4 Business Style: Sentences

Transcription

1 4 Business Style: Sentences Chapter 8: Persuasive Messages and Paragraphs Chapter Overview Good writers know and understand that readers develop their understanding and opinions based on how well the writer forms sentences and paragraphs and uses accurate grammar. Learning some of the simplest ideas will help you craft better sentences. For example, look at the following sentences. I like to watch movies. The multiplexes are great. I can choose from many different films. Are the sentences easy to read? Do they convey much meaning? What effect do they have? Take a look at the revision below. Using a combination of independent and dependent clauses affects the meaning. I like to watch movies and I think the multiplexes are great because I can choose from many different films. or I like to watch films, so I think the multiplexes are great. If I go to one, I can choose from many different films. Notice how the sentences flow better and are easier to read. They also seem more sophisticated than a string of very short sentences. By learning to combine ideas, you can subtly change their meaning

2 and affect the way the reader responds to your message. Using the different sentence types (simple, complex, compound, compound-complex) allows you to have variety in your writing, which will engage readers and help them understand your ideas. In addition to statements, different kinds of questions also add variety. Parallelism balancing the elements of a sentence by arranging them in the same format also makes your writing clear and grammatically accurate. Using the active voice instead of the passive voice makes sentences more direct, concise, and energetic. Generally, you should use active voice unless you need the passive voice for a specific purpose. When you are writing, you can emphasize or de-emphasize information by placing it in strategic way within a sentence or paragraph. If you place the information at the beginning or end, you highlight it. If it is in the middle, you de-emphasize it. Short sentences emphasize ideas; if you want to downplay an idea, embed it in a longer message. Readers easily spot grammar errors in sentence construction, which affects the way the readers view the message. For example, learn where to place punctuation, such as commas and periods. You need to remember that commas can not be used to connect two complete thoughts (independent clauses) this error is called a comma splice. Learning to recognize fragments (incomplete thoughts) and run-ons (complete thoughts joined without punctuation) is also important. Modifiers also need to be placed properly. While some misplaced modifiers are commonly seen and easily understood (such as I ll have a hot cup of coffee instead of a cup of hot coffee ), others are confusing and can also be misleading. Study this section of the text carefully for examples. Keep paragraphs relatively short so your document appears more accessible. You need to develop one main idea per paragraph, and it is often effective to open with a topic sentence that introduces the paragraph s overall idea. Transitional words or phrases connect sentences so they flow smoothly. Finally, before you send the document, proofread! Check spelling and grammar, names and dates, titles, and accuracy of figures. Errors may be costly, so check more than once. Learning Objectives In this chapter, you will learn to 1. recognize the building blocks and the basic types of sentences; 2. improve sentence variety by matching sentence style and length to purpose; 3. phrase basic types of questions effectively; 4. improve sentence clarity; 5. use parallelism to write with consistency and impact; 6. emphasize important facts and ideas; minimize less important ones; 7. distinguish between active and passive voice; 8. eliminate sentence errors that impair clarity and unity: sentence fragments, run-on sentences, misplaced and dangling modifiers, mixed constructions; 9. develop logical, coherent, and focused paragraphs; 10. apply strategies for proofreading different kinds of messages.

3 Key Concepts appositive a word or group of words that renames a preceding noun. (p. 104) clause a group of related words containing a subject and a complete verb; a clause can be either independent (delivers full meaning) or dependent (does not deliver full meaning (p. 101) closed question a question with a limited number of possible responses. (p. 101) coherence the logical and semantic links between sentences. (p. 104) comma splice the error of connecting two independent clauses with a comma. (p. 113) complex sentence a sentence containing one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. (p. 102) compound-complex sentence a sentence containing one dependent clause and two or more independent clauses. (p. 102) compound sentence a sentence containing two or more independent clauses joined by one or more coordinating conjunctions. (p. 102) dangling modifier a phrase that does not clearly apply to another word in a sentence. (p. 114) declarative sentence a sentence that makes a statement. (p. 104) dependent clause (or subordinate clause) a clause that cannot function on its own as an independent grammatical unit. (p. 101) elliptical construction a sentence structure that deliberately omits words that can be inferred from the context. (p. 114) emphasis in writing, the practice of making facts and ideas stand out from surrounding text. (p. 107) faulty predication an error involving the illogical combination of subject and verb. (p. 114) format a term for the parts of the document and the way they are arranged on a page. (p. 120) fused sentence two or more independent clauses erroneously run together without the use of required punctuation or coordinating conjunctions. (p. 112) hypothetical question a question that poses a supposition. (p. 105) independent clause a clause that functions on its own as an independent grammatical unit. (p. 101) misplaced modifier an incorrectly placed descriptive word or phrase that attaches its meaning illogically to another word in a sentence. (p. 113) mixed construction the error of pairing mismatched grammatical structures in the same sentence, resulting in unclear or illogical meaning. (p. 115) modifier a word or group of words that describes or gives information about another word in a sentence. (p. 113) number a term that refers to whether a word is singular (one) or plural (more than one). (p. 106)

4 open question a question with an unlimited number of possible responses. (p. 104) paragraph a group of sentences that develops one main idea. (p. 116) parallelism the use of the same grammatical forms or matching sentence structures to express equivalent ideas. (p. 106) person a term that describes who or what is performing or experiencing an action in terms of the noun or pronoun that is used: first person (I, we), second person (you), and third person (he, she, it, they). (p. 106) phrase a group of words containing a subject or verb, which cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence. (p. 100) prepositional phrase a phrase beginning with a preposition that sets out a relationship in time or space. (p. 103) pronoun reference the relationship between a pronoun and the antecedent to which it refers. (p. 105) proofreading a process of checking the final copy of a document for errors and inconsistencies. (p. 120) sentence fragment a portion of a sentence that is punctuated like a complete sentence but does not deliver full meaning. (p. 112) shouting the largely unacceptable practice of typing a message in uppercase letters. (p. 108) simple sentence a sentence containing one main or independent clause. (p. 101) subject word or group of words in a phrase, clause, or sentence that acts or is acted upon. (p. 100) transitional expressions words and phrases that show logical, temporal, and spatial relationships and connect ideas to create coherence. (p. 118) topic sentence a sentence that summarizes the main idea in a paragraph. (p. 117) verb the word or group of words in a phrase, clause, or sentence that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. (p. 100) verb tense the form of a verb that shows time (past, present, or future). (p. 106) Review Questions For sample answers, see below. 1. What are three ways to improve sentence variety and length? 2. Which of the following sentences is written in parallel form? a) We have ordered nails, packing tape, and we got paper. b) We ordered nails, we got packing tape, and paper. c) We ordered nails, packing tape, and paper.

5 3. What are some ways that you can emphasize points in a written message? 4. When is it appropriate to use active voice? When is it appropriate to use passive voice? 5. How can the following sentence be corrected? He ran in the marathon. Despite the fact that he had an injured knee. 6. What is wrong with the following sentence? The cat sat beside me drinking coffee. 7. What are three potential problems to watch for when proofreading?

6 Review Questions: Answers 1. Three strategies help improve sentence variety and length: vary the rhythm by alternating short and long sentences, turn a clause into a prepositional phrase, convert a sentence defining or describing something into a phrase or clause. (pp ) 2. Sentence (c) (We ordered nails, packing tape, and paper) is written in parallel form. (pp ) 3. Some ways of emphasizing points in a written message are to: (pp ) a) use eye-catching mechanical devices; b) use punctuation; c) use formatting; and d) use style, such as short, emphatic sentences. 4. Situations where active voice is appropriate: to state good and neutral news clearly and directly or to emphasize the doer of an action. Situations where passive voice is appropriate: to conceal the doer of an action when that information is unimportant, unknown, or harmful; to deemphasize negative news; to show tact and sensitivity; to reduce intrusive first-person pronouns; and to maintain consistency or avoid awkward shifts in focus. (pp ) 5. The sentence He ran in the marathon. Despite the fact that he had an injured knee can be corrected by linking the fragment to the sentence: He ran in the marathon despite the fact he had an injured knee. (p. 112) 6. The sentence The cat sat beside me drinking coffee has a modifier error, making it sound as though the cat were drinking the coffee. (pp ) 7. You should check for a number of problems when proofreading: accuracy of names, facts, and figures; appropriateness of format; correctness of grammar, spelling, and punctuation (p. 120)