Development Level Advice

Sentences - How using short or longer sentences affects your work

The length of your sentences has a strong effect on the style of your piece of written work.

You can write in short, simple sentences or in longer ones, or use a mix of both.

What is best: short or long sentences?

How do you know what sort of sentences would be best for your piece of work?

• Short sentences are good for short pieces which must be read quickly. They create a 'light' effect.
• Long sentences are good where the reader has time to think about the piece of work. They create a weighty effect.

You are likely to need a balance. The balance will differ with your topic, reader, purpose and type of work.

The more a piece of work has to be read quickly and the 'lighter' it is, the greater the proportion of short sentences.

The more a piece of work can be read slowly and the 'weightier' it is, the greater the proportion of longer sentences.