许多写作者习惯采用长句来表达他们的想法，甚至出现整个段落只由一个长句组成。然而，过长的句子不易阅读，反观精简的句子能帮助读者快速掌握重点，也能帮助写作者整理思绪并简明扼要表达想法。
本文将简单介绍三种精简句子的方式。
1. 使用主动语态
多数学术期刊都建议避免使用被动语态，因为被动语态会将句子的主语移到句尾，从而易造成语意不清。相反地，主动语态通常会将主语放在句首，让句子较为精简，也让读者更容易阅读。
主动语态范例：
例句1：The furious workers launched a protest after their company has deducted their bonuses.
被动语态范例：
例句2：A protest was launched by the furious workers because their company has deducted their bonuses.
以上述句子为例，若写作者希望强调是"员工"在公司没收红利后而抗议，则应使用例句1的主动语态来表达文意。使用被动语态容易让读者混淆，不清楚作者强调的对象是公司还是员工。
2. 减少逗点
如果一句话有许多逗点，那写作者应把这句话分成两个以上的句子。
许多学术作者写英文句子时，容易犯 "comma splice" 的错误：把许多独立子句全部用逗点连起来。在英文中，逗点的功能是链接两个相关的子句。如果两个子句可以独立且语意连贯，则需使用句点、分号或连接词。
错误：
例句3：The company was abusive, the company deducted the workers’ bonuses, the workers were furious, the workers launched a protest.
正确：
例句4：The company was abusive and deducted the workers’ bonuses. The workers were furious and launched a protest.
例句5：The abusive company deducted the workers’ bonuses, so the furious workers launched a protest.
在错误的例句中，由于所有子句皆是独立且语意连贯的句子，因此不可以用一个逗点连结，必须分成不同句子或用连接词连接两个句子。
3. 避免使用 "very" 或 "really"
在刚开始学英文时，学生往往使用 "very" 或 "really" 来形容一件事物的特质，例如："This food is very good"。然而，英文有许多形容词能让作者以更简洁有力的方式描述一件事物。
例句6：The very angry workers launched a protest against the really mean company after the company deducted their bonuses.
例句7：The furious workers launched a protest against the abusive company after the company deducted their bonuses.
例句6与例句7皆为文法正确、语意通顺的句子；不过例句7使用 "furious" 与 "abusive" 来分别取代 "very angry" 与 "very mean"，以更精简精准的文字表达语意。
本文提供以下词汇清单作为参考，也建议读者在写作时不妨搜寻适合的形容词取代 "very” 或 "really"，来让文句更生动有趣！
替代 "very" 或 "really" 的词汇
| Very good | excellent, outstanding |
| Very bad | awful, miserable |
| Very pretty | gorgeous, magnificent |
| Very ugly | unattractive, hideous |
| Very small | microscopic, tiny |
| Very big | gigantic, massive |
| Very happy | joyful, overjoyed |
| Very sad | dejected, wretched |
