(tips for adding variety to boring sentences)

Six Sassy Sentences (tips for adding variety to boring sentences)

Why use variety in your sentences? • Sentence variety is necessary for a number of reasons: * Sentence variety makes your writing more interesting to read! • * Sentence variety adds style to your writing! • * Sentence variety will help develop your writing skills!

Six Sassy Sentence types: • 1. Two-adjective beginnings • 2. “-ing” at beginning or end • 3. “-ly” beginnings • 4. Informative interrupters (appositives) • 5. Balanced sentences • 6. Dependent clauses

1. Two-Adjective Beginnings: • Tall, handsome lifeguards flirt wildly with the pretty girls. • Rickety and dilapidated, the old schoolhouse didn’t stand a chance in an earthquake.

A. Combine these sentences into a Two-adj sentence: • The startled jury braced to hear more of the witness’s testimony. • The jury was amazed. • The jury was perplexed.

Here’s a possibility: Amazed and perplexed, the startled jury braced to hear more of the witness’s testimony.

B. Combine these sentences into a Two-adj sentence: • The courtyard looked out over rolling hills of vineyards. • The courtyard was open. • The courtyard was airy.

Here’s a possibility: Open and airy, the courtyard looked out over rolling hills of vineyards.

WARNING -- • What is wrong with this sentence?: • Tall and majestic, is how I would describe the palm trees that line Santa Margarita Parkway.

This is better: • Tall, majestic palm trees line Santa Margarita Parkway.

WARNING -- • What is wrong with this sentence?: • Friendly and helpful are my neighbors.

This is better: • Friendly and helpful, my neighbors invited us to a block party the very week we moved in.

WARNING -- • What is wrong with this sentence?: • Rude and furious, there were gang members roaming the streets.

This is better: • Rude and furious, gang members roamed the streets.

(tips for adding variety to boring sentences)