Chapter 3 CLASS

Chapter 3
Adapting Your
Words to Your
Readers
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material

solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or
distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied,
scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a
website, in whole or part.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives
• Explain the role of adaptation in selecting words that

communicate.
• Simplify writing by selecting familiar and short words.
• Use slang and popular clichés with caution.
• Use technical words and acronyms appropriately.
• Use concrete, specific words, with the right shades of
meaning
• Avoid misusing similar words and use idioms correctly.
• Use active verbs.
• Use words that do not discriminate.
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner.
This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 3-2
Adapt According to Your Readers
• Visualize your readers/listeners. Consider

– how they think.
– what they know.
– their education level.
• Then compose for them.
• Simpler sentence structures for those who
understand less
• More complex structures for those who understand
more
Choose Your Words
• Avoid surplus of words

• The proposed enhancement is under consideration.
• We are considering your suggestions.
• Do not unnecessarily repeat words
• You should know the basic fundamentals of writing
• The company’s share price reached a new record
high. Delete “new.” If it set a record, then the “new” is
redundant. The same for “all-time record.” If it’s a
record, the “all-time” is unnecessary.
3-4
Use Familiar, Short Words
These words communicate readily and deliver the same
meaning as an unfamiliar and relatively longer word
would.
Unfamiliar Words Familiar Words
Endeavour � Try
Initiate � Begin
Discontinue � Stop
Ascertain � Find out
Demonstrate � Show
Difficult words can definitely be used, but use it where your
audience understands it . 3-5
Avoid Jargons and Slangs
Jargons- common vocabulary used by specific
professions or groups of people within those
professions.
• Spend less on above-the-line advertising.
Slangs- TTYL, OMG, LOL, Gotta, Gal, Nigga,

Shawty, What up?
Avoid these. Use of these tend to create cross-
cultural communication problems
Use Technical Language Carefully
Every field of business has technical language.
Working/studying in these areas makes you familiar with
the language.
However, your audience will not always understand it.
Technical Language Improved Version
1.Small sample size Where the sample is less than 30
2. Cash Cow A company that generates steady
returns
3. Annuity A fixed some of annual payment
4. Aged workers Workers past the age of 65
3-7
• Use jargon, slangs, technical languages carefully.
• Using them is usually an efficient way to
communicate within the specific groups that
understand these terms.
• People with similar interests devise ways to
communicate complex ideas quickly.
• Use only when your audience understands it and
prefers it.
Prefer the Concrete to the Abstract
Concrete words are specific words, as opposed to
abstract words which are vague. Concrete words are
more exact and help the reader understand better.
Abstract Concrete
Your department will hire some .Your department will hire three new
new employees. clerks.
We will ship your order soon. We will ship your order on October 15.
Each of the branch managers will Each of the branch managers will receive a
receive a substantial pay raise. 15 percent pay raise.
This procedure requires a constant low This process requires a constant

temperature. temperature of 10 degrees centigrade. 3-9
Prefer the Active to the Passive
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs
the action. In passive voice the subject receives the
action.
At the heart of every good sentence is a strong,
precise verb, which is an active verb.
Passive Active
The man was bitten by the dog The dog bit the man.
Your report was read by the The president read your report.
president.
The profit and loss statement is The treasurer prepares the profit
prepared by the treasurer each and loss statement each month.
3-10
month.
Avoid Overuse of Camouflaged Verbs
Verbs that have been unnecessarily changed to

nouns and thus need an extra verb to complete the
phrase.
Camouflaged Verb Strong Verb
make a computation compute
provide information inform
engage in negotiation negotiate
make an observation observe
provide representation represent
3-11
Camouflaged Verbs
• Watch for words that end in -ion, -tion, -ing,

-ment, -ant,-ent, -ence, -ance, and -ency.
• These endings often change verbs into nouns
and adjectives, requiring you to add a verb to
get your point across.
Practice your skills
Not this: Adaptation to the new rules was

performed easily by the employees.
Write this: The employees adapted easily to the
new rules.
Not this: The assessor will make a
determination of the tax due.
Write this: The assessor will determine the tax
due.
Practice your skills
Not this: Verification of the identity of the

employees must be made daily.
Write this: The employees’ identity must be
verified daily.
Not this: The board of directors made a
recommendation that Mr. Ronson be assigned to
a new division.
Write this: The board of directors recommended
that Mr. Ronson be assigned to a new division.
Avoid Stereotyping Language
• Avoid words that stereotype
• Race • Age
– a hard-working Negro –Crinkly old man
(person) (elderly/veteran)
• Disability
• Sexual Orientation –deaf and dumb (person
– A lesbian athlete with special needs)
(athlete) –crippled
– A gay artist (artist) (person with special
needs)
Avoid Discriminatory Wording
• Use gender-neutral words
Discriminatory Non-Discriminatory
Dear Sir Dear Sir/Madam
businessman business executive, businessperson
policeman police officer
fireman firefighter
cameraman camera person
waiter/waitress server
3-16
Eliminate Masculine Pronouns
Sexist Nonsexist
We will reimburse any employee We will reimburse any employee
who paid his travel expenses. for travel expenses.
If a customer pays promptly, he A customer who pays promptly is
is placed on our preferred list. placed on our preferred list.
A physician should treat his A physician should treat patients
patients with respect. with respect.

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Chapter 3

© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material

• Explain the role of adaptation in selecting words that

• Visualize your readers/listeners. Consider

• Avoid surplus of words

Slangs- TTYL, OMG, LOL, Gotta, Gal, Nigga,

This procedure requires a constant low This process requires a constant

Verbs that have been unnecessarily changed to

• Watch for words that end in -ion, -tion, -ing,

Not this: Adaptation to the new rules was

Not this: Verification of the identity of the

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