You Attitude Emphasizes the Readers Viewpoint

I am glad to welcome you as a new charge customer. Welcome as a new charge customer. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the time you spent with me yesterday. Thank you for spending time with me yesterday.

Reader Benefit Material

You will be glad to know that we are now open until 9 on Friday nights. For your shopping convenience, Bartles is now open until 9 on Friday nights.

Tone

I cannot attend the budget committee scheduled for Thursday morning. I would like to attend the budget committee meeting scheduled for Thursday morning, but I will be in Los Angeles. Your phenomenal contribution to our understanding of tax laws is remarkable. Thanks to you, we all have a better understanding of tax laws.

Gender Neutral Terminology

Please share this report with your supervisor. He will find it interesting. Please share this report with your supervisor, who is sure to find it interesting. The attitude of an employee is important if he expects to be promoted. The attitudes of employees are important if they expect to be promoted.

Formal vs. Informal English

Formal Please inform me of the manner in which you intend to liquidate this balance.

Informal Please let me know when you plan to pay the outstanding balance of your account.

Pronoun and Noun Agreement

Every company needs to be concerned about their employees.

YES

Every company needs to be concerned about its employees.

Dangling Modifier

Jogging down the street, John noticed the truck that passed him.
Yes

Jogging down the street, a truck passed him.

Misplaced Modifier

Only he is 23 today.

He is only 23 today.
Yes

Positive Wording

Wouldnt you rather drive a Johnson cycle? A Johnson cycle can be delivered to your home tomorrow morning. Why not try our facial products? Amour facial products will add to your beauty and mystique.

Pronouns with Unclear Referents

John asked Bill if his report was acceptable. John asked Bill if Bills report was acceptable.
Yes

Active vs. Passive Voice Indicative vs. Imperative Mood

The paper was presented by John. John presented the paper. The data were gathered by the sales staff. The sales staff gathered the data. The report was typed by Mary. Mary typed the report.

Active vs. Passive Voice Indicative vs. Imperative Mood

Indicative mood = indicates action or state of is perceived as fact Imperative mood = suggests, commands, or requests Indicative If I were Imperative If I was In business we use the imperative mood

Active vs. Passive Voice Indicative vs. Imperative Mood

Data are normally processed only after it is possible to assure their accuracy. (indicative) Process data only after their accuracy can be assured. (imperative)

Active vs. Passive Voice Indicative vs. Imperative Mood

The vacation schedule desired by each employee needs to be cleared by the Personnel Department. (indicative) Please clear your vacation schedule with the Personnel Department. (imperative)

Dangling Modifiers

Express that dont clearly refer to proper noun or pronoun. Usually occur when the sentence begins with participle, infinitive, or a gerund.

Having read your report, a few questions come to mind. Having read your report, I have a few questions. (need a subject to independent clause)

Dangling Modifiers

At the age of seven, Marys family toured Europe. When Mary was seven, her family toured Europe. (now dependent part agrees with the main clause)

Avoid Fuzzy Detail

John is a good worker. John, who is a good worker, is conscientious about meeting deadlines, is a loyal employee, and can always to counted on to do his fair share of the work. This report is weak. The following flaws weaken the quality of this report: the numerous grammatical errors, the inaccurate information that is presented, and the absence of feasible recommendations.

Be as Specific as Possible

He is a fast typist. His typing rate is 85 words per minute. She lives nearby. She lives in Orange County, which is about 20 miles from here.

Steps to Writing a Document

Planning

Determine your purpose Consider your reader Determine appropriate content Outline topics Determine appropriate order of topics

Organizing

Steps to Writing a Document

Drafting

Sentence construction Paragraph construction Beginning and ending paragraph Body Composition Appropriate subject and heading lines See the CAG

Editing and proofreading