How to write better sentences
Sentence level writing
Good sentences make your writing flow and help guide the reader through your ideas. Poor sentences, on the other hand, can reduce the reader's ability to understand your meaning. Click on each common sentence error listed below to see an explanation of what it is and what you can do to avoid making this error in your writing.
Common Sentence Error 1 – Sentence fragments
A common error that students make is writing “sentence fragments”, which means a clause that is not a grammatically complete sentence. Sentence fragments are usually caused by:
1. Lack of verb
The global economic recovery from COVID-19 will take many years. (Correct)
In academic writing, we often use long noun phrases to describe and analyse concepts, ideas and events. Students sometimes think that the noun phrase is so long that it must be a complete sentence. To avoid this error, check that your sentence definitely has a verb, especially if it begins with a long noun phrase.
For example: [Subject] This significant amount of technological innovation since 2010 [Verb] has affected [Compliment] many industries.
2. Dependent clauses
Although the issue has been around for many years, researchers have only started paying attention to it recently. (Correct)
The first part of this sentence is a dependent clause, which means that it is dependent on another clause in order to have meaning. Academic writing contains many complex sentences which show the relationship between different ideas. Complex sentences with dependent clauses are common when describing:
| Cause and effect | Contrast between ideas | Time sequence |
|---|---|---|
|
due to since as a result because |
although unless despite in spite of |
while when until before during after |
Common Sentence Error 2 – Run-on sentences
A run-on sentence joins two simple sentences together without correct punctuation.
Academic writing requires formal language, it also requires citations to support your arguments. (Incorrect)
Because these two sentences are not dependent on each other (meaning that either of the clauses could form its own sentence), they cannot be separated with just a comma. Instead, you can either use a joining word, or separate them into two different sentences, as shown in the examples below:
Academic writing requires formal language. It also requires citations to support your arguments. (Correct)
Common Sentence Error 3 – Subject-verb agreement
The researcher who discovered this particular sequence of genes believe that it could help lead to a cure for cancer. (Incorrect)
In academic writing we often use long noun phrases to describe complex concepts, and this means that there can be a lot of information between the subject and the verb.
[Subject] The researcher who discovered this particular sequence of genes [Verb] believes that it could help lead to a cure for cancer. (Correct)
To avoid this error, check carefully which noun your verb should match by:
The researcher who discovered this particular sequence of genes believe that it could help lead to a cure for cancer.
- Identifying the verb;
- Identifying what the verb refers to – this is your subject;
- Checking whether they match.
Common Sentence Error 4 – Incorrect verb tense
After the survey was conducted, we analysed the results and found that most students prefer face-to-face learning. (Correct)
The verb tense in academic writing depends on the purpose of your text:
| Verb Tense | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple |
General ideas or arguments |
Globalisation is an interconnected set of complex processes. |
| Present simple |
Research findings or claims from supporting literature |
Smith (2016) claims that technological innovation creates as many losers as winners. |
| Past simple |
Historical events |
The global financial crisis was the biggest economic downturn in the US for more than 20 years. |
| Past simple |
Descriptions of research procedures (often in passive voice) |
A survey was conducted to gather feedback on students’ views of online learning. |
| Present perfect |
Events that started in the past but have continued until now |
The housing market has been slowing significantly over the past 12 months. |
| Present perfect |
Events that happened in the past but led to current consequences |
Nursing practices have changed since the introduction of the new Nursing Standards in 2016. |
Common Sentence Error 5 – Unclear pronoun reference
The paragraph below may confuse readers because the writer has repeatedly used pronouns such as “they” and “it” in a way that does not make clear what the pronoun is referring to.
Constant technological disruption is mostly driven by digital natives. They have often been criticised for lacking proper awareness of the impact of this. It is most likely caused by misunderstanding between generations. They have trouble understanding the broader social context that shape their views. (Incorrect)
Although it’s a good idea to avoid repeating the same words too frequently in your writing, it can be a problem if the reader does not know what pronouns such as “it”, “this” or “that” refer to. When proofreading your assignment, check whether you need to make it clearer to the reader who or what you are referring to. A more effective example of the above paragraph would be:
Constant technological disruption is mostly driven by digital natives, who have often been criticised for lacking proper awareness of the impact of this disruption. This criticism is most likely caused by misunderstanding between generations, who have trouble understanding the broader social context that shapes each other’s views. (Correct)
Common Sentence Error 6 – Incorrect use of commas
Below are the basic rules of using commas.
1. Commas are used before joining words (and, but, so, or, nor, yet, for)
e.g. The last decade was the hottest on record, yet some people still claim that climate change is not real.
2. Commas are used after introductory clauses or phrases that come before the main information:
e.g. After seven years of fighting, the military withdrew from the region they had previously invaded.
3. Commas are used to separate extra information from the main idea of the sentence:
e.g. Climate change, which is wreaking havoc in the Pacific, is now considered irreversible.
Note: There is no need to put a comma between the word “that” and the verb that follows it.
Climate change is something that may lead to the unprecedented extinction of a species. (Correct)
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