1. Revising Sentences and Paragraphs Module Sixteen Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill/Irwin

2. What is “good” style?  Use friendly, conversational words.  Avoid contractions, slang, and even minor grammatical lapses.  Edit your writing to sound confident, even in uncomfortable situations.  Allow for some individual variation 16-2

3. Different Levels of Style 16-3

4. Using the Right Tone  Business writing should be businesslike and friendly.  In the past 50 years, social distance in the United States has decreased.  Tone is the implied attitude of the speaker or writer toward what the words say. 16-4

5. What should I look for when I revise sentences?  Use active verbs most of the time.  Use verbs to carry the weight of your sentence  Tighten your writing 16-5

6. Tighten Your Writing  Eliminate words that say nothing  Use gerunds and infinitives to make sentences shorter and smoother  Combine sentences to eliminate unnecessary words  Put the meaning of your sentence into the subject and verb 16-6

7. Eliminate Repeated Words in Parallel Lists 16-7

8. Use Parallelism to Tighten Your Writing 16-8

9. What should I look for when I revise paragraphs?  Begin most paragraphs with topic sentences  Use transitions to link ideas 16-9

10. Transition Words and Phrases 16-10