In Mistake-free Letters, Memos, Reports and Proposals, you'll learn...
- How to make your writing easier to understand and more interesting to read
- How to polish letters, memos, proposals and other written documents
- How to use the right word at the right time
- How to spot sneaky usage mistakes
- And much more
Are your written communications as mistake-free and perfect as you’d like them to be? If not, you’ll benefit from this fast-moving one-day workshop. We’ll take the mystery out of grammar and usage questions by showing you which rules really matter in today’s business writing and which ones you can stop worrying about. Plus, you’ll learn easy-to-remember spelling shortcuts, punctuation pointers and quick, professional proofreading techniques to make sure your written communications are polished, professional and perfect!
WORKSHOP AGENDA
Click on a session title to view details
Which word is the right word?+
- 10 of the most troublesome words in the English language and how to use them correctly
- Proven tips for making the right choice between ensure/assure, able/capable, imply/infer, raise/rise and dozens of other confusing word pairs
- How to eliminate sexist language from your writing without cumbersome “he/she” references
- Tried-and-true techniques for catching errors often missed by even the most experienced proofreaders
- When to use contractions to take the stuffiness out of writing
Practical grammar guidelines+
- A simple technique for eliminating the majority of all grammatical errors
- How to avoid the most common and embarrassing mistakes in grammar
- When it’s okay to bend the rules for greater clarity
- Practical tips on the use of correct verb tense and verb-subject agreement
- How to spot errors in pronoun usage
Spelling tips you’ll remember and use+
- How to master the most slippery spellings
- 5 sure-fire shortcuts for improving your spelling
- 3 handy tips for spelling the most difficult-to-remember words
- How to succeed every time in spelling words that end in -sede, -ceed or -cede
- How to make words, letters, abbreviations and numbers plural
- Why you can’t trust your computer’s spell-checker to catch all the mistakes
Pointers for use in everyday punctuation+
- How to determine when punctuation goes inside or outside quotation marks
- Simple secrets for using the 4 most important punctuation marks
- How to know when you’ve used enough punctuation
- 4 foolproof formulas for using apostrophes in possessives
- What to do when you’re not sure whether to use a comma or semicolon
- Practical pointers on underlining, parentheses, asterisks, dashes and hyphens
- Confidence-building exercises that confirm what you learn
How to eliminate costly, embarrassing mistakes+
- 8 easy-to-use proofreading symbols that save time and simplify revisions
- 4 basic steps for proofreading any document and catching 99.9% of all errors
- How to improve your proofreading skills so that you’re doing more than just rereading what’s been written
- How to use team proofreading to see through your blind spots
- 3 references that will answer 95% of your grammar, usage and spelling questions
- How to concentrate when you’re proofreading under tight deadlines
- How to eliminate a proofreader’s 3 most common and annoying distractions
- How to quickly spot typographical errors
- A simple-to-follow Proofreader’s Checklist guaranteed to improve speed and accuracy
Never-fail guidelines for special writing questions+
- 4 real-world tips for using abbreviations
- How to use acronyms to save space and increase readability
- When it’s okay to use jargon
- 7 easy-to-remember tips on capitalization
- Special techniques for proofreading technical reports and financial data
- What to do when proofreading words in a foreign language
- The most widely accepted rule for when to spell out numbers
- The 10 deadliest business writing clichés and how to avoid them
Editing skills that make you (and your boss) look good+
- 10 practical tips used by professional editors, guaranteed to polish anyone’s writing
- When to add, delete and substitute words for clarity
- The Golden Rule of business writing and editing
- Why you should always read to the end before making any changes
- 6 key points to review before a document leaves your desk
Up-to-date formats and choices in style+
- How to choose the right style manual for your organization … or write your own
- Today’s standards when using names, addresses and dates
- Practical guidelines for formatting letters, memos, reports, financial data and proposals
