§ Writers adhere to the rules of conventional

grammar and mechanics.

§ Technical writers essentially proofread and edit the
document for detecting and correcting errors in
graphics, typography and layout.
ACRONYMNS: Which of the 2 examples is correct?
(UE) University of the East A) 02/14/2022
(CAS) College of Arts and Sciences B) Feb. 14, 2022
Correct: College of Business Administration (CBA) Correct: February 14, 2022
ABBREVIATIONS: CONTRACTIONS:
Dept. = Department I’ve = I have
Oct. = October Didn’t = Did not
She’ll = She will
You need to review the:
§ SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULES
§ TENSES OF VERBS:
§ 1) Simple tense
§ 2) Perfect tense
§ 3) Progressive tense/ Continuous tense
§ 4) Perfect Progressive tense
§ Etc.
 The proper arrangement and organization

The correct order of modifiers

The use of transitional devices or connectives

 MISPLACED MODIFIER
It is a word, phrase or clause that does not clearly
relate to what it is intended to modify.

Example : Running quickly improves your health

We will not sell paraffin to anyone in glass bottles.
A squinting modifier is a modifier which could
feasibly modify the words before it or the words after it.
EXAMPLE: COHERENT:

Cycling up hills quickly Cycling up hills strengthens your

strengthens your quadriceps.
Taking a moment to think
clearly improves your chances.
quadriceps quickly.
Taking a moment . to think clearly
about the issue improves your
chances.
DANGLING MODIFIER
It is a modifier that has nothing to modify. It is an error
caused by failing to use the word that the modifier is
meant to be describing.

Example: Coherent:

PARTICIPLE Walking down the street, the While we were walking

PHRASE car stopped. down the street, the car
stopped.

GERUND By exercising everyday, your By exercising everyday,

PHRASE health will improve. you will improve your
health.

ELLIPTICAL When nineteen years old, When I was nineteen

CLAUSE my father died. years old, my father
died.
 Avoiding a split infinitive can sound
clumsy and it can also change the
emphasis of what is being said.
Example:

You really have to ‘It’s important that you

watch him. watch him’

You have to really ‘You have to watch him very

watch him. closely’
 What is Conciseness?
Ø Conciseness means brevity and completeness.

Ø Concise writing does not always have the fewest words, but it always uses
the strongest ones
Examples:
Poor: Even uneducated citizens who have never attended school are
allowed to vote for elections.
Revised: Even uneducated citizens are allowed to vote for elections.
Poor: I received a free gift from my friend.

Revised: I received a gift from my friend.

Avoid Redundancy
More Examples:
Redundant The Lean Version
12 midnight midnight
12 noon noon
3 am in the morning 3 am
biography of her life biography
circle around circle
close proximity proximity
cooperate together cooperate
revert back revert
new innovations innovations
personal opinion opinion
red in color red
summarize briefly summarize
Avoid Unnecessary Passive Voice
Examples:
Passive: The wedding date was announced by the couple.
Active: The couple announced their wedding date.

Passive: His resignation letter was accepted by the Board of

Trustees.
Active: The Board of Trustees accepted his resignation letter.
Avoid Expletive Constructions
Examples:

Poor: There are more than 30 people living in this apartment

building.
Revised: More than 30 people live in this apartment building.

Poor: In my opinion, the best thing that they can do is to move

on.
Revised: The best thing they can do is to move on.
Reduce Clauses To Phrases, Phrases To
Single Words
More Examples:
Wordy Phrase Concise Phrases
adequate number of enough
as a matter of fact in fact
at the present time now
by means of by
due to the fact that because
for the purpose of for
in a timely manner on time
in spite of the fact that despite
over the duration of during
take into consideration Consider
until such time as until
 How to make your sentences
concise?

üEliminate Clichés and Euphemisms

Clichés- is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has
been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially
when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel.
Writers who indulge in tired language are not being respectful to their
readers, and writers return the compliment by losing attention and going on
to something else.
§It refers to being more specific,
definite, and vivid rather than general
and vague.
§uses specific facts and figures
§lies not only in cutting deadwood but also
replacing them with more effective and
precise words
 EXAMPLE 1
§General: Interest rates have been slightly
reduced.
›Specific: The interest rates fell from 9% to
7.5%.
§ General:Your store delivered the wrong color for
the item I ordered last week.
§ Specific:
I ordered a brown watch from your store last
September 8 but I received a yellow one.
 EXAMPLE 1
§ Exaggerated:
Ms. Kelsey Merritt’s work performance
rating terribly fell last month.

›Precise/Concrete:
Ms. Kelsey Merritt’s performance
average fell from 92% to 89%.
§ Active Voice
John saw Eric yesterday.
§ Passive Voice
John was seen by Eric yesterday (WRONG)
Eric was seen by John yesterday. (CORRECT)

Once you have begun to use the active voice in a sentence,

do not shift to the passive voice, and vice versa.
§ INCONSISTENT: We called a taxi, and the hotel was reached.
(simple past tense)

§ Active Voice
Passive voice

Consistent: Both Active Voice:

We called a taxi, and reached the hotel. (Take note that
“we” is silent in the sentence to avoid redundancy)

Consistent: Both Passive Voice:

A taxi was called by us, and the hotel was reached.