Business Writing

Why Do We Pile on Words?

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:33:35 -0800

I was flying across the country a few days ago, and I paid attention to the recorded safety instructions: "Federal law prohibits tampering with, disabling, or destroying lavatory smoke detectors." Tampering with, disabling, or destroying. Do we need all three?...

Have You Been Triaged Yet?

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:07:35 -0800

My example today is not from business writing, but I am sure we can relearn something from it. When I sat in a doctor's waiting room with my father this afternoon, a medical staff member asked a man sitting near...

Punctuating Bullet Points

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:10:15 -0800

In business writing courses, the most common question about punctuation involves how to punctuate bullet points. It's important, since these days we write as many bullet points as paragraphs. Let me tell you how I punctuate them, and then I...

To Assure You About "Assure"

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:51:17 -0800

In the past week I have read writing samples from two high-level managers in two different industries, both with the same mistake. They both used the word assure incorrectly. So even though I have covered ensure-assure-insure before, it must be...

Was Rick Perry Literally Wrong? Correct Use of the Word "Literally"

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:00:58 -0800

Comedians and political pundits in the United States have been making fun of Texas Governor Rick Perry because of his use of the word literally. In a recent presidential debate, Perry said Iran would invade Iraq "literally at the speed...

Humor in Business Writing - Does It Belong?

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:34:56 -0800

Today someone sent me an evaluation of an online business writing course he had taken with me. This was his final comment: I liked the online format. It was like being in an actual classroom, but without sitting next to...

New Year's Wishes for 2012

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:25:17 -0800

People from around the world have been writing to me in search of the correct wording for new year's messages to their English-speaking friends and associates. To help them, I have composed these brief messages as models. I hope you...

Who Should Save Face--You or Your Reader?

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:21:04 -0800

I recently emailed a friend to invite her to lunch. I suggested that we meet at the Portage Bay Cafe on Roosevelt. When she wrote back to say yes, she said she had visited the Portage Bay Cafe website, and...

Don't Be Fooled by Microsoft's Non-Errors

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:13:49 -0800

In Microsoft Office the grammar and spelling checker often flags non-errors. It flags certain constructions that have "fooled" the software into detecting a possible error. My grammar and spelling checker flagged a potential error in each item below. But don't...

Notice: Membership Lapsed

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:49:48 -0800

This morning I received an email from a professional organization of which I have been a member since October 31, 1989. During those 20+ years, I have served on the board, given pro bono presentations on business writing, and attended...