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Program Details

Write It Right—Business Writing Basics is a comprehensive overview course, useful as a general writing refresher, consisting of two modules: Grammar and Usage and Sentence Structure and Punctuation.

This is the program that my clients request again and again to strengthen their employees’ writing, both for new-hires and individuals who could be promoted if they had better writing skills.

Grammar and Usage includes:

• Making subjects and verbs agree (e.g.  The drawer full of folders include or includes our past and current customers).
• Using the correct pronoun (e.g.  Save some for Bob and me or I?).
• Handling verb tense effectively (e.g.  Procedures should be written in present tense, reports in past tense).
• Clarifying words that are often confused (e.g. effect/affect).

Sentence Structure and Punctuation includes:

• Mastering the four basic sentence patterns.
• Joining ideas logically and with proper punctuation by using connectors that link thoughts within sentences, between paragraphs or even sections of reports.
• Avoiding run-on sentences, comma splices and fragments.
• Recognizing punctuation as written down tone of voice, which reinforces the students’ ability to “hear” what is written—or missing.

Business Writing Basics will raise morale as workers write with more confidence.  Knowing the correct form, usage, and punctuation will save time that writers currently lose in looking up answers as they draft emails, letters and reports.  By writing messages that are understood clearly the first time they are read, your organization’s efficiency will improve as fewer follow-up calls and emails are needed to get business done. 

Four half-day sessions, 3.5 hours each, or twelve 1.5 hour sessions

Core Competencies for Business Writing Basics

• Making subjects and verbs agree
• Matching the pronoun and antecedent
• Selecting the correct case of pronoun (I or me?)
• Understanding and using the correct form of the final “S” for a plural noun, singular verb, the contraction is or has, singular possessive (’s), and plural possessive (s’) 
• Choosing the correct verb tense for the writing task
• Mastering words that are often confused (homonyms and homophones)
• Recognizing and writing correctly structured sentences
• Selecting the best conjunction for the logic of the message and the needs of the audience, and punctuating it correctly
• Using transition words and phrases appropriately
• Using basic punctuation correctly (apostrophe, bullet, colon, comma, dash, hyphen, parenthesis, period, and semi-colon)

Three half-day sessions of 2.5 hours each, or five 1.5 hour sessions