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Improving Sentence Clarity

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There are many strategies for improving the clarity of your sentences and your papers.

Go from old to new information

Introduce your readers to the "big picture" first by giving them information they already know. Then they can link what's familiar to the new information you give them. As that new information becomes familiar, it too becomes old information that can link to newer information.

The following example sentence is clear and understandable because it uses old information to lead to new information:

Here is a sentence that is not as clear. It moves from new information to old information:

Did you find the second sentence hard to read or understand? If so, it could be because the old information comes late in the sentence after the new information. A clearer version that moves from old information to new information might look like this:

Transitional words

There are many words in English that cue our readers to relationships between sentences and join sentences together. See the handout on Transitional Devices (Connecting Words) . There you'll find lists of words such as however , therefore , in addition , also , but , moreover , etc.

I like autumn, and yet autumn is a sad time of the year, too. The leaves turn bright shades of red and the weather is mild, but I can't help thinking ahead to the winter and the ice storms that will surely blow through here. In addition, that will be the season of chapped faces, too many layers of clothes to put on, and days when I'll have to shovel heaps of snow from my car's windshield.

Be careful about placement of extra phrases and clauses

Avoid interrupting the main clause with a phrase or subordinate clause if the interruption will cause confusion.

Clear ( adverbial phrase at the beginning ):

Clear ( adverbial phrase at the end ):

Clear ( subordinate clause at the beginning ):

Clear (subordinate  clause is at the end ):

Not as clear ( adverbial phrase embedded between the subject and the verb ):

Not as clear ( subordinate clause embedded between the subject and the verb ):

Use active voice

Sentences in active voice are usually easier to understand than those in passive voice because active-voice constructions indicate clearly the performer of the action expressed in the verb. In addition, changing from passive voice to active often results in a more concise sentence. So, use active voice unless you have good reason to use the passive. For example, the passive is useful when you don't want to call attention to the doer; when the doer is obvious, unimportant, or unknown; or when passive voice is the conventional style among your readers.

Clear (active):

Not as clear (passive):

Use parallel constructions

When you have a series of words, phrases, or clauses, put them in parallel form (similar grammatical construction) so that the reader can identify the linking relationship more easily and clearly.

Clear (parallel):

Not as clear (not parallel):

In the second sentence, notice how the string of "things to be aware of in Florida" does not create a parallel structure. Also, notice how much more difficult it is for a reader to follow the meaning of the second sentence compared to the first one.

Avoid noun strings

Try not to string nouns together one after the other because a series of nouns is difficult to understand. One way to revise a string of nouns is to change one noun to a verb.

Unclear (string of nouns):

Avoid overusing noun forms of verbs

Use verbs when possible rather than noun forms known as " nominalizations ."

Unclear (use of nominalization):

Avoid multiple negatives

Use affirmative forms rather than several negatives because multiple negatives are difficult to understand.

Unclear (multiple negatives, passive):

Choose action verbs over forms of to be

When possible, avoid using forms of be as the main verbs in your sentences and clauses. This problem tends to accompany nominalization (see above). Instead of using a be verb, focus on the actions you wish to express, and choose the appropriate verbs. In the following example, two ideas are expressed: (1) that there is a difference between television and newspaper news reporting, and (2) the nature of that difference. The revised version expresses these two main ideas in the two main verbs.

Unclear (overuse of be verbs):

Avoid unclear pronoun references

Be sure that the pronouns you use refer clearly to a noun in the current or previous sentence. If the pronoun refers to a noun that has been implied but not stated, you can clarify the reference by explicitly using that noun.

This, that, these, those, he, she, it, they, and we are useful pronouns for referring back to something previously mentioned. Be sure, however, that what you are referring to is clear.

Unclear (unclear pronoun reference):

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How to Improve Your Sentence Structure

Last Updated: October 21, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 110,040 times.

If you’re learning English or trying to improve your writing skills, it’s important that you understand how to compose clear, effective, understandable sentences. To structure sentences well, begin by stating the subject, avoid the passive voice, and focus on clarity. Avoid writing sentences that only express partial thoughts or that join too many ideas together.

Composing Effective Sentences

Step 1 Begin your sentence with the subject, followed by the verb and object.

  • The subject is the person or thing doing an action (in our example, the cat).
  • The object is the person or thing to which the action is done (in our example, the piano).
  • The SVO structure is used to create simple sentences. When you create compound and complex sentences, you'll add to this basic structure.

Step 2 Write in the active voice to clarify the action taking place.

  • Avoid writing something like: “The trash was taken out by my mother before my little sister was dropped off by the school bus.”
  • Instead, try writing: “My mother took out the trash before the bus dropped off my little sister.”

Step 3 Vary your sentence length and structures to avoid boring your readers.

  • You can combine two short sentences, which are independent clauses, into a single longer sentence by adding a comma and a conjunction between them. You can remember your conjunctions by using the acronym FANBOYS, which helps you remember "for," "and," "but," "or," "yet," and "so."
  • If you have one complete sentence and one incomplete or subordinate sentence, you can combine them into a complex sentence with a comma or by adding a conjunction like "because," "since," while," or "although." The complete sentence is an independent clause, while the incomplete sentence becomes a dependent or subordinating clause.
  • Add transitional words and phrases to the beginnings of your sentences to create a flow between your ideas. Otherwise, your sentences might seem choppy.
  • So, avoid writing sentences like: “First, I went to the supermarket. Then, I went to the art-supply store. Then, I bought a sandwich for lunch.”
  • Instead, change the structure to something like: “My first errand was a trip to the supermarket. After that I went to the art-supply store before buying a sandwich for lunch.”

Step 4 Maintain a consistent verb tense in your sentences.

  • This sentence switches tenses: “Jen drove to the mall and will buy a pair of jeans.”
  • Corrected, it reads: “Jen drove to the mall and bought a pair of jeans.”

Step 5 Write with parallel structure when composing a list or sequence.

  • For example, this sentence doesn’t contain parallel structure: “On my day off, I enjoy stopping at the bank, mow the lawn, and have a conversation with my neighbor.”
  • Corrected, it reads: “On my day off, I enjoy stopping at the bank, mowing the lawn, and having a conversation with my neighbor.”

Step 6 Use a semicolon to join 2 independent clauses.

  • For example, this sentence contains a semicolon in the wrong location since it is not between the independent clauses: “If you get an opportunity; stop at the store on your drive home, I’d like a gallon of milk.”
  • Corrected, it would read: “If you get an opportunity, stop at the store on your drive home; I’d like a gallon of milk.”

Step 7 Add a colon to sentences to introduce a list or a noun phrase.

  • For example, it’s correct to write, “I had three classes on campus today: Chemistry, Physics, and American Literature.”
  • You can also write, “As they made their getaway, the bank robbers forgot something important: the loot from the safe.”
  • For instance, you might join two independent clauses like this: "I finished my homework early today, so my best friend came over to hang out."
  • You could join a dependent and independent clause like this: "Since my grades are good this semester, my parents said I can have a party this weekend."
  • If you had a descriptive clause, here's how you'd include it in your sentence: "I want to try that new pizza place, the one with pepperoni on its sign, when we go out on Friday."

Fixing Problems in Sentence Structures

Step 1 Fix sentence fragments by adding a subject or object.

  • Dependent clauses that are not joined to an independent clause are also sentence fragments.

Step 2 Correct fused sentences by adding a conjunction.

  • Fused sentences are commonly called "run-on" sentences.
  • For example, “Many of Shakespeare’s sonnets are about love they compare the speaker’s lover to various objects found in nature” is a fused sentence.
  • Corrected, it reads: “Many of Shakespeare’s sonnets are about love. The poems compare the speaker’s lover to various objects found in nature.”

Step 3 Add a conjunction between clauses to fix comma splices.

  • For example, this sentence contains a comma splice: “The condition of the economy has been improving, many factors have caused this change.”
  • Corrected, it reads: “The condition of the economy has been improving. Many factors have caused this change.”
  • This is also correct: “The condition of the economy has been improving, and many factors have caused this change.”

Step 4 Avoid using excessive subordinate clauses.

  • This sentence contains too much subordination: “Steve wanted to go out for lunch because he hadn’t eaten for 8 hours, although one look at his wallet made him change his mind since he had no money.”
  • Corrected, it could read: “Steve wanted to go out for lunch because he hadn’t eaten for 8 hours. However, one look at his wallet made him change his mind. He had no money.”

Expert Q&A

Christopher Taylor, PhD

  • Dependent clauses cannot stand alone and must be linked with another an independent clause to form a sentence. [13] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source For example: “Because she wanted to watch TV” is a dependent clause. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Sentences are made up of clauses (groups of words). There are 2 types of clauses: independent and dependent. Independent clauses contain a subject, verb, and object, and make sense on their own. For example: “Please bring the pencils to class” is an independent clause. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Sentences fall into 3 broad categories: simple sentences (1 independent clause), complex sentences (1 independent and 1 dependent clause), and compound sentences (2 independent clauses). Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

how to improve sentence structure in essays

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Use i.e. in a Sentence

  • ↑ https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/concise/keep-the-subject-verb-and-object-close-together/
  • ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/ccs_activevoice/
  • ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarlyvoice/sentencestructure
  • ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/grammar/verbtenses
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/parallel_structure.html
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/semi-colons-colons-and-dashes/
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/commas/extended_rules_for_commas.html
  • ↑ https://guides.lib.uoguelph.ca/Grammar/SentenceStructure
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/sentence_clarity.html
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/independent_and_dependent_clauses/index.html

About This Article

Christopher Taylor, PhD

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how to improve sentence structure in essays

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  1. 6 Simple Ways to Improve Sentence Structure In Your Essays

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  2. 5 Simple Tips for Better Sentence Structure

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