COMPARING LOOSE AND PERIODIC SENTENCES IN THIS PRESENTATION

COMPARING LOOSE AND PERIODIC SENTENCES

IN THIS PRESENTATION YOU WILL… See side by side comparison sentences of Loose and Periodic Sentence types See descriptions of the comparison between the sentence types

THE REAL DIFFERENCE… Loose sentences are easier, simpler, more natural and direct Periodic sentences are more complex, emphatic, formal or literary. Loose sentences have the main idea at the beginning Periodic sentences have the main idea at the end.

BASIC EXAMPLE Loose: She decided to study English, though she was interested in music. Periodic: Although she was interested in music, she finally decided to study English. Explanation: The main idea of both sentences is the fact that she decided to study English. This idea is put at the beginning of the first sentence and at the end of the second, thus making the first a loose sentence and the second a periodic sentence.

ANOTHER BASIC EXAMPLE Loose: You cannot make great progress in English without good study habits. Periodic: Without good study habits, you cannot make great progress in English. Explanation: The most important part of this pair of sentences is making great progress in English. The placement of this idea dictates which type of sentence it is.

MORE COMPLEX EXAMPLE Loose: There was a lamp burning on the table in the empty room and a little cat lying near the lamp. Periodic: On the table burned a lamp in the empty room and near it lay a little cat. Explanation: The key words LAMP and LITTLE CAT are withheld at the end of the second sentence, so the suspense and anticipation makes it a periodic sentence.