Instead of a straight line, you read a sentence that sounds tentative. Each statement is hedged, softened. What was meant as a point become lost in a cloud of possibilities. Writers use modal verbs when they want to sound precise or diplomatic. But cumulatively it can create an unconvincing voice. This is why modal density […]

Chances are you’ve read a study guide that didn’t feel like learning, it felt more like being interrogated. There is lots of questions strung together on the page, each one following the next at a rhythm that seem aggressive. This isn’t by chance. It’s a matter of question word density: How much do you ask […]

Begin with a basic sentence: “The man entered the room.” Simple and to-the-point. Add some context: “The man, who was wearing a red coat, entered the room.” Voila! A relative clause is a single small grammatical maneuver that alters the pulse of the sentences. You’re not merely telling facts; you’re knitting together relationships among ideas. […]

Probably, you say these, those, this, that and don’t even realize it. These is the invisible glue that make your sentences stick together and help the reader know what you’re talking about, actualy. But this glue can obscure clutter, as well. Too much reliance on demonstrative pronouns, and your writing points in all directions. What’s […]