The ten classic writing mistakes
This course is based around the ten classic mistakes of business English writing. The explanations, examples, exercises and activities are designed to help you avoid these mistakes and write accurately and with confidence.
Here are the ten classic mistakes:
1. Lack of clear objective
The first mistake is made before you even start writing. Many people start to write without asking themselves “What do I want to say?” or “Who am I writing for?” If you don’t have a clear objective, your reader may not know what your text is about.
2. No planning
Planning is crucial to good writing. If you write down your ideas in the order you think of them, your text will be unclear. The better organised the text, the more likely your reader will understand it.
3. Lack of cohesion
Use linking words and phrases in sentences and paragraphs to help your reader follow your ideas.
4. Unclear or overlong sentences
English speakers prefer conciseness to long, flowery phrases. Using more words than necessary could mean that your key message gets buried. Write clearly and concisely so that your writing is read and understood.
5. Inappropriate style
Your choice of style depends on your purpose in writing and your relationship with your reader. Get the level of formality wrong, and you risk causing offence. Your choice of style also affects your choice of vocabulary and sentence structure.
6. Inappropriate tone
Related to style is using the right “tone of voice” with your reader. If you appear rude when you write, you are less likely to get the results you want.
7. Incorrect grammar
Bad grammar can obscure your meaning and lead to misunderstanding. Proofreading can often help you to identify any errors, but learning to write accurately is fundamental to good business communication.
8. Incorrect punctuation
The wrong punctuation can make your writing difficult to read and understand. Punctuation is an area that both native and non-native speakers of English get wrong, but there are some relatively clear rules to help you present your ideas more clearly.
9. Poor text layout
Dense blocks of text, no spacing or margins, or too much spacing all make your writing visually difficult to read. Paying attention to how something looks on the page will mean your writing has a better chance of being read.
10. Incorrect standard phrases
There are certain standard phrases in business writing, and using the wrong conventional expressions can make you look amateur or unprofessional. For instance, the next time you write to a woman, make sure you don’t unintentionally insult her by writing “Dear Miss”, “Dear Mrs”, “Dear Lady” or even worse, “Dear Madame”.