Polish
Polishing a piece can enhance the reader’s comprehension of it. Though it is rarely helpful to focus on grammar alone, the toolbox of writing mechanics can help you hone other territories and tailor your piece to your audience or genre. Mechanics can be something to both play with and use strategically to achieve your vision.
You might need to
polish your piece
if...
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You struggle to read the piece aloud without stumbling.
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You have drafted and thoroughly revised your writing and are preparing to submit or publish the piece.
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How do you want this sentence to read? What sentence structures could we use to help someone read it that way?
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When you read this aloud, where are the stumbling blocks or unclear spots?
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How can you use punctuation to guide your audience in reading this piece?
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What expectations do readers bring to this genre of writing, and how are you engaging them?
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What makes this piece yours?
Some questions
to guide you through the process
Strategies
Model texts
Understanding the genre in which you are writing, the grammatical conventions used by other writers, and the way other writers are engaging grammar can help you reflect on the mechanics of your piece.
TECHNIQUES:
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Review the assignment or submission guidelines (if applicable) and identify what stylistic conventions might be required for this piece.
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Look at a model text from this genre. You may consider choosing a text you like or appreciate; seeking recommendations from an instructor, coach, or peer; or researching a model text online or in your local library. Once you have found this example, note key features about its format, mechanics, and language. What tone is the author conveying? What types of words is the author using? How has the author structured the piece? How is the author using punctuation, headings, or spacing? What other visuals is the author using?
Sentence workshop
Sometimes sentences are not clear because they are not focused. A focused sentence has an obvious subject and verb (e.g., "Shanae gripped the sword as she fought the dragon"). One strategy for focusing a sentence is to identify the subject and verb and make sure they are clear and not buried under lots of other words.
TECHNIQUES:
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Read your piece aloud and pinpoint a paragraph that needs polish.
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Use a pen, highlighter, or a digital annotation tool (e.g., underlining, bolding, etc.) to identify which parts of the sentence you found yourself stumbling over and which parts read more smoothly.
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Identify the subject and verb of the sentence​
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If the stumbling point is in a clause, experiment by moving it to a different part of the sentence.
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Paraphrase the sentence in plain language to rewrite it more simply.
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If you read the sentence aloud in a different way than how it is written, consider replacing the sentence with how you just spoke it. Our minds can easily comprehend writing when it mimics how we speak.
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Go back to each highlighted phrase or section and try replacing it with one or two alternatives, reading them aloud each time.
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Consider using a digital tool like Grammarly to help you spot mechanical errors and get inspiration on different ways to word a sentence.
Combining words, sentences, and ideas
When you understand how sentences can be combined, you have lots of freedom to style sentences intentionally. There are many different strategies to join sentences, but we will focus on four. You may try these strategies for different purposes of your writing and depending of your desired results.
TECHNIQUES:
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Pick two or more sentences that sound choppier than others and try connecting them with coordinating conjunctions ("and, but, or, nor, so, but, for, yet").
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If two of your sentences relate to each other causally (meaning one idea depends on the other), use a subordinating conjunction to help your ideas flow more smoothly (e.g., although, while, if, unless, whereas, because, since, after, before, when, etc.).
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Make the connection between each sentence clear, even if two sentences oppose each other. In these instances, consider using transition phrases like "on the other hand," "on a different note," "others may say," etc.
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Use colons or semicolons to link two sentences that express related ideas.
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You may experiment with different ways to word or structure sentences or paragraphs using AI-powered writing tools like Wordtune.
Digital Tools
Writing mechanics
Grammarly
Grammarly
What we like about this platform:
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Free platform that syncs to different devices and apps (e.g., Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.)
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Advice related to grammar, wording, structure, and style
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Functionality to customize Grammarly’s “rules” to meet your specific needs for a piece of writing (e.g., if you are writing a piece and cannot use certain words, or if you are trying to follow standards of a specific genre, you can let Grammarly know that)
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Color-coded suggestions that allow for easier interpretation
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Wordtune
Wordtune
What we like about this platform:
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Free access to standard writing help (e.g., suggestions for ideas, revisions, examples, etc.)
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Immediate feedback
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Multiple suggestions for a single input
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*Please note* that it is important to critically consider what LLM models provide you. Do its suggestions truly align with your purpose for writing, the tone you are trying to convey, or your intention for the paragraph/sentence? What other revisions can you make to it?
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