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Active Verbs Inspire Action

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by Barbara McNichol

Do you know the difference between an “active” voice and a “passive” voice? Do you know when—and how—to use active verbs and passive verbs to get your message across?

Should you even care?

Yes. Because choosing the right voice changes your message. Don’t let a poor choice trip you up!

Here’s an explanation of the difference between the two voices and why you should pay attention.

How will I recognize active verbs?

These sentences feature active verbs:

  • Joanna manages the human resources department.
  • Spencer purchases all the office supplies.
  • Erik generates $1 million in annual revenue.

Read the same sentences using passive verbs:

  • The human resources department is being managed by Joanna.
  • All the office supplies are being purchased by Spencer.
  • $1 million in annual revenue is being generated by Erik.

The first group of sentences follows a Subject + Verb + Object structure. The second set gets the same message across but in more words. Yet, it lacks clarity and precision.

Why should I choose active instead of passive verbs?

Consider these three reasons:

  1. Active verbs declare who or what is—or should be—performing the action. You avoid confusion, guesswork, and dodging responsibility. (More on this point to follow.)
  2. Active verbs make your writing flow better. In business writing especially, your colleagues and clients demand you get to the point quickly.
  3. Active verbs eliminate the need for extra words, which requires striving to “whack wordiness” in your writing.

When should I use a passive voice?

If you can’t identify the “doer” of the action—the subject—the sentence has probably been constructed in the passive voice.

Even when the subject is clear, though, two clues help you identify “passive” sentences:

  • The word “by”
  • Variations of the verb “to be”

Use of a passive voice often leads to weasel-like language and can undermine your credibility in business communication. Your readers might think you’re avoiding taking responsibility for an aspect of your company’s service. This could set them on edge.

However, a passive voice can be useful when you require ambiguity. For example:

  • Refunds will not be issued.
  • Email inquiries will be answered in two business days.
  • Votes will be tallied at the end of each session.

Read the same sentences with an active voice:

  • The accounting department will not issue refunds.
  • Jackson is responsible for answering email inquiries in two business days.
  • The nomination committee will tally votes at the end of each session.

Using passive voice can be appropriate when you honestly don’t know the identity of the subject. For example:

  • The bank was robbed this afternoon.
  • Your product will be delivered tomorrow.
  • A ten-thousand-dollar donation was made at the fundraiser.

As details become available, though, you can rewrite the sentences in active voice:

  • A former employee, Robert Smith, robbed the bank this afternoon.
  • Helen will deliver your product tomorrow.
  • The Watson family made a ten-thousand-dollar donation at the fundraiser.

Using active verbs gets others to act.

Readers who understand who is doing the action, where, when, and why, without having to filter through extra words will likely join your cause. This applies to a discussion, a marketing campaign, or even a job application.

Consider these examples:

Passive: Public meetings are being held by the engineering team to discuss the merits of our building proposal.

  • Active: The public is invited to meetings with the engineering team to discuss our building proposal.
  • Passive: Feedback will be encouraged when our engineering team provides their update to the community.
  • Active: The community is encouraged to provide feedback to the engineering team.
  • Passive: Repairs are being done on the faulty security software by our IT department.
  • Active: The IT department is repairing the faulty security software.

Now it’s your turn. (It’s okay to make up a subject here. Write your answer in the Comments section below.)

  • Passive: This policy is being implemented in an effort to streamline our process.
  • Active:

Brevity is still bliss.

When writing fiction or nonfiction for recreational readers, using an interesting turn of phrase or literary device like alliteration makes reading a joy. But when readers have to have information quickly, don’t wax prophetic. Use the right tools to help you get to the point and improve your results.

If you’d like to learn more about ways to whack wordiness and tune up your written communication skills, contact me. Or sign up for my Word Trippers Tips and have helpful tips delivered straight to your inbox.

Do You Resist Improving Your Writing?

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Common Grammar Miscues that Undermine Good Writing

“As” vs “Since” vs “Because.” How do you choose?

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by Barbara McNichol

Do you know when to use the words as, since, and because?

As with most grammar rules, people writing for business purposes might see the differences as an exercise in hair-splitting. However, each word conveys a slightly different meaning.

If you agree that clarity in communication is essential, and that poor grammar can affect your reputation among peers and superiors, you understand how strong writing makes a good impression.

Master the proper use of these three conjunctions, and you’ll make yourself understood—and trusted.

What are conjunctions, and what is their role in a sentence?

As, because, and since are all conjunctions that introduce a subordinate clause. They provide the reason for the action in the main clause.

For example:

Sandy has to approve all vacation time because Roger left the human resources department.

Monday will be a paid holiday since Remembrance Day falls on a Tuesday this year.

All vacation inquiries will have to be done in person, as Sandy hasn’t updated the online calendar yet.

In all these examples, the subordinate clause provides the reason for the action in question. In addition, it is dependent on the main clause, meaning it has no meaning without it! The main clause, on the other hand, can stand on its own without the subordinate clause.

Using as vs since vs because: not splitting hairs.

If you want the information to resonate with your readers, choosing the correct conjunction is key.

Ask yourself…

  • Where do I want the emphasis?
  • Do I want the reader to focus on the reason or the result?

If you want to emphasize the result, use since or as.

For example:

  • I hope Sandy attends the meeting [result], as I’m eager to hear her organizational plans for the human resources department [reason].
  • Good human resources managers are hard to keep [result] since the job comes with so much pressure [reason].

In both of these examples, the result is at the forefront.

However, when you want your readers to pay close attention to the reason, use because.

For example:

  • Because the human resources department is lacking consistent leadership employee turnover has been a challenge.
  • Did you leave the engineering department because you were frustrated by the lack of resources?
  • It’s important to seal all the hatches when you leave the maintenance room because the filters in the air purifiers have to be kept under pressure.

The causes – or reasons – are clear in these sentences, and draw the reader’s attention.

Using because eliminates the ambiguity in a sentence, as well. Consider using since vs because in this scenario:

  • I understand the new vacation policy much better because I read the employee manual.
  • I understand the new vacation policy much better since I read the employee manual.

In the first sentence, the reader understands that you gained a better understanding of the policy as a result of reading the manual.

What about in the second sentence? When did you gain a better understanding? Some time after reading the manual? Or due to information you found in the manual? Your reader may be able to infer the meaning, but it’s best not to make them guess.

There’s never a bad time for good writing.

Persuasive writing should be crisp and direct. When you’re in a business setting your readers are busy and their time is precious. Don’t waste any of it using ambiguous words or clunky grammar.

Your readers might not be grammar experts, but poor spelling and syntax are a distraction from your message. That comes down to paying attention when faced with word choices like as vs since vs because.

You can access a variety of resources. You can even sign up for my Word Trippers Tips and get grammar tips delivered to your inbox every week.

It’s time to make friends with good writing, and I can help. Contact me to find out how, and share your most common “word trippers” with me, too.

Enjoyed this article? Here are three more to help you communicate effectively:

Common Grammar Miscues that Undermine Good Writing

Why Make a BIG DEAL Out of Correct Spelling and Grammar?

Make Your Writing Stronger – 14 Tips

Do You Resist Improving Your Writing?

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by Barbara McNichol

improving your writing

If you resist the effort needed for improving your writing, here’s my suggestion: Make friends with good writing. A shift in attitude—from resisting to embracing—just might make all the difference. And here’s the payoff. When you better your writing skills, you advance your career and make a positive impression.

To meet that objective, here’s a fresh resource filled with must-have skills to jumpstart your resolve: an e-guide called—ta da—Making Friends with Good Writing.

This brand new e-guide comes with a special introductory offer. You’ll save $$ when you use the Coupon code FRIENDS at checkout.  Check out this e-guide now! 

“Barbara’s Making Friends with Good Writing is helpful and first class—just like she is! If you want to know when and why to use or create a style guide or enhance your writing, this e-guide provides answers with clear examples. ” – Peggy Henrikson, editor

Do you know the definition of a chiasmus? It’s a phrase that mirrors itself. 

Making Friends with Good Writing offers a compilation of chiasmi that are fun. After reading this e-guide, a reader sent this chiasmus by Garrison Keillor: “When it comes to finding available men in Minnesota, the odds are good, but the goods are odd.” She had a fun response, too. “I don’t take his message seriously, though. Thankfully I found a good man!”

Can you create your own chiasmus? Please write it here! 

Common Grammar Miscues that Undermine Good Writing

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Avoid these common grammar mistakes in your writing.
by Barbara McNichol

Did you know that bad grammar can ruin a good message?

You could be missing opportunities to get your point across because your readers have to wade through awkward sentences that set their teeth on edge.

Common grammar mistakes can be avoided if you take the time to learn the rules and then apply them. Pay special attention to the eight that follow.

The 8 most common grammar miscues

Here’s a list of the eight most common grammar mistakes and ways to spot and fix them.

1. Me versus I: subject pronoun (plural subjects)

Incorrect:
“Me and Janet completed the quarterly sales report.”

Correct:
“Janet and I completed the quarterly sales report.”

Rule: When the subject is more than one, you need a subject pronoun (I, she, he, we, they, who).

Clue: Say the sentence without ‘Janet’. “I finished the quarterly sales report.” Now it’s easy to tell which pronoun is correct, right?

2. Me versus I: object pronoun (verb)

Incorrect:
“Katherine hired Dave and I to draft the sales proposal.”

Correct:
“Katherine hired Dave and me to draft the sales proposal.” is correct.

Rule: “Dave and me” is the object of the verb “draft” and therefore requires an object pronoun (me, her, him, us, them, whom).

Clue: Say the sentence without Dave. “Katherine hired me to draft the sales proposal.” It’s obvious now, isn’t it?

3. Me versus I: object pronoun (preposition)

Incorrect:
“Between you and I, we got the job done.”

Correct:
“Between you and me, we got the job done.”

Rule: In this sentence, “me” is the object of the preposition “between” and therefore requires an object pronoun (me, her, him, us, them, whom).

Clue: “I” is the subject of a sentence and will be followed by a verb “ran, went, jumped, cried.” “Me” is the object of a sentence and is preceded by a preposition “with, to, between, before.”

4. Self

Incorrect:
“Irene, Lloyd and myself finished the blueprints.”

Correct:
“Irene, Lloyd, and I finished the blueprints.”

Rule: You can’t use a “-self” pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself, themselves, ourselves) unless it refers to another noun or pronoun earlier in the sentence.

Clue: Look for the referral word that precedes the pronoun and say the sentence without “Irene, Lloyd.” “I finished the blueprints.”

How many times have you read this incorrect sentence?

“Please feel free to contact myself if you need further information.”

“Please feel free to contact me if you need further information.” is correct.

5. To versus too

Incorrect:
“Roger was to swamped and couldn’t complete the report on time.”

Correct:
“Roger was too swamped and couldn’t complete the report on time.”

This might seem like an obvious mistake. It happens most often when you’re in a hurry – but that’s no excuse. Your reader will notice the gaff.

6. Lay versus lie

“Nigel was feeling light-headed, so his manager suggested he lay down in the infirmary.” is incorrect.

“Nigel was feeling light-headed, so his manager suggested he lie down in the infirmary.” is correct.

Rule: You lie down on a bed and lay down an object.

Clue: To lay is to place something down in a resting position. A chicken lays eggs, it doesn’t lie eggs.

7. There versus their versus they’re

Incorrect:
“It was there turn to present sales projections.”

Correct:
“It was their turn to present sales projections.”

“Their looking forward to presenting this quarter’s sales projections.” is incorrect.

“They’re looking forward to presenting this quarter’s sales projections.” is correct.

Rule: There is a place, their is a possessive pronoun, they’re is a contraction of “they are.” This grammar gaff is rarely due to not knowing the difference; rather, it slips through spellcheck.

Clue: This common grammar mistake can easily be avoided by proofreading your communications carefully before pressing “send”.

8. They/their versus he/his or she/her

As you probably know, the grammar convention for the use of “they” has changed. It is now acceptable to use “they” to identify an individual and allows for gender neutrality.

“They asked that their report be presented last” can refer to a single person.

Rule: In the appropriate context, “they/their” is a plural pronoun while he/his and she/her are singular. So, if you’re writing about someone who is previously identified as one male or female, “they” is no longer grammatically correct.

Clue: Are you referring to one person who identifies as either male or female? Or are you talking about a group of people or someone who wishes to remain gender-neutral? Attention to context is important with this grammar rule.

Why good grammar matters.

In the age of Twitter shorthand and texting shortcuts, good grammar and spelling are taking a beating. But according to experts in business communications, they’re still relevant.

If you take time to edit your writing – whether it’s an email to a peer or superior, a sales pitch to a potential client, or a summary of work you’ve completed – your message holds more weight when your grammar and spelling are accurate.

I always encourage my fellow writers to “make friends with good writing.” You can learn to avoid common grammar mistakes with my WordTrippers program. Sign up and have writing tips delivered to your inbox!

Enjoyed this article? Here are three more to help you communicate effectively:

Whack Wordiness: How to Stop Rambling
Do You Use These Common Phrases Correctly?
Why Make a Big Deal Out of Correct Spelling and Grammar?

What grammar miscues trip you up? Please share them here.

Do You Resist Improving Your Writing?

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by Barbara McNichol

improving your writingIf you resist improving your writing skills, here’s my suggestion: Make friends with good writing. A shift in attitude—from resisting to embracing—just might make all the difference. And here’s the payoff. When you improve your writing skills, you advance your career and make a positive impression.

Here’s a fresh resource for improving your writing filled with must-have skills to jump start your resolve: an e-guide called—ta da—Making Friends with Good Writing.

This brand new e-guide comes with a special introductory offer. You’ll save $$ when you use the Coupon code FRIENDS at checkout. So check out this e-guide now! 

An Inspiring Quotation for These Times

“If we can’t do what we do, we do what we can.” – Jon Bon Jovi (a song he just composed while in seclusion)

Do you recognize this quotation as being a figure of speech called a chiasmus? You’ll find a whole collection of them in Making Friends with Good Writing. Enjoy!

Whack Wordiness: How to Stop Rambling

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Why whack wordiness? It doesn’t help get your message across.

 

More words don’t always translate into more meaning.

You’ve heard me say this before…

It’s important to avoid excessive wordiness in your writing, especially when you’re in a business setting. Your colleague’s, reader’s, or customer’s time is precious. They need to know what you need, what you offer, or what you’re suggesting quickly and concisely.

If you find yourself rambling, it might be due to a lack of focus in your message, and that needs to be addressed. If you are unclear about “why” you’re writing, the “what” and “how” you’re writing will give it away.

We’ve all been hardwired to write essays that meet a certain word count – e.g., 1000 words on the merits of a new book, 600 words about the meaning of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms – but it isn’t necessary for everyday business or nonfiction writing. So, how do you chisel the point of your message?

Chisel the point!

Do you want to have precision and clarity in your writing? Then take time to do this simple exercise:

Sum up the point of your communication in one sentence.

After you’ve done that, you can take a step back and decide what supporting information you absolutely need to share to get your point across.

This might mean referring to research or someone else’s communications.

Then after you’ve finished making your case, run through this checklist:

  • Did I put any unnecessary facts in the message?
  • Did I add any phrases that weren’t relevant to the point?
  • Did I consider what my reader was expecting from my message?
  • Did I give any thought to making my sentences flow?
  • Did I get straight to the point or take too many detours?

That last point – avoiding the detours – is an important one. You need to resist the urge to use “filler words” that come across as fluff. This includes dodging phrases like:

  • It goes without saying…
  • The fact of the matter is…
  • In other words…
  • Further to my point…
  • To be honest with you…

Get with the formula…

If you’re writing fiction, you would definitely steer clear of following a formula. But when it comes to writing clear, concise business communication, you’ll be doing yourself – and your reader – a favor if you follow these simple guidelines to whack wordiness.

Use no more than:

  • 5 paragraphs per page.
  • 5 sentences per paragraph.
  • 15 words per sentence.
  • 3 syllables per word.

It might seem like an onerous task to edit your own writing, but the minutes it will take to shave your message, reduce wordiness, and share only the salient points will win you points with your readers.

This might feel clunky and time-consuming at first, but hang in there. Like any new routine – diet, exercise, sleep – you’ll get into a rhythm, and it will become second nature to you.

Take a practice run.

Not sure you can follow these guidelines? Take a practice run at reducing the wordiness in your emails and letters. Pull up something you sent last week…something that was important but hasn’t been addressed by your reader yet. Then run it through this filter:

  1. Count the number of paragraphs. Fewer than 5?
  2. Count the number of sentences in a paragraph. Fewer than 5?
  3. Count the number of words in a paragraph. Fewer than 15?
  4. Now circle the words that contain 4 syllables or more, such as dis·pro·por·tion·ate·ly.

How did you do? Be honest! Did you identify areas where you could have taken a shortcut and saved your reader time?

If you follow these four steps, you’ll gain clues about where your rambling takes you. Detours dilute your message and can affect how you’re perceived by your audience.

If you’d like to learn more about the ways you can trim the fat from your writing, contact me, or sign up for my Word Trippers Tips program and get tips delivered right to your inbox every week for a year.

Did you find this article helpful? Here are three more to help you communicate with credibility, clarity, and efficiency:

Why Make a BIG DEAL Out of Correct Spelling and Grammar?
Do You Use These Common Phrases Correctly?
Word Meanings Essential to Know in These Unprecedented Times

This article was originally published in 2010, but has been updated in June 2020. Feel free to comment below.

Why Make a BIG DEAL Out of Correct Spelling and Grammar?

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Why Make a BIG DEAL Out of Correct Spelling and Grammar?

By Barbara McNichol

Now more than ever, clarity in communication is important.

We’re all adapting to more virtual meetings and a great deal more email communication. Documents that were discussed around a meeting table and then edited by a single person now make their way to multiple colleagues via email.

Correct spelling and grammar are under a spotlight.

We’ve become accustomed to common abbreviations in text messages, such as, “C U @ 8pm @ Rogers, bring appie.” It gets the point across that your friend will show up at Roger’s house at 8:00 pm and you’ll bring an appetizer.

But what about in business interactions? Are correct spelling and grammar still relevant? I’d argue that they most certainly are…and I offer advice for professionals seeking clarity and credibility in their communication.

Here are four common grammar and spelling mistakes that undermine your credibility.

Let me be clear: we’re not going for Shakespeare. But don’t discount the possibility that your peer, manager, or potential employer has a solid grounding in the rules of English grammar and spelling. When you break those rules, you lose (not loose) credibility.

Let’s take a look at four of the most common mistakes. I call them Word Trippers…

1. Who and That.

Who refers to a person. That refers to an object.

Incorrect:
“The person that sent you the proposal is an authority on the subject.”

Correct:
“The person who sent you the proposal is an authority on the subject.”

Correct:
“That proposal is worth considering. The person who wrote it is an authority on the subject.”

2. Me, myself and I.

I’ll grant you, this one is counter-intuitive. People often use “self” in a sentence, I suspect because they think it sounds more academic and authoritative. It’s “padding” in a sentence, which rarely adds meaning. So you’ll read phrases like this…

Incorrect:
“Please contact myself if you have any questions.”

Correct:
“Please contact me if you have any questions.”

Incorrect:
“Myself and Jim will be there at 4:00 pm to discuss the proposal with yourself in person.”

Correct:
“Jim and I will be there at 4:00 pm to discuss your proposal.”

Yourself is your self…no one can contact yourself. It’s a reflexive pronoun. You can talk to yourself. But nobody else can talk to yourself; he or she can only talk to you.

Consider these examples:

Incorrect:
“Jim and me attended the meeting yesterday and it was very informative.”

“Myself and Jim attended the meeting yesterday and it was very informative.”

Correct:
“Jim and I attended the meeting yesterday.”

Here’s a great way to avoid tripping on this: Test your grammar by removing the second person from the sentence. For example, say this awkward – and grammatically incorrect – sentence:

“Me went to the meeting yesterday.”

And so is this:

“Myself went to the meeting yesterday.”

3. Further or farther?

Have you ever wondered about the difference between further and farther? There’s constant debate around this – and since English is a living language, it’s ever-evolving. However, most experts agreed that further is figurative and farther is literal, referring to a measurable distance.

Incorrect:
“Jan has traveled further than anyone else in the company to meet with clients.”

Correct:
“Jan has traveled farther than anyone else in the company to meet with clients.”

Incorrect:
“Farther to the point Jan was making about excess travel for sales meetings, I’d like to send you this report regarding our fleet mileage costs.”

Correct:
“Further to the point Jan was making about excess travel for sales meetings, I’d like to send you this report regarding our fleet mileage costs.”

4. Apostrophes: the ultimate tripper.

Of all the grammar glitches I see, this is the most common. Misusing this punctuation mark rarely creates confusion in meaning, but it’s a glaring error for people who know the proper usage.

Incorrect:
“Its likely we’ll miss our fourth-quarter revenue projections.”

Correct:
“It’s likely we’ll miss our fourth-quarter revenue projections.”

Incorrect:
“Since our sales teams travel expenses have been so high, we’ll take a loss on our fourth-quarter revenue.”

Correct:
“Since our sales team’s travel expenses have been so high, we’ll take a loss on our fourth-quarter revenue.”

An apostrophe plays two roles in the English language. It signals an abbreviation – “it’s” instead of “it is” – and possession – “the sales team’s travel expenses.”

Why Make a BIG DEAL Out of Correct Spelling and Grammar?

Pay attention to these common missteps in written communication. There are many others.

Don’t get let poor grammar and spelling prevent you from showing clients and colleagues you’re knowledgeable about your product or service. Contact me for more information.

Did these tips help you? Are you interested in improving your writing? I am offering a $29 discount on my Word Trippers program until the end of May.

Enjoyed this article? Here are three more to help you communicate effectively:

Poor Writing Means Your Credibility Is At Stake!
No More Boring Writing, Especially Your Adjectives.
Why Use Active Verbs Instead Of Passive?

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