It’s very common for advanced speakers to want to use complex sentences in English, but that is not always a good idea.
The great American author Ernest Hemmingway said it best when he offered the advice, “Use short sentences.” While longer, complicated sentences may seem more advanced, they are often not as clear as short, simple sentences. They also leave more opportunities for mistakes. Remember that the ultimate goal is to communicate. Doing so in a concise, short, simple manner is far more impressive than a flowery narration of errors.
Take a look at the example below.
Complicated:
To me, it appeared that Tom had mistaken your idea, or at least what you said, for something different than what it was. I saw him yesterday and asked him about your meeting and he said that he really liked your presentation. So, I guess he appreciated your work and everything is okay. Your hard work paid off.
Vs.
 Simple:
I didn’t think Tom understood your idea, but I talked to him about it yesterday and he said he really liked your presentation. So, everything is fine. Your hard work paid off.
Notice that the second version is much clearer, and simpler. There is nothing wrong with short sentences!
Whenever I begin to make something more complicated than it needs to be, I always remind myself of the this acronym:
K.I.S.S.
Keep It Simple, Stupid. (Hitting yourself on the forehead with your hand is optional.)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *