Sentence Structures Vocabulary

one independent clause with subject and predicate

“She ran. Direct. Powerful. Often underused.”

two independent clauses joined by a conjunction

“She ran, and he followed. Equal weight to both ideas.”

one independent clause with one or more dependent clauses

“Although she ran, she couldn't escape. Subordination creates hierarchy.”

builds to the main point at the end

“Despite the rain, the cold, and his exhaustion, he finished the race.”

states the main point first, then adds modifying details

“He finished the race, legs burning, lungs screaming, heart pounding.”

main clause first, followed by subordinate elements

“She won the prize, which surprised everyone, especially her critics.”

parallel structures of equal weight

“Easy to read, hard to write. Ask not what your country can do for you...”

places the verb before the subject for emphasis

“Never have I seen such courage. Gone are the days of simple solutions.”