26 November 2012

Get to the point and stop putting the verb at the end

There are several factors that make German-English sentences seem like they don't get to the point.

- the verb often goes at the end of the sentence. 
- there is a lot of what I would call "additional information" before the sentence gets to the point.

These two things make the sentences difficult to read.

Here is a fictional example. Can you see the difference? Do you agree that the second text is easier to read?

Bad sentence (additional information in the middle of the sentence):

The results show in experiment A compared with experiment B where a lower concentration of X was used a higher signal.

Improved sentence (additional information after subject verb object):

The results from experiment A show a higher signal than in experiment B, in which a lower concentration of X was used.

Bad sentences (verb at the end):

As a cleaning fluid for the pH meter electrode, distilled water was used. Standard solutions of pH 4 and pH 7 to calibrate the pH meter were used. For obtaining an average pH, 3 pH measurements were taken. A sample pH of 6.14 +/- 0.21 was found.

Improved sentences (verb not at the end!):

Distilled water was used to clean the pH meter electrode. The pH meter was calibrated using standard solutions of pH 4 and pH 7. The pH was measured 3 times and the values were averaged. The pH of the sample was found to be 6.14 +/- 0.21. 

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