Use an apostrophe to replace missing letters in a contraction.

We like to say that apostrophes are PC. We don’t mean that they’re politically correct. Rather, we mean that they’re used for possessives and contractions. For contractions, the apostrophe replaces any missing letters. For example:

The apostrophe in they’re replaces the missing “a” in they are.

The apostrophe in you’re replaces the missing “a” in you are.

The apostrophe in isn’t replaces the missing “o” in is not.

The apostrophe in it’s replaces the missing “i” in it is.

We are surprised when we see the apostrophe in the wrong place or more apostrophes than necessary. If a letter isn’t missing, then no apostrophe is needed in that place.

One last note: The apostrophe always points or curves to the left, even when at the beginning of the word. Your word processor may automatically reverse the direction, so be careful with this.

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Use topic chains to create cohesive paragraphs.

If you write a long paragraph (more than 4 or 5 sentences), how do you keep focused on the topic? How do you keep the reader aware of the main idea being discussed?

You do this with topic chains. A topic chain is basically a series of words and phrases that refer to the main idea. In most cases when you use a topic chain, each sentence will have one or more words that refer to the idea. If this is not possible with a particular sentence, you may need to consider whether or not that sentence belongs in the paragraph. Consider this paragraph from a proposal for state authorization to provide after school services to at-risk children.

The term disabilities comprises many conditions that may inhibit student learning. Often, students with disabilities require specialized instructional strategies to reduce the degree to which these inhibitors affect learning. Students with special needs require a highly-qualified teacher with training and experience in addressing such needs. As part of the tutor selection process, [the company] identifies those teachers possessing these unique skills, resulting in the ability to match students with special needs with teachers possessing appropriate teaching skills. Teachers will use strategies that allow for differentiated pacing with careful sequencing, monitoring, and control of the learning process.

The underlined words create the topic chain. As you can see, each sentence contains words that refer to the topic introduced in the first sentence. These words keep the reader focused on the topic.

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This is the strategy for day 137 in 300 Days of Better Writing, available at Hostile Editing in PDF, Kindle, and paperback formats.

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Express yourself confidently.

Another way to say this is “Don’t hedge.” Phrases such as “I think that,” “I assume,” “I believe,” and “It’s possible that” tell the reader that you are not confident in what you are saying. If you are not confident in your ideas, your reader will not be confident in your authority to make whatever statement you are making.

On the other hand, if you have a good reason for your idea, state the idea with confidence. Consider this sentence:

“I think cantaloupe is good for your health.”

As a reader, I can say, “Do you think so, or do you know so? If that is only your opinion, I can ignore it.” To encourage the reader to believe you, you can write, instead,

“Cantaloupe is good for your health.”

Confident writing is stronger, more active, more believable, and more likely to get the reader response you desire.

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Top writing strategies and expert instruction from each of Precise Edit’s writing guides 1 critical article from Precise Edit Training Manual 8 days of instruction from 300 Days of Better Writing 5 top strategies from Bang! Writing with Impact 2 essential word choices from Which Word Do I Use? 1 major comma use from Zen Comma 1 section on main verbs from Concise Guide to Technical and Academic Writing Get the free e-book (PDF) OR Purchase the Kindle version ($0.99).

Only use one exclamation mark, if any.

Exclamation marks generally do not have a place in formal business writing, though they may have a use in advertising text and narrative texts. However, if you do decide to use an exclamation mark, only use one at a time. Strings of exclamation marks are characteristic of amateur writers, and most readers will interpret them as a ploy to create artificial enthusiasm. In either case, using more than one exclamation mark at a time will damage your professional image and credibility.

Improper use: “This is the best sale of the year!!!!”
Proper use: “This is the best sale of the year!”

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Free E-book to Improve Your Writing Skills

Top writing strategies and expert instruction from each of Precise Edit’s writing guides 1 critical article from Precise Edit Training Manual 8 days of instruction from 300 Days of Better Writing 5 top strategies from Bang! Writing with Impact 2 essential word choices from Which Word Do I Use? 1 major comma use from Zen Comma 1 section on main verbs from Concise Guide to Technical and Academic Writing Get the free e-book (PDF) OR Purchase the Kindle version ($0.99).