You might have read that starting sentences with the same word is a writing fault.
That’s mostly very good advice. Except when it isn’t.
Starting several sentences in a row with the same word isn’t automatically wrong.
Very often, it’s unintentional or perhaps a sign that your writing needs more variety. However, sometimes repetition is exactly what you want.
Accidental sentence opening repetition
It’s so easy to do when you’re writing a draft and thinking more about your topic or story than your sentence structure.
You might notice the problem when you revise. Or perhaps your writing checker catches it for you and highlights a series like this monotonous example.
She woke and opened the window. She looked down on the eerily empty street. She wondered where everyone had gone.
It’s an easy fix. You can change your vocabulary, pull sentences together, or rewrite the passage.
After waking and opening the window, she looked down on the eerily empty street and wondered where everyone had gone.
Another little trap is when a heading or chapter title starts a series. This is a little easier to miss.
Chapter 12: The Storm
The wind rose suddenly. The rain hammered against the windows.
Again, all it needs is a simple rewrite.
Chapter 12: The Storm
A howling wind rose suddenly, and rain hammered against the windows.
Accidental repeated sentence openings like these are usually in need of correcting because they are flat and boring.
But intentional repetition can be a powerful tool
When used as a literary device, repetition is not wrong. In fact, starting sentences with the same word can be a very flexible and useful way to emphasize or give extra weight to a passage.
You might not remember what these devices are called, but you’ll recognize the structures.
Anaphora is the most common. It uses the same words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive sentences.
You can find many examples in literature. But one I always remember comes from a song by Sting and The Police.
Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you
Epistrophe, also called epiphora, is the opposite of anaphora. It uses repetition at the end of clauses or sentences.
William Shakespeare used it skillfully in The Merchant of Venice.
“I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following, but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.”
Symploce is a rarer device using a combination of anaphora and epistrophe. The same words or structures are used at the beginning and end of consecutive sentences.
For example, you could use symploce for a passage like this one.
When the road gets difficult, keep moving.
When the path seems uncertain, keep moving.
When the destination seems distant, keep moving.
Antithesis uses a parallel structure to emphasize a contrast or opposing ideas.
You might forget what it’s called, but you can’t forget this example.
That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. – Neil Armstrong
The rule of three
Deliberately using a word, phrase, or similar sentence structure three times can make something much more memorable.
Readers can quickly grasp threes when they are complete, balanced, and easy to remember.
It can be as simple as stop, look, and listen, or ready, set, go.
Or memorable quotes we all recall, such as “Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!”
Here are some other classic examples.
In the United States Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson drafted the line, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
In the Bible, there is the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Another example is Friends, Romans, countrymen, by William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar.
Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few, by Sir Winston Churchill.
There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics, by Benjamin Disraeli.
The rule of three is very common, and such an easy, repetitive device for any writer to use.
I even used it myself in one of my recent articles.
It doesn’t stand still. It’s a moving target. It’s a mystery.
If I can do it, so can you.
It’s always a writer’s decision
Starting sentences with the same word can be an error or a writing tool.
If it’s a mistake, fix it and move on.
But in many cases, repetition is a tool a writer can use to intentionally make a point stronger or more memorable.
When constructed well, repetitive passages can enhance a piece of writing.
But that’s the catch. When it’s not so good, starting sentences with the same word can weaken it.
Crafting and using repetition effectively is a writing skill that you can learn and hone.
But if you don’t get it right the first time, you know how it goes.
Try, try, try again.
Related Reading: What Is Parallelism in Writing?
English teacher, writer, and author. Passionate about grammar, creative writing, and self-publishing. Always exploring new tools and tech to help writers succeed.
