Sentence structure | Annotation hierarchies

Sentence structure
- Adverbial placement
  - Adverbial placement
    
    Varying where in the sentence an adverbial is placed is an effective way of making the sentence structure less repetitive, thus making the text more interesting to read. Here, the adverbial can be found at the beginning of the sentence, rather than towards the end. By placing it at the beginning of the sentence, the author makes the topic/setting of the sentence clear from the start, which is helpful for the reader.
    
    In the present study, socioeconomic status did not appear to confound the results.
    
    Compare:
    
    Socioeconomic status did not appear to confound the results in the present study.
- Not only ... , but also ...
- Subject extraposition
  - Subject extraposition
    
    What is known as ”subject extraposition” (or ”the introductory it pattern”) is a construction that can be very helpful for sentence-structural purposes, as it helps writers avoid so-called ”heavy subjects”, where too much information is placed before the (main) verb of the sentence. This construction also enables writers to disguise their involvement, thereby making the statement seem more objective.
    
    The construction is made up of an introductory it, a predicate (a verb with an optional adjective, noun and/or adverb); examples include:
    
    It has been found that many people enjoy a session in a lunch hour.
    
    It is possible to establish a qualitative correlation with the energy administered to each irradiated point.
    
    The construction can also be used to express a stance towards the proposition stated in the to-, that– or wh-clause:
    
    It seems that school reforms are not in alignment with a culturally responsive curriculum.
    
    It is interesting to note that both groups scored lower on the QRI-5 posttest than the pretest.
- While-patterns
  - While patterns
    
    ”While” patterns are useful for showing contrast between two propositions; they can also be used for giving both sides of an argument.
    
    While LinkedIn focuses on professional networking, Facebook often ends up as a blend of business and personal.
    
    In some cases, ”while” and ”although” can be used interchangeably.
    
    While there are several definitions of the word doctor, they all go back to the Latin word for teacher.
- with regard to / with respect to
  - with regard to / with respect to
    
    Expressions such as ”when it comes to” are useful for giving the reader a preview of what the author will focus on in this part of the text. This strategy thus makes it clear to the reader which part of your argument is discussed here. There are several expressions that are used for this purpose; other common ones include ”with regard to” and ”with respect to”.
    
    When it comes to classroom education, there is limited instructional time.
    
    With regard to the associations between children’s phthalate metabolites and children’s behavior problems […], only one significant association was implicated.

Scriptor

Texts, Tools, and Tips for Academic Writing

Adverbial placement

Subject extraposition

While patterns

with regard to / with respect to