Types of Sentence Branching

What is causing the problem with the sentences you’ve just looked at? Branching creates a disruption of the natural sentence structure of subject/verb/object. It is a sign that the writer has tried to pack too many related ideas together. 
Sentence branching creates difficulties in two ways:

• Left-branching: Lengthy or significant elements before the subject of the sentence
• Mid-branching: Major interruptions between subject and verb or between verb and object

Following is a sentence, rewritten in two ways to illustrate the difficulties created by left-branching and mid-branching. Have a look and consider the readability of each version. Note again the placement of the main subject and verb of the sentence.

Left-branching

Because most existing studies have examined only a single stage of the supply chain, for example, productivity at the farm, or efficiency of agricultural markets, in isolation from the rest of the supply chain, policymakers have been unable to assess how problems identified at a single stage of the supply chain compare and interact with problems in the rest of the supply chain.

Mid-branching

Policymakers, because most existing studies have examined only a single stage of the supply chain, for example, productivity at the farm, or efficiency of agricultural markets, in isolation from the rest of the supply chain, have been unable to assess how problems identified at a single stage of the supply chain compare and interact with problems in the rest of the supply chain.

Do these cautions about branching mean that all sentences must be simple? Not necessarily. Even long sentences can be readable if they are structured properly. The best way to do this is to keep your main subject and verb together and to present them early in the sentence.