第281页 | 300 Days of Better Writing | 阅读 ‧ 电子书库

Day 289: Use familiar words as subjects.

Strong, clear sentences use familiar words as subjects and end with new information. Writers do this for two reasons:

This strategy helps the reader answer the basic question of “who did what?” With familiar information at the beginning of the sentence, the reader will be able to find the subject and identify the main verb.New information at the end creates a transition to the next sentence, which may use the now-familiar information at the beginning, resulting in cohesive, organized writing.

 

 

Consider these two sentences.

“The early 19th century was marked by class warfare and ideological epiphanies. These epiphanies, in particular, spawned new relationships among the classes.”

The first sentence begins with familiar information and ends with new information. That new information, having been introduced, is now familiar and can be used at the beginning of the second sentence. When the reader reads the second sentence, he can easily find the subject and main verb of the sentence.