Writing Skills

Five sentence styles

YOU NEED TO MASTER - TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS!

1. The very short sentence

The very short sentence is one of the most powerful sentence styles ever developed Grab the interest of your reader by employing it at the beginning or in the middle of a paragraph. The very short sentence should be 6 words or less

War was imminent

Perseverance was his only choice

Sport united a divided people

2. W-start sentence

Try beginning a sentence with a W-word such as who, while, when, where, what, whereas The Wstart makes writing sound thoughtful and knowledgeable This sentence is often the foundation sentence of analysis Use it to hold an idea in suspension and deliver with insight

When the baking was completed, the ovens were cleaned thoroughly.

While we were watching the experiment, the paper ignited

3. The adverb start

Start a sentence with an adverb. It adds interest and intrigue. Don’t forget the rule: when you start the sentence with an adverb, place a comma after the adverb then write the rest of the sentence

Curiously, the film was not shown to the public until 2010

Interestingly, many migrants settled in Christchurch instead

4. The em-dash

The em-dash in English is the long dash Use the long dash to emphasise added detail that would normally be in brackets which you would like highlighted in a sentence The em-dash is also commonly used instead of a comma before the punchline at the end of a sentence

The Volkswagen Beetle brilliantly affordable has remained popular all over the world.

Playing polo is a favourite pastime in the UK nice for some

5. Explore the subject sentence

Accomplished writers use this sentence style. The rule: begin your sentence with the subject, then place a comma Say something interesting about the subject, place another comma, then finish your sentence

Symbolism, which usually creates depth and atmosphere, was remarkably absent from Wordsworth’s first poems

Henry Smith, who was well known for his position against bribery, decided to stand for mayor

Writing Non-Negotiables

The following will be adhered to at all times in all subjects at Aquinas College.

Capitalise the first letter of every sentence,

proper nouns and the letter “I”

Use a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of every sentence”

Self-correct lazy work before it is submitted

Elaborate your answers and explanations

Not use text talk, symbols or abbreviations in your writing

Write in blue or black pen only.

Present work that is neat and legible

Good writing tips