Transcript Sentence Fluency

How does your story FLOW?
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“Sentence fluency is the flow of the language,
the sound of word patterns—they way the
writing plays to the ear—not just to the eye.”
Easy way to check: READ YOUR WRITING
OUT LOUD!
Does the writing sound natural, or awkward?
Read this paragraph out loud. Do
the words flow nicely?
The lady was scared. Her eyes were big.
The pumpkin was glowing. She held a
knife. The pumpkin glowed brighter. She
was very confused.
What do you notice about this
piece of writing? What can the
writer do to make this paragraph
sound better?
Vary the length of your
sentences. When many of your
sentences seem to be the same
length, it makes your paper
sound like it was written by a
young child instead of an 8th
grader. When read out loud, it
may sound “robotic.”
Read this paragraph out loud. Do the
words flow nicely?
They lifted the sail. They glided along the
railroad tracks and across the misty water.
They were eager to get to the mystical city.
They felt everything would work out as soon
as they got there.
What do you notice here? What can
the write do to improve this
paragraph?
Check the beginnings of your
sentences. If you have several
sentences that start the same
way, mix things up a little. Start
a sentence with a transition, or
invert your sentence (reverse the
subject & predicate). The writer
here used good vocabulary, but
the beginnings of the sentences
sound awkward.
Read this paragraph out loud. Do the
words flow nicely?
First I heard a loud fog horn blowing and then
I heard a crunching noise as bricks were
knocked down and then people started
screaming and running and I stared up at the
big ship and I started to run, too, because I was
afraid and I didn’t know what might happen
next and I ran faster.
Is this paragraph easy to read and
comprehend? What should the writer
do to improve this paragraph?
This paragraph is one loooong
sentence, called a run-on
sentence. It is difficult to read
and comprehend because the
reader doesn’t get any breaks to
help them “digest” the story.
Read this paragraph out loud. Do the
words flow nicely?
Simon paused on the basement steps. Rug
rolled in the corner. A light was shining on the
little door. Strange noises. Simon listened
carefully. Scratch! Doorknob turned. He
thought.
What is awkward about this
paragraph? How can it be
revised to make it flow better?
Sentence fragments can be an
effective technique in some
cases. Here, however, they are
randomly used along with
complete sentences, and they
disrupt the flow of the story.
Fragments can often be
confusing for the reader.
Now check your story so far.
Read it out loud to yourself. Are
there awkward spots where the
sentences don’t flow well? If so,
make revisions to improve your
writing.