4 Business Style: Sentences and Paragraphs

Introduction Effective Sentences Effective Paragraphs Proofreading

Phrases and Clauses Phrase o Contains a subject or a verb (not both) o Does not express a complete thought o Cannot stand by itself as a sentence

Phrases and Clauses, cont’d Clause o Contains a subject and a verb o Independent clauses can stand on their own as a complete sentence o Dependent clauses do not make sense by themselves

Types of Sentences Simple sentences o One independent clause  E.g., “We love to learn about grammar.” Compound sentences o Two independent clauses  E.g., “English is our favourite course, and we love to learn about grammar.”

Types of Sentences, cont’d Complex sentences o Dependent + independent clause  E.g., “When we come to class, we love to learn about grammar.” Compound-complex sentence o Dependent clause + two independent clauses  E.g., “When we come to class, we learn about writing, and we learn about grammar.”

Improving Sentence Variety and Length Vary the type of sentence (simple, compound, etc.) Vary the length of sentences Combine simple sentences if they sound choppy o Prepositional phrases o Relative clauses o Appositives

Phrasing Basic Types of Questions Closed questions Open questions Hypothetical questions

Improving Sentence Clarity Avoid broad references o Be careful with “this,” “that,” “it” Put dependent clauses at the beginning of the sentence, not the middle Limit multiple negatives

Writing with Consistency Be consistent with o number o person o verb tense o voice

Writing Balanced Sentences: Parallel Structure Deliver similar content in a similar way Use the same pattern (grammatical structure) for o lists o instructions o consecutive phrases o comparisons

Writing for Emphasis For visual emphasis use o underline, boldface, italics o large font o capital letters o boxes o colours

Writing for Emphasis, cont’d Highlight important points: o Short sentences o Tags or labels o Vertical lists o Specific word choice o Repetition

Writing for Emphasis, cont’d De-emphasize bad news o Use a subordinate clause for bad news and an independent clause for better news o Bury bad news mid-sentence or mid-paragraph

Applying Active Voice Energetic, forceful, direct States good news clearly Emphasizes the person who performs the action [actor] + [action] + [receiver] John + kicked + the football.

Applying Passive Voice Weak, indirect, tactful Softens bad news May hide the person doing the action [receiver] + [action] + [by actor] [“to be” + past participle] The football was kicked by John.

Sentence fragments Run-on sentences Comma splices Misplaced modifiers Dangling modifiers Elliptical constructions Faulty predication and mixed constructions Eliminating Grammar Errors and Awkwardness

Effective Paragraphs Things to consider: o Paragraph length o Topic sentences o Paragraph development o Paragraph coherence

Paragraph Length Single sentence Short (up to six sentences) Long (up to eight sentences) o Divide up paragraphs longer than eight sentences

Topic Sentences Give the main idea of the paragraph Usually appear at the beginning Can appear later if delivering bad news

Paragraph Development A paragraph may o describe a sequence of events o compare and contrast o analyze a topic or offer a solution o classify the parts of a whole o illustrate an idea or support a claim o define terms

Paragraph Coherence Make the paragraph “flow”: o Plan ahead o Use a logical sequence o Choose words that connect sentences

Proofreading Take a break to clear your mind Read slowly, word for word Consider reading aloud

Proofreading, cont’d When proofreading, check o Names, facts, and figures o Format o Grammar o Punctuation o Spelling