Watch the order of words

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The right order of words and phrases within a sentence can be a key factor in making your text easy to grasp and the instructions easy to follow.

 1  The beginning and the end of a sentence are the most prominent positions. Place the key information at the beginning of the sentence. If that’s not possible, try to place it at the end of the sentence (see Always start with the main point).

 2  If you’re describing an action, first state the goal, then state the action. Readers who don’t want to reach the goal can then skip the rest of the sentence.

 3  Follow the order that’s determined by the natural succession of actions.

 4  Arrange pairs and series from short to long and from simple to compound. In English, it’s also common to arrange from the more specific to the more general; however, note that in some other languages this arrangement is vice versa.

 5  Keep related words as close together as possible to prevent ambiguity and confusion.

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Examples    1 

No:

A memory card and some image editing software come with the camera.

Yes:

The camera comes with a memory card and some image editing software.

(The key component is the camera, so it goes to the most prominent position, which is the beginning of the sentence.)

Examples    2 

No:

Use a pen to write a letter.

Yes:

To write a letter, use a pen.

Examples    3 

No:

Click Save in the Options window.

Yes:

In the Options window, click Save.

(Readers must first find the Options window before they can find and click the Save button.)

No:

The small, silver, rectangular cover plate is located on the bottom.

Yes:

The cover plate is located on the bottom. It’s small, silver, and rectangular.

(Readers must first know which object you’re talking about before they can go looking for it.)

Examples    4 

No:

bicycles and cars

Yes:

cars and bicycles

(The word cars is significantly shorter and simpler than bicycles, so it comes first.)

No:

consumer electronics, software, and hardware

Yes:

software, hardware, and consumer electronics

(Consumer electronics is the longest and the most general term, so it comes last. Hardware is related to consumer electronics because consumer electronics is also a type of hardware. Due to this close relation, hardware is positioned near consumer electronics. Software is related to hardware but not related to consumer electronics, so software goes to the opposite end of the list.)

Examples    5 

No:

He wrote three pages on how to use the computer for the user manual.

Yes:

He wrote three pages for the user manual on how to use the computer.

(User manual and pages are related words, so it’s better to place them near each other.)

Special rules for the English language

When you use multiple adjectives in one sentence, use this standard order:

1.Observation or opinion

2.Size and shape

3.Age

4.Color

5.Origin

6.Material

7.Qualifier (The qualifier is often an integral part of the noun.)

 

No:

red, new, shiny car

Yes:

shiny, new, red car

Yes:

quality, 10-meter, round, used, silver, Swedish, stainless steel water pipe

Follow the order how – where – when.

No:

This morning he spoke well at the presentation.

(Unclear: Is this an exception? Doesn’t he usually speak well?)

Yes:

He spoke well at the presentation this morning.

With verbs of movement, follow the order place – manner – time.

No:

To the exhibition hall he went by taxi this morning.

(Unclear: Were there also some other places where he went with other means of transportation?)

Yes:

He went to the exhibition hall by taxi this morning.

Put the more specific expressions before the more general ones:

Yes:

Monday, May 29, 2020

Yes:

Meet me at half-past seven tomorrow.

Yes:

We’ll meet at 25 Freedom Square in Metropolis City at 9 a.m. local time on January 15, 2020.

 


Always start with the main point

Watch the position of modifiers