Yes, there are sentences, but they don't connect. And just as with ligaments and muscles, transitions need a purpose. Of course, they are right. and how? Learning to recognize wordiness,… Help students realize that a cake is only as good as the ingredients in it. Our first tip asks you to choose the word that most accurately expresses your meaning. In the case of this particular policy, citizens of northeast Connecticut became very upset. Transitions helps "dem dry bones" come alive and walk around. Simon & Schuster: New York. Expletive constructions begin with there is/are or it is. As a matter of fact, there are more woodlands in Connecticut now than there were in 1898. When people die, we say, instead, that they have "passed away" or "met their maker" or "gone to sleep." Tomorrow, of course, you might have to bring in a cake. What I mean to say is that well intentioned lawmakers sometimes make fools of themselves. That is, they have a literal meaning (denotation) and an emotional or understood meaning (connotation). The era in which we must aggressively defend our woodlands has, for all intents and purposes, passed. ), the writer also uses sensory details (things you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch) to make the narrative come alive for readers. Concise Writing - How to Write in a Minimalist Style See also: Writing Effective Emails One of the most common problems that new, and even professional writers, struggle with from time to time is making their writing more concise. They and their parents stand to gain the most by the government grant. The following examples are taken in part from Lynn Quitman Troyka’s The Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers , 6 th ed. 1.3 Concise Writing 2 Examples of writing concisely Long Better choice (often) accounted for by the fact that because are of the same opinion agree as already stated [omit] as can be seen from figure 1 Then have them follow the guidelines to create a narrative, descriptive, explanatory, or persuasive paragraph. why? We can achieve conciseness in our writing in several ways. A special breed of redundancy is proliferating in our modern world as we increasingly rely on abbreviations and acronyms in the busyness of our technology. The ending reflects on everything that happened and helps the audience carry it away with them. The purpose of an explanatory paragraph is to give readers information that they didn't have before. This is true whether you’re writing in simple phrases or long lyrical sweeps. Knowledgeable citizens voted him out of office. Imagine being the first person to say something as clever as "She fell head over heels in love" or "She's cool as a cucumber." Concise writing is that which makes a strong point using few words. After hearing all of the explanations (and making the class think you are loony), say, "So, you mean, if it weren't for bricks, this whole school wouldn't exist? Have a volunteer read the sample persuasive paragraph. The first part, "de" means "down" or "around." Eliminate redundant pairs. It is they and their parents who stand to gain the most by the government grant. Share with your students the etymology of the word "describe." The examples, however, are our own. A euphemism is a word or phrase that substitutes for language the speaker or writer feels is too blunt or somehow offensive. Problems with Unclear Sentence Constructions-- short, declarative sentences are easier to comprehend than lengthy narratives. And their closing sentence, of course, should wrap up the paragraph in a neat package that readers can take with them. Founded in 1871, Smith College is the premier all-women's college in the United States. Beware of the following. Ask students to identify the reasons the author gives to argue against school uniforms (regular clothes are more economical, allow student choice, and teach responsibility). A Guide to Concise Writing 3.8 (18 votes) Writing Tips 26,882 22 Jan 2018 In writing, conciseness is essential. Instead of a typical before/after example that separates the two version of the piece, it combines both versions into one paragraph with red and black text. Children learn in school based on their age, what they have learned before, and what they are ready to learn now. I want my message to be more concise, to communicate … The same is true of a paragraph. Have a volunteer read the sample descriptive paragraph. When students object, ask them what is wrong with your plan. Concise → The supposed 1947 crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico aroused interest in ex-traterrestrial life. They knew nothing about the world, and everything they know now, they have learned because someone explained something about the world (or because they experienced it themselves and can now explain it to others). Say that you don't have any milk, but you do have fabric softener, which is the same color. Point out to students that this one paragraph gives them the power to do something they previously didn't even know existed. 5 Steps to Writing Concise and Clear Website Copy (With Examples) In copywriting, clarity and concision are the keys to excellent readability and user experience. Lead them through the material on this page, first focusing on personal details, and then talking about finding other details. where? Point out to them that the purpose of a narrative is to tell a story in a way that allows readers to experience it as if they were there. Now the bones are joined. It is perhaps too easy to get caught up in this, however. Have a volunteer read the sample explanatory paragraph. This policy has a tendency to isolate some communities. In his guide to scientific writing, Joshua Schimel makes a key point for scientists: “you are a professional writer” (Schimel 2012 ). Gary B. Larson ("Garbl") maintains three helpful Web pages on concise writing: in the field of economics/law enforcement. "CD disk" can be redundant, but nowadays the abbreviation CD can refer to a number of things, including the machine itself. Good writing tells the truth and tells it plain. They are connected. Thank you for teaching! They can't really do anything. Writers often fill sentences with weak or unnecessary words that can be deleted or replaced. End with it. The idea is to rid your sentences of any unneeded words and structure them in the most effective way. There are twenty-five students who have already expressed a desire to attend the program next summer. Perhaps they connect by location (as do ligaments and muscles) or by time, or by comparison or contrast, or by some other strategy. Occasionally, an abbreviation — like CD, ATM — becomes more of an idea unto itself than a shortened version for a set of words, and the abbreviation ought to be allowed to act as modifier. They share ideas, and explanatory writing is one of the chief ways that we know what we know. To do so, students must think about what the reader wants. Point out the many visual details shared in it. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. The example sentence is easily rendered more active and direct by omitting the weak expletive “there are”—thus giving “many factors” its rightful place as the sentence’s subject—and, as a bonus, the attendant but superfluous “that are” and changing the form of the verb: “Many factors at play contribute to this increase.” 2. A common mistake that authors make is trying to include too much information in their sentences. These bricks make it possible for your to come here and learn things?". However, good science writing that is not concise is rare (or non‐existent), so pursuing conciseness as part of a larger strategy to write effectively is worthwhile. The "which clause" can often be shortened to a simple adjective. Ask which reasons are the most convincing. This is because there are fewer farmers at the present time. To reach readers, writers need to provide information that they are ready to learn, and put it in an order that makes it easy to grasp. They connect ideas in order to do something. Show them that persuasive writing deals with arguable subjects (opinions supported by facts) rather than things that everyone accepts (facts alone). These words shouldn't be banished from your vocabulary, but they will be used to best effect when used sparingly. But brevity doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and concise writing takes effort Basically, schools and other educational institutes teach students how to write clear sentences and express their ideas. Wordy: The teacher talked about many of the different benefits of the after-school homework club when she addressed the class (nineteen words) Often, writers struggle to identify what needs adjusting in their drafts. Concise writing simply means writing that is clear, vivid, and impactful—writing in which every word carries its weight. It is to appeal to a resistant audience and convince them of the validity of the point. Have a volunteer read the sample paragraph. 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