Writing Strong Sentences

Creating Stronger Sentences

Your Dream House Descriptive Writing Practice​

Creating Stronger Sentences

We'll be reviewing the following parts of speech first:

• Adjectives

• Adverbs

• Prepositional Phrases​

• exceptional

• delicate

• sturdy

• bright

• cheery​

Examples:

Adjectives are words that describe a noun or pronoun. They show up before or after the word they are describing.​

Adjectives

Multiple Choice

What does an adjective do in a sentence?

• modifies or describes a noun

• modifies or describes a verb

• modifies or describes another adjective

• modifies or describes a gerund

Multiple Choice

Where does an adjective go in a sentence?

• before the word it is describing

• after the word it is describing

• before or after the word it is describing

• anywhere, because the adjective does what it wants

• why?

• when?

• where?

• under what condition?​

Often answer the questions:

Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They can be before or after the word they are describing. ​

Adverbs

• elegantly

• cheerily

• modestly​

Examples:

Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They can be before or after the word they are describing. ​

Adverbs

Multiple Choice

What does an adverb modify or describe?

• nouns and verbs

• adjectives and nouns

• verbs and adjectives

• adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs

Multiple Choice

Which of these questions does an adverb NOT answer?

• Why?

• When?

• Where?

• Who?

​

The plane flew _____ the cloud. ​

• ​into the cloud

• under the cloud

• around the cloud​

They can usually fill in the blank in this sentence:

Prepositional Phrases begin with a preposition and usually end with a noun, pronoun, or gerund. ​

Prepositional Phrases

• ​​among the trees

• beneath the​ attic

• behind the fence

• beyond the yard​

Examples: ​

Prepositional Phrases begin with a preposition and usually end with a noun, pronoun, or gerund. ​

Prepositional Phrases

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT how a prepositional phrase usually ends?

• a preposition

• a noun

• a pronoun

• a gerund

Open Ended

What sentence can you use to test if a word is a preposition?

​The path, lined with delicate pink rose bushes curves grandly up to the front door, where an ornate copper doorknob invites visitors to turn the knob and enter the spacious formal hall.

Strong Sentence:

The path led to the front door.

Weak Sentence:

Using descriptives to write stronger sentences

Open Ended

Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to make this weak sentence stronger:

There are six windows on the front of the house.

Open Ended

Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to make this weak sentence stronger:

The garden is filled with flowers.

Open Ended

Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to make this weak sentence stronger:

There is a large front door. 

Open Ended

Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to make this weak sentence stronger:

There is a peaked roof with a chimney.

Open Ended

Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to make this weak sentence stronger:

The front window has a view of the woods.

Open Ended

Add adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to make this weak sentence stronger:

The uppermost window is circular and opens into an attic.