Course duration
- 2 days
Course Benefits
- Recognize and use correct grammar and punctuation.
- Avoid common usage errors.
- Identify words that need to be capitalized.
- Choose the appropriate point-of-view and tense.
- Structure sentences correctly.
- Use proofreading strategies to ensure documents are error-free.
- Use pre-writing strategies to plan a document.
- Write effectively for different audiences.
- Choose the right tone.
- Organize a document clearly and logically.
- Convey negative information professionally
- Apply specific strategies to achieve a goal.
- Understand Email and IM best practices.
- Check a document for qualities like clarity and conciseness
Public expert-led online training from the convenience of your home, office or anywhere with an internet connection. Guaranteed to run .
Private classes are delivered for groups at your offices or a location of your choice.
Course Outline
- Introduction: The Importance of Proper Writing and Correct Grammar
- Why Writing Matters
- Basic Grammar Rules
- Parts of Speech
- Nouns
- Pronouns
- Verbs
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Prepositions
- Conjunctions
- Interjections
- Subject and Object
- Exercise: Parts of Speech
- Subject-verb Agreement
- Exercise: Subject-Verb Agreement
- Hypercorrections and Usage Errors
- Common Usage Errors
- Who or Whom
- Me or I
- When to Use "Myself"
- Choosing "He" or "Him" and "She" or "Her"
- That or Which
- Fewer or Less
- Exercise: Hypercorrections and Usage Errors
- More Commonly Confused Words
- Exercise: More Commonly Confused Words
- Structure
- Simple Sentences
- Exercise: Simple Sentences
- Compound Sentences
- Complex Sentences
- Compound-Complex Sentences
- Exercise: Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences
- Parallel Construction
- Exercise: Parallel Construction
- Run-on Sentences
- Exercise: Run-on Sentences
- Punctuation
- Periods
- Exercise: Periods
- Commas
- The Serial Comma
- Comma Splice
- Exercise: Commas
- Colons and Semicolons
- Semicolons
- Colons
- Exercise: Colons and Semicolons
- Apostrophes, Double Quotation Marks, and Single Quotation Marks
- Apostrophes
- Double Quotation Marks
- Single Quotation Marks
- Punctuation Inside and Outside of Quotation Marks
- Exercise: Apostrophes and Quotation Marks
- Question Marks and Exclamation Points
- Question Marks
- Exclamation Points
- Hyphens and Dashes
- Hyphen
- Dashes
- Exercise: Dashes and Hyphens
- Parentheses and Brackets
- Parentheses
- Brackets
- Exercise: Parenthetical Elements
- Capitalization
- Words That Are Always Capitalized
- Exercise: Words That Are Always Capitalized
- Words That Are Never Capitalized
- Exercise: Words That Are Never Capitalized
- Headings and Titles
- Exercise: Headings and Titles
- Point of View and Tense
- Point of View
- When to Write in the First Person
- Exercise: Writing in the First Person
- When to Write in the Second Person:
- Exercise: Writing in the Second Person
- When to Write in the Third Person
- Exercise: Using the Third Person
- How to Choose the Point of View
- Using Correct Tenses
- How to Use the Past Tense in Business Writing
- Exercise: Past Tense
- How to Use the Present Tense in Business Writing
- Exercise: Present Tense
- How to Use the Future Tense in Business Writing
- Exercise: Future Tense
- Proofreading Your Work
- Ensuring Your Writing Is Error Free
- Ensuring Consistency in Your Writing
- Exercise: Proofreading a Document
- Editing for Conciseness
- Get to the Heart of the Message
- Trim Bulky Wording
- Exercise: Editing for Conciseness
- Conclusion
- Additional Resources
- Words of Wisdom
- Major Functions and Forms of Business Writing
- The Four Major Functions of Business Writing
- Preparing to Write
- Exercise: Form and Functions of Business Writing
- Qualities of Effective Business Writing
- Using the Qualities of Effective Business Writing
- Exercise: Identifying the Function and Effectiveness of Business Writing
- Writing and Communication Guidelines
- Consider Your Audience
- Exercise: Understanding Your Audience
- Anticipate Questions and Reactions
- Formal vs Informal Writing
- Emphasis of Important Information
- Exercise: Reviewing Writing Guidelines
- Tone and Purpose
- Tone in Business Writing
- Purpose
- Exercise: Understanding Desired Outcomes
- Exercise: Understanding Informative and Persuasive Techniques
- Organizing Information
- Organizational Patterns
- Exercise: Organizing Information
- Organizing Negative Information to Improve Outcomes
- Exercise: Check for Understanding: Positive and Negative News
- Email and Instant Messenger
- Email Dos and Don'ts
- Exercise: Structuring the Communication for Optimal Results
- Instant Messenger
- Exercise: Determining Appropriate Electronic Communication Methods
- Qualities of Effective Business Writing
- Clear
- Complete
- Concise
- Courteous
- Correct
- When to Use Humor
- Using the Qualities of Effective Business Writing
- Exercise: Using the 5 C's of Business Writing
Class Materials
Each student will receive a comprehensive set of materials, including course notes and all the class examples.
Instructor-led courses are offered via a live Web connection, at client sites throughout Europe, and at our Geneva Training Center.