At a corporate training I taught last week, participants asked me to clarify the meaning of the above word pairs. Since these words seem to perplex many people, here are simple definitions. Affect (verb) This word has many meanings in the dictionary. It can refer, as a noun, to one’s emotional state. As a verb, […]
Clarifying perplexing word pairs: affect/effect, advise/advice Read More »
What is an executive summary? Is it really just a wrap-up of the contents of an entire report or proposal? Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. Before writing one, the first question relates to its purpose. Every document has an overarching purpose and a writer must know the purpose in order to achieve it
Elements of an Executive Summary Read More »
My daughter recently asked me whether the correct word in this idiom was “deserts” or “desserts”. Feeling cocky, I asserted that the right word was obviously “desserts”, as in the sweet reward for a job well done. Well, I was wrong. And my teenager was gleeful. The word “desert” means “that which is deserved”. It
Which is correct? Just Deserts or Just Desserts? Read More »
What’s the best way to break bad news? As the old torch song goes, “Break it to me gently.” If your reader is likely to be upset or angry about your message, do not state your message in the first paragraph. Instead, give the basis and reasons for your bad news first. Give the reader
What’s the Best Way to Deliver Bad News in Business Writing? Read More »
I have a dog named Marko. He is a German shepherd and weighs over 75 pounds; people generally consider him to be a big scary-looking dog. The mailman would rather walk around the block than come all the way to our door with the mail if Marko is nearby. And you can forget about the
Shaving Off Excess Words Read More »
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