Become a Better Writer Instantly
Here are some tricks of the editing trade that will make your writing look more polished instantly.
Trick #1: Use concrete rather than vague language.
Example of vague language: The weather was of an extreme nature.
Example of concrete language: Thunderstorms tore open the sky, bringing a deluge of rain.
Which sentence would make you want to continue reading?
Trick #2: Try active voice instead of passive voice.
Passive Voice: The ball was hit.
Active Voice: Barry hit the ball.
With active voice, the reader knows who did what, which is always more interesting.
Trick #3: Avoid overusing there is/are and that is/was.
Example overusing there is: There is a case of meningitis that was reported in the newspaper.
Better Example: A case of meningitis was reported in the newspaper.
Notice how eliminating there is also eliminated that was. However, this sentence is still in passive voice.
Best Example: The newspaper reported a case of meningitis.
Active voice makes the sentence less clumsy and more direct.
Trick #4: Convey ideas with one positive rather than two negatives.
Example with two negatives: Sam is not unwilling to do the report.
Unless you want to convey hesitation on the part of Sam, use the positive approach.
Better Example: Sam is willing to do the report.
Trick #5: Notice parallel construction.
Incorrect Example: Winning is the goal but to play fair is important too.
Correct Example: Winning is the goal but playing fair is important too.
By pairing playing with winning, you give the sentence balance.
Effective writing techniques are not mysterious. Use them and your writing will sparkle.
Pop Quiz
To practice these tricks, click here.
Hundreds of Quizzes at Your Fingertips
Get hundreds of additional quizzes not found in The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation or anywhere else! Click here to subscribe.
* Take the quizzes online or download and copy them.
* Get scored instantly.
* Read explanations for every quiz answer. NEW!
* Reproduce the quizzes to your heart`s content.
* Use one subscription for your entire family, classroom, or office.
* Dozens of English Usage Topics including:
o Subject/Verb Agreement
o Problems with Prepositions
o Pronouns including Who/Whom/Whoever/Whomever
o Adjectives and Adverbs including Good vs. Well
o Capitalization
o Writing Numbers
o Punctuation Marks including Commas, Semicolons, Quotation Marks, Hyphens, and Dashes.
o Hundreds of Spelling,Vocabulary, and Confusing Words including Affect vs. Effect, Lay vs. Lie, It`s vs. Its
Click here to subscribe.
Hundreds of quizzes designed to help you become a better writer, student, or proofreader. Great preparation for the SAT.
A gold mine for teachers, homeschoolers, and trainers:
* self-paced
* automatic, instant scoring online
* explanations to every answer provided
* every relevant topic covered
* downloadable and reproducible
* one subscription works for an entire family, classroom, or office
Click here to subscribe.
Don’t need all the quizzes at once? You can now purchase the same interactive, downloadable subscription quizzes individually.
Click here.
The Blue Book of Grammar E-Book Is Now Available!
What’s the advantage? It’s downloadable so you will have it with you wherever you have your laptop. Click here to order.
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation 10th Edition
An indispensable tool for busy professionals, teachers, students, home-school families, editors, writers, & proofreaders. Great resource for SAT preparation.
View entire contents online
• Grammar Rules
• Punctuation & Capitalization Rules
• Rules for Writing Numbers
• Hundreds of Spelling/Vocabulary/Confusing Words
• Reproducible quizzes with answers
Discounts available for schools, bookstores, and multiple copies. Click to order.
________________________________________
English In A Snap: 68 One-Minute English Usage Videos
View Jane’s 68 one-minute video lessons that are available FREE. Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Tell your colleagues (and bosses), children, teachers, and friends.
Click here to view.
Valuable Link
Click here to read excerpts from Jane’s other wonderful book, Enough Is Enough! Stop Enduring and Start Living Your Extraordinary Life and listen to her podcasts. Learn more about Jane’s personal coaching work, speaking engagements, and articles that will inspire you to thrive.
January 25th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Thank you for your website. It’s the best one I have found that assures me of correct and precise punctuation and grammar usage.
March 11th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
You have an outstanding good and well structured site. I enjoyed browsing through it.
March 27th, 2007 at 3:57 am
I am a student this is my second semester and I need a lot of help, so far this website is a good tool for me. I want my englis to be better and English is my second language. I am into writting essays so I like your website, probably I can find some help writting essays in your website.
April 16th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Speaking of your idea of creating a fun, supplemental Blue Book with more exercises, including answers to them. I’d like it to be published as a separate book. It’s more handy then. But I’m not saying that I wouldn’t appreciate it if you put the supplemental book on your website, as well. I’m sure either way would be good.
As a used-to-be private teacher of English, I’d rather you didn’t separate the answer section. To me, it’s always been more convenient to put everything together in one piece.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Thank you for your feedback. It’s very helpful.
April 25th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
I’m new to your site. I’m about to purchase your grammar and punctuation book, and I’m wondering if your supplemental workbook is also available?
April 25th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
There is no supplemental workbook for “The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation.” The book itself contains the quizzes you see online. In June, I will be offering hundreds of extra quizzes online in a special subscription area if you need more practice.
I hope this answers your question satisfactorily. If not, let me know.
May 17th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I am waiting anxiously for June!
Now tell me if “excitedly” would have been more appropriate here? The fact is, I am excited, not anxious, but in the manner of speech, “anxiously “doesn’t sound out of place.
May 17th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
“excitedly” is better