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Results 31 to 40 of 321 (page 4 of 33)
until such time as
To write plainly and concisely, use until or till instead of the roundabout phrase until such time as. Wordy: The commissioner will supervise the industry closely until such time as full trade resumes. Concise: The commissioner will supervise the industry closely until full trade resumes.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,738
particular to, peculiar to
Particular to is non–standard usage. The phrase peculiar to indicates a unique or special characteristic possessed by a person or found in a place or thing, and has nothing to do with peculiar in the sense of “strange.” Some plant species are peculiar (not particular) to the Prairies; they are found nowhere else in Canada. Acne is peculiar (not particular) to adolescents and adults in their early twenties.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,724
clear communication: transition words
(A similar topic is discussed in French in the article Communication claire : mots de liaison.) Note: The words with an asterisk (*) in the list below may be hard for some readers to understand. Addition, continuation additionally* afterward(s) again along with also and another as previously stated* as stated earlier as well at last at length at the same time besides embracing encompassing* equally important eventually extending finally first for example for instance furthermore* in addition in closing including in conclusion* in fact initially lastly later likewise meanwhile moreover* next other overall presently* second similarly since soon subsequently* supplementing* then therefore thus* to begin with too while Cause and effect accordingly* and so as a result because consequently* due to this for hence* if…then in view of owing to seeing that since so thanks to then therefore thus* under the circumstances Comparison, similarity again also and as as a matter of fact as well besides for example for instance furthermore* in addition indeed* in other words in particular in the same way like likewise namely particularly similarly specifically that is that is to say while Concession admittedly albeit* although and yet apart from aside from at any rate at least but even so despite (this) even though except for granted that however in any case in spite of nevertheless* nonetheless* notwithstanding* of course other than regardless still though while it may be true yet Conclusion, summary accordingly* all in all as a final point as a result as noted because briefly consequently* eventually finally first given these points immediately in brief in conclusion* in short in summary in the end last lastly later meanwhile next on the whole presently* previously* since soon subsequently* then therefore thus* to put it briefly to summarize to sum up while Condition as long as even if even though given that granted that granting that if in case in the event that* only if on the condition that provided that* providing that* so long as unless Consequence, result accordingly* as a consequence* as a result because consequently* due to for this reason hence* if not in other words in that case otherwise owing to since so so that that being the case that is that is to say then therefore through thus* under the circumstances with the result that Contrast although but contrarily* conversely* despite (this) even though however in contrast in spite of instead moreover* nevertheless* notwithstanding* on the contrary on the other hand or otherwise rather still unlike whereas* while this may be true yet Emphasis above all again also besides certainly chiefly* equally important even more for this reason furthermore* in addition indeed* in fact in truth more important of course really surely to repeat truly Illustration as a case in point as an illustration by way of example* by way of illustration* for example for instance in other words in particular namely specifically such as that is that is to say thus* to illustrate Personal opinion as far as I am concerned as for me as I see it from my point of view from where I stand I believe I consider I feel in my opinion in my view I question whether I think it is my belief it seems to me that let me say personally that/this is my viewpoint Sequence after afterward(s) at first at last at length at the same time before earlier eventually finally following initially later meanwhile next now once originally presently* shortly soon subsequent* then while Time about after afterward(s) another as soon as at at last at length at the same time before concurrently* during eventually finally first formerly generally immediately in the interim* in the meantime last later meanwhile never next next week now once ordinarily presently* previously* rarely second shortly simultaneously* soon subsequently* then third to begin with today tomorrow until usually when suddenly while yesterdaySource: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,774
incidence, incidents
Do not confuse these similar-sounding words. Incidents is the plural of incident (event, occurrence, or accident). Authorities could ignore one such incident, but at least ten incidents of violence are reported every day in our city. Incidence refers to the frequency with which an event or condition occurs. The high incidence of violence (or the high number of violent incidents) in schools is of concern to society as a whole. The incidence of typhoid increases as water quality decreases. Incidence is also a synonym for impact or influence. Downsizing has an incidence on employee morale.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,610
clear communication: write clear and effective briefing notes
(A similar topic is discussed in French in the article Communication claire : notes de breffage claires et efficaces.) What is a briefing note? It is a concise document used to communicate key information to senior officials for the following purposes: To inform or follow up on an issue, an initiative or a project. To request a decision. To plan for an event, a speech, etc. To avoid a potentially embarrassing situation or to inform someone about it. Dos and don’ts when writing clear and effective briefing notes Dos Don’ts Audience Know your reader’s perspective and concerns. Anticipate and answer your reader’s questions. Don’t assume that your reader has the same technical knowledge as you do. Style Keep it short: 2 pages maximum. Be clear and concise: write sentences averaging 15–20 words up to a maximum of 30 words; write paragraphs of no more than 5–6 sentences, or 7–9 lines. Use the active voice and action verbs. Don’t use too many acronyms or abbreviations. Stay away from jargon and technical terms (define them if you have to use them). Avoid strings of nouns. Avoid using too many adverbs and adjectives. Organization and Structure Get to the point quickly: present the most important information first (giving general information before specific). Put the right information in the right section. Present your rationale clearly and logically. Present information in small and manageable chunks: use bullets and tables when needed. Use appendices for details, but don’t overdo it. Don’t include more than one idea for each paragraph. Don’t introduce new elements or repeat information in the conclusion and recommendations. Content Be clear on the issue of the briefing note. Summarize what you want the reader to grasp quickly. Provide pertinent and complete information based on objective analysis and consultations. Make clear recommendations linked to facts. State possible consequences when applicable. Don’t use ambiguous statements or vague timelines. Don’t hide or diminish the seriousness of a problem or situation. Avoid presenting unsubstantiated arguments. Refrain from giving your personal opinions: stick to concrete facts. Don’t overwhelm your reader with details. Process Make a plan and focus on the core issue: aim for quality arguments, not quantity of information. Check all the facts. Be discerning when copying and pasting. Discuss the proposed changes with the editors. Learn from previous briefing notes. Don’t write before you are clear on the objective of the request. Don’t start writing the summary before you finish writing the content of the briefing note. Limit the number of changes made for reasons of style and personal preference.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,529
The ISO plain language standard: For most languages and cultures, and for all sectors
An English blog post about the ISO plain language standard.As a language professional, you know how important it is to write in plain language. You might even be required to use plain language. But does everyone mean the same thing when they use that term? What are the different focuses of plain language? You’ve probably seen how people focus on different aspects when talking about plain language. You might have been caught in the middle of people’s disagreements about what makes a document plain. For example, people will often focus on one or more of these items: short words no jargon passive voice readability scores (see my blog post: Readability formulas, programs and tools: Do they work for plain language? (opens in new tab)) Too often people talking about plain language ignore the importance of good headings, design, graphics and the order in which a writer presents ideas to their readers. Language professionals have not had a universally agreed-upon standard for creating plain language documents or for judging what is plain. This has made it difficult for people writing and designing documents to assess the quality of their processes or products. The plain language standard (opens in new tab) developed through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) changes all of this by providing a clear understanding of what plain language is and how you can achieve it. How was the standard created? The standard is based on an internationally agreed-upon definition of plain language. The definition that appears in the plain language standard is as follows: communication in which wording, structure and design are so clear that intended readers can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information. The standard was developed by an international committee of plain language experts. It’s based on empirical evidence, and it was created using ISO’s consensus model (opens in new tab) (for a definition of “consensus,” see section 3.2). Each of these factors led to a standard that is accepted around the world. For the first time, we have a standard that tells people what plain language is and how to create plain language documents. Is it language neutral? The standard is language neutral. The principles and techniques in it are not related to any particular language. Instead, these four principles in the standard give details on what methods can be used to write a plain language document: Readers get what they need (relevant) Readers can easily find what they need (findable) Readers can easily understand what they find (understandable) Readers can easily use the information (usable) The experts who wrote the standard come from 25 countries. Between them, those experts speak 19 languages and work in a wide range of roles and organizations. The experts worked hard to make sure every sentence in the standard works in their language. Because of this, the standard can be adopted in most, if not all, languages and cultures, and all sectors. It’s versatile and easy to use. Is it a style guide? It’s important to note that the standard is not a style guide. It won’t tell you what words to use or anything else that might be in your organization’s guidance documents. It complements existing guides and practices. The standard is a valuable addition to language professionals’ tool kits. How do you get a copy? ISO standards have to be purchased. The Standards Council of Canada provides reasons to explain why ISO standards are not free (opens in new tab), including the offsetting of costs and the maintaining of neutral standards. You can buy a copy of the standard through a country’s standard-setting body, or you can buy it directly from the ISO website (opens in new tab). If you are buying it for a Canadian workplace or school, there may be licensing arrangements that you can enter into. You can contact the Standards Council of Canada to find out more about the copyright on ISO standards (opens in new tab). You can be at the forefront of this change, along with other plain language practitioners. Join us in using and promoting the standard.Source: Our Languages blog (posts from our contributors)
Number of views: 2,525
Plain Language: Creating Readable Documents
Heather Matsune (Language Update, Volume 4, Number 2, 2007, page 14) For language professionals, writing fluidly and flawlessly can be something of an effortless endeavour. There is a tendency, however, to write at too high a level for a non-specialized readership and to underestimate the importance of document design. The result can be an unreadable document. A readable document is one that you can read only once and right away understand every linguistic and typographical element. The concept of readability breaks down into two components: text readability (anything involving language) and visual readability (anything involving design).Text readability Simplicity is essential in all communication, especially with a broad target audience. Your readers won’t all have the same linguistic knowledge, so be sure to choose words and write sentences that are easy to read.Familiar words It’s best to use short, well-known words rather than long, complicated ones:later or next (instead of subsequently) ask (instead of enquire or inquire) help or aid (instead of render assistance to) Sometimes the most accurate word available can be confusing. You can usually solve that problem with a paraphrase: every three months (instead of quarterly) before tax (instead of gross) live together (instead of cohabitate)Concrete words Abstract words can be problematic because they evoke no obvious mental image, which means it takes a more in-depth analysis to understand them. Concrete words are always better, but they are not always possible. To get around this problem, illustrate abstract words with examples or analogies:One serving of fruits and vegetables is an amount the size of a tennis ball.By the same token, verbs are more concrete than nouns. Long strings of nouns make your sentences heavy and slow your readers down. Consider the following two sentences:The company plans to move ahead with the reduction of staffing levels, the evaluation of its managers and the setting up of a new training program. (25 words) The company plans to reduce staffing levels, evaluate its managers and set up a new training program. (17 words)Consistent vocabulary Using synonyms for key words can seriously hinder readability. For example, referring to a person as both a "claimant" and an "applicant" in the same document may confuse your readers and lead them to believe that the synonyms refer to different people.Short and logical sentences Writing long sentences—convoluted constructions strung together with commas and other punctuation—takes much less effort than reading them. Help your readers out by keeping your sentences short and simple.In English, sentences longer than 25 words are difficult to understand on first reading. And even the most seasoned readers will struggle to make sense of sentences longer than 30 words. So, aim for 15 to 20 words. Of course, that’s not a hard-and-fast rule: varying sentence length keeps a document from getting monotonous. To build short sentences and reduce the risk of mistakes in your mechanics, tackle one main idea per sentence. Also, try to write in the most logical order: subject, verb, object.Instead of this:The following are the requirements that employees must meet. (object, subject, verb)Write this:Employees must meet the following requirements. (subject, verb, object)Using active voice helps maintain the logic of a sentence, too. Unlike passive voice, which reverses the order of whatever is happening in the sentence, active voice puts things in a natural, logical order.Instead of this:Your file will be reviewed by the director in the coming weeks. (passive voice)Write this:The director will review your file in the coming weeks. (active voice)Clear sentences It is distracting and confusing when non-essential information separates a verb from its subject or object. Your sentences will be easier to follow if you keep the essential elements together.Instead of this:The minister, after a lengthy consultation process with the commissioner, decided to make some recommendations.The verb (decided) is separated from the subject (minister).Or this:The minister decided, after a lengthy consultation process with the commissioner, to make some recommendations.The verb (decided) is separated from the object (to make some recommendations).Write this:After a lengthy consultation process with the commissioner, the minister decided to make some recommendations.Visual readability Getting your message across depends on more than just word choice and sentence structure. Design your document well and you can make it even easier to read. Design it poorly and your readers may get confused or distracted, or they may not read it at all.Layout Most of us are taught to read from left to right and top to bottom. That’s how the brain has learned to process information. To maintain that linear flow when laying out your documents, place main headings at the top left of the page, and use subheadings, vertical lists and bullets. Move graphics to where they do not disrupt the text, and eliminate any other elements that may interrupt the flow. If you can lead the eye smoothly across and down the page, you will save your readers time and energy.White space White space is any part of a page that is unmarked. On most pages, white space exists in the margins, in the hard returns between paragraphs and at the end of lines of text. A well-designed document reserves upwards of 50% of each page for white space. This prevents the appearance of clutter and disorganization and breaks reading tasks down into manageable chunks. Reaching that percentage is not as difficult as it sounds: just by using the default margin settings in your word processor you create a frame of white space equal to approximately 42% of the page.Use left justification to build white space into your document. Consciously or not, your readers appreciate having a bit of a break at the end of those lines that do not stretch all the way to the right margin. However, it is acceptable for newspapers and other periodicals to use full justification to create uniform white space between their narrow columns of body text. Although this occasionally results in unnaturally wide gaps between characters and words, the predictability of the white space reduces the effort demanded of readers.Fonts In the past, the body of a printed document always took a serif font (e.g. Times New Roman, Garamond, Bookman Old Style) and headings and subheadings took a sans serif (e.g. Verdana, Arial, Tahoma). However, as electronic publishing has become progressively more prevalent, those conventions have become obsolete. Certain types of publications can take liberties with their font selection, but for most business writing, it’s still best to stick to the standards:Times New Roman for print materials Arial for print or Web materials Verdana for Web materialsAlso, choose a font size that meets the needs of your readers:10–12 for specialized readers 12 for general readers 14-16 for seniors and people with visual impairmentsDecorative fonts may be eye-catching, but they tend to distract your readers. For the same reason, italicized, underlined and bold text, as well as words in all upper-case characters, should be used sparingly. Avoid low-contrast formatting: black font on a white background gives you the highest contrast possible and looks clean and crisp.With thorough planning and revision, you can maximize text and visual readability. By applying this principle of plain language, you can help your readers understand your message quickly.Source: Favourite Articles (language professionals’ insights on English language issues)
Number of views: 2,493
and so as a result
Redundancies are words that repeat information unnecessarily. Since the conjunction so indicates result, the expression and so as a result is redundant. Use as a result or so by itself, or use the conjunctive adverb therefore. Redundant: Lise and Mark stopped for dinner, and so as a result they got home late. Recommended: Lise and Mark stopped for dinner; as a result, they got home late. Redundant: The air conditioning was on, and so as a result we were quite comfortable. Recommended: The air conditioning was on, so we were quite comfortable. Redundant: The car wouldn’t start, and so as a result Robert had to take the bus. Recommended: The car wouldn’t start; therefore, Robert had to take the bus.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,262
inform, notify, tell
Although these verbs are synonymous, tell is the least formal, inform more formal and notify the most formal. Tell your brother to come in for supper, please. If only my in-laws would tell me what to call them! Please tell (or inform) the customer that smoking is not permitted. Chelsea was told to go home because her cough was disrupting the class. Chelsea was informed that she would have to go home. Official messages from authorities often inform or notify. The university has informed (or notified) Kim of another increase in tuition fees. Hydro-Quebec notified us that our power would be off for 12 hours.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,224
clear communication: choose positive over negative phrasing
(A similar topic is discussed in French in the article Communication claire : évitez la double négation.) Positive phrasing is easier to understand than negative. You can be more assertive and straightforward when you say what something is than when you try to express it by saying what it isn’t. Here’s one example: Negative phrasing: We are not used to such constant supervision. Positive phrasing: We are used to working more autonomously. Multiple negatives Multiple negatives can further complicate your text. Your readers will either misunderstand it or have to reread it a few times to get to the meaning. Negative phrasing: This is not to say that the proposal is not without merit. Positive phrasing: The proposal lacks merit. (Alternatively, you could say something like, “The proposal is worthless.”) Positive tone A positive tone also affects how your readers react to your writing. It may just be subconsciously, but if your readers sense that a document is “speaking” to them kindly, they will be more inclined to follow the instructions in it than if they feel threatened or belittled. Negative phrasing: Until you pay your library fines, you will not receive your diploma. Positive phrasing: Once you have paid your library fines, you will receive your diploma. Conciseness A lot of the time, a positive sentence works out to be shorter than a negative one. And whenever you can say something in fewer words, you should! Negative phrasing: Could you ask them if they wouldn’t mind turning the music down a little? Positive phrasing: Could you ask them to turn the music down a little? Here are some other examples of negative phrasing turned positive: Expressions to avoid and ways to replace them Negative Positive Had the agent not given us the wrong directions, we would have been on time. Had the agent given us the right directions, we would have been on time. I don’t think I would say I was impressed by his presentation. I was unimpressed by his presentation. She doesn’t get sick very often. She rarely gets sick. The experience was not altogether unpleasant. The experience was somewhat pleasant. The I in Internet is never lowercase. The I in Internet is always uppercase. Unless it is pouring rain, we will not cancel the event. If it is pouring rain, we will cancel the event. You don’t need to be there until 9 p.m. You need to be there by 9 p.m.Source: Writing Tips Plus (English language problems and rules)
Number of views: 2,215