1. A sentence
The
sentence
book
Sue Palmer

2. A sentence starts with a capital letter * ends with a full stop *
makes complete sense. *

3. Midnight
It was midnight. Dad and I were walking home from my sister’s wedding party. I’d never been out that late before. The streets were deserted and our footsteps echoed in the darkness.
Suddenly there was an unearthly sound! It pierced the silent like an ice-cold wind. What was it? A scream? A howl? Ghosts? I stood rooted to the spot, shivers trickling down my spine. Dad stopped too.
“It’s coming from the Brown’s house.” he said. “I promised I’d keep an eye on it for them while they’re on holiday.”
Before I knew it, Dad was running down the Browns’ front drive. “Stay there!” he yelled to me.
“No fear!” I replied. I had to follow, because I was too scared to stay behind.

4. Sentences can be statements questions ? exclamations !
It was midnight.
I’d never been out
that late before.
statements
What was it?
Was I dreaming?
questions ?
What a terrible sound!
No fear!
exclamations !
Sentences can also be commands.
Click to know more.
Ways to vary sentences
Story start example (1)

5. Sentences can be short… …or long
It was midnight.
Stop! What was it?
* to attract attention
* for dramatic impact
* to move events on quickly
As the clock struck
midnight one bleak
November night, a
spine-chilling howl
rang out, slowly and
sadly, through the
empty streets.
…or long
* to build up tension
* for descriptive power
* to give lots of
information.
Story start example (2)

6. Sentences can give background detail about what happened.
a howl rang out
where?
when?
how?
slowly and sadly
through the empty streets
at midnight
when
where
how
You can move these , and
chunks around to get different effects.
You can also add descriptive words and phrases.
spine-chilling
like an ice-cold wind
See Word
Class Book
Ways to vary sentences
Story start example (3)

7. I don’t know. But I’m going to find out. Stay here!
Sentences can be
part of direct speech.
“What is it?” I asked.
What is it?
“I don’t know,” Dad replied. “But I’m
going to find out.
Stay here!”
I don’t know. But I’m going to find out. Stay here!
“No fear!” I gasped.
I’m coming too!”
No fear!
I’m coming
too!
direct speech
reporting clause
Ways to vary sentences
Story start example (4)

8. Sentences can say …or they can just what someone did…
tell what happened.
A dog howled.
A howl rang out.
The thief left the
door open.
The door was open.
The window had
been broken.
He had broken the
window.
There was nothing
to be seen.
We could see
nothing.
There are lots of ways to say the same thing -
for instance, you don’t have to say whodunnit!
Ways to vary sentences
Story start example (5)

9. You can link simple sentences together with words like and and but.
Coordination
You can link simple sentences together
with words like and and but.
The streets were deserted.
Our footsteps echoed in the
darkness.
The streets were deserted
and our footsteps echoed
in the darkness.
We peered through the
shadows. We could see
nothing.
We peered through the
shadows but could see
nothing.
Dad yelled at me to stay put.
He rushed off down the
path.
Dad yelled at me to stay
put and rushed off down
the path.
These are called compound sentences.
See also ‘The Complex Sentence Book’.
Ways to vary sentences

10. You can link simple sentences together
Subordination
You can link simple sentences together
with words like when, as and because.
The clock struck midnight.
A howl rang out.
As the clock struck
midnight, a howl rang out.
Dad reached the house.
He stopped and listened.
When Dad reached the
house, he stopped and
listened.
I followed because I was
too scared to stay
behind.
I followed. I was too
scared to stay behind.
These are called complex sentences.
See also ‘The Complex Sentence Book’.
Ways to vary sentences

11. Ways to vary sentences Use different Use different sentence types –
. ? !
Use different
sentence lengths.
Ways to vary
sentences
Use direct
speech to
carry the story.
Vary the
position of
how when where
chunks.
Turn what
someone did into
what happened.
Use linking words
to make longer
sentences.
To make good sentences choose the best words.

12. choose the best words, e.g. (see The Word Class Book)
To make good sentences,
choose the best words, e.g.
* powerful verbs
* interesting adjectives and adverbs
* precise nouns
* the best conjunctions to link your
ideas.
(see The Word Class Book)

13. You can finish this story. First, plan it - for instance:
take to
vets
howl!
go in
child gets
black pup
Dad and I
Scary!
Scary!
time
passes
Intro
Ending
walking
home!
midnight
Name:
Midnight!
Brown’s house –
shed
dog has had
pups – howling
for help
Then write your story, using good sentences.

14. Skeleton Poster Books
for GRAMMAR
The End
End Show

15. Midnight
It was midnight. Dad and I were walking home from my sister’s wedding party. I’d never been out that late before. The streets were deserted and our footsteps echoed in the darkness.
Suddenly there was an unearthly sound! It pierced the silent like an ice-cold wind. What was it? A scream? A howl? Ghosts? I stood rooted to the spot, shivers trickling down my spine. Dad stopped too.
“It’s coming from the Brown’s house.” he said. “I promised I’d keep an eye on it for them while they’re on holiday.”
Before I knew it, Dad was running down the Browns’ front drive. “Stay there!” he yelled to me.
“No fear!” I replied. I had to follow, because I was too scared to stay behind. 1 2 3 4 5

16. Sentences can be statements questions ? exclamations ! commands
It was midnight.
I’d never been out
that late before.
statements
What was it?
Was I dreaming?
questions ?
What a terrible sound!
No fear!
exclamations !
Stay there!
Please wait here.
commands
Next slide
Ways to vary sentences
Story start example (1)