17

09.10

8:57

Five Questions To Ask About Your Topic Sentence

The topic sentence is a crucial component of every paragraph.  That’s why, apart from using a grammar correction software, you have to properly analyze  your topic sentences.  Here are the questions you should ask yourself.

  1. Does it focus on a single point?  Paragraphs always work best when they explore a single idea and your topic sentence should reflect that.  Pick one point and stick with it.
  2. Is it linked to the previous paragraph?  If the topic sentence creates an abrupt turn in the direction of the piece, then you’ll need to add in appropriate transitions (either on this topic sentence or the previous paragraph) to maintain the flow.
  3. Is it relevant to your main thesis?  The relevance of your topic sentence to the bigger picture in the piece should be clear to the reader.  If it isn’t, rewrite it.
  4. How well does it further your argument?  Make sure your topic sentence is interesting enough to push your argument forward.  If it doesn’t, your paper will just stall.
  5. Does it point your paragraph in the direction you want it to go?  The reader should have an idea of where your paragraph is going after reading the topic sentence.  If they won’t, then you need to incorporate that direction into it.
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15

09.10

6:35

How To Convey A Negative Message In Business Writing

Need to convey a negative message in a business setting?  Here’s how to go about it with your favorite grammar program for business writing.

Tone. For most business writing, a confident and courteous tone is advised.  You want to retain the courtesy in a negative message, while adding graciousness and sincerity.  In cases where you’re citing an individual’s faults (e.g. when you’re warning the employee about their tardiness), maintain a professional tone, but make your stance on the issue crystal clear.

Voice. When writing in the active voice, you put emphasis on the person performing the action in the sentence. For negative messages, it’s best to focus the emphasis on the action – whether you’re turning down an offer, rejecting an application or nixing a deal. That way, the recipient focuses on what’s happening rather than who made the decision.

Explanation. Always give a reason for the negative decision.  Why is an applicant being turned down?  Why is the product being taken off the shelves?  This helps the reader understand the decision process and make the impact of the negative message just a little less harsh.

Others. Forget running off a list of benefits, such as informing a rejected applicant that the rejection opens up a world of new opportunities for them.  It’s insincere and, frankly, insulting.    Just inform them of the negative message, provide an explanation and remind them that the communication lines remain open should they have further inquiries.

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03

06.10

10:56

How Sentences Become Illogical

Logical sentences aren’t difficult to produce. If you have a subject and a verb, you can construct a simple sentence that makes sense. However, sticking to such basic construction throughout your work can lead to writing that reads very poorly, so you combine sentences and vary your structures.

Sometimes, though, the results aren’t as you hoped they would be.

No logical connection. Does your sentence even make sense? Many times, we’re so invested in our work that we fail to see logical failings even when it’s staring us in the face. That’s why having a second set of eyes to read your paper (or, at the least, waiting overnight before revising) is a necessary step.

Lists that don’t belong together. Look for lists of items in your work and make sure they make logical sense. Many times, students end up including logical unequals in a haste to satisfty word count requirements.

Be careful with your metaphors. Some people are good at figures of speech; others suck. The incongruence a bad metaphor can cause between your subject and your verb can leave many readers scratching their heads.

Plain ambiguity. Sometimes, your statements are just ambiguous. Make sure there’s only one way to interpret any sentence you put together, lest risk giving people the wrong idea.

As always, a good writing assistant software can help in more ways than you probably imagine. Laden with advanced algorithms, they may not be able to catch every writing folly, but they can definitely help show you the way.

Posted by Author Name in Various / Comments Off on How Sentences Become Illogical

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