The Art of The Art of Styling Styling

SentencesSentencesAdapted from Adapted from The Art of Styling Sentences: 20 The Art of Styling Sentences: 20

Patterns for SuccessPatterns for Success Third Edition Third Edition

(Barron’s Educational Series, 1993)(Barron’s Educational Series, 1993)By Marie L. Waddell, Robert M. Esch, and By Marie L. Waddell, Robert M. Esch, and

Robert R. WalkerRobert R. Walker

Pattern 1Pattern 1Compound Sentence: Compound Sentence:

semicolon, no conjunctionsemicolon, no conjunction

S V; S VS V; S V Hard work is only one side of the Hard work is only one side of the

equationequation;; talent is the other talent is the other

Pattern 2Pattern 2Compound Sentence with Compound Sentence with

Elliptical construction Elliptical construction

S V DO or SC; S, DO or SCS V DO or SC; S, DO or SC A red light means stopA red light means stop;; a green a green

lightlight,, go. go.

Pattern 3Pattern 3Compound Sentence with Compound Sentence with

Explanatory StatementExplanatory Statement

General statement: specific General statement: specific exampleexample

Darwin's Origin of Species forcibly Darwin's Origin of Species forcibly states a harsh truthstates a harsh truth:: only the fittest only the fittest survive.survive.

Pattern 4Pattern 4A Series without a A Series without a

ConjunctionConjunction A,B,CA,B,C The United States has a government The United States has a government

of the peopleof the people,, by the people by the people,, for the for the peoplepeople..

Pattern 4APattern 4AA Series with a VariationA Series with a Variation

A or B or CA or B or C Despite his handicaps, I have never Despite his handicaps, I have never

seen Larry angry seen Larry angry oror cross cross oror depressed.depressed.

Pattern 5Pattern 5A Series with a Balanced A Series with a Balanced

PairPair A and B, C and D, E and F (may A and B, C and D, E and F (may

be in any slot in the sentence)be in any slot in the sentence) "God is day and night, winter and "God is day and night, winter and

summer, war and peace, surfeit and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger." --Heraclitushunger." --Heraclitus

Pattern 6Pattern 6An Introductory series of An Introductory series of

AppositivesAppositives Appositive, appositive, Appositive, appositive,

appositive--summary word S Vappositive--summary word S V Vanity, greed, corruptionVanity, greed, corruption---- which which

serves as the novel's source of serves as the novel's source of conflict?conflict?

Pattern 7Pattern 7An Internal Series of An Internal Series of

Appositives or ModifiersAppositives or Modifiers

S --appositive, appositive, S --appositive, appositive, appositive--Vappositive--V

The necessary qualities for political The necessary qualities for political lifelife----guile, ruthlessness, and guile, ruthlessness, and garrulitygarrulity----she learned by carefully she learned by carefully studying his father's life.studying his father's life.

Pattern 7APattern 7AA Variation: a Single A Variation: a Single Appositive or a PairAppositive or a Pair

S --appositive--VS --appositive--V A sudden explosionA sudden explosion----artillery fireartillery fire----

signaled the beginning of a barrage.signaled the beginning of a barrage.

Pattern 8Pattern 8Dependent Clauses in a Pair Dependent Clauses in a Pair

or in a Seriesor in a Series If..., if..., if..., then S VIf..., if..., if..., then S V If you clothes are made of cottonIf you clothes are made of cotton,, if if

you wash them with soapyou wash them with soap,, if you if you hang them on the linehang them on the line,, you may not you may not need a fabric softener.need a fabric softener.

Pattern 9Pattern 9Repetition of a Key TermRepetition of a Key Term

S V key term, repeated key termS V key term, repeated key term "Victory at all costs, victory in spite "Victory at all costs, victory in spite

of all terror, victory however long of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be [. . .]." and hard the road may be [. . .]." Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

Pattern 9APattern 9AA Variation: Some Word A Variation: Some Word

repeated in a Parallel repeated in a Parallel StructureStructure

S V repeated key word in same S V repeated key word in same positionposition

His His greatestgreatest discoveries discoveries,, his his greatestgreatest successes successes,, his his greatestgreatest influence upon daily life came to influence upon daily life came to Edison only after repeated failureEdison only after repeated failure..

Pattern 10Pattern 10Emphatic Appositive at Emphatic Appositive at

End, End, after a Colonafter a Colon

S V word: appositiveS V word: appositive Airport thieves have a common Airport thieves have a common

target: unwary travelers.target: unwary travelers.

Pattern 10APattern 10AA Variation: Appositive A Variation: Appositive

(single or pair or series) (single or pair or series) after a Dashafter a Dash

S V word--appositiveS V word--appositive Adjusting to a new job requires one Adjusting to a new job requires one

quality abovequality above----a sense of humor.a sense of humor.

Pattern 11Pattern 11Interrupting Modifier Interrupting Modifier

Between S and VBetween S and V

S (modifier that whispers) VS (modifier that whispers) V The hunter (a common sight in New The hunter (a common sight in New

Hampshire woods during the winter) Hampshire woods during the winter) carried a large caliber rifle.carried a large caliber rifle.

Pattern 11APattern 11AA Full Sentence as A Full Sentence as

Interrupting ModifierInterrupting Modifier

S--a full sentence--VS--a full sentence--V Juliet's famous question--"Wherefore Juliet's famous question--"Wherefore

art thou, Romeo?"--is often art thou, Romeo?"--is often misunderstoomisunderstood.d.

Pattern 12Pattern 12Introductory or Introductory or

Concluding ParticiplesConcluding Participles

Participial Phrase, S V (or Participial Phrase, S V (or reverse)reverse)

LaughLaughinging at his foolish behavior, she at his foolish behavior, she fell backwards in her chair.fell backwards in her chair.

DespisDespiseded by most Westerners, the by most Westerners, the terrorist group acted with impunity.terrorist group acted with impunity.

Pattern 13Pattern 13A Single Modifier Out of A Single Modifier Out of

Place for EmphasisPlace for Emphasis Modifier, S VModifier, S V To begin with, some ideas are just To begin with, some ideas are just

plain difficult.plain difficult.

Pattern 14Pattern 14Prepositional Phrase Before Prepositional Phrase Before

S--VS--V Prepositional Phrase S V (or V S)Prepositional Phrase S V (or V S) DuringDuring the long winter months, Tom the long winter months, Tom

toiled as a trapper.toiled as a trapper.

Pattern 15Pattern 15Object or Complement Object or Complement

Before S--VBefore S--V Object or Complement S VObject or Complement S V His kind of sarcasm (,)I do not like.His kind of sarcasm (,)I do not like.

Pattern 15APattern 15AComplete Inversion of Complete Inversion of

Normal PatternNormal Pattern

Object or Complement or Object or Complement or modifier V Smodifier V S

DownDown the field and the field and throughthrough the the tacklers ran the Heisman Trophy tacklers ran the Heisman Trophy winner.winner.

Pattern 16Pattern 16Paired ConstructionsPaired Constructions

Paired ConstructionPaired Construction The more S V, the more S VThe more S V, the more S V The more I saw of his work, the The more I saw of his work, the

more I knew I didn't want to more I knew I didn't want to purchase any.purchase any.

Pattern 16APattern 16AA Paired Construction for A Paired Construction for

Contrast OnlyContrast Only

A "this, not that" or "not this but A "this, not that" or "not this but that" constructionthat" construction

Genius, not stupidity, has limits.Genius, not stupidity, has limits.

Pattern 17Pattern 17Dependent Clause as Dependent Clause as Subject or Object or Subject or Object or

ComplementComplement

S [dependent clause] VS [dependent clause] V What a man cannot imagine cannot What a man cannot imagine cannot

be created.be created.

Pattern 18Pattern 18Absolute Construction Absolute Construction Anywhere in SentenceAnywhere in Sentence

Absolute construction, S VAbsolute construction, S V His early efforts failing, Ted tried a His early efforts failing, Ted tried a

new approach to the calculus new approach to the calculus problem.problem.

The French defeated, the Germans The French defeated, the Germans advanced on Paris.advanced on Paris.

Pattern 19Pattern 19The Short, Simple Sentence The Short, Simple Sentence

for for Relief or Dramatic EffectRelief or Dramatic Effect

S VS V Perseverance pays.Perseverance pays. I think not.I think not.

Pattern 19APattern 19AA Short Question for A Short Question for

Dramatic EffectDramatic Effect Interrogative word standing Interrogative word standing

alonealone Question based solely on Question based solely on

intonationintonation Why not?Why not? You really care?You really care?

Pattern 20Pattern 20The Deliberate FragmentThe Deliberate Fragment

Merely a part of a sentenceMerely a part of a sentence Fine.Fine. First, the nuts and bolts.First, the nuts and bolts.