4. Let Them Eat Cake?
Many religious institutions conceive of marriage as a relationship between one man and one
woman, and they will only support and bless marriages that fit this traditional model. For example,
many churches allow their property to be used only for those events of which they approve.
Recently the United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to get
married.1 Many social conservatives worry that this ruling constitutes a threat to religious freedom,
since, they think, religious organizations should have a right to express and promote their own doctrine
regarding sexual orientation.2 As a result, law professor Mark Movsesian predicts, “There will be many
challenges to religious institutions that continue to hold to a traditional understanding of marriage—
religious adoption agencies that place children only with opposite-sex couples, religious universities that
decline to provide housing for same-sex married couples, and so on.”3 However, many other people
think that institutions supported by the government should reflect government policies regarding
discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Relatedly, many bakeries around the country, such as Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Oregon, have
refused to make wedding cakes for same-sex weddings, claiming that “their religious beliefs prohibit
them from taking part in the celebration.” The owners of Sweet Cakes have gained much financial
support on crowdfunding websites to fight the legal battles.4 “A 2007 Oregon law protects of the right of
gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
It provides an exemption for religious organizations, but the agency ruled that exemption does not apply
to private businesses who discriminate against potential customers.”5
Study Questions:
(1) If a private business owner sells a product to people knowing that they plan to use it in a ceremony
that she disapproves of, does that make her complicit in this ceremony? Why or why not?
(2) If a private business owner refuses to sell a product to people on the grounds that they plan to use it
in a ceremony that she disapproves of, is she engaging in (morally unacceptable) discrimination? Why
or why not?
(3) Is it morally acceptable for the state to permit religious organizations but not secular organizations to
discriminate against potential customers? Why or why not?
1 http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/06/opinion-analysis-marriage-now-open-to-same-sex-couples/
2 http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2015/0701/Same-sex-marriage-Will-conservative-religious-colleges-lose-tax-
exempt-status
3 https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2015/06/after-obergefell-a-first-things-symposium
4 http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/oregon-bakery-gay-wedding-sweet-cakes-by-melissa-fundraising-120153
5 http://www.foxnews.com/us/ ...
TỔNG HỢP HƠN 100 ĐỀ THI THỬ TỐT NGHIỆP THPT VẬT LÝ 2024 - TỪ CÁC TRƯỜNG, TRƯ...
4. Let Them Eat Cake Many religious institutions conc.docx
1. 4. Let Them Eat Cake?
Many religious institutions conceive of marriage as a
relationship between one man and one
woman, and they will only support and bless marriages that fit
this traditional model. For example,
many churches allow their property to be used only for those
events of which they approve.
Recently the United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex
couples have the right to get
married.1 Many social conservatives worry that this ruling
constitutes a threat to religious freedom,
since, they think, religious organizations should have a right to
express and promote their own doctrine
regarding sexual orientation.2 As a result, law professor Mark
Movsesian predicts, “There will be many
challenges to religious institutions that continue to hold to a
traditional understanding of marriage—
religious adoption agencies that place children only with
opposite-sex couples, religious universities that
decline to provide housing for same-sex married couples, and so
on.”3 However, many other people
think that institutions supported by the government should
reflect government policies regarding
discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Relatedly, many bakeries around the country, such as Sweet
Cakes by Melissa in Oregon, have
refused to make wedding cakes for same-sex weddings, claiming
that “their religious beliefs prohibit
2. them from taking part in the celebration.” The owners of Sweet
Cakes have gained much financial
support on crowdfunding websites to fight the legal battles.4 “A
2007 Oregon law protects of the right of
gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in employment,
housing, and public accommodations.
It provides an exemption for religious organizations, but the
agency ruled that exemption does not apply
to private businesses who discriminate against potential
customers.”5
Study Questions:
(1) If a private business owner sells a product to people
knowing that they plan to use it in a ceremony
that she disapproves of, does that make her complicit in this
ceremony? Why or why not?
(2) If a private business owner refuses to sell a product to
people on the grounds that they plan to use it
in a ceremony that she disapproves of, is she engaging in
(morally unacceptable) discrimination? Why
or why not?
(3) Is it morally acceptable for the state to permit religious
organizations but not secular organizations to
discriminate against potential customers? Why or why not?
5. )
ENG1131 English Handbook Language, Grammar,
Mechanics, & Formatting Fall 2017 Sinclair
Community College
ENG1131 English Handbook
Table of Contents
Editing for Grammar and Punctuation
Basic Review of Sentence Structure 3
Fixing Common Grammatical Errors 3
Fixing Common Sentence Errors 6
Punctuation Inside Sentences 7
Capitalization 9
Choosing the Right Words
Choose Words for a Purpose 10
Commonly Confused Words 12
Active Verbs 13
Revising for an Improved Message
Revising Sentences 13
Revising Paragraphs 14
Improve Your Message through Revision 14
Style of Writing 14
Basic Business Document Formats
Using MSWord to Type Documents 15
Block Letter Format 16
Modified Block Letter Format 17
Business Memo Format 18
6. Business Email Format 19
Basic Résumé Format 20
Note: This handbook is a supplement to the ENG1131 course
textbook.
ENG1131 English Handbook
There are four sections to this handbook: Editing for Grammar
and Punctuation, Choosing the Right Words, Revising for an
Improved Message, and Basic Business Document Formats.
Section One: Editing for Grammar and Punctuation
This section reviews basic sentence structure and covers
strategies for fixing common grammatical and sentence errors.
This section also reviews punctuation and special formatting.
Basic Review of Sentence Structure
A complete sentence must contain a subject—person, place, or
thing—and a verb—the action of the subject. Of course,
sentences get more complicated than just two words, but this
subject and verb structure is the foundation of all sentences.
A main clause is a complete statement.
· Your order will arrive Thursday.
· He dreaded talking to his supplier.
· I plan to enroll for summer school classes.
7. A subordinate clause hasa subject and verb but is not a complete
statement.
· If you place your order by Monday
· Because he was afraid the product would be out of stock
· Since I want to graduate next spring
A clause with one of the following words will be subordinate:
after, although, though, because, since, before, until, if, when,
whenever, while, and as.
A phrase is a group of words that do not contain both a subject
and verb.
· With our current schedule
· As a result
· After talking to my advisor
Fixing Common Grammatical Errors
This part looks at five common grammatical errors: agreement,
case, dangling modifiers, misplace modifiers, and parallel
structures.
Agreement means the subject and verbs agree when they are
both singular or both plural.
· When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more
nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
Example: She and her friends are at the fair.
· When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected
by or or nor, use a singular verb. Example: The book or the
pen is in the drawer.
· When a compound subject contains both a singular and a
plural noun or pronoun joined by or or nor, the verb should
agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
Examples: The boy or his friends run every day. His
friends or the boy runs every day.
· Doesn't is a contraction of does not and should be used only
with a singular subject. Don't is a contraction of do not and
8. should be used only with a plural subject. The exception to this
rule appears in the case of the first person and second person
pronouns I and you. With these pronouns, the contraction don't
should be used. Examples: He doesn't like it. They don't like it.
· Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject
and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun
or pronoun in the phrase. Examples: One of the boxes is open.
The team captain, as well as his players, is anxious.
· The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone,
everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and
no one are singular and require a singular verb. Examples:
Each of these hot dogs is juicy. Everybody knows Mr. Jones.
Either is correct.
· Nouns such as civics, mathematics, dollars, measles, and news
require singular verbs. Example: The news is on at six. Note:
the word dollars is a special case. When talking about an
amount of money, it requires a singular verb, but when referring
to the dollars themselves, a plural verb is required. Examples:
Five dollars is a lot of money. Dollars are often used instead of
rubles in Russia.
· Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require
plural verbs. (There are two parts to these things.) Examples:
These scissors are dull. Those trousers are made of wool.
· In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject
follows the verb. Since there is not the subject, the verb agrees
with what follows. Examples: There are many questions.
There is a question.
· Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person
but that are considered singular and take a singular verb, such
as group, team, committee, class, and family. Examples: The
team runs during practice. The committee decides how to
proceed.
· Expressions such as with, together with, including,
accompanied by, in addition to, or as well do not change the
number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is too.
Examples: The President, accompanied by his wife, is traveling
9. to India. All of the books, including yours, are in that box.
Case refers to the grammatical role a noun or pronoun plays in a
sentence. The pronoun cases are simple though. There are only
three:
1. Subjective case:pronouns used as subject are I, you, he, she,
it, one, who, we, and they.
2. Objective case:pronouns used as objects of verbs or
prepositions are me, you, him, her, it, one, whom, us, and them.
3. Possessive case:pronouns which express ownership are my,
mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, one’s, whose, our, ours,
their, and theirs.
A dangling modifier pertains to a word that is not in the
sentence. Modifiers give more information about subjects,
verbs, or objects.
· Name the appropriate or logical doer of the action as the
subject of the main clause. Example: Having arrived late for
practice, a written excuse was needed. Who arrived late? This
sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To revise,
decide who actually arrived late. The possible revision might
look like this: Having arrived late for practice, the team
captain needed a written excuse. The main clause now names
the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying
phrase (arrived late).
· Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory
clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause: Example:
Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
Who didn't know his name? This sentence says that "it" didn't
know his name. To revise, decide who was trying to introduce
him. The revision might look something like this: Because
Maria did not know his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not
modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered
"dangling."
· Combine the phrase and main clause into one. Example: To
10. improve his results, the experiment was done again. Who
wanted to improve results? This sentence says that the
experiment was trying to improve its own results. To revise,
combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence. The
revision might look something like this: He improved his results
by doing the experiment again.
Misplaced modifiers incorrectly relates to the wrong word in the
sentence. Modifiers are just what they sound like—words or
phrases that modify something else. Misplaced modifiers are
modifiers that modify something you didn't intend them to
modify. For example, the word only is a modifier that's easy to
misplace. Examples: I ate only vegetables. I only ate
vegetables.
The first sentence (I ate only vegetables) means that I ate
nothing but vegetables—no fruit, no meat, just vegetables. The
second sentence (I only ate vegetables) means that all I did with
vegetables was eat them. I didn't plant, harvest, wash, or cook
them. I only ate them.
It's easiest to get modifiers right when you keep them as close
as possible to the thing they are modifying. When you're
working with one-word modifiers, for example, they usually go
right before the word they modify.
Parallel Structure relates to items in a series or lists that must
have the same grammatical structure. Parallel structure means
using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas
have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word,
phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures
is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or
"or."· Words and Phrases with the -ing form (gerund) of words.
Examples: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and bicycling. Mary
likes to hike, to swim, and to ride a bicycle. Mary likes
to hike, swim, and ride a bicycle. (Note: You can use "to"
11. before all the verbs in a sentence or only before the first one.) ·
Do not mix forms.
Not Parallel Structure: The production manager was asked
to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed
manner.
Parallel Structure: The production manager was asked to
write his report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.· A
parallel structure that begins with clauses must keep on with
clauses. Changing to another pattern or changing the voice of
the verb (from active to passive or vice versa) will break the
parallelism.Not Parallel Example: The coach told the
players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not
eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the
game.
Parallel Example: The coach told the players that they
should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much,
and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the
game.· Lists after a colon must keep all the elements in a
list in the same form. Not Parallel Example: The dictionary can
be used to find these: word meanings, pronunciations, correct
spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.
Parallel Example: The dictionary can be used to find
these: word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings,
and irregular verbs.Proofreading strategies for correcting
parallel structures
· Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check
on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are
parallel. If not, make them parallel.
· If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see
if they are parallel.
· Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being
compared. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? For example,
is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item? Or do you
hear a rhythm being repeated? If something is breaking that
rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be
made parallel.
12. Fixing Common Sentence Errors
This part looks at four common sentence errors: comma splices,
run-on sentences, fused sentences, and sentence fragments.
Commas splices occur when a comma is used to join two
sentences. Error Example: My new job starts next month, I’ll go
on vacation before it begins. Corrected Example: My new starts
next month, so I’ll go on vacation before it begins.
To fix comma splices:
· If the ideas are closely related, use a semicolon rather than a
comma. If they aren't closely related, start a new sentence.
· Remember that you cannot use just a comma with the
following transitions: however, therefore, nevertheless, and
moreover. Instead, use a semicolon to separate the clauses or
start a new sentence.
· Add a coordinating conjunction.
· Subordinate one of the clauses.
Run-on Sentences string together too many ideas and thoughts
that become confusing to the reader.Error Example: My boss
asked about the report, but I didn’t have it done because of all
the confusion about the new hires that just started when the
restructuring took place last month in order to increase
production. Corrected Example: My boss asked about the report,
but I didn’t have it done. This was due to the restructuring last
month that brought in new hires to increase production.
To fix run-on sentences:
· Correct a short run-on sentence by adding a comma.
· Separate a long run-on sentence into two or more sentences.
· Consider subordinating one or more of the clauses.
Fused sentences join two sentences together without proper
punctuation or a conjunction. Error Example: Mike bought a
truck it is really cool. Corrected Example: Mike bought a truck,
13. and it is really cool.
To fix fused sentences:
· Insert a conjunction between the two sentences.
· Insert a semicolon between the two sentences.
· Break the fused sentence into two separate sentences.
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences or thoughts. Error
Example: After you finish lunch. Corrected Example: Finish
your lunch and then take a nap.
To fix sentence fragments:
· Add whatever parts of the sentence are missing or
· Incorporate the fragment into the sentence before it or after it.
Punctuation Inside Sentences
End marks are easy to use. Periods are used most often,
question marks are used at the end of questions, and
exclamation points end sentences that show high emotions.
Punctuation inside sentences cause writers the most trouble, but
are necessary to add meaning and tone to the writing.
· Apostrophes (') are used for contractions and to indicate
possession.Example: We can’t go to Paula's office.
· Colons (:) are used before a list or an example.
Example: Selling is simple: give customers what they want.
Give customers bread, milk, and cheese if they want them.
· Commas (,) are used to create breaks inside the sentence. This
is when two words or clauses need to be separated otherwise,
the meaning would change. Without commas, James would only
bring home two items from the example below.
Example: Tell James to get paper, folders, and diskettes.
· Dashes (—) are used to indicate a break in thought.
Example: One reason to shop at Burrell's—perhaps the best—is
our excellent customer service.
· Hyphens (-) are used to join two words that cannot be joined
as a compound word.
Example: Let's develop our problem-solving skills with this 4-
14. foot board.
· Parentheses ( ) are used to set off words, phrases, and
sentences as well as when expressing numbers as a word and
digit.
Example: Last month (January), Paul was promoted two (2)
times.
· Periods (.) are not only used to end sentences but for certain
abbreviations as well.
Example: Most sentences will end with a period, A. J.
· Semicolons (;) should only be used for separating two
complete sentences that are closely related or to separate items
in a series when commas are also in play.
Example: Sales are up significantly; last week they increased 12
percent.
Punctuation for Quoting Sources
This is a category of punctuation inside sentences that takes on
a life of its own. Quotation marks, square brackets, and ellipses
all indicate that you are dealing with someone else’s words.
· Use quotation marks ("") around
· The names of brochures, pamphlets, and magazine articles.
· Words to indicate you think the term is misleading.
· Words that you are discussing as words.
· Words or sentences you quote from someone else including
dialogue.
· Use square brackets ([ ]) to add your own additions to or
changes in quoted material.
· Use ellipses ( . . . ) to
· Indicate that one or more words have been omitted in the
middle of quoted material. You do not need ellipses at the
beginning or end of a quote.
· To imply the pace of spoken comments in advertising and
direct mail.
Special Formatting
Special formatting deals with font styles, numbers, and dates.
15. · Use italicsto
· Indicate the names of newspapers, magazines, movies, and
books.
· Emphasize words.
· Format numbers based on their purpose and/or amount.
· Spell out numbers from zero to nine.
· Use figures for numbers 10 and over in most cases.
· Use figures for amounts of money, calculations, and statistics.
· Spell out any number that appears at the beginning of a
sentence. If spelling it out is impractical, revise the sentence so
that it does not begin with a number.
· Type dates based on the corporate practice.
· In dates, use figures for the day and year. The month is
normally spelled out.
· Be sure to spell out the month in international business
communication.
· U.S. usage puts the month first, so that 1/10/04 means January
10, 2004.
· European usage puts the day first, so that 1/10/05 means 1
October 2005.
· Modern punctuation uses a comma before the year only when
you give both the month and the day of the month.
Capitalization
Capitalizing the first letter of a word indicates the word is being
used in a special way. Here are guidelines which will help you
capitalize correctly.
· Capitalize the first word of a sentence and the pronoun I in
any location. Example: The agency bought a computer, and I
learned how to use it.
· Capitalize the first word in a quotation. Example: Mr. Marsh
exclaimed, “Let’s do the best we can!”
· Capitalize the first word and all titles and nouns in the
salutation of a letter and the first word in the complimentary
close. Examples: Dear Miranda, Sincerely yours, Very truly
16. yours
· Capitalize the names of the days of the week, special days
(holidays), months of the year, historic events, and eras.
Example: Tuesday, Memorial Day, American Revolution,
Fourth of July, December, Paleozoic Era
· Capitalize the first, last, and all other important words in the
titles of written works (documents, books, journals, newspapers,
reports) and their contents (chapters, sections, articles), works
of art and music, and movies. Capitalize articles (a, an, the),
conjunctions, or prepositions only when they are the first or last
words in a title or subtitle. Examples: The Wealth of Nations A
Day at the Races, The Declaration of Independence, Whitney
Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All”
· Capitalize nouns and abbreviations referring to parts of a
written work only when the reference is followed by a number.
Examples: Book IX, Chapter 6, Section 2, Volume III
· Capitalize words referring to the Deity and a specific religion.
Examples: the Creator, Buddhism, Christian, Allah
· Capitalize the names of people and words associated with the
name (places, diseases, etc.) Examples: Joyce M. Wexler,
Hodgkin’s disease, David Ponitz Center
· Capitalize titles when used as follows:
· when immediately preceding a name. Examples: Dr. Carl
Maxwell, Miss Dorothy Mosher, Uncle Don, Sergeant Jackson,
Mr. Edward Crane, President Wilma Dorn, Grandma Judy
Seaman Hoover
· after a name in an address of typed signature. Example: Ms.
Maria Richards, Director of Personnel; Marvin J. Feldman,
Manager
· when used in the place of a person’s name. Examples: “I
understand your decision, Judge,” replied the defendant. I love
you, Grandma.
· Capitalize the specific names of the following:
· geographical sites & places: Rocky Mountains Lake Superior
Austin, Texas
· regions: the Midwest the South the Middle East
17. · organizations: the United Way American Red Cross Salvation
Army
· buildings: Union Baptist Church Empire State Building
Dunbar High School
· works of engineering: Hoover Dam Great Wall of China
Jefferson Memorial
· state abbreviations: IL OH UT CA WI MI
· Capitalize words based on nationalities or historical
background. Examples: Alaskan, Canadians, Mexican, Chinese,
New Yorker, Indian, Midwesterner, Californian
· Capitalize the name brand but not the generic product’s name.
Examples: Hostess Twinkies snacks, Lava soap, Mercedes-Benz
automobiles, Reebok tennis shoes, Wonder bread, Apple
personal computers
· Capitalize the names of specific courses (usually followed by
a number) but not those of general areas of study (except
languages). Examples: Mrs. Cramer’s record includes many
business, mathematics, and political science courses; she is now
studying Spanish and Psychology 267.
· Below is a list of some words that should NOT be capitalized.
· trees: redwood, oak, willow
· flowers: daffodil, rose, tulip
· diseases/illnesses: cancer, measles, appendicitis
· titles following a pronoun/article: my mom, our doctor, the
judge
· seasons: fall, winter, spring, summer
· directions: north on Interstate 75, rain from the west,
southerly winds
Section Two: Choosing the Right Word
When choosing words, you have a lot of options due to all the
synonyms that exist. The challenge is to decide what you want
the reader to understand or to take action. This part will cover
denotation, connotation, precise words, commonly confused
words, jargon, and active verbs.
18. Choose Words for a Purpose
Denotation is a word’s literal meaning. These words are formal
and clinical in nature and have a neutral emotional coloring.
Examples: male, female, book, house. Bypassing is when two
people define the same word differently. The word pound, for
example, denotes a unit of weight, a place where stray animals
are kept, a unit of money in the British system, and the verb
to hit. Example: If someone asks for a cola at a restaurant, the
waitress may bring a Pepsi when the customer wanted a Coke.
Connotation refers to words that contain either positive or
negative emotional. Example: A positive word for male is
“man,” and a negative word is “jerk.”
Familiar words are in almost everyone's vocabulary. These are
better choices when writing for customers, clients, and patients.
Formal and Stuffy
Short and Simple
ameliorate
improve
commence
begin
enumerate
list
finalize
finish, complete
prioritize
rank
utilize
use
viable option
choice
Short, common words sound friendlier; however, use a longer
word when
· It is the only word that expresses your meaning exactly.
· It is more familiar than a short word.
19. · Its connotations are more appropriate.
· The reader or industry prefers it.
Precise Words for ExactnessWhat do the words good, great,
nice, bad, terrible, thing, stuff, item, very, really, definitely,
extremely, wonderful, fabulous, awesome, horrible, and
excellent all have in common?
a. These words are vague.
b. These words aren't precise.
c. These words don't describe the subject fully and
accurately.
d. These words can lead to miscommunication in your
writing.
e. All of the above.
Consider the following sentences written by one writer,
unknown to us:
Mary is a very good girl. I really want to get her something nice
for her graduation.
Just what does the writer of the sentences above mean by
"something nice?" One person might think that six foot tall
plastic flamingo sculpture would look stunning in Mary's front
yard. Another friend knows she needs a watch. Would Mary be
impressed with a genuine Rolex or would a Timex work just as
well? That word "really" indicates emphasis. How badly does
the writer want this gift: enough to mortgage the house? What
exactly, does the writer mean by "very good?" Does Mary excel
at academics? Does she help little old ladies cross the street?
Does she always call her aunts and uncles on their birthdays?
How many aunts and uncles does she have, by the way? Did
someone mention they all live in Argentina?
Are you getting the point? Aim for “precision” in your writing.
From now on, one goal in all your writing is to use precise
20. words. You want to use specific words and descriptive words.
You want to use examples and illustrations.
Eliminate vague words like good, great, bad, nice, very, really,
definitely, and most of their synonyms. These words are now
what you might call, "forbidden words."
Jargon is technical or specialty words that are specific to an
industry, an area of study, or a specific group. Acceptable
Jargon is specialized terminology of a technical field. Example:
LIFO and FIFO are technical terms in
accounting; byte and baud are computer jargon; scale-
free and pickled and oiled designate specific characteristics of
steel. Also, business slang are terms that are borrowed from
technical fields but are used in a more general sense. Examples:
bottom line, blindsiding, and downsize. Unacceptable jargon is
arcane or dated language that should be avoided. Examples: as
per your request, enclosed please find, please do not hesitate.
Commonly Confused Words
Commonly Confused Words are usually words sound similar,
but they have different meanings. Some of these words sound
don’t sound alike and the meanings are confused to be the same,
but the meanings are not the same.
Accept/Except
· accept: to receive
· except: to leave out or exclude; but
· Example: I accept your proposal except for point three.
Affect/Effect
· affect: (verb) to influence or modify
· effect: (verb) to produce or cause; (noun) result
· Example. He hoped that his argument would affect his boss'
decision, but so far as he could see, it had no effect.
· Example: The tax relief effected some improvement for the
21. citizens whose incomes had been affected by inflation.
Between/Among
· between: (use with only two choices)
· among: (use with more than two choices)
· Example: This year the differences between the two candidates
for president are unusually clear.
· Example: I don't see any major differences among the
candidates for city council.
Compose/Comprise
· compose: make up, create
· comprise: consist of, be made up of, be composed of
· Example: The city council is composed of 12 members. Each
district comprises an area 50 blocks square.
Fewer/Less
· fewer: (use for objects which can be counted individually)
· less: (use for objects which can be measured but not counted
individually)
· Example: There is less sand in this bucket; there are probably
fewer grains of sand, too.
It's/Its
· it's: it is, it has
· its: belonging to it
· Example: It's clear that a company must satisfy its customers
to stay in business.
Stationary/Stationery
· stationary: not moving, fixed
· stationery: paper
· Example: During the earthquake, even the stationery was not
stationary.
To/Two/Too
· to: (preposition) function word indicating proximity, purpose,
time, etc.
· too: (adverb) also, very, excessively
· two: (adjective) the number 2
· Example: The formula is too secret to entrust to two people.
Your/You're
22. · your: belonging to you
· you're: you are
· Example: You're the top candidate for promotion in your
division.
Their/There/They're
· their: possessive (shows possession)
· there: location/place (shows location or where
something/someone is)
· they're: a contraction meaning they are
· Example: Their house is over there where they’re standing.
You can find many more examples of commonly confused words
online.
Active Verbs
Active verbs show an action such as ran, careened, smiled,
sang, etc. Active verbs are clear about the actions of the subject
and are less ambiguous. The most commonly used verbs do not
show any action, so these verbs are considered passive. These
passive verbs include is, are, was, were, be, been, being, and
am. Try to eliminate passive verbs from your writing.
Passive Example: Active Example:
Your plants will be arriving next week. Your plants
will arrive next week.
The passive example sounds tired while the active example
sounds confident, direct, and exact.
Passive Example:
We are in the process of making a really good presentation later
this week.
Active Example:
We will make a good presentation later this week.
23. Once again, the active example sounds more direct.
No one can “is” or “was” and that is what makes these verbs
passive. Strive for action verbs.
The English language includes a lot of choices.
Section Three: Revising For an Improved Message
This section deals with tips for revising your writing to improve
your message. Most of these tips will refer back to material
already covered in this handbook.
Revising Sentences
· Use strong verbs, see “action verbs.”
· Tighten your writing and be concise, see “familiar words.”
· Vary sentence length and structure.
· Use parallel structure, see “parallel structure.”
· Put your readers in your sentences. This refers to “you-
attitude” from the textbook.
Revising Paragraphs
Begin most paragraphs with topic sentences.
· The topic sentence states the main idea and provides a
"scaffold" to structure your document. Open with the main point
and then follow it with details.
· Example: The company and the IRS disagree about whether
the company is liable for back taxes. In fiscal 2002, the
company filed claims for starts with a refund of federal income
taxes of $3,199,000 and interest of $969,000 paid as a result of
an examination of the company's federal income tax returns by
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the years 1999 through
2001. It is uncertain what amount, if any, may ultimately be
recovered.
Use transitions to link ideas and to move from one paragraph to
the next.
· Transition words and sentences signal the connections between
24. ideas to the reader.
· Example: and, but, however, for example, after, moreover.
Improve Your Message through Revision
There are several techniques that will help you improve your
sentences, paragraphs, and entire document.
· Try the 3x3 writing process.
· First, brainstorm for 20 minutes then leave it and come back to
your writing in an hour or more.
· Second, begin to group ideas together for a rough draft and
outline.
· Third, revise your drafts several times, especially after a peer
reviews it.
· Read the draft aloud to someone. As you read aloud, have your
peer editor take notes about what works, what doesn't and what
is confusing to them. After reading, have your peer partner hand
you his notes so that you may revise using them.
· Ask someone else to read it to you. By doing this, you are able
to catch some of your own errors.
· Use the ruler method. Place the ruler below the first line so
that you are focused on a single line instead of the entire
document. Move the ruler down one line at a time to help you
focus.
· Use the backwards approach. Read from the end of your
document and move backwards. Start with the last sentence,
read it, correct it and then move up to the sentence above it. The
last line you will read will be the first line.
Style of Writing
Style refers to whether you are using formal language, clinical
language, friendly language, etc. In business situations, a
friendly tone is most often used. This would change if the
situation is more serious or of a legal nature. In this case,
formal words would be used.
25. It is important to use an appropriate level of formality:
· Use friendly, conversational words.
· Avoid contractions, slang, and even minor grammatical lapses,
when you write to people you don't know.
· Edit your writing to sound confident, even in uncomfortable
situations.
· Allow for some individual variation-use your own "voice."
Business vs. Academic Style
Here are some important differences between academic writing
and business writing.
Effective Business Style
Traditional Term Paper Style
Conversational; sounds like a real person talking
More formal than conversation; however, it retains a human
voice
Contractions OK
Few contractions, if any
Uses I, first- and second-person pronouns
First- and second-person pronouns kept to a minimum
Friendly
No effort to make style friendly
Personal; may refer to reader by name; refers to specific
circumstances of readers
Impersonal; may generally refer to readers but does not name
them or refer to their circumstances
Short, simple words but avoids slang
Many abstract words, scholarly, and technical terms
Short sentences and paragraphs
Sentences and paragraphs are usually long
Standard edited English
Standard edited English
Attention to the visual aspect of the document
No particular attention to the visual impact
Half-Truths About Writing
26. None of the following is necessarily true.
· Write what "sounds" good.
· Never use I.
· Use big words.
Decide what is appropriate based on audience and discourse
community.
· Analyze your audience carefully and write appropriately.
· If you want the effect produced by an impersonal style and
polysyllabic words, use them. But only use them when you want
the distancing they produce.
Section Four: Basic Business Document Formats
This section focuses on using MSWord to type documents, the
block letter format, the modified block letter format, the memo
format, the business email format, and the basic résumé format.
Using MSWord to Type Documents
Here are some tips for using MS-Word more effectively.
1. Starting a document.
a. Word always runs auto-format which will do weird things to
your spacing and indentations. You need to choose “Select All”
or use Ctrl A when you open a document for the first time.
b. Now, open the “Paragraph” box which is located in the upper
toolbar toward the center. Use the arrow in the bottom, right-
hand corner.
c. When the box opens, you need to change two areas in the
“Spacing” section.
i. Change “After” to 0 pt.
ii. Change “Line Spacing” to single if you are typing business
documents.
d. After you have made these changes, hit the “OK” button and
you are good to go.
27. 2. For business documents, you need to follow the appropriate
format of a letter, memo, or report. These documents will use a
combination of single and double spacing.
3. Fonts.
a. Font size 12 is considered the most appropriate. Do not use
any font under size 10 or use a font larger than 12.
b. Calibri is the default font because it uses the least amount of
ink.
4. Getting a consistent look.
a. If you have a variety of fonts in your paper, choose “Select
All” and once your entire paper is highlighted, choose a font
and font size. The paper will now be consistent throughout.
b. If you are have spacing and indentation issues, choose
“Select All” and change the spacing and indentation information
in the “Paragraph” section.
5. Saving documents.
a. Go to “Save as” in the Office button located in the upper left-
hand corner.
b. When the box pops up, change “Save in” to the place where
you want to save the document such as your flash drive, cloud,
or the desktop.
c. The title of the document will automatically load as the first
words typed on the document but you can change it here by
changing the “File name.”
d. Hit the save button in the lower right-hand corner. If all
went well, your document has been saved.
Block Letter Format
Block letters are the most common letters used by business
today. The set-up is easy to remember, type, and read. Here is
28. an example of a block letter that also explains how to type it.
(
5 Hill Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53700
March 15, 2005
Ms. Helen Jones
President
Jones, Jones & Jones
123 International Lane
Boston, Massachusetts 01234
Dear Ms. Jones:
Ah, business letter format-there are block formats, and indented
formats, and modified block formats . . . and who knows what
others. To simplify matters, we're demonstrating the block
format on this page, one of the two most common formats. For
authoritative advice about all the variations, we highly
recommend
The Gregg Reference Manual
, 9th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), a great reference tool
for workplace communications. There seems to be no consensus
about such fine points as whether to skip a line after your return
address and before the date: some guidelines suggest that you
do; others do not. Let's hope that your business letter succeeds
no matter which choice you make!
When you use the block form to write a business letter, all the
information is typed flush left, with one-inch margins all
around. First provide your own address, then skip a line and
provide the date, then skip one more line and provide the inside
address of the party to whom the letter is addressed. If you are
using letterhead that already provides your address, do not
retype that information; just begin with the date. For formal
letters, avoid abbreviations where possible.
Skip another line before the salutation, which should be
followed by a colon. Then write the body of your letter as
29. illustrated here, with no indentation at the beginnings of
paragraphs. Skip lines between paragraphs.
After writing the body of the letter, type the closing, followed
by a comma, leave 3 blank lines, then type your name and title
(if applicable), all flush left. Sign the letter in the blank space
above your typed name. Now doesn't that look professional?
Sincerely,
John Doe
Administrative Assistant
)
30. Modified Block Letter Format
Modified block letters are the second most common letters used
by business today. The difference here is that indents are used
for specific parts of the letter. Here is an example of a modified
block letter that also explains how to type it.
(
5 Hill Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53700
March 15, 2005
Ms. Helen Jones
President
Jones, Jones & Jones
123 International Lane
Boston, Massachusetts 01234
Dear Ms. Jones:
Ah, business letter format-there are block formats and modified
block formats and who knows what others. To simplify matters,
we're demonstrating the modified block format on this page, one
of the two most common formats. For authoritative advice about
all the variations, we highly recommend
31. The Gregg Reference Manual
, 9th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), a great reference tool
for workplace communications. There seems to be no consensus
about such fine points as whether to skip a line after your return
address and before the date: some guidelines suggest that you
do; others do not. Let's hope that your business letter succeeds
no matter which choice you make!
If you are using the modified block form, place your address at
the top, with the left edge of the address aligned with the center
of the page. Skip a line and type the date so that it lines up
underneath your address. Type the inside address and salutation
flush left; the salutation should be followed by a colon. For
formal letters, avoid abbreviations.
Skip another line before the salutation, which should be
followed by a colon. Then write the body of your letter as
illustrated here, with indentation at the beginnings of
paragraphs. Skip lines between paragraphs.
Instead of placing the closing and signature lines flush left, type
them in the center, even with the address and date above, as
illustrated here.
Sign the letter in the blank space above your typed name.
Now doesn't that look professional?
Sincerely,
John Doe
Administrative Assistant
)
32. Business Memo Format
Business memos are short documents for sending messages
inside the company or industry. The following example shows
the memo format as well as describing how it is set-up.
(
MEMO
33. August 16, 2015
TO:
ENG1131 Class
FROM:
Aaron Moyer, ENG1131 Online Coordinator
AM
SUBJECT:
A Basic Memo
This memo is to, well, explain memos. A memo came long
before email existed as a way to quickly write and send internal
messages. That is why
email adopted the same header information tags
.
Memos are meant to send direct, clear messages to colleagues
and supervisors about situations, projects, initiatives, or any
other information that needs to be quickly conveyed. Mem
os are typically shorter
than letters and do not contain addresses or a closing signature.
As you can see by the structure above, only the date, the name
of the recipient, the name of the sender, and a subject line are
needed. Notice the alignment of the specific information after
the TO/FROM/SUBJECT tags. Just use the tab key to get these
to line up. If the memo is sent as paper, the “FROM” line must
be initialed or signed by the sender.
Quite often, memos have two or three headings throughout the
text to help the reader understand the information more quickly.
Also, the memo format is perfect for bulleted or numbered lists.
That is the very basics of the memo and you will be using this
format for your next document. If you want to see more
examples, look at Module 9 in your textbook. Please let me
know if you have any questions.
)
34.
35. Business Email Format
Most email templates are set-up like a memo. But business
expects the typed area to resemble the salutation, body, and
closing of a letter. Here is an example of a basic business email.
Basic Résumé Format
Résumés come in a variety of formats. You can find templates
in Word and several examples online. The following example
uses the categories of education, work experience, computer
skills, and other skills to group your life experiences related to
work. Within these categories, you would list schools or
36. employers in chronological order with the most recent
information listed first. If you have more work experience than
education, switch those and list work first.
Your Name
Your Address
Your Phone and Email
3
Education
Date Name of School
Program
Degree
Date Name of School
Program
Degree
Work Experience
Date Name of Business & Location
Title
Description of Job Duties
Date Name of Business & Location
Title
Description of Job Duties
Date Name of Business & Location
Title
Description of Job Duties
Computer Skills
Types of computer & technical skills
37. Other Skills
Languages
Other skills—mechanical, mathematical, etc.
Other training—business skills, accounting, etc.
Other relevant jobs, projects, etc. not included
above
Sources
Locker, Kitty and Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek. Business
Communication: Building Critical Skills. 2nd ed. McGraw
Hill. 2003.
Purdue Online Writing Lab. Purdue University. 2015. Web. 8
October 2015.
The Tutoring and Learning Center. Sinclair Community
College. 2015. Web. 8 October 2015.
The Writing Center. The University of Wisconsin. 29 August
2014. Web. 8 October 2015.
