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Biography Sentence Starters

Biography sentence starters are a great way to begin writing a biography or autobiography. They can provide structure, direction, and inspiration for your story. These sentence starters can help you craft an engaging narrative and bring life to your story. They can also help you focus on key elements of a biography, such as a person’s accomplishments, struggles, and relationships. Once you start writing, you can use these sentence starters to create a powerful story that captures your subject’s life experience.

What is a Biography?

A biography is a detailed account of a person’s life, typically including their experiences, relationships, and accomplishments. It is written by a biographer, usually in the form of a book or essay. Biographies provide readers with a glimpse into the life of an individual, from their childhood experiences to their successes and failures. They offer insight into the motivations and passions of the subject, and can even provide a glimpse into the future of the individual. Biographies are often used to inspire readers, as well as to provide a comprehensive understanding of a person’s life. Whether one is reading a biography of a famous celebrity, a great leader, or a relative, biographies offer an opportunity to gain insight into the human experience.

Benefits of Writing a Biography

Writing a biography is an excellent way to share someone’s life story with the world. It can help to capture the essence of someone’s life and showcase their achievements, struggles, and impact on society. In addition to creating a lasting legacy, there are a number of other benefits of writing a biography.

Biographies can provide an opportunity to learn from the past. They can help introduce readers to people they may not have otherwise known about, and share the lessons learned from their experiences. Biographies can also help to inform and shape future generations by allowing readers to gain insight into how others have solved problems or navigated difficult times.

Moreover, biographies can help foster empathy and understanding. By reading about someone’s life, readers can gain perspective on their own experiences and gain insight into the perspectives and feelings of others.

Finally, biographies can be an excellent source of inspiration. Reading about someone’s accomplishments can be motivating and can help provide readers with the courage to pursue their own ambitions.

Writing a biography can be a great way to honor someone’s life and to spark meaningful conversations. By considering the benefits outlined above, authors can create compelling biographies that will have a lasting impact.

Identifying Your Audience

Having a clear understanding of your target audience is essential when crafting a biography. Knowing who you are trying to reach with your story can help you to determine the tone and language of your piece. Consider the age, gender, and interests of the readers that you want to reach and tailor your writing to them. Additionally, you may want to consider the geographical locations of your readers and vary the way you refer to certain places to better capture their attention. Keeping in mind the type of readers you are aiming to engage with can help you to create a more effective and engaging biography.

Types of Biographies

Biographies come in many different types, each with its own unique purpose. Whether you are looking to write a short personal profile or a full-length academic biography, there are some common elements and sentence starters that can help you get started. Knowing the different types of biographies will help you structure your story and make the writing process easier.

Autobiographies tell the life story of the person who wrote it. They provide a first-person account of the writer’s life, from childhood to adulthood. Autobiographies often include anecdotes, personal reflections, and insights into the person’s life. To start, consider using a sentence like, “My life has been shaped by my experiences and the people I have encountered.”

Biographies focus on the life of a particular person. They can be written about famous people such as politicians, artists, or scientists, or about everyday people in your community. To capture the person’s essence, consider using a sentence like, “John Smith was a man of many talents and passions.”

Collective biographies are written about a group of people, such as a family or a business. They provide an overview of the group’s history and accomplishments, as well as individual stories and profiles. To introduce the group of people, try a sentence like, “The Johnson family has been an integral part of the local community for generations.”

Finally, hagiographies, or saints’ lives, are biographies written about holy figures. These provide an in-depth look into the person’s life and the impact they had on the world. To begin, try a sentence like, “Saint Mary was a woman of immense faith and determination.”

No matter which type of biography you are writing, understanding the various types and sentence starters can help you craft a compelling story. With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to create a captivating biography that you can be proud of.

Tips for Writing a Biography

Writing a biography can be a daunting task, but with a few simple tips, you can get started on your masterpiece. Before you begin, consider collecting meaningful quotes, stories, and anecdotes from the person you’re writing about. This will help you craft a more detailed and accurate portrait of the subject. Additionally, you should outline the main points of the biography and divide the work into sections. This will make the process of writing much easier.

When writing the biography, make sure to use active verbs and detailed descriptions. Additionally, you should consider the audience of the biography and use language they will understand. Additionally, be sure to incorporate relevant facts about the subject’s life, such as their education, profession, and accomplishments.

Finally, remember to proofread your work. With a few simple steps, you can craft an accurate, engaging, and informative biography. Start by gathering quotes, stories, and anecdotes, then outline the main points of the biography and divide the work into sections. Make sure to use active verbs and detailed descriptions, and consider the audience of the biography. Incorporate relevant facts about the subject’s life, and proofread your work. By following these tips, you’ll be able to write a compelling biography that captures the life of the subject.

Examples of Biography Sentence Starters

Biography sentence starters are a great way to get started on writing a biography. Whether you are writing a biography for a school project or for a professional purpose, these sentence starters can provide you with a good foundation to develop the story of someone’s life. From childhood to adulthood, these sentence starters can help you capture the story of any individual.

When it comes to writing a biography, it is important to make sure that the sentences you use are creative and informative. Using sentence starters can help you craft a compelling story of someone’s life, from their early days to their later achievements. Below are some examples of sentence starters that can help you get started on writing a biography about someone.

For childhood: “From a young age, [Name] was always interested in…”

For education: “[Name] went on to attend [Name of School] to further their studies in…”

For accomplishments: “Throughout their life, [Name] achieved many successes, including…”

For later years: “In their later years, [Name] was admired for their…”

By using these biography sentence starters, you can craft a compelling story of someone’s life. They can serve as the foundation for the narrative, helping to provide structure and focus to your writing. Once you have outlined the facts, you can then add further details to develop the story. Remember that the goal of writing a biography is to capture the personality of the individual, so be sure to include details that will bring the story to life.

FAQs About the Biography Sentence Starters

Q1: How can I use biography sentence starters to write my biography? A1: Biography sentence starters can be a great help when writing a biography. They provide ideas and starting points for writing your story, whether it is about yourself or someone else.

Q2: What kind of information should I include in my biography? A2: The information you include in your biography should depend on the type of biography you are writing. Generally, biographies include information about the person’s life, accomplishments, and legacy.

Q3: What are some examples of biography sentence starters? A3: Examples of biography sentence starters include: “Born on [date], [person] was a [adjective] [profession].”, “[Person] was known for [accomplishment].”, “[Person] made a lasting contribution to [field/cause].”, “[Person] left a legacy of [legacy].”, etc.

Biography sentence starters are a great tool for those who are new to writing biographies. They provide an easy way to get started, and to help focus the writing process. They can also be used to help create structure and provide guidance for the overall writing. By using these sentence starters, writers can begin crafting an engaging and informative biography that will capture the essence of the subject.

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How to write a strong one-line biography (with examples!)

As a blogger or content marketer, you’re spreading your content across the internet to build your name as a thought leader and to drive traffic back to your (or your client’s) website.

One of the best ways to do this is via a strong biography, where sites will often allow you to also link back to somewhere. But you need to get their interest to learn more, so you need a strong one-line biography as most sites will only allow a short biography.

Here’s how you write a strong one-line biography for your blog author page:

Write in 3rd person

Highlight your role/profession.

• Keep it short

Include a call to action

Biographies should be written in third person. Instead of “I am a serial entrepreneur…” you should write “John is a serial entrepreneur…”

Some publications may have different guidelines, in which case you should follow them, but as a general guideline always write your bio in 3rd person.

Your bio should tell readers who you are and what you do, so be sure to highlight your role or profession.

“John is a serial entrepreneur and digital marketing veteran who…”

This gives people more information about you, why you are qualified to be talking about the topic you are bylined on, and helps them decide if they want to click your link to learn more.

Don’t be afraid to brag a little bit! In our world of fake humility, finding someone who is willing to state what they’ve done can be refreshing and encourage them to click to learn more about you.

Don’t overdo it though. A quick interesting fact is usually more than enough to get them interested.

For example:

“John is a serial entrepreneur and digital marketing leader who via his company Credo has generated over a quarter billion dollars in leads for agencies since 2015.”

The lead value number is a brag, but it’s also true and lets people know that John knows what he’s doing.

Have some fun!

In today’s social media world, people want to connect with the person behind the account.

So don’t be afraid to use emojis or a bit of humor.

This advice does not carry over to a professional website like LinkedIn where people are more professional and you should present your best face to the world.

Keep it short, but readable

If you’re required to keep your biography to just one sentence, you have just 15 to 20 words on average to get your point across. You need to be succinct and make every word count.

As such, remove superlatives and flowery language that could make it harder to read. This is not the place to be cute or show off – it’s the place to communicate effectively.

Include a backlink/hyperlink

Most websites where you publish will allow you to link back to a site of your choice from your biography. Don’t be spammy and try to link back to multiple places – link to a place where people can find out more about you or your company easily.

Finally, include a call to action (CTA) if you have enough space and can work it in. At minimum, make sure you follow the above advice and include a hyperlink back to your main website where people can learn more about you or your business.

Some examples

Here are some examples of great bios.

Dan Martell (Instagram)

Dan Martell is a coach to software founders, an entrepreneur with 3 business exits, an award-winning angel investor, and a proud dad and husband.

How do we know this? Because he says so in his Instagram bio. Short and effective.

Kimberly Bryant

Kimberly Bryant is the founder of Black Girls Code , a company that “build[s] pathways for young women of color to embrace the current tech marketplace as builders and creators by introducing them to skills in computer programming and technology.” Here is her Twitter biography, which clearly states what she does and gives insight into who she is.

Chris Ducker

Chris Ducker is a UK-based entrepreneur who “helps midlife leaders and entrepreneurs build future proof businesses around their expertise” with his Youpreneur coaching program.

Pat Flynn is a serial entrepreneur, dad, and husband who also has a physical product and a Pokemon card side hustle with over 100,000 YouTube subscribers. Here’s his Instagram profile:

Rand Fishkin

Rand is also a serial entrepreneur and currently the CEO of Sparktoro, an audience insight software tool. He’s formerly the cofounder and CEO of Moz, an SEO software suite. His LinkedIn bio says succinctly what he does, and also adds a bit of personality to let you know what he believes.

John Doherty

John is the founder and CEO of Credo and EditorNinja. (Hi, I’m John writing this!). His bio tells you what he cares about (his family and Colorado), what he does and the various projects he works on as well as his accomplishments.

Publishing on the internet?

Are you publishing on the internet and care about the correctness and quality of your content?

Click here to schedule a free editorial assesssment  to learn about how EditorNinja can solve your copy editing and proofreading problems.

How To Use “Biographies” In A Sentence: Breaking Down Usage

Biographies are powerful tools that allow us to delve into the lives of remarkable individuals and gain valuable insights from their experiences. They provide a window into history, culture, and the human condition, offering a treasure trove of knowledge waiting to be explored. But how can we effectively incorporate biographies into our writing? In this article, we will explore the art of using biographies in a sentence and discover the myriad ways they can enrich our language.

When it comes to using biographies in a sentence, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. It is essential to select biographies that are relevant to the topic at hand. By choosing biographies that align with the subject matter, we can ensure that our sentences are both informative and engaging. Additionally, it is crucial to use biographies as supporting evidence or examples rather than relying solely on them to convey information. By integrating biographical details strategically, we can enhance the credibility and persuasiveness of our writing.

Now that we understand the importance of using biographies effectively, let’s delve into the various ways in which we can incorporate them into our sentences. From providing historical context to offering personal anecdotes, biographies offer a wealth of opportunities to add depth and richness to our writing. So, let’s explore these techniques in detail and uncover the true power of biographies in sentence construction.

Definition Of Biographies

A biography is a written account or narrative of a person’s life, highlighting important events, achievements, and experiences. It provides a comprehensive portrayal of an individual’s journey, encompassing their personal background, professional endeavors, and significant contributions to society. Biographies serve as a means to preserve and share the stories of notable individuals, allowing readers to gain insights into their lives, motivations, and impact.

Biographies can take various forms, including books, articles, essays, or even digital media presentations. They are typically written by authors who have extensively researched their subject, drawing information from interviews, personal diaries, letters, and other primary and secondary sources. Through the art of storytelling, biographies offer readers a glimpse into the lives of remarkable individuals, inspiring and informing them in the process.

Historical Evolution

The practice of documenting the lives of noteworthy individuals dates back centuries, with early examples found in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In these early biographical accounts, the focus was often on rulers, conquerors, and influential figures. However, the concept of biographies as we know them today has evolved significantly over time.

During the Renaissance period, biographies began to encompass a wider range of subjects, including artists, scientists, and philosophers. The emergence of the printing press in the 15th century further facilitated the dissemination of biographical works, making them more accessible to a broader audience.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, biographies gained prominence as a literary genre. Notable authors such as James Boswell, who wrote the celebrated biography of Samuel Johnson, and Thomas Carlyle, known for his work on the life of Frederick the Great, contributed to the development of biographical writing as a distinct discipline.

Different Meanings In Different Contexts

While the fundamental definition of a biography remains consistent across contexts, there are variations in how the term is used in different fields. In addition to the traditional literary form, the term “biography” is also employed in other domains, each with its own nuances:

• Historical Biography: In the field of history, biographies are crucial for understanding the lives of influential individuals and their impact on specific periods or events. Historians rely on biographical research to gain insights into the motivations, actions, and ideologies of key figures, helping to shape our understanding of the past.
• Psychological Biography: Psychologists and researchers may use biographical information to study the development of personality traits, behaviors, and psychological patterns. By examining the life stories of individuals, psychologists can explore the interplay between nature and nurture, shedding light on the factors that shape human behavior.
• Corporate Biography: In the business world, biographies are often used to chronicle the lives of influential entrepreneurs, CEOs, or industry leaders. Corporate biographies provide insights into the strategies, challenges, and successes of these individuals, offering valuable lessons and inspiration for aspiring business professionals.

These are just a few examples of how the concept of biographies extends beyond its traditional literary form, adapting to different disciplines and purposes. Regardless of the context, biographies continue to serve as a powerful medium for capturing the essence of individuals and their impact on the world.

How To Properly Use Biographies In A Sentence

When it comes to incorporating biographies into our sentences, it is essential to adhere to certain grammatical rules. By understanding these rules, we can effectively convey information about individuals and their life stories. Let’s delve into the guidelines for using biographies in a sentence:

Grammatical Rules Surrounding Biographies

In order to use biographies in a sentence correctly, it is crucial to consider the following grammatical rules:

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure that the subject and verb in your sentence agree in number. For example, if you are referring to a singular biography, the verb should be in the singular form. Conversely, if you are discussing multiple biographies, the verb should be plural.
• Pronoun Consistency: If you introduce a biography using a pronoun, make sure to maintain consistency throughout the sentence. Avoid switching between different pronouns, as it can cause confusion for the reader.
• Proper Punctuation: Use appropriate punctuation marks, such as commas and quotation marks, when incorporating biographies into your sentence. These punctuation marks help to distinguish the biography from the rest of the sentence and ensure clarity.
• Parallel Structure: When listing multiple biographies in a sentence, maintain parallel structure to create a smooth and balanced flow. This means using the same grammatical form for each biography mentioned.

Different Parts Of Speech For Biographies

While the term “biography” primarily functions as a noun, it can also be used as a verb or an adjective in certain contexts. Let’s explore the different parts of speech that “biography” can take:

By recognizing the different parts of speech that “biography” can assume, we can select the appropriate form to convey our intended meaning in a sentence.

Examples Of Using Biographies In A Sentence

When it comes to incorporating the term “biographies” into a sentence, the possibilities are quite diverse. By utilizing a combination of simple and complex sentences, we can effectively showcase the versatility of this word. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the various contexts and nuances that may arise due to the multiple meanings associated with “biographies.” Let’s explore some illustrative examples below:

• Alexander is an avid reader of biographies, delving into the lives of influential historical figures.
• During the book club meeting, Sarah recommended several biographies that shed light on the lesser-known achievements of remarkable individuals.
• As a historian, Dr. Johnson dedicated her research to writing biographies of influential women in the Renaissance period.
• The library’s collection of biographies offers a comprehensive insight into the lives of famous artists, scientists, and political leaders.
• John’s passion for biographies stems from his desire to understand the motivations and struggles of extraordinary individuals.

These example sentences aptly demonstrate the usage of “biographies” in various contexts. Whether it is exploring the lives of historical figures, uncovering lesser-known achievements, or delving into the motivations of remarkable individuals, biographies serve as a valuable source of inspiration and knowledge.

Edge Cases Or Things To Consider

When it comes to using biographies in a sentence, there are a few edge cases and considerations that one must keep in mind. By being aware of common mistakes people make and understanding the potential cultural or regional differences, you can effectively utilize biographies in your writing. Let’s delve into these aspects:

Common Mistakes People Make When Using Biographies

While biographies can add depth and credibility to your writing, it is important to use them correctly to avoid common mistakes that can undermine your message. Here are a few pitfalls to steer clear of:

• Using biographies as mere filler: One mistake people often make is using biographies as a way to fill space or meet a word count requirement. However, biographies should be purposeful and relevant to the topic at hand. They should provide valuable information or insights that contribute to the overall narrative.
• Overusing biographies: Another error is relying too heavily on biographies, resulting in an imbalance between the author’s voice and the voices of those being quoted. While it is important to support your arguments with credible sources, it is equally crucial to maintain your own voice and analysis throughout the writing.
• Failure to verify sources: A critical mistake is not fact-checking or verifying the accuracy of the biographies used. It is essential to ensure that the information presented in the biographies is reliable and trustworthy. Cross-referencing multiple sources can help establish credibility and prevent the dissemination of false or misleading information.
• Using outdated or irrelevant biographies: Using biographies that are outdated or not directly related to the topic can weaken the impact of your writing. It is important to select biographies that are recent, relevant, and align with the subject matter. This ensures that the information provided remains current and supports your arguments effectively.
• Failure to attribute biographies: Neglecting to properly attribute the biographies used is a common oversight. It is crucial to provide proper citations or references to acknowledge the original sources. This not only gives credit to the authors but also allows readers to explore the biographies further if they desire.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that the biographies you incorporate into your writing enhance its quality and credibility.

Cultural Or Regional Differences

While the use of biographies in a sentence may seem straightforward, it is important to consider potential cultural or regional differences that can influence their effectiveness. Here are a few aspects to keep in mind:

• Language nuances: Different cultures and regions may have unique language nuances that affect the interpretation and impact of biographies. Certain phrases or idioms may not translate well or may carry different connotations across cultures. It is crucial to be mindful of these nuances to ensure your message is accurately conveyed.
• Relevance and familiarity: Biographies that are widely known and respected in one culture or region may not hold the same level of significance in another. Consider the target audience and their familiarity with the biographies you plan to use. Adapting and selecting biographies that resonate with the specific cultural or regional context can enhance the overall effectiveness of your writing.
• Cultural sensitivities: It is essential to be sensitive to cultural norms and values when incorporating biographies. Certain topics or individuals may be revered or controversial in specific cultures or regions. Conducting thorough research and understanding the cultural sensitivities surrounding the biographies you use can prevent unintended misunderstandings or offense.
• Historical context: Historical events and figures can vary in significance and interpretation across different cultures and regions. When using biographies that pertain to historical contexts, it is important to provide sufficient background information and context to ensure the readers can fully comprehend and appreciate the relevance of the biographies within the given cultural or regional framework.

Considering these cultural or regional differences allows you to tailor your use of biographies appropriately, ensuring that your writing resonates

Synonyms Or Alternates To Use

When it comes to discussing biographies, there are several synonyms or alternate words that can be used to convey a similar meaning. Each of these alternatives carries its own nuances and contexts where it might be preferred over another. Let’s explore four such synonyms:

1. Life Stories

Life stories can be used as an alternate term for biographies. While it encompasses the same idea of narrating someone’s life, it tends to have a more personal and intimate connotation. The term “life stories” often emphasizes the individual’s experiences, emotions, and personal growth throughout their journey. It is commonly used in informal settings or when discussing biographies that delve deeply into the subject’s personal life.

Memoirs are another synonym for biographies, but they differ in their approach and perspective. Unlike biographies, which are typically written by someone else about another person’s life, memoirs are autobiographical accounts written by the subject themselves. Memoirs often focus on specific periods, events, or themes in the author’s life, offering a more subjective and personal reflection. This term is commonly used when referring to autobiographical works.

3. Life Histories

Life histories can be used interchangeably with biographies, but they often emphasize a more comprehensive and detailed account of an individual’s life. This term is commonly used in academic or scientific contexts, where a thorough examination of a person’s background, experiences, and impact is required. Life histories often involve extensive research and analysis, making them suitable for scholarly purposes.

4. Personal Narratives

Personal narratives can serve as an alternative to biographies when the focus is on capturing an individual’s unique perspective and personal experiences. This term highlights the subjective nature of the storytelling, emphasizing the individual’s voice and their own interpretation of events. Personal narratives are often used in creative writing or when the emphasis is on the emotional and introspective aspects of a person’s life.

While these synonyms can be used interchangeably with biographies, understanding their subtle differences in meaning and usage allows writers to choose the most appropriate term based on the desired tone, context, and purpose of their writing.

Related Phrases Or Idioms

When it comes to incorporating biographies into our everyday language, there are several intriguing phrases and idioms that have emerged over time. These expressions not only add color and depth to our conversations, but also provide a unique way to reference biographies. Let’s explore a few of these idiomatic gems:

1. “Read Someone Like A Book”

This well-known idiom suggests that someone’s true intentions or character can be easily understood or deciphered, just like reading a book. In the context of biographies, this phrase implies that one can gain deep insights into a person’s life story by studying their biography.

Example sentence: “After reading Einstein’s biography, I felt like I could read him like a book and understand the genius behind his theories.”

2. “Write One’s Own Story”

This phrase emphasizes the idea of taking control of one’s own life and shaping it according to personal desires and ambitions. It draws a parallel to the act of writing a biography, where the subject has the power to narrate their own life experiences.

Example sentence: “Despite facing numerous obstacles, she decided to write her own story and create a successful career on her own terms.”

3. “Chapter Of One’s Life”

This expression refers to a specific period or significant event in someone’s life, similar to a chapter in a book. By using this phrase, we can highlight the importance or impact of a particular phase in someone’s biography.

Example sentence: “Getting married and starting a family was a crucial chapter in her life, as documented in her biography.”

4. “Turn Over A New Leaf”

This idiom suggests making a fresh start or changing one’s behavior for the better. In the context of biographies, it alludes to a significant transformation or pivotal moment in a person’s life, as described in their life story.

Example sentence: “After overcoming his addiction, he turned over a new leaf and dedicated himself to helping others facing similar struggles, just like the inspiring individuals in his favorite biographies.”

5. “Leave A Lasting Legacy”

This phrase emphasizes the idea of creating a meaningful impact or contribution that will be remembered long after one’s lifetime. In the realm of biographies, it refers to the enduring influence or significance of a person’s life story.

Example sentence: “Through his remarkable achievements, he left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire generations, as detailed in his biography.”

These phrases and idioms serve as powerful linguistic tools to incorporate biographies into our conversations, enabling us to convey complex ideas and emotions with eloquence and nuance. By embracing these idiomatic expressions, we can enrich our language and deepen our understanding of the multifaceted nature of biographies.

Biographies are powerful tools in the English language that allow us to convey information about individuals in a concise and impactful manner. By understanding how to use biographies correctly, we can enhance our writing and communication skills.

Throughout history, biographies have played a significant role in documenting the lives of influential figures, providing insights into their achievements, struggles, and contributions to society. When used appropriately, biographies can add depth and credibility to our writing, enabling us to engage our readers and convey information effectively.

It is crucial to recognize that using biographies in a sentence requires attention to grammar, syntax, and context. By incorporating biographies into our writing, we can paint a vivid picture of an individual’s life, creating a more engaging and informative narrative.

Summing Up The Importance Of Using Biographies Correctly

In conclusion, mastering the art of using biographies in a sentence is essential for anyone seeking to improve their writing skills. Biographies provide a wealth of information about individuals, allowing us to showcase their achievements, character traits, and historical significance. By using biographies correctly, we can add depth, credibility, and interest to our writing, ultimately captivating our readers and conveying our ideas more effectively.

Encouraging Readers To Practice Using Biographies In Their Own Sentences

Now that we have explored the significance of using biographies, it is time to put our knowledge into practice. I encourage you, dear readers, to incorporate biographies into your own writing. Whether you are crafting an academic essay, a persuasive argument, or a captivating story, biographies can enrich your sentences and make your writing more compelling.

Remember to pay attention to the details – the correct use of grammar, punctuation, and syntax – to ensure that your biographies seamlessly integrate into your sentences. Practice makes perfect, so challenge yourself to experiment with different sentence structures and styles. By honing your skills in using biographies, you will elevate your writing to new heights and captivate your audience.

So, go forth and embrace the power of biographies in your writing. Let them breathe life into your sentences, infuse your words with meaning, and transport your readers into the realms of history, literature, and human experience. Happy writing!

Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.

Complex Sentences: 50 Examples

What is a complex sentence.

A  complex sentence  contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

An  independent clause  contains a subject and verb , and can stand alone as a complete sentence:

• Independent clause: I love going outside.

A  dependent clause also contains a subject and verb , but it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Instead, it ADDS information to the sentence:

• Dependent clause: when the weather is warm.

One independent clause + one dependent clause = a complex sentence:

• I love going outside when the weather is warm.

Dependent clauses often start with  subordinating conjunctions,  for example:

• provided that

Subordinating conjunctions often show a cause-and-effect relationship or a relationship of time/place:

• Cause and effect relationship: The baseball game was canceled because it was raining.
• Time relationship: When I get home from work, I always take off my shoes.
• Place relationship: Make sure to put on sunscreen wherever your skin is exposed.

Learn more about subordinating conjunctions.

Download this lesson!

Difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence

A  compound sentence   contains two  independent  clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, yet):

• I’m happy, but my kids are always complaining. ( “I’m happy” can be a complete sentence. “My kids are always complaining” can also be a complete sentence. They are joined by the coordinating conjunction “but”)
• The blue jacket cost over $100 , and he wears it every day . (“The blue jacket cost over $100” is a complete sentence. “He wears it every day” is a complete sentence. They are joined by the coordinating conjunction “and”)

A  complex sentence  contains one independent clause and one or more  dependent clauses,  joined by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun (that, who, which):

• I’m happy because we won the game. (“I’m happy” can be a complete sentence. “Because we won the game” cannot be a sentence by itself.)
• The blue jacket, which I gave him for Christmas, cost over $100. (“The blue jacket cost over $100” is a complete sentence. “which I gave him for Christmas” is NOT a complete sentence. They are joined by the relative pronoun “which”)

Difference between a dependent clause and a prepositional phrase

Words like before, after, since, and until can begin either a dependent clause or a prepositional phrase.

The main difference is that a dependent clause has a subject and verb, but a prepositional phrase does not:

• I’ll wait here until you get back. (dependent clause: you = subject, get = verb)
• I’ll wait here until 5:30. (prepositional phrase: no subject/verb after “until”)
• He’s never been the same since he broke up with his girlfriend. (dependent clause: he = subject, broke up = verb)
• He’s never been the same since the car accident. (prepositional phrase: no subject/verb after “since”)

Complex Sentences: Simple Present Tense

The independent clause in bold , and the dependent clause is underlined:

• Although he works long hours, he always finds time to spend with his family.
• She always wears jewelry that matches her outfit.
• While my brother enjoys spicy food, I prefer milder flavors.
• Several crops grow here, even though it rarely rains in this region.
• Though he is talented, he often underestimates his own abilities.
• Although the company faces tough competition, it continues to thrive in the market.
• I think you’d like this book, since you love historical fiction.
• He always studies a lot before he takes a test.
• I sometimes walk to work, as long as the weather is good.
• My mother stays up late, whereas my father goes to bed early.

Complex Sentences: Simple Past Tense

• After she finished her studies, she traveled around Europe for six months.
• Although they were tired, they stayed up late to finish their projec t.
• He immediately called for help when he saw the accident.
• My kids often misbehaved whenever they had a babysitter.
• Since he sold his car, he had to take the bus to work.
• She didn’t ride the roller coasters, even though she was old enough to do so.
• When they arrived at the restaurant, they realized it had already closed.
• I stayed awake until my husband got home from work.
• Before he left his job, he wrote a number of training manuals.
• She performed very well on stage,  though she was quite nervous.

Complex Sentences: Future Tenses in the Independent Clause

• After I finish my degree, I will pursue a career in environmental conservation.
• She will visit her grandparents next weekend, as she hasn’t seen them in months.
• Once the project is complete, the company will launch its new product on the market.
• By the time I graduate, I will have traveled to at least five different countries.
• We’re going to clean the bathrooms after we’re done cleaning the kitchen.
• They will be driving to Florida since flights are too expensive.
• Electric cars will become more popular in a few years, even though they’re not very common now.
• I’m going to start preparing dinner before I leave for work.
• Once the renovations are finished, the house will be even more beautiful.
• I won’t lend you any more money  until you pay me back.

Complex Sentences: Continuous Verb Tenses in the Independent Clause

• While I was studying for my exam, my friends were watching a movie.
• They will be traveling to Europe while we are attending the conference.
• As the sun was setting , the children were playing in the park.
• I was cleaning the house all evening after I saw how dirty it was.
• I’ll be waiting for you at the  café   until you finish your meeting.

Complex Sentence Examples: Mixed Verb Tenses

• When I finish my work, I will join you for dinner.
• I had cleaned the whole house before we left for vacation.
• He couldn’t go to the party because he was feeling sick.
• I’m not buying anything else this month   since I’ve already spent too much.
• As soon as they receive the necessary materials, they will start the project.
• Once she finishes her degree, she plans to travel the world.
• I was exhausted because I had been working all day.
• Now that the rain has stopped, we can go outside.
• He will buy a new car once he saves enough money.
• Since she doesn’t have any prior experience, she decided to take a training course.

Complex Sentence Examples: Conditionals

Some of the most common complex sentences are conditional sentences like the examples below. Again, the independent clause (result) is in  bold,  and the dependent clause (condition) is  underlined.

• If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors and watch movies.
• She won’t pass the exam unless she studies a lot.
• If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
• He would have gone to the party if he hadn’t been so tired.
• If I had known about the event, I would have attended.
• She will be late if she doesn’t catch the early bus.
• If the children finish their chores , they can go to the park.
• We won’t eat a big dinner if we’re not very hungry.
• If you eat too much junk food, you will gain weight.
• She could earn more money if she had a better job.

Learn more about first conditional and second conditional.

More examples of sentence structures:

• Simple sentences: 50 examples
• Compound sentences: 50 examples
• Simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences

Master the details of English grammar:

More Espresso English Lessons:

About the author.

Shayna Oliveira

Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.

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Complex Sentence

What is a complex sentence.

• We must not swim where the seals are.
• The monkeys move to the trees when the clouds darken.

Table of Contents

Examples of Complex Sentences

Subordinating conjunctions in complex sentences, why complex sentences are important, video lesson.

• Stay in the bath until the phone rings.
• Both the cockroach and the bird would get along very well without us , although the cockroach would miss us most. (Joseph Wood Krutch, 1893-1970)
• Leave while you can.
• When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right . When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong . (Arthur C. Clarke)

• We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. (Dalai Lama)
• Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something. (Athenian philosopher Plato)
• Even though he's a moron, I supported Tyson Fury . (Boxer David Haye)

The Four Types of Sentence Structure

A Complex Sentence

• The human brain never stops working until you stand up to speak in public.

A Compound Sentence

• I always wanted to be somebody , but I should have been more specific . (Jane Wagner)

A Simple Sentence

• Curiosity killed the cat .

A Compound-Complex Sentence

• I stopped believing in Santa Claus when he asked for my autograph in a department store, but I still want to believe in him .

(Issue 1) Use a comma after a fronted adverbial.

• I became a people-watcher when I lost all my friends. (Singer Taylor Swift)
• When I lost all my friends, I became a people-watcher .
• If it is, it is . If it's not, it's not . (Singer Ziggy Marley)
• It is if it is. It's not if it's not.
• When your adverbial is at the front, use a comma.
• Don't use a comma when your adverbial is at the back.

(Issue 2) Uh oh, there's more to Issue 1.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, complex sentences: a crash course with examples.

General Education

What makes someone a “good” writer? While there are lots of answers to that question, one thing most great writers do is vary their sentence structure. They mix long, flowing sentences with short, powerful ones to communicate their points. 

But don’t worry: you can learn to do this, too! It starts with understanding different types of sentences and their structures. One type of sentence you’ve probably heard of that can add variety and depth to your writing is a complex sentence. But what are complex sentences, exactly? 

We’re here to help you understand exactly what complex sentences are and why they’re important by covering the following in this article: 

• Answering the question, “What is a complex sentence?”
• Discussing when to use complex sentences
• Reviewing the different parts of complex sentences 
• Explaining the difference between complex sentences, compound sentences, and compound-complex sentences 

Ready to become a complex sentence wizard? Then let's get started!

What Is A Complex Sentence? 

Here’s a pretty straightforward complex sentence definition: a complex sentence is made up of two clauses, one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.  

And that’s it! That’s the definition of a complex sentence. But it’s probably pretty obvious that in order to write complex sentences of your own, you need to understand what a clause is. A clause is a part of a sentence that contains a subject and a verb . The subject is the person or entity taking action in the clause, and the verb is the action that the subject is taking. These clauses fall into two category types: independent clauses and dependent clauses. 

Independent Clauses

Both independent clauses and dependent clauses --the types of clauses that make up complex sentences--have a subject and a verb . But how do you know when you’re dealing with an independent clause vs. a dependent clause? Here’s the difference between the two: an independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, and a dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  

In other words, if you broke up a complex sentence into its individual clauses, the independent clause could make a new sentence all by itself. Here are some examples of complex sentences where we’ve bolded the independent clause.

Independent Clause #1: Because she was late for school, Cora has detention this afternoon. 

Independent Clause #2: We’re definitely going to the Lizzo concert even though it’s supposed to rain. 

See how the bold part of the sentence, i.e. the independent clause, can make a sentence all by itself? 

Dependent Clauses

But if you tried to make the dependent clause into its own sentence, it wouldn’t make any sense on its own. Take a look at the not bolded sections of the sentences above. If you walked up to your friend and said “Because she was late for school,” your friend would have no idea what you were talking about! That’s because you need an independent clause to understand what a dependent clause means. In other words, dependent clauses rely on independent clauses in order to make sense! 

Dependent clauses don’t make sense on their own because they begin with something called a subordinating conjunction that subordinates, or makes the clause dependent on the independent clause . Here’s a list of subordinating conjunctions to help you identify where a dependent clause begins in a complex sentence: 

Now, let’s take a look at some of those subordinating conjunctions in action. In the examples below, we’ve put the dependent clause in bold and underlined the subordinating conjunction: 

Dependent Clause #1: After the store closed, the manager locked the doors. 

Dependent Clause #2: They checked for an oil leak before they started the car . 

Dependent Clause #3: Even though they waited for an hour , their food never came. 

See how the subordinating conjunction helps us find the dependent clauses? Knowing what to look for makes finding a dependent clause a lot easier. 

Independent Clauses + Dependent Clauses = Complex Sentences

Thee three examples above also show us how dependent clauses need to be paired with independent clauses for them to make sense. The independent clauses (which aren’t bolded) reveal what happened after the store closed, what they did or what happened before they started the car, and what did or didn’t happen even though they waited for an hour. 

And that’s why dependent clauses can’t stand alone--they need an independent clause to go with them in order to form a complete thought, which creates a complex sentence!

We’re going to look at more examples of dependent clauses, independent clauses, and how they come together to form complex sentences in a bit, but let’s talk about when to use complex sentences first.

When to Use Complex Sentences

Maybe you aren’t sure when it’s appropriate or necessary to use a complex sentence in your own writing. One way to decide when to use a complex sentence is to think about what meaning or information you want to convey.  

When you use simple sentences, it’s difficult to convey much more information than a single action that a single subject took. But when you use complex sentences, you can convey cause and effect, the progression of events, and other critical information. You can also use complex sentences to elaborate on a claim, compare and contrast ideas, and combine ideas that are similar into one point. You can see how a complex sentence can add clarity that a simple sentence can’t in this example: 

Simple Sentence: I’m going swimming! 

Complex Sentence: I’m going swimming even though there are sharks in the water! 

Another reason to use complex sentences is sentence variety, which is one way you can take your writing to the next level . Sentence variety is when you use different types of sentence structures in your writing in a strategic, intentional way . A piece of writing that is made up of varied sentence structures can be much more engaging for people to read. Writing that doesn’t strategically use a variety of sentences can often strike readers as boring and monotonous, and no writer wants that!

Here’s an example of a paragraph that doesn’t have sentence variety . This paragraph is only made up of simple sentences , which consist of a subject, a verb, and a predicate. These three elements come together to create one independent clause: 

I went to the store on Thursday. I bought chips and salsa. I drove home. I ate the chips and salsa. I watched TV. I got tired at midnight. I went to bed. 

You see how robotic and choppy that paragraph is? That’s because it’s made up of one type of sentence only--simple sentences. Creating sentence variety by incorporating some complex sentences could help this paragraph have better flow , and someone reading this paragraph would be less likely to get frustrated or bored. 

The example paragraph above would sound a bit different if the writer incorporated complex sentences. Here’s what the paragraph above could sound like if some of the simple sentences were rewritten as complex sentence s: 

I went to the store on Thursday because I wanted to buy some chips and salsa. After I drove home, I ate the chips and salsa. I watched TV until I got tired at midnight. I went to bed.  

Incorporating complex sentences lets you combine similar ideas, express cause and effect, and clarify ideas by adding important details. And as an added bonus: complex sentences make this paragraph much more pleasant to read. 

Just remember: if you aren’t sure when to use complex sentences, just think about what type of writing you’re doing, what your goals are for your writing, and check what you’ve already written for sentence variety. That should help you decide when it could be effective to incorporate a complex sentence!

3 Complex Sentence Examples

Let’s look at three complex sentence examples to help you get a better idea of what a complex sentence looks like, what the parts of a complex sentence are, and how to break down complex sentences into their parts so you can identify them on your own in the future!

Example #1: Independent Clause, Dependent Clause

While complex sentences must have one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, the clauses can go in any order. Here’s an example of a complex sentence where the independent clause comes first, and the dependent clause comes second: 

I didn’t go to the store because I already had chips and salsa at home. 

Can you tell that there are two clauses in that sentence, and where one clause ends and the next begins? Let’s break the sentence down into the independent clause and the dependent clause: 

Independent clause: I didn’t go to the store

Dependent clause: because I already had chips and salsa at home. 

The independent clause-- I didn’t go to the store -- can stand alone as a sentence because it forms a complete thought. The dependent clause-- because I already had chips and salsa at home --can’t stand alone as a sentence. It doesn’t form a complete thought! 

Also note that there isn’t a comma before the subordinating conjunction. In most instances, you don’t need to separate a dependent clause with a comma when it comes after an independent clause!

Example #2: Dependent Clause, Independent Clause

Next, we’ll look at a second complex sentence where the dependent clause comes first, and the independent clause comes second. This type of complex sentence is called a periodic sentence --a sentence where the essential information doesn’t come until the end of the sentence. 

Complex sentences that place the essential information at the end of the sentence can create a sense of suspense in your writing! We’ll use the same sentence from above so you can get an idea of how you can rewrite sentences for sentence variety:

Because I already had chips and salsa at home, I didn’t go to the store. 

You already know which clause is the dependent clause-- because I already had chips and salsa at home-- and which clause is the independent clause-- I didn’t go to the store. But do you see how the clauses in complex sentences can be rearranged and the sentence still makes sense? This is something to keep in mind when you’re trying to add variety to your writing: you can move the clauses around in complex sentences!

One last tip: when a dependent clause comes before an independent clause, you separate them with a comma. 

Example #3: Two Dependent Clauses

We’ve looked at two similar complex sentence examples, so now let’s look at a third example that’s a little bit different from the first two: 

Even though I was nervous about the date, I had a really great time after we started talking. 

We know this is a complex sentence because it’s made up of a dependent clause and an independent clause. But this complex sentence has two dependent clauses . Let’s break this complex sentence down into its three clauses so we’re on the same page: 

Dependent clause: Even though I was nervous about the date,

Independent clause: I had a really great time

Dependent clause: after we started talking. 

Some complex sentences include multiple dependent clauses to add more context to the essential information conveyed by the independent clause , like in the example above!

Now let’s talk about how to use those commas. Remember: complex sentences that begin with a dependent clause need a comma between the dependent and independent clauses , and sentences that begin with an independent clause don’t need a comma separating the independent clause and the dependent clause. 

In this case, we need to use both comma rules. To make this grammatically correct, we need to add a comma after the first dependent clause (since it comes before the independent one). We don’t need a comma between the independent clause and the second dependent clause since the dependent clause comes second! 

Now that we’ve talked through complex sentences and looked at some complex sentence examples, let’s discuss the difference between two types of sentences that are commonly confused with each other: compound sentences and complex sentences. 

Compound Vs. Complex Sentences: What’s the Difference? 

Complex sentences are sometimes confused with compound sentences, but they aren’t the same thing! We defined complex sentences as sentences that are made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause, but what’s a compound sentence?  

A compound sentence is made up of at least two independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction (remember that for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so are coordinating conjunctions). Unlike complex sentences, compound sentences don’t have a dependent clause . And, unlike complex sentences, the two clauses that make up a compound sentence can be separated and made into their own, stand-alone sentences. 

Put another way, you could also describe compound sentences as being made up of two simple sentences.

Let’s look at a couple of examples of compound sentences so you can see how they’re different from complex sentences! Here’s one example of a compound sentence:  

I cooked dinner, but I didn’t set the table. 

The sentence above is a compound sentence because it’s made up of the following independent clauses: 

Independent Clause #1 : I cooked dinner,

Independent Clause #2: but I didn’t set the table. 

Each of those clauses could stand alone as simple sentences, right? Both clauses also convey information that is essential to understanding the full meaning of the sentence. They’re also separated by the coordinating conjunction, “but.”

Though the independent clauses in compound sentences are often separated by a comma and coordinating conjunction, the clauses in a compound sentence can also be separated by a semicolon, which means that there’s no need for a coordinating conjunction.

Here’s an example of a compound sentence with independent clauses separated by a semicolon: 

The cat ran away; the children were devastated. 

Just like in the first example of a compound sentence, the two (really sad!) independent clauses in the sentence above can function as sentences by themselves. They’re just separated by a semicolon instead of a comma and coordinating conjunction. 

So, to tell the difference between complex and compound sentences, you just need to remember that a complex sentence is made up of an independent and a dependent clause, and a compound sentence is made up of independent clauses and no dependent clauses!

Next, we’ll look at another type of complex sentence: the compound-complex sentence. 

What Compound-Complex Sentences Are (And When to Use Them)

In addition to complex sentences and compound sentences, there are also compound-complex sentences . Since this type of sentence is named after both compound and complex sentences, it makes sense that a compound-complex sentence would combine some of the characteristics of complex and compound sentences, right? That’s pretty much exactly what it does! 

A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses (like a compound sentence) and one or more dependent clauses (like a complex sentence). 

Since compound-complex sentences combine some of the components of complex sentences and compound sentences, you might be wondering whether compound-complex sentences count as complex sentences and as compound sentences. Technically, yes! Since compound-complex sentences include all of the minimum clauses required to make a complex sentence and a compound sentence, you could say that compound-complex sentences count as both . But compound-complex sentences go above and beyond the required components of compound and complex sentences, so that’s why they need to be called by their proper name: compound-complex sentences. 

Since compound-complex sentences contain more clauses and types of clauses, they’re a more sophisticated type of sentence. You can use compound-complex sentences to add greater complexity and depth to your writing style . Compound-complex sentences really allow you to infuse your writing with detail and context, like explaining when something happened, why it happened, and/or how it happened. 

Because you can include multiple independent and dependent clauses in compound-complex sentences, you’re able to give your reader even more essential and supplementary information about a scenario or story in a single sentence . This can be an important tool for making sure your readers understand what you’re trying to say. (They’re also a great way to add sentence variety to your writing.) 

3 Examples of Compound-Complex Sentences

To help you get a better idea of what this type of sentence looks like in action, we’ve pulled together three compound-complex sentence examples and broken them down so you can see the different parts of compound-complex sentences and how they work together.

Example #1: Ending With Two Independent Clauses 

Though Jada was afraid, she gathered her courage and she opened the door. 

We know that compound-complex sentences contain at least three clauses, so let’s break down the clauses in that sentence:

The sentence above qualifies as a compound-complex sentence because it’s composed of at least one dependent clause and two independent clauses. 

Example #2: Starting With Two Independent Clauses

Khalid got on the road early, but he arrived late because he hit rush hour traffic.   

This example of a compound-complex sentence has three clauses, but in contrast to the first example, it begins with two independent clauses that are separated by a coordinating conjunction, “but.” Instead of beginning with a dependent clause, this sentence ends with a dependent clause that is introduced with the subordinating conjunction “because.” Here’s a breakdown of the clauses in the sentence above:  

Independent clause : Khalid got on the road early, 

Independent clause : but he arrived late 

Dependent clause: because he hit rush hour traffic. 

Now, remember, most of the time, you don’t need a comma to separate independent clauses and dependent clauses if the dependent clause comes after the independent clause , like in the example above. 

Example #3: Two Independent Clauses and Two Dependent Clauses

After everyone went home, though the kitchen was a mess, I left the dirty dishes out and I went to bed. 

This example includes two independent clauses--like the first two examples- -but differs from the first two examples because it includes two dependent clauses . 

It’s pretty easy to pick out where the clauses are split up in the example above because of the commas, but let’s go ahead and break it down: 

Dependent Clause: After everyone went home, 

Dependent Clause: though the kitchen was a mess, 

Independent Clause: I left the dirty dishes out, 

Independent Clause: and I went to bed. 

In this case, you can find the dependent clauses by looking for subordinating conjunctions (“after” and “though”). The independent clauses are easier to find, especially since they’re joined by “and”...which you now know is a coordinating conjunction! 

As you can see, compound-complex sentences can start getting pretty long depending on how many clauses you include! But that’s actually one of the perks of compound-complex sentences: they allow you to effectively communicate an extended idea or part of a story or argument. This means that compound-complex sentences can play an important role in sentence variety in your writing, just like complex sentences and compound sentences. 

6 Question Quiz: Practice Your New Sentence Knowledge!

We’ve covered a lot of info about complex, compound, and compound-complex sentences, so it might be helpful to review what you’ve learned. 

Take a crack at answering the following six questions about the types of sentences we’ve covered , and see if you can pick out the correct examples of each type of sentence as well!

1) What’s the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause?

a) An independent clause has a subject and a verb, but a dependent clause doesn’t. b) An independent clause can stand-alone as a sentence, but a dependent clause can’t. c) An independent clause always includes an adjective, but a dependent clause doesn’t.

2) What is a complex sentence? 

a) A complex sentence is made up of two independent clauses.  b) A complex sentence is made up of two dependent clauses. c) A complex sentence is made up of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. 

3) What’s the definition of a compound-complex sentence?

a) A compound-complex sentence is made up of at least two dependent clauses and at least one independent clause.  b) A compound-complex sentence is made up of at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. c) A compound-complex sentence is made up of two independent clauses and two dependent clauses. 

4) Which of the following is an example of a complex sentence? 

a) I went for a quick walk while the sun was out. b) I waited on the sun to come out, and I went for a quick walk. c) Though it had been drizzling all morning, I waited for the sun to come out, and I went for a quick walk.

5) Which of the following is an example of a compound sentence? 

a) We played hard, and we won the game.  b) We won the game because we played hard. c) We won the game, we played hard. 

6) Which of the following is an example of a compound-complex sentence?

a) After we went swimming, though we were tired, we went to the movies.  b) Though we were tired, we went to the movies, and we had a great time.  c) After we went swimming, we weren’t tired, we went to the movies.

So, how did you do? If you got B, C, B, A, A, and B, you totally aced it! 

If you didn’t, that’s okay: luckily for you, it’s easy to practice identifying complex sentences.  All you have to do is look at real-life writing examples like books, academic articles, or sample papers. They’ll contain a variety of sentence types, so you’ll have plenty of practice picking out complex sentences. 

What's Next?

When it comes to sentences, there’s a lot to learn. This post will help you find sentence fragments and run-ons in your writing , and this post will give you general strategies for identifying sentence errors .

Knowing your way around sentence structure is key to writing killer admissions essays. Did you know that we have comprehensive guides for tackling admissions essays for the nation’s top colleges? We have comprehensive guides to admissions essays for Harvard , Notre Dame , USC , Yale , and more!

But before you tackle admissions essays , you’ll have to knock your SAT and ACT essays out of the park . Check out our comprehensive guides to acing your SAT essays and your ACT essays to set yourself up for success.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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What's the opposite of Meaning of the word Words that rhyme with Sentences with the word Translate to Find Words Use * for blank tiles (max 2) Use * for blank spaces Find the of Pronounce the word in Find Names     Appearance ✓ Use device theme   ✓ Dark theme ✓ Light theme in a sentence ? Here are some examples. which breaks no new ground but is a good summary of current knowledge. But the picture drawn by Volkmar Braunbehrens's 1989 is of a serious, steady, occasionally irascible man. The library also has a wide range of titles on gardening, cookery, history, computers, and travel. It exposes the paradox that Plath's texts cannot be read through and cannot be read apart from it. Over the centuries, Laozi's life took on elements of the mythological hero's . Goodrich limned some of her into her last known self-portrait, where she fashioned herself as an artist at work at her easel. His , written by St Gregory of Nyssa, describes the crowning moment of divine theophany. The political is preceded by a fine chapter on his cricketing career. Although soberly written, this of the dictator bristles with moral indignation. As in his of Macarthur, the Aborigines are incidental, minor problems for his hero to overcome. The next chapter in Zorn's musical is also one of the most surprising. It combines numerous illustrations with a , an artistic appreciation and a complete catalogue of his works. The author, like so many writers of popular , is guilty of being fashionably irreverent toward her subject. A booklet containing the of Mr. Nayanar, poems on Nayanar and photographic vignettes from his life, is also supplied along with it. But as is revealed in a startling new , he fathered illegitimate children and had numerous affairs. Tolstoy set out to write a personal memoir of O'Brian, but it turned into a full . Yet we are still waiting for a compact, scholarly of his entire life in a single volume. His is eminently sensible on a subject about which much high-flown transcendental nonsense has been written. In the postbag was also a handwritten note and a few words of on Peter Seward. A typical note card would provide a of an author or a review of a book. What political written last or this century has included every last detail. Alexandra Lapierre, award-winning French novelist and biographer, has produced a book that combines , fiction and scholarship. Her written requirements were pared down to writing half an essay, half a , and half of everything they initially required. For example, Hawass said, on show along with the mummy of Ramses II would be models of his Nubian temples, statues, reliefs and a . Even European history of the period was an official or semi-official of the state. It has been suggested that his Pitt is part of a grand publicity plan to jockey back into position as a future leader. It's a good starter for younger viewers who might go on to familiarize themselves with the writings of this great author. According to a new , he narrowly escaped being expelled and, at 17, was beaten by his housemaster for flouting the rules. However hard we try to concentrate on the paintings, the sad facts of Solomon's insist on obtruding themselves. Miss Eisner's book, while not replacing Zamoyski's , does not seek to do so, and provides a lively and readable supplement. So, does the beautiful title of the evoke the man, his work or the Aranda culture that was his subject? This is of general importance chiefly because it is, surprisingly, the first comprehensive of the artist. In a , one expects to be told that so-and-so first met his best friend at such-and-such a place. Because some people have come forward with an interest in writing my , I thought it might be no harm to have a crack at it myself. There was the case of Dr James Mackay, widely touted in the early 1990s as the leading authority on Burns and author of a capacious . Johnson's is an engrossing portrait of a brilliant physicist who happens to be a complex and, at times, troubled character. In the New York Times I read religiously each capsule of a World Trade Center victim. You can almost feel the bitter cold and biting Antarctic wind in this excellent of a polar hero. Thus this will be of interest to any student of the mid-twentieth century South. The tone of Nicholls' is dispassionately respectful, admiring even. A of Elvire O'Connor, the ostensible writer of this piece, is included in the program and is a tiny work of art in its own right. The volume begins with the editors' contributions, a short of Gegenbaur and a history of comparative anatomy at the University of Jena. He presents a celebratory of an African-American woman removed from her culture and family. As one would expect from his highly efficient of Ted Heath, he shows a masterly command of the politics of the period. The of William Blake warmly portrays the visionary poet's wife Katherine as the helpmate who made Blake's work possible. An award-winning writer of 11 previous books of history, travel and , Nicholl retranslates many of da Vinci's mirrorscript writings. To see how this description of the series fits with Gregory's series for arctan see the of Madhava. One of last century's most potent literary and political figures is put under the microscope in this prize-winning . Hill's is a thematic , moving emotionally as much as argumentatively. It is a pity that there exists no serious of Archibald Wavell, an intriguing and arresting figure. There is a very complete of Alec Guinness and the theatrical trailer for the film. He wrote the bestselling of U2 in 1985, just before the band became rock superstars. Was it possible to write the bestselling to match the box-office hit? I'm leaning towards some kind of but I have no particular subject in mind. But in light of his political there can be no doubt of his preparedness to assume a ministerial office in a Union-led government. The Wonder edition includes an informative and a discography of his recordings. At the end of this marvellously observed , it's the drunken rants, financial embarrassments and the sexual misadventures I remember. Here, with a short artist's , is the concert programme listed in full. It would have been easy for him to write a rousingly romantic which glossed over the enormous contradictions of Ryan's career. For individual , the cataloger lists the name of the biographee as the first subject heading. This rich, authoritative is written by an American Russophile who knew him personally. A good is weakened by not giving the major biographical facts due prominence. My brother Marvin and I once wrote a of the former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. He wrote a worthy of Red Smith and edited a book of columns by Smith. I think I may write a non-linear starting from now and going in both directions at once. This might suggest the difficulty of writing the of someone who spent so much of his life recreating his life in fiction. I can't help but feel that if you could write a of Pepys with only side references to the diary it'd work a lot better. When I went on to write the of Charles, true to his character, he gave me complete freedom of access to friends and documents. She once toyed with writing a of Margaret Thatcher, the first time she's ever been interested in writing about a living person. Responding to criticism that his attacks on Elton and Madonna in his new are unfair, he has decided to set the record straight. Drummund, who was also a biographer for Billy Graham, wrote an excellent on Finney which deals with this. He was also responsible for publishing Dorothy Wordsworth's diaries and wrote a ground-breaking of her. Her of Nietzsche is a double hagiography, comic and almost sad in its reflection of her own will to power. This is what is said to have prompted Asan to write a of Achutha Menon, drawing on his close relationship with him. In The Name is not a Pilger but an account of Pilger's television work with which the journalist himself co-operated. If there is a slippage between fiction and in this text then how does this apply to the image? Volume 2 of Roy Foster's magisterial of W. B. Yeats opens in 1915, when Yeats was in his fiftieth year and at a crossroads in his life. One of the essays deals with the interesting question why is a genre that has been rarely well practised even in modern India. Over half a century she published more than 20 novels, alongside works of poetry, criticism and . By taking on these sympathetic forms, literary can supply parallel narratives to those of novels. Literary theory has recently held to be a literary construct, rather than a factual enterprise. Ireland, in short, has no monopoly on the use of memoir, fiction, or autobiography as a political tool. Yet men dominate in this field also, even in fiction, poetry, literary . Who has ever said such connections are not the stuff of literary ? Greenblatt instead wants to write, and most consumers of literary want to read, a story extraordinary and uplifting. He is the sort of phenomenon literary in its present form can only flatten. There is now a considerable body of theoretical and discursive work on as an artistic form. It also has, for the first time, little essays on subjects such as , short stories, detective fiction and so on. It is closer to literary Criticism, than but without ever being boring. To that end, Harlan concludes that Up From Slavery was more a work of fiction than . As a work of literary and analysis American Sympathy is compelling. Some knowledge of Shapiro's is open to any reader in the dedication. There is also a text and a complete discography included to complete the bonus features. Less gripping are those swaths of the book that are essentially a of Salk, who simply wasn't a colorful character. The comments I earlier made concerning the of the subject ladder are equally apposite to the present circumstances. In his strange digressive and allusive of Christ he presents him as the incarnation of the overwhelming mystery of God. First, Wood reviews the extant literature in order to present a short . For each name, dates of birth and death are given, followed by a potted of 20-30 words. It takes a bold writer to attempt a of one of the most recognized and cited of Restoration Englishmen. His daughter Margaret is writing a book about her unusual childhood and a by Paul Alexander is seeping unannounced into bookstores. A would bore her, she says, preferring to fill in the gaps left by earlier writers and to give them a fresh, contemporary perspective. Her professional career spanned literary and theatrical criticism, broadcasting for the BBC, fiction, and an uncompleted memoir. There is a complete for virtually every artist, and each section is preceded by an introductory essay. Next to this , Phillips describes his own therapeutic dialogue with an anonymous patient. The trailer actually undersells the film, while the storyboards and make for intriguing viewing. The major events of Woodman's have clearly marked her artistic growth. With an affectionate and admiring smile on his own face, he has written an unaffected of an unaffected great man. Indeed, at times I wasn't sure if I was reading a or a hagiography. Find out more about this multi-talented creationist by reading her on our site. For all his undeniable artistic significance, the feels too close to the bone to be in good taste. Despite the crises unfolding around him, he has continued a whirlwind tour to promote his , a 900-page doorstopper. This might be recorded on their tombstone as an epitaph or in an obituary, commemoration portrait, or in some cases a . I always thought that you had to finish your career and be in the happy twilight of retirement before releasing a compilation or . To help him play Trevor with conviction, Ferns invented a fictional for the troubled man. Ross McMullin's short works, like Watson himself, both unostentatiously and effectively to achieve results. This is noted by the author's listed at the bottom of the article in small print. He has become steadily more aware of the usefulness of that unprivileged . While going through such varied sources, it is a great joy when one finds an autobiography or a or an unpublished piece of writing. But one thing about now, as opposed to then, has been the rise of graphic novels, and comics and autobiography. It makes one wonder how much of the speech is true and how much is false, based on Stalin's tendency toward revisionism of his revolutionary . He produced the feature-length documentary, Bill Cunningham New York, and is at work on a of Sam Wagstaff. He is producing a feature-length documentary on Bill Cunningham of the Times, and working on a of Sam Wagstaff. Sandrart's story of Caravaggio's death is easily interpreted as an apologue rather than as because there is so little ground to confuse moral and factual truths. Mr. Ziegler's is an elegant, sympathetic, and extremely readable , which really does breathe the breath of roistering life back into the vanished knight of letters. Longtime press baron and Murdoch frenemy Conrad Black on what Michael Wolff got wrong in his new of the media titan. Possibly only Professor Peter Groenewegen, the author of a magisterial of the English economist Alfred Marshall, could surpass him in this. Larkin had his diaries destroyed, Hardy burnt all his personal papers, then got his second wife to put her name to the he had actually written himself. A new of famed British author Somerset Maugham explores his complicated love life and defends his literary genius. A double of Rommel and Montgomery, foes in North Africa in World War II, splendidly brings both military men to life. Equal parts , sociology text, and mash note, it is the most complete account yet of his influence on pop music and a fervent memoir of fandom. This is the of a great Canadian scientist, whose discoveries were all the more extraordinary because he was largely self-educated in science. The also includes the memoirs of people she taught dance to in the 1960s, but does not mention anything about the circumstances of her death. Her book is a mesh of and a wider history of the geisha. Unfortunately, J. Michael Lennon tries something in the same vein in the last quarter of his sprawling . At Slate, tanner Colby does the experiment with Woodward's of John Belushi. Schmid first learned the art of mezzotinting in the Czech Republic, she notes in her , and developed this skill in Slovakia, where she was a Fulbright fellow. The intellectual of the curator has to be on shaky ground. After it was published in January, some said it read more like a love letter to the general than a . There's already more than one shamelessly indiscreet . Other special features include a brief of profiler Pat Brown, as well as cast bios that seem directly lifted from the Season One release. If we want to read , however, we will decide which one to read on the basis of the specific biographee not on the basis of the genre itself. It is not easy to write a about a person who is known to be reticent and the problem gets compounded when the attempt is not authorised. Lee said it wasn't his decision to sack Bell and if anything is written otherwise in the , which is due out in the autumn, he will take legal action. The result is a written wholly in the spirit of its subject. Much of the debate swung around definitions of and memoir. The contains several misspellings and occasional factual errors. In moving towards you must have felt that journalism was insufficiently rewarded to provide a living and also that its bittiness was in itself too limiting? A new captures the unflinching life of war photographer Tim Hetherington. A new by A. Scott Berg makes the case for Woodrow Wilson as an unrecognized great American president. Though he is often celebrated as the American father of Protestant liberalism, Horace Bushnell's and writing defy the categories of theological typology. Ironically, it is only possible to write a cultural of this horse, insofar as it is possible, because of his multiply commodified status. She's probably already boning up on the of Nelson Mandela. A shocking new reveals a brutal truth behind the fiction of v.s. Naipaul. The packaging features comprehensive sleeve notes and from US music writer Rich Kienzle and exclusive photographs from throughout Cash's career. But none of this comes close to making up for what is a standard made-for-television eviscerated by massive, inexcusable bowdlerization. Going even further, there are two 1930s movie newsreels that were filmed with the actual Grey Owl, a text , and a screen of web links to Grey Owl sites. From a season spent embedded with the New York Jets to a of a self-mythologizing Pinkerton detective. No of Jack Nicholson could long skirt the issue of his prodigious appetites. Thompson's nearly 50 published pieces include essays, book and film reviews, short stories, a novelization, and a young-adult of the writer Charles Chesnutt. But only a political could illuminate the personal, human dimension of Khrushchev's decision to follow the risky path of de-Stalinization. A straight would have been a more obvious project to undertake. The author of this new, third of the poet notes that Cummings signed his name in capitals in his personal correspondence, dealings with publishers and his diaries. A jumbled curiosity of a film, Charlie isn't sure whether it wants to be a hard-boiled gangster thriller, a thoughtful , or a legal drama. Vasari's confirms that Leonardo began to draw the cartoon in the Sala del Papa of the monumental Dominican building complex of Santa Maria Novella. Composing a Borgesian alternative for those forfeited years would make for the perfect parlour game if parlours, like Scottish writers of genius, still survived. And if you're a longtime fan, the helps explain the inner workings of the band and offers factoids you can use to, ahem, impress your friends. Most of his cabinet colleagues spoke to him before he left to offer sympathy, including many whom he criticised in remarks made public in the ill-starred . Well, even if you happen to be fixated on one life in particular, be it Einstein or Frank Sinatra, you can find a coffee-table book with a pictorial of your hero. In fact, according to a recent of Jackson, Churchill actually fagged for two England captains, having earlier served Archie MacLaren as well. This highly condensed allows little room for analysis. Consociates are mutually involved in one another's . There are and filmography profiles for Nicholas Lyndhurst and Clive Francis, and a short history of the MI5 counter-intelligence service. Brenda Maddox, who had written a of Thatcher to accompany the programme, credits Dennis Thatcher with liberating his wife from her repressive background. Regarding his and psychology, four years ago Kelly converted to the Baha'i religion, a pacifist faith that strongly condemns suicide. It is a work of and criticism with the drama and sweep of a historical novel. Adolf Eichmann is not an obvious candidate for a full-length , and before his capture in 1960 and trial the following year no one would have thought of writing one. Turning in a 500 word , written painstakingly in the past tense, I sighed as my class was assigned another essay, this time in the future tense, due the next day. Linda Lear is author of the definitive of Rachel Carson. Lying somewhere between an academic treatise, a of an eco-activist, and a guidebook for Green campaigners, it is a truly remarkable book. Such information is catalogued in his website's , a curious document that, through its endearing use of Eeyoreish negatives, gives you a flavour of the man. The one major error I have detected in Perkins' is the confident assertion that she would not have tried to expurgate every unflattering reference. There are no music examples, but, as in Professor Todd's , a number of plates that illustrate Mendelssohn's talent as a draughtsman and water-colourist. On the debit side, a number of discrepancies detract from an otherwise riveting . In some ways, this should be applauded for its total absence of the prurient interest so common to most of its peers. On the downside, this dependency on and history means that sometimes the tales do not stand in their own right. Sylvia Plath and the Theatre of Mourning continues this tense push-pull struggle with throughout its pages. It is neither a full-scale nor a comprehensive history of the Korean War. The artist was drawn to Ludwig's life after seeing a on the eccentric king's behaviour. This massive describes the rise to power of the last great English churchman to preside over the King's government. With regard to literary genre, Mark's gospel is a , similar to other lives of famous people written in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Both deeper and wider than a , the book documents and vivifies events that still affect us today. Neil McKenna's 2003 , The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde, offers an exploration of Wilde's sexuality. William Roper's of More was one of the first biographies in Modern English. Tilley is the author of a of the Australian performer Leigh Bowery titled Leigh Bowery, The Life and Times of an Icon. An early of Sidney was written by his friend and schoolfellow, Fulke Greville. He is also the subject of perhaps the most famous in English literature, namely The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell. His early works include the Life of Mr Richard Savage, the poems London and The Vanity of Human Wishes, and the play Irene. When it came to , Johnson disagreed with Plutarch's use of biography to praise and to teach morality. Johnson's thoughts on and on poetry coalesced in his understanding of what would make a good critic. These early writings coloured all subsequent and have become embedded in a body of Keats legend. Inspired by the 1997 Keats penned by Andrew Motion, it stars Ben Whishaw as Keats and Abbie Cornish as Fanny. Sir Timothy threatened to stop the allowance if any of the poet were published. Also in 1845, Percy Bysshe Shelley's cousin Thomas Medwin approached her claiming to have written a damaging of Percy Shelley. Soon after Percy Shelley's death, Mary Shelley determined to write his . Anthony Powell mentions in his review of that contains that in his view Belloc was thoroughly antisemitic, at all but a personal level. The situation was compounded as successive generations of the family expunged and sanitized the already opaque details of Austen's . In 1991, Michael Shelden, an American professor of literature, published a . Hermione Lee's 1996 Virginia Woolf provides a thorough and authoritative examination of Woolf's life and work. Wilson's was not the first to address the question of Lewis's relationship with Moore. Each interview begins with a short of the interviewee, including their major publications. Listings include a of each inductee and an explanation of his or her achievements in the accounting field. And no, there's no truth El Tigre's will be called Great Expectorations. In the of cancer, retinoblastoma is a lead character. The festival is taking in tartan noir, erotica, horror, and poetry with some music and film thrown in too. Thanks largely to the research of John Harley, knowledge of Byrd's has expanded in recent years. In Eisenhower Jean Edward Smith has produced what may well be the best one-volume on this figure. According to articles, reports and a , Turpin couldn't deal with the obscurity resulting from the loss of his crown. American seaman Haskell Wexler later won two Academy Awards, the latter for a of his shipmate Woody Guthrie. As her shouts, Ewa Mataya Laurance is one of the most visible superstars in the history of pocket billiards. Roberts ends this detailed with appendixes on Coxeter groups and diagrams as well as Fibonacci numbers and phyllotaxis. Peavy and Smith have collaborated on 10 books on women's history and . There has only been one , written by Paul Allen, and this primarily covers his career in the theatre. He also wrote his first book there, a of Giacomo Meyerbeer, an opera composer. Cleo McNelly Kearns notes in her that Eliot was deeply influenced by Indic traditions, notably the Upanishads. In 1984, he wrote his first book, a of the band Duran Duran, as well as Ghastly Beyond Belief, a book of quotations, with Kim Newman. Alan Llwyd's 2011 of Roberts used diaries and letters to shed fresh light on her private life and her relationship with Morris. But who needs one more perfectly excellent Mozart ? A newspaper review of a Conrad suggested that the book could have been subtitled Thirty Years of Debt, Gout, Depression and Angst. Aymer Vallance was commissioned to produce the first of Morris, published in 1897, after Morris' death, as per the latter's wishes. In 1973 Burton agreed to play Josip Broz Tito in a film , since he admired the Yugoslav leader. In his of his father, Francis Deng deals frankly and in detail with Deng Majok's prodigious uxoriousness. The cultural of urnfields and the long-term history of a mythical landscape. In Updike, literary critic Adam Begley offers the first full-length on a larger-than-life American writer. An experiment in , rather less successful than Symons' Corvine, on a par perhaps with Ackroyd's Dickensian direct address strategems. In his , Ploughman of the Moon, Service recalled that his second effort, The Ballads of a Cheechako, also caused the House some anxiety. Foran is the author most recently of the of Mordecai Richler, another iconic Montrealer. The 1988 by Melvyn Bragg provides a detailed description of the many health issues that plagued Burton throughout his life. He was stunned by the backlash from some of the sleazier revelations in Tom Bower's recent tell-all , Sweet Revenge. Science historian Daniel Lewis set out to write a of Robert Ridgway, the Smithsonian's first curator of birds. In The Puppetmaster, the life of Li Tien-lu the Taiwanese puppeteer is the subject of Hou's hybrid fictional and documentary film. This year's Costa book award shortlists in five categories, novel, first novel, poetry, and children's book, have been announced. In the of Helen Keller, for example, one chapter has definition boxes for Emanuel Swendenborg and the Braillewriter. Another stereotyped feature of the criminal was the portrayal of the biographee in the role of criminal-as-sinner. But Jim Steinmeyer's efficient though vexing new makes it clear why we all live today in Charles Fort's benightedly bizarre world. The locus classicus for this modern-sounding concept occurs in a contemporary by Wipo, a member of the royal chapel. Heinlein, In Dialogue With His Century, William Patterson has given us a scholarly doorstop that's smoothly readable. Happenstance opened the book for me to the of Margaret Leeson, listed only as Brothel-keeper. Her recent book provides us with a new paradigm for modern . The includes conjectures about the writer's earliest ambitions. Alfred commissioned Bishop Asser to write his , which inevitably emphasised Alfred's positive aspects. Gruffudd ap Cynan's was first written in Latin and intended for a wider audience outside Wales. However, Hibbert notes in his that the letter can be found among the Duke's papers, with nothing written on it. Rolt, in his of the Stephensons, describes the event in some detail. His was first written by Cardinal Boso in his extension to the Liber Pontificalis. Written by their daughter-in-law, this joint defly interlaces the personal and political to tell a human story behind the national struggle. David Harris Willson's 1956 continued much of this hostility. Evading Sir Timothy's ban on a , Mary Shelley often included in these editions her own annotations and reflections on her husband's life and work. It's about a young man who tries to distill the true of his dying father by looking for the kernels of truth in the many tall tales he has told. Hardy is a key character, played by Jeremy Irons, in the 2015 movie The Man Who Knew Infinity, based on the of Ramanujan with the same title. Rolt in his of Stephenson suggests that a faction on the Board continued to ask Stephenson for second opinions, and Rennie took umbrage at this. Writing his , Funny Peculiar, also had an influence. Very few knew the details of his early life until six years after his death, when John Forster published a on which Dickens had collaborated. The first version appeared in about 715 followed by a later revision in the 730s, the first written by a contemporary to appear in England. The Color of Law spares no detail in its intimate portrayal of a real-life hero of the courtroom, and is a worthy addition to college and public library shelves. In the Eighteenth Century Shakespeare's image was in the ascendant, beginning with Nicholas Rowe's in 1709, the primary source of the Stratfordian story. Hamid's own reflects these trifurcated notions of origin and questions the ease with which the native, the immigrant, or the cosmopolitan is defined. The History is a Renaissance , remarkable more for its literary skill and adherence to classical precepts than for its historical accuracy. As related in the book The Life and Times of Private Eye, Moss was the subject of a less than respectful cartoon in the magazine Private Eye. One of Orwell accused him of having had an authoritarian streak. The most obvious flaw of this is its relentless tendentiousness. The term hagiography may be used to refer to the of a saint or highly developed spiritual being in any of the world's spiritual traditions. In the chapter of Pisa three years later Bonaventure's Legenda maior was approved as the only of Francis and all previous biographies were ordered to be destroyed. Rick Dodgson had filled the gap by offering the first academic of the best-selling author and inspirational figure amongst psychedelic enthusiasts. The Victorian age witnessed a continuation of Milton's influence, George Eliot and Thomas Hardy being particularly inspired by Milton's poetry and . Though at least one of Virginia Woolf appeared in her lifetime, the first authoritative study of her life was published in 1972 by her nephew Quentin Bell. And I would gladly swap the BBC's mean-spirited drama for the far more even-handed approach in Barbara Stoney's excellent of Enid Blyton. A new musical by Wirral songwriter Dean Johnson, called Ice Picks And Violets, aims to shed some light on what might have happened in their last moments. But the Sunday Mirror can reveal Arrival Films has bought the rights for a six-figure sum from Lenny's widow Val and the ghostwriter of his , Pete Gerrard. The stage play Being Sellers premiered in Australia in 1998, three years after the release of the by Roger Lewis, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. Huxley was commissioned by Walt Disney in 1945 to write a script based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the of the story's author, Lewis Carroll. Like his wonderful book on Cannonball Adderley, Walk Tall, this new of flutist Herbie Mann treats us to an album-by-album chronicle of the musician's life. Crawford published a of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The first full was published in 1848 by Richard Monckton Milnes. Capua, author of many Hollywood film star biographies and correspondent for an Italian film magazine, provides a of American film legend Janet Leigh. Several costumes and banners featured images of pigs following claims in a new that Mr Cameron took part in a bizarre initiation ceremony at Oxford. The proposals were first published in 1970 in a of de Valera. Barrow, in his on Robert the Bruce, accused Edward of ruthlessly exploiting the leaderless state of Scotland to obtain a feudal superiority over the kingdom. FitzGibbon's 1965 ignores Thomas's heavy drinking and skims over his death, giving just two pages in his detailed book to Thomas's demise. Chapter 2 summarizes Dominici's and his activities as a preacher, writer, diplomat, and pedagogue. This is Mr. Van Doren at his worst and hack at normal. Suzanne then slipped away to her new victim, whose must here be given. A handful of inset black-and-white photographs illustrate this respectful of a true believer. And if his were written from his childhood to his death, it would be not only an ensample, but confusion to the world. Judge Driscoll had generously left the law feature out of Wilson's which he had furnished to the twins. Readers may remember the first chapter of my of Watkin Tench about my work in tracing his family in Chester, England. Why does Boswell yet wear the crown of indivisible supremacy in ? This act, a bar-sinister in the of Gorges, sullies his escutcheon at the outset. Neil Clark, author of a brief of john deere, states that the diamond-shaped piece was cut out of a circular saw. With the opening installment of the first serial the Free Press published a photograph of the author over a stickful of . Mr. Bingley also, in his animal , says that eels are viviparous. Use * for blank tiles (max 2) Use * for blank spaces bottom_desktop desktop:[300x250] go Word Tools Finders & Helpers Apps More Synonyms Copyright WordHippo © 2024 Mastering Complex Sentences: A Guide to Writing Like a Pro Are you looking to improve your writing skills? One way to enhance your writing is by using complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. These sentences are an essential tool in writing because they allow you to convey more information and add variety to your writing. Learning how to create complex sentences can be a challenge, but it’s a skill that can be developed with practice. In this article, we’ll explore the different types of complex sentences, provide examples of how to use them, and offer tips on how to avoid common mistakes. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to use complex sentences to improve your writing. Understanding Complex Sentences As you advance in your English writing skills, you will encounter complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. The dependent clause(s) in a complex sentence cannot stand alone as a sentence because they do not express a complete thought. To create a complex sentence, you need to use a subordinating conjunction to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause. The subordinating conjunctions include words such as because, although, since, while, and if. Here are some examples of complex sentences: Because I was tired, I went to bed early. Although I studied hard, I did not pass the test. Since it was raining, we decided to stay indoors. In each of the above examples, the dependent clause is italicized, and the subordinating conjunction is bolded. Complex sentences are useful when you want to provide more information to explain or modify your sentence’s main point. They can help you to express your ideas more clearly and precisely. It is important to note that complex sentences are different from compound sentences. Compound sentences are sentences that have two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, so. Here is an example of a compound sentence: I went to the store, and I bought some milk. In this example, there are two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction “and.” Components of Complex Sentences Independent clauses. An independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone. It contains a subject, verb, and expresses a complete thought. In a complex sentence, an independent clause is joined with one or more dependent clauses. Here are some examples of independent clauses: She went to the store. I am going to the beach. They are playing soccer. Dependent Clauses A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought. Dependent clauses are used to provide additional information to the independent clause in a complex sentence. Here are some examples of dependent clauses: When she went to the store Although I am tired Because they are playing soccer In a complex sentence, the dependent clause is joined to the independent clause with a conjunction. Common conjunctions used to join dependent clauses include “although,” “because,” “since,” and “when.” Here are some examples of complex sentences with independent and dependent clauses: Although she was tired, she went to the gym. When the movie ended, we went to get ice cream. In each of these examples, the dependent clause provides additional information to the independent clause. The use of complex sentences can make your writing more interesting and varied. However, it is important to use them correctly to avoid confusing your readers. Remember to use a comma before the conjunction when joining an independent and dependent clause. Also, be sure to use the correct conjunction to show the relationship between the clauses. Forming Complex Sentences When you want to add more detail or explanation to your sentence’s main point, you can use complex sentences. These sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause provides additional information, and it cannot stand alone as a sentence. Here’s how to form complex sentences. Using Subordinating Conjunctions One way to form a complex sentence is by using subordinating conjunctions. These words connect the dependent clause to the independent clause, and they show the relationship between the two clauses. Here are some common subordinating conjunctions: After After I finish my homework, I will watch TV. Although Although it was raining, we went for a walk. Because Because I studied hard, I passed the exam. If If you come to the party, I will be happy. Since Since I started exercising, I feel better. When When I grow up, I want to be a doctor. While While I was cooking, I listened to music. Using Relative Pronouns Another way to form a complex sentence is by using relative pronouns. These words introduce the dependent clause, and they refer back to a noun or pronoun in the independent clause. Here are some common relative pronouns: Who The woman who lives next door is very friendly. Whom The boy whom I met at the party is my new friend. Whose The dog whose tail is wagging is very happy. Which The book which I borrowed from the library is interesting. That The car that I bought last year is very reliable. Remember that the dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. It needs the independent clause to make sense. Here are some examples of complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns: Although it was late, she continued to work on her project. The man who won the race received a medal. Because the weather was bad, they decided to stay home. The book which I read last night was very suspenseful. By using subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns, you can create complex sentences that provide more detail and explanation to your writing. Punctuation in Complex Sentences When it comes to complex sentences, punctuation is crucial to ensure clarity and avoid confusion. In a complex sentence, there are two or more clauses, and the way they are punctuated can significantly affect the meaning of the sentence. The most common punctuation mark used in complex sentences is the comma. However, the use of commas depends on the type and position of the clauses. Here are some rules to keep in mind: Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so). For example: You can come to the party, but you have to bring a gift. Use a comma after a dependent clause that comes before an independent clause. For example: If you study hard, you will pass the exam. Do not use a comma after an independent clause that comes before a dependent clause. For example: I will go to the gym if I have time. Use commas to set off non-essential clauses or phrases. For example: The book, which I read last week, was excellent. Do not use a comma to separate essential clauses or phrases. For example: The man who stole my wallet was caught by the police. It’s important to note that the use of commas in complex sentences can vary depending on the writer’s style and preference. However, it’s essential to be consistent and avoid ambiguity . In addition to commas, other punctuation marks can also be used in complex sentences. Here are some examples: Semicolon: Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction. For example: She is a great singer; her voice is amazing. Colon: Use a colon to introduce a list or an explanation. For example: There are three things you need to do: study, practice, and believe in yourself. Dash: Use a dash to indicate a sudden change in thought or to emphasize a point. For example: I love pizza – who doesn’t? In conclusion, punctuation plays a crucial role in complex sentences. By following the rules and guidelines, you can ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Remember to use punctuation marks appropriately and consistently to avoid confusion. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them When it comes to complex sentences, there are a few common mistakes that writers tend to make. Here are some tips on how to avoid these mistakes and improve your writing: Run-On Sentences One of the most common mistakes in complex sentences is creating run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is a sentence that contains two or more independent clauses that are not properly separated. To avoid run-on sentences, you can use one of the following methods: Use a period to separate the two independent clauses into two separate sentences. Use a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses. Use a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, so, yet, for, nor) to join the two independent clauses. Example: You can avoid run-on sentences by using proper punctuation; for example, a period, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction. Sentence Fragments Another common mistake in complex sentences is creating sentence fragments. A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that is missing a subject, verb, or both. To avoid sentence fragments, make sure that each sentence has a subject and a verb. Example: Avoid sentence fragments by making sure that each sentence has a subject and a verb. Dangling Modifiers A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word that is not in the sentence. This mistake can make your writing confusing and difficult to understand. To avoid dangling modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying. Example: To avoid dangling modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying. Misplaced Modifiers A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that is placed in the wrong part of the sentence, making the sentence unclear or confusing. To avoid misplaced modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying. Example: To avoid misplaced modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create complex sentences that are clear, concise, and easy to understand. Congratulations! You now have a good understanding of complex sentences. You know that they contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, and that they can be used to add detail and complexity to your writing. You also know that subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “since,” and “until” are often used to connect clauses in complex sentences. Remember to use these conjunctions correctly and to avoid common errors like comma splices and run-on sentences. To help you remember the key points of complex sentences, here is a quick summary: Complex sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Use subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “since,” and “until” to connect clauses. Be careful to avoid common errors like comma splices and run-on sentences. Now that you have a solid understanding of complex sentences, you can start using them in your own writing. Remember to practice and experiment with different sentence structures to find what works best for you. Good luck! Frequently Asked Questions What are some common conjunctions used in complex sentences? Common conjunctions used in complex sentences include “although,” “because,” “since,” “when,” and “while.” These conjunctions are used to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause. What is the difference between a complex sentence and a compound sentence? A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, while a compound sentence has two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction. In other words, a complex sentence has a dependent clause and an independent clause, while a compound sentence has two or more independent clauses. What are some examples of complex sentences with dependent clauses? Here are some examples of complex sentences with dependent clauses: Although I was tired, I stayed up late to finish my project. Because it was raining, we decided to stay inside and watch a movie. Since she had a lot of homework to do, she couldn’t go to the party. How do you identify a complex sentence? To identify a complex sentence, look for a sentence that has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause will usually start with a subordinating conjunction such as “although,” “because,” or “since.” What are some strategies for writing clear and effective complex sentences? To write clear and effective complex sentences, make sure that the dependent clause is connected to the independent clause in a logical and clear way. Use subordinating conjunctions appropriately, and make sure that the dependent clause is not too long or complicated. Also, try to vary the length and structure of your sentences to keep your writing interesting. What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing complex sentences? Common mistakes to avoid when writing complex sentences include using too many dependent clauses, using subordinating conjunctions incorrectly, and making the dependent clause too long or complicated. It’s also important to make sure that the dependent clause is connected to the independent clause in a clear and logical way. Related Posts: Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences [Explained with Examples] Simple, compound and complex sentences are the three types of sentences according to the structure. Here, we see examples of simple, compound, and complex sentences. Change Simple Sentences into Compound Sentences Simple Sentences Compound Sentences It rained for three days. The streets in my neighborhood flooded. It rained for three days, so the streets in my neighborhood flooded. Tom completed his homework. He put it in his binder. Tom completed his homework and put it in his binder. Haris mowed the lawn. He earned a hundred dollars. Haris mowed the lawn, so he earned a hundred dollars. Julie doesn’t like seafood. She doesn’t like cabbage. Julie doesn’t like seafood, nor does she like cabbage. My pencil was broken. I borrowed one from my friend. My pencil was broken, so I borrowed one from my friend. Eight people got into the elevator. It was crowded. Three people got off. Eight people got into the elevator, and it was crowded, so three people got off. Sara gathered the pictures. She could arrange them in a special album for her family. Sara gathered the pictures for she could arrange them in a special album for her family. Change Simple Sentences into Complex Sentences Simple Sentences Complex Sentences I did not go to the meeting. I was sick. I did not go to the meeting because I was sick. You may be wrong. I cannot say. Though you may be wrong, I cannot say. He worked hard day and night. He did not wish to fail. He worked hard day and night as he did not wish to fail. The examination ended. The students went home. The students went home when the examination ended. Their progress was slow. They were tired. Their progress was slow because they were tired. You should overlook his fault. It would be an act of generosity on your part. You should overlook his fault as it would be an act of generosity on your part. We found him in the house. He had formerly lived on that house. We found him in the house as he had formerly lived in that house. The employee gave an explanation of his misconduct. The explanation was not accepted by his boss. Although the employee gave an explanation of his misconduct, it was not accepted by his boss. Similar Posts Halloween metaphor and similes examples, sentences with will and won’t, 50 example sentences with melancholy, simple future tense examples, formula and exercises, verb to be positive negative and questions exercises (for beginners), 50 sentences of simple past tense (affirmative, negative, questions), 15 comments, leave a reply cancel reply. How to Write a Biography Biographies are big business. Whether in book form or Hollywood biopics, the lives of the famous and sometimes not-so-famous fascinate us. While it’s true that most biographies are about people who are in the public eye, sometimes the subject is less well-known. Primarily, though, famous or not, the person who is written about has led an incredible life. In this article, we will explain biography writing in detail for teachers and students so they can create their own. While your students will most likely have a basic understanding of a biography, it’s worth taking a little time before they put pen to paper to tease out a crystal-clear definition of one. What Is a Biography? A biography is an account of someone’s life written by someone else . While there is a genre known as a fictional biography, for the most part, biographies are, by definition, nonfiction. Generally speaking, biographies provide an account of the subject’s life from the earliest days of childhood to the present day or, if the subject is deceased, their death. The job of a biography is more than just to outline the bare facts of a person’s life. Rather than just listing the basic details of their upbringing, hobbies, education, work, relationships, and death, a well-written biography should also paint a picture of the subject’s personality and experience of life. Full Biographies Teaching unit. Teach your students everything they need to know about writing an AUTOBIOGRAPHY and a BIOGRAPHY. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( 26 reviews ) Features of a Biography Before students begin writing a biography, they’ll need to have a firm grasp of the main features of a Biography. An excellent way to determine how well they understand these essential elements is to ask them to compile a checklist like the one-blow Their checklists should contain the items below at a minimum. Be sure to help them fill in any gaps before moving on to the writing process. The purpose of a biography is to provide an account of someone’s life. Biography structure. ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Open your biography with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention SEQUENCING: In most cases, biographies are written in chronological order unless you are a very competent writer consciously trying to break from this trend. COVER: childhood, upbringing, education, influences, accomplishments, relationships, etc. – everything that helps the reader to understand the person. CONCLUSION: Wrap your biography up with some details about what the subject is doing now if they are still alive. If they have passed away, make mention of what impact they have made and what their legacy is or will be. BIOGRAPHY FEATURES LANGUAGE Use descriptive and figurative language that will paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read. Use time connectives to link events. PERSPECTIVE Biographies are written from the third person’s perspective. DETAILS: Give specific details about people, places, events, times, dates, etc. Reflect on how events shaped the subject. You might want to include some relevant photographs with captions. A timeline may also be of use depending upon your subject and what you are trying to convey to your audience. TENSE Written in the past tense (though ending may shift to the present/future tense) THE PROCESS OF WRITING A BIOGRAPHY Like any form of writing, you will find it simple if you have a plan and follow it through. These steps will ensure you cover the essential bases of writing a biography essay. Firstly, select a subject that inspires you. Someone whose life story resonates with you and whose contribution to society intrigues you. The next step is to conduct thorough research. Engage in extensive reading, explore various sources, watch documentaries, and glean all available information to provide a comprehensive account of the person’s life. Creating an outline is essential to organize your thoughts and information. The outline should include the person’s early life, education, career, achievements, and any other significant events or contributions. It serves as a map for the writing process, ensuring that all vital information is included. Your biography should have an engaging introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and provides background information on the person you’re writing about. It should include a thesis statement summarising the biography’s main points. Writing a biography in chronological order is crucial . You should begin with the person’s early life and move through their career and achievements. This approach clarifies how the person’s life unfolded and how they accomplished their goals. A biography should be written in a narrative style , capturing the essence of the person’s life through vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and quotes. Avoid dry, factual writing and focus on creating a compelling narrative that engages the reader. Adding personal insights and opinions can enhance the biography’s overall impact, providing a unique perspective on the person’s achievements, legacy, and impact on society. Editing and proofreading are vital elements of the writing process. Thoroughly reviewing your biography ensures that the writing is clear, concise, and error-free. You can even request feedback from someone else to ensure that it is engaging and well-written. Finally, including a bibliography at the end of your biography is essential. It gives credit to the sources that were used during research, such as books, articles, interviews, and websites. Tips for Writing a Brilliant Biography Biography writing tip #1: choose your subject wisely. There are several points for students to reflect on when deciding on a subject for their biography. Let’s take a look at the most essential points to consider when deciding on the subject for a biography: Interest: To produce a biography will require sustained writing from the student. That’s why students must choose their subject well. After all, a biography is an account of someone’s entire life to date. Students must ensure they choose a subject that will sustain their interest throughout the research, writing, and editing processes. Merit: Closely related to the previous point, students must consider whether the subject merits the reader’s interest. Aside from pure labors of love, writing should be undertaken with the reader in mind. While producing a biography demands sustained writing from the author, it also demands sustained reading from the reader. Therefore, students should ask themselves if their chosen subject has had a life worthy of the reader’s interest and the time they’d need to invest in reading their biography. Information: Is there enough information available on the subject to fuel the writing of an entire biography? While it might be a tempting idea to write about a great-great-grandfather’s experience in the war. There would be enough interest there to sustain the author’s and the reader’s interest, but do you have enough access to information about their early childhood to do the subject justice in the form of a biography? Biography Writing Tip #2: R esearch ! Research! Research! While the chances are good that the student already knows quite a bit about the subject they’ve chosen. Chances are 100% that they’ll still need to undertake considerable research to write their biography. As with many types of writing , research is an essential part of the planning process that shouldn’t be overlooked. If students wish to give as complete an account of their subject’s life as possible, they’ll need to put in the time at the research stage. An effective way to approach the research process is to: 1. Compile a chronological timeline of the central facts, dates, and events of the subject’s life 2. Compile detailed descriptions of the following personal traits:      Physical looks      Character traits      Values and beliefs 3. Compile some research questions based on different topics to provide a focus for the research: Childhood : Where and when were they born? Who were their parents? Who were the other family members? What education did they receive? Obstacles: What challenges did they have to overcome? How did these challenges shape them as individuals? Legacy: What impact did this person have on the world and/or the people around them? Dialogue & Quotes: Dialogue and quotations by and about the subject are a great way to bring color and life to a biography. Students should keep an eagle eye out for the gems that hide amid their sources. As the student gets deeper into their research, new questions will arise that can further fuel the research process and help to shape the direction the biography will ultimately go in. Likewise, during the research, themes will often begin to suggest themselves. Exploring these themes is essential to bring depth to biography, but we’ll discuss this later in this article. Research Skills: Researching for biography writing is an excellent way for students to hone their research skills in general. Developing good research skills is essential for future academic success. Students will have opportunities to learn how to: Gather relevant information Evaluate different information sources Select suitable information Organize information into a text. Students will have access to print and online information sources, and, in some cases, they may also have access to people who knew or know the subject (e.g. biography of a family member). These days, much of the research will likely take place online. It’s crucial, therefore, to provide your students with guidance on how to use the internet safely and evaluate online sources for reliability. This is the era of ‘ fake news ’ and misinformation after all! COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON INTERNET RESEARCH SKILLS USING GOOGLE SEARCH Teach your students ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF THE INFORMATION ERA to become expert DIGITAL RESEARCHERS. ⭐How to correctly ask questions to search engines on all devices. ⭐ How to filter and refine your results to find exactly what you want every time. ⭐ Essential Research and critical thinking skills for students. ⭐ Plagiarism, Citing and acknowledging other people’s work. ⭐ How to query, synthesize and record your findings logically. BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip #3: Find Your Themes In Biography Writing Though predominantly a nonfiction genre, the story still plays a significant role in good biography writing. The skills of characterization and plot structuring are transferable here. And, just like in fiction, exploring themes in a biographical work helps connect the personal to the universal. Of course, these shouldn’t be forced; this will make the work seem contrived, and the reader may lose faith in the truthfulness of the account. A biographer needs to gain and maintain the trust of the reader. Fortunately, themes shouldn’t need to be forced. A life well-lived is full of meaning, and the themes the student writer is looking for will emerge effortlessly from the actions and events of the subject’s life. It’s just a case of learning how to spot them. One way to identify the themes in a life is to look for recurring events or situations in a person’s life. These should be apparent from the research completed previously. The students should seek to identify these patterns that emerge in the subject’s life. For example, perhaps they’ve had to overcome various obstacles throughout different periods of their life. In that case, the theme of overcoming adversity is present and has been identified. Usually, a biography has several themes running throughout, so be sure your students work to identify more than one theme in their subject’s life. BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip: #4 Put Something of Yourself into the Writing While the defining feature of a biography is that it gives an account of a person’s life, students must understand that this is not all a biography does. Relating the facts and details of a subject’s life is not enough. The student biographer should not be afraid to share their thoughts and feelings with the reader throughout their account of their subject’s life. The student can weave some of their personality into the fabric of the text by providing commentary and opinion as they relate the events of the person’s life and the wider social context at the time. Unlike the detached and objective approach we’d expect to find in a history textbook, in a biography, student-writers should communicate their enthusiasm for their subject in their writing. This makes for a more intimate experience for the reader, as they get a sense of getting to know the author and the subject they are writing about. Biography Examples For Students Year 5 Example Year 7 Example Year 9 Example “The Rock ‘n’ Roll King: Elvis Presley” Elvis Aaron Presley, born on January 8, 1935, was an amazing singer and actor known as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Even though he’s been dead for nearly 50 years, I can’t help but be fascinated by his incredible life! Elvis grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a tiny house with his parents and twin brother. His family didn’t have much money, but they shared a love for music. Little did they know Elvis would become a music legend! When he was only 11 years old, Elvis got his first guitar. He taught himself to play and loved singing gospel songs. As he got older, he started combining different music styles like country, blues, and gospel to create a whole new sound – that’s Rock ‘n’ Roll! In 1954, at the age of 19, Elvis recorded his first song, “That’s All Right.” People couldn’t believe how unique and exciting his music was. His famous hip-swinging dance moves also made him a sensation! Elvis didn’t just rock the music scene; he also starred in movies like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.” But fame came with challenges. Despite facing ups and downs, Elvis kept spreading happiness through his music. Tragically, Elvis passed away in 1977, but his music and charisma live on. Even today, people worldwide still enjoy his songs like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Elvis Presley’s legacy as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll will live forever. Long Live the King: I wish I’d seen him. Elvis Presley, the Rock ‘n’ Roll legend born on January 8, 1935, is a captivating figure that even a modern-day teen like me can’t help but admire. As I delve into his life, I wish I could have experienced the magic of his live performances. Growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis faced challenges but found solace in music. At 11, he got his first guitar, a symbol of his journey into the world of sound. His fusion of gospel, country, and blues into Rock ‘n’ Roll became a cultural phenomenon. The thought of being in the audience during his early performances, especially when he recorded “That’s All Right” at 19, sends shivers down my spine. Imagining the crowd’s uproar and feeling the revolutionary energy of that moment is a dream I wish I could have lived. Elvis wasn’t just a musical prodigy; he was a dynamic performer. His dance moves, the embodiment of rebellion, and his roles in films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock” made him a true icon. After watching him on YouTube, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I’ll never witness the King’s live performances. The idea of swaying to “Hound Dog” or being enchanted by “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in person is a missed opportunity. Elvis may have left us in 1977, but he was the king of rock n’ roll. Long live the King! Elvis Presley: A Teen’s Take on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Icon” Elvis Presley, born January 8, 1935, was a revolutionary force in the music world, earning his title as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Exploring his life, even as a 16-year-old today, I’m captivated by the impact he made. Hailing from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis grew up in humble beginnings, surrounded by the love of his parents and twin brother. It’s inspiring to think that, despite financial challenges, this young man would redefine the music scene. At 11, Elvis got his first guitar, sparking a self-taught journey into music. His early gospel influences evolved into a unique fusion of country, blues, and gospel, creating the electrifying genre of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In 1954, at only 19, he recorded “That’s All Right,” marking the birth of a musical legend. Elvis wasn’t just a musical innovator; he was a cultural phenomenon. His rebellious dance moves and magnetic stage presence challenged the norms. He transitioned seamlessly into acting, starring in iconic films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.” However, fame came at a cost, and Elvis faced personal struggles. Despite the challenges, his music continued to resonate. Even now, classics like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” transcend generations. Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is undeniable. He was known for his unique voice, charismatic persona, and electrifying performances. He sold over one billion records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling solo artists in history. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Elvis’s influence can still be seen in today’s music. Many contemporary artists, such as Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake, have cited Elvis as an inspiration. His music continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials. Elvis left us in 1977, but his legacy lives on. I appreciate his breaking barriers and fearlessly embracing his artistic vision. Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is timeless, a testament to the enduring power of his artistry. His music has inspired generations and will continue to do so for many years to come. Teaching Resources Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies. BIOGRAPHY WRITING TEACHING IDEAS AND LESSONS We have compiled a sequence of biography-related lessons or teaching ideas that you can follow as you please. They are straightforward enough for most students to follow without further instruction. BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 1: This session aims to give students a broader understanding of what makes a good biography. Once your students have compiled a comprehensive checklist of the main features of a biography, allow them to use it to assess some biographies from your school library or on the internet using the feature checklist. When students have assessed a selection of biographies, take some time as a class to discuss them. You can base the discussion around the following prompts: Which biographies covered all the criteria from their checklist? Which biographies didn’t? Which biography was the most readable in terms of structure? Which biography do you think was the least well-structured? How would you improve this? Looking at how other writers have interpreted the form will help students internalize the necessary criteria before attempting to produce a biography. Once students have a clear understanding of the main features of the biography, they’re ready to begin work on writing a biography. When the time does come to put pen to paper, be sure they’re armed with the following top tips to help ensure they’re as well prepared as possible. BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 2: This session aims to guide students through the process of selecting the perfect biography subject. Instruct students to draw up a shortlist of three potential subjects for the biography they’ll write. Using the three criteria mentioned in the writing guide (Interest, Merit, and Information), students award each potential subject a mark out of 5 for each of the criteria. In this manner, students can select the most suitable subject for their biography. BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 3: This session aims to get students into the researching phase, then prioritise and organise events chronologically. Students begin by making a timeline of their subject’s life, starting with their birth and ending with their death or the present day. If the student has yet to make a final decision on the subject of their biography, a family member will often serve well for this exercise as a practice exercise. Students should research and gather the key events of the person’s life, covering each period of their life from when they were a baby, through childhood and adolescence, right up to adulthood and old age. They should then organize these onto a timeline. Students can include photographs with captions if they have them. They can present these to the class when they have finished their timelines. BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 4: Instruct students to look over their timeline, notes, and other research. Challenge them to identify three patterns that repeat throughout the subject’s life and sort all the related events and incidents into specific categories. Students should then label each category with a single word. This is the thematic concept or the broad general underlying idea. After that, students should write a sentence or two expressing what the subject’s life ‘says’ about that concept. This is known as the thematic statement . With the thematic concepts and thematic statements identified, the student now has some substantial ideas to explore that will help bring more profound meaning and wider resonance to their biography. BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 5: Instruct students to write a short objective account of an event in their own life. They can write about anyone from their past. It needn’t be more than a couple of paragraphs, but the writing should be strictly factual, focusing only on the objective details of what happened. Once they have completed this, it’s time to rewrite the paragraph, but they should include some opinion and personal commentary this time. The student here aims to inject some color and personality into their writing, to transform a detached, factual account into a warm, engaging story. A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING BIOGRAPHIES Teach your students to write AMAZING BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES using proven RESEARCH SKILLS and WRITING STRATEGIES . Understand the purpose of both forms of biography. Explore the language and perspective of both. Prompts and Challenges to engage students in writing a biography. Dedicated lessons for both forms of biography. Biographical Projects can expand students’ understanding of reading and writing a biography. A COMPLETE 82-PAGE UNIT – NO PREPARATION REQUIRED. FREE Biography Writing Graphic Organizer Use this valuable tool in the research and writing phases to keep your students on track and engaged. WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews) To Conclude By this stage, your students should have an excellent technical overview of a biography’s essential elements. They should be able to choose their subject in light of how interesting and worthy they are, as well as give consideration to the availability of information out there. They should be able to research effectively and identify emerging themes in their research notes. And finally, they should be able to bring some of their personality and uniqueness into their retelling of the life of another. Remember that writing a biography is not only a great way to develop a student’s writing skills; it can be used in almost all curriculum areas. For example, to find out more about a historical figure in History, to investigate scientific contributions to Science, or to celebrate a hero from everyday life. Biography is an excellent genre for students to develop their writing skills and to find inspiration in the lives of others in the world around them. HOW TO WRITE A BIOGRAPHY TUTORIAL VIDEO OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO BIOGRAPHY WRITING How to write an Autobiography How to Write a Historical Recount Text 15 Awesome Recount & Personal Narrative Topics Personal Narrative Writing Guide Biography in a Sentence  🔊 Definition of Biography a person’s life story as told by another person Examples of Biography in a sentence It took me years to shape the president’s life story into an engaging biography.  🔊 Since the actress never asked you to write about her rise to stardom, your book isn’t an authorized biography.  🔊 The popular author will recount the singer’s upbringing in a biography.  🔊 In order for the writer to pen my biography, he’ll need to ask me numerous questions about my life.  🔊 Using my grandmother’s diaries, I was able to mesh her stories into a biography.  🔊 Other words in the Books and Reading Material category: Most Searched Words (with Video) Voracious: In a Sentence Verbose: In a Sentence Vainglorious: In a Sentence Pseudonym: In a Sentence Propinquity: In a Sentence Orotund: In a Sentence Magnanimous: In a Sentence Inquisitive: In a Sentence Epoch: In a Sentence Aberrant: In a Sentence Apprehensive: In a Sentence Obdurate: In a Sentence Heresy: In a Sentence Gambit: In a Sentence Pneumonia: In a Sentence Otiose: In a Sentence 138 COMMENTS How To Use "Biography" In A Sentence: Exploring The Term 3. Failing to capitalize "biography" when referring to a specific work: When mentioning the title of a specific biography, it is important to capitalize the word "biography" as you would with any other title. Incorrect Example: "I recently read a biography of Leonardo da Vinci.". Biography Sentence Starters By using these biography sentence starters, you can craft a compelling story of someone's life. They can serve as the foundation for the narrative, helping to provide structure and focus to your writing. Once you have outlined the facts, you can then add further details to develop the story. Remember that the goal of writing a biography is to ... How to write a strong one-line biography (with examples!) Keep it short, but readable. If you're required to keep your biography to just one sentence, you have just 15 to 20 words on average to get your point across. You need to be succinct and make every word count. As such, remove superlatives and flowery language that could make it harder to read. This is not the place to be cute or show off ... How To Use "Biographies" In A Sentence: Breaking Down Usage In the context of biographies, this phrase implies that one can gain deep insights into a person's life story by studying their biography. Example sentence: "After reading Einstein's biography, I felt like I could read him like a book and understand the genius behind his theories.". 2. "Write One's Own Story". Complex Sentences: 50 Examples A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses, joined by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun (that, who, which): I'm happy because we won the game. ("I'm happy" can be a complete sentence. "Because we won the game" cannot be a sentence by itself.) The blue jacket, which I gave him ... Examples of 'Biography' in a Sentence noun. Much of the book reads like the Yoko chapter in a biography of John. John Adams, like a door-stopping biography, is one of the best of the form. The biography is just one of a slew of projects about Taylor's life that the estate has in the works. Go to a used bookstore and check the biography shelves. Examples of 'biography' in a sentence Times, Sunday Times. ( 2010) She knew that a supreme method of doing this was through the biographies of real people. Davey, Ray Rev. & Cole, John. A Channel of Peace. ( 1993) It was an item that had failed to appear in the official biography published four years earlier. The Times Literary Supplement. How to Write Complex Sentences: Structure and Rules Learn the different parts of a complex sentence. Definitions and examples demonstrate how important complex sentences can be when varying your writing style. Complex Sentence: Explanation and Examples Examples of Complex Sentences. Below are examples of complex sentences. In each example, the independent clause is shaded. The dependent clause is unshaded. Stay in the bath until the phone rings. Both the cockroach and the bird would get along very well without us, although the cockroach would miss us most. (Joseph Wood Krutch, 1893-1970) Complex Sentences: A Crash Course With Examples But when you use complex sentences, you can convey cause and effect, the progression of events, and other critical information. You can also use complex sentences to elaborate on a claim, compare and contrast ideas, and combine ideas that are similar into one point. You can see how a complex sentence can add clarity that a simple sentence can ... How to use "biography" in a sentence Sentence Examples. This is in essence a short and rather conventional biography which breaks no new ground but is a good summary of current knowledge. But the picture drawn by Volkmar Braunbehrens's 1989 biography is of a serious, steady, occasionally irascible man. The library also has a wide range of titles on gardening, cookery, history ... Mastering Complex Sentences: A Guide to Writing Like a Pro One way to enhance your writing is by using complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. These sentences are an essential tool in writing because they allow you to convey more information and add variety to your writing. Learning how to create complex sentences can ... Examples of "Biography" in a Sentence 1. His wife Elisa Lee (1787-1860), an American authoress of some reputation, published after his death his lectures and sermons, with a biography written by herself (5 vols., Boston, 1846). 2. Learn how to use "biography" in a sentence with 441 example sentences on YourDictionary. Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences [Explained with Examples] Simple, compound and complex sentences are the three types of sentences according to the structure. A simple sentence consists of a subject and a predicate but a compound sentence consists of two or more subjects and two or more predicates. While the complex sentence can be adjective, noun or adverb clause. Sentence Starters for Biography Writing with Years 3-6 Provide your students with a little bit of inspiration and guidance when writing a biography with these biography themed sentence starters and suggested phrases to get them started. ... sequencing ideas and using complex sentences, specialist and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features (AC9E5LY07) ... How to Write a Biography: 6 Tips for Writing Biographical Texts Whether you want to start writing a biography about a famous person, historical figure, or an influential family member, it's important to know all the elements that make a biography worth both writing and reading. Biographies are how we learn information about another human being's life. Whether you want to start writing a biography about ... How to Write a Biography BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip: #4 Put Something of Yourself into the Writing. While the defining feature of a biography is that it gives an account of a person's life, students must understand that this is not all a biography does. Relating the facts and details of a subject's life is not enough. How to write a complex sentence How to write a complex sentence. There are three types of sentence - simple, compound and complex. Using complex sentences can make it easier to add layers of information and detail when writing ... How to Write a Biography Wondering how to write a biography? We've constructed a simple step-by-step process for writing biographies. Use our tips & tricks to help you get started! Biography: In a Sentence Examples of Biography in a sentence. It took me years to shape the president's life story into an engaging biography. 🔊. Since the actress never asked you to write about her rise to stardom, your book isn't an authorized biography. 🔊. The popular author will recount the singer's upbringing in a biography. 🔊 KS2 Long and Short Biography Text Example Pack What is a biography KS2? A biography is a detailed description of a person's life with facts, background information, and stories from their life. Here's a handy list of some of the key features commonly found in this genre of writing: Written in formal language Use of compound and complex sentences, containing connectives What is a complex sentence? Remove from My Bitesize. A complex sentence communicates more than one idea. One part (the main clause) is like a simple sentence: it can stand on its own. The other part (the minor clause) gives ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis