If you want to become a better writer, it all starts with one thing: the sentence. Sentences are the building blocks of every story, article, email, or blog post. But what exactly is a sentence? And how do you know if yours are strong?
Let’s break it down together.
A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought, conveying a specific idea, message, or action.
Merriam-Webster defines a sentence as: A word, clause, or phrase or a group of words, clauses, or phrases forming a syntactic unit that expresses an assertion, a question, a command, a wish, an exclamation, or the performance of an action and that in writing usually begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
Sentence Parts
At its heart, a sentence has two jobs:
1. It tells us who/what is doing something.
2. It tells us what they are doing.
These two parts are called the subject and the predicate.
Subject = who or what the sentence is about
Predicate = what the subject is doing or being
♦ Example:
The dog barks.
“The dog” is the subject.
“Barks” is the predicate.
It’s that simple! When both parts are there, you have a complete sentence.
Related Reading: Subjects and Predicates 101
Sentence Types
Sentences can be simple or complex. Some are short and direct. Others are longer with extra detail.
All of them still do the same job: they tell your reader something. Don’t worry too much about sentence types just yet—we’ll explore those in the next blog!
What Makes a Sentence Complete?
A complete sentence must:
♥ Have a subject
♥ Have a verb
♥ Express a complete thought
If one part is missing, your sentence may feel like something’s off.
♦ Complete sentence: She smiled at the joke.
♦ Not complete: Because she smiled at the joke ← This leaves us hanging! What happened?
Read your sentence out loud. If it sounds unfinished, it probably is.
The Four Qualities of a Strong Sentence
A correct sentence is a good start—but great sentences do more than follow grammar rules. To make your writing truly effective, your sentences should also have unity, coherence, emphasis, and euphony. These four qualities help your ideas come across clearly, smoothly, and powerfully. Let’s look at what each one means.
Unity – One Main Idea
A sentence should focus on one clear thought. When you try to pack in too many unrelated ideas, the sentence becomes confusing.
♦ Not unified: She loves painting, the weather was cold, and her dog barked all night. (Three unrelated ideas shoved into one sentence.)
♦ Unified: She loves painting, especially on quiet afternoons at home. (This sentence stays focused on one main thought.)
Unity Tips:
♥ Keep your sentence centered on one idea.
♥ If you have more than one, split it into two sentences.
♥ Don’t connect unrelated statements.
♥ Don’t split complete sentences with just a comma (comma splice).
♥ Avoid throwing in side thoughts using parentheses or extra clauses.
♥ Avoid overly long and rambling sentences.
♥ Connect short, related ideas in one sentence.
♥ Keep the same point of view throughout.
Coherence – Everything Connects Smoothly
Coherence means the parts of your sentence flow logically from one to the next. The words and ideas should connect so your reader to avoid confusion so they don’t get lost.
♦ Not coherent: After dinner reading books he felt tired because the sun set. (This feels jumbled and unclear.)
♦ Coherent: After dinner, he read a few chapters of his book and then felt tired as the sun set. (This sentence flows in the order things happened.)
Use logical word order, transitions, and logical structure to help your reader follow your meaning.
A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought, conveying a specific idea, message, or action.
Coherence Tips:
♥ Make the meaning obvious — don’t let your sentence be misunderstood.
♥ Make pronoun references clear.
♥ Keep modifiers close to the word they describe.
♥ Avoid squinting modifiers — where it’s unclear what a phrase refers to.
♥ Use pairs like “neither/nor” or “both/and” correctly.
♥ Include all needed words.
♥ Summarize when needed.
♥ Use a consistent structure for connected ideas.
Emphasis – Highlight What Matters
Not all words in a sentence are equal. Emphasis helps your reader know which part is most important. You can do this through word choice, order, and punctuation.
♦ Example without emphasis: She told me she didn’t want to go to the party.
♦ Example with emphasis: She didn’t want to go to the party—she made that very clear.
The second version stresses her feelings more strongly.
Emphasis Tips:
♥ Avoid weak openings and endings by placing important ideas at the beginning or end of a sentence
♥ Change word order for effect.
♥ Use climax structure — build up to the strongest point.
♥ Cut unnecessary words.
♥ Use punctuation like dashes or italics for effect.
Euphony – It Sounds Pleasant
Euphony means your sentence sounds smooth when read aloud. It’s about rhythm, word choice, and avoiding awkward phrasing.
♦ Not euphonious: The frogs jumped jerkily and awkwardly onto the jagged rocks. (The harsh sounds make it feel clunky.)
♦ Euphonious: The frogs leapt gently onto the smooth stones. (This version flows more softly and sounds easier on the ears.)
Euphony Tips:
♥ Avoid repeating the same word.
♥ Avoid awkward phrasing.
♥ Avoid rhyme or similar-sounding words.
♥ Read your sentences aloud. If they feel clunky, try changing the wording or rhythm.
Bottom Line
To write strong sentences, don’t stop at just being correct. Aim for:
Unity: Stick to one main idea.
Coherence: Make your thoughts flow smoothly.
Emphasis: Highlight what matters most.
Euphony: Choose words that sound good together.
When all four work together, your writing becomes clear, powerful, and a pleasure to read.
Related Reading: Why The Period Is So Important
Common Sentence Mistakes
Let’s look at two common problems:
Sentence Fragments
A fragment is a group of words that’s missing a key part—often the verb or complete thought.
♦ Fragment: When the sun set behind the hills. (We’re left wondering… what happened when the sun set?)
♦ Fix: When the sun set behind the hills, the sky turned orange.
Run-on Sentences
A run-on happens when you squish two sentences together without the right punctuation.
♦ Run-on: I love to read it helps me relax. (This should be two ideas, not one long line.)
♦ Fix: I love to read. It helps me relax. Or: I love to read because it helps me relax.
Related Reading: Mastering the Colon: A Simple Guide
Key Takeaways
1. Who and What: A sentence tells us who is doing something and what they are doing
2. Various Types: Sentences can be simple or complex OR short and direct.
3. Complete Sentences: A sentence must have a subject and a verb
4. Four Qualities: Good sentences have unity, coherence, emphasis, and euphony
5. Common Mistakes: Avoid sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
Last Words on Sentences
A sentence doesn’t have to be long or fancy. It just has to be complete.
Think of a sentence as a little package that carries one clear thought from your mind to your reader.
Happy writing!
Linda
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