Syntax Cheat Sheet

declarative

declarative

assertive - a statement

(sentence functions 1/4)

imperative

authoritative - command

(sentence functions 2/4)

interrogative

asks a question

(sentence functions 3/4)

exclamatory

expresses emotion

(sentence functions 4/4)

simple sentence

one subject and one verb

child-like quality; highlights certain things as important against a background of other things (when used after a string of longer sentences)

(grammatical structures 1/4)

compound sentence

more than one subject and/or verb (no dependent clauses)

balance; makes two ideas equal in importance

(grammatical structures)

complex sentences

one independent and 1+ clauses

orders ideas into main and subordinate ideas:  the main or most important idea is the independent (main) clause while the subordinate idea is the dependent (subordinate) clause

compound-complex sentence

2+ independent clauses and 1+ dependent clauses

readers see 2 independent clauses are of equal importance, while one or both are further qualified by the dependent clause

ellipses (…)

a trailing off; going off into a dreamlike state

(punctuation 1/4)

dash (—)

interruption of a thought; an interjection of a thought into another

semicolon (;)

parallel ideas; equal ideas; a piling up of detail

colon

a list; a definition or explanation; a result

italics

for emphasis

capitalization

for emphasis; to personify

exclamation point (!)

for emphasis; for emotion

parallelism

show equal ideas; for emphasis; for rhythm.

Parallel items are joined by coordinating conjunctions (especially and, or, nor) and correlative conjunctions (either / or, neither / nor, not only / but also ).

faulty parallelism

If parallelism is ignored, the grammar and coherence of the clause is ruined.

isocolon

exists when parallel structures have the same number of words and sometimes of syllables.

climax

in structure exists when the arrangement of parallel words, phrases, or clauses is in an order of increasing importance.

antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure" (Corbett 429). Conjunctions that include it but, yet, and while.

can occur when the wording contrasts, when the sense of the statement contrasts, or when both contrast.

juxtaposition

Normally unassociated--often opposite ideas, words or, phrases placed together, often in parallel structure, to emphasize their differences.

Repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order

polyptoton

 "Repetition of words from the same root" of or the same word used as a different part of speech (Corbett 443).

polysyndeton

Repetition of conjunctions.

anastrophe or inversion

The inversion of natural word order.

apposition

Placing side by side two nouns, the second of which serves as an explanation of the first.

asyndeton

 Omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses

ellipse

Deliberate omission of a word or words implied by context

parentheses and dashes

Insertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal flow of the sentence.

rhetorical question

A question that conveys a point rather than expects an answer.

constructions or patterns to look for when analyzing syntax

1. specific phrasing patterns

2. length of sentence (long or short)

3. number of sentences

4. divisions within a piece with different syntax for each

5. parallel structure

6. different sentence types (simple, compound, complex, cumulative, loose, or periodic)

7. specific kinds of punctuation

8. rhythm and cadence in a sentence

9. repetitions

10. subject openers and non-subject openers

11. rhetorical questions

to get the first impression of a writer’s syntax

1. What is the order of the parts of the sentence?  Is it normal (subject-verb-object:  Oranges grow in California) or is it inverted (In California grow oranges)?

2. Which part of speech is more prominent—nouns or verbs?

3. What are the sentences like?  Are they periodic (moving toward something important at the end) or cumulative (adding details that support an important idea in the beginning of the sentence)?

4. How does the sentence connect its words, phrases, and clauses?

5. Does the sentence length fit the subject matter? Why is the sentence length effective?  What variety of sentence lengths are present?

6. Sentence beginnings – is there variety or a specific pattern?

                

telegraphic

five words or less

effect: blunt or a brief insight

loose (cumulative) sentence

details AFTER the subject and verb, which are the beginning

effect: reader knows the main action from the beginning; all the modifiers (description) serve to elaborate; also allows the writer to mass attributes/ideas that seem to “sprout” from the main clause

periodic (climactic) sentence

details BEFORE the subject and verb, which are at the beriod

effect: builds up to a climax with meaning unfolding slowly

antimetabole

repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order

chiasmus

reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses (but without repetition of words)