Although short sentences can pack a powerful punch in your writing, too many in a row become distracting to the reader. Choppy sentences may make your ideas seem disconnected, and your writing seem unsophisticated. If you find that you have a lot of short, choppy sentences in your writing, read on for a few suggestions to improve them.

When you have too many sentences in a row that begin with a simple subject, or repeat the same subjects in the beginning of a sentence, for example, She is, She was, She can…etc. Think about you how can rework that sentence. You can combine multiple sentences with a well placed comma to create one long sentence. Think about how you can show logical connections between your ideas by using words that show cause and effect. Look for words that show contrast, like such as, and then, just then…etc. Try and join your sentences by using phrases beginning with if, when, after, as, etc. You can manipulate the sentence and move phrases around to find the best way to convey your ideas to the reader.

Try and string together your minor details, you don’t need a new sentence for each piece of information. Think about how you can start your sentences in different ways. Think back to grade school, try a prepositional phrase or a dependent clause! Sometimes, you have to get back to basics.

When writing, it’s important to remember that variety is one of the keys to keeping your reader’s attention. Make sure you have a mix of long and short sentences, so you don’t end up with lots of choppy sentences that could distract your reader.

Happy Writing!

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