Enhancing Technical Content With Varied Sentence Structures (Part 1)

What is Sentence Variation?

Sentence variation means using different ways to write sentences to make your writing more interesting and easier to read. This is especially helpful when writing technical content, which can often be dry and boring.

In writing, sentence variation involves using different types of sentences and mixing up your word choices to keep things fresh. We will start by looking at some basic techniques, then we'll explore strategies that work well for technical writing, like documentation or tutorials.

Common Sentence Structures

Let's talk about three main types of sentences: simple, compound, and complex sentences.

You will use all three types in your writing, but it's important to avoid some common mistakes, especially with compound and complex sentences.

Simple Sentence

A simple sentence has one main part, like a subject and a verb. These sentences are easy to understand and great for stating facts or giving simple instructions.

Examples:

• The endpoint returns an object.
• Click the "Deploy to Netlify" button.

Simple sentences are clear and to the point. There is usually not much more you need to do to improve them.

Compound Sentences

A compound sentence has two or more main parts, joined by words like "and," "but," or "so," or by a semicolon (;).

These sentences connect related ideas and show how they are linked. They're useful for comparing, contrasting, or showing cause and effect.

Examples:

• Use this default environment, and its associated test API keys, as you build with Flatfile.
• Server-side SDKs make it easy to use Twilio's REST APIs, generate TwiML, and perform other common server-side tasks.

Writers often use compound sentences to explain what something is and how to use it in one sentence.

But be careful not to make these sentences too long. If you have more than three items, it might be better to use a list. For example, the second example could be rewritten as:

✅ Wrap📋
01: Twilio's Server-side SDKs provide the following capabilities:
02: - Access to Twilio's REST APIs.
03: - Generate TwiML.
04: - Intuitive debugging and logging, among other things.

By using a list, you can give more detail and make the information easier to read.

Complex Sentences

A complex sentence has one main part and at least one extra part that adds more information. These sentences are good for explaining more complicated ideas, like conditions or reasons.

Examples:

• When the user submits the form, the system validates the input before processing the data.
• If the API request fails, the application should try again with a delay.

Complex sentences are useful in technical writing because they show how different parts of a process are connected. However, they can be confusing if they are too complicated, so it's important to keep them clear.

Beyond Words: Using Other Structures

Sometimes, just using words isn't the best way to explain something complicated. Adding tables, diagrams, blockquotes, and lists can make your content clearer and more engaging. These tools help present information in a way that's easier to understand and more interesting to look at.

For example, instead of explaining a process in a long paragraph, you might use a flowchart. Blockquotes can highlight key points, and lists can break down complicated steps into easy-to-follow instructions.

Logical Flow Instead of Sequence Words

Instead of always using words like "first," "next," and "finally," try to make the flow of ideas clear without numbering each step.

Original:

• First, install NodeJS on your machine.
• Next, clone the repository.
• Finally, navigate to the project directory and run npm install to pull in the required dependencies.

Revised:

• Ensure NodeJS is installed on your system.
• Clone the repository to your local machine.
• Navigate to the project directory and run npm install to pull in the required dependencies.

The revised version uses the natural order of actions to guide the reader instead of relying on sequence words. Often, you can fix this by simply removing the sequence words. For longer paragraphs, consider breaking them into lists or smaller sections.

Conclusion

I know as you read the blog post, you might think, "I already knew this." I feel the same way most days, but I still forget to use some of these ideas. That's why I keep these steps as a checklist when I work on my drafts. It helps me make sure I never miss a chance to improve my content.

In Part Two, we will cover:

• Cutting down on repeated phrases.
• Reconsidering when and where to include prerequisites in tutorials.
• Learning the different roles paragraphs can have.

Take care and stay tuned! :)

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