Sentence variation
Learning how to begin a sentence in different ways can be a useful tool for paraphrasing. It adds variety and interest to your writing. Study each example below; the variation technique is in bold.
1. Original sentence: John Lee not only plays the piano with great accomplishment but he also plays eight other instruments with ease.
Begin with a noun appositive: | An accomplished pianist, John Lee also plays eight other instruments with ease. |
2. Original sentence: Fonterra is a large and powerful corporation with sole monopoly of NZ's milk export industry.
Begin with an adjective appositive: | Large and powerful, Fonterra has sole monopoly of New Zealand's milk export industry. |
3. Original sentence: Madame Curie was an industrious worker in the research team.
Begin with a prepositional phrase: | In her research team, Madame Curie was an industrious worker. |
4. Original sentence: The council organised some public meetings to encourage more community discussion.
Begin with an infinitive (to+verb) phrase: | To encourage community discussion, the council has organised some public meetings. |
5. Original sentence: The students believed that their English proficiency improved because they watched English films.
Begin with a verb+ing phrase: | Watching English films improved their English language skills, according to the students. By watching English films, the students believed that their English language skills improved. |
6. Original sentence: Beethoven, who also played harpsichord and viola, was appointed deputy court organist at the age of 12.
Begin with a verb appositive: | Appointed deputy court organist at the age of 12, Beethoven also played harpsichord and viola. |
7. Original sentence: People are generally more susceptible to illnesses when they feel stressed.
Begin with a clause modifier: | When people are stressed, they are more susceptible to illness. People who are stressed are more susceptible to illness. |
8. Original sentence: Additive personality is the result of a combination of psychological, biological and environmental influences, and not jsut a pre-determined set o behavioural traqits (White, 2014)
Begin with a reporting phrase:
Click here for an excellent resource of such phrases. | Doug Sellman, Director of the National Addiction Centre at the University of Otago, suggests that additive personality is the result of a combination of psychological, biological and environmental influences, and "not just a pre-determined set of behavioral traits". (White, 2014). It has been suggested that.... (Whilte, 2014) |
Vary sentence openings
Revise each sentence using the structure indicated in brackets.
Example: The guards were fully armed, and they expected trouble. (Begin with present participle -Verb+ing - phrase.)
Paraphrase: Expecting trouble, the guards were fully armed.
Now you try.
1 The pioneer was strong and healthy and lived to be 112 years old. (Begin with adjective modifiers.)
2 Richard's youngest son began his travels at a very early age and had many exotic adventures. (Begin with Verb+ing phrase.)
3 The university will open on September 19 unless circumstances force a postponement. (Begin with a clause modifier)
4 The National Party leader listed all the achievements of the party in his opening address. (Begin with a prepositional phrase.)
5 Plato, who is the author of the Socrates dialogues, is read by many philosophy students. (Begin with an appositive.)
6 One of the greatest fears of new immigrants is that they may not be accepted by the local people. (Begin with a clause modifier.)
7 The winner of the 2011 Young Opera Talent award took her training to Milan to begin her dream of becoming a major opera star. (Begin with an infinitive -to+verb- phrase.)
8 Beethoven was plagued by ill health throughout his adult life, and in 1819 developed a severe ear infection which led to his tragic deafness. (Begin with a past participle:Verb+ed- phrase.)
9 Rising sea levels may result in salination of aquifers (Thompson, 2002). (Change to a reported statement using the reporting verb 'notes'.)
2 Beginning/Having begun his travels at a very early age Richard's youngest son had many exotic adventures. (Begin with Verb+ing phrase.)
3 Unless circumstances force a postponement, the university will open on September 19. (Begin with an adverb clause.)
4 In his opening address, the National Party leader listed all the achievements of the party. (Begin with a prepositional phrase.)
5 The author of the Socrates dialogues, Plato is read by many philosophy students. (Begin with an appositive.)
6 That they may not be accepted by the local people is one of the greatest fears of new immigrants. (Begin with a clause modifier.)
7 To begin her dream of becoming a major opera star, the winner of the 2011 Young Opera Talent award took her training to Milan (Begin with infinitive (to+verb) phrase.)
8 Plagued by ill health throughout his adult life, Beethoven developed a severe ear infection in 1819, which led to his tragic deafness. (Begin with past participle(Verb+ed) phrase.)
9 Thompson (2002) notes that rising sea levels may result in salination of acquifers. (reported statement) OR
It has been pointed out that rising sea levels.....(Thompson, 2002)