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Topic : Re: How to construct quality long sentences? I want to construct long sentences, for fiction. I do use subordinate conjunctions and coordinate conjunctions, and I also understand different kind of - selfpublishingguru.com

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The reason long sentences are possible is because languages are recursive; see here for examples of how this builds long sentences by substitution. Take some long sentences you have access to and work out how they could be built up in this way, and you'll soon have the hang of it yourself. If all your sentences are short, occasionally weaving together the ideas in several of them by recursion will get you the length variety you need.

Let's do a worked example, the second sentence of Moby Dick:

Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.

Now let's imagine how you could build that:

I thought I would sail.

I thought I would sail about a little.

I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the
world.

Some years ago I thought I would sail about a little and see the
watery part of the world.

Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- I thought I would sail
about a little and see the watery part of the world.

Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having no money, I
thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the
world.

Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no
money in my purse, I thought I would sail about a little and see the
watery part of the world.

Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.


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