Putting Variety in Your Sentences
You have probably seen interesting topics covered by dull writers. Something
that should be exciting seems dry and boring on the page. On the other hand,
you may have seen a dull subject covered by a very good writer. Suddenly the
breeding habits of crested mollusks seem riveting.
In this article, our top expert looks at a key technique for making a plodding
paragraph get up and dance. Putting some variety in your sentences can make
dull writing dynamic. Check out the article to learn how.
There is more to good writing than managing not to break any rules of grammar.
In fact, good writing often means carefully and deliberately breaking grammar
rules to create an effect. This only works if you understand the rules and know
how to follow them.
A sentence fragment can be an excellent tool to emphasize something or to make
a paragraph more lively. This paragraph is getting a bit dull. Wham! I throw in a
sentence fragment to liven things up.
You don't have to break the rules to keep things from getting dull. Try varying
the length and style of your sentences to keep the reader's eyes from glazing
over.
Here is an example from a recipe for pancakes:
First you take 2 cups of flour.
Then you take one egg.
Then you take 1 cup of milk.
You mix the flour and eggs and milk together.
Then you add a pinch of salt.
Then you add two tablespoons of sugar.
Then you mix it all together.
This makes pretty dull reading. The lines are very repetitive. The cook might fall
asleep halfway through making breakfast.
Here is an alternative:There is nothing like the smell of fresh pancakes in the morning to make the whole
day sparkle. They're easy to make, too. Start with a big mixing bowl and add in 2
cups of flour, a cup of milk, and an egg. After that you just need a few more things.
A pinch of salt. Two tablespoons of sugar. Maybe some fruit. Turn on the griddle
and start mixing it all together.
The second example has all of the same information, but every sentence is
different. It starts with a long, flowing sentence about the appeal of pancakes.
The second sentence is much shorter. After a couple of longer sentences there is
a short, choppy list. Variety is the key.
Taken from: www.whitesmoke.com/weekly-downloads.html
March 11, 2009
