Sentence basics

Sentences are the units of all writing. Get them right and everything else becomes easier; get them wrong and even a good idea can read as confusing.

What it is

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. At a minimum it needs a subject (who or what) and a verb (what they do or are), and it must be able to stand on its own.

Why it matters

Readers process writing sentence by sentence. One clear sentence after another builds clear writing. Confusing sentences force the reader to work out what you mean, which is a job only you should do.

Step-by-step guide

Make sure every sentence has a subject and a verb. "The report" is not a sentence. "The report was ready" is. Check that each sentence can stand alone.

Write short sentences for clarity. One main idea per sentence is the default. Long sentences are best used deliberately, not by accident.

Use the four sentence types well. A simple sentence has one subject and one verb ("The dog barked"). A compound sentence joins two equal ideas ("The dog barked, and the cat fled"). A complex sentence joins a main idea to a supporting one ("The dog barked because it heard a noise"). A compound-complex sentence combines both.

Vary the length and type. A page of short simple sentences gets monotonous; a page of long complex ones gets tiring. Mix them for rhythm.

Start most sentences with the subject. The usual subject–verb–object order is the most readable. Reverse it only when the emphasis needs it.

Trim the words that carry no meaning. "In order to" → "to." "Due to the fact that" → "because." Wordy sentences are harder to follow.

Common mistakes

Sentence fragments. A group of words with no subject or no verb, or a clause that depends on something else, is a fragment ("Because it rained"). Fix by joining it to the sentence around it.

Run-on sentences. Two complete thoughts jammed together with no punctuation or connector ("The cat ran it climbed the tree"). Fix with a full stop, a semicolon, or a conjunction.

Overloaded sentences. Too many clauses and asides in one sentence lose the reader.

Practical tips

• Read each sentence aloud; if you run out of breath, it is too long.
• When a sentence feels wrong, split it into two.
• Check the longest sentence in your paragraph and tighten it.
• Prefer the active voice for most everyday writing.

Checklist

• Every sentence has a subject and a verb.
• Each sentence can stand on its own (no fragments).
• No two complete thoughts are joined without punctuation (no run-ons).
• I varied sentence length for rhythm.
• I removed filler words.
• I read the paragraph aloud and it flows.