Four Chinese-to-English Writing Problems Students Keep Running Into

The first problem is not always grammar. It is information order. In Chinese, it can feel natural to circle around the context before you land on the point. In English academic writing, readers usually expect the claim earlier. When the paragraph keeps delaying its real argument, the prose starts to feel foggy even if every sentence is technically correct.

The second problem is sentence overload. Many students try to protect every nuance by packing cause, concession, example, and conclusion into one large sentence. The result is not richer. It is harder to hear. A better move is to let each sentence do one main job, then carry the next layer in the next sentence. Natural English often comes from controlled pressure, not maximum density.

The third problem is transition inflation. However, therefore, moreover, in addition: none of them are wrong on their own. The trouble begins when every logical turn is announced out loud. A paragraph can start sounding like a checklist instead of a thought process. Cut half the transitions and see whether order, repetition, and emphasis can do that work more quietly.