Periodic sentence Definition & Meaning

Master wordsmiths from Dickens to Austen have used them to enthrall readers. A periodic sentence is a complex sentence structure that presents the main clause or its predicate at the end, building suspense and interest for the reader. This type of sentence enhances the rhythm and flow of writing, often making it more engaging and effective in communication. Subordination refers to the grammatical process of connecting dependent clauses to independent clauses, which is crucial in crafting complex sentences like periodic sentences.

Periodic Sentences

Add your own ideas and themes to generate vivid periodic sentences for any genre or topic. This philosophic line exemplifies Shakespeare’s penchant for periodic structure in his pithy, impactful phrases. With practice, you can adeptly construct suspenseful yet coherent periodic sentences. The unconventional structure makes periodic sentences more artistic and lyrical.

• A periodic sentence is a complex sentence structure that withholds its main clause or idea until the end, creating suspense or emphasis.
• Subordination refers to the grammatical process of connecting dependent clauses to independent clauses, which is crucial in crafting complex sentences like periodic sentences.
• Natasha’s trainer spotted her talent right away and patiently guided her to each next level of skill.
• On a concluding note, to be able to differentiate a loose sentence from a periodic sentence, you need to identify and locate the main/independent clause.
• “Unprovided with original learning, uninformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved — to write a book.” By Edward Gibbon used in Memoirs of My Life.

Cumulative sentences

A periodic sentence is a stylistic device in which the main idea or principal clause is delayed or withheld until the end of the sentence. The sentence unfolds gradually, building suspense and holding readers’ attention as they anticipate the main point or conclusion. The structure contrasts with the common loose or cumulative sentence, where the main idea is presented at the beginning.

To reach the core thought, we have to read all the way to the end—i.e., to the period (periodic). ✤ She is having the time of her life, doing all that she has been wanting to do for years. ✤ Considering the low crime rate, scenic beauty, simplicity of the periodic sentence definition people, and the good weather, I am more than willing to live here for the rest of my life.

Key takeaways

Examine how they build suspension and intrigue before delivering the main idea. Here, Austen delays the key proposition to cleverly hook readers. The periodic style encapsulates both the tone and themes of the story.

Intransitive Verb

With so much focus, love, and support behind her, Natasha would become a pro ice skater soon after her seventeenth birthday. Beginning to skate when only five, Natasha gained comfort on the ice. Spotting her talent right away, Natasha’s trainer patiently guided her to each next level of skill. With a mind of steel and a heart of gold, the chosen leader will lead the captives out of their bondage.

• Many of us will write for different reasons, such as to convey information, enjoy and maintain relationships, or journal our distinctive experience perceiving the people, places, and things that we see.
• Beginning to skate when only five, Natasha gained comfort on the ice.
• Periodic sentences can be used for everyday writing as well as a specific genre.
• This unique structure deliberately postpones the main idea until the end, building suspense and gradually allowing complex concepts to unfold.
• “To believe your own thoughts, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius.” By Ralph Waldo Emerson used in Self-Reliance.
• It depends on what is the purpose of writing for writers and what they want for their readers.

Keep dependent clauses brief and impactful before delivering the main point. Understanding the purpose and power of periodic sentences enriches both writing and reading. A hallmark of rhetorical skill, this structure empowers the impactful delivery of insights, arguments, and tales. When skillfully executed, periodic sentences spotlight important ideas, facilitate sophisticated connections, vary the rhythm, and add an artistic flourish.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Periodic sentences keep the reader wrapped in suspense, delaying the main idea by presenting it after the additional details and modifying phrases. So, use them in moderation whenever you wish to build up suspense. Besides this classification, one should have a basic idea about the concept of periodic and loose sentences.

Moreover, the main idea or principle clause of the sentence is at the end. It has a single key idea which is usually incomplete until the end of the sentence. In English literature, Jane Austen provides perhaps the finest examples of periodic sentences. A periodic sentence has the main clause or predicate at the end.