Revising a sentence effectively involves making strategic changes to enhance its clarity, conciseness, and impact. Here’s how, based on the provided references:
Key Strategies for Sentence Revision
Here’s a breakdown of actionable steps, incorporating the provided guidelines:
1. Eliminate Weak Adverbs
- What to do: Identify and remove adverbs that don't add significant meaning to the verb they modify.
- Why: They often weaken the verb's strength and can make writing sound less assertive.
- Example: Instead of "He ran quickly," try "He sprinted."
2. Remove Redundant Words and Phrases
- What to do: Look for unnecessary repetition of words or phrases and trim them out.
- Why: Redundancy makes writing wordy and less focused.
- Example: Instead of "He returned back to the house," use "He returned to the house."
3. Use Strong, Single-Word Verbs
- What to do: Replace longer verb phrases with more concise single verbs.
- Why: This creates more direct and impactful sentences.
- Example: Instead of "made an attempt to run," use "tried to run." or even better, "attempted to run."
4. Transform Negative Constructions into Positive Ones
- What to do: Rewrite sentences that use "not" or "no" into positive statements.
- Why: Positive constructions are usually clearer and more direct.
- Example: Instead of "He was not happy," use "He was unhappy" or "He was sad".
5. Clarify "This," "That," "These," and "Those"
- What to do: Always follow these demonstrative pronouns with the specific noun they are referring to.
- Why: It avoids ambiguity and makes the sentence more precise.
- Example: Instead of "This is important," say "This concept is important".
6. Use Precise Nouns and Phrases
- What to do: Choose nouns and phrases that are specific and clearly convey the intended meaning.
- Why: Generic nouns make sentences vague.
- Example: Instead of "The thing is broken," use "The engine is broken."
Revision Techniques Summary
| Revision Technique | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Delete Weak Adverbs | Remove adverbs that don't add significant meaning. | "She spoke very softly" becomes "She whispered." |
| Remove Redundancy | Eliminate repetitive words or phrases. | "He added again a new feature" becomes "He added a new feature." |
| Use Strong Verbs | Convert verb phrases into single, powerful verbs. | "She made the decision to walk" becomes "She decided to walk." |
| Positive Constructions | Transform negative statements into positive ones. | "He did not like the dog" becomes "He disliked the dog." |
| Clarify Demonstrative Pronouns | Follow "this", "that", "these", "those" with the specific noun they reference. | "These are important." becomes "These notes are important." |
| Precise Nouns and Phrases | Use specific words that clearly convey your meaning. | "The stuff broke." becomes "The machine broke." |
By applying these revision techniques, your sentences will become stronger, clearer, and more impactful. Remember, good writing is often about refining your initial work through careful editing.
