Proper, effective paragraphs should have a structure. This gives clear, confident direction to the reader and presents a logical flow to the material. The three main components of a paragraph are the topic sentence, supporting details and a closing sentence. (i) The topic sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph. You should spend time developing three or four key topic sentences in a business letter. These can become the basis for your response or explanation to an external source. Ask yourself: What points do I want to make in this business letter? What exact messages do I … [Read more...]
Don’t do the Run-Around: Avoid Run-On Sentences
June 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Run-on sentences represent a significant problem in business writing today. The examples of improperly constructed sentences can be obvious (often referred to as “spliced” or “fused” structures) or subtle (typically involving lengthy complex-compound sentences that should be broken down). The fused sentence contains no internal punctuation, such as commas or semicolons. The splice, in which two or more sentences are joined by a comma, is another form of run-on sentence. The complex run-on sentence contains too much information and too many supporting clauses. The result is confusion for … [Read more...]
Varying Sentences for Rhythm and Effect in Your Business Writing
June 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Many writers tend to get into trouble when they rely on one type of sentence structure and length in their correspondence. This can result in a repetitive, “machine-gun” effect, such as the following example. “This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. A five word sentence is fine. But several together become monotonous. You can see the problem.” Or: “This sentence has five words, except for the clause. I like to use these sentences, particularly in business writing. I find these are effective, but only when used properly. I use this structure frequently, which explains … [Read more...]
This is Your Sentence: Use it Wisely
June 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Most business writers don’t consider sentence structure. There is an understanding that a sentence should have a subject, verb and object, but that’s about it. Yet there are many types of sentence structures; varying their style and length can lead to better writing. Sentences can be simple (one main thought), compound (two main thoughts), complex (one main thought and one subordinate thought) or compound-complex (two or more complex structures). The effective business writer should feel comfortable experimenting with different styles. Here are some examples. Simple Sentence: Kevin’s … [Read more...]
