Writing clear academic English
The target is clarity. Most of your readers are reading in a second language too.
Clear beats elegant
Reviewers aren't looking for literary English. They want to understand your method and results on the first read: short sentences with one idea each, the subject close to the verb, and the same term for the same thing every time.
That style is easier to write in a second language, and easier for an international readership to follow.
Common trouble spots
These five account for a large share of the language comments authors receive. Each has a mechanical fix.
| Issue | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Articles | "We used the questionnaire" at first mention | "We used a questionnaire", then "the questionnaire" |
| Tense | Mixed tenses in the methods section | Past for what you did; present for what is generally true |
| Long noun chains | "patient outcome improvement assessment tool" | "a tool for assessing improvement in patient outcomes" |
| Vague quantity | "a very significant increase" | "an increase of 14% (p = .003)" |
| False formality | "utilize", "aforementioned", "it can be seen that" | "use", "this", or delete |
Translate, or write directly in English?
Both work. Writing directly builds skill over time and avoids structures that don't translate. Drafting in your first language is faster and often produces better arguments, because your attention isn't going on grammar.
A mixed approach suits most people: write the methods and results directly in English, where the language is formulaic, and draft the introduction and discussion in whichever language lets you think.
About language-editing requirements
Some journals recommend language editing, and a few mention a certificate. Read what is actually required. Usually the requirement is that the English is clear, not that a particular service was used.
If a certificate is mandatory, you'll need a service that issues one; LitraMind doesn't. Disclose AI language assistance where the journal asks for it.