Sentence structure

1. Sentence structure Higher Close Reading

2. Key points to look for • Punctuation and lists • Length of sentence • Use of climax or anti-climax • Repetition • Word order

3. Remember! Identifying the features is not enough – you need to say what effect that feature you have noticed has.

4. Punctuation • Full stops – when one point has been finished. • Exclamation mark – tone of the sentence. • Semi-colons – provide a balancing point in the ideas of the sentence or list. • Brackets, commas or dashes – parenthesis. • Inverted commas – may cast doubt on the truthfulness of the words they highlight.

5. Punctuation Some argue that the ultimate result of global warming will be a paradoxical but even more catastrophic development: global cooling. Show how the punctuation clarifies the argument. (2A)

6. Answer Using the colon in this way saves the really important idea ‘global cooling’ until the end, so that the contrast has more of a shocking effect on the reader, as it comes as something of a surprise after the talk of the world warming.

7. Punctuation Governments may stop finger pointing and instead join hands; industries may slash short term profit to permit long term survival. Show how the punctuation clarifies the argument.(2A)

8. Answer Semi-colon serves as a balancing point in the sentence. The first half of the sentence says that governments might come to their senses. The second half says that industries might do the same. They are parallel statements, balanced by the semi-colon. The effect is to put the two developments together, weigh them up and find that both of them are equally welcome.

9. Lists • Identify the list • Say what effect the list has on the reader. • The effect will often be created by the cumulative nature, or the monotony, or the shape of the list.

10. Lists The Scottish race has been variously and plentifully accused of being dour, mean, venal, sly, narrow, slothful, sluttish, nasty, dirty, immoderately drunken, embarrassingly sentimental, masterfully hypocritical, and a blueprint for disaster when eleven of them are together on a football field. Comment on the nature and effect of this sentence. (2A)

11. Answer • There are a lot of commas (0 marks) • There is a list (0 marks) • This sentence consists of a long list of the faults of the Scots. It makes their faults seem endless, as if there were no hope of redeeming features. (2 marks)

12. Sentence length But then, like the cavalry regrouping, they set off once more, ground their way back up to speed, beat a path through the final verse and ended again. Simon’s final flourish sounding a little more sheepish this time. After that, they were gone. And no encores. Show how the sentence structure emphasises the failings of the band. (2A)

13. Answer The two short sentences at the end act as an anti-climax, producing a sudden flat feeling after the excitement and panic of the previous sentence. It puts a definite end to the performance.

14. Climax and anti-climax Reducing greenhouse gases still won’t be enough to prevent severe changes to the world’s weather. The scientists’ advice to governments, businesses and private citizens about this is grim: get used to it. How does the structure of the last sentence highlight the seriousness of the situation? (2A)

15. Answer • Colon introduces the explanation about the advice which the scientists are giving to everyone. • The word ‘grim’ just before the colon leads you to expect something quite harsh after it – a blunt command ‘get used to it’. • Acts as a climax to the sentence as we have been led to expect something nasty and what we get is very nasty indeed.

16. Repetition Look for repetition: • in sentence structure; • of expressions or words; • of sounds.

17. Repetition The day that Ali refused the draft, I cried in my room. I cried for him and for myself, for my future and for his, for all our black possibilities. Show how the writer’s use of sentence structure helps to convey the passion he felt about Ali’s decision. (2A)

18. Answer • Repetition of ‘I cried’ increases the emotional intensity. Also, repetition of ‘for’ phrases deepens the intensity of the emotion further as it represents gradually the wider importance of his thoughts about Ali’s actions. (2 marks) • Builds up to a climax using repetition of ‘for’ phrases and by combining his and Ali’s problems into the much more impressive idea of ‘all our black possibilities’.

19. Word order Sentences are made more vivid and important when certain words are put at the beginning or the end. e.g. A sickening amount of cake Jack ate this morning. With great enthusiasm the Government is adopting this measure.