Final answer:
In clean verbatim, beginning sentences with conjunctions is acceptable if they serve a purpose, while phrases like 'there is,' 'there are,' and 'it is' often lead to wordiness. Effective writing involves strong verbs, subject-verb consistency, and concise language to convey information clearly in academic settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
In clean verbatim transcription, the focus is often on conciseness and clarity. Traditionally, grammarians have advised avoiding the start of sentences with conjunctions, but more modern styles allow for such beginnings when they serve a specific purpose and add clarity or emphasis. Likewise, phrases like there is, there are, and it is can sometimes lead to wordiness, which means using unnecessary or filler words that don't contribute substantial meaning. Particularly in academic writing, such as in college essays, it's important to eliminate wordiness to maintain the focus and strength of the sentences.
For example:
- Wordy: There was a really bright light that was shining on the waves in the ocean.
- Concise: A bright light shone on the ocean waves.
As demonstrated above, the concise version removes redundant modifiers, passive constructions, and unnecessary adverbs, relying on strong verbs and concrete nouns to convey the message effectively. This approach aligns with recommendations on proofreading your work for subject-verb consistency, varying sentence structure, and strengthening verbs to improve the overall effectiveness of writing.