Effective Writing

The incorrect use and formation of plural nouns is one of the most common mistakes people make in their writing. Its one of the simpler grammatical rules, so you’d think it would have the least margin of error. However, it is often the simplest elements that trip people up. And you don’t have to be a grammophobe to understand or remember them; all it takes is a little time and a review every so often.
Remember:

1. A common noun is a person, place or thing;
2. A proper noun is easy to recognize because it is always capitalized.

Now on to plurals we go:

The plural of most words is formed by adding –s to the singular form of the noun:

• lake, lakes; sell, sells; crawl, crawls; shade, shades; the Browns; the Andersons; the Rothmans.

For common nouns ending in y and preceded by a vowel, add an –s:

• Sashay, sashays; bay, bays; cay, cays; day, days

For proper nouns ending in y, the plural is formed with the regular –s:

• the two Pattys; the two Scullys; the two Kansas Citys. (Continued)

Have you noticed that you consistently fall into one point of view (POV) when you begin writing an article or other similar document? This process is so routine that many writers don’t think about the importance of the point of view they’re using, though most of us automatically write in the point of view with which we’re most comfortable. When you’re in high school, you’re briefly introduced to points of view and generally told to stay away from the personal pronoun “I.” If you go to college, you tend to write in the third person, as it is often more objective and impersonal. Eventually, consciously or not, you begin to realize that point of view in a professional email or an article is just as important as style, tone and word choice.

Next time you sit down to write, think about which point of view is most appropriate. Is your goal to instruct and advise or to participate and observe? These are questions you need to ask before you sit down and begin your project.

(Continued)

Technical writing bears a special place in the writing world. It requires a diligence and knowledge base that goes beyond a little research; even people who call themselves ‘technical writers’ many times end up taking confusing jargon and changing it to, well, more confusing jargon. Good technical writing requires the author to be neat, organized, and above all, concise.

In the beginning, technical writing primarily referred to writing about technology in the form of content like end-user manuals, white papers, system design documents, web sites, and similar materials for companies like engineering firms and IT companies. In the last few years, however, technical writing has evolved and drifted into many other fields such as finance, business, marketing, and more. (Continued)