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Management article
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Reference no. C0107B
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Published in: "Harvard Management Communication Letter", 2001
Length: 2 pages
Topics: Writing;

Abstract

Few corporate documents are written with the clarity of Julius Caesar''s bold statement "Veni, Vidi, Vici"--"I came, I saw, I conquered." Instead, most business writing takes the passive voice, thereby boring and confusing the reader. This practical piece shows you how to watch for overuse of passive verbs, using before-and-after examples from the annual reports of well-known companies. Includes a sidebar called "Find the Hidden Verb," a list of common noun phrases and the appropriate active verbs to replace them.

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Abstract

Few corporate documents are written with the clarity of Julius Caesar''s bold statement "Veni, Vidi, Vici"--"I came, I saw, I conquered." Instead, most business writing takes the passive voice, thereby boring and confusing the reader. This practical piece shows you how to watch for overuse of passive verbs, using before-and-after examples from the annual reports of well-known companies. Includes a sidebar called "Find the Hidden Verb," a list of common noun phrases and the appropriate active verbs to replace them.

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