Clarity, Part 2

In this post I will go into further discussion of Rules For Writers sections.

Jenny Dowing. "Unknown" June 21 2008.

Active Verbs

Active verbs put more emphasis on the subject it's paired with. They have more of an effect than passive verbs because passive verbs don't show an action that the subject receives. The book advised to always use active verbs and to avoid using passive unless necessary. This is due to the fact that active verbs give a clearer message and have a stronger impact. 

Add Needed Words

The book gave several examples of when to add needed words. One reason in particular that I felt will help my writing personally is adding words to make comparisons logical and complete. I learned that in comparing objects that are different from each other it's a good idea to add words to clarify the objects to make them easier to compare. For example adding "than those of" is better than just saying "than".

Untangle Mixed Constructions

Untangling mixed contractions means fixing parts of sentences that don't make sense. This could be sentences that are too wordy or the message is a bit off. Fixing a sentence grammatically could be as simple as adding punctuation and keeping the words the same. Fixing a sentence due to the message could be adding words, taking away words, or simply switching up the order to make the sentence more effective.

Find The Exact Words

This lesson talked about finding the right words to get the message across exactly as it's intended. A tip that this part included was to avoid looking up synonyms for words that sound fancy and instead look for words that really represent what you're trying to say. By doing this the message will get across effectively instead of being wordy and confusing. This also helps give the message the correct tone and doesn't over exaggerate anything.

Revision
Revising my draft after reading the topics from Rules for Writers gave me a lot more tools to improve my draft. I was able to find a spot where I needed to add punctuation to untangle a mixed construction. In this sentence, "Celiacs disease is passed down genetically; it occurs when the small intestine cannot properly break down gluten proteins." I added a semicolon because without it the sentence's meaning was unclear. I used the exact words rule to revise a sentence in the beginning of my draft. In this sentence, "It is obvious that it’s necessary for people suffering from Celiacs disease and gluten sensitivity" I replaced the word "crucial" with the word "necessary". By doing this it gives the sentence the correct tone and avoids any confusion or misleading.