Sentences and Lines per Paragraph A paragraph is a set of related sentences, indicated by indenting the first sentence or by leaving

a blank line between paragraphs. In professional writing--where time is money--writing needs to be as simple and straightforward as possible. Therefore, keep sentences short, and use the active voice. Paragraphs are most effective when they are crisp, clean, short, and to the point. Most importantly, good business paragraphs develop one idea at a time. In business letters and memos, one-sentence paragraphs are not uncommon, especially in the first and last paragraphs. In reports, one- and two-sentence paragraphs make the report seem too choppy. The number of lines in a paragraph can be used to judge proper length. Paragraphs in letters and memos are easiest to read if they do not exceed 4-5 printed lines. In reports, paragraphs of 7-9 lines are acceptable. Longer paragraphs always appear difficult and uninviting to read. Check the words per sentence in your document for conciseness. If your average sentence length is too long, try these techniques to reduce the length: (1) Check for wordiness--eliminate all unnecessary words. (2) Change passive sentences to active sentences. (3) Break long sentences into two or more sentences. (4) Use a vertical list for a series of items. Items 3 and 4 are especially useful if you have any sentences over 40 words. If your average sentence length is short, your writing may be choppy. Check to see how many sentences have fewer than 10 words and combine some of your short sentences into complex or compound sentences, as shown below. The company usually does not give semi-annual raises. However, all employees will receive a raise in June. Revision: Although the company usually does not give semi-annual raises, all employees will receive a raise in June. (complex sentence with a dependent clause) The company usually does not give semi-annual raises, but all employees will receive a raise this June. (compound sentence with two independent clauses joined by a conjunction)

Revision:

Readability Too many passive sentences should be avoided in business writing. An analysis of well-written business letters and memos reveals that about 80 percent of the verbs are active. In other words, only one out of five sentences should be passive. If your work contains more than 20 percent of passive sentences, please revise the sentences using active verbs. In general, the active voice is more effective in business communications than the passive voice for two reasons: (1) The sentences are usually more concise. (2) The writing is more interesting because the subject of the sentence is taking the action implied in the verb. Passive: The decision was made by the manager at the last moment.

Active:

The manager decided at the last moment.

Note how using the active voice makes the sentence shorter and how the subject (the manager) is doing the action (decided). With the passive voice, the sentence is longer and the subject (decision) is not doing the action (made). To make passive verbs active, ask yourself who or what did the action. Move that person or thing to the beginning of the sentence as the subject and change the verb as necessary. Also, if the subject of a passive sentence is a nominalization (sometimes called a camouflaged verb), consider using the verb form of the nominalization for the verb of your sentence. For example, in the passive sentence example, decision is a nominalization and is the subject of the sentence. In the active sentence, decided is the verb. Nominalizations are created from verbs by the following word endings: -ion, -ment, -ance, and ence. Obviously, many business words are nominalizations, such as information, depreciation, amortization, assistance, insurance, discussion, application, and liquidation. In many instances you will need to use these words; but, when you can use their verb form, do so. Even when a nominalization is not the subject of a sentence, try to revise using the verb, as shown in this example. Please let us know when we can be of assistance to you. Revision: Please let us know when we can assist you. Replacing assistance with assist makes the sentence shorter and more action-oriented. A working knowledge of passive voice is necessary when considering the tone of your message. Unless you need to use the passive, avoid it whenever you can. However, the passive is often used to improve the tone of a communication and to de-emphasize who took the action if that is not important. Poor: Better: Poor: Better: You did not complete all the items on the form. All the items on the form were not completed. (Better tone) The construction company finished the building on Wednesday. The building was finished on Wednesday. (This example is better, assuming that it is not important or it is implied who finished the work.)

II. Paragraph Guidelines

Generalization and support Each paragraph should begin with a generalization, and every sentence in the paragraph should support the generalization. You may start your generalization in either of two ways. For a standard paragraph use a topic sentence. For sections, use a heading or subheading.

Example topic sentences

The new brochures are full of major printing errors. Three causes contributed to the problem at Plant X. Example headings

Printing Errors in Brochure.

Causes of Plant X problems.

Transitions To ensure your document flows from one idea to another throughout its entirety, use appropriate transitions. This can be accomplished using traditional transitional words or phrases. The following example illustrates achieving coherence through the words "first," "second," and "third."

XYZ Company should follow these recommendations to clear up its financial crisis. First, cut back on labor, outside services, and overhead expenses. Second, do not approach shareholders for more capital. Third, renegotiate short-term liabilities with the bank.

Here are some frequently used transitions:

To signal Use transitions

Addition or amplification and, further, besides, next, moreover, in addition, again, also, too, finally, similarly, subsequently, last

Contrast but, or, nor, yet, still, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, conversely, although

Example for example, for instance, such as, thus, that is

Sequence first, second, third, next, then

Conclusion therefore, thus, then, in conclusion, consequently, as a result, accordingly, finally

Time or place at the same time, simultaneously, above, below, further on, so far, until now

Carefully consider the nature of your transition when you select one of these words or phrases. Even within category there are substantial differences in the point conveyed.

III. Sentences

Complete Sentences A complete sentence contains both a subject and a verb. Do not make the mistake of breaking sentences into two. In other words, do not use periods in the place of commas.

Write I met them in Chicago on their way home from a European vacation. Instead of I met them in Chicago. Coming home from a vacation in Europe.

Wordiness Use of extra or "flowery" words is irrational and uneconomical in business writing. You should use no more words than are necessary to convey your meaning.

Flowery The question as to whether There is no doubt but that He is a man who In a hasty manner

This is a subject that The reason why is that In spite of the fact that The fact that he had not succeeded

Concise Whether No doubt He Hastily This subject Because Though (Although) His failure

Spelling Remember to always use spell-check before printing your document, but realize that spell-check is not foolproof. You must, or have someone else, proofread the document to ensure spelling and overall accuracy. Common mistakes include typing a correctly spelled word that is not exactly what you wanted. This can cause big problems and even change the entire meaning you are trying to get across.

Grammar One common grammatical problem is that a verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject despite intervening phrases that begin with such words as together, including, plus and as well as.

"The bittersweet flavor of youth its trials, its joys, its adventures, its challenges are not soon forgotten."

Should be written "The bittersweet flavor of youth its trials, its joys, its adventures, its challenges is not soon forgotten."

Use a single verb after the each, either, everyone, everybody, neither, nobody, someone.

Everybody thinks he has a sense of humor.

Punctuation In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.

The colors used were red, white, and blue. She went to the door, opened it, and went outside.

Enclose a parenthetic expression between commas.

Johns friend, William Smith, came by to see him yesterday. The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed by time, is to travel on foot.

Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation. A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely related to the preceding clause. A colon should not separate a verb from its complement or a preposition from its object.

Your dedicated whittler requires: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back porch.

Should be written as Your dedicated whittler requires three props: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back porch.

A colon may introduce a quotation that supports or contributes to the preceding clause.

The squalor of the streets reminded him of a line from Oscar Wilde: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

Use a semicolon if two or more clauses grammatically complete a compound sentence and are not joined by a conjunction It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.

It is, of course, equally correct to write this as two sentences, replacing the semicolon with a period. If a conjunction is inserted, the proper mark is a comma.

It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark.

Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary. A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a colon, and more relaxed than parentheses.

His first thought on getting out of bed if he had any thought at all was to get back in again.

Active/Passive Voice The best way to define passive voice is to give an example and then to convert it to active voice.

Example of a sentence in passive voice: The car is washed by Fred. The same sentence in active voice: Fred washes the car.

In the first sentence, the subject ("car") is passive (that is, the car isnt doing anything). In the second sentence, the subject ("Fred") is active. Fred is doing something (washing).

Avoid passive voice as much as possible to give your writing interest and excitement.