Syntax as Style

Wed, Nov 15

I hope to improve my writing because clear communication is important. 
Because clear communication is important, I hope to improve my writing. 
I hope to improve my writing; clear communication is important. 
I hope to improve my writing. Clear communication is important. 

All of the above sentences are grammatically correct ways of expressing the same idea. Despite that, they have different feelings. Adding commas might make the sentence feel smooth, whereas multiple shorter sentences might feel direct and to-the-point. Changing up the syntax (word arrangement) of your writing therefore impacts your style. By understanding syntax, you can also identify and avoid some common grammatical errors.