To be a good writer in English, you need to have a variety of sentence structures. English speakers love to see many different sentence types in a good read.
How do you create a variety of sentence? According to Daily Writing Tips, an excellent website for writers, you should get on A WHITE BUS!
A white bus? Not REALLY a white bus. A WHITE BUS is a mnemonic for words/phrases that begin subordinating conjunctions. Subordinating conjunctions are phrases that are not complete sentences. Adding subordinating conjunctions to your sentences will make them longer and more complex, and you will become a better writer!
Here is a list of subordinating conjunctions:
A
1. After
2. Although
3. As
W
4. When
5. Whenever
6. Whether or not
7. Where
8. Wherever
9. While
H
10. How
I
11. If
12. In case
13. In order to
T
14. That
15. Though
E
16. Even if
17. Even though
18. Ever since
B
19. Because
20. Before
U
21. Unless
22. Until
S
23. Since
24. So sure were you of your theory about them, you ignored evidence that you were wrong.”
25. So that
Try making sentences with the above Subordinating Conjunctions. How many of these are you comfortable with?
The following are some suggested sentences:
A
1. After I finish my homework, I need to make dinner.
2. Although I dislike chocolate and milk, I love chocolate milk.
3. As you already know, I am allergic to bees.
W
4. When you finish, can you help me?
5. Whenever I go to the movies, I have to eat popcorn.
6. Whether (or not) you like it, you must memorize phrasal verbs to speak English fluently.
7. Where there are clouds, there might be rain.
8. Wherever you go, I will follow.
9. While you are taking a test, you should try to relax.
H
10. How you can do the splits is beyond me!*
I
11. If I have a problem, I will call you.
12. In case you get lost, call the emergency number.
13. In order to improve your writing, you must use these sentence styles.
T
14. That I love dogs has never been disputed.**
15. Though I spent a week in Paris, I never saw the Eiffel Tower.
E
16. Even if it raining, we are still having the wedding outside.
17. Even though it rained, we had a great time at the wedding.
18. Ever since I got married, I have been so happy!
B
19. Because you are going to Spain, you should study Spanish.
20. Before you go to Spain, you should study Spanish.
U
21. Unless I tell you otherwise, you may not use my car.
22. Until you are 18, you cannot drive alone or vote.
S
23. Since I came to the U.S., I have been using Skype a lot.
24. So sick was she, she couldn’t go to the party.***
25. So that we are on the same page, let’s meet to discuss the project.
*How you can do the splits is beyond me!
Beyond me: I cannot understand
**That I love dogs has never been disputed.
“That I love dogs” is the subject in this strange sentence.
Disputed: argued.
***So sick was she, she couldn’t go to the party.
In this conjunction, the subject and verb are switched.