Sentence length in OET letters: how to combine short sentences and split long ones
In an OET Nursing letter, aim for sentences that carry one or two related pieces of information: combine very short, choppy sentences with linking words such as 'and', 'which', 'following' or 'although', and split long sentences that join unrelated facts. Mixing sentence lengths makes a letter easier to read and shows control of grammar, without adding words.
Why sentence length matters
Many OET letters lose clarity in one of two ways. Some read like case notes turned into a string of tiny sentences: "She is 78. She lives alone. She had a fall. She fractured her wrist." Others pack a whole paragraph into one sentence joined by "and" five times. Both make the reader work harder.
Sentence control links to Conciseness & Clarity (can the reader find information quickly?) and to the Language criterion (is grammar accurate and varied?). It also affects cohesion, because combining sentences well depends on the right linking words.
Signs a sentence needs work
| Problem | Sign | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Choppy | Three or more short sentences in a row with the same subject | Combine related facts |
| Repetitive | "Mr Silva… Mr Silva… Mr Silva…" at the start of each sentence | Combine, or use "he" |
| Overloaded | More than two "and"s, or unrelated facts joined | Split into two sentences |
| Run-on | Two complete sentences joined only by a comma | Use a full stop, "and", or a linking word |
| Lost subject | The reader cannot tell who did what by the end | Split and restate the subject |
Five ways to combine short sentences
-
"and" for two related facts with the same subject - Before: "She lives alone. She manages her own medicines." - After: "She lives alone and manages her own medicines."
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A relative clause ("who", "which") — see relative clauses - Before: "He has a daughter. She visits daily." - After: "He has a daughter who visits daily."
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A time word ("following", "after", "since") - Before: "She had surgery on 4 June. Since then, she has mobilised with a frame." - After: "Following surgery on 4 June, she has mobilised with a frame."
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A contrast word ("although", "however") - Before: "His pain has improved. He still needs help with showering." - After: "Although his pain has improved, he still needs help with showering."
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A reason word ("as", "because", "due to") - Before: "Her metformin was withheld. Her kidney function had declined." - After: "Her metformin was withheld because her kidney function had declined."
How to split long sentences
Split when a sentence joins facts the reader would use separately, or when the subject changes.
Before (52 words):
Mr Ito, who is 81 and lives with his wife in a two-storey house and was admitted on 2 March after a fall at home in which he hit his head, had a normal CT scan and was observed overnight and he is now mobilising with a stick and his wife is concerned about the stairs.
After (three sentences):
Mr Ito, aged 81, was admitted on 2 March after a fall at home in which he hit his head. His CT scan was normal, and he was observed overnight. He is now mobilising with a stick, but his wife is concerned about the stairs in their two-storey house.
The facts are the same, but each sentence now has one job: admission, investigation, current situation. (Details invented.)
Worked example: a full paragraph
Choppy version:
Ms Adeyemi is 45. She was admitted on 9 August. She had abdominal pain. She had her appendix removed on 10 August. The surgery was keyhole. She recovered well. She is eating and drinking. She is walking independently. She was discharged on 12 August.
Improved version:
Ms Adeyemi, aged 45, was admitted on 9 August with abdominal pain and had a laparoscopic appendicectomy the following day. She recovered well and, on discharge on 12 August, was eating, drinking and walking independently.
The improved version is shorter and easier to read, and it varies sentence structure. (Patient and details invented.)
A quick self-check
When you review your letter, ask:
- Do three sentences in a row start with the patient's name? Combine some.
- Does any sentence contain more than two "and"s? Consider splitting.
- Can I read each sentence once and understand it? If not, split.
- Have I used a mix of linking words, not only "and"?
- Is every combined sentence still grammatically correct?
Common mistakes when combining
- Comma splices. "She was discharged, she is going home with her son" needs a full stop, "and", or a linking word.
- Wrong linking word. "Although she is diabetic, she takes insulin" makes no sense; "although" signals a contrast.
- Losing accuracy. Combining must not change the facts or their order in time.
- Over-combining. One very long sentence is no better than five tiny ones.
For more, see turning case notes into full sentences and common OET Writing mistakes.
Practise and check
Practise a timed letter at /writing/, or check a letter you have written to get an estimated grade, a mark for each of the six criteria and line-by-line corrections. medEmu is an independent practice tool for OET Writing for Nursing; its grades are estimates, and it is not affiliated with OET.
Sources
This guide is medEmu's writing advice, not official OET guidance; all examples are invented. The network used for this run could not reach oet.com, so no OET test facts are stated beyond the criterion names. For OET's official Writing information and assessment criteria, see oet.com.