Welcome to Amazing Sentences!
Have you ever read a story where every sentence starts the same way? "I went to the park. I saw a dog. I sat on a bench." It feels a bit like a robot is talking, doesn't it? To make our writing exciting and professional, we need to use sentence variety and openings. This means changing how our sentences start and how they are built.
In these notes, we will learn how to mix things up so your readers stay hooked from the very first word!
The Four Jobs of a Sentence
Before we change our openings, we need to remember that sentences have different "jobs" or functions. Using a mix of these makes your writing much more interesting.
1. Statements: These tell the reader a fact or information.
Example: The dragon slept in the cave.
2. Questions: These ask the reader something and end with a question mark.
Example: Will the hero escape in time?
3. Commands: These are "bossy" sentences that tell someone to do something.
Example: Stop right there!
4. Exclamations: These show strong feelings like surprise or anger. In the curriculum, these usually start with "What" or "How" and end with an exclamation mark.
Example: What a giant tail that dragon has!
Quick Tip: Don't worry if this seems tricky! Most of the time, we use statements, but adding a question can make your reader think, and a command can add excitement.
Super Sentence Openings: Fronted Adverbials
A fronted adverbial is just a fancy name for a word or phrase that we move to the front of a sentence to describe where, when, or how something is happening.
Starting with 'When' (Time):
Instead of: The bell rang after lunch.
Try: After lunch, the bell rang.
Starting with 'Where' (Place):
Instead of: The treasure was hidden deep under the sea.
Try: Deep under the sea, the treasure was hidden.
Starting with 'How' (Manner):
Instead of: The cat crept silently through the grass.
Try: Silently, the cat crept through the grass.
The Comma Rule: Whenever you use a fronted adverbial, you must put a comma after it to separate it from the rest of the sentence. Think of the comma as a little "breather" for the reader.
Mixing Sentence Lengths
To keep your writing flowy, you should use both short and long sentences. This is called sentence variety.
Short sentences are great for tension or impact.
Example: The door opened. Darkness followed.
Longer sentences help us give more detail. We can build these using conjunctions (like and, but, because, although) or relative clauses.
Relative Clauses: These add extra information about a noun using words like who, which, where, when, whose, or that.
Example: The explorer, who was feeling very brave, climbed the mountain.
Key Takeaway: Short sentences for drama; long sentences for detail!
Using "Expanded Noun Phrases" as Openings
An expanded noun phrase is a noun (a person, place, or thing) with adjectives added to describe it. Starting a sentence with one of these helps the reader "see" what you are writing about immediately.
Standard opening: The dog barked.
Expanded opening: The large, shaggy, golden dog barked loudly at the postman.
Did you know? Using two adjectives separated by a comma (like large, shaggy) is a great way to "expand" your noun phrase and make your writing more descriptive!
Active and Passive Voice (For Year 6)
When you want to sound more formal or change the focus of a sentence, you can use the passive voice.
Active: The hero (the person doing the action) is at the front.
Example: The hero defeated the monster.
Passive: The thing having the action done to it is at the front.
Example: The monster was defeated by the hero.
Using the passive voice is a great way to vary your sentence openings because it moves the focus to the "object" of the sentence rather than the "subject."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting the comma: Always put a comma after your fronted adverbial!
Wrong: Suddenly the lights went out.
Right: Suddenly, the lights went out.
2. The "I" Trap: Try not to start every sentence with "I" or "The." Use the "When, Where, How" trick we learned earlier!
3. Overcrowding: Don't make every single sentence long and complicated. If you have a very long sentence, follow it with a short one to give your reader a break.
Quick Review
- Fronted Adverbials: Use words for Time, Place, or Manner at the start (and don't forget the comma!).
- Sentence Functions: Use a mix of statements, questions, commands, and exclamations.
- Relative Clauses: Use who, which, or that to add extra detail in the middle of sentences.
- Expanded Noun Phrases: Use adjectives to create descriptive openings.
If you want to learn more about how to connect these sentences together smoothly, check out the chapter on Cohesion within and across paragraphs!