Writing Effective Sentences in

Your English Essay

 

1. Make Your Subjects and Verbs

Interesting
Use Subjects and Verbs to state the key actors and
actions
 Don't Say: The intention of the company was to
expand its workforce.

Instead say: The company intended to expand its
workforce.
Use strong Verbs (avoid passive voice)
Try to get away from is, am, was were, made, been
 Don't Say: The company is now the leader …Its
officers make speeches…
 Instead say: The company now leads in
compliance…Its officers speak
 Don't say: The 1990 law is seen as fair….costs
have been exaggerated
 Instead say: Businesses see the 1990 law as fair,
opponents have exaggerated
2. Vary Sentence Types
Effective writers use a variety of types of sentences to
keep the reader interested in what they are reading.
Here are some of the different ways to write English
sentences:
1. Use Transition Words to connect ideas in
sentences. Pay attention to how you begin and end
your sentences. Use sentence beginnings and endings
to cue readers about your most important point
Readers expect what they already know to be at the
beginning of a sentence and new information at the
end. One way to put this is that the beginning of the
sentence or paragraph should transition/show
relationship of a new idea to what you've said
previously.
Everyone knows that teachers earn low wages. In spite
of meager salaries, most teachers report great
satisfaction with their jobs; however, most teachers
quit after five years. Is this high turnover rate caused
by the fact that the profession is dominated by women?
No one knows  for sure but statistics indicate---
2. Use Cumulative sentences: start with the main
idea and then add modifiers to amplify or illustrate
it.
 Mary Morrison became a teacher because she
wanted to open minds, instill values and create new
 opportunities for students who lived in poor, inner-
city housing projects.
3. Use Periodic sentences: start with the modifiers
and put the main idea at the end.
 Blowing roofs off buildings, knocking down many
trees, and severing power lines, the storm caused
extensive damage.
Use a variation of the periodic sentence which has:
subject, modifiers, verb.
 Raul Martinez, who works in jeans and loafers and
likes to let a question cure in the air before
answering it, never fit in with the corporate
environment.
4. Use Balanced Sentences: two main clauses which
are parallel in their structure are put together. This
often works is the two clauses have a contrasting
meaning.
 The fickleness of the women I love is equaled only
by the infernal constancy of the women who love
me. (Shaw)
 If thought corrupts language, language can also
corrupt thought. (George Orwell)
5. Use different lengths of sentences. Most English
sentences are 1-2 times of printed type. Make your
sentences more interesting by having some sentences
which are very short, and a few that are longer.
 6. Use Occasional Questions? Exclamations! or
Commands. Don't overdo this one, but it can be very
effective to occasionally use one of these sorts of
sentences to speak more directly to your reader.

3. Use Lists in Sentences Effectively

When you start to write longer sentences, you often run into the problem of how to write a long
list of items. To make your sentences effective, you need to make sure you keep the items in
the list in the same form. That is called "parallelism," like when two lines run next to each other
without crossing. Here is what you need to remember:

1. A series of phrases linked by commas and “and,” “or” or “but” need to be written using the
same format (examples: all start with an "ing" word; all start with “to—”; all start with a past
tense verb).

 (ing)The horse was running across the meadow, jumping over the bridge and racing to
the finish line.
 (to)To run across the meadow, jump over the bridge and race to the finish line was the
horse’s task.
 (past tense verb)The horse ran across the meadow, jumped over the bridge and raced
to the finish line.
2. The information is listed in either chronological order, like in the horse example, or in topical
order, from least to most important.

 Don't Say: The storm severed power lines, killed two people and blew the roof off ten
houses.

 Instead say: The storm blew the roof off ten houses, severed power lines and killed two
people.

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Writing Effective Sentences in
Your English Essay
Updated on May 4, 2016

How to Write Better Essays

Students often ask me how they can become better writers. In one word: practice. Writing
effectively is an art and a discipline. When you play a sport, you become better the more you
practice. The same is true about writing.

However, just as a coach can give you hints to make your practice more effective, a writing
instructor can fill you in on the hints about how to write more effectively. There are some rules
you can learn about how to make your sentences emphasize the ideas you think are most
important. Here are a few of the best hints. If you memorize them and use these ideas as you
revise the sentences in your essay, your writing will be more effective.

Can a Computer Program Help Writing?

Spell checkers and grammar checkers can help you write correct sentences, but not necessarily
effective ones. |Source

1. Make Your Subjects and Verbs Interesting

Use Subjects and Verbs to state the key actors and actions

 Don't Say: The intention of the company was to expand its workforce.

 Instead say: The company intended to expand its workforce.

Use strong Verbs (avoid passive voice)

Try to get away from is, am, was were, made, been

 Don't Say: The company is now the leader …Its officers make speeches…

 Instead say: The company now leads in compliance…Its officers speak

 Don't say: The 1990 law is seen as fair….costs have been exaggerated
  Instead say: Businesses see the 1990 law as fair, opponents have exaggerated
2. Vary Sentence Types
Effective writers use a variety of types of sentences to keep the reader interested in what they
are reading. Here are some of the different ways to write English sentences:

1. Use Transition Words to connect ideas in sentences. Pay attention to how you begin
and end your sentences. Use sentence beginnings and endings to cue readers about your most
important point

Readers expect what they already know to be at the beginning of a sentence and new
information at the end. One way to put this is that the beginning of the sentence or paragraph
should transition/show relationship of a new idea to what you've said previously.

Everyone knows that teachers earn low wages. In spite of meager salaries, most teachers
report great satisfaction with their jobs; however, most teachers quit after five years. Is this high
turnover rate caused by the fact that the profession is dominated by women? No one knows  for
sure but statistics indicate---

2. Use Cumulative sentences: start with the main idea and then add modifiers to amplify
or illustrate it.

 Mary Morrison became a teacher because she wanted to open minds, instill values and
create new opportunities for students who lived in poor, inner-city housing projects.

3. Use Periodic sentences: start with the modifiers and put the main idea at the end.

 Blowing roofs off buildings, knocking down many trees, and severing power lines, the
storm caused extensive damage.

Use a variation of the periodic sentence which has: subject, modifiers, verb.

 Raul Martinez, who works in jeans and loafers and likes to let a question cure in the air
before answering it, never fit in with the corporate environment.

4. Use Balanced Sentences: two main clauses which are parallel in their structure are put
together. This often works is the two clauses have a contrasting meaning.

 The fickleness of the women I love is equaled only by the infernal constancy of the
women who love me. (Shaw)

 If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. (George Orwell)
 5. Use different lengths of sentences. Most English sentences are 1-2 times of printed type.
Make your sentences more interesting by having some sentences which are very short, and a
few that are longer.

6. Use Occasional Questions? Exclamations! or Commands. Don't overdo this one, but it
can be very effective to occasionally use one of these sorts of sentences to speak more directly
to your reader.

Although many of us are getting used to writing on iPhones, smartphones and tablets, using a
bigger screen allows you to see your sentences more easily | Source

3. Use Lists in Sentences Effectively

When you start to write longer sentences, you often run into the problem of how to write a long
list of items. To make your sentences effective, you need to make sure you keep the items in
the list in the same form. That is called "parallelism," like when two lines run next to each other
without crossing. Here is what you need to remember:

1. A series of phrases linked by commas and “and,” “or” or “but” need to be written
using the same format (examples: all start with an "ing" word; all start with “to—”; all
start with a past tense verb).

1. (ing)The horse was running across the meadow, jumping over the bridge and racing to
the finish line.

2. (to)To run across the meadow, jump over the bridge and race to the finish line was the
horse’s task.

3. (past tense verb)The horse ran across the meadow, jumped over the bridge and raced
to the finish line.

2. The information is listed in either chronological order, like in the horse example, or in
topical order, from least to most important.

1. Don't Say: The storm severed power lines, killed two people and blew the roof off ten
houses.

2. Instead say: The storm blew the roof off ten houses, severed power lines and killed two
people.
 the Right Conjunction
In English, we often put two ideas together in a sentence in this form:

main clause, conjunction main clause.

Effective sentences are careful to use the right conjunction to show whether you mean to add
an idea (and), contrast an idea (but, or, yet), or show cause or comparison (so, for, as). Here is
a list of the most common conjunctions and their meanings:

 AND—adds one to the other (both—and, not only---but also)

 BUT, YET—substitutes one idea for the other; contrasts ideas (not---but)
 OR---shows two alternatives (either—or,)
 SO, FOR----makes one cause the other
 AS---comparing/simile

 Jeremy writes books for St. Martins, so he doesn't have time to help you on your novel.

 What happened to Emily was a mystery, and no one ever saw her in Stockton again.

 Will Jeremy take English again to improve his grade,  or  will he be happy with a "C" ?

 Helga completed the paper ahead of time, yet  she still did an excellent job of revising all
of her grammar errors.

Transition Words
Add: also, furthermore,
Emphasis: indeed, in fact, undoubtedly
Compare and contrast: however, instead, nevertheless, otherwise,
similarly
Cause and effect: accordingly, as a result, consequently
Time: next, meanwhile, thereafter
5. Use Semicolons and Transition Words
A semi-colon combines to separate sentences into one. Using a semicolon emphasizes the
importance of that sentence, so use a semi-colon sentence sparingly because it makes a
sentence seem more important. I often suggest my students use a semi-colon sentence in their
thesis.

Many students don't know how to use a semi-colon correctly, but it is actually very easy. Here
are the two main ways to use it:

1. main clause; main clause (don’t overdo this one): In this sort of sentence, you just take out
the period and put in a semicolon:
  Helping people is my job; I don’t ask for gratitude.

 Never underestimate the power of a baby; they can make the most solemn people look
like idiots.
2. Semicolon using a transition word. The advantage of using this form of the semi-colon
sentence is that the transition word explains the relationship between the two parts of the
sentence:

Main clause; transition (conjunctive adverb), main clause

 Whenever Jason looked in the mirror he had his doubts; however, he still pretended he
believed Melissa’s comment that he was the best-looking man she’d ever met.

 His parents and friends tried to dissuade him from dating her; consequently, he was all
the more determined not to break up.

Peer Edit for Effective Writing

After you have finished your essay, have someone else read it. Have them mark sentences
which are not as clear or effective. | Source

6. Emphasize Important Ideas

Along with showing how ideas relate, you also need to show which ideas are the most
important. That is where "subordination" comes in. Subordination shows:

 One idea is less important than another (hey, not everyone can be top dog). Not that the
information isn't needed but that it isn't the main idea. Subordination helps you keep the
main ideas clear. It also helps you to show how other ideas relate to the main point (Were
they the cause? The result? Do they tell the time? The place? The purpose? Do they
describe or identify?).

 No rules tell you which idea should be the main clause and which the subordinate
one: the decision depends on upon your meaning. Usually details of time, cause, condition,
purpose, and identification are subordinate to action.
Kinds of subordinate parts of sentences:

Subordinate clauses may be a main clause which starts with a word which turns it into an
incomplete phrase. They might also start with a relative pronoun (which, that, what, whatever,
who, whoever) Subordinate clauses are longer and more important than the other types.

 Although the horse looked gentle, it proved hard to manage.

 Whenever forecasters predict a mild winter, farmers hope for an early spring.
  Even though she wrote voraciously, she never published.

 Because she spoke haltingly, she could never face speaking in front of a crowd.

Subordinate phrases include appositives which rename a noun (her son, Frank,) prepositional
phrases such as “in” or “on.” or verbal phrases (either ing or “to” form of a verb (walking into the
room, to walk into the room,).

 My brother, Gerald, is a lawyer who works for First American, a title insurance company.

 Having been jobless for six months, Jones could not pay his bills.

 To pay the rent, he borrowed from his father.

 Jumping over the fence, the horse fell into the water.

 To jump over a fence, the horse must be strong.

 Groomed, stabled and rested, the horse felt better.

 In the morning, we like to fish by the lake.

 Sitting by the lake, we fish every morning.

Avoid these common problems with Subordination:

1. The less important idea is made into the main clause:

4. Don't Write: Mrs. Angelo was in her first year of teaching, although she was a better
instructor than others with more experience.
5. Instead, Say: Although Mrs. Angelo was in her first year of teaching, she was a better
instructor than others with more experience.
2. Ideas are not logically linked; wrong subordinating word is used.

3. Don't say: Because the horse looked gentle, it was hard to manage.

4. Instead, say: Although the horse looked gentle, it was hard to manage.
5. Don't Say: As the experiment was occurring, the laboratory was sealed.