How to Write with Sentence Variety

Sentence Variety When Writing

How to raise the level of your writing!

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Take out your notebook and TAKE Notes!
Yes, Fleeman will ask to see your notes!

Why Sentence Variety?

Sentence variety reduces repetition in a piece of writing and adds emphasis to important points in the text. Sentence variety can be introduced to the beginning of sentences in a variety of ways:

1. Starting with a verb that ends with -ing
2. Starting with a verb that ends with -ed
3. Starting with a prepositional phrase
4. Starting with an adverb
5. Starting with an adjective
6. Starting with a phrase that tells when
7. Starting with a phrase that tells where
8. Starting with an onomatopoeia

Try adding a VERB ending with -ING to the beginning of a sentence.

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Gagging for air, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with a VERB ending in -ED

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

TerrifiED of being late for her Zoom class, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with a PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

With full-on intensity, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with an ADVERB

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Hurriedly, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with an ADJECTIVE

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Anxious about being late for class, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with a PHRASE THAT TELLS WHEN

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

At 4:29 p.m., Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with a PHRASE THAT TELLS WHERE

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Down the dirt road, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Begin a sentence with an ONOMATOPOEIA

Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Swoosh, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office!

Multiple Choice

How many different ways can you BEGIN a sentence to show SENTENCE VARIETY?

• one

• two

• five

• eight

Dropdown

What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



In the early 1920s, Gandhi fought for human rights.​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



Incredibly, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



Woohoo, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



During the 1920s, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



Determined, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



In India, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



Diving in strong, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

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What is the sentence variety option for the sentence below?



Empowered by his beliefs, Gandhi fought for human rights. ​ ​ ​ ​

Select answer

Multiple Choice

Politely and cautiously, the small girl acknowledged the elder man.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a verb that ends with -ing

• with an adverb

• with an adjective

Multiple Choice

Finding his way around town, Shane ventured into various shops, looking for his item.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with an adverb

• with a phrase that tells where

• with an onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

In every essay's introduction, students must start with a hook to engage their readers.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a phrase that tells when

• with an adjective

• with a phrase that tells where

Multiple Choice

Last night, Ensley and Everly went soundly to sleep without any fuss.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a phrase that tells when

• with an adjective

• with a phrase that tells where

Multiple Choice

Playing for first place, Tyler pushed his hardest.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a verb that ends with -ing

• with an adverb

• with an adjective

Multiple Choice

Excitement and fury filled the air as the students prepared for school to end.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a verb that ends with -ing

• with an adverb

• with an adjective

Multiple Choice

Ouch, she screamed after slamming her finger in the door.

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a verb that ends with -ed

• with an adjective

• with an onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

Stumped, she finally just chose C as her answer choice because she couldn't figure out what the answer was!

How does this sentence begin?

• with a prepositional phrase

• with a verb that ends with -ed

• with an adjective

• with a phrase that tells when

Open Ended

1. Choose ONE sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with a verb that ends with -ing.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Choose ANOTHER sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with a verb that ends with -ed.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Choose a THIRD sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with a prepositional phrase.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Choose a FOURTH sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with an adverb.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Choose a FIFTH sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with an adjective.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Choose a SIXTH sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with a phrase that tells when.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Choose a SEVENTH sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with a verb that ends with a phrase that tells where.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Open Ended

1. Finally, choose an EIGHTH sentence from your essay.

2. Begin this sentence with an onomatopoeia.

3. Type your new sentence below.

Now, we will take our sentence variety to yet another level!

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While Mrs. Fleeman loves to teach grammar, Mrs. Stroer enjoys teaching her students how to write.

Mrs. Fleeman loves to teach grammar.

Mrs. Stroer enjoys teaching students how to write.

Sentences

We can combine sentences to show sentence variety

​Notice that I started my combined sentence with a subordinating conjunction!
I used the comma to join the dependent clause to the independent clause.

Open Ended

1. First, find TWO new sentences from your essay that you can combine.

2. Next, make sure you are using punctuation properly.

3. Ask yourself if you need a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).

4. Type your new sentence below.

Another great way to use sentence variety is to add TRANSITIONS

Mrs. Fleeman ran to
her office.

Finally, Mrs. Fleeman ran to her office.

Last week, you added transitions to your
essay, so you should be okay.

HOWEVER, do you need to take another look?

Did you use the same transitions over
and over again, for instance?

Fill in the Blanks

You have looked at the different ways you can vary your sentences.

You even worked through some steps to help improve some of the sentences in your essay.

So, what's next?

Now, READ through your essay ONE MORE time.

What changes do you still need to make?