The 2014 yeah write summer series continues! Check out Christine’s weekly kickoff post to find everything you need to know about the guidelines, format, and lounges for our third summer series. You’ll find the grid and posting guidelines at the bottom of this post. Don’t forget to drop by the yeah write lounges and the coffeehouse and introduce yourself. They are open 24-7 and would love to see you. Our weekly summer series writing topics continue. Today, we’re looking at sentences and what goes into them.
Writing Kick Ass Sentences
Sentences are the backbone of communication. They allow us to express thoughts and ideas in a way that is easy to understand. So, what exactly is a sentence? Today, we’re going to look at the key elements all sentences require, as well as some things we can do to ensure our sentences are the best ones out there.
The Essentials
First of all, a sentence should always contain a complete thought. And, in order for a sentence to truly be a sentence, it must also contain a subject and a predicate.
Example sentence: Fred, the fragrant foodie, stopped to smell the spicy saffron.
The Subject
The subject is the heart of a sentence; it tells us who or what is performing the action or being described. The subject will always include a noun or pronoun (e.g., Fred), but it can also include the modifiers (e.g., Fred, the fragrant foodie). An easy way to determine the subject is to isolate the verb and put who or what before it.
A Side Note about Imperative Sentences
When we use the imperative, the subject is always you, but it is not typically expressed (e.g., Stop right there!).
The Predicate
So if the subject is the heart of a sentence, then the predicate is the lungs. It describes the subject or tells us what the subject is doing. The predicate will always include a verb (e.g., stopped), but it can also include objects, complements, and other phrases (e.g., stopped to smell the spicy saffron). An easy way to determine the predicate in a sentence is to ask: What did/does the subject do?
Example sentence: Flora gave Fred a bountiful basket of fresh fruit.
Objects
In English grammar, there are two types of objects: direct and indirect. A direct object points to the person or thing affected by the verb’s action. You can usually figure out the direct object by isolating the verb and putting whom or what after it (gave what? a bountiful basket). An indirect object points to the person or thing that receives the direct object. You can usually figure out the indirect object by isolating the verb and putting to whom or to what after it (gave to whom? Fred).
Example sentence: The chef who cooked this fine meal was Fred’s first protégé.
Complements
In English grammar, a complement refers to something that completes, and there are two kinds: subject complements and object complements. A subject complement gives us details that complete our understanding of the subject. Normally, it will be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb. So, in the example sentence, Fred’s first protégé is the subject complement because it completes our understanding of the chef, and follows the linking verb, was. Similarly, an object complement gives us information that completes our understanding of the object. In the above sentence, the direct object is meal and the object complement is fine.
Crafting Sentences
Now that we’ve covered the basics of what makes a sentence, let’s look at how to craft sentences that kick ass.
- Be concise. Express your idea or thought in simple, straightforward language. Be direct. Don’t use run-on sentences.
- Be clear. Choose your words carefully and structure your sentences so they are easy to follow.
- Reduce redundancy. Instead of saying things like true fact or free gift or 12 midnight, say fact or gift or midnight. Same goes for modifiers. Instead of describing someone as stubborn and obstinate, pick one.
- Eliminate clichés and wordiness. Adding unnecessary jargon can make sentences long and difficult to understand. And adding clichés can make your whole paragraph sound clichéd.
- Test your sentence. Is it easy to determine the subject and the predicate? What about objects and complements? If you read your sentence out loud, does it make sense? Does it clearly express the idea or thought it’s supposed to?
For more detailed tips, check out Writing Concise Sentences in the Capital Community College Foundation’s Guide to Grammar and Writing.
This week’s optional prompt is: Why don’t we do it in the road?
Go ahead and answer that question in a gargleblaster, incorporate it in your longer fiction, or use it as inspiration for your nonfiction. You can also ignore it completely if you’ve already got a great idea! Below you’ll find the badge for the summer supergrid #173. Copy the code under the badge and paste it into the html or text view of your blog editor. Having trouble? Contact christine@yeahwrite.me for tech support. 
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