Comprehensive Writing Training

Course duration

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
Available Delivery Methods
Public Class
Public expert-led online training from the convenience of your home, office or anywhere with an internet connection. Guaranteed to run .
Private Class
Private classes are delivered for groups at your offices or a location of your choice.

Course Outline

  1. Introduction: The Importance of Proper Writing and Correct Grammar
    1. Why Writing Matters
  2. Basic Grammar Rules
    1. Parts of Speech
    2. Nouns
    3. Pronouns
    4. Verbs
    5. Adjectives
    6. Adverbs
    7. Prepositions
    8. Conjunctions
    9. Interjections
    10. Subject and Object
    11. Exercise: Parts of Speech
    12. Subject-verb Agreement
    13. Exercise: Subject-Verb Agreement
  3. Hypercorrections and Usage Errors
    1. Common Usage Errors
    2. Who or Whom
    3. Me or I
    4. When to Use "Myself"
    5. Choosing "He" or "Him" and "She" or "Her"
    6. That or Which
    7. Fewer or Less
    8. Exercise: Hypercorrections and Usage Errors
    9. More Commonly Confused Words
    10. Exercise: More Commonly Confused Words
  4. Structure
    1. Simple Sentences
    2. Exercise: Simple Sentences
    3. Compound Sentences
    4. Complex Sentences
    5. Compound-Complex Sentences
    6. Exercise: Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences
    7. Parallel Construction
    8. Exercise: Parallel Construction
    9. Run-on Sentences
    10. Exercise: Run-on Sentences
  5. Punctuation
    1. Periods
    2. Exercise: Periods
    3. Commas
    4. The Serial Comma
    5. Comma Splice
    6. Exercise: Commas
    7. Colons and Semicolons
    8. Semicolons
    9. Colons
    10. Exercise: Colons and Semicolons
    11. Apostrophes, Double Quotation Marks, and Single Quotation Marks
    12. Apostrophes
    13. Double Quotation Marks
    14. Single Quotation Marks
    15. Punctuation Inside and Outside of Quotation Marks
    16. Exercise: Apostrophes and Quotation Marks
    17. Question Marks and Exclamation Points
    18. Question Marks
    19. Exclamation Points
    20. Hyphens and Dashes
    21. Hyphen
    22. Dashes
    23. Exercise: Dashes and Hyphens
    24. Parentheses and Brackets
    25. Parentheses
    26. Brackets
    27. Exercise: Parenthetical Elements
  6. Capitalization
    1. Words That Are Always Capitalized
    2. Exercise: Words That Are Always Capitalized
    3. Words That Are Never Capitalized
    4. Exercise: Words That Are Never Capitalized
    5. Headings and Titles
    6. Exercise: Headings and Titles
  7. Point of View and Tense
    1. Point of View
    2. When to Write in the First Person
    3. Exercise: Writing in the First Person
    4. When to Write in the Second Person:
    5. Exercise: Writing in the Second Person
    6. When to Write in the Third Person
    7. Exercise: Using the Third Person
    8. How to Choose the Point of View
    9. Using Correct Tenses
    10. How to Use the Past Tense in Business Writing
    11. Exercise: Past Tense
    12. How to Use the Present Tense in Business Writing
    13. Exercise: Present Tense
    14. How to Use the Future Tense in Business Writing
    15. Exercise: Future Tense
  8. Proofreading Your Work
    1. Ensuring Your Writing Is Error Free
    2. Ensuring Consistency in Your Writing
    3. Exercise: Proofreading a Document
    4. Editing for Conciseness
    5. Get to the Heart of the Message
    6. Trim Bulky Wording
    7. Exercise: Editing for Conciseness
  9. Conclusion
    1. Additional Resources
    2. Words of Wisdom
  10. Major Functions and Forms of Business Writing
    1. The Four Major Functions of Business Writing
    2. Preparing to Write
    3. Exercise: Form and Functions of Business Writing
    4. Qualities of Effective Business Writing
    5. Using the Qualities of Effective Business Writing
    6. Exercise: Identifying the Function and Effectiveness of Business Writing
  11. Writing and Communication Guidelines
    1. Consider Your Audience
    2. Exercise: Understanding Your Audience
    3. Anticipate Questions and Reactions
    4. Formal vs Informal Writing
    5. Emphasis of Important Information
    6. Exercise: Reviewing Writing Guidelines
  12. Tone and Purpose
    1. Tone in Business Writing
    2. Purpose
    3. Exercise: Understanding Desired Outcomes
    4. Exercise: Understanding Informative and Persuasive Techniques
  13. Organizing Information
    1. Organizational Patterns
    2. Exercise: Organizing Information
    3. Organizing Negative Information to Improve Outcomes
    4. Exercise: Check for Understanding: Positive and Negative News
  14. Email and Instant Messenger
    1. Email
    2. Email Dos and Don'ts
    3. Exercise: Structuring the Communication for Optimal Results
    4. Instant Messenger
    5. Exercise: Determining Appropriate Electronic Communication Methods
  15. Qualities of Effective Business Writing
    1. Clear
    2. Complete
    3. Concise
    4. Courteous
    5. Correct
    6. When to Use Humor
    7. Using the Qualities of Effective Business Writing
    8. 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.

Since its founding in 1995, InterSource has been providing high quality and highly customized training solutions to clients worldwide. With over 500 course titles constantly updated and numerous course customization and creation possibilities, we have the capability to meet your I.T. training needs.
Instructor-led courses are offered via a live Web connection, at client sites throughout Europe, and at our Geneva Training Center.