Tips to Rewrite Sentences Like a Pro

Rewriting sentences is an essential skill for any writer. Whether you're crafting an essay, article, story or email, being able to rework sentences can help improve your writing dramatically.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll provide tips, techniques and step-by-step instructions to help you rewrite sentences effectively. Mastering this skill will give your writing more clarity, concision and impact.

Why Rewrite Sentences?

Here are some of the key reasons you may want to rewrite sentences:

• Improve clarity - Rewriting can help you communicate your ideas more clearly. You may be able to find better words to express the exact meaning you intend.

• Enhance flow - Some sentences when rewritten can connect ideas together more smoothly and improve the overall flow of your writing.

• Vary sentence length - Using only long or short sentences can make writing monotonous. Mixing up sentence length adds variety.

• Change emphasis - Reworking a sentence can shift the emphasis and highlight the most important parts.

• Fix awkward phrasing - Any awkward, unclear or grammatically incorrect sentences can be rewritten to sound polished.

• Refine word choice - Finding the perfect words can elevate your writing. Rewriting lets you refine word choice.

• Add creativity - New sentences structures and words can make your writing more original, creative and engaging.

• Improve readability - Rewriting lets you break up dense text and improve readability.

• Avoid repetition - Identify any repetitive words or sentence structures and replace them with fresh alternatives.

The rewrite process helps activate your critical thinking skills. As you revise sentences, you'll evaluate which expressions work best to communicate your exact intended meaning to the reader.

How to Rewrite Sentences

Here is a step-by-step process to guide you:

1. Read the Original Sentence Carefully

• Read the sentence slowly and carefully, at least 2-3 times. Make sure you understand the intended meaning completely.

• Look up any unfamiliar words and confirm their definitions.

• Identify the key parts - subject, verb, objects, modifiers etc. Understanding the grammar will help you rewrite it accurately.

2. Break Down the Main Parts

• Break the sentence down into the main parts of speech:

  Subject - The person, place or thing performing the actionVerb - The action wordObjects - Who or what the action is performed onModifiers - Words that describe the subject, verb or object

• Identify the main idea or focus of the sentence.

3. Think of Alternatives

• For each key part of the sentence, take time to think of alternative words or expressions you could use.

• For nouns, brainstorm synonyms for the subject and objects.

• For verbs, consider more powerful action verbs you could substitute.

• For modifiers like adjectives and adverbs, make lists of words with similar meanings.

• Use a thesaurus to spur new word choices.

4. Rearrange the Parts

• Try changing the structure of the sentence by moving parts around.

• You may choose to change from active to passive voice or vice versa.

• Experiment with the order of clauses or phrases.

• Consider ways to invert the sentence structure completely.

5. Fill in Details

• Think of any extra words or details you could add to expand the sentence.

• Add modifiers like adverbs or adjectives to add more description.

• Insert phrases and clauses to provide clarification.

• Add examples if needed to illustrate the point.

6. Remove Unnecessary Words

• Once you have a revised draft, analyze it again closely.

• Look for any words you can remove without changing the core meaning.

• Take out modifiers that don't add value.

• Eliminate redundant phrases.

• Remove vague or abstract words that don't communicate clearly.

7. Check for Consistency

• Read the rewritten sentence in the context of the surrounding sentences and paragraph.

• Make sure your new sentence is consistent in tone, style and meaning.

• Confirm that the ideas connect logically with the rest of the writing.

• Edit as needed so the rewritten sentence blends fluidly.

15 Simple Ways to Improve Sentences

Here are some easy techniques you can use to improve your sentences as you rewrite them:

1. Shorten long sentences

Long, complex sentences can be confusing. Try breaking them into two shorter clear sentences.

2. Fix rambling sentences

If a sentence goes on and on, trim it down to the key point. Remove unnecessary clauses.

3. Add details

Expand bland sentences by adding adjectives, adverbs, examples or explanations.

4. Remove filler words

Cut pointless filler words like "really" "basically" "obviously". Get right to the point.

5. Active vs passive voice

Active voice is often clearer. Change "The toy was bought by the girl" to "The girl bought the toy."

6. Stronger verbs

Find more vivid verbs. Change "walked quickly" to "raced", "said" to "shouted".

7. Precise words

Replace vague words like "stuff" "things" "nice" with precise terminology.

8. Varied sentence length

Aim for a mix of long and short sentences to improve flow.

9. Rearrange parts

Creative reordering like splitting clauses can add style. For example "The clock struck one, as the door creaked open."

10. Change sentence type

Turn a statement into a question or command to add variety.

11. Fix misplaced modifiers

Place descriptors next to the word they describe. "She wore a red dress" not "She wore a dress red".

12. Clear pronoun references

Remove ambiguity by ensuring pronouns clearly reference a specific noun.

13. Parallel structure

Keep consistent structure in lists or linked phrases: "He likes swimming, biking and running"

14. Concise language

Omit needless words. Change "He was the person who completed the task" to "He completed the task."

15. Transition words

Add transition words and phrases to link ideas between sentences like “first”, “after”, “subsequently”.

Practice using these techniques regularly in your writing. Over time, you'll develop skills to craft excellent sentences automatically.

Common Problems When Rewriting Sentences

Watch out for these common mistakes:

• Changing the meaning - Some replacements can inadvertently alter the meaning. Double check your new sentence expresses the exact same idea.

• Overcomplicating - Don't make simple sentences convoluted. Streamline the wording instead.

• Too informal - Make sure the style matches the tone of the surrounding text.

• Inconsistent writing style - Keep the vocabulary, sentence length and tone uniform.

• Confusing pronouns - Avoid pronouns like "this" "it" that could refer to multiple nouns.

• Misused phrases - Be careful using idiomatic phrases that don't work in the new sentence.

• Introducing new errors - Fix any grammar, spelling or punctuation problems accidentally added while rewriting.

Tools to Rewrite Sentences

Technology can help streamline rewriting sentences:

• Grammarly - This writing assistant provides rewrite suggestions to improve clarity, concision and flow.

• Hemingway Editor - The readability tool highlights complex sentences and suggests edits to simplify them.

• Paraphraser - Insert text and receive rewritten variations using the paraphrasing tool.

• Wordtune - The interactive editor gives concise rewrite options as you type.

• Quillbot - This paraphrasing tool quickly rewrites sentences by swapping words with synonyms.

• ClearVoice - The customizable AI writer can generate rewritten sentences and paragraphs on demand.

However, take care not to become overly reliant on technology. The most effective way to improve your sentence rewriting skills is practice.

Sentence Rewriting Exercises

Practicing sentence rewriting exercises regularly can help develop your skills:

Short Sentence Exercise

Original: My friend Jack enjoys playing football every afternoon.

Rewritten: Each afternoon my friend Jack loves playing football.

This reorders the clauses, changes "enjoys" to a more vivid verb "loves" and replaces "every afternoon" with "each afternoon".

Long Sentence Exercise

Original: The extremely talented musician impressed the entire audience in the theater when she played the piano like a skilled professional even though she was only seven years old.

Rewritten: Though only seven years old, the highly talented musician awed the entire theater audience with her professional-level piano playing skills.

This shortens the lengthy sentence while keeping all the key information. The rewrite highlights the contrast between her age and skill by moving that to the start of the sentence.

Passive Sentence Exercise

Original: The boy was chased by the aggressive dog down the sidewalk.

Rewritten: The aggressive dog chased the boy down the sidewalk.

Changing from passive to active voice makes this sentence clearer and livelier.

Practice daily by finding sentences in articles, books or other texts and rewriting them. You can then compare your rewritten versions with the originals to assess your progress.

How to Expand Sentences When Rewriting

So far we’ve focused mainly on improving clarity and concision while rewriting sentences. But sometimes you need to make sentences longer to add detail.

Here are some good ways to expand sentences:

• Add adjectives and adverbs - Spruce up nouns and verbs with descriptive words like adjectives and adverbs. For example, “He walks fast" could expand to "He ambles briskly..."

• Insert phrases and clauses - Add details by inserting clauses like "Running to catch the bus,..." or phrases like "In the scorching heat of July..."

• Provide examples - Illustrate ideas with concrete examples. "Her favorite flowers, lilies and roses,filled the garden."

• Add sequencing words - Use transition words that sequence ideas: “First, he combed his hair. Later, he brushed his teeth. Next, he got dressed."

• Describe background - Set the scene by adding descriptive clauses: "The sky blanketed by menacing dark clouds, Susan walked to school fretting about the storm."

• Define unfamiliar terms - If specialized vocabulary is used, provide brief definitions: "She used inductive reasoning, a technique that employs specific examples to draw a broader conclusion."

• Insert commentary - Add perspectives by other people through quotes: "Critics acknowledged his "breathtaking mastery of elaborate prose dialogue unmatched by his contemporaries.”

• Compare and contrast - Add clauses highlighting how two things are similar or different: “The cheetah, sleek and graceful, scampered across the plains whereas the wildebeest lumbered at a slower pace.”

With practice, you’ll learn how to judiciously expand sentences without rambling excessively.

Sentence Combining Exercises

As well as breaking long sentences up, combining shorter sentences can also improve writing flow.

Sentence combining exercises teach you how to merge two or more short choppy sentences into one longer smooth sentence.

Here are some examples:

• Janet was reading a book. The book was about science.

  Combined: Janet was reading a book about science.

• Kate saw an owl. The owl was perched on a tree branch.

  Combined: Kate saw an owl perched on a tree branch.

• We reached the playground. The playground was empty.

  Combined: When we reached the playground, it was empty.

• I entered the bedroom. I noticed the shattered window.

  Combined: When I entered the bedroom, I noticed the shattered window.

Practice exercises like these daily to improve your sentence combining skills. Look for small choppy sentences as you write and merge them using conjunctions, relativer pronouns like “that” or “which” or subordinate clauses started with transition words like “while”, "when" etc.

Varying Sentence Structures

Using only simple or compound sentences can make your writing boring. Learn to employ a variety of sentence structures skillfully as you rewrite sentences:

Simple Sentence - Contains one independent clause. E.g. "Anthony drove to work."

Compound Sentence - Joins two independent clauses with a conjunction like "and" or "but". E.g. "Anthony drove to work but got stuck in traffic."

Complex Sentence - An independent clause plus one or more dependent clauses. E.g. "After dropping his kids at school, Anthony drove to work."

Compound-Complex Sentence - Two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. E.g. "After dropping his kids at school, Anthony drove to work but got stuck in traffic."

Aim to mix simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences together smoothly. Avoid using only long complex sentences or short choppy sentences.

Varying sentence types makes your writing more engaging. As you rewrite sentences, think about changing the sentence structure for variety.

Rewriting Different Sentence Types

You may need to rewrite different types of sentences:

Statements - Declarative sentences that state a fact or opinion can often be reworded using synonyms.

Questions - Interrogative sentences can be rephrased by altering vocabulary or changing sentence type.

Commands - Imperative sentences giving orders or direction can be recast to be more polite or formal.

Exclamations - Use alternative punctuation like dashes or exclamation points for emphasis.

Consider the purpose of each sentence to rewrite it appropriately. For example, reorder a sequence of instructions. Rephrase rhetorical questions for greater impact.

Improving Sentence Flow

Good flow from sentence to sentence is crucial for readability. As you rewrite sentences, examine the transitions between them:

• Do the ideas connect logically? Rearrange or add transition words if needed.

• Is each new sentence clearly linked to the prior one? Add phrases like “In light of this” to show the relationship.

• Do sentences vary or are they repetitive? Introduce different lengths and structures.

• Does each sentence smoothly advance the narrative or make the argument? Fill any holes in reasoning.

• Is background information bridges between ideas? Provide clarifying details if needed.

• Are connections between sentences vague or unclear? Strengthen the transitions.

Take time after rewriting each sentence to reread the entire passage and assess flow. Then tune the sentences to work cohesively together.

Matching Tone and Style

Any sentences you rewrite must match the surrounding writing in tone and style. Watch out for inconsistencies:

• Is the vocabulary suitable for the audience? Use simpler words if needed.

• Does the sentence length match the passage or stray suddenly? Edit for consistency.

• Is the tone appropriately formal or casual? Change words or phrasing to align better.

• Does the rewrite match the style of other sentences? Make wording more uniform.

• Do any phrases or figures of speech seem out of place? Replace them.

• Is the voice active or passive? Keep it uniform unless you intend to change it.

Always reread your rewritten sentences within the full context to double check the tone and style align. Make any edits needed to help sentences blend in seamlessly.

Rewriting For a Different Audience

If you are adapting a passage for a new audience, more extensive rewriting may be required:

• Knowledge level - Use simpler vocabulary and explain technical terms if needed for a general audience.

• Age - Avoid advanced vocabulary and explicit content inappropriate for young readers.

• Culture - Explain cultural references that may be unfamiliar to international readers.

• Interests - Add or remove details to cater to specific audience interests or needs.

• Purpose - Rephrase content to align with the new goals, whether informative, persuasive or instructional.

While rewriting, constantly keep the new target audience in mind. Evaluate each sentence from their perspective. This takes practice but helps hone adaptation skills.

Rewriting For Search Engines

You can rewrite existing content to optimize it for search engines:

• Add keywords - Naturally add important keywords related to the content topic to help pages rank in search. But don't over-stuff.

• Update related content - Refresh dated facts, figures or references that have changed. Search engines favor current information.

• Improve page titles and headers - Work main keywords into strong page titles and section headers.

• Fix technical issues - Correct any broken links, meta descriptions or alt text.

• Increase engagement - Add interactive elements like questions, calls to action or quizzes that prompt shares and links.

• Enhance visuals - Update or add pictures, charts and videos that attract readers.

• Reorganize structure - Improve flow by reordering sections and paragraphs for logical progression.

• Simplify language - Use clear simple language. Break up dense text with bullet points or short paragraphs.

• Check mobile optimization - Verify content is readable on mobile screens and rewrite if needed.

Keep search engine optimization goals in mind but avoid going overboard. Natural rewriting focused on creating awesome content benefits both readers and search rankings.