Compound sentence with semicolon and no conjunction
(two short, related sentences now joined)
S V ; S V.
e.g. Caesar, try on this toga; it seems to be your size.
Compound sentence with elliptical construction
(comma indicates the omitted verb)
S V DO or SC ; S , DO or SC.
e.g. A red light means stop; a green, go.
Compound sentence with explanatory statement
(independent clauses separated by a colon)
General statement : specific statement (example).
e.g. Darwin’s Origin of the Species forcibly states a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.
An introductory series of appositives
(with a dash and a summarizing subject)
App , app , app , -- summary word S V.
e.g. The trees on the shore, the water on the lake, the blue sky above – all told their story.
An internal series of appositives or modifiers
(enclosed by a pair of dashes)
S -- app , app , app -- V.
S -- mod , mod , mod -- V.
e.g. The scholarly disciplines and especially the sciences – physical, biological, social – share the burden of searching for truth.
A series if balanced pairs for rhythm
(may be in any slot in sentence)
A and B , C and D , E and F
e.g. Anthony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Lancelot and Guinevere were all famous lovers in literature.
Interrupting modifier between S and V
(set off with commas, dashes, or parentheses)
S , modifier , V.
e.g. A small drop of ink, falling like a dew upon a thought, can make millions think.
Introductory or concluding participles
(ing, or ed ending verbals)
Part phrase , S V.
e.g. Having once been burned by a hot stove, the cat refused to go into the kitchen.
Object or Complement before S and V
(for variety and emphasis)
Obj or Mod S V.
e.g. His kind of sarcasm I do not like.
Inverted sentence pattern
(backwards sentence)
Object or complement or modifier V S.
e.g. Down the street and through the mist stumbled the unfamiliar figure.
Very short sentence or question
(for variety and emphasis)
e.g. He knew. or When will it end?
The deliberate fragment
(best if short and obviously not an error)
What then? Nothing.
* Sentence Patterns adapted from practicum lesson by Jack Gritzmacher