Sentence structure: Accuracy, variation, appropriateness, and conciseness

Variation

Sentence variation involves alternating sentence structure and length to create a rhythm in

writing. Using sentence variety can make it easier for readers to read, understand, and engage

with your paper. Switching up the types of sentences you use is one way of achieving sentence

variation.

Helpful Terms

Clause - a phrase with a subject and a verb

Independent clause - a clause that can stand alone as a sentence and expresses a complete

thought

Dependent clause - a clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence because it contains a

subordinating conjunction

Subordinating conjunction - a word or phrase (such as after, although, as long as, because, now

that, since, until, when, where, and while) that renders a clause dependent (and a thought

incomplete)
Coordinating conjunction - a word (such as and, but, nor, yet, so, for, and or) that joins two

sentences together with a comma

Simple Sentence

A simple sentence, also known as an independent clause, has a single subject/verb pairing

(though keep in mind that one subject can perform multiple actions and one action can be

performed by multiple subjects). Circle the subject(s) and underline the verb(s) in these

sentences.

1. My car is in the shop.

2. James and I made puns at each other.

3. The original vampire legends stem from stories about Vlad the Impaler.

Compound Sentence

A compound sentence is two simple sentences, or independent clauses, put together. The

sentences are usually joined by a coordinating conjunction and a comma. Put a box around each

simple sentence, then circle the subject and underline the verb for each sentence.

1. My uncle and his son love to watch American Idol, but I have never seen the point of the

show.
2. I try to get my dog to speak, fetch, or roll over, but he just wants to lie down and stay.

Complex Sentence

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

Remember that a dependent clause is marked by a subordinating conjunction. Identify the

subordinating conjunction in the following sentences:

1. Because the druid performed the ritual incorrectly

2. Although the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain

When the independent clause comes first, there is not a comma between the clauses (except in

certain instances of extreme contrast between the clauses). Underline the independent clause and

make a box around the subordinating conjunction for these sentences.

1. The king was unhappy because the druid performed the ritual incorrectly.

2. I really enjoyed the book until my brother spoiled it for me.

When the dependent clause comes first, there is a comma in between the two sentences.

Underline the dependent clause and circle the comma for these sentences.

1. While Dr. Watson waited by the door, Sherlock searched the apartment for clues.

2. Although the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain, the plains rarely flood.
Compound-Complex Sentence

A compound-complex sentence contains more than one independent clause and at least one

dependent clause. In the following sentences, underline each separate clause, then identify each

as either independent or dependent. Also, identify any subordinating or coordinating

conjunctions used.

1. Because Brandon forgot to pay his electric bill, his electricity was cut off, and all the ice

cream in his freezer melted.

2. I tried to put the shed together by myself, but when I couldn't lift the sides up on my own,

I called my friends.

Accuracy

Cultivate accuracy in your writing.

Accuracy, which is the careful conforming to truth or fact, has three main aspects:

• Document Accuracy

• Stylistic Accuracy

• Technical Accuracy
What is document Accuracy and why is it important?

Document accuracy refers to the proper coverage of your topics in appropriate detail.

Often an accurate document needs to focus clearly on a problem.

Document accuracy is generally cultivated by a clear problem statement and by a

preliminary outline.

These writing tools help you focus your writing effort by reducing your data in a way

that solves a theoretical or practical problem.

What is Stylistic Accuracy and why is it important? (related to sentence structure)

Stylistic accuracy concerns the careful use of language to express meaning.

Accurate language requires the careful use of paragraph and sentence structure and

word choice to describe and analyze your topics effectively.

As a writer, you gain command of accuracy by studying the elements of style and by

learning to apply those elements to your drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading.

Stylistic accuracy is also a matter of of using words precisely.

What is technical accuracy and why is it important?

Technical accuracy requires stylistic accuracy but is not based solely on it.
The effective document in science and technology must be grounded in a technically

accurate understanding and representation of the subject.

Technical accuracy depends on the writer's conceptual mastery of the subject and its

vocabulary, as well as on his or her ability to analyze and shape data with a minimum of

distortion.

In science and technology, enormous creative energy is given to mastering this

technical aspect of subject development.

What is Clarity and why is it important?

Clarity

Strive for clarity in your writing.

Clarity, which refers to ease of understanding, is a special problem in technical and

professional writing.

Specialized languages, mathematically detailed analyses, and complex conceptual

schemes can make technical subjects hard to grasp even when prepared by skilled

writers and read by expert readers.

You can increase the clarity of your material in following ways.

• Stylistic Clarity

• Contextual Clarity

What is Structural Clarity and why is it important ?

At the level of the whole document, you can promote structural clarity, making it easy

for the reader to get the large picture.

Use abstracts and other forecasting strategies such as introductions that state the

purpose and scope of the document.

How can you promote structural clarity?

• Tables of contents, problem statements, and even strategic repetition also promote

structural clarity.

• Graphs and tables, effectively designed and placed, help focus and clarify

information.

• Descriptive titles and frequent subject headings guide readers and help keep the

large picture in focus.

• Stylistic clarity is promoted by simple, direct language.

• Using simple sentences and avoiding overloaded sentences and excessive

normalization also contribute to clarity.

• Word choice is a factor in stylistic clarity: use simple language wherever possible to

counteract the abstract, highly specialized terms of science and technology.

What is meant by Contextual Clarity ?

Contextual clarity, in which the importance, authorization, and implications of your

work are made available, also contributes to ease of understanding.

All work has a context, and your readers want to understand what the context of

your document is.

•What prompts you to write?

• What is your purpose?

• Whose work precede has influenced yours?

• What is the organizational and intellectual context of your problem?

You answer those questions in introductions and problem statements and in your

citations and other references.

Conciseness

Learn the strategies of conciseness.

Conciseness has a special value in technical fields.

Writers are often tempted to include everything that could be relevant to their subject,

rather than merely everything that is relevant to the communication task at hand. The

concise document is a piece of writing that conveys only the needed material.

At the level of the whole document, conciseness is helped most by focus, the narrowing

of document scope to a manageable problem and response.

Preparing a clear introduction and developing a detailed outline are two strategies that

give you control over document length and scope.

• Identify and eliminate material that is not necessary to support your claims.

• Look for sections, including appendixes, that are not essential to your work.

• Graphics are powerful aids to conciseness because they cut down on the

amount of prose necessary to describe objects and processes, summarize data,

and demonstrate relationships.

Conciseness requires careful revising.

Become familiar with the strategies for reducing wordiness.

Look for ways of cutting useless words, sentences, and sections from the document.

What is coherence and why is it important?

Coherence

Look for ways to improve the coherence of your writing.

Coherence is the quality of hanging together, of providing the reader an easily followed

path.

Writers promote coherence by making their material logically and stylistically

consistent, and by organizing and expressing their ideas in specific patterns.

Efforts to emphasize the relationships among the elements of a document strengthen

its impact. Coherence can dramatically improve the reader's ability to understand

your material by promoting its flow or readability.

Coherence is especially valued in technical communication and writing because of the

inherent complexity of the subjects.

which the connections among the parts of the document are made clear by the writer.

Give readers a roadmap to help them anticipate the content of your work.

• Abstracts

• clear titles

• introductions

• problem statements

all promote coherence by linking various parts of a piece of writing.

The paragraph is one of the most powerful instruments of coherence.

By organizing material into a topic sentence and supporting sentences, paragraphs

pull together material and emphasize various forms of conceptual development.

Paragraph development is achieved partly through the specific strategies of

• exemplification

• analysis

• comparison and contrast

• definition
• enumeration

• description