Light before heavy
Sentences are easier to read if they start with short, simple information. Push the longer, more complex information after the verb.
Here's how you can write sentences that move from light to heavy:
1. Use short, concrete information in the topic position.
To get familiar information in the topic position, feel free to use active or passive voice as appropriate. Use "we" as necessary.
A method that can facilitate...
We proposed a method that can facilitate....
2. Place the verb immediately after the (short) subject.
Look closely at the verb you've chosen. Does it express the action of the sentence? Or could the action be hiding in a zombie noun?
Notice any verbs near the end of the sentence. Push them closer to the beginning:
Alcohol impairs speed of information processing, so in practice the reaction time
Alcohol impairs the speed of information processing, thus slowing a person's reaction time.
The algorithm selectively clones a procedure so that the code
The algorithm selectively clones a procedure to optimize the code.
3. Place all lists in the stress position.
Remove lists from the topic position.
These differences could be due to the temperature, pressure, or volume of the sample.
4. Within a list, place the longest, heaviest part last.
We want lists to be as parallel as possible, but we won't always be able to achieve exact parallelism.
Higher scores were found in female patients, younger patients, and patients with better self-reported health.
Why does light before heavy work?
English requires the most important information to be placed after the verb, in the stress position. Readers of English subconsciously expect to see the verb near the beginning of the sentence and to focus their energy on the end. So English sentences need to be "bottom-heavy", not "top-heavy". They start short and concrete and can go on longer after the verb.
How important is light before heavy?
On a scale of 1-10, it's a 9: pretty important! Check that your lists are all in the stress position, not the topic position. And within your lists, check that the longest, heaviest part is at the end. Are you struggling to use light before heavy in your text? Ask for help!