Three Ways to Write Three Ways to Write Fluent SentencesFluent Sentences

The Three Ways Are…The Three Ways Are…

Use a variety of sentence Use a variety of sentence openingsopenings

Use a variety of sentence Use a variety of sentence lengthslengths

Use parallelismUse parallelism

Sentence OpeningsSentence Openings

Not every sentence should Not every sentence should begin with a subject. Starting begin with a subject. Starting sentences in different ways will sentences in different ways will help your writing flow smoothly.help your writing flow smoothly.

Examples:Examples: Opening with adverbs:Opening with adverbs:

Swiftly and forcefullySwiftly and forcefully, the angry , the angry shopper steered his shopping cart shopper steered his shopping cart through the cold cereal aisle.through the cold cereal aisle.

Openings ContinuedOpenings Continued

Open with adjectives:Open with adjectives: Bossy and loudBossy and loud, the janitor , the janitor

ordered the students to stop ordered the students to stop eating in the hall.eating in the hall.

Open with prepositional phrase:Open with prepositional phrase: In the cafeteriaIn the cafeteria, the students , the students

gathered to watch the multimedia gathered to watch the multimedia presentation on dental hygiene.presentation on dental hygiene.

Openings ContinuedOpenings Continued

Open with a participle phrase:Open with a participle phrase: Reading a magazine article on effective Reading a magazine article on effective

flossing techniquesflossing techniques, Bill killed time , Bill killed time waiting for his dentist appointment.waiting for his dentist appointment.

Open with an infinitive:Open with an infinitive: To improve her bowlingTo improve her bowling, Sheila bought , Sheila bought

an expensive pair of bowling shoes.an expensive pair of bowling shoes. Open with a dependent clause:Open with a dependent clause:

Because Max likes to play Ping-PongBecause Max likes to play Ping-Pong, , he never leaves home without his he never leaves home without his paddle.paddle.

Variety in Sentence LengthVariety in Sentence Length

Use connecting words:Use connecting words: After, although, as, because, After, although, as, because,

before, even though, if, since, before, even though, if, since, unless, until, when, while, for, and, unless, until, when, while, for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so, also, as a nor, but, or, yet, so, also, as a result, consequently, for example, result, consequently, for example, furthermore, however, still, then, furthermore, however, still, then, therefore, thustherefore, thus

ExamplesExamples

Sentence 1: The jury didn’t believe Sentence 1: The jury didn’t believe the womanthe woman

Sentence 2: the woman said she Sentence 2: the woman said she skilled her husband to prevent aliens skilled her husband to prevent aliens from torturing him.from torturing him.

Combined: When the woman said Combined: When the woman said she killed her husband to prevent she killed her husband to prevent aliens from torturing him, the jury aliens from torturing him, the jury didn’t believe her.didn’t believe her.

Examples ContinuedExamples Continued

Sentence 1: The U.S. leads the Sentence 1: The U.S. leads the world in hot dog sales.world in hot dog sales.

Sentence 2: The U.S. is not Sentence 2: The U.S. is not even in the top 10 in mustard even in the top 10 in mustard sales.sales.

Combined sentence: The U.S. Combined sentence: The U.S. leads the word in hot dog sales; leads the word in hot dog sales; however, it is not even in the top however, it is not even in the top 10 in mustard sales.10 in mustard sales.