Chapter 19
Steering Clear of Confusion: Clarity
IN THIS CHAPTER
Avoiding misplaced, dangling, or confusing descriptions
Properly structuring sentences with understood subjects
Creating clear and logical comparisons
Clarifying pronoun references
The most important principle of writing or speaking is simple:
Be clear!
Every other rule in this book takes second place to this one, because if your audience doesn’t understand what you’re trying to communicate, you’ve failed. Never fear: In this chapter you practice placing descriptions where they belong, dealing with understood subjects (so they’re never misunderstood), creating proper comparisons, and fine-tuning vague pronouns. Then every sentence you write will express exactly what you want to say.
Putting Descriptive Words in Their Proper Place
An inch to the left, an inch to the right … who cares? You should, because placing descriptive words in the wrong spot may dramatically change the meaning of a sentence. In this section, you practice inserting descriptions where they belong and anchoring free-floating, vague descriptions. ...
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