Page 87 - English for Writing Research Papers

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4.10 Avoid which and relative clauses when these create long
sentences

which is used to add information. For example:

S1. English is now the world’s international language, which is why it is used in scientifi c
papers.
S2. English, which has now become the world’s international language, is studied by more
than a billion people.
S3. English, [which is] now spoken by more than a billion people, is the world’s international
language.

In S1 which is used to introduce an additional piece of information (in this case an
explanation). In S2 which gives some extra information about the subject of the
sentence (the English language). In S3, which serves the same purpose as in S2, it is
in brackets because it could be cut.

In all three cases, the meaning is quick and easy to understand because the sentences
are quite short.

Problems arise when sentences are longer, as highlighted in the OV below.

original version (ov) revised version (rv)
English is now the world’s international English is now the world’s international language
language and is studied by more than a and is studied by more than a billion people in
billion people in various parts of the various parts of the world thus giving rise to
world thus giving rise to an industry an industry of English language textbooks
of English language textbooks and and teachers. This explains why in so many
teachers, which explains why in so schools and universities in countries where
many schools and universities in English is not the mother tongue it is taught
countries where English is not the as the fi rst foreign language. For example ,
mother tongue it is taught as the fi rst English is taught in preference to Spanish or
foreign language in preference to, for Chinese, which are two languages that have
example , Spanish or Chinese, which more native speakers than English.
are two languages that have more
native speakers than English.

In the OV the introduction of two new pieces of information using which makes the
sentence unnecessarily long (79 words). In the RV, the fi rst occurrence of which is
replaced by this , which stands for this fact . Using this either alone or associated
with a noun (e.g. this fact, this decision, this method ) is a very common and useful
way to reduce the length of a sentence.