Writing skills tips and techniques for better writing

Eﬀec%ve
Wri%ng

How
to
write
clear,
precise
texts

Tips
and
techniques

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Communica%ng
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London
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We
train
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speak
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write
about
their
issues,
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areas,
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and

services.

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informa%on
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You
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Texts
should
be
clear

You
need
to
understand
your
readers

Modern
business
wri%ng

Clear

Concise
Simple

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Ques%ons
to
ask
when
you
plan
your

wri%ng

1.  What
precisely
is
the
central
issue?

2.  To
what
degree
do
your
readers
understand
the
issues
and

terminology?

3.  What
ideas
that
need
to
be
expressed
and
which
can
be
leV

out?

4.  How
do
you
structure
your
text
so
that
your
readers
follow

you?

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Wri%ng
%ps

Eight
essen%al
%ps
to
more
eﬀec%ve

wri%ng

Email
us
at


for
a
free

checklist

Tip
1

Use
shorter,
simpler
words

•  Our
experts
postulate
that
the
evidence
is

conclusive
in
suppor%ng
our
asser%on.

•  Our
experts
claim
that
the
evidence
supports

our
idea.

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Postulate

pos·∙tu·∙late

[v.
pos-‐chuh-‐leyt;
n.
pos-‐chuh-‐lit,
-‐leyt]

Show
IPA

verb
(used
with
object),
pos·∙tu·∙lat·∙ed,
pos·∙tu·∙lat·∙ing.1.to
ask,
demand,
or
claim.

2.to
claim
or
assume
the
existence
or
truth
of,
especially
as
a
basis
for
reasoning
o
r
arguing.

3.to
assume
without
proof,
or
as
self-‐evident;
take
for
granted.

4.Mathema+cs,
Logic.
to
assume
as
a
postulate.

Noun

5.something
taken
as
self-‐evident
or
assumed
without
proof
as
a
basis
for
reasoning.

6.Mathema+cs,
Logic.
a
proposi%on
that
requires
no
proof,
being
self-‐
evident,
or
that
is
for
a
speciﬁcpurpose
assumed
true,
and
that
is
used
in
the
proof

of
other
proposi%ons;
axiom.

7.a
fundamental
principle.

8.a
necessary
condi%on;
prerequisite.

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Tip
2
Important
informa%on
first

•  Even
with
the
differences
of
opinions,
the

members
of
the
working
groups
agreed
to

conclude
the
nego%a%on.

•  Members
of
the
working
group
agreed
to

conclude
the
nego%a%on
despite
some

differences
in
opinion.

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Tip
3
Use
verbs
that
carry
meaning

•  Please
do
an
invoice
and
send
it
to
the
project

lead
partner.

•  Please
invoice
the
project
lead
partner.

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Verbs
are
meaning

Tip
for
business
wri%ng

Write
with
nouns
and
verbs.
Minimise
your

use
of
adjec%ves
and
adverbs
(you’re
not

wri%ng
a
novel).

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Tip
4

Use
ac%ve
sentences

•  Such
revision
procedures
should
be
achieved

at
the
shortest
possible
delay
possible
by
the

secretariat.

•  The
secretariat
should
revise
the
procedures

as
soon
as
possible.

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Tip
5

Avoid
redundant
words

•  Due
to
the
ongoing
,
not
yet
conclusive,

discussions
we
will
need
to
delay
the
decision

•  We
will
need
to
delay
the
decision
due
to

ongoing
discussions

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Redundant
or
not?

•  When
is
it
necessary
to
include
two
words

that
mean
the
same
thing?

•  “Our
processes
are
efficient
and
effec+ve”

Ques%on
-‐
Is
it
necessary
to
include
both
the

process
and
the
outcome?

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Tip
6

Avoid
star%ng
sentences
with
the
gerund

(ing
form)

•  Being
aware
of
the
president’s
nega%ve

opinion
we
have
prepared
a
statement

•  We
have
prepared
a
statement
as
we
are

aware
of
the
president’s
nega%ve
opinion

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Sentences
should
be
simple

•  Subject
+
Verb
+
Object

S
+
V
+
O

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Tip
7

Avoid
meaningless
words

•  Basically,
the
fundamental
problem
is
capacity

•  The
main
problem
is
capacity

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Adverbs
are
salt
‘n’
pepper

Write
with
verbs
and
nouns

•  Write
with
verbs
and
nouns.
The
rest
is
fluff.

•  Adverbs
modify
your
verbs
like
salt
‘n’
pepper

adds
flavour
to
your
meal.

•  If
you
cook
with
the
right
ingredients
you

don’t
need
to
add
salt
‘n’
pepper.

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Tip
8

Be
careful
with
jargon

•  This
programme
provides
funding
for

beneﬁciaries
from
third
countries

•  The
aim
is
to
mainstream
these
ideas
into

regional
policy
ini%a%ves

•  The
project
ac%ons
need
to
be
executed
by

next
month

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Recap

1.  Use
shorter
simple
words

2.  Put
important
informa%on
at
the
beginning

3.  Use
verbs
that
carry
meaning

4.  Use
ac%ve
verbs
and
sentences

5.  Avoid
redundant
words
and
phrases

6.  Avoid
star%ng
sentences
with
gerund
(ing
forms)

7.  Avoid
meaningless
phrases

8.  Be
careful
with
jargon
and
ins%tu%onal
language

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Readability

On-‐line
U%lity
tool
to
assess
the

readability
of
your
documents

This
helps
for

wri%ng
for
the

web
and
social

media
too!

On-‐line
U%lity

-‐
a
tool
to
help
you
test
readability

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On-‐line
U%lity

We
can
train
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staﬀ
to
write
well.

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On-‐line
U%lity
tool
for
readability

We
can
train
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staﬀ
to
write
well.

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Number
of
words

and
sentences
per

text

Average
number
of

words
per
sentence

Gunning
Fog
–
how

many
years
of

academy
study
you

need
to
understand

Flesch
reading
ease

100
=
easy

0
=
very
diﬃcult

Paragraphs
and
sentences

Structure
–
the
importance
of

paragraphs
and
sentences
Contact
us
at


For
details
on

wri%ng
paragraphs

Paragraphs
–
the
big
idea

•  Paragraphs
have
a
big
idea.
They
should
start

with
a
topic
sentence.

•  A
topic
sentence
helps
the
reader
understand

the
focus
of
the
paragraph.

•  A
topic
sentence
allows
reader
to
‘skim’
the

en%re
text
for
general
meaning.

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train
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Paragraph
Building

•  Begin
with
a
Topic
Sentence

•  A
paragraph
signiﬁes
a
shiV
in
focus
and
the
topic
sentence

emphasises
this.

•  You
can
put
a
topic
sentence
in
the
middle
of
a
paragraph
or

even
last,
it
is
usually
best
to
use
it
to
open
the
paragraph.

•  It
also
allows
the
reader
to
skim
the
text:
to
read
quickly
for

general
meaning
or
gist.

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Bridging
between
paragraphs

•  Each
paragraph
should
provide
transi%on
in
the
paragraph

opener.
The
reader
can
then
immediately
deduce
whether

the
new
paragraph
strengthens
a
point
made,
contrasts
with

it,
or
follows
it
in
some
way.

•  A
good
paragraph
opener
could
establish
a
connec%on
by

using
any
of
the
following:

•  Poin%ng
words
–
i.e.
words
like
this,
that,
these,
those,
which

refer
to
preceding
words.

•  Echo
links
–
words
or
phrases
which
repeat
a
previous
idea.

•  Explicit
connec%ves
–
words
which
provide
transi%ons,
e.g.

also,
further,
therefore.

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Sentences

•  Sentences
contain
one
idea

•  They
should
have
a
simple
structure

•  Subject
+
Verb
+
Object

•  Sentences
can
have
up
to
two
clauses
which

are
separated
by
a
comma

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Sentences
and
clauses

•  Defining
rela%ve
clause

An
agreement
that
encourages
a
risk
based
approach
for
regula%ons
is

paramount.

•  Non
defining
rela%ve
clause

An
agreement
that
encourages
a
risk
based
approach
for
regula%ons,

based
on
principles
of
sound
science,
risk
assessment
and
risk

management,
and
transparency
is
paramount.

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What
can
you
do
to
develop
your
wri%ng?

Use
these
8

;ps
as
a

checklist

Sleep
on
it
and

then
proofread

Use
the
on-‐line

u;lity
tool

Get
some

training!

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staﬀ
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write
well.

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us
at


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details
of
our

wri%ng
skills

courses

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stuﬀ
from
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Follow
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on
Twirer

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Follow
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Google+

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