6+1 Writing Traits Fluency … writing sentences that sing.
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6+1 Writing Traits 6+1 Writing Traits Fluency Fluency … … writing sentences that sing writing sentences that sing
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Transcript of 6+1 Writing Traits Fluency … writing sentences that sing.
6+1 Writing Traits6+1 Writing Traits
FluencyFluency… … writing sentences that singwriting sentences that sing
Writing with fluencymeans producing sentences that
are easily read aloud
are graceful and natural sounding
engage the reader, causing him or her to want to read more
Sentence fluency is about how words and phrases flow — and it is achieved only when the writer pays close attention to the way individual sentences are crafted and groups of sentences are combined. And, yes, it takes time!
Writing is not a silent act: When true writers read their drafts, they listen for passages that sing; they check for natural starting and stopping points; they listen for the way words sound as they flow through, within, and among sentences.
Writing with fluencymeans understanding two ideas:
Sentence fluencyInvolves four key qualities:
Crafting well-built sentences
Varying sentence types
Capturing a smooth and rhythmic flow
Breaking the rules (grammar and sometimes spelling) with a clear purpose
Key quality:Crafting well-built sentences
Do my sentences begin in different ways?
Do my sentences vary in length?
Are my sentences grammatically correct unless constructed creatively for impact?
Have I used conjunctions such as but, and, and so to connect parts of sentences?
Key quality:Varying sentence types
Do I include different kinds of sentences?
Do I vary the way I use or place clauses and phrases?
Are some of my sentences complex?
Are some of my sentences simple?
Do I intermingle or mix sentence types, one to the next?
Key quality:Capturing smooth and rhythmic flow
Is reading the entire piece aloud easy?
Do my sentences flow, one to the next?
Do individual passages sound smooth when I read them aloud?
Did I thoughtfully place different sentence types to enhance the main idea?
Key quality:Breaking the “rules” to create fluency
Did I use fragments with style and purpose?
Do I begin a sentence informally to create a conversational tone?
Does my dialogue sound authentic?
Did I try weaving in exclamations and single words to add emphasis?
An example:
How are the passages different?
Which do you prefer? Why?
Which passage sings?
We went to the beach. We had fun. We saw seagulls. We went home.
Despite being overrun by pesky seagulls we had fun at the beach.
Now, the challenge …
Create your own music — with words.
