Sentence Clarity: How to Write Clear Sentences

How to Write Clear Sentences

You could not write effective essay until you don’t learn how to write sentences in a clear manner.

An effective essay, you are unable to start writing one, undoubtedly, if not you learn to write sentences in a clear manner.

Do you think the above sentence seems correct. Definitely no! Let’s try to correct it.

Though it is grammatically correct but not properly arranged. By reading we can consider ‘An effective essay’ as subject. Next it is written you could not start writing it but the reason is not stated here that why you could not write it. Then, ‘undoubtedly’ is written which is creating confusion for writer. Finally it ends with ‘if not you learn to write sentences in a clear manner.’ The phrase ‘in a clear manner’ is not clearly specified that either it is used for ‘write’ or ‘sentence’.

So, to write it in a clear way we will make amendments as:

You couldn’t write effective essay until you don’t learn how to write sentences in a clear manner.

Clear Sentences Checklist

To make your writing clear question these yourself:

Do all of the words in the sentence serve a purpose?

The above example was wrong before correction as it was consisted of some less important information. Rather it could make sense it was confusing reader.

This example will clear my point:

In the trend of the tales we are provided with numerous chances over and over to become leery of Monty’s character, most significantly the numerous times that he molests Katherine and her siblings for apparently no reason at all even though they hadn't done anything to him.

This sentence is flooded with lot of vague and equivocal phrases that effect the sentence lucidity. Initially, here is being used ‘numerous chances’ and ‘over and over’.

So, these are giving two-dimensional concepts. One may be that Monty gives numerous grounds to doubt him on several different events. Other may be that he does definite sufficiently as there is used 'over and over' that means he may be doubted foe multiple reasons.

The other error is the repetition of words. As we have already used numerous so we must replace it with its synonym in the next sentence. Moreover, most significantly does not sounds well here as the use of it is not specifying that what is actually being delivered by sentence. So, it must be replace by word 'including.'

Final part of sentence is too being criticized. It contains ‘apparently no reason at all’ and ‘even though they hadn't done anything to him’ that are creating wordiness as both presents same thought. So, we should use one and therefore removing the last part of them. Moreover, ‘no reason at all’ is being concise to ‘no reason’ only. Apparently is too an additional word which is also weakening the sentence sentiments.

At last, look back the first sentence. Does the use of ‘In the trend of the tales’ giving any meaning? So, definitely no! So ,after eliminating we are left with ‘the tales’. Finally, our rectified sentence is:

“We are given numerous chances in the tales to become leery of Monty’s character, including the many times he molests Katherine and her siblings for no reason.”

Is the sentence in passive voice?

Passive voice often bores the reader and is not appreciated in writing. Like in this example: The modern technology innovated by the scientists will be enjoyed by the youth to come. The use of passive voice has caused the tedium in the sentence. So, we should make it active voice.

When the subject is performing an action the we call it an active voice sentence, like, ‘Robins ate an apple’.

But in passive case subject becomes the one on which action is being performed. 'The apple was eaten by Robins.'

So, to make above sentence interesting convert it into active voice:

The scientists innovated the new technology that youth to come will enjoy.

Have I made any common mistakes?

Finally you should critically analyze these common mistakes:

• Wrong use of punctuation like (commas, colons, and semicolons)
• Spelling errors

So, you should proofread and edit your essay to remove these mistakes. Otherwise, you would lose the scores and the attention of reader as well.

Listen to the Rhythm

Rhythm is also important while writing sentence. It is like the falling cascade which might be Sentences have rhythms. They can be relatively great or short, long-winded, or simple. They create a flow in sentences like a poem. While proofreading if you stuck at a point, Stop! Edit it to create the same sound. To edit these sentence is name as 'varying sentence structure.'

Lesson Summary

We have learnt the characteristics of good sentence that are:

• It is fully coordinated
• It is free of wordiness.
• Its nature is of active voice.
• Has proper word usage.
• Has Rhythmic Pattern

Lesson Objective

Now you are able to write the effective and a clear sentence.