Reader Oriented Sentence and Paragraphs

We should write clear and direct sentences.

Rule: Fewer words.

P1: Make the actors the subjects of your sentences

Differentiate grammatical subject from the real actor.

Avoid:

• It is XXXX to do …

• Our expectation was to do … -> We expected to …

• passive voice: a plan was selected -> someone selected a plan

Use People as Subjects Whenever Possible

Sensences without using people as subjects are impersonal and bureaucratic.

This rule is especially useful for writing instructions.

The prescription drug card program will be eliminated effective at the end of the year.

You will begin using a new prescription drug program on Jan 1.

Generally, Use the Active Voice

The prescription drug card program will be eliminated effective at the end of the year.

We will eliminate the prescription drug card program at the end of the year.

Occasionally, Use the Passive Voice

Only when the actors are either unknown or unimportant can you use passive voice.

Samples *are gathered** every six hours except between 6:00 P.M. and 10 P.M.

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Put the Action in Verbs

This happens when the verb does not express the action: eg. conducting an investigation.

Identify Sentences in Which the Verb Does Not Express the Action

There was a discussion of the zoning orinances by the city council.

The city council discussed the zoing ordinances.

Keep the Actor and the Action Together

Readers may forget the subjects(actors) if several words separate them from the verb.

Some managers, because they have little training in human relations or insufficient managerial experience, cannot handle insubordinate employees.

Because they have little training in human relations or insufficient …, some managers cannot handle insubordinate employees.

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Emphasize the Important Information in Your Sentences

Put the Most Important Information at the End

The profits in January increased by 30 percent, For example.

For example, the profits in January increased by 30 percent.

You have not sent us your December progress report, according to our records.

According to our records, you have not mailed us your December progress report.

Put Unfamiliar Technical Terms at the End

If you put them newar the beginning, readers do not have a context for understanding the unfamiliar terms.

Fast-twitch fibers and slow-twitch fibers are the two basic types of muscle fibers.

Muscles have two types of fibers: fast twitch and slow twitch.

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Tie Your Sentences Together

Your readers probably don’t uderstand how your sentences relate to each other. We need to order your sentences to guide our readers.

Put Old Information Near the Beginning of a Sentence

Similar to ** Put Unfamiliar Technical Terms at the End**.

Use Topics to Tie Sentences Together

Each paragraph should have only one topic, which can’t be shifted over sentences in this paragraph. A paragraph may have sentences grouped in this way:

• First sentence: indroduce the topic of this paragraph.

• Second sentence: momments on that topic.

• 3rd, 4th, 5th…: Comment further on the topic.

The topics are usually the subjects in each sentence.

The topic words of each sentence in the paragraph do not have to be the same. You just should not mention some topic that would surprise the readers.

Use Transitions

Put transitions at or near the beginning of the sentence.

XXXX. XXXX, however.

Change to: XXXX. However, XXXX.

Repeat or Restate Key Words or Phrases

• Restate with Pronouns

• Restate with Summary Words