2. 8 Writing Style “A collection of good sentences resembles a string of pearls.” ― Chinese proverb

3. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. After completing the chapter, you will be able to: Define the terms writing style and tone. Select appropriate words to convey a meaning while reflecting sensitivity to the audience. Create structured sentences to achieve variety and clarity in writing style. Develop paragraphs that convey ideas through appropriate logic, length, and use of transitions.

4. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Writing Style and Tone Writing style— way in which a writer uses language to convey an idea Standard English— word choice, sentence structure, paragraphs, and the layout or format of communication follow standard, accepted conventions used by those who speak English – used in business – do not use “texting” language Tone— impression of the overall content of the message

5. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 1.What is a writing style? 2.Describe why “texting” language is not acceptable in business writing.

6. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Choosing the Right Words Use – precise language – sensitive language Select bias-free words which are neutral, neither positive nor negative. – euphemisms words that expresses unpleasant ideas in more pleasant terms – personal pronouns such as I, me, my, you, your, he, she, it, we, they. – positive or neutral words Do not be condescending

7. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. FPO Choosing the Right Words Precise language

8. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Choice of words Negative – cannot – cheap – defective – fault – misinformed – neglect – regret – wrong Neutral/Positive – unable to – affordable/less expensive – malfunctioning – responsibility – unaware – forget – apologize – incorrect Choosing the Right Words

9. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Be aware of shades of meaning – Context is the words or paragraphs surrounding a word that can explain the meaning. – Connotation is when the real meaning of some words resides in the mind of the user or the listener, not in the word itself or in its dictionary definition. Choosing the Right Words

10. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Words can have shades of meaning throughout the world or even the country. Choosing the Right Words

11. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Four C’s—clear, concise, courteous, correct – Avoid redundancies. A redundancy is repeating a message or saying the same thing more than once. – Avoid clichés. Clichés are overused, commonplace, or trite phrases. – Avoid trendy words. Trendy words are those that may go out of fashion quickly. – Use familiar words. Choosing the Right Words

12. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Choice of words – utilize – terminate – endeavor – demonstrate – ascertain – query – initiate – procure – peruse – use – end – try – show – find out – ask – begin – get – review/read Long/UnfamiliarFamiliar Choosing the Right Words

13. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 1. Why is it good to use precise language? 2.What are bias-free words? 3.List three ways to achieve the four C’s of communication.

14. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Structuring Clear and Concise Sentences Structure sentences that are clear and concise. – Balance sentence length. – Choose active or passive voice. active voice, the subject (the noun) is doing the action He explained the policy. passive voice, the subject receives the action The policy was explained. – Write concise sentences—get to the point. – Avoid a series of short sentences as they sound choppy.

15. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Paragraphs have three main parts: – introduction or topic sentence – developmental sentences – closing or summarizing sentence Good paragraphs: – use general statements to introduce/summarize main ideas – provide specific statements that support the main idea – identify each new main idea and supporting ideas so that the reader can follow the logic of the message – break up text copy to make the communication appear more inviting to the reader Structuring Clear and Concise Sentences

16. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 1. Why should you avoid a series of short sentences? 2. In which voice is the subject doing the action? 3. What role do frills play in business writing?

17. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Paragraphs consist of introduction or topic sentence, developmental sentences, and closing or summarizing sentence Apply logic – Does the first paragraph introduce the topic? – Are the points made in a logical sequence? – Does each paragraph build on the previous one? Writing Effective Paragraphs

18. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Writing Effective Paragraphs Control paragraph length – Paragraph length will vary according to subject matter and sentence construction. – A paragraph may consist of only one sentence, although these are generally avoided. – Keep the reader in mind as you write. Generally, as with sentences, business readers want paragraphs to be short and clear.

19. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Writing Effective Paragraphs Use transitions— words, phrases, and sentences that connect ideas and clarify the relationship between sentences and paragraphs. – Transitions prepare the reader for what is coming and move the reader from one idea or set of ideas to another. – Transitional words and phrases add balance to sentence length when used to connect two short sentences.

20. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Direct approach – topic sentence is followed by descriptive details – very readable format – most often used in business writing Indirect approach – details precede the main idea of the paragraph – useful when you must give the reader bad news – allows you to present reasons before directly stating the bad news Writing Effective Paragraphs

21. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Useful transitions FPO Writing Effective Paragraphs

22. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 1. List the three parts of a paragraph. 2.When ideas are presented so they make sense to the reader, what is the writing said to be? 3.What determines paragraph length? ( continued )

23. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 4.Describe the purpose of transitions. 5.What are the two approaches that can be used to present the topic in a paragraph?

24. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Writing style refers to the way in which a writer uses language to convey an idea. Precise language adds clarity to the message. Short, simple sentences are more understandable than long, complex ones. Effective paragraphs have logical development, are short in length, and use transitions to connect ideas.