Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell by Lynn Bahrych & Lynn Bahrych & Beth McLellan

Author:Lynn Bahrych & Lynn Bahrych & Beth McLellan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781634602815
Publisher: West Academic
Published: 2017-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

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2. She was an extremely wealthy woman, yet he married her several months after meeting at the health club.

3. She was an extremely wealthy woman, after he married her several months after meeting at the health club.

Be precise about the substantive connection between two subject-verb units or separate them into simple sentences. Remember that readers prefer short sentences.

Generally, average sentence length is a useful measure of readability. Try to limit average sentence length to 20 words to assure ease of reading.

1.Put Significant Words or Phrases in the Final Position

The two “emphatic positions” in a sentence are the beginning and the end. Be certain that the words you place in these two emphatic positions deserve to be there.

Unemphatic: We recommend that the Company discuss with us further its plans for obtaining outside investment in the future.

Revised: We recommend that the Company discuss with us further its plans for obtaining future outside investment.

2.Avoid Prepositional Phrases in the Final Position

Final prepositional phrases are usually weak and sometimes ambiguous.

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Rhetorically Weak and Ambiguous Series of Prepositions: Also enclosed is a letter I prepared in response to a request for explanation of certain features of an individual employment contract for a plant supervisor.

Revised: Also enclosed is a letter I prepared for a plant supervisor to explain certain features of an individual employment contract.

Or: Also enclosed is a letter I prepared to explain certain features of a plant supervisor’s individual employment contract.

§ 8.3 SENTENCE REVISION

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