---
title: "Variation of sentence length across time and genre (2018)"
description: "The paper tests a common belief that written English sentences have grown shorter over the last… 26 references, cited by 2 papers here."
authors: ["Karolina Rudnicka"]
year: 2018
venue: "arXiv:2502.04321 · 2018, Chapter in Studies in Corpus Linguistics 85, 220-240. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins"
source: "https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.04321"
doi: "10.1075/scl.85.10rud"
arxiv: "2502.04321"
licence: "CC BY 4.0 (arXiv)"
licence_url: "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
summary_licence: "Elamur Cosmic License"
canonical: "https://research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/rudnicka-2025-variation-sentence-length-across-time/"
---
[Elamur Research](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/rudnicka-2025-variation-sentence-length-across-time/)

[home](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [papers](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/) / [2018](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/2018/page/5/) / Variation of sentence length across time and genre

# Variation of sentence length across time and genre

**Authors:** [Karolina Rudnicka](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/authors/karolina-rudnicka/) · **Year:** 2018 · **Venue:** arXiv:2502.04321 · 2018, Chapter in Studies in Corpus Linguistics 85, 220-240. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins · **Publisher:** [John Benjamins Publishing Company](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/publishers/john-benjamins-publishing-company/) · **Licence:** [CC BY 4.0 (arXiv)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

**Links:** [Publisher's page](https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.85.10rud) · [PDF](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.04321) · [DOI 10.1075/scl.85.10rud](https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.85.10rud) · [arXiv 2502.04321](https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.04321) · [OpenAlex](https://openalex.org/W2896819836)

**Citations:** 28 citations (OpenAlex, 2026-10-14) · 2 in our library, of the 149,439 papers whose bibliographies we read

## Summary
The paper tests a common belief that written English sentences have grown shorter over the last centuries, and asks whether this shift could affect how particular constructions are used. Rudnicka uses the full-text version of COHA (about 400 million words, 1810–2009). She processes it in Mathematica and measures the length of more than nineteen million sentences across five genres: fiction, magazine, newspaper, non-fiction, and movie & play script. She also describes practical pitfalls of working with raw mega-corpus text and discusses whether the decline is only an artefact of changing punctuation habits. Every genre shows shorter sentences over time, though the starting levels and the size of the drop differ by genre. As a case study, the purpose subordinator *in order to* is declining in most genres, and the genre with the longest sentences behaves differently. The author interprets shrinking sentence length as a higher-order phenomenon that can reshape usage across whole networks of constructions.

## Key points
- Data and scale: the full-text COHA (1810–2009) was processed in Mathematica, yielding lengths for over 19 million sentences. A sentence is counted from a capitalised first word to a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.
- Average sentence length dropped in all genres:
  - fiction: about 6.5 words;
  - magazine: 10.2 words;
  - newspaper: 4.9 words;
  - non-fiction: 8 words;
  - movie & play script: 8.3 words.
- Genre ranking stayed stable. Movie & play script had the shortest sentences throughout, and non-fiction had the longest throughout. A sharper drop appears around the start of the 20th century.
- Usage of *in order to*:
  - It falls in fiction, newspaper and magazine.
  - Only non-fiction shows some rise. The author links this to its long sentences and to the construction's original role of adding clarity and precision.
- Confounds and open questions:
  - Earlier work (Westin) found nearly identical trends whether or not colons and semicolons were treated as sentence delimiters.
  - Part of the late non-fiction drop may come from COCA academic texts entering the corpus.
  - The decline in the spoken-language proxy is left unexplained.

## Interesting ideas
- Measure the same quantity under two sentence-delimiter definitions (terminal marks only vs. also counting semicolons and colons) to check that a trend is not just a punctuation artefact.
- Before reading a construction's frequency change as meaningful, relate it per genre to a structural covariate like average sentence length.
- Treat changes in corpus composition (such as a new source of academic texts joining a period) as a possible cause of an apparent trend.
- Shorter sentences may make explicit purpose markers like *in order to* less necessary, leaving purpose relations to be signalled more lightly or implicitly.
- A single global, higher-order factor can drive parallel shifts across a whole family of constructions (*in order that*, *so as to*, *lest*).

## For Mova

How these ideas could serve Mova, our small open language model — its files, stages and tests:

- **I1** (tokens): The sentence splitter could expose a switchable delimiter policy, so any length-sensitive statistic can be checked for stability across both policies.
- **I2** (learn): Evaluation reports could stratify parser and frame scores by genre and sentence-length bins, making gains or losses traceable to input structure rather than model quality.
- **I3** (learn): Silver-data and evaluation pipelines should log source mixtures per batch and use composition-matched negative controls, so drift is not mistaken for learning.
- **I4** (frames): Purpose-role detection should not rely mainly on explicit subordinators; it should also recover purpose from bare *to*-infinitives and neighbouring short sentences.
- **I5** (back): Generation could tie register choice to a target sentence-length budget, picking explicit markers for learned style and lighter ones for modern, short-sentence prose.

*Our summary of the paper, in our own words — not its text. The work belongs to its authors; read it at the links above.*

## Institutions

- [University of Freiburg](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/universities/university-of-freiburg/) — University, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany · 6 works · 1,068 citations

📚 Shelves (3): [🎭 Arts and Humanities](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/shelves/arts-and-humanities/) · 16,039 works · [🗣️ Language and Linguistics](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/shelves/arts-and-humanities/language-and-linguistics/) · 15,891 works · [📚 Literature and Literary Theory](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/shelves/arts-and-humanities/literature-and-literary-theory/) · 519 works

## Cite

Cite as: Karolina Rudnicka. 2018. Variation of sentence length across time and genre. arXiv:2502.04321 · 2018, Chapter in Studies in Corpus Linguistics 85, 220-240. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

The paper itself, not this page. BibTeX from the library's record of the work.

```bibtex
@misc{rudnicka2018variation,
  title = {{Variation of sentence length across time and genre}},
  author = {Karolina Rudnicka},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1075/scl.85.10rud},
  eprint = {2502.04321},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.85.10rud}
}
```

- [← previous Using Linguistic Features to Improve the Generalization Capability of Neural Coreference Resolvers](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/moosavi-2018-linguistic-features-improve-generalization-capability/)
- [next → ELiRF-UPV at SemEval-2018 Tasks 1 and 3: Affect and Irony Detection in Tweets](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/gonzalez-2018-elirf-upv-semeval-2018-tasks/)
- [↑ back to papers of 2018](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/2018/page/5/)

## References

26 references, 1 of them with a card of ours. ↗ leads to the work, «find» searches for one we have no id for yet.

1. Biber, Douglas & Conrad, Susan. 2009. Register, Genre, and Style. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511814358)
2. Biber, Douglas & Gray, Bethany. 2010. Challenging stereotypes about academic writing: Complexity, elaboration, explicitness. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 9, 2-20. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2010.01.001)
3. Davis, Edith A. 1937. Mean sentence length compared with long and short sentences as a reliable measure of language development. Child Development 8(1): 69-79. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1937.tb05496.x)
4. Dorgeloh, Heidrun. 2005. Patterns of agentivity and narrativity in early science discourse. In Opening windows in discourse and texts from the past, Janne Skaffari, Matti Peikola, Ruth Carroll, Risto Hiltunen & Brita Warvik (eds), 83-94. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: Benjamins. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.134.10dor)
5. Fahnestock, Jeanne. 2011. Rhetorical Style: The Uses Of Language In Persuasion. New York: Oxford University Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Fahnestock%2C+Jeanne%2E+2011%2E+Rhetorical+Style%3A+The+Uses+Of+Language+In+Persuasion%2E+New+York%3A+Oxford+University+Press%2E)
6. Fries, Udo. 2010. Sentence Length, Sentence Complexity and the Noun Phrase in 18 th -Century News Publications. In Language Change and Variation from Old English to Late Modern English [Linguistic Insights 114], Merja Kytö, John Scahill & Harumi Tanabe (eds), 21-33. Bern: Peter Lang. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Fries%2C+Udo%2E+2010%2E+Sentence+Length%2C+Sentence+Complexity+and+the+Noun+Phrase+in+18+th+%2DCentury+News+Publications%2E+In+Language+Change+and+Variation+from+Old+English+to+Late+Modern+English+%5BLinguistic+Ins)
7. Gross, Alan G., Harmon Joseph E. & Reidy Michael S. 2002. Communicating science: the scientific article from the 17 th century to the present. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Gross%2C+Alan+G%2E%2C+Harmon+Joseph+E%2E+%26+Reidy+Michael+S%2E+2002%2E+Communicating+science%3A+the+scientific+article+from+the+17+th+century+to+the+present%2E+Oxford%3A+Oxford+University+Press%2E)
8. Hames, Tim & Rae, Nicol C. 1996. Governing America: History, Culture, Institutions, Organisation, Policy. Manchester University Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hames%2C+Tim+%26+Rae%2C+Nicol+C%2E+1996%2E+Governing+America%3A+History%2C+Culture%2C+Institutions%2C+Organisation%2C+Policy%2E+Manchester+University+Press%2E)
9. Hilpert, Martin. 2013. Constructional change in English: developments in allomorphy, word formation, and syntax. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hilpert%2C+Martin%2E+2013%2E+Constructional+change+in+English%3A+developments+in+allomorphy%2C+word+formation%2C+and+syntax%2E+Cambridge%3A+Cambridge+University+Press%2E)
10. Hult, Christine A. 2015. The handy English Grammar Answer Book. Visible Ink Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hult%2C+Christine+A%2E+2015%2E+The+handy+English+Grammar+Answer+Book%2E+Visible+Ink+Press%2E)
11. Hundt, Marianne, Denison, David & Schneider, Gerold. 2012. Relative complexity in scientific discourse. English Language and Linguistics 16(2): 209-240. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1017/s1360674312000032)
12. Klare, George R. 1963. The measurement of readability. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Klare%2C+George+R%2E+1963%2E+The+measurement+of+readability%2E+Ames%2C+Iowa%3A+Iowa+State+University+Press%2E)
13. Leech, Geoffrey, Hundt, Marianne, Mair, Christian & Smith, Nicholas. 2009. Change in Contemporary English. A Grammatical Study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511642210)
14. Lewis, Edwin H. 1894. The History of the English Paragraph. The University of Chicago Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Lewis%2C+Edwin+H%2E+1894%2E+The+History+of+the+English+Paragraph%2E+The+University+of+Chicago+Press%2E)
15. Los, Bettelou. 2005. The Rise of the To-Infinitive. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199274765.001.0001)
16. Mair, Christian. 1998. Corpora and the study of major varieties in English: Issues and results. In The major varieties of English: Papers from MAVEN 97, Hans Lindquist, Staffan Klintborg, Magnus Levin & Maria Estling (eds), 139 – 157. Växjö: Acta Wexionensia. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Mair%2C+Christian%2E+1998%2E+Corpora+and+the+study+of+major+varieties+in+English%3A+Issues+and+results%2E+In+The+major+varieties+of+English%3A+Papers+from+MAVEN+97%2C+Hans+Lindquist%2C+Staffan+Klintborg%2C+Magnus+Levin)
17. Mair, Christian. 2006. Twentieth-century English: History, variation and standardization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Mair%2C+Christian%2E+2006%2E+Twentieth%2Dcentury+English%3A+History%2C+variation+and+standardization%2E+Cambridge%3A+Cambridge+University+Press%2E)
18. McGregor, Gordon P. 2002. English for Life? Teaching English as a Second Language in Sub-Saharan Africa with Special Reference to Uganda. Fountain Publishers. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=McGregor%2C+Gordon+P%2E+2002%2E+English+for+Life%3F+Teaching+English+as+a+Second+Language+in+Sub%2DSaharan+Africa+with+Special+Reference+to+Uganda%2E+Fountain+Publishers%2E)
19. Miller, Raymond D. 1908. Coordination and the Comma. PMLA 23(2): 316-328. [↗](https://doi.org/10.2307/456693)
20. Rudnicka, Karolina. 2018. In preparation. The Statistics of Obsolescence: Case Studies from Late Modern English Grammar. PhD dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Rudnicka%2C+Karolina%2E+2018%2E+In+preparation%2E+The+Statistics+of+Obsolescence%3A+Case+Studies+from+Late+Modern+English+Grammar%2E+PhD+dissertation%2C+Albert%2DLudwigs%2DUniversit%C3%A4t+Freiburg%2E)
21. Säily Tanja, Vartiainen Turo, Siirtola Harri. 2017. Exploring part-of- speech frequencies in a sociohistorical corpus of English. In Exploring Future Paths for Historical Sociolinguistics [Advances in Historical Sociolinguistics], Tanja Säily, Arja Nurmi, Minna Palander-Collin & Anita Auer (eds). Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1075/ahs.7.02sai)
22. Schmidtke-Bode, Karsten. 2009. A Typology of Purpose Clauses. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.88)
23. Schneider, Kristina. 2002. The Development of Popular Journalism in England from 1700 to the Present, Corpus Compilation and Selective Stylistic Analysis. PhD Dissertation, Universität Rostock. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Schneider%2C+Kristina%2E+2002%2E+The+Development+of+Popular+Journalism+in+England+from+1700+to+the+Present%2C+Corpus+Compilation+and+Selective+Stylistic+Analysis%2E+PhD+Dissertation%2C+Universit%C3%A4t+Rostock%2E)
24. Schou, Karsten. 2007. The syntactic status of English punctuation. English Studies 88(2): 195-216. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1080/00138380601042790)
25. Štajner, Sanja & Mitkov, Ruslan. 2012. [Diachronic Changes in Text Complexity in 20th Century English Language: An NLP Approach](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/stajner-2012-diachronic-changes-text-complexity-20th/). In Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC 2012), Nicoletta Calzolari, Khalid Choukri, Thierry Declerck, Mehmet U. Dogan, Bente Maegaard, Joseph Mariani, Asuncion Moreno, Jan Odijk & Stelios Piperidis (eds), 1577-1584.
26. Westin, Ingrid. 2002. Language Change in English Newspaper Editorials. Amsterdam: Rodopi. [↗](https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004334007)

*Updated 1 November 2026*