasis, and/or rhythm.
Anaphora: the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of consecutive clauses.
Anastrophe: the inversion of sentence word order (think Yoda and Shakespeare).
Tired is he who faithfully completes his homework.
Antithesis: the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas for emphasis.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”—Neil Armstrong
Asyndeton: the omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses.
“I came; I saw; I conquered.”—Julius Caesar

7. Syntactic Structures Cont.
Chiasmus: words are presented and then stated in reverse order.
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”—JFK
Parallelism: items in a sentence are crafted with similar grammatical structures.
I like cooking better than I like washing the dishes.
I like cooking better than I like to do the dishes. not parallel.

8. Tips for Analyzing Syntax
Ways to discuss the rhythm or pacing of a piece:
For example: controlled, fragmented, commanding, grammatically correct (or not), choppy, orderly, unstoppable, long and steady, fluid, etc.
Look at sentence openings and try to find a pattern.
Look for heavy or light verb use. Determine what the author wants to emphasize with verbs.
Consider how the author’s syntactic choices highlight his/her purpose.

9. Sentence Types Modifier: alters or intensifies meaning.
The cat pounced on the mouse very suddenly.
Antecedent: the word or group of words to which a pronoun refers.
The cat ate the mouse but left another one outside.
Loose Sentence: makes sense before the end is reached.
“We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change.”—JFK
Periodic Sentence: needs to be read through completely to make sense; these sentences help build suspense.
“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson