EWRT 30 Class 15

AGENDA

Lecture: Sentence Variety

Discussion: Stranger in a

Strange Land

Guided Writing: Body

Language

Lecture Subject

Sentence Patterns: Please look for

the following patterns in your own

writing.

Simple sentence

This pattern is an example of a simple

sentence:

Independent clause [ . ]

Doctors are concerned about the rising

death rate from asthma.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/604/01/

Compound Sentence

This pattern is an example of a compound

sentence with a coordinating conjunction:

Independent clause [ , ] coordinating

conjunction independent clause [ . ]

There are seven coordinating conjunctions:

and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

Example: Doctors are concerned about the

rising death rate from asthma, but they

don't know the reasons for it.

Compound Sentence

This pattern is an example of a compound

sentence with a semicolon.

Independent clause [ ; ] independent

clause [ . ]

Example: Doctors are concerned about

the rising death rate from asthma; they

are unsure of its cause.

Compound Sentence

This pattern is an example of a compound sentence with an independent marker.

Independent clause [ ; ] independent marker [ , ] independent clause [ . ]

Examples of independent markers are the following: therefore, moreover, thus, consequently, however, also.

Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma; therefore, they have called for more research into its causes.

Complex Sentence

This pattern is an example of a complex sentence with a dependent marker.

Dependent marker dependent clause[ , ] Independent clause[ . ]

Examples of dependent markers are as follows: because, before, since, while, although, if, until, when, after, as, as if.

Example: Because doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, they have called for more research into its causes.

Complex Sentence

This pattern is an example of a complex

sentence with a dependent marker.

Independent clause dependent marker

dependent clause [ . ]

Examples of dependent markers are as

follows: because, before, since, while,

although, if, until, when, after, as, as if.

Example: Doctors are concerned about the

rising death rate from asthma because it is a

common, treatable illness.

An independent clause with an

embedded non-essential clause or

phrase

First part of an independent clause [ , ] non-essential clause or phrase, rest of the independent clause [ . ]

A non-essential clause or phrase is one that can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence or making it ungrammatical. In other words, the non-essential clause or phrase gives additional information, but the sentence can stand alone without it.

Example: Many doctors, including both pediatricians and family practice physicians, are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma.

An independent clause with an

embedded essential clause or phrase

First part of an independent clause essential

clause or phrase rest of the independent clause

[ . ]

An essential clause or phrase is one that

cannot be removed without changing the

overall meaning of the sentence.

Example: Many doctors who are concerned

about the rising death rate from asthma have

called for more research into its causes.

In groupsDiscuss the sentence patterns in Stranger in a Strange Land.

1. Independent clause [ . ]

2. Independent clause [ , ] coordinating conjunction independent clause [ . ] and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet

3. Independent clause [ ; ] independent clause [ . ]

4. Independent clause [ ; ] independent marker [ , ] independent clause [ . ] therefore, moreover, thus,

consequently, however, also.

5. Dependent marker dependent clause[ , ] Independent clause[ . ] because, before, since,

while, although, if, until, when, after, as, as if.

6. Independent clause

dependent marker

dependent clause [ . ] because, before, since, while,

although, if, until, when, after, as,

as if.

7. First part of an independent

clause [ , ] non-essential

clause or phrase, rest of the

independent clause [ . ]

8. First part of an independent

clause essential clause or

phrase rest of the

independent clause [ . ]

In Groups

Discussion Subject

Writing Interesting Sentences

using sentence variety.

Sentence Variety: Heinlein

IT WAS A QUARTER of an Earth century before Mars

was again visited by humans. Six years after the

Envoy was silent, the drone probe Zombie, sponsored

jointly by the Geographic Society and La Société

Astronautique Internationale, bridged the void and

took up an orbit for the waiting period, then returned.

The photographs taken by the robot vehicle showed

a land unattractive by human standards; her

recording instruments confirmed the thinness and

unsuitability of the Arean atmosphere to human life.

Write (or revise) a sentence

using this construction

IT WAS A QUARTER of an Earth century

before Mars was again visited by humans.

Expletive

construction/subject/prepositional

phrase/prepositional phrase: preposition-

noun-verb phrase/prepositional phrase.

Try this one

Six years after the Envoy was silent, the drone

probe Zombie, sponsored jointly by the

Geographic Society and La Société

Astronautique Internationale, bridged the

void and took up an orbit for the waiting

period, then returned.

Introductory clause/subject/appositive

phrase/compound verb phrase with

object/prepositional phrase/appositive

phrase.

And one more!

The photographs taken by the robot

vehicle showed a land unattractive by

human standards; her recording

instruments confirmed the thinness and

unsuitability of the Arean atmosphere to

human life.

Noun phrase (subject-verb-prepositional

phrase)/ verb/direct object phrase (article-

noun-adjective-prepositional phrase)/ ;

/possessive pronoun-adjective-noun/

verb/direct object phrase/ prepositional

phrase/ prepositional phrase.

Guided Writing

Body Language

Sometimes what people say without actually speaking tells us a whole lot more than what comes out of their mouths. Using body language to communicate is natural. We all understand it intuitively—some better than others.

As a writer, you can closely observe people’s body language and learn how humans speak without words so you can bring unspoken communication into your writing.

Imagine two characters who are complete strangers.

They are in a bookstore. Their eyes meet across the

room. You wouldn’t write “Their eyes locked. They

were instantly attracted to each other.” That would

be boring and unimaginative. Instead, you would let

the scene unfold and describe it to the reader—how

their eyes met, how one gulped and the other

blushed, how they both suddenly felt warm, how the

two of them slowly worked their way toward the

center of the store until they finally met in the horror

section.

The Exercise

Write a scene between two (or more) characters in

which communication is done solely through body

language. Your scene can be a lead-in to two

characters meeting or conversing.

The scene should be at least one page of non-

dialogue interaction with two or more characters.

Try to use characters to create a scene from the

story you are writing for your second fiction project.

If you can’t work this into your

story, you can try one of these:

A cop, detective, or private investigator is tailing a suspect through a small town, a big city, a mall, amusement park, or other public area.

Strangers are always good for body language exercises. Think about where strangers are brought together: public transportation, classes, elevators, and formal meetings.

Kids in a classroom aren’t supposed to be speaking while a teacher is giving a lecture, but they always find ways to communicate.

Homework Post #15: A scene of

body language

Bring: Three copies

of your completed

fiction project.