Writing COMPLEX sentences

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Writing COMPLEX sentences instead of only
writing SIMPLE sentences So you can write more
sophisticated, have more sentence variety, and
sound smart!
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What happens to our writing when ALL of our
sentences sound exactly the same?
Lets look at the following example.
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Gary Provost on the Rhythms of Sentence Length
              This sentence has five words. This
is five words too. Five word sentences are fine.
But several together become monotonous. Listen to
what is happening. The writing is getting boring.
The sound of it drones. It's like a stuck record.
The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary
the sentence length and I create music. Music.
The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a
lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use
sentences of medium length. And sometimes when I
am certain the reader is rested I will engage him
with a sentence of considerable length, a
sentence that burns with energy and builds with
all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the
drums, the crash of the symbols, and sounds that
say listen to this, it is important.
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So, how do you, as an eighth grader ensure that
your sentences are more COMPLEX and do not all
begin EXACTLY the same way?
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One answer is to use AAWWUBBIS words at the
beginning of your sentences!!
What is an AWUBIS word?
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An AAAWWUBIS word is just a catchy term for a
Subordinating Conjunction Write these down.
A - After A - Although A - As W -
When W - While U - Until B - Because B
- Before I - If S - Since
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How will an AWUBIS word help?
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These conjunctions will force you to write
COMPLEX sentences and have sentenceVARIETY!
Complex sentences are the result of
AAAWWUBBIFYING!!! (New term!)
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I still dont get it. How do these conjunctions
create a complex sentence? And what IS a complex
sentence?
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So what is a Subordinating Conjunction? (aka
aaawwubbis word) It is a word which, when used at
the beginning of a sentence, creates a It
forces you to write an introductory clause before
you begin your sentence and that creates TWO
clauses in ONE sentence. How is that different
from a simple sentence?
Complex Sentence
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Simple Sentences
Simple Sentences are called simple because they
contain a single subject and a simple predicate
(verb). Example It was raining. (it is the
subject and was raining is the verb).
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Now add an awwubbis word(because) to the
beginning of that simple sentence and VOILA!
You have a COMPLEX sentence! Because it was
raining, I took my umbrella. This sentence
contains two clauses, Because it was raining
and I took my umbrella. It is COMPLEX because
it now contains two different thoughts or
clauses.
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Here is another example of a sentence with an
aaawwbbis word or subordinating
conjunction. Although it was hot, he was wearing
a coat. Notice that when you use the
subordinating conjunction at the beginning of a
sentence, a comma usually joins the two
clauses. Now, you try it. Write a COMPLEX
sentence with each aaawwubbis word.