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We ensure young children get the best start in life by supporting and regulating the early childhood education and care sector. We are the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population.

Sentence structure

Sentences are key units for expressing ideas. Students need to elaborate and extend their ideas to make a detailed, precise and coherent piece of text, using a variety of sentence structures.

Stage 3 sentence structure includes the following topics:

Identifying and using prepositions
There are approximately 150 prepositions in English. The prepositions of, to and in are among the ten most frequent words in English. The name “preposition” (pre + position) means “place before”.

Writing complex sentences
Students need to elaborate and extend their ideas to make a detailed, precise and coherent piece of text. The use of a variety of sentence structures including extended simple sentences and complex sentences create texts that are more interesting and paint a more vivid picture in the reader’s head. Students are able to confidently enhance their writing by understanding how sentences are structured for effect.

Identifying and using a range of conjunctions and connectives
Conjunctions and connectives are cohesive devices that work to improve the flow of the writing. Conjunctions operate within sentences and connectives relate to meaning between sentences. Different types of conjunctions are used to express different types of relationships between ideas.

Simple sentences: adverbial and adjectival phrases
The analysis and therefore improvement of writing complex and compound sentences and how language is structured in quality texts can be studied in terms of simple sentences (or in terms of independent clauses). Commands and questions are also explained through changes to simple sentences.

Using a variety of sentences
Students are expected to make choices about the types of sentences that will make their writing more effective.

Prepositional phrases
Prepositional phrases typically consist of a preposition followed by a noun group/phrase. Prepositional phrases add detail, description and vividness to writing.

Identifying and using modality
Modal verbs give the reader information about the degree of obligation or certainty involved in the action.

How can I make my writing more formal?
Identifying and using active and passive voice.

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This information is current as at 18/08/2018 03:10am, AEST. For the most up-to-date information, go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/student-assessment/smart-teaching-strategies/literacy/writing/stage-3/sentence-structure.

© State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2018. For more information go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/rights-and-accountability/copyright.