9 Tips for Writing Good Sentences

1. Knowing the Basics Before Writing
Make sure your sentence expresses a complete thought. A sentence is a
group of words that together express a complete idea that has meaning. When
writing, it is a good idea to read your sentences aloud and ask yourself, "Does this
sentence make sense? Does it express a complete idea?"
 For example, "Eggs near river" is not a sentence because it does not
express a complete idea.
2. Keep it simple.
Long sentences or overly complex sentences don’t necessarily make
sophisticated sentence writing. Sometimes a simple sentence can pack a powerful
punch. Know how to eliminate fluff and adjust syntax to fit your writing style and
target audience. An easily digestible message makes for better communication.
A simple sentence. The simple sentence is the most basic of the sentences. It
includes a subject, a verb, and it expresses a complete thought. This is known as an
independent clause, because it can stand on its own.
Here is an example: "Janet writes."
In the above example, the subject is "Janet". She is the person being
discussed.
"Writes" is the verb. It is the action that the subject (Janet) is doing.
3. Include a subject and verb.
A subject is a person or thing that is being discussed in the sentence. The
verb is the action word, which describes what the subject is doing.
For example, in the sentence "I ate eggs", "I" is the subject and "ate" is the
verb.
4. Use concrete rhetoric.
If you’re trying to inspire movement or change, you don’t want to describe
something as “sort of” important, especially if you’re trying to get people to donate
to a cause, or protest an event.
5. Writing Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is made up of two simple sentences. The two simple
sentences are joined by a comma (,) followed by one of seven words called
coordinating conjunctions. The seven coordinating conjunctions are: for, and, nor,
but, or, yet, so. To help you remember, use the mnemonic FANBOYS. Here are
some examples of compound sentences. Note the use of the coordinating
conjunction.
 He was happy, for he just passed his exam.
 The road was long, and we could not see the end.

 She was not wrong, nor was she entirely right.
 She would have fallen, but Sally helped support her.
6. Employ parallelism.
Sentences are easier and more pleasant to read if there is an agreement in
their grammatical structure, particularly when it comes to lists. This principle is
known as parallelism, parallel structure or parallel construction. Successful
parallelism: “The finale was illogical, rushed, and disappointing.” (Three
adjectives.)
7. Mind your grammar.
The best sentences don’t suffer from things like passive voice, run-on
sentences, or typos. Sometimes you accidentally write an incomplete sentence, or
inadvertently form fragments while editing and rewriting. Be sure to identify any
incomplete sentences that may be lurking throughout your writing.
8. Properly punctuate.
The right punctuation can make or break the rhythm of a single sentence.
Ensure your periods, commas, hyphens, semi-colons, and any other punctuative
tools are implemented correctly.
9. Practice writing.
Improvement only happens with practice. Perform writing exercises that
focus on your sentence structure and how you phrase your ideas. The more you
practice writing sentences, the better you’ll become.