8 Tips for Starting Better Sentences (Writing Advice)

Tired of starting your sentences with the same word over and over? Today I've got 8 tips that can help your writing.

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Credit to SkyDilen for my video intro.

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[WriterBrandonMcNulty]

WARNING: The English language is a weird thing, and these tips won't apply to all situations. Don't hesitate to test out today's advice, but be aware that these techniques will work in some situations while failing in others. I actually had many other examples in this video but I had to cut them out to keep the video short and engaging (and seriously, who wants to listen to me for 14-20 minutes?).

If you have any questions about starting better sentences, don't be afraid to reach out. Always happy to help.

[fourkayoh]

I’ve been binge watching your videos after a rough critique, and I just want to say thank you for how you present your information. It’s always in a calm, uplifting way and never feels condescending. I’m excited to implement some of your advice to become a better, stronger writer!

[lionspawfilmandphoto]

Recently in my writing I observed that many sentences start with "I", so this was a good video to come across. Much to learn, I still have. :)

[kcyccyck]

Despite writing in a different language, this video is incredibly useful and now I can stop saying "He did this, she did that. Then, he did the other thing."

[ZoesWeirdThoughts]

I am excellent at dialogue, but not quite as good at narrative. I had one part of my manuscript in particular where almost every sentence, for like three paragraphs, started with ‘she’. I knew this was undesirable, but I wasn't sure how to fix it. Thanks for making this video, I found it quite helpful.

[gamewriteeye]

Some advanced sensory details sentence examples (If this helps you're most welcome :)

**Smell**

Example 1: As I headed down the trail, graceful pollens hit this season with each inhale.
Example 2: During the day, sewer gas fumed of putrid waste.
Example 3: Somewhere through a cold breeze as arbory and autumn leaves, rain cascaded its whiff of dampness.

**Touch**

Example 1: Stony and sharp, bricks could cause a scrape if my fingers ran along it forever.
Example 2: What sharpness the blade has—enough to cut skin—with the appropriate edge.
Example 3: The bed's softness plumped in skillets of its fabric if it were a dish.

**Sight**

Example 1: Through darkness, someone trudged into view.
Example 2: Where the winds pointed appeared as a white mist like spirit's fingers.
Example 3: The cake baked in the oven until the flour rose.

**Hear**

Example 1: Tremors of a jackhammer shook the walls and into my ears.
Example 2: Above, the roaring of a plane engine split the sky.
Example 3: Like clockwork, the large hand ticked twelve by the time I arrived at the red carpet; tick-tick-tick.

**Taste**

Example 1: An explosion of bitter, sweet, and salt savored within each crunch.
Example 2: From a point above the water, the sea's saltiness rushed by within gulps.
Example 3: Given the salt, it somehow has sweet sugar when it's licked.

**Bonus: what's a sentence with five senses?**

Sloshing in my boots, water squeezes underneath as rain patters my umbrella, droplets hitting my tongue with its damp yet mossy scent.

[ega]

Love your vlog. I'm writing my first novel and, as someone who's not trained in creative writing (I'm an attorney), I've learned a lot just watching you. Just started Bad Parts, by the way.

[EH]

Thanks Brandon! I’m going to show this to my 6th graders… they need better sentences! 😁
And ty for mentioning editing - most kids think one draft and I’m done! 😂

[iosyntropy]

im at the point where i need to know what actually makes a sentence good haha, everythings done now im actually writing the book and wow. there are hardly any videos in youtube about actual *word* *look*. i found one other helpful video in this regard about someone editing their own first draft which was helfpul but as always you supplied it just the right way. excellent delivery thank you sir

[elchiponr]

very helpful thanks. I like that you explain simple things like verb and noun, bc as a non native english speaker I can not for the love of god, remember which is which

[jiles]

brilliant crystal clear summary of the grammar! Great tips too!!

[arnoldfossman]

I recently started watching your videos and like what I'm finding. Taking your advice is what I'm trying here since what I'm working on is not from a first party POV.

[arnav_k]

This was an incredibly helpful YouTube video, and I want to express my gratitude to you, Brandon, for helping me become a better writer!

[milesimagination.]

Watching your videos for inspiration, advice to better my writing. In college I enjoyed writing poetry, so thought I would give a book a go. I have just finished going over the only 5 pages that I have written and had not noticed how often I started a sentence with I. Thank you.

[feliperojas-doomride]

This is brilliant. So simple, yet so effective

[jasonmacomber]

Great channel. Thank you for posting these videos!

[MaggieMiller]

Loved the video. Glad to find somethings I already do. I have watched now 50 videos. LOVE THIS CHANNEL!

[kajgod]

Yeah, when I am not feeling particularly poetical but have a bunch of story ideas, I do tend to do that a lot.

[TheCalicohorse]

There are many helpful and interesting examples here. Thank you. Moving prepositional phrases to be the beginning of sentences is great for variety, but this high school English teacher would want to see commas after the prepositional phrase. For instance, "In the evening, I hunt vampires." Perhaps these comma placements are somewhat optional (?), but writing reads awkwardly to me without them.

[caedrewan]

The section on "prepositional phrases" is especially interesting to me, because I teach English in China, and when you give the examples about moving "At night" or "After the game", I actually specify these as "time phrases" rather than calling them prepositional phrases (not to say I was even aware of this broader term being applicable to time phrases... thanks for that info!)

I just think it makes it way easier to generalize the rule by saying "time phrases can be moved around in the sentence" (I usually specify these are better placed at the end or beginning), rather than saying "some prepositional phrases can be moved around, but others sound very awkward"

Anyway, considering how many of your videos I watch, if I ever get back to North America I'd better buy a copy of Bad Parts!