Rhetorical Analysis Review ^ Rhetoric Tool Box: Basic Syntax

Question 1

syntax

Answer 1

the way an author designs sentences to have an effect on the listener or reader

Question 2

clause

Answer 2

a group of words with a subject and a verb

Question 3

dependent (subordinate) clause

Answer 3

a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought; an incomplete sentence
(ex: “WHEN I WAS A SMALL CHILD, I knew no fear.”)

Question 4

independent (main) clause

Answer 4

a group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought
(ex: “When I was a small child, I KNEW NO FEAR.”)

Question 5

simple sentence

Answer 5

has one independent clause

ex: “Kate and Damarius are partners on the project.”

Question 6

compound sentence

Answer 6

has two or more independent clauses

ex: “Kate and Damarius are partners on this project, but each of them wants to be partners with someone else.”

Question 7

complex sentence

Answer 7

has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
(ex: “Because Kate was absent on Tuesday, she was unable to choose her partner.”)

Question 8

compound-complex sentence

Answer 8

has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause
(ex: “Because Kate and Damarius were absent on Tuesday, they were unable to choose their partners, so the teacher put them together.”)

Question 9

FANBOYS

Answer 9

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

Question 10

declarative sentence

Answer 10

sentence that expresses a statement

ex: “I am a vegan.”

Question 11

imperative sentence

Answer 11

makes a command of the audience

ex: “Eat your vegetables.”

Question 12

exclamatory sentence

Answer 12

expresses strong feelings often in the form of anger, excitement, or surprise
(ex: “That leather couch is made from dead cows!”)

Question 13

interrogative sentence

Answer 13

asks a question from the audience

ex: “Do you have any soy milk for my coffee?”

Question 14

telegraphic sentence

Answer 14

shorter than five words in length

Question 15

short sentence

Answer 15

five to eight words in length

Question 16

medium sentence

Answer 16

approximately eighteen words in length

Question 17

long and involved sentence

Answer 17

more than 30 words in length

Question 18

loose sentence

Answer 18

the subject and verb come at the beginning of the sentence

(ex: “I balance work, home, and church life with no small amount of resentment.”

Question 19

periodic sentence

Answer 19

the subject and verb come at the end of the sentence

ex: “At the dawn of time before light or dark, solid or liquid, he spoke.”

Question 20

balanced sentence

Answer 20

the phrases or clauses balance each other by virtue of their similarity in length, structure, or meaning
(ex: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside still waters.”)

Question 21

split order sentence

Answer 21

the subject is in the middle of the predicate, which is split into two parts
(ex: “In Arizona undocumented workers are in constant fear of deportation.”)

Question 22

natural order sentence

Answer 22

the subject comes before the verb and may be followed by modifiers.
(ex: The woman chewed her fingernails.”)

Question 23

inverted order sentence

Answer 23

the typical subject-verb-modifier order is switched for effect. (ex: “Her fingernails the woman chewed.”)

Question 24

interrupted sentence

Answer 24

dashes set off non-essential information

ex: Shawn’s first challenge—and there were many—was to confess his crime to his mother.”

Question 25

participial phrase

Answer 25

a group of words consisting of a participle and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the participle

(ex: “Removing his coat, Jack rushed to the river.”)
The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying Jack.

Removing (participle)
his coat (direct object of action expressed in participle)

Question 26

infinitive phrase

Answer 26

a group of words consisting of an infinitive and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the actor(s), direct object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the infinitive (ex: We intended to leave early.”)

The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of the verb intended.

to leave (infinitive)
early (adverb)