Writing Formally - Quick Checklist Of Do's As Well As Don'ts
There are conventions that need to endure followed in addition to therefore hither is a curt listing of things to laissez passer on off inward hear when writing to individual who is non an acquaintance or the finished piece of job counts towards a grade.
Be aware that these points are non absolute, in addition to many would struggle that to a greater extent than or less of them, depending on the situation, are acceptable.
Writing – Basic Things to Remember
The Traits of a Proper Formal Essay
- Never run contractions (don’t, won’t, can’t should endure written out equally do not, will not) ["can’t" is written inward 1 give-and-take = cannot].
- Avoid using I, you, we. Keep yourself equally much out of your writing equally possible in addition to don’t speak to the reader straight (this is appropriate inward letters or articles, precisely non equally much inward formal essays).
- Don’t run etc. / and in addition to therefore on. It shows laziness (it agency you lot direct maintain to a greater extent than to say precisely don't experience like adding it).
- Never write “. . . ” at the halt of a sentence. Finish each sentence definitively amongst one amount stop.
- Write out numbers nether 100 (twenty-five instead of 25).
- Separate words at the halt of a line:
- between syllables
- between double consonants
- for example: be-cause, bal-loon
- Use connectors / linking devices to brand your writing logical in addition to clear.
- Don’t brand your writing wordy: avoid start sentences amongst there is / there are too often
- Use active verbs instead of nouns to limited ideas (this volition brand your writing audio to a greater extent than English linguistic communication = to a greater extent than empirical rather than theoretical)
- Avoid rhetorical questions: it's okay to direct maintain 1 rhetorical query inward an test for example, precisely for emphasis, non to restate the question.
- Discuss both sides of a topic, fifty-fifty if you lot are writing an thought test (which agency you are putting your regard forward).
- Question the strength of your arguments and, if necessary, modify them to brand them plausible. This is possible alone if you lot innovation properly ahead of fourth dimension past times brainstorming.
- Don't use exclamation marks or parentheses: a) academic or formal pieces of writing are non meant to endure sentimental
- Never start a judgement amongst and, but, or (use In addition, However …)
- Learn to write longer sentences, non choppy ones, linking similar ideas together amongst proper linking devices.
- Avoid clichés (eg: “till the twenty-four hours I die”, “as potent equally an ox”, “as pretty equally a picture”).
- Don’t run absolute terms (never, always, everyone, nobody).
- Avoid ‘baby English’ words: large – little, expert – bad
- Don’t run colloquial (everyday) words:
- a lot of / lots of
- kid
- things / stuff
- well (to start a sentence)
- big / great
- ok / okay / alright / all right
- –body (nobody, somebody, anybody): run individual / anyone
- could of / would of / should of = run 'have' instead of 'of'
- get = obtain, acquire, procure / empathise , comprehend
- let = allow, permit
- like = equally if, equally though
- real = actually (sometimes non necessary at all)
- so = very
- till = until
- use = utilize, employ, adopt, apply, operate, bring (according to context)
For formal sample essays or letters equally good equally full general information on writing, click here.