Sentence Patterns 6-12

Sentence Pattern 6: Internal series of appositives or modifiers using dash or parenthesis.

Examples using a dash

• My favourite wines - Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon - are wonderful to savour.
• Many British bans - The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin - inspired most music from the 2000's.

Examples using parenthesis

• Many of the books students enjoy reading (Little Women, Jan Eyre, David Copperfield) show women in traditional roles.
• Many physical abilities (coordination, agility, speed) are required for practising gymnastic.

Sentence Pattern 7: Dependent clauses in a pair or series in beginning or end of a sentence.

Examples

• Because it may seem difficult, because it may sound awkward, because it creates long sentence, this pattern is forbidding to writers, but it isn't all that hard; try it sometimes.
• Since he had little imagination and since he displayed even less talent, he wasn't hired for the job.
• He had little money, therefore he couldn't afford two tickets and therefore his girlfriend dumped him.

Sentence Pattern 10: Interrupting modifier between subject and verb with commas, dashes or parentheses.

Examples

• A small drop of ink, falling (as Byron said) like dew upon a thought, can make millions think.
• American fast food and steakhouses - not to mention McDonald's and KFC - are popular around the world.

Sentence Pattern 11: Introductory or concluding participles (participal phrase, SV / SV, participal phrase)

Common mistakes

• Walking on the stage, the spotlights followed Maggie.
• Correction: The spotlight followed Maggie, walking on the stage.

• The three boys tried to steal my bike, while going on an errand.
• Correction: While going on an errand, the three boys tried to steal my bike.

• When browned and bubbling, remove the pizza from the oven.
• Correction: Remove the pizza from the oven, when browned and bubbling.

Sentence Pattern 12: The short, simple sentence for dramatic effect.

Used: - As a break after long sentences;

- To summarize;

- As transition between two ideas.

Examples

• Well, I wonder.
• Hours passed.
• It was magical.
• That's not my style.
• Perserverance pays.
• Everything changed.

Sentence Pattern 12A: A short question for dramatic effect.

Used: - To arouse readeers interest

- As a topic sentence in a paragraph

- As an ending for a thought-provoking question

Examples

• What caused the change?
• Then why did she do it?
• And why not?
• What comes next?

Sentence Pattern 13: Dependent clause, as subject, object, or complement. Using who, whom, whick, that, how, what, why, where, when.

Examples

• How he could fail, was a mystery to me.
• He became what he desired to be.
• Ask not what your county can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.