Business Writing Tips from The Writing Center
Place key words in power positions
June 21, 2007
What are sentence power positions?
In English
sentences, readers look to sentence beginnings--the subject
position--for key ideas and to the main verb position for key
actions. That's why 95 percent of the sentences you read use
subject-verb-object structure. Good writers know that this structure
communicates ideas efficiently.
Why then do some people write
sentences like the one below?
It is apparent that the
provision of more accurate results will be the outcome of the new
testing procedure.
The subject of that sentence is "It." The
verb is "is." The writer has used the subject and main verb positions,
but the reader hasn't learned anything yet.
Sentences are more effective if they begin
with the topic under discussion. Compare the original sentence to the
rewrite below:
The new testing procedure
will provide more accurate results.
If you read both versions, you can HEAR the
difference in the sentences' power. The rewrite is more effective
because it puts information where the reader expects to find it: key
idea (the new testing procedure) in the
subject position and key action (will provide)
in the main verb position.
Over the new few weeks we'll explore how to
place key words in power positions.
This edition was adapted from our Effective
Business Writing Program. Previous editions
may be read at
http://www.uliveandlearn.com/newsletters/index.cfm.
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