The English Corner at Richland College
Writing Clear Sentences
A thought or idea can be written many different ways with a variety of words, meanings, and
sentence structures, but academic writing should always be as direct and clear as possible,
propelling the reader forward. In an effort to construct clear sentences, keep in mind the action,
direction, and emphasis of your sentences. The following are some strategies for creating clear
and concise sentences. For more help review the handout on Clarity and Conciseness.
Understand Active vs. Passive Voice
An active sentence has a subject performing the action. A passive sentence reverses the order, so
the subject receives the action.
Passive: The ball was thrown by the pitcher.
Active: The pitcher threw the ball.
Active sentences show the subject completing the action. In the first example, the ball is being
acted upon. The reader must wait to discover who completed the action. Passive voice uses a
form of the “to be” verb (e.g. is, was, are, were). In the passive sentence, the ball is the focus of
the sentence rather than the pitcher who completed the action. Active sentences make the subject
the focus of the sentence, whereas passive voice makes the object the focus of the sentence.
Write your sentences according to what you want to focus on.
Avoid This or There
In some instances, “this” or “there” may be the only adequate words available to start a sentence;
most of the time, though, you want to avoid these two words. Instead, work on redefining the
effect that leads to the consequence or reestablishes the subject for your reader.
Example: This is why Barry Bonds may never be voted into the National Baseball Hall
of Fame and Museum.
Corrected: Due to the mounting evidence that he used performance-enhancing drugs,
Barry Bonds may never be voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
The first example displays a common way in which many students short themselves in their
writing. What if you had spent a great deal of time describing the timeline, expert witnesses, and
evidence gathered against Barry Bonds, and then you referred to all of the explosive materials as
“this”? Sentences should build momentum, but the first example kills that momentum. It says to
the reader, “Remember what I said earlier? Yeah. That stuff. It may keep him out of the Hall of
Fame.”
Use Specific Verbs
Writers can be in danger of losing readers when they use soft or catchall verbs (e.g. makes, is,
does, shows, says). Catchall verbs can imply a writer does not know very much about a topic,
has not taken the time to revise the writing, or does not know how to fully communicate his or
her thoughts. Using specific verbs helps draw the reader in and makes the subject matter come
Handout created by Cameron Maynard
www.richlandcollege.edu/englishcorner
alive. Using specific nouns and adjectives will enhance your writing as well. Remember, be
direct in your writing.
Example: The ruling makes it so anyone can marry a man or a woman equally.
Corrected: The ruling establishes homosexuals’ right to marry and endows them with a
higher level of cultural equality.
The first example uses as few words as possible, which makes the sentence direct, but it also
uses soft and catchall words that lose the impact of the words’ meanings. The second sentence is
just as direct, and at the same time it uses specific words. “Establishes” is much more applicable
of a verb when discussing a law or ruling, and “endows” indicates a new ability or quality that
has been granted by a higher authority (in this case, the Supreme Court). Furthermore, the noun
“homosexuals” is specific to a group, and the phrase “cultural equality” illuminates a wider
scope of equality.
Create Emphasis
The ends of sentences generally carry the most emphasis because they are what readers will
remember most, sentences to sentence, page to page. Think of the idiom “punchline.” A
punchline is the end of a joke. Emphasis resides in that punchline. Academic sentences are very
similar. No joke.
Example: The pyrotechnics caught the stage on fire when we were at the concert.
Corrected: When we were at the concert, the pyrotechnics caught the stage on fire.
The second sentence puts the most important part of the sentence at the end. The fact that the
stage caught on fire is undoubtedly the most memorable part of that particular concert-going
experience. Think about approaching a friend in the hallway. Which sentence would most likely
come out of your mouth first if you were retelling the story?
Eliminate Prepositional Phrases
Prepositions are necessary in creating clear sentences, but too many prepositional phrases can
slow the flow of your sentences or confuse the reader.
Example: I want to go to the mall next to the bookstore on the way to grandpa’s house
after lunch.
Corrected: I would like to go to the mall before we visit grandpa’s house.
In the first sentence, the prepositional phrase “next to the bookstore” can most likely be
eliminated. Since there is probably only one mall on the way to the house, and because
bookstores are generally not as physically imposing as malls, the phrase can be eliminated. Even
if the bookstore is important, the sentence still needs to be rewritten. Furthermore, “on the way to
grandpa’s house” is an unnecessary prepositional phrase. When the preposition “before” is used
as a subordinating conjunction instead, the sentence can be rewritten to create a conditional
statement. One of the quickest and best ways to write more clearly is to reduce prepositions.
Handout created by Cameron Maynard
www.richlandcollege.edu/englishcorner