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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.

Do You Resist Improving Your Writing?

Is Your Writing Pompous?

Common Grammar Miscues that Undermine Good Writing

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?

Word Meanings Essential to Know in These Unprecedented Times

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One of my favorite resources, Dictionary.com, gives us a host of word meanings that have been essential (or at least useful) during this coronavirus period. Words matter; that’s why we should dig into their accurate meanings.

This link opens a meaningful door to terms we’re hearing every day.

When you go there, you’ll also see a number of relevant “word trippers” such as “epidemic” vs. “pandemic”; “respirator” vs. “ventilater”; “quarantine” vs. “isolation.”

Take a few moments to study word meanings that matter the most these days!

 

7 Essential Ways to Become a Great Proofreader

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By Howard Robson, Guest Blogger

Great bloggers neither leave their content unpolished nor do they publish before their work is wholly refined. To bring traffic to your website and enlarge your targeted audience, it is essential to respect the proofreading process.

Whether you’re working on a paper, blog, article, e-mail, or other essential document, always be sure to proofread it and make sure it delivers the proper message. Here are seven ideas you can apply.

  1. Change Your Mindset

If you are always grumpy about revising your work and find no fun in it, your results will show it. You might lose readers, which won’t help in the long run. Here’s how to adopt a growth mindset:

  • After you’ve created your piece, take time to reflect on your work. Is there anything you don’t feel unsatisfied about? Are you content with delivering this message to your niche? Is your grammar correct?
  • If you have unanswered questions, write down ideas to address them. What would you like to improve, how, and in what time frame? Set goals and deadlines, then start working on them.
  • Treat yourself kindly and take regular breaks. Nobody can work non-stop! Work 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break. During your free time, meditate, dance, read, listen to classical music, or do something that loosens you up. Avoid getting sidetracked into social media.
  1. Practice Makes Perfect

Become a better proofreader through practice. When you don’t have any assigned tasks, write! Yes, simply write down your thoughts using the best language you can.

Dan Creed, content writer at AustralianEssays, shares this opinion: “You could write about your day, your plans, your goals, or anything else that goes through your mind. Search for synonyms for words you are displeased with. Rock that learning curve!”

  1. Reading Is Essential

To improve your writing skills, allocate at least 15 minutes a day or more to reading a well-written article. Sign up for The Economist, HuffPost, The New York Times, or any magazine that’s attractive to you. Pay attention to the writer’s approach and style. That will inspire you to progress—in both your proofreading and your writing.

  1. Find a Proofreading Buddy

Identify a colleague you can reach out to. Work with a person who’s specialized in your area of interest. You can trade tips, exchange ideas, and do each other’s proofreading projects. Help that person help you.

  1. Write Down Your Common Errors

Design a “mistake list” and go through it every time you’ve finished writing an article. For instance, I know that “affective” and “effective” are two words I always mix up, so I include them in my list. Every time I use these words in my articles, I check twice to see if I got them right. Use your mistakes as learning tools. (Excellent resource: Word Trippers Tips)

  1. Be Patient

Take things step by step, and don’t rush when you write, polish, or proofread your piece. Remember, you are not done until you’ve revised your content to your satisfaction. Be patient with your learning process. Read and write daily, and you’ll make fewer mistakes, write better (and faster!), and have more free time.

  1. Ask for Help

Don’t hesitate to get help if you need it. Ask your colleague or even a professional editor to re-read your piece after you’ve polished it and proofread it yourself. Take the feedback you receive into consideration and learn from your errors.

To become a great proofreader, I suggest you set a positive mindset, practice reading and writing daily, find a proofreading buddy, ask for help when needed, and be patient and kind with yourself.

Howard Robson is a blogger from Melbourne, Australia. He enjoys traveling, photography, computer games, and meeting new people. Join him on Twitter and Facebook.

What additional ideas do you have that would improve the proofreading process? Share them here.

 

 

 

Fun with Puns — Just in Time for April Fool’s Day

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by Todd Hunt, Business Humorist

punsIn case the Easter punny misses you on Sunday, here are five April Fools puns to fathom:

1) Acupuncture is a jab well done.

2) If a clock is hungry does it go back four seconds?

3) Without geometry, life is pointless.

4) Corduroy pillows are making headlines.

5) I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words. (Barbara’s favorite)

OK – your turn. Write your worst puns in the comments below!

Business humorist Todd Hunt speaks to organizations that want to add fun to their events and send members back to work smiling—with tips to improve communication and success. Visit him at ToddHuntSpeaker.com

Editor’s Note: Todd tackles Word Tripper types of confusing words as I do. His latest video clears up the difference between “podium vs. lectern” (because you’re dying to know). And you can watch his past episodes here. Enjoy!

National Grammar Day March 4th

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Editor’s Note: Every day is National Grammar Day in my book. Still, I’m glad to have a day that draws attention to word misuses and what’s correct. Plus I never forget March 4th; it’s our wedding anniversary. I’m blessed to be married to a wonderful guy for 27 years!

by Barbara McNichol

I love watching the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” but even this escape doesn’t give me a break from grammar glitches. In one episode alone, I counted four times when participants and/or hosts misused the pronouns as they spoke.

As a society, if we repeatedly hear words used incorrectly on national TV (and all around us), how will we ever know what’s right?

Without attempting to overcome years of grammar neglect, watch out for certain common pronoun misuses so you get a feel for what’s correct—and what’s not.

“Me and Jack” finished the report. It should be “Jack and I” finished the report.

Rule: When the subject is more than one, you need a subjective pronoun (I, she, he, we, they, who). (“Subjective” refers to the pronoun’s place in the sentence—as a subject.)

Clue: Say the sentence without “Jack.” I finished the report. Now it’s easy to tell which pronoun is correct.

“Bob hired Peggy and I to draft the proposal.” It should be “Peggy and me.”

Rule: “Peggy and me” is the object of the verb “draft” and therefore requires an objective pronoun (me, her, him, us, them, whom). (“Objective” refers to the pronoun’s place in the sentence—as an object.)

Clue: Say the sentence without “Peggy and.” Does it sound right to say “Bob hired I to draft the proposal”? You know it doesn’t!

“Between you and I, we got the job done.” It should be “you and me.”

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

“Roger, Lloyd, and myself finished the drawings.” It should be “Roger, Lloyd, and I finished the drawings.”

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

Clue: Look for the referring word that precedes the pronoun.

To receive a one-page chart that shows at a glance which pronouns to use where in a sentence, email me with “Proper Pronouns” in the subject line.

 

 

 

Cluelessness or Sloppiness? Language Misuses Abound

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Editor’s note: This article struck a chord (not cord) with me and fans of Word Trippers. It offers numerous examples of written language misuses on television—networks that should know better! Be sure to leave your comments and examples below. (For a resource to find the right words fast, go to www.wordtrippers.com)

Reprinted from e-newsletter for Grammarbook.com

TV networks’ graphics departments have long been out of control with their intrusive cluelessness.

After 9/11, many cable channels initiated a constant “crawl” of news at the bottom of the screen. The spellbinding stream of words, slow and endless, is perversely distracting.

But if you run a news channel, shouldn’t credibility be a front-burner concern? Shaky language skills for all to see raise serious questions about your standards language misusesand practices. Are you stupid, or do you just think we are? Who put manic ignoramuses in charge of your graphics department?

The examples that follow all happened in recent months:

  • An ABC affiliate, thinking mischievous has four syllables, spelled it “mischievious.” Another ABC graphic said, “Wake Forrest,” then proved it was no fluke with “Angeles National Forrest.”
  • An NBC affiliate came up with “To good to be true.” We’re still taught about to, too, and two, aren’t we? Maybe it was Bring Your First-Grader to Work Day.
  • Fox fell into a common trap with “wrecking havoc”—the proper phrase is wreaking havoc. And Fox embarrassed itself with “embarassed.” In “alledged embassy bomber,” it earned an F by adding a second d to alleged. A superfluous ‘i’ in “How has the president faired?” meant fare thee well, credibility.
  • CNN joined the party with “theif” and “Iranian peoples’ belief.” Put that apostrophe where it belongs, would you? And CNN might have won the knucklehead sweepstakes with this bizarre bulletin: “Houses OKs climate change.” Where do you begin with that one? It’s an inspired fusion of horrid grammar and utter meaninglessness.

Why do TV networks, some of them scrutinized around the world, undermine themselves with sloppy grammar, spelling, and punctuation?

Please share your comments and examples of language misuses on TV.

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