Sentences – Part 2
CLAUSE – contains both a SUBJECT AND A VERB
Fred lost his keys. Is a clause, since it contains the subject noun, Fred, and the verb, lost.
PHRASE – contains NO SUBJECT or independent verb.
After losing his keys, Is a phrase because it contains no subject.
MAIN CLAUSE – (independent clause) stands alone
CATEGORIES OF SENTENCES
There are several categories of sentences, including: grammatical, functional, and rhetorical. But without delving into all of them, lets discuss the category most relevant to creative writers – rhetorical sentences. There are four types of rhetorical sentences.
1) PERIODIC – sentences in which the ELABORATION IS BEFORE the MAIN CLAUSE:
Cold, hungry, and alone, he somehow managed to survive the ascent down Everest.
2) LOOSE – sentences in which the ELABORATION is AFTER the MAIN CLAUSE:
He managed to survive the ascent down Everest, cold, hungry, and alone.
3) BALANCED – sentences with parallel construction:
Harold was fed up with prison, guards, with life in general.
4) ANTITHETICAL – sentences with opposing poles of view:
I said I would help you; I didn’t say I would raise you.
Because rhetorical sentences are the most dependent on the element of rhythm to obtain their desired effect, they lend themselves to stylistic flourish better than any other sentence category. As a creative writer, you should listen to the music of the words you have written. Read your sentences out loud. Listen to the way the sounds roll of your tongue. Just as in music composition, you move away from or towards your tonic – or root note, each of the above types of sentences allow the writer different ways to move towards, away from, or even around the main clause, in order to create the rhythm called for in that particular instance.
In the next section, we’ll discuss the interrelationships of sentences themselves and how they fit together to make a cohesive paragraph.
