Page 144 - Grammar for Great Writing B

Common Uses

10.3 Using Simple Sentences

Simple sentences are used in academic writing to focus the readers’ attention on one piece of
information. They are used:

1. to state information The most recently discovered metal,
• In academic writing, this is the most common use. ununseptium, is now the heaviest metal on the
periodic table.

2. to give instructions or make a request Note the population changes of the world’s
• This directs the reader’s attention to something largest cities over the last decade.
specific or new. Let us now investigate the recent activity in the
San Andreas Fault on the Pacific Coast.

3. to ask a question How does the brain process language?
• This may be used in an introduction (as a How will speech therapists use this information
hook to get the reader’s attention) or in a concluding on brain processing to help their patients?
sentence.
4. to express strong emotion or an opinion People should not be allowed to smoke in public
• This often occurs in persuasive writing. places.

10.4 Using Compound Sentences

Compound sentences are used in academic writing to connect related ideas. The coordinating
conjunction shows the relationship between ideas. Coordinating conjunctions are used:

1. to add information about a topic or compare Kitchen fires are the most common cause of
two topics (with and) house fires, and faulty heating systems are the
second most common cause.

2. to show contrasting information about a topic Brazil has the largest population in South
(with but) America, but Ecuador has the greatest
population density.

3. to show a causal relationship (with the effect In 2016, Mars’s orbit was closer to Earth’s orbit
in the second clause after so (that)) than usual, so many people were able to observe
Mars without a telescope.
Notes
1. The three most common conjunctions in academic writing are and, but, and so. The conjunctions or, nor, for and yet
are not as common in academic writing.
2. Do not use a comma before so (that) when it introduces a purpose. With a purpose, so (that) means in order that.
Scientists need to conduct research so (that) they can determine the effectiveness of a new medicine.
3. Good academic writing generally includes a variety of simple and compound sentences in the same paragraph.

134 Unit 10 Writing Simple and Compound Sentences

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