01 Writing Better Sentences

Clear and precise writing begins with well-constructed sentences. In digital policy, where ideas can be technical and stakes are often high, even a single poorly written sentence can obscure your point—or worse, mislead your audience. Whether you're drafting a consultation response, regulatory guideline, or strategy paper, your credibility hinges on how effectively you structure your sentences. This post outlines the fundamentals of sentence construction and common pitfalls to avoid, particularly in the context of digital policy writing.

The Basics: Subject, Verb, and Object

Every complete sentence needs a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a verb (what the subject is doing). Many sentences also include an object (what the action is acting upon).

For example: “The regulatory body (subject) issued (verb) new guidelines (object) on AI transparency.”

A sentence missing any of these key elements is often incomplete or confusing.

Take the sentence fragment: “In response to public concerns over data privacy.”

This leaves the reader hanging. What happened in response?

A complete version would be: “In response to public concerns over data privacy, the agency revised its data sharing policies.”

Watch Out for Over-Generalisation and Faulty Logic

In digital policy writing, it’s tempting to make sweeping claims. However, over-generalisation weakens arguments and invites scrutiny.

Consider: “All users distrust AI systems.”

This is too broad and likely inaccurate.

A more precise version might be: “Several user surveys indicate growing concerns about trust in AI systems, particularly around decision-making transparency.”

By grounding your claims in evidence and acknowledging nuance, you build credibility and avoid misleading your audience.

Similarly, faulty logic can creep into writing when connections between ideas aren’t clearly established.

For instance: “The platform was fined for a data breach, so its encryption must be weak.”

This assumes causality without evidence.

A more logically sound version might read: “The platform was fined for a data breach, though the investigation is ongoing and the role of its encryption protocols remains unclear.”

Avoiding Common Sentence Construction Errors

Some of the most frequent errors in digital policy writing are sentence fragments and dangling modifiers.

A sentence fragment lacks a complete thought: “Because the algorithm was updated.”

To correct it: “Because the algorithm was updated, the system now processes user requests more efficiently.”

A dangling modifier occurs when a descriptive phrase lacks a clear subject, leading to confusion. “After drafting the framework, the feedback was collected.”

Who drafted the framework? It’s unclear.

A clearer version:“After drafting the framework, the policy team collected feedback from stakeholders.”

Striving for Clarity and Precision

Good sentence construction isn’t just about following rules—it’s about making your writing easier to understand. That means using active voice when possible (e.g. “The task force proposed new standards” rather than “New standards were proposed by the task force”) and keeping your sentences concise and focused.

Don’t overload your writing with jargon or lengthy clauses unless they serve a clear purpose.

In digital policy, where your audience can range from technologists and lawyers to civil society advocates and the general public, clarity is a service to all.

By focusing on the structure of your sentences and avoiding vague, illogical, or grammatically flawed constructions, you make your work more impactful and trustworthy.

Final Thought:

Strong policy begins with strong writing. And strong writing starts with a good sentence. Whether you're advocating for open data, regulating AI, or designing cybersecurity protocols, your ideas deserve to be understood. Invest in better sentence construction —your readers will thank you.