1

BETTER BUSINESS WRITING SKILLS – RESOURCE PACK

Dear student,
In this pack you’ll find the ten exercises and two additional resources you’ll need for this
course (32 pages). Feel free to print them now and complete them as you go. However, if
you’d prefer to print them one at a time that’s OK too as I’ve added each exercise or
resource to the appropriate lesson video.
Happy writing!
Mark
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CONTENTS

Identify your objective ................................................................... 3

Identify your reader ....................................................................... 4
Identify your voice ......................................................................... 5
Structure practice .......................................................................... 6
From passive to active.................................................................... 7
Nominalisations – nouns to verbs ................................................. 11
More nominalisations .................................................................. 13
Can you shorten this by two-thirds? ............................................. 15
Simplifying sentences................................................................... 20
Proofreading exercise .................................................................. 27
Editing and review checklist ......................................................... 31
George Orwell’s Six Rules ............................................................. 32
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IDENTIFY YOUR OBJECTIVE

If your work does not have a clear objective, why are you writing it? The best objectives are
SMART objectives. This means they are:

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Assignable
R - Realistic
T - Time bound

Task – Think of something you need to write. Write your SMART objective in the boxes below.

S – Specific – What exactly do you need to achieve?

M - Measurable – How will you measure progress and success?

A - Assignable – Who is responsible for this task?

R - Realistic – Is this task achievable? Is it difficult but doable or just impossible?

T – Time-bound – When is your deadline?

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IDENTIFY YOUR READER

Think of some things that you need to write, or write regularly. This could be anything from a simple
email to a lengthy report, it doesn’t matter. Think carefully about everyone who will read it. Now,
in the boxes below, answer the questions as clearly and fully as you can.

1. Who is your main reader?

2. Who else might read your work?

3. What do you know about them? How can this help you?

4. Why are you writing to them? Is writing the best way to communicate with them?

5. What do they want?

6. What will your readers feelings likely be after reading your work? How does this affect what
you write?
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IDENTIFY YOUR VOICE

Think of the different people or groups that you write to regularly. What sort of impression do you
want to give these people? How do you want them to feel about you or your organisation? Don’t
say you want them to like you, or think your company is good. Be specific!

Complete the following boxes for different readers of your documents. Think about how this will
affect how you write.

My document is:

My reader is:

Am I writing as myself, or am I representing my company/ organisation?

When they have read my document, I want them to think that I am/ that my company is…

My document is:

My reader is:

Am I writing as myself, or am I representing my company/ organisation?

When they have read my document, I want them to think that I am/ that my company is…
 6

STRUCTURE PRACTICE

We’ve just looked at three ways of getting your ideas out of your head and onto the screen – Post-It
Notes, a Mind-Map and a structured list. And we looked at a method for deciding which of your
ideas are most important – COULD-SHOULD-MUST.

Remember, you can only find out which techniques work best for you by practicing them. It’s well
worth the effort.

Task 1 – Plan your structure

Think of a real life example of something you need to write. It could be for work or something else, it
doesn’t matter. Then follow the steps below.

1. Write down your objective(s)

First, write down the objective for your real-life example. Make it as clear and simple as you
can. Remember to think SMART.
2. Write down your ideas
Next, set out your ideas using a mind map, post-it notes or a structured list. This becomes
the list of everything you could put into your document. If you normally do something like
this anyway, try something new. Is it more helpful or not?
3. Could/ Should/ Must
From your list of coulds, select the shoulds and then the musts, the things that are most
vital of all and that, if you left them out, the document would not work. This isn’t easy. Be
brutal and see what happens.
4. Order your ideas
Consider the order of your most important points. What comes first? What most naturally/
logically follows? Remember, you are guiding your reader step-by-step to your objective.
They are probably pressed for time and you want to get to the point quickly.
5. Change the order
When you’ve done this, try completely changing the order of your points. What’s the effect?
Better? Worse? The order in which you place your information makes a huge difference to
the quality and success of your work.
6. Change your objective and your reader
What if you changed your objective slightly? Or your reader? How would you change the
order, the structure, of your work? Learn to be as specific as possible at all times.
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FROM PASSIVE TO ACTIVE

Task 1 – Passive to Active

Here are 10 examples of passive sentences and their active alternatives. See how active
sentences are more dynamic, with a greater sense of purpose, and that they have fewer
words.
Remember, an active sentence is SUBJECT – VERB – OBJECT.
Once you’ve read and understood these, move on to Task 2.

The jungle is roamed by fierce tigers. (passive)

Fierce tigers roam the jungle. (active)

The flat tyre was changed by the mechanic. (passive)

The mechanic changed the flat tyre. (active)

The race was run by Mo Farrah in record time. (passive)

Mo Farrah ran the race in record time. (active)

The road was paved by the workmen. (passive)

The workmen paved the road. (active)

The book was read by the class. (passive)

The class read the book. (active)

The carpets will be hoovered by the cleaner every Saturday. (passive)

The cleaner will hoover the carpets every Saturday. (active)
 8

The entire building was painted by the decorator. (passive)

The decorator painted the entire building. (active)

The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher. (passive)

The teacher always answers the students’ questions. (active)

You were taught chess by whom? (passive)

Who taught you to play chess? (active)

The whole area was destroyed by fire. (passive)

Fire destroyed the whole area. (active)

Now do Task 2 on the next page.

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Task 2 – Passive to Active

Make these passive sentences active. Put your subject first, then the verb, then the object.
Write your answers in the space below each passive sentence. Suggested answers are at the
end, but no looking until you’ve finished!

1. The contract is being signed by the two Chief Executives. (passive)

2. The money was donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)

3. All the arrangements will be made by the events manager. (passive)

4. The play was performed by the drama class. (passive)

5. The video was posted on Twitter by Bob. (passive)

6. You will be told what to do by the foreman. (passive)

7. London is visited by millions of tourists every year. (passive)

8. The ancient wooden beams were eventually destroyed by woodworm. (passive)

9. The brush was carried by the woman in her handbag. (passive)

10. Annie was helped by Abed. (passive)

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Suggested answers

1. The contract is being signed by the two Chief Executives. (passive)

The two Chief Executives are signing the contract. (active)

2. The money was donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)

Larry donated money to the homeless shelter. (active)

3. All the arrangements will be made by the events manager. (passive)

The events manager will make all the arrangements. (active)

4. The play was performed by the drama class. (passive)

The drama class performed the play. (active)

5. The video was posted on Twitter by Bob. (passive)

Bob posted the video on Twitter. (active)

6. You will be told what to do by the foreman. (passive)

The foreman will tell you what to do. (active)

7. London is visited by millions of tourists every year. (passive)

Millions of tourists visit London every year. (active)

8. The ancient wooden beams were eventually destroyed by woodworm. (passive)

Woodworm eventually destroyed the ancient wooden beams. (active)

9. The brush was carried by the woman in her handbag. (passive)

The woman carried her brush in her handbag. (active)

10. Annie was helped by Abed. (passive)

Abed helped Annie. (active)
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NOMINALISATIONS – NOUNS TO VERBS

A ‘nominalisation’ is when you use a noun instead of a verb. Avoid this whenever you can.
So instead of, “We will produce an assessment of the project.” write, “We will assess the
project.” Using verbs in this way makes your writing more engaging and interesting to read.
Here is a list of commonly used nouns that can be turned into verbs. Cover up the list of
verbs and see if you can work out what they might be. Can come up with a better, simpler
alternative? For example, instead of changing ‘demonstration’ to ‘demonstrate’, you could
use ‘show’?

Don’t use a noun When you can use a verb!

Achievement Achieve
Action Act
Agreement Agree
Appearance Appear, seem
Application Apply
Approval Approve
Arrival Arrive
Assessment Assess, review, check, evaluate
Transition Transit, change
Commitment Commit, promise, agree to
Communication Communicate, tell, email, call
Conclusion Conclude, decide
Confirmation Confirm
Consideration Consider
Consultation Consult, discuss
Continuation Continues
Contribution Contribute, give, help
Decision Decide
Definition Define
Demonstration Demonstrate, show
Description Describe
Determination Determine
Development Develop, produce, make, create
Discussion Discuss
Donation Donate, give
Editing Edit
Employment Employ
Enhancement Enhance, improve, upgrade
Enrolment, re-enrolment Enrol, re-enrol
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Evaluation Evaluate
Examination Examine, check
Expectation Expect
Explanation Explain
Implementation Implement, set up, install
Implication Imply, suggest
Indication Indicate, show, prove
Inspection Inspect, check
Instruction Instruct, teach, tell
Intention Intend, mean
Introduction Introduce
Investigation Investigate, check
Leadership Lead
Mentoring Mentor, coach
Notification Notify, tell, email, call
Observation Observe, see, notice
Ownership Own
Payment Pay
Performance Perform, act, sing, do
Prioritisation Prioritise, order, rank
Progression Progress, improve
Reaction React, respond, reply
Recommendation Recommend
Reduction Reduce, cut back
Referral Refer
Refusal Refuse
Rejection Reject, deny
Relocation Relocate, move
Replacement Replace, change
Requirement Require, must
Resistance Resist
Resolution Resolve, decide, agree
Review (as a noun, “ We will produce a Review (as a verb, “We will review…”)
review.”)
Revision Revise, change, edit
Ruling Rule, decide, order
Solution Solve, fix
Statement State, say
Suggestion Suggest
Training Train
Transformation Transform, change
Translation Translate
Undertaking Undertake, do, promise
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MORE NOMINALISATIONS

A nominalisation is when a noun (a thing) is used instead of a verb (a doing word). The
result is bloated, boring, bureaucratic writing that will send your reader to sleep.

Task 1 – From nouns to verbs

Re-write the paragraph below to make it as clear and simple as possible. Change as many
nouns into many verbs as you can. Remember, there aren’t any right or wrong answers, just
do your best. My suggestion is at the end, but no peeking until you’ve done it yourself!

My appeal concerns the Board sub-committee’s decision that the offices move
from London to Birmingham. My expectation is that they will provide me with
an explanation as to their lack of a consultation with employees. I have asked
for a review and for them to take an alternative decision. I hope to receive a
communication from them within a week. If my appeal fails, a referral will be
made to the Chief Executive.
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Suggested Answer – I have underlined each of the verbs that used to be a noun. If this is
different to your answer, that’s OK. Make sure you have changed as many nouns into verbs
as you can and that you have made it as clear and simple as you can.

I have appealed against the Board sub-committee’s decision to move our

offices from London to Birmingham without consultation. I have asked them to
review their decision and to change their minds. They will give me their
answer within a week. If my appeal fails, I will refer it to the Chief Executive.
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CAN YOU SHORTEN THIS BY TWO-THIRDS?

The text on the following page is about ‘Best Value Reviews’ of local health and social services. The
subject isn’t important and you don’t need to know anything about these services (I don’t!). The
text, including the title, is just over 200 words long.

Task 1 – Shorten the existing text by two-thirds, to about 70 words

Delete any redundant words, phrases or whole sentences. Then adjust the text to make your new,
shorter sentences work.

Task 2 – Start from scratch. Re-write the text, keeping your work to about 70 words

Sometimes it’s easier to start again, especially if you have to make something a lot shorter or if the
original really isn’t very good. Read the text, understand what it is saying, make a note of the main
points and then re-write the whole piece.

Think about…

Could/ should/ must Active sentences Short, simple words

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BEST VALUE REVIEWS: MORE FLEXIBLE WORKING PRACTICES

FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF

The fundamental objective of the Best Value reviews system is to act

as an enabler so that we can both take significant steps to add value
and drive up the standards and quality of care in local authorities, and
also ensure that all resources are utilised with maximum efficiency by
all local authorities (LAs). In essence, our intention in introducing the
Best Value review concept is to significantly enhance the LAs' on-going
ability to optimise and maximise cost-benefit ratios.

The Best Value reviews are also specifically aimed at encouraging the
promotion of flexible collaborative arrangements between both
health and social services, and to enable the facilitation of the removal
of constraints from the existing systems, introducing key new
incentives to achieving joint working arrangements and dynamic co-
operative ventures between these two key areas of service. This sea
change is aimed at empowering individuals to feel increased
commitment to the mindset of on-going co-ordination which will
ultimately enable improvement of services for care clients by means
of optimal planning and co-ordination in the delivery of care services
across the interface between health and social services, targeting the
ability to achieve resource waste reduction and increased care client
satisfaction at all levels.
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SUGGESTED SOLUTION: CAN YOU SHORTEN THIS BY

TWO-THIRDS?

Task 1 – Shorten the existing text by two-thirds, to about 70 words

On the next page is my attempt to shorten the existing text. Don’t worry if you didn’t do it in
the same way I did, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. The most important thing is that
your work is clear and easy for your reader to understand.
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BEST VALUE REVIEWS: FLEXIBLE WORKING FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL

SERVICES STAFF
Best Value reviews drive up standards in local authorities and ensure that
resources are used efficiently. They also promote collaboration between health
and social services. Best Value Reviews empower people, increasing their
commitment to planning and co-ordinating care across health and social
services, reducing waste and increasing client satisfaction.

Clean version:
BEST VALUE REVIEWS: FLEXIBLE WORKING FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL
SERVICES STAFF
Best Value reviews drive up standards in local authorities and ensure that
resources are used efficiently. They also promote collaboration between health
and social services. Best Value Reviews empower people, increasing their
commitment to planning and co-ordinating care across health and social
services, reducing waste and increasing client satisfaction.
 19

SUGGESTED SOLUTION: CAN YOU CUT THIS BY TWO-

THIRDS?

Task 2 – Start from scratch. Re-write the text, keeping your work to about 70 words
Sometimes it’s better to read something, make sure you fully understand it, and re-write it
in clear, simple words. This is now 62 words long, including the title.

COORDINATION + COST-EFFECTIVENESS = BEST VALUE

Best Value Reviews encourage health and social services to work together,
helping local authorities to use resources more efficiently. The Reviews aim to
break down barriers between health and social services and provide incentives
to staff to join forces. This change to a more flexible and cooperative approach
should improve the planning and coordination of care.
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SIMPLIFYING SENTENCES

In this section we have looked at what makes a good sentence:

• short, simple words

• cutting out any unnecessary padding
• having one clear idea and only one or two clauses per sentence

Task – Simplify these sentences

Re-write the following twelve sentences. I’ve added my own suggestions at the end, but
don’t look until you’ve tried it yourself.

1. At this moment in time it is currently impossible to determine the precise cause of the
incident.

2. My father-in-law, who by profession is a lawyer, has told his daughter, my wife, that I
should take legal action.
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3. I now want to say, in as few words as possible, what the crux of my argument, the
reason I am here today, standing before you right now, is.

4. I am sure that between all of us, with so many ideas, and so many suggestions, we
should be able, between us, to discuss and agree a way forward to solve this problem.

5. The board has received a commitment from the planning committee that their report
will be published on Wednesday.

6. Our product will never fail to not work.

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7. Please inform us of your current address.

8. When do you think the general public, as a whole, will begin to feel the benefits and
improvements of an upturn in the economic performance of the economy?

9. At the end of the day, this company needs to grasp the nettle and think outside of the
box if we are to survive in an ever increasingly competitive market.

10. Hi Mike, Sue called about Mary earlier. Can you go and see her please?
 23

11. It is important that, as our market becomes more crowded and as technology becomes
more sophisticated, we do what we can to meet and exceed the demands of our
customers while also keeping costs down if we are to continue to maintain our position
in this market.

12. The Technical Specifications Officer will be your principle interface during your period of
induction.
 24

My suggestions

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, just do your best.

1. At this moment in time, it is currently impossible to determine the precise cause of the
incident.
This is quite long-winded. ‘Currently’ and ‘at this moment in time’ mean the same
thing. ‘Impossible to determine…’ sounds very bureaucratic and formal.
My suggestion:
At the moment, we do not know what happened.

2. My father-in-law, who by profession is a lawyer, has told his daughter, my wife, that I
should take legal action.
‘Who by profession is’ and ‘his daughter, my wife’ is just padding.
My suggestion:
My father-in-law, a lawyer, said I should take legal action.

3. I now want to say, in as few words as possible, what the crux of my argument, the
reason I am here today, standing before you right now, is.
Get on with it! This is the opposite of saying something ‘in as few words as possible’.
My suggestion:
My argument is…
Or, as it is a speech, and a flourish may be appropriate:
I stand here before you to say one thing…
This gets across the anticipation, but far more effectively and briefly.

4. I am sure that between all of us, with so many ideas, and so many suggestions, we
should be able, between us, to discuss and agree a way forward to solve this problem.
Again, this has lots of padding and repetition.
My suggestion:
I am sure that between us we can solve this problem.
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5. The board has received a commitment from the planning committee that their report
will be published on Wednesday.
This has unnecessary detail and includes a nominalisation. The noun ‘published’ can be
swapped for the verb, ‘publish’. Also, it will probably be clear from who is speaking or
writing that they represent the board, making the opening unnecessary.
My suggestion:
The planning committee will publish their report on Wednesday.

6. Our product will never fail to not work.

This is confusing! It contains a triple negative and actually implies that their product will
never work! I doubt they mean this.
My suggestion:
Our product will never fail.
Or, more positive:
Our product will always work.

7. Please inform us of your current address.

‘Inform us’ is quite formal, and ‘current’ is probably unnecessary.
My suggestion:
What is your address?

8. When do you think the general public, as a whole, will begin to feel the benefits and
improvements of an upturn in the economic performance of the economy?
This contains lots of padding and repitition, where different words mean the same
thing. For example, ‘the economic performance of the economy’. What other sort of
performance for an economy is there, apart from economic?
My suggestion:
When will people begin to feel the benefits of a stronger economy?
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9. At the end of the day, this company needs to grasp the nettle and think outside of the
box if we are to survive in an ever increasingly competitive market.
This is full of management speak and cliché. It’s just horrible.
My suggestion:
We need to think creatively if we are to survive in an increasingly competitive market.

10. Hi Mike, Sue called about Mary earlier. Can you go and see her please?
This is confusing. Should you go and see Sue or Mary?
My suggestion:
Hi Mike, Sue called about Mary earlier. Can you go and see Sue please?

11. It is important that, as our market becomes more crowded and as technology becomes
more sophisticated, we do what we can to meet and exceed the demands of our
customers while also keeping costs down if we are to continue to maintain our
position in this market.
This sentence is 48 words long and contains several ideas – a crowded market, meeting
customer needs, reducing costs. This sentence could be confusing and a little dull. It needs
to be more focused and split into more than one sentence.
My suggestion:
We operate in a competitive market. We need to do all we can to exceed our customer’s
demands and keep costs down if we are to succeed.

12. The Technical Specifications Officer will be your principle interface during your period
of induction.
This sounds very formal and bureaucratic. What is the Technical Specifications Officer’s
name? Why say ‘principal interface’? Are you a piece of computer hardware?
My suggestion:
Frank, the Technical Specifications Officer, will be your main point of contact during your
induction.
 27

PROOFREADING EXERCISE

This exercise will test your proofreading skills.

Task – Spot the errors

The text on the next page contains sixteen errors (excluding the ‘gibberish’). Can you spot
them?
If you’re having trouble spotting the errors, try reading it aloud. This is a powerful way to
spot ways to improve your work.
The answers are at the end, but don’t look until you’ve done the whole exercise yourself.
 28

Here is the text with errors:

For millions of years, since we were just apes in the trees, our minds have
developed to spot patterns in the chaos. This ability has been esential to the
the survival and development of the human race. It meant that we could spot
a sabre-toothed tiger or an enemy hiding in the long grass. It is why we have
such extraordinary imaginations. Its why we are afraid of the dark.
But this is not a useful when we write. This ability to ‘see’ things that are not
necessarily there can be a real problem. In fact, this ability of ours is so
powerful that we can quite happily read words that should be utter gibberish.
Look at this, according to research at Cambridge university:
“it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny
irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The
rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs
is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the
wrod as a wlohe.”
Our brain looks at the letters in the word and work out what they mean. In
other words, the word’s we read are the ones that we expect to be there, not
necessarily the words that actually are on the page. This is especially the case
when we writing the words ourselves.
When you compose something, no matter how simple or complex. Your brain
has a good idea of what you’re trying to say. Clear writing comes form clear
thinking after all. But when you read your work again to check for errors, your
brain prefers to remember what you intended to be there rather that to see
what actually is.
The best way, to get around this particular evolutionary quirk is by-pass you’re
brain altogether and use someone else’s. By asking someone else to proofread
your work you instantly get past your own knowledge of what should be there.
Their fresh perspective will give them a huge advantage in finding any mistakes
and in commenting on the quality of the work. This makes proofreading a
essential part of the editing process. Proofreading takes practise, but it’s an
important skill to have.
 29

Here is the text with the errors corrected

For millions of years, since we were

just apes in the trees, our minds
have developed to spot patterns in
the chaos. This ability has been 1. Spelling mistake. It should be
esential to the the survival and essential.
development of the human race. It 2. Repetition of the.
meant that we could spot a sabre-
toothed tiger or an enemy hiding in
the long grass. It is why we have
such extraordinary imaginations. Its 3. It should be It is or It’s.
why we are afraid of the dark.

But this is not a useful when we 4. Either delete the extra a before
write. This ability to ‘see’ things useful or add a word such as ability
that are not necessarily there can be or skill after useful.
a real problem. In fact, this ability
of ours is so powerful that we can
quite happily read words that
should be utter gibberish. Look at
this, according to research at
Cambridge university: 5. University should have a capital
letter because it is a name.
“it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the
lterets in a wrod are, the olny
irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and
lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The
rset can be a taotl mses and you can
sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs
is bucseae the huamn mnid deos
not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but
the wrod as a wlohe.”

Our brain looks at the letters in the
word and work out what they
mean.
In other words, the word’s we read
are the ones that we expect to be
there, not necessarily the words
that actually are on the page. This is
especially the case when we writing
the words ourselves.
When you compose something, no
matter how simple or complex.
Your brain has a good idea of what
you’re trying to say. Clear writing
comes form clear thinking after all.
But when you read your work again
to check for errors, your brain
prefers to remember what you
intended to be there rather that to
see what actually is.
The best way, to get around this
particular evolutionary quirk is by-
pass your brain all together and use
someone else’s. By asking someone
else to proofread you’re work you
instantly get past your own
knowledge of what should be there.
Their fresh perspective will give
them a huge advantage in finding
any mistakes and in commenting on
the quality of the work. This makes
proofreading a essential part of the
editing process. Proofreading takes
practise, but it’s an important skill to
have.
30
6. One of either brain or work must
be plural. So either ‘Our brains…
work out…’ or ‘Our brain… works
out…’
7. Plurals don’t have an apostrophe.
It should be ‘words’.
8. It should be are writing or have
written.
9. This is not a sentence. Rather
than a full-stop, it should have a
comma after complex.
10. It should be from, not form.
Spell check won’t help you with this
one!
11. It should be than, not that.
12. This comma should not be here.
13. The word ‘to’ is missing – ‘is to
by-pass…’
14. It should be your, not you’re
(your are).
15. It should be an, not a.
16. Practise (noun) should be
Practice (verb). Be suspicious of all
commonly misspelled words and
check their meaning using Word’s
‘synonyms’ function or by looking
them up in a dictionary.
 31

EDITING AND REVIEW CHECKLIST

This is a useful checklist to keep to hand when reviewing and editing your own work. You
might also find it useful to structure your comments when reviewing other people’s work.
The secret to good editing is to slow down, celebrate your mistakes and be your reader’s
best friend.

Objective testing – What did you want your document to achieve? Does it? Does it follow a
logical structure, make an emotional connection and underline the credibility of the
author? Does it lead your reader to your objectives?
Brevity – Can you write the same thing but with fewer and/or shorter words? Is the whole
piece too long or too short? Is your average sentence length between 15 and 20 words?
Clarity – Is you work written in Clear English? Are your sentences active? Does your work
make sense? Would your mum understand it? Have you used headings and sub-headings to
lead your reader through your work?
Eye-catching – Does it pass the 20 second (or 2 second) test and grab your reader’s
attention?
Due diligence – Have you checked for spelling and grammatical errors? Have you double
checked your facts?
Read aloud – Have you read your work aloud to check for errors and improvements?
Proofreading – If your document is important, have you asked someone else to proofread
it?
Hard data – Have you checked the readability of your work with a service such as
www.read-able.com or www.hemingwayapp.com?
 32

GEORGE ORWELL’S SIX RULES

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech

which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon
word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything
outright barbarous.