We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Linguistics

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Loose Sentence?

Jim B.
By
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 37,533
Share

A loose sentence is an English grammatical term referring to a sentence which contains a main statement followed by one or more subordinate clauses. The subordinate clauses may directly modify the main statement or add extra details that expand on its meaning and intent. Writers and speakers can use a loose sentence as a way of breaking up the simplicity of the basic subject-verb format of a simple sentence. Loose sentences are related to but differ somewhat from periodic sentences, which have the subordinate clauses interrupting the main thrust of the sentence.

The best writers have the ability to keep readers interested by varying their style throughout their prose. They can do this with the language that they use or the tone of their content, or they can use different grammatical techniques to keep readers constantly surprised and engaged. Varying the sentence structures that are available to them is one effective manner of doing this. One of the techniques at writers' disposal is the loose sentence, which takes a basic subject-verb construction and builds layers on top of it.

It is important to understand that the loose sentence always has some main statement at the beginning that can stand on its own as a sentence. For example, the basic thrust of one such sentence might be "The birds flew away." To expand upon the simplicity of this sentence, the writer might add, "The birds flew away, since they knew the winter was fast approaching." The writer could then go even further by saying, "The birds flew away, since they knew that winter was fast approaching, threatening to freeze their fine feathers."

As that example shows, a loose sentence can add many details to the main idea at the start of the sentence. By contrast, a periodic sentence also adds details, but it does so by interrupting the flow of that main idea. Changing the previous example into a periodic sentence might yield the following: "The birds, knowing that winter was fast approaching, threatening to freeze their fine feathers, flew away."

Exploiting the slight difference between a loose sentence and a periodic sentence can give a writer several options on how to approach complex sentences. Loose sentences can have a powerful effect as more and more phrases are piled onto the main idea, allowing for a writer to really hammer home his or her point. By contrast, a periodic sentence can keep the reader in suspense by keeping the completion of the main thought at bay for several phrases, before it finally arrives in an impactful conclusion.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Jim B.
By Jim B.
Freelance writer - Jim Beviglia has made a name for himself by writing for national publications and creating his own successful blog. His passion led to a popular book series, which has gained the attention of fans worldwide. With a background in journalism, Beviglia brings his love for storytelling to his writing career where he engages readers with his unique insights.
Discussion Comments
Jim B.
Jim B.
Freelance writer - Jim Beviglia has made a name for himself by writing for national publications and creating his own...
Learn more
Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-a-loose-sentence.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.