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Sentence Style

Sentence Variety

Sentence Variety
This quiz will provide practice in using a variety of ways to combine sentences clearly.

This activity contains 25 questions.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Claude is my neighbor. He is a master of wit. His wit is sarcastic.   Claude is my neighbor, and he is a master of wit, which is sarcastic. Claude, my neighbor, is a master of wit, which is sarcastic. Claude, my neighbor, is a master of sarcastic wit.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Audrey has owned her car for nearly fifteen years. It is rusted and dented. It still runs well.   Audrey has owned her car for nearly fifteen years. Although it is rusted and dented, it still runs well. Audrey has owned her car for nearly fifteen years. It is rusted and dented, but it still runs well. Although Audrey has owned her rusted, dented car for nearly fifteen years, it still runs well.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. The antique writing desk sat forgotten in the attic. It was dusty and covered in cobwebs.   Forgotten in the attic was the antique writing desk, which was covered in dust and cobwebs. The antique writing desk, dusty and covered in cobwebs, sat forgotten in the attic. The antique writing desk, which was dusty and covered in cobwebs, sat forgotten in the attic.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. David and Maria had a goal. Their goal was to build a house, and the house would have an attached airplane hangar.   David and Maria had a goal, which was to build a house, one that had an attached airplane hanger. David and Maria's goal of building a house included an attached airplane hangar. David and Maria's goal was to build a house with an attached airplane hangar.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Jerome saw a large elk emerge from the forest. He raised his camera. The elk looked up at him. Jerome snapped a great picture.   Seeing a large elk emerge from the forest, Jerome raised his camera, and when the elk looked up, Jerome snapped a great picture. Jerome saw a large elk emerge from the forest, and when he raised his camera, the elk looked up, allowing Jerome to snap a great picture. A large elk emerged from the forest, so Jerome raised his camera. The elk looked up, and Jerome snapped a great picture.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. The new schedule went into effect last week. The schedule was for a four-day work week. Susan took advantage of the new schedule. She made reservations for a three-day weekend in Lake Tahoe.   The new four-day work week schedule having gone into effect last week, Susan took advantage of it when she made reservations for a three-day weekend in Lake Tahoe. Susan took advantage of the new four-day work schedule that went into effect last week by making reservations for a three-day weekend in Lake Tahoe. When the new four-day work week schedule went into effect last week, Susan took advantage of it, and she made reservations for a three-day weekend in Lake Tahoe.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. We did not see the sign that the road was closed. We drove six miles into the country. The country was remote. We then came to a bridge. The bridge had been washed out.   Had we seen the sign that the road was closed, we would not have driven six miles into remote country before coming to a washed-out bridge. Because we didn't see the sign that the road was closed, we drove six miles into the remote country, and we came to a bridge that had been washed out. Not seeing the sign that the road was closed, we drove six miles into remote country, and we came to a bridge that was washed out.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. We used three coats of pale beige paint. The three coats still didn't cover the original paint in the dining room. The old paint was bright red.   Using three coats of pale beige paint was still not enough to cover the original bright red paint in the dining room. After using three coats of pale beige paint, we found that it was still not enough to cover the original paint in the dining room, which was bright red. We used three coats of pale beige paint, which was not enough to cover the original paint in the dining room, which was bright red.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. The guest lecturer was late. Some members of the audience became restless. Some of them walked out of the lecture hall.   The guest lecturer was late, so some members of the audience became restless, and they walked out of the lecture hall. Because the guest lecturer was late, some members of the audience became restless and walked out of the lecture hall. Some members of the audience became restless because the guest lecturer was late, and some of them walked out of the lecture hall.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Steve's old clunker had gray splotches of primer on it. It was also rusted. It made a lot of noise. Steve was embarrassed to drive it.   Steve was embarrassed to drive his old clunker, which was noisy, rusted, and had gray splotches of primer on it. Steve was embarrassed to drive his old clunker, noisy, rusted, and covered with gray splotches of primer. Steve's old clunker was noisy, rusted, and covered with gray splotches of primer, and Steve was embarrassed to drive it.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Max was discouraged by the low pay at the supermarket. He was also discouraged about the long working hours. Max decided to quit his job.   Since he was discouraged by the low pay and the long working hours, Max decided to quit his job, which was at the supermarket. Discouraged by the low pay and long working hours, Max decided to quit his job at the supermarket. Max was discouraged by the low pay at the supermarket as well as the long working hours, so he decided to quit his job.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Anna Flynn is a former Women's Airforce Service pilot. She is currently living in Oregon. She is writing her memoirs.   Anna Flynn is a former Women's Airforce Service pilot, and she currently lives in Oregon; she is writing her memories. Anna Flynn, who is a former Women's Airforce Service pilot, currently lives in Oregon and is writing her memoirs. Anna Flynn, a former Women's Airforce Service pilot currently living in Oregon, is writing her memoirs.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Jeremy was hiking across a creek. He stepped on an unstable rock. He fell. He broke his ankle in three places.   Jeremy was hiking across a creek and stepped on an unstable rock; when he fell, he broke his ankle in three places. While hiking across a creek, Jeremy stepped on an unstable rock, which caused him to fall and break his ankle in three places. Hiking across a creek, Jeremy stepped on an unstable rock and fell, breaking his ankle in three places.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Patricia quit her job. She was a financial advisor. She became a full-time sculptor. It was the best decision she had ever made.   The best decision Patricia ever made was to quit her job, which was a financial advisor, and to become a full-time sculptor. When Patricia quit her job as a financial advisor, she became a full-time sculptor, and that was the best decision she ever made. Quitting her job as a financial advisor to become a full-time sculptor was the best decision Patricia had ever made.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Trish wants to avoid last-minute Christmas shopping. She buys gifts for relatives and friends throughout the year. She often forgets about the gifts that she has bought.   Trish wants to avoid last-minute Christmas shopping, so she buys gifts for relatives and friends throughout the year; however, she often forgets about the gifts that she has bought. To avoid last-minute Christmas shopping, Trish buys gifts for relatives and friends throughout the year but often forgets about the gifts she has bought. Trish buys gifts for relatives and friends throughout the year because she wants to avoid last-minute Christmas shopping, but she often forgets about the gifts that she has bought.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Danielle has a framed photograph on her desk. The photograph shows her with African village children. This photograph was taken during her stint in the Peace Corps.   On Danielle's desk sits a framed photograph showing her with African village children, taken during her stint in the Peace Corps. A framed photograph of Danielle that shows her with African village children, which was taken during her stint in the Peace Corps, sits on her desk. On Danielle's desk is a framed photograph that shows her with African village children, which was taken during her stint in the Peace Corps.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Tonya is an avid golfer. She arises at 5:00 a.m. on weekends. She does this so that she can play two rounds of golf on Saturday and Sunday. She still spends time with her family.   Tonya, an avid golfer, arises at 5:00 a.m. on weekends so that she can play two rounds of golf on Saturday and Sunday and still spend time with her family. Tonya is an avid golfer, so she arises at 5:00 a.m. on weekends so that she can play two rounds of golf on Saturday and Sunday, still giving her time to spend with her family. Because Tonya is an avid golfer, she arises at 5:00 a.m. on weekends, giving her time to play two rounds of golf on Saturday and Sunday, and she still has time to spend with her family.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Summit County, Colorado, is a great place for winter sports. It's also a summer paradise. It offers boating, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.   Summit County, Colorado is not only a great place for winter sports, but it's also a summer paradise because it offers boating, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. Summit County, Colorado, which is a great place for winter sports, is also a summer paradise because it offers boating, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. Summit County, Colorado, a great place for winter sports, is also a summer paradise offering boating, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. The lost hikers were found. The rescue team found them in a cabin. The cabin was abandoned. The hikers were huddling for warmth.   The lost hikers were found by the rescue team, who found them in an abandoned cabin, huddling for warmth. The rescue team found the lost hikers huddling for warmth in an abandoned cabin. The lost hikers, who were found by the rescue team, were huddling for warmth in a cabin that was abandoned.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Andrew and Crystal returned from the mall. They were tired and irritable. They had endured the crowds at the mall. The crowds were taking advantage of the Labor Day sales.   Tired and irritable, Andrew and Crystal returned from the mall where they had endured the crowds taking advantage of the Labor Day sales. When Andrew and Crystal returned from the mall where they had endured crowds taking advantage of the Labor Day sales, they were tired and irritable. Andrew and Crystal were tired and irritable when they returned from the mall, which is where they had endured the crowds taking advantage of the Labor Day sales.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Maria attended the police training course. She found that the pursuit driving training was the most challenging part of the course.   When Maria attended the police training course, she found that the pursuit driving part of the course was the most challenging. Maria attended the police training course, finding that the pursuit driving was the most challenging part of the course. The pursuit driving was the most challenging part of the police training course that Maria attended.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. There could be an unexpected loss of power. You should ensure that you don't lose your computer files. You should make a back-up disk.   Because there could be an unexpected loss of power, you should ensure, by making a back-up disk, that you don't lose your computer files. In the event of an unexpected loss of power, you should make a back-up disk so that you don't lose your computer files. To ensure that you don't lose your computer files during an unexpected loss of power, you should make a back-up disk.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. You should meet my neighbor. His name is Tom. He is a professional landscaper. He will be glad to give you advice about planting decorative shrubbery.   My neighbor, Tom, is a professional landscaper who will be glad to give you advice about planting decorative shrubbery, so you should meet him. You should meet my neighbor, Tom, who is a professional landscaper and who will be glad to give you advice about planting decorative shrubbery. You should meet my neighbor, Tom, a professional landscaper who will be glad to give you advice about planting decorative shrubbery.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. Victoria was fascinated by old photographs of the Native American Celilo tribe. They fished from fish ladders on the Columbia River. She bought two books on Oregon's Native American history.   Fascinated by old photographs of the Native American Celilo tribe fishing from fish ladders on the Columbia River, Victoria bought two books on Oregon's Native American history. Victoria, because she was fascinated by old photographs of the Native American Celilo tribe, who were fishing from fish ladders on the Columbia River, bought two books on Oregon's Native American history. Because Victoria was fascinated by old photographs of the Native American Celilo tribe, who fished from fish ladders on the Columbia River, she bought two books on Oregon's Native American history.

	Choose the sentence that best revises the model sentences for clarity and variety. A deer suddenly ran out in front of Todd's truck. Todd braked. He lost control of his truck. The truck slid into a ditch.   Braking when a deer suddenly ran out in front of him, Todd lost control of his truck, which slid into a ditch. Todd's truck slid into a ditch after he braked and lost control after a deer suddenly ran out in front of his truck. When a deer suddenly ran out in front of Todd's truck, Todd braked, but he lost control of his truck, which slid into a ditch.

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