Why You Should Vary Your Sentences

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Sentence Variation

Are shorter sentences better, or should you go longer? It depends. Sentence variation creates rhythm in your writing; relying on a single structure, length, or style will make it monotonous.

But how do you strike the right balance? 

Why Sentence Variation Matters

Imagine listening to a song where every note is the same—boring. You want shifts within the music to keep you engaged and expecting.

It’s the same principle for your sentences. Short, punchy lines paired with longer, more flowing ones create a sense of movement and energy. Each sentence type will convey different emotions and tones. Without this variety, you get dull and repetitive writing. 

You can vary your sentences through:

  • Length—Short to long sentences.
  • Types—Simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.
  • Function—Declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative sentences.
  • Clarity—Intentionally vague to hyper-specific sentences.
  • Openers and Enders—The words or phrases you use to open or end sentences.

5 Tips on Sentence Variation

Here are a few tricks to make sure your writing isn’t boring.

1. Mix sentence types and complexity.

Short and simple sentences speed up the pace, hold attention, and add impact. Longer and more complex sentences explore ideas, create vivid imagery, and allow the story to slow down. Use a combination of the two to liven up your writing. 

Take a look at this paragraph:

The sun is setting. The sky is orange. The air is cool. The town is quiet. The people are inside. Night is coming.

Compare it to:

The sky turns a warm orange. Birds fly overhead, their cries clear in the darkening town. Most people are already inside, settling in as night falls. The world is quiet, yet alive with small movements. 

The first paragraph sounds robotic and dry. The second one has a more dynamic rhythm and provides more details without overwhelming the reader.

2. Vary sentence openers and enders.

There are plenty of ways to construct a sentence. You don’t need to rely on the same openers and enders. Dependency on the same few words can make your writing dull:

Below is a sentence and its possible revisions. Notice how each revision creates a slight difference in emphasis and delivery.

“The young artist took her brushes, and she began to paint the vibrant sunset in front of her.” (Emphasizes her actions.) (Compound)

Inspired by the colors of the sunset, she carefully selected her brushes and began to paint. (Emphasizes her inspiration.) (Complex)

In a studio overlooking the sunset, the young artist feverishly painted on a canvas. (Emphasizes the setting.) (Simple)

Pay attention to sentence structure. In the above, changing the order of the subject, verb, and object turns one sentence into its compound, complex, and simple forms.

3. Vary or remove connecting words and phrases.

Transition words and conjunctions link ideas, words, sentences, and paragraphs. They’re great, but overusing the same ones can make your writing sound repetitive. 

Don’t fall back on the words you’re comfortable with. If you can, cut them back. Some connecting words aren’t necessary to make a sentence make sense. Rephrase, use punctuation, or split it into two sentences instead.

People were screaming their hearts out, and the band responded with music. (With a conjunction)

People were screaming their hearts out; the band responded with music. (Replaced with a semicolon.)

People were screaming their hearts out. The band responded with music. (Split into two sentences.)

4. Identify your bad writing habits.

A lot of your writing fails might be because of habit. If you can identify your bad habits, you’ll be able to correct them more effectively. 

Check some of your old works and compare them to each other. What’s your usual style of writing? What words do you use most? How are your sentences structured?

And if you want to write better, study the masters of your chosen niche. Try to incorporate some of their techniques into your prose.

5. Read your writing out loud.

Your ears can catch what your eyes might miss. Read your work aloud to find what parts are rough or monotonous. Revise and read again.

Mastering your Sentences

Using a mixture of sentences will give you a more engaging, dynamic piece. Don’t stop there though. After mastering sentence variation, you need to incorporate it into your own style.

Some writers are purposefully brief or meandering. It’s what sets them apart. However, it only works because they’ve made it part of their style. So be intentionally aware of your writing, experiment with it, and practice what works for you. 

What other tips do you have for varying your sentences? Share them below!

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