I used to correct grammar in people’s papers- and I don’t anymore unless it’s particularly egregious, or I use a single example of something they have done throughout. When it’s awful (as it is, many times), I let the editor know that extensive editing for standard English will be required. I just don’t have time or the inclination to be the proofreader for manuscripts I’m supposed to be reviewing. But, I know what you mean- they can be painful to read and I have to hold my red pen back- because it’s not worth my time.

I present you with a Mad Lib sentence:

Highlighting a (insert adjective) structure of this type is of interest from the standpoint of researching (insert water cooler topic) and the continuation of (insert color) (insert noun), but it is incredibly telling when one of the (insert plural animal) in the relationship is (insert ice cream flavor).

It’s a bad sign when the reviewer is wanting to gouge her eyes out! If you can make a mad lib out of your sentence, please break it up. please for the love of gawd.

DSKS- I’m a little rusty on the Milton- but thank you for the lovely, lovely example.

Kiwi- You re right, this is turning into a confessional for long sentence writers. I’m wondering what other sins they are going to confess to on this thread…

And you people are wild, 400+ page views to talk about the sentence. I’m wondering what’s going to happen when we cover the paragraph.

Get a loada this sentence from one of the Old Pros of discourse.

“For although God in the first ordaining of marriage, taught us to what end he did it, in words expresly implying the apt and cheerfull conversation of man with woman, to comfort and refresh him against the evil of solitary life, not mentioning the purpose of generation till afterwards, as being but a secondary end in dignity, though not in necessity; yet now, if any two be but once handed in the Church, and have tasted in any sort the nuptiall bed, let them finde themselves never so mistak’n in their dispositions through any error, concealment, or misadventure, that through their different tempers, thoughts, and constitutions, they can neither be to one another a remedy against lonelines, nor live in any union or contentment all their dayes, yet they shall, so they be but found suitably weapon’d to the least possibility of sensuall enjoyment, be made, spight of antipathy to fadge together, and combine as they may to their unspeakable wearisomnes and despaire of all sociable delight in the ordinance which God establisht to that very end.”

John Milton On the Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce.

Sometimes my sentences go for about half a paragraph when they first come out of my head. I usually just blabber through everything freely, through, and then go back through to fix things like that later. I’d rather get my thoughts down in an unfettered fashion.

I write insanely long sentences.

I always have to go back and split them up after my 1st draft.

Same here.

DrdrA, my gradadvisor most frequently tells me that I write well but a skitch too formally (in papers–obvs not a blog problem….). I think she’s right and I’m trying to go more brief and Germanic, but it’s hard to strike the right balance between sophisticated enough for science journals yet not haughty/formal.