One of the keys to successful writing, whether fiction or non-fiction, is learning how to vary sentence structure.
STRUCTURE is defined as the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex.
In addition to organization and stability, structure produces order, beauty, and impact. When I think about some of the most famous structures in the world, I imagine the Golden Gate Bridge, The Sydney Opera House, and The Eiffel Tower, just to name a few. Each is a masterful display of strength, brilliance, and creativity that evokes a profound and abiding impression upon its viewers.
The same applies to the written word. If you want to create publishable, memorable, and inspiring works, you must learn the art and science of sentence structure.
SENTENCE STRUCTURES
Sentence structure refers to the arrangement of subjects, predicates, clauses, punctuation, and so forth, in a sentence. You may recall yawning your way through grammar lessons in grade school, wondering what it had to do with everyday life.
Although grammar is a broad and intricate topic, if you begin by integrating these four basic sentence structures (taken from 20 Tips To Self-Editing), you will significantly enhance your writing abilities.
1. SIMPLE SENTENCE: Contains one independent clause. An independent clause has at least one subject, one verb, and can stand alone as a sentence.
Raymond asked for the keys to the car.
Raindrops pelted against the rooftop.
2. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Contains two independent clauses (two sentences that can stand alone) joined by a coordinating conjunction or the appropriate punctuation. (The seven most common coordinating conjunctions for connecting two sentences are: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. The acronym for remembering these conjunctions is FANBOYS).
An unexpected rainstorm blew in, so we went to the movies instead of the park.
She was a stunning woman; wherever she went people stopped what they were doing and stared.
3. COMPLEX SENTENCE: Contains one independent clause (a clause that can stand alone) and one or more dependent clauses (clauses that cannot stand alone as sentences).
Despite her fear of heights, she rode the roller coaster.
Tom was still crazy about Helen, even after fifty years of marriage.
4. COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCE: Contains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
Pete loved to snowboard, and despite the impending snowstorm, he took one last successful run.
Just an hour into the sailboat race, the captain steered off course, and he missed his destination by fifteen miles.
Keep in mind that at its core, a sentence needs to have a subject and a verb. By integrating diverse sentence structures throughout your work, you will escape monotony and produce a melodious rhythm to your writing.
*For a wonderful refresher check out The Perfect English Grammar Workbook
by Lisa McLendon.
Comments