Communicating with Precision
Completion requirements
This is a nice guide for improving or "tightening up" your writing, ensuring clarity, concision, and directness, as described in the article. This is useful for any information exchange writing. Over the next week, note how often you use passive voice, are too wordy, or use cliché expressions or qualifiers.
Precise Wording
2. Prefer short words to long words and phrases.
The goal is to communicate directly and plainly so use short, direct words whenever possible. In other words, don't use long words or phrases when short ones will do. Write to express, not impress.
| Long | Short |
| cognizant; be cognizant of | aware, know |
| commence; commencement | begin, beginning |
| utilize; utilization | use (v), use (n) |
| inquire; make an inquiry | ask |
| finalize; finalization | complete, end |
| afford an opportunity to | permit, allow |
| at this point in time | now, currently |
| due to the fact that | because, due to |
| has the ability to | can |