More on Sentence Variety
Starting a sentence with an adverb
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb and often ends in –ly.
Example: She slowly turned the corner and peered into the murky basement.
An adverb emphasizes how the subject moves—slowly—creating a buildup of tension.
Often followed by a comma ( , ) except adv. of time.
Example: Slowly, she turned the corner and peered into the murky basement.
(moving adv. to the beginning of a sentence serves to vary the rhythm of a paragraph and
increase sentence variety.)
Starting a sentence with a prepositional phrase
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that behaves as an adjective or an adverb,
modifying a noun or a verb.
PP contains a preposition (a word that specifies place, direction, or time) and an object of
the preposition (a noun phrase or pronoun that follows the preposition).
Example: The terrified cat hid underneath the table.
Adjectives may be placed between the preposition and the object in a prepositional phrase.
Example: The terrified cat hid underneath the heavy wooden table.
Some prepositional phrases can be moved to the beginning of a sentence.
Example : Underneath the heavy wooden table, the terrified cat hid.
Unmovable prepositional phrases
Not all prepositional phrases can be placed at the beginning of a sentence. Read the
following sentence: I would like a chocolate sundae without whipped cream.
( Because it describes the chocolate sundae, it cannot be moved to the beginning of the
sentence.( Because it describes the chocolate sundae, it cannot be moved to the beginning
of the sentence.)
Starting a sentence by inverting subject and verb
Example :
A copy of the file is attached.
Attached is a copy of the file.
Tip : This technique is useful for drawing the reader’s attention to your primary area of
focus.
Connecting Ideas to Increase Sentence Variety
Reviewing and rewriting the beginning of sentences is a good way of introducing sentence
variety into your writing.
Joining ideas using an –ing modifier at end of beginning + COMMA (A
modifier is a word or phrase that qualifies the meaning of another element in
the sentence)
Example :
Original sentences: Jordan checked the computer system. They discovered a
virus.
Revised sentence: Checking the computer system, Jordan discovered a virus.
NOTE : Be careful with the right place of the modifier.
Joining ideas using an –ed modifier
Example :
Original sentences: The Jones family was delayed by a traffic jam. They arrived
several hours after the party started.
Revised sentence: Delayed by a traffic jam, the Jones family arrived several hours
after the party started.
Joining ideas using a relative clause (is a group of words that contains a
subject and a verb and describes a noun) for useful way of providing
additional, nonessential information in a sentence.
Exmpale:
Original sentences: The managing director is visiting the company next week. She
lives in Vancouver.
Revised sentence: The managing director, who lives in Vancouver, is visiting the
company next week.
Joining ideas using an appositive ( is a word or group of words that describes
or renames a noun or pronoun.
Example:
Original sentences: Harland Sanders began serving food for hungry travelers in
1930. He is Colonel Sanders or “the Colonel.”
Revised sentence: Harland Sanders, “the Colonel,” began serving food for hungry
travelers in 1930.
