Adhere to standard grammar rules Tips:
- Take care with the following difficulties:
- subject-verb agreement
- use of correct past participles
- sequence of verb tenses (past, present, future)
- case of pronouns (“I” vs. “me”)
- adjectives and adverbs
Present information in a logical order Tips:
- Present ideas in an order that is easy to understand according to the point of view of the reader: from general to specific, from most to least important, from what is known to what is new
- Subdivide the parts of the document by grouping
information in small units tied together in a
logical step-by-step manner using:
- expressions or words of relationship
- summary or anticipatory statements
Examples:
INSTEAD OF:
- The Government of Canada has developed programs such as the clean air action plan to ensure clean air for Canadians and to protect their health.
USE:
- To ensure clean air for Canadians and to protect their health, the Government has developed the clean air action plan.
Facilitate reading and an overall perspective Tips:
- Indicate the structure of the document by, for example, adding:
- a short introduction
- a brief summary of the document at the beginning of the text
- a user guide
- Maintain unity of theme, subject and main purpose throughout the document