3 ms·

I hate to say it but I don't know grammar rules well enough to explain it. The best I can offer is something that sounds better to me. First example is the pa

I hate to say it but I don't know grammar rules well enough to explain it. The best I can offer is something that sounds better to me. First example is the paper, second example is one possible rewrite: "The first order of business will be to draw some distinctions between these notions and pick an appropriate focus for our present inquiry. That is the aim of section 1." "Section 1 draws distinctions between these notions, one of which will be the focus of our inquiry."

jnbiche 10y ago
You're probably mostly objecting to the passive voice, which is a reasonable stand to take in scientific writing. He uses passive voice three times in these two sentences alone.
- jackcarter 10y ago
  Using "to be" isn't necessarily the passive voice. The author doesn't use the passive voice in those sentences. http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/passive-voice/ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/passive-voice/
  - jnbiche 10y ago
    You're absolutely right, I misread those. Passive voice would be "to be drawn", "to be read", etc. Thank you.