Initial Sentence Variety
Five Ways to Vary the Beginning of Your Sentences

After concision and the use of active verbs, nothing more clearly marks superior prose than the use of a variety of sentence structures and shapes. When writers employ sentence variety, they demonstrate to their audiences that they have mastered the language and can create fluid, readable prose. When done correctly, varied sentences also clarify the logical relationships between your ideas.

To help you begin your path down the road to logically dazzling prose, I have prepared an introduction to initial sentence variety focused on some basic types and patterns that you can imitate in your own writing.

 

Initial Sentence Variety

Introductory Subordinate Clause Schematic Structure: SC, IC. Sample: Because subordination can help writers express complex relationships more concisely, I recommend employing this technique frequently in your writing. Recommedations: frequency: use this technique as frequently as you wish choose your subordinating conjunctions carefully punctuation: remember to include the comma after the introductory subordinate clause pitfall: do not begin the independent clause that follows the subordinate clause with "it."

Introductory Prepositional Phrase Schematic Structure: PrepPhrase, IC. Sample: By the time a writer submits her final paper, she should master a variety of approaches to beginning her sentences. Recommedations: frequency: use this technique as frequently as you wish pitfall: avoid the "by...it" mixed construction problem ("By pointing toward an alternative approach, it alienated the democratic legislators") by making sure that you do not use "it" as the subject of your independent clause. Instead, use a specific subject: "By pointing toward an alternative approach, the governor's proposal alienated democratic legislators." punctuation: remember to include the comma after the introductory prepositional phrase if it is three words or longer.

Introductory Past Participial Schematic Structure: Past Participial Phrase, IC. Sample: Motivated by the desire for clairty and concision, I began this sentence with a past participle. Recommedations: pitfall: make sure you choose correctly between past and present participles when you use this sentence structure pitfall: avoid mixed construction problems by making sure that you do not use "it" as the subject of your independent clause. Instead, use a specific subject. The subject of the independent clause should be the noun that the participial phrase describes or modifies. punctuation: remember to include the comma after the introductory participial phrase

Introductory Present Participle Schematic Structure: Present Participial Phrase, IC. Sample: Denying the validity of scientific opinion, opponents of environmental regulation boscrue the danges grenhouse gases pose to future generations. Recommedations: pitfall: make sure you choose correctly between past and present participles when you use this sentence structure pitfall: avoid mixed construction problems by making sure that you do not use "it" as the subject of your independent clause. Instead, use a specific subject. The subject of the independent clause should be the noun that the participial phrase describes or modifies. punctuation: remember to include the comma after the introductory participial phrase

Introductory Adverb Schematic Structure: Adverb, IC. Sample: Giddily, the student pranced down the aisle after seeing the grade on her paper. Recommedations: frequency: be careful here; this technique can drive a reader crazy if overused. Once in a while works, but once every other sentence...scary! punctuation: remember to include that comma after an introductory adverb.

 

 

 

Page Updated: September 20, 2008

Instructor: Jim Sullivan
College Web Site: Miracosta College