5 Sentence Structures for Variety in a Paragraph

Use a variety of sentence structures to add spice to your writing.

Periodic Sentences

  • Periodic sentences build up suspense before the final point is made.
  • Ideas or events appear in the beginning.
  • The main clause, which lays emphasis, is situated at the end.

Examples:

  1. After putting in many hours of hard work, the students were ready for their final exams.
  2. Proper waste management, like collection and waste disposal, will solve the world’s waste problems.
  3. If the weather is cool and clear, we will go for a picnic.

Loose Sentences

  • These sentence structures are also called “cumulative”.
  • The main clause appears at the beginning of the sentence.
  • Phrases or clauses situated at the end of the sentence act as modifiers to the main clause.

Examples:

  1. The toddler understood his mother’s annoyance, by her stern look and angry voice.
  2. The snake moved away, zigzagging through furniture, and upsetting bystanders.
  3. Anita left the city, without informing her office or her family.

Inversion of Subject and Verb

One of the sentence structures involves changing the position of the subject with the verb in the traditional Subject + Verb + Object sentence.

  • An adverb is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
  • The verb comes before the subject.

Examples:

  1. Scarcely had the teacher left the classroom when the children began to create a ruckus.
  2. Seldom has Delhi seen such terrifying sandstorms.
  3. Not only did the mob stop traffic, but they also damaged buses.

Parallel Sentences

  • These sentence structures have two or more ideas in the same pattern or form.
  • These ideas can be in form of words, phrases or clauses and are given equal importance.
  • Conjunctions like “and” or “or” are used.

Examples:

  1. John likes to eat berries, climb mountains and ride bicycles.
  2. The hotels were running at a loss because it was off season and the water shortage was acute.
  3. You can ask for directions or look up the internet.

Balanced Sentences

  • These sentence structures are similar to parallel sentences but have two parts.
  • Each part is similar in form, length and importance and are joined with semi colon, or conjunctions like “and”, “but” or “or”.
  • These sentences have rhythm and are often used in slogans, poetry and prose.
sentence structure
                    Balanced Sentence

Examples:

  1. Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country—John F. Kennedy
  2. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
  3. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

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