Complex sentences confuse readers. They often need to reread sentences multiple times to understand and grasp the main idea. They contain numerous clauses, jargon, and unnecessary details, making comprehension difficult for readers. As a result, readers lose track and get frustrated.
On the other hand, simple sentences are easier to understand. They effectively communicate the main idea and retain readers’ attention as well. Remember, clarity and simplicity are two main elements of writing. Whether you are writing a blog post, research article, or business document, you must possess these qualities. And you can achieve both these things by crafting simple and understandable sentences.
Learning to simplify complex sentences can boost your writing game and help you craft masterpieces. Want to master this skill? If so, this blog is for you. Here, we will share everything you need to understand regarding it.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
What Makes a Sentence Complex?
Complex sentences are a type of sentence that includes an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. They are generally joined by conjunctions like although, while, because, since, until, etc. They are commonly used in writing to express ideas or provide additional information. Although we can use them sometimes, their abundance can make content confusing and hard to comprehend.
Common Causes of Complexity
Multiple factors make a sentence complicated or harder to understand. Here are a few of them;
- Jaron: Sentences with lots of jargon and complicated terminologies make it difficult for readers to understand the context.
- Long Clauses: Long clauses confuse the text and make sentences harder to follow.
- Redundancy: Repeating words and ideas creates ambiguity and adds clutter to the text.
Benefits of Simplifying Complex Sentences
Enhances Readability and Engagement
Simple sentences are generally easier to read. Anyone with basic language understanding can instantly comprehend them and get the key points of the content. By simplifying sentences, you can ensure your text is accessible to every reader, regardless of their subject knowledge and command of the language. Moreover, simple and understandable text can retain readers and enhance engagement.
Improves Clarity and Reduces Miscommunication
Complicated sentences create ambiguity and confusion. As a result, readers either don’t understand anything or misunderstand the message. Therefore, you must simplify complicated sentences to ensure clarity and effective communication. It’s crucial in all forms of writing as it makes the message crystal clear to readers.
Appeals to a Broader Audience
You must simplify complex sentences to enhance your content’s reach and cater to a diversified audience’s needs. Not everyone understands complicated terminologies or sentences. When you write complex sentences, you limit your content to intellectual people or native readers and fail to connect to the general public.
Tips to Simplify Complex Sentences
Simplifying sentences is not very difficult. You need to understand a few basic things, that can easily streamline longer and more complicated sentences. Just try these simple techniques, and you will surely be able to clarify your content and impress your readers:
Break Long Sentences Into Smaller Ones
To refine your sentences, first of all, learn to break longer sentences into shorter ones. Once they are spotted, break them into multiple sentences. For that purpose, identify conjunctions and dependent clauses.
“She was quite tired because she had a busy day at the office, so she slept early.” In this sentence, there is an independent and a dependent clause. Split them into two. “She was quite tired because she was busy at the office. She slept early.” Now, it is much simpler and easier to digest.
Use Active Voice Instead Of Passive
Active voice sentences are more precise and direct. Moreover, they tell who the subject is and what action they are performing. On the other hand, passive-voice sentences are often confusing and don’t reflect the subjects. So, avoid writing content in a passive voice. If a few of your sentences are already in passive voice, convert them to active for better understanding.
For example, “Hattrick was scored by Messi.” It’s a complicated sentence. Instead of this, simply write, “Messi scored a hat trick.” It’s very clear and straightforward.
Replace Jargon With Simple, Clear Words
Sometimes, the sentences contain only a single independent clause, but they are still hard to digest. It happens when you add multiple jargon or complex terminologies to those sentences. If you want to write simple and precise content, avoid jargon. If you’ve already included them in your text, swap them for clearer words. It can help you improve the content language and boost engagement.
Eliminate Unnecessary Words Or Repetition
Wordiness and redundancy can ruin your content. Therefore, make sure to communicate your message without redundancy. Great writers also suggest others embrace brevity. For instance, George Orwell writes, “If it is possible to cut a word out, cut it out.”
To do so, thoroughly read your content and identify all the unnecessary words and phrases in your text. While reading, ask yourself whether this word or idea adds value to your content. If it does, contain it. Otherwise, remove it. Also, cut out all the fillers. It can help you ensure directness and boost readability.
Focus On One Idea Per Sentence
Content writers often pack their sentences with multiple sentences. No matter what, never make this mistake. It can ruin your content’s readability, and people won’t read it. Every sentence you write must convey a single point.
For instance, “Erling Haaland joined Manchester City, he had done a great job there, scored too many goals, eventually his form declined, and now he is facing lots of criticism by fans.” It’s a very long and confusing sentence. Instead of this, break it down and write one idea per sentence. For example, you can write, “Erling Haaland joined Manchester City. He had done a great job there, scoring too many goals. However, his form decline. Now, he is facing a lot of criticism from fans.”
Simplify Sentences By Sentence Rewriting
Do you want to recreate and improve sentences without the hassle of proofreading and restructuring them manually? Don’t fret at all. A versatile and powerful online sentence rewriter can help you in this case. It can instantly find imperfections in the text using modern algorithms and improve sentences to enhance clarity. Moreover, it can also replace jargon and complex terminologies with simpler words. That’s how they can help you easily and quickly improve your text and make it digestible for a wider audience.
Examples Of Simplification In Action
Example No. 1:
- Complicated Sentence: Despite the fact that Trump had a bad reputation in the world, somehow, he got the popular vote and became the President of the United States.
- Simplified Version: Although Trump had a bad reputation, he got the popular vote and became the President of the United States.
- Explanation: Replaced “Despite the fact” with its simpler version and removed “somehow” to reduce wordiness.
Example No. 2:
- Complicated Sentence: There are various reasons why many online shoppers prefer online shopping over purchasing goods from brick-and-mortar stores.
- Simplified Version: People prefer online shopping for various reasons.
- Explanation: Removed all the unnecessary words and phrases from the text to make the sentence concise.
Example No. 3:
- Complicated Sentence: The only goal of the match was scored by Kylian Mbappe.
- Simplified Version: Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the match.
- Explanation: Replaced passive voice with active voice.
Common Pitfalls To Avoid
Oversimplifying And Losing Meaning
Remember, the basic purpose of simplifying content is to ensure clarity and communicate ideas perfectly. Therefore, while recreating sentences, never change their meanings at all. Moreover, don’t oversimplify content. Otherwise, you may ruin your content and fail to convey information appropriately.
Removing Essential Context Or Detail
While simplifying or condensing information, keep all the essential details intact for readers’ understanding. Don’t cut too much information. Instead, remove only the filler content and repetitive words or phrases. Before you remove anything from the text, ask yourself if it is unnecessary. If it is, remove it instantly. Otherwise, don’t exclude it.
To Conclude
Simplifying complex sentences helps you improve your content flow, increase engagement, and convey the information effectively. Therefore, it’s a must for every writer. By breaking down longer sentences, you can also enhance the overall impact of your content and achieve your desired goals. Therefore, proofread your content thoroughly, spot complex sentences, and refine them before you post or submit your content.
