Make Your Writing More Interesting! Varying sentence structures

Vary your Sentence Openings If you start too many sentences with the same word, especially ‘The’, ‘It’, ‘This’, or ‘I’, guess what will happen? It was such a coincidence to meet Molly at the cinema.

How about these: When I sat down at the cinema, I realised that, coincidentally, I was sitting next to Molly. Molly and I, without any advance planning, ended up sitting next to each other at the cinema. Unbelievable, I know, but Molly and I ended up sitting right next to each other at the cinema. At the crowded cinema, packed with 300 people, Molly and I ended up, by sheer coincidence, sitting right next to each other. I have known many coincidences in my life, but none more surprising than finding myself sitting next to Molly at the cinema. How extraordinary it was to find that I was sitting right next to Molly at the cinema!

Sentences with the same rhythm and length can be very monotonous… We went to Chester Zoo. We went to look at the bats. It was dark in the Bat Cave. The bats were beautiful. Some bats were flying around our heads. Some bats were sleeping upside down. Bethany was scared at first. Later, she bought a cuddly bat.

Use connectives If your sentences are short and the rhythm does not work, try joining sentences, clauses and phrases with connectives: and, but, so, or, for, yet, however, in spite of, etc….. Add imagery (similes, metaphors), adjectives, adverbs, adventurous vocabulary…

Use short and long sentences. Class Six visited Chester Zoo last summer to look at the bats. In the darkness of the Bat Cave they met a variety of beautiful nocturnal creatures, some fluttering soundlessly around their ears and others resting upside-down in the darkest corners. Bethany had been worried, but, after learning more and seeing the bats in their home, she became very fond of them. She later left the zoo clutching a cuddly toy bat.

Use different types of sentence. Simple sentences: Alex enjoyed going to the show with you. Henry VIII is famous for having had six wives. Compound sentences: Henry VIII is famous for having had six wives and for having two of them beheaded.

Complex Sentences In his quest for an heir to the throne, Henry VIII married six different women, two of whom he divorced, two he had beheaded, one died and one survived.

Add an extra clause to give more information Jenny finally made it to the party. Jenny, who had spent forty-five minutes waiting for a taxi, finally made it to the party. Six children took part in the dance. Six children, each wearing a mask of their own design, took part in the dance. Drop in your extra clause between two commas- make a ‘comma sandwich’

Recap: Vary sentence openings Join short sentences, phrases and clauses with connectives Use sentences of different lengths Mix different types of sentence- simple, compound and complex Add a clause- make a ‘comma sandwich’