rhythm.repetitive-connectors

What it flags

Overuse of a single logical connector inside a short window of sentences. Connectors (opposition, cause, consequence, sequence, illustration, addition) are attentional anchors; repeated, they flatten the sense of progression. Sanders & Noordman (2000), Connectives as processing signals; Graesser et al. (2004), local cohesion.

At a glance

Detection

Sliding window of window_size sentences. Per connector, count occurrences in the window. Fire once per cluster that crosses max_per_window.

Parameters

Default connector lists

• 🇫🇷 Opposition: cependant, toutefois, en revanche, néanmoins, pourtant, mais
• 🇫🇷 Cause: parce que, car, puisque, en effet
• 🇫🇷 Consequence: donc, ainsi, par conséquent, c’est pourquoi
• 🇫🇷 Sequence: d’abord, ensuite, puis, enfin, premièrement
• 🇫🇷 Illustration: par exemple, notamment, en particulier
• 🇫🇷 Addition: de plus, en outre, également, par ailleurs
• 🇬🇧 Opposition: however, nevertheless, yet, although, but
• 🇬🇧 Cause: because, since, as, for
• 🇬🇧 Consequence: therefore, thus, consequently, hence, so
• 🇬🇧 Sequence: first, then, next, finally
• 🇬🇧 Illustration: for example, notably, in particular, such as
• 🇬🇧 Addition: moreover, furthermore, also, additionally

Examples

lucid-lint reports; the rewrite is always yours.

English

Five actions, colour-matched across the rewrite — only the connectors change.

Before (flagged):

We analysed the data. Then we built the model. Then we validated the results. Then we published the report. Then we archived the raw data.

Four then in five sentences — no progression felt.

What lucid-lint check --profile public reports:

warning input.md:1:1 Connector "then" appears 4 times within 5 consecutive sentences (max 3). Vary the connector or restructure the passage. [rhythm.repetitive-connectors]

After (your rewrite):

We analysed the data. From it we built the model. Validation followed, and once the results held up we published the report. The raw data was archived last.

French

Five actions, colour-matched across the rewrite — only the connectors change.

Before (flagged):

Nous avons analysé les données. Ensuite nous avons construit le modèle. Ensuite nous avons validé les résultats. Ensuite nous avons publié le rapport. Ensuite nous avons archivé les données brutes.

Quatre ensuite en cinq phrases — aucune progression ressentie.

What lucid-lint check --profile public reports:

warning input.md:1:1 Connector "ensuite" appears 4 times within 5 consecutive sentences (max 3). Vary the connector or restructure the passage. [rhythm.repetitive-connectors]

After (your rewrite):

Nous avons analysé les données. À partir de là nous avons construit le modèle. La validation a suivi, et dès que les résultats ont tenu nous avons publié le rapport. Les données brutes ont été archivées en dernier.

Suppression

See Suppressing diagnostics for the inline and block forms.

See also

• structure.sentence-too-long — long sentences and connector overuse often co-occur; flagging both surfaces a richer rhythm signal.
• Scoring model — rhythm.repetitive-connectors carries the default weight 1; the cost is local rather than compounding.

References

• Sanders & Noordman (2000)
• Graesser et al. (2004)

See References for the full bibliography.