Simplifying Sentences to Spare the Reader’s Brain

Avoid the “Where Was I?” sentence

Have you ever set off to get something from the kitchen, then been distracted by some other thought? You arrive in the kitchen and suddenly think, “What was I looking for here?”

It’s frustrating.

You might retrace your steps, returning to the starting point so you can remember what you wanted.

Nobody enjoys that experience. Yet, as writers, we often inflict something similar on our readers

The “where was I?” sentence

A sentence might start by introducing the subject, then throw in extra bits of insight or qualifying information before coming to the verb. These might include:

• Clauses, sometimes bounded by commas, that expand on the content of sentence
• Parenthetical asides (like this one) that offer commentary
• Thoughts linked with semicolons or em-dashes-the signal for informal interjections-that eventually resolve at the end of the sentence.

There’s nothing wrong with these stylistic practices. They often reflect the nuanced nature of our thoughts or message. They definitely project an educated tone, if the grammar works.