Presented by
Geoff Hudson
Microsoft Certified Professional, Cert.IV (Train
& Assess),TESOL/TEFL
Our Agenda
 Understanding Readers
 Grammar
 The Document Plan
 Document Types
 Developing Your Draft
 Reviewing Your Document
 Writing the Final Document
DO’S
 Write clearly and concisely. Business writing
should be more clear and concise than other forms
of writing.
Rarely should a piece of business writing be more
than one page, if possible.
If more than one page, it should probably include
a brief, one paragraph “Executive Summary at the
outset. Avoid excessive use of the passive voice.
 E.g “The pitcher threw the ball”…(active voice)
“The ball was thrown by the pitcher” …(passive)
DO’S
 Proof/edit your work more than once before
printing a finalized version. The finished product
should not look like your initial draft.
Remember to re-read slowly and carefully and to
use spelling and grammar checkers after editing
and before printing.
Read your printed copy before submission to make
sure that correctly spelled words are the correct
words for the sentences.
DO’s
 Pretend you are the reader with no prior
knowledge during your editing.
(Is the content understandable)
 When creating emails in a business environment
ensure proper punctuation and formalities.
 Use bulleted, or numbered, lists as effective tools
to quickly alert the reader to key points or
conclusions.
 Keep your sentences short (but not simplistic; each
sentence should still add meaning.
DO’S
 Avoid abstraction and use concrete language.
E.g. Abstract language refers to things that are intangible,
understood by the mind, not through the senses, some of which
are: truth, God, beauty, friendship, learning, poetry, war, love.
Example:
God is love.
Truth is the highest aspiration; poetry is the highest inspiration.
Concrete language identifies things identified through the
senses (touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste),concrete language
is specific.
Example:
The aroma of bacon sizzling in the pan spread through the
house.
I could hear the baby crying in the next room.
DO’S
 Sum up, or otherwise highlight, key points briefly.
Avoid repetition in the body of the work, however.
 Use commas correctly, but without creating run-
on sentences
 Pay attention to paragraph length and
structure…include only one main idea per
paragraph – included in the first sentence if
possible.
DO’S
 Use a reader-based approach (“you” rather than “I”.
Plan your communication around the recipients
questions and expectations.
 Adapt to your intended audience: level of
education, degree of formality based on your
relationship, interest and knowledge of the
subject, and organizational expectations.
DON’T’S
 Don’t write for a business audience the way you would
talk, or write an email message to a friend.
 Don’t use Courier or other inappropriate fonts. Use
Arial or Calibri or something similar. Avoid fonts
smaller than 12 points on a regular basis.
 Don’t write a rambling essay for business readers.
Writing a fictionalized novel requires a very different
technique from summarizing facts and conclusions for
your boss or colleagues. Organize your thoughts into
relatively short sections under descriptive headers.
DONT’S
 Don’t use the same adjective or verb repeatedly.
 Your document should always remain in the same
tense
 Avoid injecting your opinion. Phrases like “I think..” or
“In my opinion…” should be avoided. Save your own
musing for when they are asked for.
You can always express these later in less formal modes
of communication (possibly verbal)
 Don’t exaggerate. Again you are not writing fiction.
Exaggeration will lessen your work in the eyes of
others.
Avoid words like always, never, etc.
DONT’S
 Don’t use sexist language, out-dated expressions,
or jargon that your reader might not understand.
 Avoid if possible waiting until the last moment to
begin writing. “Sleep” on your drafts.