Within a sentence, position is emphasis. Sentence variety works across sentences; this topic works inside one. Strunk’s Rule 18: “Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.” He explains: “The proper place for the word, or group of words, which the writer desires to make most prominent is usually the end of the sentence.”
| Weaker (Strunk’s first version) | Stronger (his revision) |
|---|---|
| Humanity has hardly advanced in fortitude since that time, though it has advanced in many other ways. | Humanity, since that time, has advanced in many other ways, but it has hardly advanced in fortitude. |
| This steel is principally used for making razors, because of its hardness. | Because of its hardness, this steel is principally used in making razors. |
Key idea
Why it works
The beginning of a sentence is the other strong position. Strunk notes that any element other than the subject “becomes emphatic when placed first,” as in his example “Deceit or treachery he could never forgive.” Use that inverted order rarely; it works because it is unusual.
Worked example: Move the point to the end
- The sentence ends on its source, the least important part.
- Move the source to the front.
- End on the danger itself.
Answer: “According to the town’s report, children at Elm and Fifth cross six lanes of traffic with no light.”
Common mistake