Homework Objective
Using a variety of sentence structures.
Sentence
Structures
Link the Objects!
How could these three objects be linked? Write a
sentence that features all three items in some way.
Write in the Task One box on your Worksheet.
Spot the problem
Here’s my piece of fiction. What do you think?
It was a stormy night. The church was completely
empty. The wind was blowing under the old oak
doors and whistling down the aisle. The windows
creaked in the storm. It was freezing cold.
A man burst in through the doors suddenly. He
was dressed like a tramp, with old and ragged
clothes. The man staggered towards the altar. He
knelt down in front of the cross and began to pray.
He did not hear the doors creak open and another
man enter the church behind him. He was also
dressed poorly and he had bare feet. He tiptoed
up behind the man and suddenly plunged a
dagger into his back. The victim fell forward
silently.
“That is for stealing my shoes,” the murderer said.
Key Skills: Reminder
During your English Language exams you will be asked to write
both fiction and non-fiction texts.
One of the areas you will be marked on is your ability to use varied
and interesting sentence structures.
The Basics
• First of all, let’s remind ourselves of the three types of sentence:
The teacher pointed at the Simple Sentence.
door.
The teacher pointed at the door
Compound Sentence.
and the headmaster burst into the
room.
The teacher pointed at the door,
Complex Sentence.
even though it was closed.
Key Terms
Simple Sentence Write your
own
Compound Sentence
definitions in
Complex Sentence your book!
Scintillating Sentences!
• A selection of sentences has been given.
• Can you identify the technique being used?
• Warning: some sentences may fit into more than
one category, so read your worksheet carefully!
Starting with a simile
• A simile is a comparison using “like or “as”. Starting a sentence
with a simile can be very descriptive.
As quick as a flash, the dog
bounded into the room.
Like a lion pursuing his prey,
the man stalked through the
crowd.
Starting with a subordinate
Changing the placementclause
of a subordinate clause in a complex
sentence can change its emphasis.
Because she was tired, the
girl yawned loudly.
Note the comma! If you
begin a sentence with a
subordinate clause, it
must be followed by a
comma.
Starting with a present
participle
A present participle is the form of a verb which shows something is
happening now.
Crying out in frustration,
she hammered on the
locked door.
Starting with an adverb
An adverb describes a verb. This technique only works with –ly
adverbs.
Cautiously, she pushed open
the enormous door.
You must separate the
adverb from the rest of the
sentence with a comma.
Starting with a past
participle
A past participle is the form of a verb which shows
something happened in the past.
Exhausted, he
collapsed onto the
bed.
You must separate the past
participle from the rest of
the sentence with a
comma.
Starting with an adjective
An adjective describes a noun.
Red roses were strewn
across the floor like pools
of blood.
The one word sentence
Although sentences are usually required to contain a subject and a
verb, sometimes you can break this rule for effect. Take care,
though - the one-word sentence must be used sparingly, or it loses
its impact!
He gazed at the
scene. Carnage.
Your turn!
Now you’ve spotted all the different
techniques for starting sentences, write your
own examples on the worksheet.
Upgrade Your Work
Return to the flash fiction you wrote for your starter. Think you can do
better? Of course you can!
Using your Scintillating Sentences! Worksheet to help you,
rewrite Task One using as many of the techniques.
