Cover the Basics

Good writers understand the basics of sentence structure: how sentences work, the buts and bolts of sentences (phrases and clauses). This module will introduce you to the basics of sentences and start you on the path of manipulating these basic parts to achieve more powerful results. Click the title of each tutorial to see more info and use the “View Now” link to check out the tutorial and related exercises.


In this tutorial we give you the big picture of what we mean by writing sentences. Learn about the power that comes from sentences that are purposefully crafted. View Now


Phrases and clauses are the building blocks of sentences, and a strong understanding of what they are will help you take control over your own writing. This tutorial will help you understand how these sentence parts work. View Now


Strong writers use a variety of clauses for specific purpose, and a stronger understanding of clauses will help you have the kind of control you want over your writing. Plus, clauses drive many of our decisions about punctuation. This tutorial will introduce you to a variety of clauses and help you see how they enhance writing. View Now


With a strong understanding of phrases and clauses and how they work in a sentence, you’re ready to take more control over the way you craft sentences. In this tutorial, we’ll study some master mentor texts and derive some principles for how we can purposefully arrange sentence parts to best convey our meaning. View Now