In business writing you should avoid writing in long sentences. Long sentences may often contain several different ideas and their complexity may confuse the reader. However, that is not to say that you should always write in short sentences. Once again, add a little variety to your writing by varying the length of your sentences. Keep your sentence length within the range of 7 - 25 words. You can use linking words to join two sentences together or link ideas within the same sentence to help control the sentence length.
Now let’s look at some extracts from business documents. The extracts in the left-hand column lack linking words and phrases and have a low readability score. They are difficult to read because the reader is unable to follow the writer’s line of thought. Linking words and phrases have been used in the rewrites in the middle and right-hand columns to:
- vary the sentence length; and
- connect ideas within and between sentences.
| UNCLEAR (ideas not linked) |
CLEAR (ideas linked) |
CLEAR (ideas linked) |
| I am now completing the final arrangements for the week. I would be grateful if you could confirm that the proposed time on Monday is convenient for you. I would appreciate receiving any comments you may have on the programme by Friday of this week. | I am now completing the final arrangements for the week. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could confirm that the proposed time on Monday is convenient for you. In addition, I would appreciate receiving any comments you may have on the programme by Friday of this week. | I am now completing the final arrangements for the week. As a result, I would be grateful if you could confirm that the proposed time on Monday is convenient for you, and I would appreciate receiving any comments you may have on the programme by Friday of this week. |
| I know how hard you worked on the Merrylux report. I’d like you to go over it for me once more. It will be distributed to all the board members tomorrow. It must be as good as it can be. Please check the figures again today. | I know how hard you worked on the Merrylux report, but I’d like you to go over it for me once more. It will be distributed to all the board members tomorrow, and it must be as good as it can be. Therefore, please check the figures again today. | I know how hard you worked on the Merrylux report. However, I’d like you to go over it for me once more, as it will be distributed to all the board members tomorrow. Please check the figures again today because it must be as good as it can be. |
| I am employed at present. I would welcome the chance to work for your company. I am very interested in the field in which TECHPRODUCTS plc works. | Although I am employed at present, I would welcome the chance to work for your company, because I am very interested in the field in which TECHPRODUCTS plc works. | Because of my interest in the field in which your company works, I would welcome the chance to work for TECHPRODUCTS plc. However, I am employed at present. |
| You have been unable to find this product. This model has been discontinued. We replaced it with the JK866 which offers the same fine quality that our customers have come to expect. It is considerably less expensive. | You have been unable to find this product because this model has been discontinued. We replaced it with the JK866, which offers the same fine quality that our customers have come to expect, but it is considerably less expensive. |
This product has been discontinued. As a result, you have been unable to find this model. We replaced it with the JK866, which offers the same fine quality that our customers have come to expect. However, it is considerably less expensive. |
NOTE: Notice how the sentence structure is determined by the type of linking word or phrase used, i.e. whether it is linking the ideas within a sentence or between sentences, or whether it is just a phrase linker. Pay particular attention to the punctuation used.