SentencesSentences

A sentence must have a subject and a A sentence must have a subject and a predicate– a noun and a verb.predicate– a noun and a verb.

Noun + VerbNoun + Verb

Rats peered.Rats peered.

Noun Verb

sentencessentences

To add interest to your sentences, you To add interest to your sentences, you can add phrases.can add phrases.

Noun + Verb + Prepositional PhraseNoun + Verb + Prepositional Phrase

Rats peered from garbage cans.Rats peered from garbage cans.

Noun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

Adjective

sentencessentences

The prepositional phase will connect The prepositional phase will connect to the word it modifies (describes)– to the word it modifies (describes)– here it describes where the rats are here it describes where the rats are

peering.peering.

Rats peered from garbage cans.Rats peered from garbage cans.

Noun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

Adjective

SentencesSentences

Also, to add more interest, you may Also, to add more interest, you may use a variety of sentence starters.use a variety of sentence starters.

You are going to practice 11 different You are going to practice 11 different sentence starters over the next sentence starters over the next

several weeks to make your writing several weeks to make your writing more exciting.more exciting.

#1-- Noun#1-- Noun

Noun + Verb + Prepositional PhraseNoun + Verb + Prepositional Phrase

RatsRats peered from garbage cans. peered from garbage cans.

Noun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

Adjective

#2– Article + Noun#2– Article + Noun

Article + Noun + Verb + Prepositional Article + Noun + Verb + Prepositional PhrasePhrase

The ratsThe rats peered from garbage cans. peered from garbage cans.

Noun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

Adjective

Article

#3– Adjective + Noun#3– Adjective + Noun

Adjective + Noun + Verb + Adjective + Noun + Verb + Prepositional PhrasePrepositional Phrase

Greedy ratsGreedy rats peered from garbage peered from garbage cans.cans.

Noun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

Adjective

Adjective

#4– ProNoun#4– ProNoun

Pronoun + Verb + Prepositional Pronoun + Verb + Prepositional PhrasePhrase

TheyThey peered from garbage cans. peered from garbage cans.

*If you start with a pronoun, it must *If you start with a pronoun, it must have a clear antecedent!have a clear antecedent!

Pronoun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

Adjective

#5– Adverb + Noun#5– Adverb + Noun

Adverb, + Noun + Verb + Adverb, + Noun + Verb + Prepositional PhrasePrepositional Phrase

Cautiously, ratsCautiously, rats peered from garbage peered from garbage cans.cans.

Noun Verb

Preposition

Noun (Object)

AdjectiveAdverb

#6– Absolute Phrases#6– Absolute Phrases

Eyes wide, ears twitching, rats peered from garbage cans.

#7– participle Phrase#7– participle Phrase

Munching on stale cheese, rats peered from garbage cans.

#8– Prepositional #8– Prepositional PhrasesPhrases

Beneath the glow of a full moon, rats peered from

garbage cans.

#9– Infinitive Phrase#9– Infinitive Phrase

To watch for prowling cats, rats peered from garbage cans.

#10– adverbial clause#10– adverbial clause

As the half moon arose in the dingy sky like a hunk of rancid

cheese, rats peered from garbage cans.

#11– implied adjective #11– implied adjective clauseclause

Suspicious of their surroundings, rats peered from

garbage cans.