Chapter 2 of 9 · 4 practices · 3 min · 3-question quiz
Write clear sentences
Short, active, consistent sentences are the cheapest improvement you can make to anything you write.
Start: Focus each sentence on a single idea4 practices in this chapter
- 1Focus each sentence on a single ideaGoogle's course on short sentences says: "Focus each sentence on a single idea, thought, or concept." It also notes that shorter documentation reads faster and that short sentences communicate more…
- 2Use the active voice most of the timeGoogle's course says to use the active voice most of the time and the passive voice sparingly. An active sentence follows the pattern actor, verb, target. Passive sentences reverse it and often drop…
- 3Use one term for one thing, and define it onceGoogle's course asks writers to use terminology, including abbreviations and acronyms, consistently. In a technical document, a new word signals a new concept. If you call the same thing a "job", a…
- 4Cut extra words and turn "or" chains into listsGoogle's short sentences guidance suggests that when you see "or" in a long sentence, consider refactoring it into a bulleted list. Lists make options and steps scannable.
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