Grammar and

purpose
CMNS 220
Audience
• When writing in a business communication setting, always remember to
have the focus shift to the reader ("You attitude"). Focus on their desires,
attitudes, problems, circumstances, emotions, and probable reactions
• Context is also very important since the receivers will have different
filters and decoding mechanisms
• Usually, there will be a primary audience so write to that target;
however, prepare for secondary audience as well
Purpose
• Purpose is to understand why you are writing
• What is your reason for communicating? Your objectives must be clear
for you to be effective
• The scope will be a guideline for what you will discuss; it lets the reader
know what to expect and it lets you stay focused when writing
Sentence check list
• Content: did you include all the necessary information without giving too much
information?
• Organization: have you organized your document/letter using correct format
and appropriate paragraphs?
• Documentation: have you correctly and thoroughly cited?
• Style: have you used appropriate tone, word choice, style? Watch out for jargon
or acronyms if you have not introduced them.
• Mechanics: have you ensured proper spelling, punctuation, sentence structure?
Sentences
• Determine if your clauses are dependent or independent. Remember:
a dependent clause will have subordinators like conditions or time
• Four types of sentences: simple, compound, complex, compound-complex.
When writing, try to use compound and complex
sentences for sophistication while still being clear and concise
• Use proper pronoun reference and use positive tones and an active voice
• Be consistent and emphasize, or de-emphasize, important
information through various methods like mechanics and style
Paragraphs
• Ensure your paragraph has a topic sentence with
enough examples/explanations; there really is no sentence limit
• Paragraphs separate ideas and there are several purposes for a
paragraph: describe a sequence of events, compare and contrast,
evaluate causes and possible effects, analyze and offer solutions, classify,
illustrate and define
• Have unity and coherence in your work; develop your paragraphs with
proper word choice (connotation is key) and transitions
Comma ,

• Commas are needed to separate items in a list, to separate a clause within

a sentence, and to separate sections within a sentence to make it more readable
(in effect, adding a natural pause). You also need a comma to introduce or end a
piece of direct speech.
• List We saw dozens of birds: cranes, egrets, gulls, pigeons.
• Separating clauses Those weed killers may, if used on new lawns, ruin the grass.
• Readability To make porridge, pour the oats into a pot and cover with water. 
• Before/after speech "Thanks," said John. "This is generous of you," he added.
Colon :

• Colons have three main uses: to introduce a list, to introduce direct speech
or a quotation, or to separate two parts of a sentence where the first leads to
the second. In the third use, the colon is usually used when one or both parts of
that sentence are incomplete fragments that cannot stand on their own, but the
ideas are related. In some cases, a colon can be used for special effect between
two complete sentences when the second sentence offers a fuller explanation of
the first.
• List We saw dozens of birds: cranes, egrets, gulls, pigeons.
• Introducing speech Roosevelt said: "The only thing we have to fear is
fear itself."
• Links an idea in first sentence to a fuller explanation in the second 
"Many Canadians are against a carbon tax: about three out of 10 say
it's a bad thing, and most see it a temporary necessity."
Semicolon ;

• Semicolons are used to divide two sections of a sentence that

might otherwise be written as two separate sentences. The ideas in each
sentence are separate but linked. Each sentence could stand on its own, if
necessary, but the semicolon allows one idea to pivot on the other and will
usually have a dependent clause and an independent clause
• Example “The essential oil found in jasmine flowers is too delicate
to be produced by distillation; the heat tends to destroy the odour.”
 Dash — and Hyphen -

• The dash is used for dramatic effect, or as a substitute for commas, semicolons or parentheses
(brackets) when there is a break or interruption in thought.
• She left at midnight, taking the jewels with her — or so I thought.
• The word "bracket" — one of the few English punctuation words not to derive from Greek or Latin —
comes from the same German root as "brace" and "breeches" and originally referred to the kind
of bracket that holds up a bookshelf!
• The hyphen is half of a dash to keep words apart and to join them together, to spell out numbers, to
link nouns with nouns or adjectives with adjectives when used in a phrase. (don't use it with an adverb
ending in – “ly”).
• Some examples  co-op, de-ice, re-enter, shell-like, seventy-four, American-
Canadian relations, mother-in-law, jack-in-the-box.
• The architect loves corrugated iron. We have a corrugated-iron roof. The roof is reddish-brown. 
• Roofers have highly dangerous jobs. They are the third- and fourth-highest paid workers in the
construction industry.
 Apostrophe '

• An apostrophe is used to make a contraction (showing an omission of letters), to form the possessives

of nouns and to indicate certain plural forms of nouns ending in “s”. Remember, when trying
to determine whether to use its or it's, if you can substitute "it is" and if the sentence still makes sense,
then the correct word to use is it's.
• It's raining today. We don't want to go for a walk, but our dog does. The dog is wagging its tail
in anticipation, but we've put away its leash and hung up our coats.
• Tim and John share a bedroom. "The boys' room is always a mess," says their mother.
• Tim and John have their own bedrooms. Tim is the messy one. "That boy's room is a nightmare," says his
mother.
• Jack and Jill live together. Jack and Jill's condo is beautifully decorated.
• Jack and Jill live apart. Jack's and Jill's condos are beautifully decorated.
• The witness' story didn't match the facts. 
 Parallelism ||

• Parallelism is used to keep balance with phrases, or even sentences, to use the same grammatical
structure for the reader to process information easily.
• Kobe was remarkable for his dexterity, grace, and he could play any position. Kobe was remarkable
for his dexterity, grace, and versatility. [Three nouns-not two nouns and a clause.]
• Raoul's motivation to succeed in this program seems to be greater than his sister.  Raoul's motivation
to succeed in this program seems to be greater than his sister's. [Compare Raoul's motivation to his
sister's motivation-not to his sister.]
• Three of the better known Nations in Canada are: the Kwantlen, the Musqueam, and Cree.  Three of
better known Nations in Canada are: the Kwantlen, the Musqueam, and the Cree. [Use the article
"the" consistently for each noun.]
• Either you will begin to study now or risk failing the exam. You will either begin studying now or risk
failing the exam. [Either "this" or "that," not Either _clause_ or "that."] Another suggestion is "Either
begin studying now or risk failing the exam." because it is tighter and carries a greater sense of urgency.
Modifiers   ?

• A misplaced modifier is when words are not clear because they do not belong
(they are in the wrong place); move words/phrases around in the sentence for
clarification
• My colleague told me on the first day that nobody eats in the cafeteria.  On the
first day, my colleague told me that nobody eats in the cafeteria.

• A dandling modifier is when words are not clearly used in relation to one another
so there is confusion (it sounds like something is “missing” or “unclear”)
• Returning to the store, the phone was defective.  I returned the defective phone
to the store.
• Take careful notes when doing your research and learn how to paraphrase. Cite
your primary and secondary sources within your paper and list your "References"
page at the end of your work; include the following:
• Author
• Title 
• Name of the publication in which it appeared
• Publication date
• Publisher 
• Page numbers
• Website URLs, so you can state, “Retrieved from….”

Citations
• Direct quote  “Federal biologists estimate that B.C.’s resident orca population is
shrinking by 10 percent each year” (Smith, 2020, p. 10).
OR
• Smith (2020) says, “Federal biologists estimate that B.C.’s resident orca
population is shrinking by 10 percent each year” (p. 10).

• Paraphrasing  The number of resident orca whales living along the B.C. coast
has been decreasing by 10 percent annually (Smith, 2020).

Examples
• A reference is how you describe and list your sources at the end of the essay
• It consists of the elements that allow the reader to trace the book, article, film,
website or other public and accessible sources you have taken ideas or quoted
from. 
• References are listed in alphabetical order, in hanging style, on a separate page at
the end of your report. 

References
Example of a reference page 7th edition APA