TYPE TWO SENTENCES. ------- , ------- .

Type two sentences are different from the first, in that they have a comma. (You might wonder, “Why all this trouble over commas?! These sentences are not normal!” Maybe, but the purpose of these sentences is to have a very simple framework within which to operate as a
beginning writer.) This comma allows you a great deal of choice in how you construct your sentences. There are at least three ways you can develop a Type Two sentence: (a) the SVO + SVO construction, (b) the SVO + subordinate clause construction, or (c) the subordinate clause + SVO construction. For these three choices, the examples would look like this:

(a) The bird flew in the sky, and the cat slept on the carpet.
(b) The bird flew in the sky, enjoying the view.
(c) Enjoying the view, the bird flew in the sky.

Please remember, for this type of sentence, there is (still) only one central main idea; there are not two main ideas (unless they are very closely related to each other). If you want to have another main idea, then start another sentence.

Usually, when using the comma, you must follow with a conjunction (such as and, but, for, etc.).

Again, when writing a Type Two sentence, start off by choosing a suitable topic. Next, make a sentence plan, using only key words (verbs and nouns). For example:
Topic: A mouse in the house.
Sentence plan: Mouse + run + house , owner + was frightened + sound.
Basic sentence: A mouse ran in the house, and the owner was frightened at the sound.
Improved sentence: A small grey mouse ran everywhere in the large and empty house, and the nervous owner was very frightened by the sounds in the walls.

Start your Type Two sentence short and simple, then build the sentence longer (again like “pulled noodles”), step by step. It is very helpful to write on the classroom blackboard, using different colors of chalk, as this will give you much space to be creative in, you can see your
writing process through the different colors, and if you make a mistake, it is easily erased. Whether you use subordinate clauses or not is up to you.

Build your Type Two sentences around one or two verbs. The verbs are the “heart” of the sentence–not the nouns!

Here are some examples of how to make Type Two sentences:
(a) SVO + SVO construction.
Wind – blow – lake + waves – wash – shoreline (SVO + SVO order)
The wind blew over the lake, and the waves washed against the shoreline. (Basic sentence)
The strong wind blew over the enormous lake, and the violent waves washed against the unprotected shoreline. (Add adjectives)
The strong wind blew fiercely over the enormous lake, and the violent waves washed repeatedly against the unprotected shoreline. (Add adverbs)
(At this point, be very careful of over-extending this sentence; there is a limit to what you can do with this sentence.)
(b) SVO + subordinate clause construction.
Snow – fall – ground + (subordinate clause) (SVO + S.C.)
The snow fell on the ground, making everything white. (Basic sentence)
The silent snow fell on the polluted ground, making everything white. (Add adjectives)
The silent snow fell gracefully on the polluted ground, making everything white. (Add adverbs)
The silent and long-awaited snow fell gracefully on the polluted ground of my father’s steel factory, making everything around me white and free of painful memories. (Add more)
(c) Subordinate clause + SVO construction.
(Subordinate clause) + rice thresher – eject – rice chaff (S.C. + SVO)
Working all day, the rice-thresher ejected rice chaff. (Basic sentence)
Working all day, the antique rice-thresher ejected dusky-brown rice chaff. (Add adjectives)
Working all day, the antique rice-thresher ferociously ejected dusky-brown rice chaff. (Add adverbs)
Working from dawn to dusk all day without any pause, the commune’s antique “Tie Niu” rice-thresher ferociously ejected a mountain of dusky-brown rice chaff. (Add more)

Here are some exercises for you. Using the above examples as a model, please choose five topics (unrelated), and develop a Type Two sentence for each topic. Have fun!