1. By Katie Gagliano, Emma Foster, and Abbey Caruso

2. Using sentences to create a sense of rhythm and a flow that the reader enjoys. It is how the writing sounds. Good sentence fluency includes:  Varying your sentence structure by using simple, compound, and complex sentences.  Clearly conveying the meaning of your essay with good, strong sentences.  Varying your sentence beginnings by not always using the same word or phrase.  Having an uninterrupted flow that keeps the readers attention.  Varying the length of your sentences to include both short and long sentences.

3. 1.Does the reader have any areas where they run out of breath? 2.Do any areas of the reading sound short and choppy? 3.Are there any fragments, or incomplete thoughts? 4.Do several sentences begin in the same way? 5.Do several sentences sound the same? 6.Do the sentences all seem to be of the same length? 7.Does the reader get lost and have to backtrack in any areas? 8.Does it sound like the way a person would normally speak? 9.Do any areas of the reading sound effortless, flowing, and rhythmic? 10.Do any areas invite expressive, oral reading? Tip : The best way to check for sentence fluency is to read your writing out loud. When reading your paper ask yourself these questions to check your sentence fluency. If questions 1 through 7 apply to your paper, that indicates that those are bad areas of sentence fluency. If questions 8 through 10 apply to your paper, then your writing shows good sentence fluency.

4. My horse is white. He has one blue eye and one brown eye. He is friendly. He likes when we brush him. He snuggles his nose into us when we brush him. He is fun to ride. He is my horse and I am glad. Correct this sentence using the questions on your handout.

5. My friendly horse, Flash, has one blue eye and one brown eye. This majestic white creature loves when I brush his soft coat. I can tell because he snuggles his nose into me and whinnies. He also loves to race through the corn fields behind our barn. Whoosh! Flash gallops through the stalks like a Nascar racer flying around a speedway. I clutch his mane and shriek with laughter. He is a wonderful horse!