SENTENCE+FLUENCY

SENTENCE FLUENCY
==In any piece of writing, there are many possible ways to write any sentence correctly, but usually, of those correct versions, one or two will sound better than others. A writer who can pick out those versions and can use them frequently will have a strong sense of sentence fluency. This does not mean creating longer sentences, but means using long sentences when they would be best and short sentences when they would suit better. It means creating a sense of rhythm with the sentences and a //flow t//hat the reader finds enjoyable to follow along. Good sentence fluency stands out when a piece of writing is read aloud.==

SENTENCE FLUENCY ACTIVITIES

 * Lots of Ways to Say It**

Pick one sentence –e.g., //Homework at KIS often results in stres//s. In two minutes, rewrite this sentence in as many ways as possible without altering the meaning. Choose your best one.


 * First Words Count**

List, on a separate sheet of paper, the first four words in each sentence you have written. Do you see a pattern? Could be time for some variety. Are all the beginnings different? Readers usually like that!


 * Word Tallies**

Count the words in each sentence and make a list. If they’re all the same (say, 10 or 11 words), the rhythm is likely to be a little monotonous. It doesn’t hurt to have some 15s and 16s mixed in with some 4s and 5s. On the other hand, if many sentences are VERY long, writers may wish to check whether meaning is clear. Gary Paulsen gets by with that, and so does Garrison Keillor - but most of us need to take a breath now and then. Purpose counts, too. In a highly technical piece, 8 - word sentences may be just right to keep the reader on track. But in a narrative piece, stubby sentences like that could sound choppy and irritating. As with all traits, think purpose!


 * Get Rid of Wordiness**

Wordiness is a pesky problem that hurts performance in virtually all traits. Want strong writers? Give them at least one wordy sentence per day to rework: e.g., //Of all the many things that bother me about bad writing, the fault that really annoys me most is wordiness - the tendency to put in more words than you// //need.// This can be shortened to read: //Of all possible writing faults, none is more annoying that wordiness//. Students become sleuths, hunting for the transitional words and phrases that link sentences and ideas together: e.g., //however, therefore, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, next, because of this,// and so on//.// Ask students to circle or otherwise note these transitions first in the work of others, then in their own. Talk about how much transitions influence fluency. If you want to get really tricky, you can rewrite a piece, leaving all the transitional words out; just leave blanks to fill in. Can your students come up with transitions that make sense?
 * Hunt Up the Transitions **


 * A Trip to the Symphony **

Fluency isn’t just one thing; it’s a whole symphony of sounds. Gather information on one topic - gardening, building a deck, driving, or whatever. Then, rewrite it in at least three completely different modes, noting how the fluency changes: e.g., a dialogue as part of a film script, a poem, a newspaper article, an advertisement, the opening page of a novel.

**Collect**

Look through Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Sandra Cisneros, Toni Morrison, Gary Paulsen, A. A. Milne (how about your own writing?) for samples of fluency - a line or two will do. You don’t need a whole book. Create a display of Fluency Comes Alive.


 * Fluency Comes Alive - Aloud! **

Each student selects one short passage to read aloud as an illustration of fluency. Form a big circle, and go through the readings quickly, but with plenty of time to allow for expression. Hear the many voices of fluent writing?

built, with strong and varied structure that invites expressive oral reading.
A. Sentences are constructed in a way that underscores and enhances the meaning. B. Sentences vary in length as well as structure. Fragments, if used, add style. Dialogue, if present, sounds natural. C. Purposeful and varied sentence beginnings add variety and energy. D. The use of creative and appropriate connectives between sentences and thoughts shows how each relates to, and builds upon, the one before it. E. The writing has cadence; the writer has thought about the sound of the words as well as the meaning. The first time you read it aloud is a breeze.

businesslike than musical, more mechanical than fluid.
A. Although sentences may not seem artfully crafted or musical, they get the job done in a routine fashion. B. Sentences are usually constructed correctly; they hang together; they are sound. C. Sentence beginnings are not ALL alike; some variety is attempted. D. The reader sometimes has to hunt for clues (e.g., connecting words and phrases like however, therefore, naturally, after a while, on the other hand, to be specific, for example, next, first of all, later, but as it turned out, although, etc.) that show how sentences interrelate. E. Parts of the text invite expressive oral reading; others may be stiff, awkward, choppy, or gangly.

problems:
A. Sentences are choppy, incomplete, rambling or awkward; they need work. Phrasing does not sound natural. The patterns may create a sing-song rhythm, or a chop-chop cadence that lulls the reader to sleep. B. There is little to no “sentence sense” present. Even if this piece was flawlessly edited, the sentences would not hang together. C. Many sentences begin the same way—and may follow the same patterns (e.g., subject-verb-object) in a monotonous pattern. D. Endless connectives (and, and so, but then, because, and then, etc.) or a complete lack of connectives create a massive jumble of language. E. The text does not invite expressive oral reading.