Writing Tip of Month
Thanks to SBA Faculty member, Moe Lage

1. Challenge "to be" verbs. Challenge every appearance of am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, and every other form of the to be infinitive. Sometimes a to be verb best suits the need of the sentence--but often you can find a stronger, more evocative verb.

2. Use Active Voice. In active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action. In passive voice, the subject receives the action. Passive Voice is grammatically correct--and it is the right choice when the action is more important than the actions doer (EX: She was fired). But passive voice can seem timid, and it requires a to be verb. In contrast, active voice is confident and concise.

3. Challenge Modifiers. Modifiers (adjectives and verbs) can strengthen a sentence by sharpening your meaning.

4.Challenge long words. If a long word or phrase is the best choice, use it. Other wise, use a shorter option.

5. Challenge prepositional phrases. Avoid a string of prepositional phrases.

6. Challenge long sentences. How long should a sentence be? Long enough to make its point clearly and grancefully--no longer. Watch for sentences that are more than 25 words; realize that some good sentences may exceed that length. As previously mentioned, eliminate to be verbs and tighten prepositional phrases when possible.

7. Avoid overused expressions."Bizspeak" expressions such as "It has come to my attention" and "I regret to inform you" are so common that they sound insincere. Also clichés such as "He's a fish out of water" are so common that they don't create the engaging image they once did.

8. Avoid placing important words or phrases in the middle. The beginning of a sentence breaks a silence and calls attention to itself. The last words of a sentence echo into a brief silence and gain emphasis. The middle of the sentence generally draws the least attention.

9. Keep the focus on the reader. tell readers what they want to know--not just what you want to them to know. Keep the focus oh how they benefits from reading your document.

10. Read your sentences aloud. Or at least whisper them quietly to yourself. It is the surest way to check for effective sentence rhythm.

Past "Tips of the Month" texts:

• Avoid redundant words and phrases by Faydra Womble.
• Use semi-colons appropriately by Pegeen Riechert Powell.
• Avoiding Affectation by Lisa-Mahle-Grisez.
• Use "hopefully" correctly by Kate Ronald.