Craft & Style
Overused Sentence Opener
Flags repetitive sentence beginnings — "There was/were", "It was", and consecutive gerund (-ing) openers.
What It Does
Tracks three types of weak openings: "There was/were" constructions, "It was/is" constructions, and runs of gerund-opening sentences. Reports both document-level overuse and consecutive runs.
Why It Matters
Weak openers delay the real subject. "There was a cat on the mat" hides the cat behind "There was." Starting with the subject makes prose more direct: "A cat sprawled across the mat." Gerund runs create monotonous rhythm.
What Gets Flagged
| Severity | Example | Why | Suggested Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information | "There was" starts 10% of sentences | Delays the real subject | Lead with the actual subject |
| Hint | 3+ consecutive "-ing" openings | Creates rhythmic monotony | Vary openers: start with a clause, object, or setting |
Configuration
No configuration options. Thresholds: 8% for There/It was, 3 consecutive for gerunds.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Document-level (ratios) and sentence-level (gerund runs)
- Method: Regex pattern matching + frequency tracking