Sentence Structure

and Punctuation

Analysis
Sentence structure and punctuation
come under analysis questions.
This means you must identify the
technique AND explain the effect.
You must be able to recognise
different types of sentences and also
why particular punctuation is used.

Sentence Structure
Remember:
An answer to this kind of analysis question
should always describe the main features
of the sentence structure
AND
Explain the EFFECT this is meant to have.

Sentence Lengths
Long Sentences if the sentence is long, the pace
of the sentence will be slow, created a relaxed
flowing effect to the writing, e.g.

She walked down the side of the hill as the summer

sun blazed in the sky above her, causing her to
shield her eyes, such was the brightness of that
beautiful afternoon

Sentence Lengths
Short sentences if the sentence is short,
the writer may want to create tension or
describe a fast moving action, e.g.

The girl paused. She listened intently.

Nothing. She ran on. She stopped. This
time she heard footsteps.

Example Question
The writer describes how the tourists become
weary and begin to thin out later in the day.
Comment on any one feature of the sentence
structure in these lines which reinforce the idea.

Later the tourists become wearier, their legs

heavier, more prone to squabbling with their
partners. The number of tour groups dwindle. The
number of French visitors increase.

Answer
The second and third sentences are very
short and simple, suggesting the reduction
in numbers.
First I identified the type of sentence
structure short and simple.
Then I explained the effect suggests
reduction in numbers.

Types of Sentence
The function of a sentence can be:
To make a statement
To ask a question
To issue a command
To utter an exclamation

Statements
A statement will have a full stop at the
end, e.g.

My hands are freezing.

Writing made up of statements alone
can have a calm or impersonal tone.

Questions
Asks something and always ends with a
question mark, e.g.

Are your hands freezing?

Using questions may show uncertainty in the
writer or it may be that he/she is
challenging the reader.

Commands
Tells you to do something, e.g.

Please close that door.

Get out of here!
They usually end in a full stop or an
exclamation mark. They are often used in
advertising or when the writer is directly
talking to the reader.

Exclamations
Express excitement or surprise, e.g.

How beautiful!
What a place!
They do not always contain verbs and usually
end in an exclamation mark. Writers use
then to create a dramatic or emotive tone.

Minor Sentences
Do not contain a verb, They are abbreviations of
other types of sentences, so may end in a full stop
or question mark, e.g.
What now?
These sentences can be very short and may create a
tense or dramatic mood. They are typical of
informal language and can be used in direct
speech. Writing without verbs can also be called
note form.

Recap
Decide whether sentences are long and
complex or short and simple. Short
and simple sentences are direct and
quick communication, Long and
complex sentences are usually used in
more formal serious language.

Patterns in Sentences
Look for these particular patterns in sentences:
INVERSION is when the order of words is not as you would
expect. This can be useful in creating suspense when the
subject is only understood at the end of the sentence, e.g.
Eerily, from the mist on the moor, came a low whistle.
It also emphasises the word or phrase at the beginning of the
sentence, e.g.
Down swept the axe.

Patterns
LISTS emphasises how many examples there are
of a certain thing, or emphasises a point that may
have been in the sentence before, e.g.
Scotland is an unhealthy country, It has problems
with heart disease, strokes, cancer, obesity and
drug overdoes.
This list emphasises how many serious health
problems Scotland has, and backs up the point
made in the previous sentence.

Patterns
REPETITION in a sentence, certain words may be
used more than once,. This draws attention to
that particular word to stress its significance or
make a point, e.g.
They, and they alone
The sentence construction may also be repeated.
This is often used by politicians in public speeches
because it drives home a point effectively, e.g.
We will not be dictated to by the government. We
will not be satisfied with any compromises, We
will not be satisfied until our demands are met.

Patterns
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS are also used
frequently in public speaking and consists
if a question to which no answer is called
for because the speaker assumes that all
are agreed on the answer. They are used
by writers who want to argue a point, e.g.
Who do they think they are?
Would you like a punishment exercise?

Punctuation
What is the point of punctuation?
Punctuation creates and clarifies
meaning.
Really?
Yes really!
Whatever

Example
Read the following text and describe
how the woman feels about the man
she is writing to.

Example 1
Dear Alex,
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You
are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not
like you admit to being useless and inferior. You
have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I
have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I
can be forever happy -- will you let me be yours?
Gloria

Now the exact same piece of text and

explain how the woman feels about
Alex.

Example 2
Dear Alex,
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you
are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not
like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You
have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I
have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I
can be forever happy. Will you let me be?
Yours,
Gloria

Punctuation
Why are you able to read such
conflicting emotions in the exact
same piece of writing?
Its all about the punctuation!

Punctuation
These types of question come under
sentence structure and you have to
ANALYSE the effect of different
types of punctuation. This means you
need to be able to identify the
punctuation and explain why it has
been used.

Exclamation Marks
Create the effect that the writer is
shouting, or that they are making a
joke. It also gives the effect that
the writer us shocked or surprised.

Commas
Commas are separating marks. They
may separate items in a list, or
separate clauses of phrases form the
rest of the sentence. They can also
slow down the pace.

Colon
Introduces a quotation or a list; an
explanation or elaboration; or a
summing up. It always points you
forward to complete an idea.

Semi-Colon
May finish a sentence that is followed
by another closely connected or
contrasted with it. Semi-colons may
also separate items ins a list.

Dash
Emphasises the word which comes
after it. It can also act like a colon
and introduce a list or an additional
idea in a sentence.

Inverted Commas
They mark quotations, exact words
spoken, direct speech, foreign words
or words used in an unusual way. Also
used to suggest so-called
expressions. For example: He was a
hero, suggests that he wasn't a hero
at all. The word is being used
ironically or sarcastically.

Parenthesis
Is an extra piece of information inserted
into a sentence and enclosed by a pair or
commas, brackets or dashes etc.
e.g. John Wilson (who is in class 2x) won
the prize of best pupil
The CN Tower the highest man-made
structure in the world is Torontos most
visited tourist attraction

Capital Letters
Emphasises something important or
suggests the ay something is said. It
gives the impression that the writer
is shouting or is very surprised.

Italics
Emphasises something important or
suggests the way something is said.
It puts emphasis on a particular word
or phrase.