Sentence Patterns

Pattern 1: COMPOUND SENTENCE: SEMICOLON, NO CONJUNCTION

Pattern 1 must link two closely related statements that you do not want to punctuate as two separate sentences.

The architecture of the bunker was cold and unfinished; this is an example of brutalism.

APUSH is a difficult class; I almost failed my first unit exam.

Pattern 2: COMPOUND SENTENCE WITH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION

The pattern uses a comma to indicate an omitted verb or words. You must have the EXACT same word(s) implied in the second clause.

He is scared of spiders; she, bees.

My favorite subject is science; my friend’s, English.

Pattern 3: COMPOUND SENTENCE WITH EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This pattern uses clauses separated by a COLON!!!! The second clause amplifies or explains the idea stated in the first.

There is only one thing that will ever make me truly happy: I must win.

The loud screech in the forest only meant one thing: the hikers were not alone.

Pattern 4: Series WITHOUT a CONJUNCTION (a series in any part of the sentence)

The US law applied equally to all people regardless of ethnicity, gender, class.

There were three things left to do: to finish this assignment, to turn it in, to go to sleep.

Pattern 5: A SERIES OF BALANCED PAIRS (note the rhythm)

Fast yet methodical, quiet yet bold, the pianist played the piece with gusto.

Taoism teaches one to embrace day and night, life and death, good and evil.

Pattern 6: INTRODUCTORY SERIES OF APPOSITIVES

Appositive, appositive, appositive- summary word of s.v.

An appositive is a NOUN or NOUN PHRASE that is simply another word for something later named in the sentence.

The cold breeze, the orange leaves, the shorter days–these signs meant that summer was over.

To win, to fail, to laugh, to cry–these are the reasons why we wish to continue living..

Pattern 7: DEPENDENT CLAUSES IN A PAIR OR IN A SERIES (at the beginning or end of the sentence)

All clauses must be dependent and parallel in structure; they must express conditions, situations, or provisions dependent in the main clause.

If you wish to better yourself, if you wish to understand yourself, if you wish to free yourself, then you must get rid of your ignorance.

Whenever you feel like the world is against you, whenever you feel lost and alone, whenever you feel like giving up, just remember that I’ll always be there for you.

Pattern 8: REPETITION OF A KEY TERM

In this pattern you will repeat some key word in a modifying phrase attached to the main clause. A key term is a word important enough to be repeated- “the” or the like doesn’t qualify! Be sure the word is worthy of repetition. Be sure the attached phrase is not a complete sentence.

We all envision common dreams for a world: we dream for a world where violence is a foreign concept, we dream for a world where hunger is nothing more than a distant memory, we dream for a world to be a safe haven for all people.

Life is all about improving, improving oneself and the world around them.

Pattern 9: A VARIATION: SAME WORD REPEATED IN PARALLEL STRUCTURE

The campers were scared, scared of that thing in the forest, scared that no one would rescue them, scared that this would be their demise.

Forrest decided to run, running across the town, running across the state, running across the entire nation.

Pattern 10: The emphatic appositive (a noun or noun phrase that renames) at the end of the sentence with a colon.

Do not confuse this with Pattern 3 (3 is an independent clause after the colon; 10, a single word or phrase).

There are two things I am deathly afraid of: snakes and heights.

I always carry two things in my left pocket: my Airpods and my wallet.

Pattern 11: Interrupting modifier (not an appositive) between subject and verb

The group of hikers–scared and alone–stumbled upon an abandoned cabin.

Their leader–fearing for the worst–was relieved to find that the cabin was not haunted.

Pattern 12: Introductory or Concluding Participle (Participles are -ing or -ed verbs that function as ADJECTIVES)

Worried about their APUSH exam, the students were a bundle of nerves.

Adorned in his battle armor, the knight was ready for battle.

Pattern 13: A Single Modifier Out of Place for Emphasis

To place additional emphasis on any modifier, put it somewhere other than its normal place in the sentence.

Languidly, I rolled out of bed and got ready for school.

I went to school, reluctantly.

Pattern 14: Prepositional Phrase Before Subject Verb

Make sure the inversion emphasizes the phrase without sounding awkward.

(You determine whether you need a comma, let the sound and meaning of your sentence guide you.)

During the chaos, the thieves stole the priceless artifacts from the exhibit.

After the football game, we went out for dinner.

Pattern 15: Object or Complement BEFORE Subject- Verb

Occasionally you may wish to INVERT and thereby stress some part of the sentence which ordinarily comes after the verb (the direct object or complement). Again, let sound and rhythm guide you for the comma.

To be forgotten I do not want.

Why this works I do not know.

Pattern 16: Paired Constructions

Some words work in pairs- for example “either” takes an “or; ” “neither” , “nor.”

These are correlative conjunctions or phrases that create parallel construction.

Not only…., but also…

Just as…., so too..

Not only is paying taxes annoying, but also frustrating.

The more you hate something, the more you become it.

Pattern 17: Dependent Clause as Subject, Object, or Complement- basically it has to take the role of a NOUN (you should be able to replace the entire clause with the word “it”)

How I survive off of 6 hours of sleep and a cup of coffee is a complete mystery to me.

I realized that my mistake was due to an undefined variable.

Pattern 18: Absolute Construction ANYWHERE in the Sentence (Noun Plus Participle)

Participles are verbs functioning as adjectives.

There is no grammatical connection to the independent clause- it is not necessary to the sentence.

I waited for the package, my eyes beaming.

The knights stood atop the hill, their armor shining.

Pattern 19: Short Simple Sentence for Relief or Dramatic Effect

This pattern is best used when it is emphatic, points to contrast, or summarizes dramatically.

I can’t believe it.

You’re out of luck.

Pattern 20: An Internal Series of Appositives or Modifiers enclosed by a pair of dashes

The thief–sly, cunning, and vicious–covered up their tracks, leaving not a single fingerprint behind.

The officers–Benjamin, Walter, and Richard–were the first to report to the scene.