Syntax :: The arrangement of words in a sentence

• structure = meaning

• changed structure = changes meaning

Devices That Impact Syntax

• Parallelism :: similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases or clauses

  • She made a pastry that was sweet, fluffy and delicate

• Climax :: repetition of the last words of one clause or sentence at the beginning of a text. building importance of an idea

  • Miss America was not so much interested in serving herself as she was eager to serve her family, her community and her nation

• Anti-Climax :: arrangement of words in decreasing importance *

• Antithesis :: juxtaposition of words or ideas

  • it cant be wrong if it feels so right

• Anaphora :: repetition of the same word or phrase and the beginning of successive clauses

  • this hate, this anger, this rage, …

• Epistrophe :: ending a series of line, phrases clauses or sentences with eh same line/word

  • what lies behind us, before us and within us

• Apposition :: addition of adjacent coordinate explanatory or descriptive element

  • Albert Einstein, perhaps the greatest of scientist, didn’t figure out the physics of hair combing

• Juxtaposition :: placement of to contrasting idea next to each other for effect

  • bittersweet

  • overarching umbrella containing antithesis, oxymoron, and others

Types of Sentences

• Simple Sentence :: one independent clause, no dependent clause

  • Joe waited for the train

  • one subject and verb

• Compound Sentence :: multiple independent clauses, no dependent clauses

  • The clown frightened the girl, and she ran off screaming

• Complex Sentence :: a sentence with one independent clause and one dependent clause

  • After she added up the profit, she realized she was 52 cents short

• Complex-Compound Sentence :: multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent

  • Though Mitchell prefers watching romantic films, he rented the latest spy thriller, and he enjoyed it very much

• Periodic sentence :: long and involved sentence marked by suspended syntax and is not completed until the final word

  • the proper place in a sentence for the word or group of words that the writer desires to make the most prominent is usually the end

• Loose sentence :: main clause is followed by a subordinate clause

  • I went to the movies yesterday, bought candy, and shopped at the mall

• Cumulative sentence :: independent clause followed by a series of subordinate clauses

  • The brilliant assembly filed past us, the marshals with their batons and ceremonial red hats, the professors draped in their doctoral hoods, the graduates in somber black that contrasted with their jubilant mood.