Syntax

Crafting effective sentences

and paragraphs

Going from thinking to writing

Writing is not the same as thinking out loud. There is

another stage involved after thinking, in which words are

sifted and selected, and then crafted and combined,

in order to create a memorable impression. In this

process, each sentence…is both designed and built by

the writer. Good sentences do not just happen: there

is no such thing as an automatic flow of writing.

John Peck and Martin Coyle, The Student's Guide to

Writing

"Words are our trade. It is not enough to get the news. We must be able to put it across. Meaning must be unmistakable, and it must also be succinct. Every word must be understood by the ordinary reader, every sentence must be clear at one glance".

Harold Evans, former editor of The Times and the Sunday Times Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers

Your aim

Understanding syntax

The arrangement of words in a sentence. From the Greek, "arrange together".

What are the basic components of a sentence?

Simple sentence construction

Simple sentence construction

At the most basic level, sentences must include a subject and a verb and may have an object.

A subject is the thing or person being described

A verb expresses an action

Sentences may also contain an object, which is

the thing or person affected by the action

described in the verb.

Simple sentence examples

I (subject) walk (verb)

I (subject) walk (verb) the dog (object)

Different types of sentences

Simple

A simple sentence contains only one verb.

He ran up the hill.

Compound

A compound sentence contains two or more

main verbs and is made up of two sentences

joined using a conjunction (while, and, but, etc.)

He ran up the hill while she waited at

the bottom.

Independent clauses

An independent clause is a complete sentence.

The house stands on top of the hill.

Dependent clauses

A dependent (also known as ‘subordinate’)

clause is a related part of a sentence that

does not express a complete thought

on its own.

The house, which was built in 1970, stands

on top of the hill.

Complex sentences

A complex sentence contains one or more main verbs and one or more subsidiary verbs.

He ran up the hill while she waited at the bottom and timed him using a stopwatch.

Combining sentences

Sentences can be combined using connecting words called conjunctions, e.g. ‘but’, ‘and’, ‘or’, etc.

John likes reading but his wife prefers to

watch TV.

Some common conjunctions (joining words)

What can go wrong?

Commas not conjunctions

Sentences are combined using commas rather than conjunctions to separate them.

John reads, Jane likes to listen to the radio

Fragmented sentences

Sentences do not make sense in their own right

because they are disconnected from the main

clause. These are called fragmented sentences

I like puddings. Including cakes, trifles and ice

cream.

Pleonasms

Sentences become over-long and full of

unnecessary words which may mean the

same thing. These are called pleonasms

It is absolutely necessary and essential

that you attend this meeting.

Run-on sentences

Two sentences are wrongly made into one because

they are not separated by some kind of punctuation

mark. These are called run-on sentences

He only told me he was coming today he should have

told me yesterday.

Mixed tenses

Verb tenses are mixed

People who were living in the refugee camps are not able to get enough to eat.

Questions

Can you start a sentences with

'And' or ‘But’?

It is grammatically correct to start sentences ‘And’ or ‘But.’ Both are commonly used for dramatic impact in news writing.

And

The commission says 10 million people are not saving into any pension scheme. And those who are in a scheme often get charged too much for a service that is inefficient.

But

When John Stafford left his house on the morning

of 6 July 1979, he believed his wife and daughter

would be waiting for him at the bus station. But

just an hour later, he received a phone call telling

him that they were dead.

Questions

Active or passive? Which of these intros makes you sit up and take notice? 

“There were riots in several towns in Northern England last night, in which police clashed with stone-throwing youths.” (passive) 

“‘Youths throwing stones clashed with police during riots in several towns in Northern England last night.” (active)

Active voice - A does B  Passive voice - B is done (usually by A) 

Questions

Can I end a sentence with a preposition?

Debatable, according to grammarians. But for

journalism try and avoid it where possible.

Some common prepositions (words that indicate time/location)

How not to use a preposition to end a sentence

The new policy was something the Prime Minister had not previously thought of.

Sentences that end in prepositions can sound clumsy

so try and avoid it. This sentence does not flow and the

term 'thought of' is colloquial. The word 'considered'

could replace the last two words.

When should I start a new paragraph?

You should start a new paragraph when you have a fresh point to make. Paragraphs must be used to present information in a logical and interesting way.

Paragraph length - news

In journalism, short paragraphs are used because the text is laid out in columns. Journalists also use concise paragraphs to hold reader’s attention, particularly when writing for the web.

A man has died and his wife has been seriously injured during an attack by a horse in Lancashire.

They were towing a horse box on the A56 in Haslingden on Wednesday evening when the horse became agitated, police said.

(BBC NEWS website)

Paragraph length – academic writing

In academic writing, longer paragraphs are used to display information and develop ideas and arguments.

Five questions to consider when crafting sentences and

paragraphs

- Is this a sentence?

- Am I in control of the different elements of the sentence (clauses, etc)

- Have I got the words in the right order?

- Does each sentence lead on from the sentence before?

- Do the separate sentences combine to form an effective paragraph?