Every good story begins with a single word. Those words flow
into sentences, paragraphs, chapters and finally you are typing “The End”.
Knowing how to form good sentences is a necessity when you are telling a story.
A writer should understand the different parts of a sentence in order to make
sure that the intended thought reaches the reader.
Now as a writing instructor I will say, before we begin,
ignore all of this until AFTER you have completed your first draft. Don’t get
tangled up in correct grammar or spelling and let it interrupt the flow of
thoughts. Write the story as it comes to you, there will be time after you’ve
recorded your story to edit and re-edit afterwards.
And now back to the lesson…
A sentence should represent a complete thought and contain a
subject and a verb; it can also obtain an optional object. There are four
sentence structures: 1) Simple; 2) Compound; 3) Complex; and 4)
Compound-Complex. The Simple Sentence is one Independent Clause; an Independent
Clause can stand on its own. A Compound Sentence includes two independent
clauses combined by either a semi-colon (;) or a coordinating conjunction like and,
but, for, nor, or, so, yet. A Complex Sentence combines an independent clause
and a subordinate (dependent) clause; a subordinate clause contains a subject
and verb but does not represent a complete thought. [a subordinate clause adds
more information to the subject, ie: The book about the wicked witch is on the shelf.] A Compound-Complex
sentence contains at least two independent and one subordinate clause.
Some writers like to Diagram their sentences to see how parts
of the sentence are related and ensure that the sentence is grammatically
correct. Looking like a geometric drawing, the technique is rarely taught or
used anymore. If you have heard of The Fading Art Of Diagramming Sentences http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/22/341898975/a-picture-of-language-the-fading-art-of-diagramming-sentences
and would like to learn more about it, just click on the link (or go to http://n.pr/1HjjIct
)
Sentences can make a definitive statement — Declarative
Sentence; sentences can ask a question — Interrogative Sentence; it can make an
emotional statement and end with an exclamation point — Exclamatory Sentence;
or issue an order — Imperative Sentence. The different types of sentences each
serve a different purpose. Experienced writers will often mix and match the
types of sentences along with structure and vary them in prose. The varied
lengths of sentences will often appear more appealing to a reader. When you
begin your edits look to make sure that the thoughts from each sentence and
paragraph flow to the next and that your story is cohesive.
Here’s an old-time teaching rhyme about the parts of speech (by
David B. Tower & Benjamin F. Tweed):
Three little words you
often see
Are ARTICLES: a, an, and
the.
A NOUN's the name of
anything,
As: school or garden,
toy, or swing.
ADJECTIVES tell the kind
of noun,
As: great, small, pretty,
white, or brown.
VERBS tell of something
being done:
To read, write, count,
sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the
ADVERBS tell,
As: slowly, quickly,
badly, well.
CONJUNCTIONS join the
words together,
As: men and women, wind
or weather.
The PREPOSITION stands
before
A noun as: in or through
a door.
The INTERJECTION shows
surprise
As: Oh, how pretty! Ah!
how wise!
The whole are called the
PARTS of SPEECH,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.
Writing Exercise: Write ten (10) independent clauses. Add a
subordinate clause to each sentence.
Writing Prompt: Think about the last meal you ate. How did
you feel while you were eating? Without saying what you were doing at the time
(eating), write one to three paragraphs solely about your feelings.
Challenge Assignment:
You are in the basement of an old house and you could swear the walls
are whispering. Could it be, could the walls actually be talking? Write what
the walls are telling you. Are they relating stories of the people that used to
live there?
