Style, Syntax and Structure

AP Language and Composition

Syntax: The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language

sentence structure - the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences -phrase structure, syntax

Style-Style, to a fiction writer, is basically the way you write, as opposed to what you write about (though the two things are definitely linked). It results from things like word choice, tone, and syntax. It's the voice readers "hear" when they read your work.

To an editor, on the other hand, style refers to the mechanics of writing,

i.e., grammar and punctuation.

Style, Structure and Syntax

Voc. Ch. 3 work (check hmwk) Handouts on Style, Structure and Syntax Unit Style Chart Handout Style handout exercises pp.26 Effects created by Syntax pp. 31-34 “Terror at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard, reading

and exercises, discuss

HMWK: copy down Syntax terms into your notebook (rhetorical strategies) from this powerpoint; Everyday Use p.70 #1-2, p.72 #2

What’s in it for today?

Declarative- Imperative-Exclamatory- Interrogative- Loose- Balanced- Periodic-Convoluted- Centered- Freight train-Anaphora-Epistrophe-Asyndeton-Polysyndeton-Appositive/Rhetorical QuestionSubordination/Coordination

Terms to Know

Declarative sentences in the English language are the sentences that form a statement

Ex: Tomorrow I will go to the store.

Declarative

Imperative sentences in the English language are the sentences that make a command or request

Ex: Get me some water. Leave that cat alone.

Imperative

Interrogative sentences in the English language are the sentences that form a question

Ex: What do you think I should wear the pink shoes or the white sneakers? What did the teacher say to you yesterday?

Interrogative

A type of sentence that expresses strong feelings by making an exclamation.

An exclamatory sentence ends with an exclamation point.

Ex: It’s alive! It’s alive!

Exclamatory

Couples short, independent clauses to make longer sequential statements.

Ex: And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell:  and  great was the fall of it.

Freight Train

Two parts, roughly equivalent in length.  It may also be spilt on either side.

Textual Examples: In a few moments, everything grew black,

and the rain poured down like a cataract. Visit either you like; they’re both mad. Children played about her; and she sang as

she worked.

The Balanced Sentence

 Expresses the main clause and arranges points of lesser importance around it, in the form of phrases and independent clauses

 Loose Structure Main clause comes first    Periodic Structure Main clause follows subordinate parts    Convoluted Structure Main clause is split in two, the subordinate parts intruding   Centered Structure Main clause occupies the middle of the sentence

The Subordinating Style

Loose SentenceWe must always be weary of conclusions drawn from the ways of the

social insects, since their evolutionary tract lies so far from ours.

 Periodic SentenceSince there is no future for the black ghetto, the future of all Negroes is

diminished.   Convoluted SentenceWhite men, at the bottom of their hearts, know this.  Centered SentenceHaving wanted to walk on the sea like St. Peter, he had taken an

involuntary bath, losing his mind and the better part of his reputation.

  

Examples

Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines.  

Example:   This royal throne of kings, this haunting isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,

Ending a series of lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same word or words.  

Examples   What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny compared to what lies within us." —Emerson

Examples of parallelism

Anaphora/Epistrophe

Polysyndeton is a list or series of words, phrases, or clauses that is connected with the repeated use of the same conjunction. The most common conjunctions used with polysyndeton are and and or.

Ex. The citizens of the small town demanded a new sheriff and mayor, hoping the change would lead to the elimination of deception and fraud and corruption.

Asyndeton is a list or a series in which no and is used at all, rather the items are separated by commas. Asyndeton has an effect that is quite different from polysyndeton’s.

If the effect of polysyndeton is to slow the reader down, the effect of asyndeton is most often the opposite: to speed the reader up.

Ex. “I came, I saw, I conquered.” –Julius Casear

Asyndeton/Polysyndeton

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply.[

An appositive is a noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns used to identify or rename another noun, noun phrase, or pronoun.

Rhetorical Question/Appositive

coordinating conjunctions are used to join independent clauses to make compound sentences.

The coordinating conjunctions are as follows: and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet. You can use coordinating conjunctions to revise run-on sentences and comma splices .

You can also use coordinating conjunctions to make writing less choppy by joining short, simple sentences.

Consider the following examples. Independent Clauses: I wanted more popcorn. Sam wanted

Junior Mints.Joined Together: I wanted more popcorn, but Sam wanted Junior Mints.

Coordinating conjunctions

subordinating conjunctions are used to join independent clauses to make complex sentences. The subordinating conjunctions are as follows: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, if only, rather than, since, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas, wherever, whether, which, and while.

You can use subordinating conjunctions to correct run-on sentences and comma splices. And you can use them to combine sentences so that writing is less choppy. Consider the following examples.

Complex Sentence: I wanted to get more soda because it’s hard to eat popcorn without it.

In this sentence, the subordinate clause is at the end. It would also be correct to place the subordinate clause at the beginning of the sentence.

Subordination