Which strategy helps vary sentence structure and prevent run-ons or fragments?

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Varying sentence structure and using proper punctuation keeps writing clear and helps prevent run-ons and fragments. The most effective approach is to mix simple, compound, and complex sentences and to connect ideas with the right punctuation or conjunctions. This creates a natural rhythm and shows how ideas relate to each other, while also ensuring every sentence is complete: an independent clause carries the main thought, and a dependent clause or related idea is properly joined or punctuated so it doesn’t stand alone as a fragment.

Starting every sentence with a transition word doesn’t guarantee varied structure or correct syntax, and it can feel forced or artificial. A rule to write only one short sentence per paragraph limits variety and can still produce incomplete thoughts if a sentence ends without proper connection. Omitting punctuation makes run-ons and fragments almost unavoidable.

So, the strongest strategy for variety and grammatical correctness is to mix different sentence types and punctuate correctly to link ideas.