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Wordiness PREVIOUS Click to see a revision MENUEXIT Sentence Beginnings All of these sentences begin with a subject and verb. Identify these words in each sentence. The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city. When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.
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WordinessSentence Beginnings
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When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.
WordinessSentence Beginnings
MENU EXIT
All of these sentences begin with a subject and verb. Identify these words in each sentence.
The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city.
PREVIOUS
When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.
Click to see the answer
Wordiness
PREVIOUS
Click to see a revision
MENU EXIT
Sentence Beginnings
All of these sentences begin with a subject and verb. Identify these words in each sentence.
The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city.
When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Sentence Beginnings
The coyote looked lost and scared. It dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy. It didn’t belong in the city.
ORIGINAL
REVISED
Looking lost and scared, the coyote dashed under the porch. It was just a puppy, and it didn’t belong in the city.
Next
Such monotonous writing can be improved by varying the beginnings of some sentences.
When too many sentences in a paragraph begin the same way, the writing will be dull and monotonous.
Wordiness
Use the following strategies for varying the way your sentences begin. Click on the strategy you want to explore.
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Sentence Beginnings
•Start a sentence with a phrase•Start a sentence with a single word•Start a sentence with a subordinate clause
Wordiness
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PhrasesA phrase at the beginning of a sentence can add both variety and extra detail. These phrases may also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas or show a sequence.
• After the race, the runners stretched their muscles.• Walking as quickly as I could, I got home in time for dinner.• To watch the play and not laugh was difficult.
Sentence Beginnings
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesA phrase at the beginning of a sentence can add both variety and extra detail. These phrases may also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas or show a sequence.
Sentence Beginnings
• After the race, the runners stretched their muscles.• Walking as quickly as I could, I got home in time for dinner.• To watch the play and not laugh was difficult.
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesA phrase at the beginning of a sentence can add both variety and extra detail. These phrases may also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas or show a sequence.
Next
Sentence Beginnings
• After the race, the runners stretched their muscles.• Walking as quickly as I could, I got home in time for dinner.• To watch the play and not laugh was difficult.
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
PhrasesWhich idea in the following paragraph could be changed into a phrase?
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
Sentence Beginnings
Click to see the idea
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
To vary these sentences, change one of these ideas into a phrase. Which idea could be changed into a phrase?
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
Click to see a revision
Sentence Beginnings
Phrases
Wordiness
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PhrasesSentence Beginnings
To vary these sentences, change one of these ideas into a phrase. Which idea could be changed into a phrase?
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesSentence Beginnings
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
They are theThey
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesSentence Beginnings
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. They are the largest bears in the world. They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesSentence Beginnings
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesSentence Beginnings
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
The, they
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
PhrasesSentence Beginnings
Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
The, they
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
PhrasesSentence Beginnings
Linking the last two sentences with a phrase helps connect the information about their size and breaks up the monotony of the sentences.
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Kodiak bears live only in Alaska. The largest bears in the world They stand over ten feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
The, they
Wordiness
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Single WordsA single word at the beginning of a sentence can add variety to a paragraph and change the rhythm of the sentences.
• Frantic, she waited for the light to change.• Starving, he ripped open the plastic sandwich bag.• Desperate, she searched the empty streets for a lighted
window.
Sentence Beginnings
Wordiness
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Single WordsA single word at the beginning of a sentence can add variety to a paragraph and change the rhythm of the sentences.
Sentence Beginnings
• Frantic, she waited for the light to change.• Starving, he ripped open the plastic sandwich bag.• Desperate, she searched the empty streets for a lighted
window.
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
Single WordsA single word at the beginning of a sentence can add variety to a paragraph and change the rhythm of the sentences.
Sentence Beginnings
Next
• Frantic, she waited for the light to change.• Starving, he ripped open the plastic sandwich bag.• Desperate, she searched the empty streets for a lighted
window.
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Single WordsSentence Beginnings
Where could adding a single word add variety to this paragraph?
The player dribbled the basketball deliberately. He faked a move to the left. He drove toward the basket.
Click to see a revision
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Single WordsSentence Beginnings
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The player dribbled the basketball deliberately. He faked a move to the left. Suddenly, he drove toward the basket.
The addition of the word changes the rhythm of the sentences and adds interest by giving one action more emphasis.
Wordiness
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Subordinate ClausesBeginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas.
• As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook.• Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our
electricity for eight hours.• After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken.
Sentence Beginnings
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
Subordinate ClausesBeginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas.
Sentence Beginnings
• As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook.• Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our
electricity for eight hours.• After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken.
Wordiness
MENU EXIT
Subordinate ClausesBeginning with a subordinate clause not only adds variety, it can also emphasize an important idea or stress the sequence of events. Clauses can also function as transitions, helping to connect ideas.
Sentence Beginnings
i
NextNext
• As I waited for class to end, I doodled on my notebook.• Because a tree fell across the electric wires, we lost our
electricity for eight hours.• After I fell off my bicycle, I realized my arm was broken.
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Subordinate ClausesSentence Beginnings
Which of these sentences could be changed to include a subordinate clause?
My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. She loves music, and she has decided to study it in college.
Click to see the sentence
Wordiness
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Subordinate ClausesSentence Beginnings
My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. She loves music, and she has decided to study it in college.
Click to see a revision
Which of these sentences could be changed to include a subordinate clause?
Wordiness
PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Subordinate ClausesSentence Beginnings
My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. She loves music, and she has decided to study it in college.
ORIGINAL
My sister plays the piano very well. She started lessons when she was five. Because she loves music, she has decided to study it in college.
REVISED
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