Varying your sentence structure is crucial for engaging writing. Without variation, your text can become monotonous, resembling a list or a rambling, endless sentence. Effective writing avoids this Uniformity In A Sentence and embraces variety to captivate readers. As writing expert Andrea Lunsford aptly states, “Constant uniformity in anything, in fact, soon gets tiresome, while its opposite, variation, is usually pleasing to readers. Variety is important in sentence structures because too much uniformity results in dull listless prose” (189).
To prevent a monotonous tone and maintain reader interest, focus on varying several key aspects of your sentences:
- Sentence Types
- Sentence Openings
- Sentence Length (Lunsford, 190-191).
The Detriment of Sentence Uniformity
One of the quickest ways to disengage your audience is through uniformity in a sentence structure. Relying solely on simple Subject + Verb structures in every sentence creates a predictable and ultimately boring reading experience. Consider how monotonous the following passage becomes due to its repetitive structure:
Vincent van Gogh was born in the southern Netherlands in 1853 to the family of a Dutch church minister. He started working as an art dealer at the early age of fifteen. He worked there for five years. Vincent fell in love with one of the girls at his boarding house. He finally decided to confess his love for her, but she rejected him. He was devastated. Vincent quit the art gallery and decided that his true passion was to become a pastor.
He lived with his relatives for a while in Amsterdam and prepared to study theology at the university. Vincent failed in his studies. He then worked as a missionary in a coal-mining village in Belgium for a year. His missionary work unfortunately didn’t bring him closer to becoming a pastor. Vincent often turned to drawing when life proved hard. He liked to portray the everyday life of ordinary people. In this period, he produced one of his early famous paintings “The Potato Eaters.”
This example, while factually informative, suffers from uniformity in sentence construction. The repetitive subject-verb structure and sentence beginnings make the passage feel choppy and less engaging. Readers might find their attention waning as they process the information.
Embracing Sentence Variety
To combat uniformity in a sentence, writers should actively incorporate a mix of sentence types and structures. By strategically combining simple, compound, and complex sentences, along with varying sentence openings, you can transform monotonous prose into dynamic and captivating text. Let’s revisit the Van Gogh example, this time with varied sentence structure:
Born to the family of a Dutch church minister in the southern Netherlands in 1853, Vincent van Gogh received his first exposure to art at the age of fifteen when he started working as an art dealer. Saddened by unrequited love, Vincent quit the gallery after only five years and turned to religion, setting his goals on becoming a pastor.
For a while, he lived with his relatives in Amsterdam preparing for the study of theology. Despite his passion and hard work, Vincent failed at his studies. Undeterred by his failure to get into the university, Vincent continued his pursuit of religion as a missionary in a coal-mining village in Belgium. He often drew to escape the harsh reality of life in this impoverished region. The everyday life of ordinary people seemed to attract his attention the most. It was during this period that he produced one of the most famous paintings of his early career, “The Potato Eaters.”
This revised version demonstrates how eliminating uniformity in a sentence enhances readability and flow. The use of participial phrases, introductory clauses, and varied sentence lengths creates a more sophisticated and engaging reading experience.
Techniques to Overcome Uniformity in a Sentence
Beyond sentence types, varying sentence openings is another powerful technique to avoid uniformity in a sentence. If sentences within a paragraph consistently begin with the same subject, particularly pronouns like “he,” “she,” or “it,” the writing can quickly become monotonous.
To break free from this uniformity in sentence openings, consider starting sentences with:
- Adverb modifiers or clauses: Quickly, he painted the landscape. Because he was passionate about art, Vincent dedicated his life to painting.
- Transitional expressions: Furthermore, his art evolved over time. In contrast, his early works differ from his later style.
- Prepositional or infinitive phrases: With great detail, he depicted the sunflowers. To capture the light, he often painted outdoors.
By consciously diversifying sentence beginnings and sentence structures, writers can effectively eliminate uniformity in a sentence and create writing that is both informative and engaging for their readers. Prioritizing sentence variety is a key step towards crafting compelling and dynamic prose.
