STYLE
How to Write Clearer, Stronger Sentences
Practical techniques for reducing clutter, controlling sentence length and making ideas easier to understand.
Clear writing usually makes the relationship between ideas easy to follow. You can improve clarity without making every sentence short or stripping away necessary detail.
Give each sentence a clear job
A sentence should communicate a meaningful unit of thought. If a sentence contains several unrelated ideas, split it or reorganize the information so the reader can identify the main point.
Prefer precise verbs
Weak or vague verbs often force extra words into a sentence. Look for opportunities to replace broad phrases with a precise verb when doing so preserves the intended meaning.
Control sentence length
Long sentences are not automatically bad, but long chains of clauses can increase cognitive load. Mix sentence lengths deliberately and split sentences when a reader must hold too many ideas at once.
Frequently asked questions
Should every sentence be short?
No. Variety can improve rhythm and allow complex ideas to be expressed precisely.
How can I test sentence clarity?
Read the sentence without its surrounding paragraph and ask whether the subject, action and relationship between ideas are clear.