Sentence Variety #1

subject-verb-noun/action

1. Mary runs fast.

2. He is shy.

3. Cows give milk

Sentence Variety #2

sentence with an introductory phrase

1. When police tried to serve an arrest warrant, Jackson told them he had a hostage and wasn’t coming out.

2. While driving the car through the snow, Steve accelerated and swerved off the road into a ditch.

3. As she watched to girls at the table, she was glad to not be a part of the gossip crowd.

Sentence Variety #3

use prepositional phrases

these are the most common:

about above across after against

among around before behind below

beneath beside between beyond but

by despite down for from

in into like near of

off on over past to

toward under until upon with

1. Brad worked against great odds and completed the 5^th grade.

2. Everyone in his household cheered when the grass was finally cut.

3. After their nap they went to eat dinner.

Sentence Variety #4

use semicolons

The semicolon indicates a longer pause and stronger emphasis than a comma. It is used principally to separate main clauses within the sentence.

1. Use a semicolon to separate main clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

You must buy the car today; tomorrow will be too late

2. Use a semicolon between two main clauses joined by a transitional connective such as one of the HOTSHOT CAT words (however, otherwise, therefore, similarly, hence, on the other hand, then, consequently, accordingly, thus).

I was very late; therefore, I remained at the hotel.

3. Use a semicolon to separate two main clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction if one or both of these clauses contains distracting commas.

Byron, the famous English poet, was buried in Greece; and Shelley, who was his friend and fellow poet, was buried in Italy.

4. Use a semicolon in a series between items that contain commas.

He has lived in Covina, California; Reno, Nevada; Tribbey, Oklahoma; and Bangor, Maine.

Sentence Variety #5

use colons

The colon is a formal mark of punctuation used chiefly to introduce something that is to follow, such as a list, a quotation, or an explanation.

1. Use a colon after a main clause to introduce a formal list, and emphatic or long restatement (appositive), an explanation, and emphatic statement, or a summary.

The following automobiles were in the General Motors show: Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac. (list)

He worked toward one objective: a degree. (restatement or appositive)

Let me emphasize one point: I do not accept late papers. (emphatic statement)

2. Use a colon to introduce a formal quotation or a formal question.

Shakespeare’s Polonius said: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” (formal quotation)

The question is this: Shall we surrender? (formal question)

3. Use a colon in the following conventional ways: to separate a title and subtitle, a chapter and verse in the Bible, and hours and minutes; after the salutation in a formal business letter; and between the act and scene of a play.

Title and subtitle – Korea: A Country Divided

Chapter and verse – Genesis 4:12

Hour and minute – 8:25 p.m.

Salutation – Dear Members: Dear Mrs. Johnston:

Act and scene – Hamlet III:ii