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Use your browser's Find function to look for tips that apply to your particular situation.
Tools to help you include Bull's Eye Business Writing (a self-paced workbook) and How To Improve Your Business Reading Skills (also on CD-ROM)--all from Basic Learning Systems, Inc. 888-204-3600 * See our Web site at http://www.basic-learning.com
Tip 581: Commas with omissions
Commas can be used when certain words are omitted
from a sentence. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #582: Confusing prepositions
Beside vs. besides http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #583: Dash in place of other punctuation The
em dash (so-called because it is as wide as a capital M) is often used
instead of the comma, the semicolon, the colon, and parentheses. A dash
can create a stronger emphasis on the break between words.
http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #584: Who and whoever vs. whom and whomever
Who and whoever are used when he, she, they, I, or we
can be used in their place. Examples: http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #585: Parallel structure
Parallel ideas should be expressed in parallel form,
i.e. nouns need to be paralleled by nouns, adjectives http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #586: Verbs with unnecessary adverbs In verb and adverb phrases where a verb already contains within it the meaning that is expressed by the adverb, the adverb should not be added. For example, the verb "assemble" means to put something together. Therefore, saying "assemble together" is incorrect, because the meaning of "together" is already contained within the verb. Quiz Eliminate unnecessary adverbs: 1. Please return the report back to our office. 2. You may continue on with the second phase of the test once the first one is completed. 3. Do not forget to cancel out the negative balance of the client. 4. The director will see you when she finishes up the meeting. 5. If you have any questions, please refer back to the manual. Vocabulary Word of the Week Subjugate [SAB-je-gate] (v.): to make subservient or submissive. The VP of operations seems to like to subjugate anyone who works for him. Quotation of the Week Nobody can be successful if he doesn't love his work, love his job. ---David Sarnoff Quiz Answers 1. Please return the report to our office. 2. You may continue with the second phase of the test once the first one is completed. 3. Do not forget to cancel the negative balance of the client. 4. The director will see you when she finishes the meeting. 5. If you have any questions, please refer to the manual. If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #587: Use of the diagonal The diagonal (/) has several functions in writing: 1. It is used in abbreviations and expressions of time. For example, c/o (care of); n/30 (net amount due in 30 days). 2. It is used to express alternatives. For example, he/she; and/or; input/output. 3. It is used to show that a person has two functions or a thing has two components. For example, the owner/manager; a client/server network. 4. It is used in fractions. For example, 4/5. Do not include spaces before or after the diagonal. Quiz Insert a diagonal where necessary: 1. The sales report for 08 09 has been placed in the library. 2. The new AM FM radio has improved the mood of the group. 3. Please write the introduction and or the first section of the proposal. 4. About three quarters of our sales revenues came from Paolo’s team. 5. The commercial industrial activities of this division are being closely monitored. Vocabulary Word of the Week Germane (jer-MEIN) (adj.): relevant, appropriate, fitting. Smith's production numbers are germane to his performance evaluation. Quotation of the Week About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends. ---Herbert Hoover Quiz Answers 1. The sales report for 08/09 has been placed in the library. 2. The new AM/FM radio has improved the mood of the group. 3. Please write the introduction and/or the first section of the proposal. 4. About ¾ of our sales revenues came from Paolo’s team. 5. The commercial/industrial activities of this division are being closely monitored. If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #588: Time abbreviations
The standard method for expressing time is to use
lower case letters with a period after each letter - a.m./p.m. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #589: Repetition Avoid unnecessary repetition of words or phrases, so that your writing will not sound monotonous and clumsy. To make the writing more interesting, use a variety of different sentence structures and diverse vocabulary. Quiz Revise sentences to eliminate unnecessary repetition: 1. What is the department's monthly goal? The department needs to achieve a 20% increase in productivity. 2. The speaker will be brought to the conference room. We will meet him in the conference room. 3. We purchased the black filing cabinet because Ms. Jennings liked the black filing cabinet. 4. The company submitted the company's annual report. Christmas Trivia 1. In "Frosty the Snowman," who brought Frosty back to life? 2. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what biological shortcoming made the Grinch so mean? 3. Where was I when I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus? 4. What is the biggest selling Christmas single of all time? 5. In what city did the Miracle on 34th Street take place? Find the answers below the tip answers. Vocabulary Word of the Week Scrounge (v.) [SKROUNJ]: to get something by borrowing or begging with no intention of repayment or return. Ex.: We scrounged our storage area for an old desk. Quotation of the Week Failure is success if we learn from it. --- Malcom Forbes Quiz Answers 1. What is the department's monthly goal? It needs to achieve a 20% increase in productivity. 2. The speaker will be brought to the conference room, and we will meet him there. 3. We purchased the black filing cabinet because Ms. Jennings liked it. 4. The company submitted its annual report. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Christmas trivia answers: 1. Santa Claus 2. His heart was two sizes too small. 3. On the stairs 4. "White Christmas" (written by a Jewish composer, Irving Berlin) 5. New York City If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #589: Semicolon Basic Learning Systems made a numbering mistake (easy to do). We aren't renumbering the tips, as that would lead to further confusion. Just noting here that there are two tips with the same number. A semicolon can be used to connect two clauses even if they are connected with coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor). 1. A semicolon can be used to create a stronger break between the clauses than a comma can provide. For example: Many employees admit to being dissatisfied with the current management, but no one is proposing any feasible solutions to the situation. (A semicolon should be placed after "management"). 2. A semicolon can be used to avoid a misinterpretation that may be caused by using a comma. For example: We contacted you on the 5th, the 10th, and the 13th, and the 27th is the first time we heard back from you. (A semicolon should be placed after "13th.") Please note that rewording the sentence (instead of using a semicolon) may be a better solution to the misreading. Quiz Place a semicolon where appropriate. 1. We have incurred high costs with the Benton product, but the costs we are likely to incur with the Marcy product will overshadow everything we have seen before. 2. The new building will be used by the purchasing, sales, and human resources departments, and the payroll department will stay in the old location. 3. Please submit to us all receipts, travel authorization forms, and itemized descriptions, and the travel reports should go to your immediate supervisor. Quotation of the Week A man is but a product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes. ---Mahatma Gandhi Quiz Answers 1. We have incurred high costs with the Benton product; but the costs we are likely to incur with the Marcy product will overshadow everything we have seen before. 2. The new building will be used by the purchasing, sales, and human resources departments; and the payroll department will stay in the old location. 3. Please submit to us all receipts, travel authorization forms, and itemized descriptions; and the travel reports should go to your immediate supervisor. If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #590: Welcome back letter Start the new year by writing a welcome back letter to your employees. Whether they have taken an extended holiday vacation or were gone for only one day, December puts most people in a holiday mood. A welcome back letter will send a message that it is time to refocus. Make sure, however, that you don't sound like Scrooge: "Party is over, get back to work." Instead, make it a message of excitement about the new beginning and opportunities that the year will bring. Quiz Choose which of the following sentences should be included in a welcome back letter: 1. I am glad to see everyone is refreshed and reenergized. 2. The valuable time we spent on vacations can never be recovered. 3. I don't want to hear any more discussions about the holidays. It is time to get back to work. 4. I look forward to a new and productive year. Vocabulary Word of the Week Debacle [di-BA-kel] (n.): disaster, failure. Example: The meeting with the investor was a complete debacle. Quotation of the Week The harder I work, the luckier I get. ---Samuel Goldwyn Quiz Answers 1. I am glad to see everyone is refreshed and reenergized. 4. I look forward to a new and productive year. If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Writing for Trade Publications | Active Voice | http://www.atozwriting.com
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