I like to find patterns, and I believe that we will find patterns when we look at how to write dialogue, action, and description from the various authors. The same will go for introducing characters, writing an action scene, etc. I’m not saying that writing fiction is simply painting by the numbers.
Once again, I return to my comparison to music for writing fiction. When you learn a musical instrument, you learn basic technique (playing and reading music). Do you go straight to writing your own music? No. You’ll spend time imitating various musicians by playing in their style and their music. Writing is similar: let’s break down various authors into the Elements and practice writing in their style. In the end, our own writing will be sum total of all we have learned (i.e., borrowing from others) and our own unique style.
Below are basic sentence patterns. It’s a good review.
Sentence Patterns
1. Simple:
A simple sentence is an independent clause (i.e., contains a subject and a verb) that expresses a single complete thought.
A. Jack went up the hill.
- Jack and Jill went up the hill.
(note: simple sentence with compound subject)
- Jack goes up the hill everyday and sleeps two hours.
(note: simple sentence with compound verb)
2. Compound:
A compound sentence is two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, so, yet, etc.).
A. Jack went up the hill, and Jill went down the hill.
B. Jack went up the hill, so Jill went shopping.
C. Jack went down the hill, but Jill did not.
3. Complex:
A complex sentence is an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, etc.
A. When Jack went up the hill, Jill went down the hill.
B. Jill went shopping after Jack went up the hill.
C. Although Jack went down the hill, Jill went up the hill
4. Compound-Complex:
A compound-complex sentence is two independent clauses joined by one or more dependent clauses.
A. Jack went up the hill, and Jill went shopping after Jack finally arrived.
B. Jill went down the hill because she was tired, but Jack followed her after he had fetched a pail of water
C. The pail of water that Jack had fetched waited at the bottom of the hill, yet Jill continued to shop.
Other Patterns:
* Using a semi-colon. Join two short simple sentences having closely related ideas.
Jack’s pail was old; it was time for Jill to buy a new one.
Jack married Jill; he never liked running up the hill alone.
* Using a colon. The colon in the below construction signals that explanatory or clarifying independent clause follows the preceding general independent clause.
Jack pail was old: it contained several small holes and rust.
Jill failed to climb the hill: the rain had made the slope too slippery.
* Using a Dash. A Dash can denote a sudden change in though (“What the boss said was correct -- or so we thought”), or denote a sudden break in a sentence (“Should I let the fighting continue or should -- many lives depended on my answer”), or used in the place or parentheses.
* Using a Parentheses. Parentheses are generally used to set off incidental or clarifying information.
Jill yawned (without covering her mouth) because she was tired.
Jack went past three trees (two oak and one pine) as he ran up the hill.
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