This document provides guidance on writing clear and effective sentences. It outlines four cornerstones of writing clear sentences: having a clear subject and predicate, placing modifiers close to what they modify, using appropriate punctuation, and ensuring the meaning is clear. The document also discusses using conjunctions appropriately to connect words and groups of words. It provides examples and recommends avoiding wordiness, unnecessary phrases, saying the same thing twice, and eliminating unnecessary words and phrases.

1. Writing Effective Sentences University of the Sacred Heart Department of Humanities Center for Language Development Across the Disciplines LAD

2. Objective To help the student write clear and effective sentences.

3. The Four Cornerstones of Writing Clear Sentences Write a clear subject and a clear predicate Place modifiers close to what is being modified Use appropriate punctuation Make sure the meaning can be clearly understood

4. Use the Appropriate Conjunctions Conjunctions help you write clear sentences by connecting words or groups of words in a sentence Coordinating conjunctions: And, but, or… Subordinating conjunctions: As, because, if, since, until, while… Conjunctive adverbs: Accordingly, however, instead…

5. Examples Mary traveled to Florida, but she could not visit Disney World. Mary traveled to Florida because she had an important business meeting. Mary traveled to Florida to meet some business people; however , she had to return to Puerto Rico before the meeting.

6. Things to Avoid

7. Wordiness The lack of responsibility of John made him fail the class. VS John failed the class because of his irresponsibility . Or John’s lack of responsibility made him fail the class.

8. Unnecessary Phrases Students in the present time have to work to pay for college. VS Today , students have to work to pay for college.

9. Eliminate Unnecessary Words and Phrases The movie was kind of disturbing. VS The movie was disturbing.

10. Avoid Saying the Same Thing Twice (Redundancy) The computer is a new innovation . VS The computer is an innovation .

11. For More Information Index English Grammar and Composition http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index2.htm Tons of Fun with Grammar http://www.seasite.niu.edu/flin/103_handouts/sentences_and_phrases.htm Grammar Book Table of Contents http:// www.grammarbook.com/exercises/grammar/cnt_gram.html

12. Center for Language Development Across the Disciplines Prepared by: Thalia N. Nazario-Santiago Coordinator for the Center for Languages and Culture April-June 2003 Revised by: Patricia Kidd Revised by: Prof. Delia Serrano (January 2005) August 2004