Sentence Variety: Checklist on Sentence Variety Consider the following questions as you write and revise your drafts:

homeless. Contribute money, lobby your local politicians, and volunteer your time. Above all, remember that homelessness is often the result of an accident.

Readers could view this as a lecture or sermon rather than an argument. 1. Have you varied the sentence types and clause connections in your draft? 2. Have you varied the length of your sentences? Your sentences should not be all long or all short. 3. Have you used coordination to connect clauses of equal importance? 4. Is coordination balanced with subordination, and are the less important ideas subordinated? 5. Are the beginnings of your sentences varied? If most sentences begin with the subject, consider some alternatives. 6. Have you tried any sentences using inverted order? Your writing will be more persuasive if you make your points without directly addressing your readers and telling them what to do. Sentence Variety: Sentence Types Vary the structure of your sentences throughout any piece of writing. Aim for a balance of simple, compound, complex, and compoundcomplex sentences. Simple Sentences A simple sentence contains one independent clause. Sentence Variety: Statements, Questions, Commands, and Exclamations You write declarative sentences to make statements, interrogative sentences to ask questions, imperative sentences to give commands, and exclamatory sentences to express surprise or some other strong emotion. Usually, though, you write sentences that make statements. Using too many of the other kinds of sentences can make your writing seem repetitive or not well balanced. An occasional question is useful, as it draws your reader into thinking about your topic. An occasional exclamatory sentence can be powerful, too, but be careful not to overuse this kind. Exclamation points rarely appear in academic writing. When you are writing an argument and want to persuade your readers to act, you may feel tempted to write commands.
Example We all need to contribute to helping the Example Kara raised her hand.

Compound Sentences A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses connected with one or more coordinating conjunctions ( and, but, or, nor, so, for, yet), or with a semicolon alone, or a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression.
Examples She raised her hand, and the whole class was surprised. She raised her hand, but nobody else responded. She raised her hand; the whole class was surprised. She raised her hand; as a result, the whole class was surprised.

Complex Sentences A complex sentence contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
Examples When she raised her hand, the whole class was surprised. The whole class was surprised when she raised her hand.

a poor area of Iran, every day I had to get up early to do farm work, mostly cleaning out the animals' stables. I would be so exhausted in the evening that I would go to bed very early, without ever having time to read.

Use coordinate structures for coordinate ideas. Connect ideas of equal importance with coordinating conjunctions.
Example Every morning Dad makes pancakes, and Mom reads the paper.

Compound-Complex Sentences A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Example When she raised her hand, the whole class was surprised, and the professor waited eagerly as she began to speak.

Constructing Sentences: Effective Sentence Construction Avoid excessive coordination Be sparing in the number of coordinating conjunctions you use within one sentence or series of sentences. A passage containing many and's or but's is not easy to read. Revise passages like the following:
Faulty I grew up in a large family, and we lived on a small farm in a poor area of Iran, and every day I had to get up early and do farm work and spend a lot of time cleaning out the animals' stables, and then I would be exhausted in the evening and would go to bed very early, and I never had time to read. Because I grew up in a large family on a small farm in

To highlight one idea over another, put important information in the independent clause and subordinate less important information.
Faulty He lived in a hotel, and he never had to do anything for himself. [The second clause is the point that the writer wants to emphasize; the first clause provides explanatory information.] When he lived in a hotel, he never had to do anything for himself.

Revised

Avoid excessive subordination. Avoid writing sentences with many dependent clauses. Even if the sentences are accurately constructed, they become difficult for the reader to unravel.

Revised

Faulty

Because the report was weak and poorly written, the boss, who wanted to impress the company president by showing her how efficient his division was, to gain more prestige in the company, decided, despite the fact that he was under pressure of an imminent deadline, that he would rewrite the report over the weekend. Because the report was weak and poorly written, the boss decided to rewrite it over the weekend, despite the pressure of an imminent deadline. He wanted to impress the company president by showing her how efficient his division was so that he could gain more prestige.

knowing about women; growing up with seven sisters is made subordinate in a dependent clause.]

Options for Connecting Clauses

Coordinating Conjunction and (addition) Transitional Expression also, further, furthermore, moreover, in addition however, nevertheless, on the other hand instead, otherwise, alternatively therefore, as a result, hence, consequently, thus, accordingly, then Subordinating Conjunction (none)

Revised

but, yet (contrast)

although, even though, whereas, while unless because, as, since, so/such . . . that, now that, once

or, nor (alternative)

Vary your sentence connections. Vary the way you connect ideas in your writing so that you also vary your sentence structure and place emphasis where it best serves your ideas.
Example The guitarist had grown up with seven sisters. As a result, he really knew about women. The guitarist had grown up with seven sisters, so he really knew about women. [In these two examples, both ideas growing up with seven sisters and knowing about women receive equal weight and are given equal importance.] Because the guitarist had grown up with seven sisters, he really knew about women. [In this example, the sentence emphasis is placed on

so, for (result)