Tag: Concise writing

Does conciseness in writing matter? Do journals or readers care how lengthy or complex your sentences are?

• 'Due to' and 'because of' can sometimes be interchanged but actually have some nuances related to their use
• 'Due' is an adjective, although the phrase 'due to' is increasingly used adverbially or prepositionally
• 'Due to the fact that' can often be replaced by 'because,' shortening text considerably

As part of our advice about concise writing, this article shows the problems with too many prepositions in writing and demonstrates how to avoid their overuse.

The tendency to ascribe our own feelings and behaviors to anything we are discussing can make its way into our manuscripts. Here's how to manage these accidents.

Attributive nouns are nouns serving as an adjective to describe another noun. They create flexibility with writing in English, but they can cause confusion and should be used purposefully.

• Using nouns as adjectives can help save space in your writing
• However, stacking nouns in a long string can create confusion for the reader

Mastering modifier placement is essential for clear writing. Misplaced modifiers can alter a sentence's meaning, while dangling modifiers leave the reader unsure of what's being modified. The article offers guidance on using modifiers effectively and avoiding common pitfalls.

Subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear writing. This article explains how to ensure your verbs match the number (singular or plural) of their corresponding subjects, avoiding awkward phrasing and confusion. It covers common mistakes and offers examples to guide you.

Mastering prepositions improves your writing's clarity. This article tackles choosing the right preposition for situations like describing changes in quantity or using gerunds. It clarifies common confusions with "in," "of," "by," "through," and "via" through examples, ensuring your writing is polished and precise.