30 Sentence Variety

Row upon row of trees identical in size and shape may appeal to our sense of orderliness, but in spite of that appeal, the rows soon become boring. Constant uniformity in anything, in fact, soon gets tiresome. Variety is important in sentence structures because too much uniformity results in dull, listless prose. This chapter examines ways to revise sentences by creating variety in length and in openings.

Editing for Sentence Variety

AT A GLANCE

  • Count the words in each of your sentences. If the difference between the longest and shortest sentences is fairly small—say, five words or fewer—try revising your sentences to create greater variety. (30a)
  • If many sentences have fewer than ten words, consider whether any of them need more detail or should be combined with other sentences.
  • How do your sentences open? If all or most of them open with a subject, try recasting some sentences to begin with a transition, a phrase, or a dependent clause. (30b)