Tag Archives: sentences

Use parallel structures in sentences to smooth the flow

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip,

Good writing sounds good to the ear.

The sentence “Mary likes hiking, swimming and to ride a bicycle” is understandable; most readers will know exactly what it means.

However, the sentence feels uneven because the three activities do not share the same grammatical shape.

“Hiking” and “swimming” are -ing forms, while “to ride” shifts suddenly to an infinitive. Revising the sentence in this way, “Mary likes hiking, swimming and cycling,” is smoother because each item follows the same pattern.

This is called a parallel structure. It helps a sentence sound balanced, clear and natural.

Good writing is not only just about being correct; it is also about rhythm.

When sentences are read aloud, repeated patterns guide the ear, reduce awkwardness and make the message more pleasing to hear. 

How to write sentences

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, ,

Never begin a sentence until you are sure of what you want to say in it and how it will end.If that means you only write short, simple sentences for a while, that’s OK.

Think clearly before committing words to paper or screen so that every word serves a purpose. Rushing ahead without clarity can lead to confusion, both for you and your reader.

And usually just write one single, focused thought per sentence. This makes your writing easier to follow. Readers can process single ideas more effectively than complex, multi-layered statements that weave together several concepts.

But, if you choose to include more than one point in a sentence, place the most important thought first. Your reader will find your main message immediately, even if they stop reading mid-sentence.

If you do this, over time you’ll develop a writing style that is both powerful and easy to follow. You’ll be able to communicate complex ideas clearly and succinctly.

Write short sentences

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip

Short sentences are usually easier to understand.
And short sentences are more lively.

If you write a really long sentence containing lots of different ideas the reader has to wait until they reach the full stop before they can take a quick mental break to process all the ideas and all the things you have told them and then they have to make sense of it all and figure out how they should respond. (that sentence was longer than it needed to be – 61 words)

Joining words like ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘then’ are good places to consider breaking a long sentence into two or more sentences.

On average, aim for about 15-20 words per sentence. But don’t make all your sentences that long – readers like variety. There is nothing wrong with a 3 word sentence, and nothing wrong with a 35 word sentence. Just don’t write them all the time