An Overview of Stylistic Variation

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An Overview of Stylistic Variation
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Add (Modification) Move Substitute Delete
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Add
Words Phrases Clauses
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Adjectivals
Modify nouns
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Adjectivals
Words Phrases Clauses
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Adjectival Words
How long will it take to clean up this
mess? How long will it take to clean up this
foul mess? foul adjective
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How long will it take to clean up this foul
mess? foul adjective In this case form
function coincide form adjective function
adjectival
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Remember that form function will not always
coincide! VMI has learned to integrate its
women students into all aspects of college
life. women adjectival noun
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Adjectival Phrases
How long will it take to clean up this
mess? How long will it take to clean up this
mess in the kitchen? in the kitchen
adjectival prepositional phrase
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How long will it take to clean up this
mess? How long will it take to clean up this
mess created by your science project? created
by your science project adjectival verb phrase
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Adjectival Clauses
How long will it take to clean up this
mess? How long will it take to clean up this
mess that your friends left behind? that your
friends left behind adjectival clause
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Adverbials
Modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs
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Adverbials
when (including duration frequency) where how
(including manner method) why
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Adverbials
Words Phrases Clauses
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Adverbial Words
Please clean up this room. Please clean up this
room quickly. quickly adverb
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Adverbial Words
Please clean up this room quickly. quickly
adverb In this case form function
coincide form adverb function adverbial
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Remember that form function will not always
coincide! She went home. home adverbial
noun
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Adverbial Phrases
You must clean up this room before the party.
before the party adverbial prepositional phrase
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Adverbial Clauses
You must clean up this room before you watch the
OC. Or Before you watch the OC, you must clean
up this room. before you watch the OC
adverbial clause
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Move

• Normal SV
• SVO
• SVC
• Change normal order for
• sentence variation
• emphasis

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S V O You have earned this award. O S V This
award you have earned.
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• Can also move other components
• sentence variation
• emphasis

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Adverbs Very mobile
On Tuesday, we had a quiz. We had a quiz on
Tuesday. After I return the last quiz, we will
have another quiz. We will have another quiz
after I return the last quiz.
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Only I love you. I only love you. I love only
you. I love you only.
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Shift of question (wh-) word Who,
whom What Where When
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Shift of question (wh-) word Who did you
see? You saw who? What did she say? She said
what? Where did you go? You went where? When
will you be back? You will be back when?
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Use of the expletive to shift emphasis by
delaying introduction of the subject. A
spider is in my shower. There is a spider in my
shower!
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• Movement that requires transforming simple
  sentences into complex ones
• She is studying grammar.
• Grammar is what she is studying.
• She is studying at Radford University.
• Radford University is where she is
• studying.
• Grammar can be challenging but exciting.
• Challenging but exciting is what
• grammar can be.

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Substitute

• Reduce repetition
• within sentences
• between sentences

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Substitution of pronouns for nouns and noun
phrases reference (cf. cohesion)
Friday my daughter saw the perfect dress for the
upcoming party. Yesterday she went back and
bought it.
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Substitution can be used for verb phrases,
prepositional phrases, and the entire predicate.
Verb phrase The chair asked for a volunteer to
cover the polling place in the 4th precinct. I
said that I would do it.
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Substitution does not only rely on pronouns.
Predicate replaced by did Patty decided to
sign up for hip-hop classes on Tuesday. Estee
did too. Prepositional phrase replaced by adverb
there After class I will be doing research at
the library. Patty will meet me there.
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Delete
Compound sentence elements Delete parts of two
sentences and merge remainder. Patty decided to
sign up for hip-hop classes on Tuesday. Estee
also decided to sign up for hip-hop classes on
Tuesday. Patty and Estee decided to sign up for
hip-hop classes on Tuesday. Both Patty and Estee
decided to sign up for hip-hop classes on Tuesday.
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Ordinary ellipsis
Wednesday will you be in your office after your
10 oclock class? Yes, Wednesday I will be in my
office after my 10 oclock class. Yes, I will.
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Passive to Active Active to Passive
When is it ok to use the passive?
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When the agent is unknown or unimportant.
The washing machine was left running while we
were out. That oak tree was destroyed in the
wind storm last week.
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When you wish to emphasize the direct object
A dog badly frightened me when I was a
child. becomes I was badly frightened by a
dog when I was a child. A spider frightened
Patty last night. becomes Patty was
frightened by a spider last night.
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When it is necessary for politeness!
I am revising the section of the report that was
submitted last week.
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When it is necessary to appear objective or
impartial
The winners of the writing contest will be
selected on the basis of creativity and
originality.