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September 18, 2001
READER AWARENESS
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Last week we discussed some of the practical needs of good writing. This week we will consider writing from the viewpoint of your readers' needs.
Except for diaries or personal journals, most writing is intended for one or more readers. To make your writing effective, take into account your readers' backgrounds and needs. Here are a few considerations:
1. Does your reader expect this writing? Has it been requested, or is the writing unsolicited? How is your reader likely to respond to the intended message?
2. What is your reader's background, i.e., age, gender, educational level, status, etc.? Is the level of your writing likely to make sense to the reader or have you pitched it too high or too low?
3. Is your diction appropriate? Have you used clear, descriptive language, or vague words with neutral meanings?
4. If asking the reader to do something, have you made that clear and provided convenient ways of doing so? For example, if you ask the reader to call soon, should you include the best days and times to contact you, along with the direct telephone number?
5. Is your message writer-centered or reader-centered? Do many of your paragraphs begin with "I" or refer to the writer more than they include "you" or refer to the reader?
6. Have you presented ideas that will serve your readers' needs as much as yours?
7. Did you establish and clearly define your purpose in writing, whether for information or to make a request?
These are some areas to keep in mind when writing to be sure your reader receives your message in the vein in which you sent it.
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CHECK OUT OUR "SEARCHABLE" INDEX
Subscribers to GrammarCheck can now search past issues for topics of interest at the following Web site address:
http://www.grammarcheck.com/archives/
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SPELLING OR WRITING TIP
Use cardinal numbers (those that are spelled out in place of numerals--one, two, three, etc.,) for specificity in your writing:
WEAK:
Several people witnessed the truck accident.
BETTER:
Twenty people witnessed the truck accident.
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WORD OF THE WEEK:
VEX (veks) verb: to irritate or annoy.
Don't let Susan's ingratitude vex you.
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YOUR GRAMMAR AND WRITING QUESTIONS
QUESTION: In a recent issue, you used the term "widely-understood" in a statement. Here's a section in my favorite grammar book:
"The hyphen is not used between an adverb ending in -ly modifying a participle which modifies a following noun, such as 'Several smartly dressed girls entered."
GRAMMARCHECK: You caught us! One of our favorite grammar texts puts it even more succinctly:
"Do not use hyphens with adverbs that end in -ly."
We confess and repent. Thanks for writing!
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QUESTION: Which is correct?
This is an excellent opportunity for the Board to give their input into the bank's plans.
-or-
This is an excellent opportunity for the Board to give its input into the bank's plans.
GRAMMARCHECK: Your second statement is correct. In this example, the word "Board" is a single (albeit collective) entity, so it should use the single possessive pronoun "its" rather than "their," although the phrase "Board members" would use "their" instead, due to the plural nature of "members."
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QUESTION: What about "huh"?
GRAMMARCHECK: Good question. "Huh" is a slang term used to express surprise or to ask a question:
"Huh! I never believed her capable of that."
"Huh? I didn't hear the question."
It should not be used in professional or formal writing.
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QUESTION: Is it now proper to say "There is many cars on the road today" instead of "There are many cars on the road today"? I hear the former so often, but I question whether it's wrong or lazy.
GRAMMARCHECK: In your example, it is correct to say "There are many cars on the road today." The test for choosing the right verb is to turn the sentence around like this, omitting "There":
Many cars is/are on the road today.
Obviously the correct verb is "are."
Unfortunately, lots of folks misuse grammar and get away with it!
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QUESTION: Which is correct?
"Please rate how difficult it was for you to get transportation to the hospital after you decided to come to the hospital."
-or-
"After you decided to come to the hospital, please rate how difficult it was to get transportation to the hospital."
Thanks!
GRAMMARCHECK: We assume the transportation difficulty arose following the decision to come to the hospital, so you could omit the "decision" part of the sentence to make it easier to read:
"Please rate the difficulty of obtaining transportation to the hospital."
-or-
"Please rate how difficult it was for you to get to the hospital."
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