San José State University Writing Center

www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter
Written by Kristina Tran

Sentence Variety and Rhythm

As writers, we have the ability to lead readers through our writing by controlling our text. One of
the primary methods of directing the reader is through rhythm, which is created by sentence
variety.

Rhythm
Rhythm is how writing sounds and how sentences and ideas are connected. Monotonous writing
is the absence of rhythm, as shown in the example below.

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But
several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting
boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety”
(Provost).

Rhythm is what engages the reader and encourages them to keep reading. Rhythm paces the
reader, emphasizes points and ideas, and creates mood. Most importantly, it makes writing easier
to access and understand. By becoming aware of rhythm and its impact on the reader, writers can
control their writing to become more readable and best emphasize the points they want to make.
In the example below, see how the same author as above adds rhythm to his writing.

“Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant
rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And
sometimes when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage them with a sentence of
considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a
crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals—sounds that say listen to this, it is
important” (Provost).

Sentence Variety
Sentence variety creates rhythm. Having the same length and/or type of sentences repeatedly
creates monotony and makes the writing difficult for the reader to get through. Conversely,
variety engages the reader. It captures the eye and makes text easier to read. Variety can be
created by sentence length, sentence complexity, and intentional punctuation choices.

Length
Longer sentences offer more information, letting the reader digest and meander through the
thought process. Short sentences build excitement. Sentences are snappier. They sound more
direct. Information is concise and clear. Short sentences and long sentences can both be effective

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and are used in different contexts. Longer sentences may be preferable in novels, when you are
giving vivid descriptions, or in the introduction of a paper, when you are thoroughly
investigating a fact or idea. Shorter sentences may be preferable at the end of a long paragraph to
succinctly summarize the main idea. Additionally, consider the genre of your writing. A reader
will not want to “meander through the thought process” in a technical document, so clear and
concise sentences containing only salient information will be preferable. However, using too
many short sentences may imply that you lack the ability to craft lengthier sentences. It is best to
keep a good balance that fits the genre of what you are writing and matches the purpose of why
you are writing it. There is no set standard beyond aiming for variety.

Complexity
The English language consists of four sentence types. Use combinations of simple, compound,
complex, and compound-complex sentences to add variety and make text clearer and easier to
read. A simple sentence contains only one independent clause. A compound sentence contains
two or more independent clauses. A complex sentence has at least one independent and one
dependent clause. Lastly, a compound-complex sentence consists of at least one dependent
clause and at least two independent clauses. Refer to the box below for examples.

Simple She loves cooking.

Compound Her roommates don’t know how to cook, so she cooks for them.

Complex They love to eat the delicious food that she makes for them.

Compound-complex When her roommates are finished eating, they clean all the dishes, and
she can finally take a break.

Additionally, transitional words and phrases can be used to vary the complexity of your
writing. Transitional words may also be called linking or connecting words, and they help the
reader progress from one idea to the next. Moreover, transitions create connections between
sentences, usually by appearing at the start of sentences or clauses to express how they relate to
the previous thought. In the model below, the transitional words/phrases are italicized.

The first experiment was successful. However, it was found to have many errors, so another
experiment was performed. Our budget was depleted as a result.

Appositives, which are nouns that immediately follow and rename another noun to clarify or
classify it, add extra information to a sentence and can reduce wordiness. In cases where the
appositive is key to understanding the meaning of the sentence, commas are not needed.
Otherwise, when a sentence can be understood without the appositive, surround the appositive
with commas. The models below show how appositives can be used.

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 The pop star Doja Cat became famous in 2018.
Yayoi Kusama, one of the best-selling female artists in the world, is known for her use of
polka-dot patterns.

Punctuation
Intentional punctuation choices also add variety (and complexity) to writing. There are several
ways you can punctuate or combine sentences: a comma and a coordinating conjunction, a
semicolon, a colon, or a period. Each one has its own purpose. Making careful punctuation
choices will enhance the meaning of your writing as well as increase readability.

Using a comma and coordinating conjunction shows how two independent clauses are related.
A semicolon can also be used in this way, but it indicates that the two independent clauses/ideas
are more closely related. In the following examples, two clauses are joined: one with a comma
and coordinating conjunction and the other with a semicolon.

Food deserts are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, and they are more
abundant in minority communities.

Food deserts are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food; they are more
abundant in minority communities.

In this type of situation, the choice is yours, and it is completely dependent on what kind of
meaning you would like to come across. Each option has subtle differences in meaning.

If the clause “Food deserts are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food” acts
as a conclusion to a prior thought, and “they are more abundant in minority communities” is a
new thought, the semicolon would be preferable because it shows a stronger separation between
the two related ideas. Alternatively, if both clauses are acting as an introduction to a new idea
you will be talking about, the comma and coordinating conjunction would be preferable because
it connects the two clauses and emphasizes how they serve one purpose together.

A colon is used to introduce something—like a quote or a list of items—or to emphasize a word

or phrase at the end of a sentence. Colons can also be used between independent clauses, but
only when the second clause expands on or explains/defines the first clause.

Food deserts are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food: they have few
supermarkets, an excess of unhealthy food chains, and limited access to fresh foods.

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Finally, in any case where you have joined two independent clauses and question whether the
sentence is too long or if the ideas are closely related to each other, consider simply using a
period. The period creates a full stop between your ideas.

Food deserts are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. Though
development of food deserts has long been attributed to poverty levels in an area, new research
suggests that racial composition is also a key factor.

Activity 1: Revising Sentence Length

For number one below, change a lengthy sentence into multiple shorter sentences. For number
two below, combine short sentences into one lengthier sentence. Be sure to achieve clarity with
the choices you make.

1. Creeping in on the tips of her polished shoes, Goldilocks entered the bears’ home,
stepping past the threshold and looking around the odd cabin, which was populated with
chairs, porridge bowls, and beds, all in threes, and large, medium, and small sizes.

2. Hansel and Gretel went into the forest. They were with their mother and father. Their
mother and father left without them. It became nighttime. They were lost in the forest.

Answer Key for Activity 1

Sample answers are provided below. Note that answers will vary.

1. Creeping in on the tips of her polished shoes, Goldilocks stepped past the threshold of the
bears’ home. She looked around the odd cabin. It was populated with chairs, porridge
bowls, and beds; there were three of each in large, medium, and small sizes.

2. Hansel and Gretel went into the forest with their mother and father, but their parents left
without them; it became nighttime, and soon, they were lost in the forest.

Activity 2: Adjusting Complexity

The following two paragraphs each lack sentence variety; all sentences have similar length,
structure, and complexity. Rewrite them with different types of sentences to create rhythm.

1. When observing the evolution of impressionist art, many may attribute its initial growth
to the invention of the camera, which could capture a perfect image of the real world,
leading artists to confront their art and consider what truly made it better or more unique
than a photograph. This kickstarted the departure from neoclassical realism and the
growth of the impressionist movement.

2. Veganism is a diet. It is comprised of everything except animal products. This may

extend beyond food and into lifestyle as well. Vegans may commit to removing animal
products from every aspect of their life. Some may be concerned. Vegans might not
obtain all necessary nutrients. These are common concerns of any diet. Veganism does

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 not pose much risk for vitamin deficiency. Vegans should still consult with their doctors.
Every person has their own unique health situation.

Answer Key for Activity 2

Sample answers are provided below. Note that answers will vary.

1. Many may attribute the initial growth of impressionist art to the invention of the camera,
which could capture a perfect image of the real world. This led artists to confront and
question their art: what made a painting better or more unique than a photograph? The
answer many artists found was the individualism of their views of the world, and this
kickstarted a departure from neoclassical realism to impressionism.

2. Veganism is a diet comprised of everything except animal products. Some vegans adopt
it not only as a diet, but as a lifestyle; they commit to removing animal products from
every aspect of their life. Some people may be concerned that vegans do not obtain all
necessary nutrients, but these are common concerns of any diet. Veganism does not pose
much risk for vitamin deficiency, and vegans can have full and healthy diets like anyone
else. However, they should still consult with their doctors. Every person has their own
unique health situation.

References
Provost, Gary. 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing: Proven Professional Techniques for Writing

with Style and Power. Penguin Publishing Group, 2019.

Penn, Jordan. The Punctuation Guide, www.thepunctuationguide.com/index.html.

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