Sentence Styles
Style Definition Textual Examples
The Segregating Style Grammatically simple, He writes, at most, 750
expressing a single idea. words a day. He writes
Consists of relatively and rewrites. He
short, uncomplicated polishes and repolishes.
sentences He works in solitude.
He works with agony.
He works with sweat.
And that is the only way
to work at all.
The Freight Train Style Couples short And the rain descended
independent clauses to and the floods came,
make longer sequential and the winds blew, and
statements beat upon the house,
and it fell: and great was
Multiple Coordination the fall of it.
using “and” to link
coordinating clauses MC
It was a hot day and the
Parataxis sky was bright and the
independent clauses road was white and
linked by semicolons dusty.
Triadic Sentence Parataxis
3 clauses using MC or The habits of the natives
Parataxis are disgusting; the
women hawk on the
floor, the forks are dirty;
the trees are poor; the
Pont Neuf is not a patch
on the London Bridge;
the cows are too skinny.
Advantages Disadvantages Writing Uses
Useful in descriptive Less useful in Narrative and
and narrative writing exposition where you descriptive passages
must combine ideas in
Analyzes a complicated subtle gradations of Emphasis for longer
perception or action into logic and importance. sentences
its parts and arranges
these in significant Can become too
order simplistic and lose its
character
Simple yet effective;
emphatic and adds
variety
Can link a series of Does not handle ideas Children’s writing or
events, ideas, subtly and implies that childlike visions
impressions, feelings, or all linked thoughts are
perceptions as equally significant Experience of the mind,
immediately as possible, descriptions
without judging their Cannot show precise
relative value or logical relationships stream of consciousness
imposing a logical (cause and effect)
structure on them
Can continue without
stopping
Style Definition Textual Examples Advantages Disadvantages Writing Uses
The Cumulative Initial independent A creek ran through the Can handle a series of Open-ended (like a Description, character
Sentence clause followed by meadow, winding and events freight train) sketches
many subordinate turning, clear water
constructions, which running between steep Can act as a frame, Less often used in
accumulate details about banks of black earth, enclosing the details narration
the person, place, event, with shallow places
or idea where you build a dam. Details may precede or
follow the main clause
She was then twenty- —using “these,”
one, a year out of Smith “those,” “this,” “that,”
College, a dark, shy, and “such” as preceding
quiet girl with a fine nouns
mind and a small but
pure gift for her
thoughts on paper.
The Parallel Style Two or more words or In its energy, its lyrics, Impressive and pleasing Suits only ideas that are Can be used in all forms
constructions stand in its advocacy of to hear logically parallel—three of writing for emphasis
an identical grammatical frustrated joys, rock is or four conditions of the or description—
relationship to the same one long symphony of Economical—using one same effect emotional or intellectual
thing. All subjects must protest. element to serve three or
be in the same form. four others Formal for modern taste

Enriches meaning by Can be too wordy just

emphasizing subtle by being a parallel
connections between structure
words
The Balanced Sentence Two parts, roughly In a few moments The constructions may Unsuitable for Irony and comedy or
equivalent in length. It everything grew black, be balanced and parallel conveying the just about anything else
may also be split on and the rain poured immediacy of raw
either side. down like a cataract. experience or the
intensity of strong
Visit either you like; emotion
they’re both mad.
Formality is likely to
Children played about seem too elaborate for
her, and she sang as she modern readers
Style Definition Textual Examples Advantages Disadvantages Writing Uses
worked.
The Subordinating Style Loose Structure Loose Sentence Loose Sentence Loose Sentence Loose Sentence
Main clause comes first We must always be Puts things first—the Lacks emphasis and Colloquial, informal,
Expresses the main weary of conclusions way we talk easily becomes formless and relaxed
clause and arranges drawn from the ways of —no clear ending points
points of lesser the social insects, since Expresses a complete
importance around it, in their evolutionary tract idea or perception
the form of phrases and lies so far from ours.
independent clauses

Periodic Sentence
Periodic Structure Periodic Sentence Periodic Sentence Too long of a delay can Periodic Sentence
Main clause follows Since there is no future Emphatic—it delays the be confusing Formal and literal
subordinate parts for the black ghetto, the principle thought,
future of all Negroes is increasing climax Less advantage in
diminished. informal writing

Convoluted Sentence
Convoluted Structure Convoluted Sentence Convoluted Sentence Formal and taxing— Convoluted Sentence
Main clause is split in White men, at the Simple offers variety in interrupting elements Formal writing, use
two, the subordinate bottom of their hearts, style and emphasis for grow longer and more sparingly
parts intruding know this. the words before and complicated
after comments

Centered Sentence
Centered Structure Centered Sentence Centered Sentence Not as emphatic as Centered Sentence
Main clause occupies Having wanted to walk Good in long sentences periodic or as informal Formal, for long and
the middle of the on the sea like St. Peter, —can order events or as loose complicated subjects to
sentence he had taken an ideas include event as well as
involuntary bath, losing grammatical order.
his mitre and the better
part of his reputation.
Style Definition Textual Examples Advantages Disadvantages Writing Uses

The Fragment Single work, phrase, or Remove the cold and Emphasis Unsupported fragments Formal and informal
dependent clause stupid eyeball, it would become grammatical writing—for emphasis
standing alone as a bleat still, “Ahhhhh,” errors—fixed by
sentence take off the head, shake rejoining the modifier
out the sawdust, crack with the sentence
the back against the bras
bed rail, it would bleat Only use occasionally
still. The gauze back
would slit, and I could
see the disk with six
holes, the secret of the
sound. A mere metal
roundness.