Understanding Dr. Hunter’s Sentence Types to Enhance Writing Skills: Part 1

At Shalom College, we are committed to fostering strong writing skills in our students. One powerful tool we use is Dr. Ian Hunter's Eight Sentence Types. Let's dive into four different sentence types that will help your child develop a unique and varied writing style.

1. The Very Short Sentence:

    - These sentences consist of five words or less and create a strong impact.

Encourage your child to strategically place these sentences in the middle of a paragraph or as the final sentence to surprise the reader.

Examples:

• Gravity accelerates objects towards Earth.
• The formula relates variables in equations.
• Muscles contract for movement control.

2. The W-Start:

    - Begin sentences with W words like "while," "when," "with," or "whereas."
    - This style lays the foundation for analytical writing.

Encourage your child to use W-start sentences when analysing texts or presenting arguments.

Examples:

• When studying genetics, scientists encountered fascinating mutations.
• Whereas aerobic exercise boosts endurance, anaerobic exercise builds strength.
• With collaboration, the team achieved exceptional results in the tournament.

3. Adverb at the Front:

    - Introducing an adverb at the beginning of a sentence adds intrigue and interest.
    - Examples of adverbs to use: "interestingly," "curiously," "thoughtfully,"  "remarkably," "importantly," "usefully," "now," "so," or "yet."

Encourage your child to experiment with these adverbs to captivate the reader from the start.

Examples:

• Curiously, the art movement began in a small village, but its influence spread across continents.
• Interestingly, the death of Caesar shaped the course of civilizations and influenced contemporary societal values.
• Importantly, proper warm-up reduces the risk of injuries during exercise.

4. Em Dash:

    - The em dash allows for the insertion of a disconnected thought within a sentence.
    - It can be used to change tense, direction, or narrator, adding depth to the writing.

Encourage your child to incorporate em dashes to enhance their storytelling or add emphasis to a specific point.

Examples:

• The data suggested a trend—a steady increase in temperature.
• The participants were excited—a chance to compete at the regional level.
• Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa—a masterpiece admired worldwide—displays enigmatic beauty.

Mastering these sentence structures can significantly improve your child's writing. These techniques empower them to make their work stand out and communicate with clarity and style.

Ms Camilla Cook
Teacher & Literacy Coordinator
Camilla_cook@shalomcollege.com