Tips for Improving Your Writing
Signature School
August 2004
Use active voice instead of passive
• Active: John threw the ball.
• Passive: The ball was thrown by John.
Keep items in a series parallel
• Parallel: She enjoys reading, skating,
watching television.
• Not-Parallel: He likes reading, skating,
and to watch television.
Avoid run-on sentences
• ROS-- Bob was always on time his sister
was always late.
• Repaired – Bob was always on time, but
his sister was always late.
– OR Bob was always on time; his sister was
always late.
– OR Unlike his sister who was always late, Bob
was always on time.
– OR Bob was always on time. His sister was
always late.
Avoid comma splices
• C-S – Jane wanted to tell her mother
about the accident, her mother was not at
home.
• Repaired – Jane wanted to tell her mother
about the accident, but her mother was not
at home.
– OR Jane wanted to tell her mother about the
accident; her mother was not at home.
Watch pronoun agreement
• Indefinite pronouns
– Some are always singular: another, anybody,
someone, everyone, each, either. . .
– Some are always plural: Few, both, several,
all. . .
– Some can be either: all, any, more, most,
none, some
Example
• Indefinite pronouns must agree in number
with their verbs and personal pronouns:
– Each of the members has one vote.
– One of the girls gave up her seat.
– NEVER – One of the girls gave up their seat.
Gender-Sensitive Case
• If you need to use a personal pronoun to
refer to an indefinite pronoun, it must
agree with the indefinite pronoun. In
Standard English, the possessive pronoun
his is usually used.
– Is everyone happy with his gift?
– NEVER – Is everyone happy with their gift?
Gender-Sensitive Case
• If you prefer not to use the masculine
pronoun, you may use two possessive
pronouns:
– Is everyone happy with his or her gift?
– NEVER – Is everyone happy with their gift?
• You may also rewrite the sentence to use
a plural personal pronoun:
– Are all the people happy with their gifts?