Sentence variety means using different sentence patterns and lengths to give your writing good rhythm and flow. Here are some strategies for achieving more sentence variety in your writing.
Start Some Sentences with Adverbs
Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs; they often end with -ly. As long as the meaning is clear, adverbs can be placed at the beginning of a sentence instead of in the middle. Adverbs at the beginning of a sentence are usually followed by a comma.
| ADVERB IN MIDDLE | Stories about haunted houses frequently surface at Halloween. |
| ADVERB AT BEGINNING | Frequently, stories about haunted houses surface at Halloween. |
Join Ideas Using an -ing Verb
One way to combine sentences is to add -ing to the verb in the less important of the two sentences and to delete the subject, creating a phrase.
| TWO SENTENCES | A pecan roll from our bakery is not a health food. It contains 800 calories. |
| JOINED WITH –ING VERB FORM | Containing 800 calories, a pecan roll from our bakery is not a health food. |
Join Ideas Using a Past Participle
Another way to combine sentences is to use a past participle (often, a verb ending in -ed) to turn the less important of the two sentences into a phrase.
| TWO SENTENCES | Henry VIII was a powerful English king. He is remembered for his many wives. |
| JOINED WITH A PAST PARTICIPLE | Remembered for his many wives, Henry VIII was a powerful English king. |
Join Ideas Using an Appositive
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames a noun or pronoun. Appositives can be used to combine two sentences into one.
| TWO SENTENCES | Brussels sprouts can be roasted for a delicious flavor. They are a commonly disliked food. |
| JOINED WITH AN APPOSITIVE |
Brussels sprouts, a commonly disliked food, can be roasted for a delicious flavor. [The phrase a commonly disliked food renames the noun brussels sprouts.] |
Join Ideas Using an Adjective Clause
An adjective clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb that describes a noun. An adjective clause often begins with the word who, which, or that, and it can be used to combine two sentences into one.
| TWO SENTENCES | Lauren has won many basketball awards. She is captain of her college team. |
| JOINED WITH AN ADJECTIVE CLAUSE | Lauren, who is captain of her college team, has won many basketball awards. |
NOTE: If an adjective clause is an essential part of a sentence, do not put commas around it.
Lauren is an award-
[Who overcame childhood cancer is an essential part of this sentence.]