Editing

This part relates to edit after thorough grammatical editing. Not for the main draft, but rather the last edits before the paper goes out.

Overview

  • Main point is either in the start or the end of the sentence

  • Words between the subject and the verb.

  • Topic prominence

  • A single thought per sentence.

  • Thoughts are linked

  • Where does the main emphasis fall?

  • What part carries the emphasis?

  • Discourse is clear (can try to rephrase it)

  • Cognitive load, pacing, evaluation bumps

  • What is important? What draws attention?

  • Can you bolster the point of the sentence?

  • Unnecessarily busy?

  • Main info should not be slipped as background: not in subordinates, not in adjuncts

  • Redundant info?

  • Specifics: Any occurrence of more than one word for a single lexeme (openly disregard → flouting)

  • Specific NP (users → readers)

  • Adv + verb → specific verb: show clearly → demonstrate, go on → continue

  • General verb + abstract noun → precise verb. Typically make/do/have/take/give/get specific: make decision → decide

  • Stranding

  • Dangling modifier

  • Keeping the Anchor (the start) lean and simple, the Punchline (the end) carries all the power.

  • Info package: Balanced, theme feels proper, strong subject, easy to grasp and follow topic, correct Theme/Subject/Topic

  • Paragraph cohesion, “Passing the baton”. No gaps.

  • English likes to establish the interpretive frame before presenting the event.

  • Linear reasoning, linear unfolding: modality, tense, aspect, voice, lexical event (verb), complements

  • What draws vs. should draw the reader attention

  • Readers expect interpretive cues to be made overt and explicit rather than inferred

  • Explicit relationships like concession, causation, consequence etc (although, also, which etc)

  • Guiding, sentence tells the reader how to interpret the information before presenting the information

  • When a sentence makes an assertion, that assertion is normally expressed by a finite clause.

  • Reader is able to interpret a claim in the context of the argument and the stance

  • Right branching: push the details to the end.

  • Does an auxiliary modal verb hides or cover for missing good logical argument, that should be used with a lexical verb that carries the modality?

  • Make sense modality flow (epistemic, deontic, dynamic)

  • Is the use of a catenative chain justified, mainly to express the temporal sequence?? Or cut it and use the bare lexical verb?

  • If the catenative is semantically motivated - Can it be replaced by a single lexical verb??

Typical English resources:

Auxiliaries: may, must, would Stance adverbs: actually, obviously, probably, clearly, apparently Stance verbs: seem, appear, suggest Discourse markers: however, therefore, indeed

Tone

  • See the writers options, unit 12, p. 187

  • Stance: balanced, speaker’s distance

Subject - verb

  • How many words between the subject and the main verb

Specifics

Look for the meaning. English is reach, and often a single word captures the required meaning, and replaces a multiple words phrase.

Specific verb instead of adverb

Degree → stronger verb

  • very frightened → petrified / terrified

  • very surprised → astonished / stunned

  • very tired → exhausted

  • very hungry → starving

  • very angry → furious

Manner → more specific verb

*walk slowly → trudge / shuffle / creep

  • walk quickly → stride / rush

  • speak softly → whisper / murmur

  • speak loudly → shout / yell

  • look quickly → glance

  • look carefully → examine / scrutinize

Attitude → expressive verb

  • refuse firmly → reject

  • accept willingly → embrace

  • criticize harshly → condemn

  • praise highly → commend

Effort / intensity → stronger verb

  • try very hard → strive

  • hit very hard → slam / strike

  • work very hard → toil / labor

  • rain very heavily → pour

Change / process → precise verb

  • become very weak → deteriorate

  • become very strong → strengthen / intensify

  • decrease a lot → plummet increase a lot → soar / surge

Adverb + general verb → single vivid verb

  • go back → return

  • go in → enter

  • go out → exit / leave

  • go up quickly → soar / rocket

  • go down quickly → plunge / drop

When this works best

when the adverb is doing real semantic work (very, quickly, strongly, carefully) when English already has a lexicalized verb/adjective for that meaning

When NOT to do it

  • Sometimes the simple form is better:

  • “said quietly” ≠ always “whispered” (tone may differ)

  • “walked slowly” may be more neutral than “trudged” (which adds mood)

👉 Strong replacements often add nuance, not just intensity.

Replace general purpose verbs

The core pattern: general verb + abstract noun → replace with precise verb

make a decision → decide

give an explanation → explain

take a measurement → measure

Quick diagnostic rule: If your sentence has make / do / have / take / give / get

👉 pause and ask: “Is there a single verb that expresses this more directly?”

MAKE

Very vague: creation, causation, change…

  • make a decision → decide

  • make a suggestion → suggest

  • make an improvement → improve

  • make a mistake → err

  • make something clear → clarify

  • make something possible → enable

  • make something happen → cause / trigger

  • make someone do → compel / force

DO

Overused for actions

  • do an analysis → analyze

  • do research → research / investigate

  • do work → work / perform

  • do a check → check / verify

  • do damage → damage / harm

HAVE

Often signals a weak structure

  • have an effect → affect / influence

  • have a tendency → tend

  • have the ability to → can / be able to

  • have a need to → need to

  • have an impact → impact / influence / shape

GIVE

Common in abstract writing

  • give an example → illustrate / exemplify

  • give a result → produce / yield

  • give permission → permit / allow

  • give support → support / back

  • give rise to → cause / generate

TAKE

Very flexible but vague

  • take a look → look / examine

  • take into account → consider

  • take action → act

  • take responsibility → assume responsibility / be responsible

  • take part → participate

GO

Too general for movement/change

  • go up → increase / rise

  • go down → decrease / fall

  • go back → return

  • go through → undergo / experience / examine

  • go on → continue

GET

Extremely vague (avoid in formal writing)

  • get better → improve

  • get worse → deteriorate

  • get a result → obtain / achieve

  • get to a point → reach

  • get an idea → understand / grasp

PUT

Often replaceable

  • put emphasis on → emphasize

  • put pressure on → ضغط → pressure / pressure (better: ضغط mistake → correct: pressure / press)

  • put in place → establish / implement

  • put together → assemble / compile

SAY / TELL (context-dependent upgrades)

  • say clearly → state / declare

  • say again → repeat

  • say indirectly → imply / suggest

  • tell someone to do → instruct / आदेश → (better: instruct / direct)

SHOW

  • show clearly → demonstrate

  • show results → reveal

  • show differences → distinguish

  • show how → illustrate

HELP

  • help improve → enhance

  • help solve → address / resolve

  • help explain → clarify

USE

  • use a method → apply / employ

  • use resources → utilize (careful: sometimes over-formal)

  • use force → deploy / exert