Business communication building critical skill 3rd by locker module 16

PPT
PPT

Module
Module 16
16
Revising
RevisingSentences
Sentences
and
andParagraphs
Paragraphs

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

©2007, The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights


16-2

Revising
Revising Sentences
Sentences and
and
Paragraphs
Paragraphs
 To learn how to
 Build a forceful style.
 Choose between active and passive
voice.
 Make your writing tight and concise.

 Vary sentence patterns.
 Use the right tone.


16-3

Revising
Revising Sentences
Sentences
and
and Paragraphs
Paragraphs
Start by answering these questions:
 What’s “good” style?
 Are there rules I should follow?
 What should I look for when I revise
sentences?
 What should I look for when I revise
paragraphs?
 How does organizational culture
affect style?


16-4

To
To Create
Create Good
Good Style
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
—use your own “voice.”


16-5

Half
Half Truths
Truths About
About Style
Style

 None of the following is
necessarily true—decide what
is appropriate based on
audience and discourse
community:
 Write what “sounds” good.
 Never use I.
 Use big words.


16-6

To
To Improve
Improve Style
Style
 Get a clean page or screen.
 Try WIRMI (What I really mean is)
 Read the draft aloud to someone.
 Ask someone else to read it to you.
 Read widely and a lot.
 Use the techniques on the next
slide.


16-7

To
To Revise
Revise Sentences
Sentences
 Use active verbs most of the time.
 Use strong verbs.
 Tighten your writing.
 Vary sentence length and
structure.
 Use parallel structure.
 Put your readers in your
sentences.

16-8

To
To Revise
Revise Paragraphs
Paragraphs

 Begin most paragraphs
with topic sentences.
 Use transitions to link
ideas.
 e.g., and, but, however, for
example, after, moreover.


16-9

To
To Deal
Deal with
with Poor
Poor Style
Style at
at Work
Work
 Use the techniques in this module.
 Help your boss (or co-worker) learn
about writing.
 Recognize that style may serve
purposes other than

communication.
 Ask if people truly like the standard.