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Cohesion - Cohesie
Style
The style of a text also contributes to its coherence. There are many factors which play a role in creating a good style, but here we look at two: word choice and the length of sentences.
Word choice
The of words and expressions you use also have an effect on how formal, you come across. Some ‘ordinary’ words have a more formal counterpart. These can have a Latin root but that is not always the case. In the Netherlands, some originally Southern Dutch words also have a more formal ring. Most of the time, the formal versions are used in formal letter writing and formal oral situations, like job interviews or speeches.
Some examples are:
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formal
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informal
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verbs
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dienen
behoeven
vertrouwen op
geschieden
reduceren
stimuleren
verzoeken
wenden
wijzigen
zenden
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moeten
nodig hebben
hopen op/dat
gebeuren
verminderen
aanmoedigen
vragen
keren
veranderen
sturen
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to have to
to require
to hope, to expect
to happen
to reduce
to stimulate
to request
to turn
to change
to send
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| nouns |
cliënt |
klant |
client |
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conjunctions / adverbs
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alleen/maar
daar
derhalve
indien
onlangs
tevens
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slechts
omdat
daarom
als
pas
ook |
only, just
because
therefore
if
recently
also
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Sentence length
A text with many long sentences is often considered to be stylistically less attractive than a text with more snappy sentences. Be aware, though, that a text with nothing but main clauses will come across as boring and linguistically unsophisticated. It is best to vary the length of sentences. Try to avoid using sentences with more than two subordinate clauses.
The following is an example of a sentence which could have been split into two or three sentences.
Alhoewel een lange zin niet altijd ingewikkeld en/of onduidelijk hoeft te zijn, moeten al te uitgebreide zinnen toch worden vermeden omdat het namelijk vaak niet de lengte zelf is die zorgt voor moeilijkheden, maar de problematische opbouw die gepaard gaat met de lengte.
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| Although a long sentence does not always need to be complicated and/or unclear, sentences which are too complex ought to be avoided because it is often not the length itself which causes problems, but the problematic structure which goes hand in hand with the length. |
Compare this with the version below:
| Alhoewel een lange zin niet altijd ingewikkeld en/of onduidelijk hoeft te zijn, moeten al te uitgebreide zinnen toch worden vermeden. Het is namelijk vaak niet de lengte zelf die zorgt voor moeilijkheden, maar de problematische opbouw die gepaard gaat met de lengte. |
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