One of the skills you need as a writer is to be able to change a sentence to add more variety to your writing.
When you find too many simple subject-verb-object sentences, you have to find alternatives.
Sentence transformation helps you avoid texts that readers might find a little bit boring because your sentence forms are too similar.
Hopefully, the examples in this article will help you find new ways to change the construction of any sentence.
10 Variations of a simple sentence
Let’s take a basic three-word sentence to work with.
Jane likes fish.
It’s an example of the simplest form of a subject-verb-object sentence.
How many variations can you create?
More importantly, what forms can you use that don’t change the sense or meaning?
Here are ten ways to rewrite this simple sentence.
1. It’s fish that Jane likes.
2. Jane, she likes fish.
3. What Jane likes is fish.
4. Fish is what Jane likes.
5. Jane does like fish.
6. Fish happens to be what Jane likes.
7. Fish is liked by Jane.
8. If there’s one thing Jane likes, it’s fish.
9. As for Jane, she likes fish.
10. Fish, Jane likes.
That’s quite a few options you can use for almost any sentence.
As you can see, all of the variations retain the same meaning as the original sentence.
But what devices are at work here?
Grammatical structures to change a sentence
You don’t need to be a grammar wizard, but it helps to know a handful of forms that you can use to edit and rewrite sentences.
Let’s take a detailed look at the ten examples above and investigate the grammar forms used in the changed sentences.
1. It’s fish that Jane likes.
Cleft sentence: It emphasizes “fish” by using a cleft construction (“It’s … that …”).
2. Jane, she likes fish.
Left-dislocation: This adds emphasis by repeating the subject (“Jane”) with a pronoun, creating a conversational tone.
3. What Jane likes is fish.
Pseudo-cleft sentence: It uses a “What … is …” structure to emphasize “fish” as the object of Jane’s liking.
4. Fish is what Jane likes.
Inverted pseudo-cleft sentence: Similar to a pseudo-cleft, but inverts the typical order to emphasize “fish.”
5. Jane does like fish.
The emphatic structure: This sentence uses “does” for emphasis, highlighting Jane’s liking with a strong affirmative tone.
6. Fish happens to be what Jane likes.
Emphatic statement with “happens to be”:* Uses “happens to be” to create an incidental or nonchalant emphasis.
7. Fish is liked by Jane.
Passive voice: Puts “fish” at the start, changing the focus from Jane to the object (fish).
8. If there’s one thing Jane likes, it’s fish.
Conditional emphasis: Uses a conditional structure to emphasize that fish is the one main thing Jane likes.
9. As for Jane, she likes fish.
Topicalization with “As for”: It focuses on Jane as a topic, then clarifies what she likes.
10. Fish, Jane likes.
Fronting for emphasis: Moves “fish” to the beginning to emphasize the object before revealing the subject.
Each of these structures introduces a slight shift in focus or emphasis.
However, the examples demonstrate the options and versatility you can use to express the same basic idea.
Why sentence variety matters
When you use variations in sentence structure, it adds variety and helps you keep your writing fresh, making it easier and more enjoyable for your readers.
When most of your sentences follow a similar rhythm, pattern, or length, your writing can seem repetitive, which risks losing your reader’s interest.
Mixing up your sentence structures helps hold attention and shapes your overall writing tone and mood.
When you experiment with different structures, you can build suspense, convey excitement, or create a sense of calm.
By using varied sentences, you can bring your ideas to life, making them stand out and helping readers stay engaged from start to finish.
Adding impact with better sentences
Creating sentences with more impact is about choosing words and structures that emphasize your main ideas and will hopefully resonate better with readers.
Sometimes, all it takes is rearranging a sentence, substituting a stronger verb, or breaking up long thoughts to make them clearer.
With a bit of attention to sentence impact, you can turn weak statements into more powerful ones.
Here are a few examples.
Before: She felt very sad when she heard the news.
After: The news shattered her.
In the second version, a strong verb like “shattered” replaces “felt very sad. It delivers a more vivid, emotional image that makes the sentence hit harder.
Before: The weather was cold, and everyone felt miserable at the event.
After: Bitter winds whipped through the crowd, leaving everyone huddled and miserable.
Here, adding sensory details like “bitter winds whipped” strengthens the sentence and highlights the discomfort, making it more than a mere statement of fact.
Before: He walked slowly into the room, feeling nervous.
After: He edged into the room, heart pounding.
In the second sentence, “edged” replaces “walked slowly” to show hesitation, while “heart pounding” adds a physical detail that highlights his nervousness.
The version is shorter but captures the tension and makes the sentence more vivid.
By choosing powerful verbs and painting clear images, you can transform basic sentences into ones that captivate and leave an impression.
Summary
The examples above give you an idea about the importance of sentence variety.
They show you how even minor adjustments can deliver a better result.
There is so much value in moving beyond repetitive subject-verb-object structures, which can make text seem monotonous.
Learning how to change a sentence can help you keep your readers more engaged.
From the simple sentence, “Jane likes fish,” the ten variations showed how different structures, like inversion, cleft sentences, or passive voice, change the emphasis without altering the meaning.
Changing your sentences is easier than you think, and it’s a skill that can quickly improve your writing.
You can make your ideas stand out with just a few simple adjustments, like tweaking word order, adding emphasis, or trying new structures.
Once you have the options in your toolkit, you’ll find it’s an easy way to add variety and energy to your writing.
Simple, quick changes can bring your words to life, making your message clearer, stronger, and more memorable.
Related Reading: The Top 20 Literary Devices Every Writer Should Know
