Jun 29 2010

Shortening your sentences

Published by STAR translation under Better English

It’s not always easy to write a document when you have length restrictions to fit in a text block or clarify a paragraph. Here are some tips to help you clarify and shorten your sentences without affecting their meaning.

  • Don’t combine a verb and a noun where a noun could work better.

(e.g.: Develop a full understanding of = understand fully).

  • Cut your sentences into two or three smaller ones, where possible.
  • Use short words rather than long ones.
  • Write in the active voice.
  • Avoid redundancy: be careful with the excessive use of adjectives (e.g.: “a quick glance“, “a deep sinkhole“).

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