Basic Sentence Kinds and Patterns

(adapted from Lanham, Revising Prose and Analyzing Prose)

Four kinds of sentences

1. A declarative sentence states a fact or opinion: "Elaine directs films."
2. An interrogative sentence asks a question: "Does Elaine direct films?"
3. An exclamatory sentence registers an exclamation: "Does she ever!"
4. [An imperative sentence gives an order or command: "Sit down."]

Three basic structures

1. A simple sentence makes one self-standing assertion; that is, it has one main clause: "Elaine directs films."
2. A compound sentence makes two or more self-standing assertions; that is, it has two main clauses: "Elaine directs films and Lori is a tax lawyer" or "Jim kicks Bill and Bill feels it and Bill kicks Jim back."
3. A complex sentence makes one self-standing assertion and one or more dependent assertions in the form of subordinate clauses dependent on the main clause. "Elaine, who has just finished directing Jim Kicks Bill, must now consult Lori about her tax problems before she can start blocking out Being Kicked: The Sequel.

• In compound sentences, the clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, for, so, nor, yet
• In complex sentences, the clauses are connected by subordinating conjunctions (because, which, etc) and use of commas and other punctuation.

Active and passive voice

• John eats rocks. The subject performs the verb on the object.
• Rocks are eaten by John. The subject receives the action of the verb. The original subject can be elided: Rocks are eaten.

Basic sentence patterns

In addition to the basic kinds of sentences, and the basic structures of sentences, other terms come on handy for describing sentences.

Periodic Sentence: aka suspended sentence or climactic sentences

A periodic sentence is a long sentence with a number of elements, usually balanced or antithetical, standing in a clear syntactical relationship to each other. Usually, the periodic sentence suspends the conclusion of the sense until the end of the sentence. A periodic sentence shows a pattern of thought that has been fully worked out, whose power relationships of subordination have been carefully determined, and who timing has been climatically ordered. In a periodic sentence, the mind is portrayed as finished working on the thought and has left it fully formed.

Running sentence: aka loose sentence

The opposite kind of sentence to the periodic is called, variously, the running or loose sentence. In this kind of sentence, the elements are loosely related to one another, follow no particular antithetical climactic order, and do not suspend grammatical completion until the close of the sentence. The loose or running style often portrays a mind in the process of thinking rather than having already completely ordered its thinking. A sentence that is so loose as to verge on grammatical or syntactical incoherence is sometimes called a run-on sentence.

Parataxis and Hypotaxis

• Parataxis: Phrases or clauses arranged independently, in a coordinate construction, with or without connectives: I came and I saw and I conquered, or I came, I saw, I conquered.

• Hypotaxis: Phrases or clauses arranged in dependent subordinate relationship: I came, and after I came and looked around a bit, I decided,well, why not, and so conquered.

The adjectival forms are paratactic and hypotactic: "Hemingway favors a paratactic syntax while Faulkner prefers a hypotactic one."

Secondary patterns within sentences

• Asyndeton and polysyndeton
• Isocolon
• Chaismus
• Anaphora

Category: Handlist