By Mary Morel | June 2015 Writing standards for clear communication Dana Skopal, PhD, wrote a blog for my Write to Govern website recently, but what she says applies to all writing. Here’s an excerpt from the blog: ‘Many people would view writing as putting sentences together and using correct grammar and punctuation. Sentences, grammar […]
I wrote a blog in defence of the passive voice because it gets so much bad press. In this blog I want to redress the balance and acknowledge the virtues of the active voice. In case you didn’t read the previous blog, let’s define the active and passive voice. The distinction is based on a […]
By Mary Morel | May 2015 Windows is shutting down By Clive James Windows is shutting down, and grammar are On their last leg. So what am we to do? A letter of complaint go just so far, Proving the only one in step are you. Better, perhaps, to simply let it goes. A sentence […]
The passive voice has a place in business writing Most of us have probably been told at some point in our business writing career ‘to avoid the passive voice’. The reason given is that it is often wordier and clumsier than the active voice, which is more direct and lively. Also, many people think that […]
-able and -ible spelling rule Given that there are 26 letters in the alphabet and more than 40 sounds in the English language, it’s amazing that any of us learn to spell. I consider myself a reasonable speller, but there are a few words, such as ‘accommodation’ and ‘apartment’, that trip me up. Thank goodness […]
By Mary Morel | April 2015 Online course offer Just a reminder that the 25{59910f22c4b8b7fb83f8b3fd8107c48ae8d88d19cbd345b9801bf252f54d31e2} discount with the coupon 25offapril is available until the end of the month. This offer is to celebrate relaunching the website. You enter this coupon when you reach the cart. Numbering conventions in business writing The terms ‘numbers’ and ‘numerals’ […]
The terms ‘numbers’ and ‘numerals’ are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between these words. A number is a concept and a numeral expresses that concept in writing. For example, the number five is a concept and you can express it in different ways. For instance, you could hold up five fingers, say […]
By Mary Morel | March 2017 Online Writing Training relaunch offer To celebrate the relaunch of my online writing training website, I’m offering you 25{59910f22c4b8b7fb83f8b3fd8107c48ae8d88d19cbd345b9801bf252f54d31e2} off all my online courses from today until the end of April with the promo code 25offapril. (This offer does not include the Business Grammar class, which is booked out.) […]
In US English, full stops go inside quotation marks Use of quotation marks We use quotation marks to indicate: Written or spoken speech ‘You’re looking well,’ she said. Titles of reports, articles and poems I read an article ‘Where Boards Fall Short’ in the Harvard Business Review. Words we wish to emphasise Did you know […]
Overloaded sentences are difficult to read Length is often blamed for sentences going awry, but the problem is more complex than that because a long sentence sometimes works. Take Mark Twain’s beautiful example: ‘At times he may indulge himself with a long one [sentence], but he will make sure there are no folds in it, […]