SENTENCE FLUENCY MEETS STANDARDS
Sentences vary in length as well as structure.
Purposeful and varied sentence beginnings
Creative and appropriate connectives
"DEVELOPING" SENTENCE FLUENCY
Although sentences may not seem artfully crafted or musical, they get the job done in a routine fashion.
Sentences are usually constructed correctly; they hang together; they are sound.
Sentence beginnings are not ALL alike; some variety is attempted.
The reader sometimes has to hunt for clues (e.g., connecting words and phrases like however ,therefore, naturally, after a while, on the other hand, to be specific, for example, next, first of all, later, but as it turned out, although, etc.) that show how sentences interrelate.
Parts of the text invite expressive oral reading; others may be stiff, awkward, choppy, or gangly.
"NOVICE" SENTENCE FLUENCY
Sentences are choppy, incomplete, rambling or awkward; they need work. Phrasing does not sound natural. The patterns may create a sing-song rhythm, or a chop-chop cadence that lulls the reader to sleep.
There is little to no “sentence sense” present. Even if this piece was flawlessly edited, the sentences would not hang together.
Many sentences begin the same way—and may follow the same patterns (e.g., subject-verb-object) in a monotonous pattern.
