How to Write Better with Good Sentence Starters
Writing is a fundamental skill that extends beyond just stringing words together. In academic writing, the beginning of a sentence determines how effectively ideas are communicated. Sentence starters can be incredibly helpful tools in crafting compelling and coherent writing. This article delves into the importance of sentence starters and explores various techniques to help students improve their writing through strong sentence beginnings.
Understanding Sentence Starters
A sentence starter is a word or phrase used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce the main idea, provide transition, or create emphasis. In the same way, it sets the tone for the rest of the sentence and can significantly influence the reader’s understanding and engagement with the entire text.
How Sentence Starters Inspire Children’s Writing Ideas
One of the biggest challenges children face when learning to write is figuring out how to start a sentence. Often, they might struggle with ideas or feel stuck, leading to repetitive or uninspired writing. Introducing sentence starters into their writing toolkit can alleviate this problem by giving them a variety of ways to begin their thoughts. For instance, lists of sentence starters can provide your child with options for how to introduce new points, discuss arguments, use descriptive words, or wrap things up in their writing.
The Importance of Strong Sentence Starters
A strong sentence starter is more than just a fancy phrase; it’s a critical component of effective writing. Starting a sentence with impact helps to immediately grab the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the point to be made. In Situational Writing, where arguments and evidence need to be presented clearly, good sentence starters can make all the difference. They help to organise ideas, illustrate points, and maintain the reader’s interest throughout the entire text.
Typical Sentence Starters Used by Children and How to Improve Them
When children are first learning to write, they often default to starting sentences with nouns or pronouns, such as “The dog”, “She” or “It”. While this is a natural starting point, it can lead to repetitive and dull writing if overused. For instance, in a paragraph describing a scene, starting every sentence with “The” can make the writing feel mechanical. Here are alternative ways to start sentences:
Using Adverbial Phrases to Begin Sentences
An effective way to break away from the monotony of starting sentences with nouns or pronouns is to use an adverbial phrase. Adverbial phrases, such as “In the morning”, “Without a doubt”, or “Surprisingly” can add depth and context to a sentence right from the beginning. For example, instead of saying, “She went to the park”, your child could start with “In the afternoon, she went to the park”.
Starting Sentences with Continuous Verbs
Another technique to enhance writing is to start sentences with a continuous verb. Continuous verbs, often ending in “-ing”, can create a sense of immediacy and action. For instance, instead of saying, “The boy was playing football”, your child could start with “Playing football, the boy felt exhilarated”. This method not only adds variety to sentence structures but also allows your child to combine actions and descriptions more fluidly.
Beginning with a Past Participle Verb Phrase
Past participle verb phrases can also serve as powerful sentence starters. These phrases often begin with verbs in the past tense and can convey a sense of completion or result. For example, “Exhausted from the long journey, the travellers finally arrived at the inn”. This type of sentence starter provides a strong lead-in to the main action and helps to convey complex ideas succinctly.
Crafting Sentences with Introductory Clauses
Introductory clauses are another effective way to start sentences. These clauses, often beginning with words like “Although”, “Since”, or “When” provide context or background before the main point is made. For example, “Although the experiment was a success, further research is needed to confirm the results”. Introduction sentence starters help to set up the main argument or point, providing the reader with a clear understanding of the context.
Key Moments to Use Sentence Starters
Sentence starters serve as signposts in writing, guiding the reader through the flow of ideas. They are particularly important in academic essays, reports, and English composition writing, where clarity and coherence are essential. Let’s examine the specific instances where sentence starters ease and enhance your child’s writing.
Introducing New Concepts
When introducing a new idea, sentence starters can help to transition smoothly from one point to the next. For example, using phrases like “To begin with”, “Firstly”, or “Another important aspect is” can clearly signal to the reader that a new concept or argument is being presented. This not only helps to structure your child’s writing but also makes it easier for the reader to follow the argument.
Building on a Previous Thought
To support a previous thought or sentence, sentence starters such as “Furthermore”, “In addition”, or “Moreover” can be employed. These phrases help to build on the argument or point previously made, showing that the current sentence is connected to the previous one.
Presenting a Contradictory Idea
In some cases, your child may need to present a contrast or contradiction to a previously stated idea. Sentence starters like “However”, “On the contrary”, or “Nevertheless” are ideal for this purpose. They signal to the reader that the following sentence will offer a different perspective or counter-argument.
Highlighting and Emphasising Key Points
Emphasising an idea can be crucial in academic writing. Sentence starters such as “Indeed”, “In fact”, or “Certainly” can be used to highlight a particular example or reinforce an argument. These phrases draw attention to the importance of the following sentence, ensuring that the reader understands its significance.
Transitioning Between Ideas
Transitioning smoothly between two things is key to maintaining the flow of an essay or any other form of writing. Sentence starters like “In contrast”, “Similarly”, or “On the other hand” help to shift the reader’s focus from one point to another, ensuring that the writing remains cohesive and logical.
Concluding Effectively
The conclusions of any piece of writing are just as important as the introductions. Conclusion sentence starters such as “In conclusion”, “To summarise”, or “All things considered” are useful for wrapping up the writer’s thoughts and providing a clear, concise summary of the key points discussed.
Wrap Up
Mastering the use of good sentence starters is key to enhancing writing skills. When introducing new ideas, supporting evidence or findings, or drawing thoughts to a close, strong sentence beginnings can significantly improve the clarity and impact of your child’s writing. At LCentral, we believe that teaching children to use varied and effective sentence starters is a crucial step in developing their language abilities. By incorporating this technique into their writing, students can create more engaging, structured compositions that flow smoothly and are highly readable. Explore our premier English Enrichment classes to help your child become a more confident and skilled writer.