The famed Jedi Master Yoda taught a powerful lesson about writing good sentences when he said “Do or do not, there is no try.” I have found five ways to not write a decent sentence.

1. Slow starting sentences delay getting to the point by sticking an “it is” or a “there are” in the way. Why would you ever write or say “It would be appreciated if you could pass the yams,” when you can clearly and concisely write “Please pass the yams.”
2. Cramped sentences are formed when writers connect a series of related sentences instead of just ending with a period. Shorten cramped sentences by focusing on one subject.
3. Overloaded sentences are riddled with excess words. Passive voice or redundancy is almost always the culprit. Be concise.
4. Pompous sentences are filled with big words and trite expressions. Take time to prove how smart you are by selecting a well-chosen verb rather than a clause.
5. Run-on sentences drag on and on, packing an entire paragraph of detail into one sentence. Short sentences are easier to understand than long ones. Readers prefer to chew on bits and pieces of information instead of an entire cow. Varying sentence length will make your writing more interesting to read. The best authors us long and short sentences.

Jacob