Write With Variety: A Handout from the 1980s

I first started teaching with a high school English department back in the ’80s. Over my 34 years of teaching, I saw several philosophies and theories and techniques move the educational system.

In the ’80s, there were still numerous English department electives and writing had not become the universalized activity we know it is today. (Think ACT writing test and Common Core writing tests where everyone has the same topic and must write a five paragraph essay in 50 minutes. There is little room for creative variety.)

As a department, we were tired of the “And then,” and “Washington went (subject / verb sentences) that lacked variety. Likewise, we were searching for a way to connect the grammar portion of the curriculum and the writing portion.

Heads together, we came up with a handout of ways that students could vary the sentence structure within a paragraph or a paper. In beginning to downsize the paper work in my house, I found the folder “24 Ways to Vary a Sentence.”

Many of the ideas may have come out of a collection of grammar books, but this far down the road, I can’t remember.

For some teachers in the department, this was an edict of what was expected: No two sentences in a paragraph should start the same. For others of us it was a list of suggestions.

Here is the list, but with only a portion of the examples.

Start with expletives: “There” or “It”

There are five reasons why I like my hometown.

It is difficult to describe the way I feel.

Start with an introductory word.

Yes, the dinner is ready.

No, Well, Why, Oh, Maybe

Begin with an adverb.

Personally, I prefer roast beef.

Actually, Surely, Carefully, Somehow, Understandingly, Directly, Certainly, Here

I can see the “anti-adverb” people cringing.

Begin with a parenthetical expression.

To say the least, I am disturbed about the matter.

To tell the truth, For instance, For example However, Therefore, On the other hand

Start with a predicate adjective.

Quiet was the classroom after school

Blue is the sky.

Write the sentence in the passive voice.

Fifty men were captured by the Indians.

The school was built in 1929.

Did I hear irritation ripple up your spine?

Write a sentence with a compound subject.

The miners and their foreman demanded higher wages.

Frogs and toads can hop.

Write a sentence with a compound predicate.

At camp the boys hiked and ran every day.

Dad listened and offered advice.

Write a compound sentence.

The program was presented on Friday, and the audience applauded.

You must give more time to your studies; you must take less time for socializing.

Write an interrogative sentence.

Would you like a dog like Bowser?

This is your best?

Write an exclamatory sentence.

What a night we spent in that camp!

How slowly a turtle moves!

Write an imperative sentence with the subject “you” understood.

Listen to my advice.

Consider these details.

Start with a prepositional phrase.

Near the house the tree stood.

Over the fence the ball sailed.

Start with a gerund or gerund phrase.

Seeing is believing.

Observing the hall brought back memories.

Start with an infinitive or infinitive phrase.

To begin is the hardest part of the paper.

To give you my point of view is easy.

Start with a participle or a participial phrase.

Considering all angles, the president signed the bill into law.

Hearing the music, the boys asked the girls to dance.

Use a participle or participial phrase after the word modified.

Joe, puzzled, stood to ask a question.

The policeman, angered, gave them a ticket.

Combine sentences by using an appositive.

Mr. Marvin, the principal, spoke. (Mr. Marvin spoke to us. Mr. Marvin is the principal.)

Write appositive adjectives after any noun or before a noun.

Tall and straight, our forward grabbed the ball.

The landing, secluded and quiet, was by assignment.

Begin with an adverb clause.

After I ran the race, I rested.

Before you can come into the house, you must remove your shoes.

Begin the sentence with a noun clause.

That this paper is carelessly done cannot be denied.

How you eat shows your manners.

Write a sentence with a relative (adjective) clause modifying the subject.

The school, which was built in 1929, has not been remodeled.

This large dictionary that I am using has very small print.

Start with the nominative absolute.

The day being cloudy, we cancelled the picnic.

Write the sentence in inverted order.

Down the street came the band.

The facts I now present to you.

“Ah, Yoda, sorry you will be.”

Rebecca (Becky) spent 34 years in a teaching career, but when she retired in 2014, she picked up her pen and pursued her passion to write. As a high school English teacher, Becky held the philosophy that she wouldn’t give any writing assignment that she personally wouldn’t or couldn’t do. That philosophy strengthened and broadened her own writing.

In addition to publishing her writing on various platforms, Becky also blogs at Life is for Living, a blog to encourage, motivate, and help others live the best life possible. As an extension of Life is for Living, she also publishes a weekly newsletter, Let’s Chat. (Check it out HERE.) Life is for Living also has a social media presence with the group Coffee on my Porch. (Check it out HERE.)

After teaching writing for 34 years, Becky began Ink & Keyboard, a blog for writers at all levels. She supplements what she writes on the blog with a subscription newsletter, The Writer’s Notebook (Check it out HERE.) and the social media group Ink & Keyboard (Check it out HERE.)

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