Teaching Business Communication

It’s easy to fall into bad writing habits at work. Sometimes it’s because we are racing. Sometimes it’s because we have read enough swollen sentences, obscure acronyms, and endless messages to lower our standards. And sometimes we write on autopilot….

I just received an “Oops!” email from our beloved, prestigious public television station. When I read the subject line, “Oops! Correction for Rick Steves Preview Screening and Q+A!” I instantly knew what the oops must be: a date error. Indeed,…

I just received an “Oops!” email from our beloved, prestigious public television station. When I read the subject line, “Oops! Correction for Rick Steves Preview Screening and Q+A!” I instantly knew what the oops must be: a date error. Indeed,…

esterday while coaching a scientist on her writing, I suggested that she consider simplifying this wording: “The results of this trial may elucidate the most efficacious intervention strategies . . .” Can you guess which words I thought were overly…

Yesterday while coaching a scientist on her writing, I suggested that she consider simplifying this wording: “The results of this trial may elucidate the most efficacious intervention strategies . . .” Can you guess which words I thought were overly…

The other night I was traveling from Boston to my home, Seattle. When I arrived at my connection city, Denver, at 7:15 p.m. I received this text message: Your Flight ___ on August 6 from DEN now departs at 11:55…

The other night I was traveling from Boston to my home, Seattle. When I arrived at my connection city, Denver, at 7:15 p.m. I received this text message: Your Flight ___ on August 6 from DEN now departs at 11:55…

There’s a hit song titled “Him and I” whose ungrammatical title and lyrics drive me nuts. A correct title would be either “Him and Me” or “He and I”–never “Him and I.” Why? Because him is an object pronoun, and…

There’s a hit song titled “Him and I” whose ungrammatical title and lyrics drive me nuts. A correct title would be either “Him and Me” or “He and I”–never “Him and I.” Why? Because him is an object pronoun, and…

If you can write a catchy sentence using I when the wording really demands me, do you choose I or me? If fewer fits your meaning but less sounds breezier, do you go with the correct fewer or the rhythmic…