Complex sentences are sentences that contain one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. They can improve your SEO and readability by adding variety, clarity, and depth to your content. In this article, you will learn how to use complex sentences effectively and avoid common pitfalls.
Search engines value content that is relevant, engaging, and informative. Complex sentences can help you achieve these goals by allowing you to express more nuanced and detailed ideas, connect different points, and avoid repetition. Complex sentences can also improve your keyword density and diversity, as you can include more variations and synonyms of your main topic without sounding unnatural or spammy.
Readers appreciate content that is clear, concise, and coherent. Complex sentences can help you deliver these qualities by organizing your information into logical and meaningful units, showing the relationships between different parts, and highlighting the main points. Complex sentences can also create interest and variety in your tone and style, as you can use different types of dependent clauses, such as adverbial, adjective, or noun clauses, to add context, description, or explanation.
Writing complex sentences requires skill and practice, as certain rules and conventions must be followed to avoid confusion and errors. To write complex sentences correctly, use a comma to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause when the dependent clause comes first, such as in the sentence "Because it was raining, he decided to stay home". When the dependent clause comes after, no comma is necessary. Subordinating conjunctions, like because, although, if, or when, should be used to introduce dependent clauses and show their function and connection to the independent clause. Additionally, relative pronouns like who, which, or that should be used to introduce dependent clauses that modify a noun or pronoun in the independent clause. Following these tips will help you write complex sentences accurately.
I have found that starting with a short, "grabber" sentence is helpful, followed by a more detailed -- not complex -- sentence. Starting any content with the word "Because" or "In an effort to" lose the reader fast, State the fact, the SEO catch phrase, then dive in.
Complex sentences can pose some challenges and risks if they are overused or misused. To avoid these pitfalls, aim for a balance between simple, compound, and complex sentences in your content. Be mindful of run-on sentences, which are two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to join the clauses. Additionally, ensure that every sentence has a subject and a verb, and that dependent clauses are attached to an independent clause. Otherwise, you may end up with sentence fragments which are incomplete sentences.
I agree with this -- it's simple middle-school writing curriculum. Punctuation is vitally important to readers, whether they realize it or not. Writing complex sentences, no matter whether the audience is CEOs or average consumers, will help with clarity, branding, and trust.
Proofreading is the final step of writing, where you check and correct any errors or inconsistencies in your content. Complex sentences can be difficult to proofread, as you need to pay attention to grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structure. To proofread complex sentences effectively, try reading them aloud or using a text-to-speech tool to hear how they sound and flow. Additionally, you can use online tools or software such as Grammarly, Hemingway, or ProWritingAid to check for grammar, readability, and style issues. Finally, consider asking someone else to review your content and offer feedback - they may spot errors or gaps that you overlooked.
It is a universal truth among writers that we often cannot see our own mistakes. I have learned the hard way to let my ego go and realize everyone needs an editor, whether that's your spouse, your colleague, your boss or your dog (at least for the reading aloud stuff).
Personally, I have used both Grammarly and ProWritingAid to check my blog posts and articles. Between the two, I have found ProWritingAid to be the most comprehensive and helpful.