The most basic stylistic choice an author can make is to decide if a sentence should be in active voice or passive voice. In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action provided by the verb: "John threw the ball." In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is not the actor: "The ball was thrown by John." Both of these sentences give the same information, but it is presented in two different ways. Active sentences are used when you want to put your focus on the actor. Passive voice is used when you hope to emphasize the result of the action. Review your sentences to make sure your active and passive voices are being used in the most stylistically accurate way.
When thinking about sentence style, pay close attention to your subject and verb. Try to keep subject and verb as close together as possible, as putting clauses and phrases between a subject and verb can be confusing. For example, the phrase "I, though I hate to tell my husband, love chocolate" creates some confusion about the verb "love" and which word it modifies. When writing your sentences, look for clarity between subject and verb, and move confusing phrases that come between subject and verb.
One of the most common stylistic errors in sentence writing is unnecessary repetition of phrases or words. For example, take a look at the following sentence:
"I brought my black jacket to the party, but when I left the party, I realized I had forgotten my black jacket back at the party."
In this sentence, the words "party" and "black jacket" are repeated unnecessarily. An alternative sentence could be: "I brought my black jacket to the party, but after I left, I realized I had forgotten it."
When revising your sentences, look for unnecessary repetitions not only within sentences, but also in paragraphs. Try to find places where you can use a pronoun to replace a noun that has already been named.
Sentence length and complexity are also stylistic issues. Pay attention to how long and short or complex and simple your sentences are within a paragraph or a page. Avoid using same type of sentence several times in a row. For example, many short, choppy sentences put together in a row can create an incomplete and confusing rhythm for the reader. The same goes for many long or complex sentences grouped together. Try to vary sentence styles to improve your readability and style when writing.