To improve clarity in instructional writing, avoid complex sentences.

Clarity Counts: What to Keep and What to Cut in Instructional Text

If you’ve ever picked up a user manual and felt your eyes glaze over, you know how easy it is for instructional writing to lose its nerve. The goal isn’t to sound clever; it’s to help someone do something correctly on the first try. That means choosing words and sentences the reader can skim, understand, and act on without rereading the same paragraph four times. In technical communication, clarity isn’t a feature—it's the baseline.

Let’s unpack a tiny, often misunderstood quiz topic and turn it into practical guidance you can use every day. You’ll see a familiar multiple-choice style—that tempting moment when the right answer seems to buzz in and out of focus. The question goes something like this: What should be avoided to enhance clarity in instructional writing? A. Transitional expressions B. Visual aids C. Examples D. Complex sentences. A lot of quick reasoning tools would say, “Transitional expressions are the enemy.” But the truth in clear writing practice is a bit more nuanced. The real surefire move to improve clarity is to curb the tendency to string ideas into long, winding sentences. In other words: keep sentences simple; use transitions thoughtfully; and support the flow with visuals and examples where they genuinely help.

Let me explain why long sentences trip readers up

Think about reading a how-to passage the way you’d listen to a step-by-step recipe. If every instruction comes in one breath with multiple clauses and nested ideas, your brain has to juggle too much at once. The reader’s mental load spikes, and the goal—doing the task—gets crowded out by deciphering the syntax. Short, direct sentences let readers take one clear bite at a time. They can act on the instruction, check a box in their mind, and move forward.

This doesn’t mean you should abandon all nuance. The trick is to slice complexity, not abandon nuance. A sentence like, “If the device is powered on, rotate the knob clockwise until the indicator shows Ready,” is often better than, “In the event that a user wishes to activate the device, the knob should be rotated in a clockwise direction, and the indicator should thereafter show the position that is labeled Ready.” The second version is technically correct, but it makes a reader work too hard. The first version helps the reader do something immediately. And that’s the heartbeat of clear instructional writing.

What about those handy transitional expressions?

Transitional expressions—words like however, therefore, and consequently—are not villains in themselves. They guide readers from one idea to the next. They can be a lifeline when used in moderation and with precision. The risk comes when transitions become a crutch for overloaded sentences. If you find yourself juggling three or four ideas in one sentence and you lean on “therefore” or “thus” to connect them, you’re probably setting up for a foggy read. In those moments, it’s smarter to break the sentence into two or three clearer sentences. Let the transitions do the linking work between compact chunks, not inside a single, sprawling sentence.

Here’s a simple rule of thumb: use transitions to connect clean, independent ideas, not to rescue a sentence that’s already too long. If the sentence is long and dense, try splitting it. If you can express the idea in two shorter sentences and still keep a natural flow, do it. The eye—and the brain—will thank you.

Pairing visuals and examples with crisp text

Clarity isn’t only about sentences. It’s a blend of text, visuals, and concrete examples that guide someone through a process. In technical communication, images, diagrams, checklists, and short example snippets are not distractions; they’re essential collaborators. Visuals can do the heavy lifting of showing a sequence, a layout, or a configuration that would require several sentences to describe.

• Visual aids: Use simple diagrams or annotated screenshots to complement a written step. A well-timed image helps readers verify they’re on the right track, reducing back-and-forth and questions.

• Examples: Short, concrete examples illustrate how a step works in practice. They’re especially helpful when a term might be abstract or when a procedure has exceptions.

• Flow and structure: Use headings, numbered steps, and bullet lists to break content into digestible chunks. Readers often skim to find the exact instruction they need; a clear structure makes that possible.

Pulling it together with real-world phrasing

Here are practical phrasing patterns that tend to boost clarity:

• Use direct verbs: Press, turn, align, install. If your instruction is a command, keep the verb upfront.

• Favor concrete nouns: The lever, the display, the screw, the port. Vague terms slow readers down.

• Limit passive voice when giving steps: “The light turns on” is fine, but “The device is turned on by the operator” adds a layer of distant action and can feel clumsy in a sequence.

• Break long ideas into two or three sentences: If a step has multiple conditions or outcomes, split them into bullet-sized bites.

A quick test you can run on your own copy

If you want a fast gut check for instructional clarity, try this three-step test:

1. Read a paragraph aloud. If you stumble, it’s often a signal to rework for shorter sentences or a simpler structure.

2. Replace one long sentence with two shorter sentences that convey the same idea.

3. Check a readability score with a simple tool (many word processors offer a readability view, and there are lightweight online apps). Aim for a level around 80 on the Flesch Reading Ease scale—plenty of readers will be comfortable at that level.

Connected tips that keep readers moving

• Consistency matters. Use the same terms for components and actions throughout the document. A tiny mismatch can make a reader pause and rethink what you mean.

• Write for scanning, not just reading. People often skim instructions looking for the exact step they need. Use bolded keywords or callouts to anchor those moments.

• Include a troubleshooting touchpoint. A short “Common issues” box near a tricky step can save readers from getting stuck and rebuild confidence.

• Tell readers what they will accomplish upfront. A short preface line (for example, “This guide will walk you through installing the device in five steps.”) sets expectations and reduces cognitive drift.

What sometimes trips writers up—and how to fix it

• Overloading a single step with constraints: If Step 3 includes too many qualifiers, split it. Step 3a, Step 3b, and Step 3c can guide user action more cleanly.

• Ambiguous pronouns: Avoid “it,” “this,” or “that” without a clear antecedent. If a sentence can be read two ways, rewrite it so the subject is explicit.

• Jargon without context: Technical terms have a home in your document, but provide just enough explanation at the first use. A quick glossary entry or a one-sentence definition is often enough.

• Long sentences with nested phrases: Break them. If a sentence has more than two clauses, consider turning one part into a separate sentence.

A few digressions that still connect back

You might be thinking: “But what about style?” Yes, tone matters. In technical communication, a calm, confident voice helps readers trust the guidance. A sprinkle of casual clarity—like a well-placed aside or a parenthetical note—can keep the reader from feeling boxed in, but only if it serves the instruction. You don’t want to break momentum with too many asides or flow-breaking asides.

Another natural tangent: the importance of real-world testing. The best-looking manual on paper can miss the mark if it’s not tested in the field. Have a colleague who isn’t immediately familiar with the device try the steps. If they stumble, you’ve got a signal to tighten the wording or rework a diagram. It’s the kind of feedback that makes a document genuinely useful.

Where the guidance meets the bigger picture of technical communication

Clarity isn’t a single trick or a single rule. It’s a discipline that blends concise language, purposeful structure, and supportive visuals. It’s about thinking through the reader’s journey: what they need first, what they can infer, what they’ll do next. When you design an instructional passage with that journey in mind, you’ll notice two things: readers move faster, and questions decrease. Both outcomes save time and reduce frustration—crucial wins in any technical field.

So what should you avoid to enhance clarity in instructional writing?

If you’ve read this far, you’re likely curious about the quiz angle. The tempting trap in some quick-answer contexts is to flag transitional expressions as the main offender. In practice, the sharper, more universal guidance is to avoid letting sentences grow unwieldy. Short, direct sentences beat long, tangled ones every time. Transitions aren’t the enemy; they’re tools to help readers flow from one clear thought to the next. Use them wisely, and pair them with crisp, concrete phrasing and well-chosen visuals.

A simple takeaway you can apply today

• Aim for short sentences (mostly under 20 words).

• Break complex ideas into bite-sized steps.

• Use visuals to complement—never replace—clear prose.

• Test your wording with a fresh reader, ideally someone who mirrors your target audience.

• Read your draft aloud to catch awkward rhythms or clunky phrases.

If you treat clarity as a design problem—one that benefits from clean structure, deliberate word choice, and helpful visuals—you’ll produce instructional writing that doesn’t just tell readers what to do; it guides them smoothly to doing it well. And that, in turn, makes the whole experience feel less like a chore and more like a helpful, dependable tool at hand.

In the end, the goal is straightforward: read it once, understand it, and act on it. The best manuals achieve that with simple sentences, clear steps, and partners like diagrams and examples that answer questions before they’re asked. That’s the rhythm of strong technical communication—practical, human, and reliable.