Clarity of sentences
A sentence is clear when the reader knows exactly who or what you mean and what you say about it. Unclear sentences break logic, because a reader cannot judge a claim they cannot understand.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Vague word (it, them, thing, this) | It hurts them. | Fish swallow plastic and die. |
| Two ideas in one sentence | Plastic is cheap and rivers are long and fish die. | Split: Plastic is cheap. It reaches rivers. Fish swallow it. |
| Too general | Many people think so. | In a survey of 200 students, 150 agreed. |
| Long and tangled | A sentence with six commas | Cut into two or three short ones. |
| Mixed meaning | It is the best and worst idea. | Decide, or say in what way each is true. |
Quick test for a sentence
- Who or what is the subject? Is it named?
- What exactly is said about it?
- Can a stranger understand it without asking me?
Also check that words keep one meaning. If you write "bank" for a river bank in one line and a money bank in the next, the logic slips.
Coherence of the whole text
A text is coherent when all its sentences stay on one topic and each one leads to the next. Clear sentences can still make a muddled text if they are in the wrong order or do not connect.
Four checks for the whole text
- One topic: remove any sentence that does not help the main claim (the cat sentence).
- Order: a common order is claim, reason, evidence, answer to the other side, conclusion.
- Link words: they show how sentences relate. Because, since (reason), for example (example), however, but (contrast), so, therefore (result), also, moreover (adding).
- Repeated key words: keep using the same key word for the same idea, so the reader never loses the thread.
The reverse outline
After writing, put one short note next to each paragraph saying what it does. Read only the notes. If the notes make a sensible chain, the text is coherent. If a note is out of place or repeated, fix it.
Final logic check
Ask: Does the conclusion really follow from the reasons? Is any step missing? Read aloud or give it to a friend. If they ask "why?" in the middle, add the missing step.
Try it yourself
Write five sentences about "Why we should save water". Add one off-topic sentence on purpose and make one sentence vague. Swap with a friend. Ask the friend to find the vague sentence, the missing link words and the off-topic line, then fix them. In the 3D, roll the ball before and after each fix.
Key formulas and definitions
- Clear sentence = named subject + exact statement + one idea
- Coherent text = one topic + sensible order + link words
- Link words: because (reason), for example (example), however (contrast), so (result), also (adding)
- Order: claim > reason > evidence > other side > conclusion
- Reverse outline: one note per paragraph, read only the notes
Worked examples
1. Make this clearer: "They did it because of that, so it was bad."
Name the vague words: "The shopkeepers raised prices because of the fuel cost, so families paid more." Now who, what and why are all clear.
2. Find the off-topic sentence: "School libraries help reading. Books are cheaper online. Reading improves vocabulary. Libraries give a quiet place."
"Books are cheaper online" is off the main claim (school libraries help), so remove it or move it to a different paragraph. The other three support the claim.
3. Add suitable link words: "Cycling is healthy. ___ it needs no fuel. ___ it is good for the city. ___ more students should cycle."
Possible: "Cycling is healthy. Also, it needs no fuel. For example, a cyclist makes no smoke. So more students should cycle." Link words show adding, example and result.
4. Reverse outline: Para 1 states the claim. Para 2 gives a survey. Para 3 talks about a film actor's holiday. Para 4 is the conclusion. What do you change?
Para 3 does nothing for the claim. Remove it, or replace it with a second piece of evidence or an answer to the opposite view. Then the chain is claim, evidence, conclusion.
Common mistakes
- Using "it", "this" or "they" with no clear thing they refer to.
- Keeping a sentence you like even though it is off topic.
- Putting link words in without checking they fit: "so" must introduce a result, not a reason.
- Checking only each sentence and never reading the whole text as one chain.