How to Split and Combine Sentences: Improve Readability and Accessibility
Have you ever written a sentence so long that even you lost track of what you were saying? Or maybe your writing feels choppy with too many short, disconnected sentences?
Sentence length optimization is a crucial skill for any writer — and it directly impacts readability and accessibility.
By learning when to split long sentences or combine short ones, you can instantly improve your content’s readability scores and make it more accessible to diverse audiences. This helps you:
- Improve readability scores (Flesch-Kincaid, etc.)
- Enhance accessibility for all readers
- Increase reader comprehension
- Meet professional writing standards
- Create better flow and rhythm in your writing
The Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner makes this effortless: paste your text, choose split or combine mode, and instantly optimize your sentence length for better readability.
📝 What Is Sentence Length Optimization?
Sentence length optimization is the process of adjusting sentence length to improve readability, comprehension, and accessibility.
Research shows that optimal sentence length varies depending on your audience and purpose:
- General audiences: 15-20 words (approximately 75-100 characters)
- Academic/technical writing: Can tolerate longer sentences (20-25 words)
- Accessibility-focused content: Shorter sentences (10-15 words) are preferred
- Marketing/copywriting: Mix of short and medium sentences for impact
Why Sentence Length Matters
Sentence length directly affects:
📊 Readability Scores
Readability formulas like Flesch-Kincaid heavily weight average sentence length. Shorter sentences = better scores.
♿ Accessibility
People with reading difficulties, cognitive disabilities, or those reading in a second language benefit from shorter, clearer sentences.
🧠 Comprehension
Long, complex sentences increase cognitive load. Shorter sentences are easier to process and understand.
📈 Engagement
Varied sentence length creates rhythm and flow, making your writing more engaging.
🎯 When to Split Long Sentences
Long sentences (typically over 100 characters or 20 words) can be difficult to follow. Here’s when to split them:
Signs a Sentence Needs Splitting
🔴 Too Many Clauses
If your sentence has multiple clauses connected by commas, semicolons, or conjunctions, it might be too long.
Example:
“The project was completed on time, which pleased all stakeholders, and the team received recognition for their hard work, which boosted morale, and this success led to more opportunities.”
Better:
“The project was completed on time, which pleased all stakeholders. The team received recognition for their hard work, which boosted morale. This success led to more opportunities.”
🔴 Hard to Follow
If you find yourself re-reading a sentence to understand it, it’s probably too long.
🔴 Low Readability Score
If your readability checker flags long sentences, consider splitting them.
🔴 Accessibility Requirements
For WCAG compliance and accessibility, shorter sentences are often required.
How to Split Sentences
Look for natural break points:
- Commas - Often indicate clauses that can become separate sentences
- Semicolons - Connect related but independent thoughts
- Conjunctions - “and”, “or”, “but” can indicate split points
- Dashes - Em dashes often separate ideas
- Colons - Can introduce explanations that work as separate sentences
🎯 When to Combine Short Sentences
Very short sentences (typically under 20 characters or 5 words) can make writing feel choppy. Here’s when to combine them:
Signs Sentences Need Combining
🔴 Choppy Flow
If your writing feels like a series of disconnected statements, you might need to combine some sentences.
Example:
“The sun was shining. The birds were singing. It was a beautiful day. Everyone was happy.”
Better:
“The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was a beautiful day. Everyone was happy.”
🔴 Related Ideas
If multiple short sentences express related ideas, they can often be combined.
🔴 Too Many Periods
If you have many very short sentences in a row, consider combining related ones.
🔴 Losing Emphasis
While short sentences can be powerful for emphasis, too many can dilute their impact.
How to Combine Sentences
- Use commas to join related short sentences
- Use conjunctions (and, but, or) to connect ideas
- Maintain clarity - only combine when the result is still clear
- Preserve meaning - ensure combined sentences don’t lose nuance
🧰 How Sentence Optimization Works
Sentence optimization uses intelligent algorithms to improve readability:
Split Mode Process
Step 1: Identify Long Sentences
The tool finds sentences that exceed your specified maximum length (default: 100 characters).
Step 2: Find Natural Break Points
Looks for punctuation marks and conjunctions where sentences can be naturally split:
- Commas, semicolons, colons
- Em dashes, hyphens
- Conjunctions: “and”, “or”, “but”
Step 3: Split at Break Points
Splits the sentence only if all resulting parts are within the maximum length.
Step 4: Preserve Meaning
Ensures grammatical correctness and maintains the original meaning.
Combine Mode Process
Step 1: Identify Short Sentences
Finds sentences shorter than your specified minimum length (default: 20 characters).
Step 2: Group Related Sentences
Groups consecutive short sentences that can be combined.
Step 3: Join with Appropriate Punctuation
Combines sentences using commas and maintains proper ending punctuation.
Step 4: Maintain Readability
Only combines when the result remains clear and readable.
🧰 Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner Features
The Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner makes optimizing sentence length instant and effortless:
⚡ Dual Modes
Switch between split mode (for long sentences) and combine mode (for short sentences) with one click.
🎚️ Adjustable Settings
Customize maximum length for splitting (20-200 characters) and minimum length for combining (20-200 characters).
📊 Real-Time Statistics
See exactly how many sentences you started with, how many you have after processing, and how many changes were made.
⚡ Instant Processing
Results update instantly as you type or change settings — no waiting, no clicking.
🔒 Private & Secure
Everything runs in your browser. Your text is never sent to servers.
🎯 Smart Algorithms
Intelligently finds natural break points and only makes changes that preserve meaning and readability.
📋 Copy Button
One-click copying of the optimized text to your clipboard.
📝 Examples: Before and After
Here are real-world examples showing the impact of sentence optimization:
Example 1: Split Long Sentences (Business Report)
Before:
“The quarterly results exceeded expectations, with revenue increasing by 15% compared to the previous quarter, and the team’s diligent work throughout the period was recognized by management, which has led to increased morale and productivity across all departments.”
After (Split Mode):
“The quarterly results exceeded expectations, with revenue increasing by 15% compared to the previous quarter. The team’s diligent work throughout the period was recognized by management. This has led to increased morale and productivity across all departments.”
Result: Split one 150-character sentence into three clearer, more digestible sentences.
Example 2: Combine Short Sentences (Blog Post)
Before:
“Content marketing requires consistent effort. You need to publish regularly. Quality matters more than quantity. Engagement is key. Results take time.”
After (Combine Mode):
“Content marketing requires consistent effort, and you need to publish regularly. Quality matters more than quantity, and engagement is key. Results take time.”
Result: Combined choppy short sentences into more flowing prose while maintaining clarity.
Example 3: Split for Accessibility (Technical Documentation)
Before:
“The API endpoint accepts POST requests with JSON payloads containing user authentication credentials, and it returns a response object with a status code, message, and optional data field that may contain user information or error details.”
After (Split Mode):
“The API endpoint accepts POST requests with JSON payloads containing user authentication credentials. It returns a response object with a status code, message, and optional data field. The data field may contain user information or error details.”
Result: Split a complex 200-character sentence into three clearer sentences for better accessibility.
Example 4: Combine for Flow (Creative Writing)
Before:
“The sun was setting. The sky turned orange. The clouds glowed. It was beautiful. I felt peaceful.”
After (Combine Mode):
“The sun was setting, and the sky turned orange. The clouds glowed, and it was beautiful. I felt peaceful.”
Result: Combined related short sentences to create better flow while preserving the final short sentence for emphasis.
🎯 Common Use Cases
Sentence optimization is valuable across many writing contexts:
✍️ Content Writers & Bloggers
Optimize blog posts and articles for better readability scores and SEO. Search engines favor content that’s easy to read.
Use case: Improve readability scores to rank higher in search results and reach more readers.
♿ Accessibility Specialists
Ensure content meets WCAG guidelines for readability and comprehension. Shorter sentences are essential for accessibility.
Use case: Make content accessible to people with reading difficulties, cognitive disabilities, or those reading in a second language.
🎓 Students
Improve essay readability and meet assignment requirements for sentence structure and clarity.
Use case: Optimize academic papers to meet readability requirements while maintaining academic tone.
✏️ Editors
Quickly identify and fix sentence length issues in manuscripts and documents.
Use case: Process long documents efficiently, optimizing sentence length for target audiences.
💼 Business Writers
Create clearer, more accessible business communications that are easier to understand.
Use case: Improve internal communications and customer-facing content for better comprehension.
📚 Technical Writers
Simplify technical documentation by splitting long, complex sentences without losing technical accuracy.
Use case: Make technical content more accessible while maintaining precision and accuracy.
✍️ Fiction Writers
Balance sentence length for better pacing and flow in narrative writing.
Use case: Create varied sentence rhythms that enhance storytelling and reader engagement.
📱 Content Managers
Ensure all published content meets readability standards and is accessible to diverse audiences.
Use case: Standardize content quality across teams and platforms.
🎓 Academic Writers
Break down complex academic sentences into more digestible chunks without losing meaning.
Use case: Make academic work more accessible while maintaining scholarly rigor.
💡 How to Use the Tool
Using the Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner is simple:
Step 1: Choose Your Mode
Select either:
- Split Long Sentences - For breaking down overly long sentences
- Combine Short Sentences - For joining choppy short sentences
Step 2: Adjust Settings
Set your target length:
- Split mode: Maximum sentence length (default: 100 characters)
- Combine mode: Minimum sentence length (default: 20 characters)
Use the slider to adjust based on your audience and purpose.
Step 3: Paste Your Text
Copy and paste your text into the input area. The tool works with any length of text.
Step 4: Review Statistics
Instantly see:
- Original Sentences: How many sentences were in your text
- Processed Sentences: How many sentences you have after processing
- Changes Made: How many sentences were split or groups were combined
Step 5: Review the Output
The optimized text appears in the output area. Review to ensure meaning and tone are preserved.
Step 6: Copy the Result
Click the “Copy” button to copy the optimized text to your clipboard, ready to paste wherever you need it.
Step 7: Iterate
Try different length settings to find what works best for your content and audience.
📊 Understanding Readability Scores
Sentence length directly impacts readability scores:
Flesch Reading Ease
- Score 90-100: Very easy (5th grade level)
- Score 80-89: Easy (6th grade level)
- Score 70-79: Fairly easy (7th grade level)
- Score 60-69: Standard (8th-9th grade level)
- Score 50-59: Fairly difficult (10th-12th grade level)
- Score 30-49: Difficult (college level)
- Score 0-29: Very difficult (college graduate level)
Average sentence length is a key factor in this score. Shorter sentences = higher scores.
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
This score indicates the U.S. grade level needed to understand the text. Shorter sentences lower the grade level, making content more accessible.
WCAG Guidelines
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines recommend:
- Level AA: Text should be readable by people with lower secondary education
- Level AAA: Text should be readable by people with primary education
Shorter sentences help meet these guidelines.
🎨 Balancing Sentence Length
While optimizing sentence length is important, variety is also key:
The Power of Variety
Short sentences (5-10 words):
- Create emphasis
- Build tension
- Add impact
- Break up long passages
Medium sentences (15-20 words):
- Standard for most content
- Easy to read
- Good for explanations
- Maintain flow
Long sentences (25+ words):
- Can build complexity
- Show relationships between ideas
- Create rhythm when used sparingly
- Work in academic/technical writing
Best Practice
Use a mix of sentence lengths for engaging, readable content:
- Mostly medium sentences (15-20 words)
- Occasional short sentences for emphasis
- Rare long sentences for complex ideas
The tool helps you identify and fix problematic sentence lengths while maintaining natural variety.
🚀 Best Practices
Here are tips for getting the most out of sentence optimization:
✅ Know Your Audience
Different audiences have different needs:
- General public: Shorter sentences (15-20 words)
- Academic readers: Can handle longer sentences (20-25 words)
- Accessibility-focused: Shorter sentences (10-15 words)
- Technical readers: Varies by complexity
✅ Review the Results
Always review the output to ensure:
- Meaning is preserved
- Tone is maintained
- Flow is natural
- No awkward phrasing was introduced
✅ Use Appropriate Settings
Adjust the length thresholds based on:
- Your target audience
- Content type
- Readability goals
- Style guide requirements
✅ Combine with Other Tools
Use sentence optimization alongside:
- Readability checkers
- Grammar checkers
- Passive voice detectors
- Style guides
✅ Don’t Over-Optimize
Remember that variety in sentence length is important. Don’t make every sentence the same length — use the tool to fix problematic sentences, not to create uniformity.
✅ Test Different Settings
Experiment with different length thresholds to find what works best for your specific content and audience.
⚠️ When Not to Optimize
While sentence optimization is valuable, there are times to preserve original sentence structure:
Intentional Stylistic Choices
If long or short sentences are intentional stylistic choices (e.g., for emphasis, rhythm, or voice), preserve them.
Dialogue
Natural dialogue often includes varied sentence lengths. Don’t over-optimize dialogue unless it’s genuinely hard to read.
Poetry and Creative Writing
Poetic and highly creative writing may intentionally use unusual sentence structures. Preserve artistic intent.
Technical Precision
Some technical writing requires long sentences to express complex relationships. Only split if it doesn’t lose precision.
Quoted Material
Never modify quoted material. Only optimize your own writing.
🚀 Try the Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner
The Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner is:
- ✔ Fast — Instant processing as you type
- ✔ Flexible — Two modes: split long sentences or combine short ones
- ✔ Customizable — Adjustable length thresholds for your needs
- ✔ Free — No cost, no sign-up required
- ✔ Private — Everything runs in your browser
- ✔ Smart — Intelligently finds natural break points
- ✔ Visual — Clear statistics show what changed
Whether you’re writing a blog post, drafting business communications, working on academic papers, creating marketing copy, or ensuring accessibility compliance, the Tooladex Sentence Splitter / Combiner helps you optimize sentence length for better readability and comprehension.
Just paste your text, choose your mode, adjust your settings — and instantly see your sentences optimized for better readability and accessibility.
Sentence Splitter / Combiner
Split long sentences or combine short sentences to improve readability and accessibility. Adjust sentence length for better comprehension and readability scores.