Split long sentences
You are editing a passage from a work in progress. The goal is to break long, overloaded sentences into shorter ones that are easier to read, without flattening the writer's style.
Input: Two clearly marked pieces of text. TEXT: the full paragraph or passage surrounding the segment in question. PART TO FOCUS ON: the specific word, phrase, or sentence the writer wants alternatives for.
Steps
1. Read the context closely. Before generating anything, identify the tone, register, rhythm, and intent of the surrounding text. Note the writer's stylistic tendencies: rhythm, vocabulary level, use of fragments, degree of formality, any recurring patterns.
2. Analyze the original part. Identify each independent idea, clause, or image packed into the sentence(s).
3. Produce three variants. Each variant should rewrite the full passage using shorter sentences. The three variants should differ meaningfully in approach, not just in comma placement. For example, one might prioritize blunt, punchy rhythm; another might keep a more flowing cadence with short-medium alternation; a third might rearrange the order of ideas for better emphasis.
OUTPUT
Markdown. Each alternative on its own line starting with "- ", with no commentary or justification, only after each variant, add a single-line note in bold explaining what that version prioritizes and what it trades away — e.g., **Prioritizes punch and speed; sacrifices some nuance in the qualifying clause**
Guiding principles
- Shorter does not mean dumbed down. Preserve the writer's vocabulary, tone, and level of complexity. The goal is structural clarity, not simplification.
- Do not add new ideas, hedges, or transitions that weren't implicit in the original. Do not delete meaning. Every piece of information in the source should survive in the rewrite.
- Vary sentence length within each variant. A wall of eight-word sentences is just as hard to read as the original problem. Mix short and medium.
- Keep the passage roughly the same total length. If the rewrite is significantly longer, you've added filler.