1. The Subject:
- Personal pronouns like I, you, we are often used as subjects in informal contexts like conversations.
- In formal writing, nouns or noun phrases are commonly used as subjects to convey factual information.
- Introductory “it” is often used in formal writing when the subject of the sentence is an infinitive, -ing, or that-clause to create a more organized and factual tone.
- Example: “It is important to note that these respondents were interviewed at the supermarket.”
2. Ellipsis: Leaving Words Out:
- We can omit the subject or other repeated words to avoid redundancy.
- Example: “The respondents were interviewed at the supermarket and (they) were not a random sample.”
3. Organizing Information in a Text:
- In formal writing, new information is often placed at the end of clauses or sentences, while previously mentioned information is used as the starting point of the next sentence.
- This “zigzag pattern” helps maintain organization and logic in the text.
4. Adding Emphasis or Contrast:
- It-clauses and what-clauses are used to emphasize or highlight specific information.
- It-clauses use the structure “It + be + main focus + relative clause.”
- Example: “It is still the women who do most of the shopping.”
- What-clauses highlight specific aspects by using the structure “What + secondary focus + be + main focus.”
- Example: “What I like is being able to see the products.”
5. Repeating Ideas in a Text:
- Pronouns, synonyms, or rewording can be used to link ideas and avoid repetition in a text.
- This helps in maintaining cohesion and flow in the writing.
- Example: “These supermarkets seem to have largely replaced the smaller shops. Most people tend to go to the same store, and they spend between £100 and £200 a week.”
These strategies are used to organize and structure texts effectively, whether in informal conversations or formal writing.