LAS 4

• LANGUAGE USE is one of the clearest indicators of a well written text. It enables writers to effectively communicate ideas without confusing the reader.
• An effective language is: Specific, Concise, Familiar, Correct, and Appropriate
• Levels of Language Use

  1. Informal/ Personal - slang, local expressions, text messaging
  2. Standard/Academic - widely accepted words and phrases found in books, magazines, and newspapers
  3. Business/Technical - scientific terms, jargons, and special expressions
• Principles in Language Use/ Diction

  1. Use clear and concise sentences, usually about 18 words long.
  2. Avoid redundancies, cliches wordiness, and highfalutin
  3. Although may be used, avoid overusing “There” and “It”, drop it
  4. Use precise vocabulary. Be accurate. Condensed.
  5. Be consistent in pronoun POV
  6. Avoid sexist language.
  7. Use appropriate level of formality
• MECHANICS focuses on the technicalities of the structure. It determines errors on subject-verb agreement, prepositions, tenses, the grammar, spelling, capitalization, abbreviations and acronyms, the use of numbers as part of the statement, and the punctuation marks.
• PERIOD (.)


  Used after sentences, in abbreviations, and as decimals
• EXCLAMATION POINT (!)


  Placed at the emphatic or forceful sentences
• QUESTION MARK (?)


  Placed at the end of a question and to note questionable items
• QUOTATION MARKS (" ")


  To indicate direct quotation
• APOSTROPHE (')


  To show possession (Angel's bag), to show missing letters and number (you're, '95), to show plurals of letters (I got all A's last semester.)
• COLON (:)


  After independent clauses to introduce elements. "The coach demanded three things from his players: loyalty, devotion, and teamwork."/ to separate items in numerals, ratios, titles and subtitles, time references, scripture references
• PARENTHESES ()


  To set off nonessential details and explanations, to enclose letters and numbers used when listing items, first-time use of acronym
• BRACKETS [ ]


  To set off clarifications inserted in quotations, Eric observed, "I think [Rodrigo] Duterte was the greatest president."
• HYPHEN ( - )


  To separate or join
• DASH ( -- )

  To show sudden break of thought "Ted was angry after his car was stolen—who wouldn't be?"/to set off an introduction to a series "They have everything needed to succeed—ideas, money, and marketing."
• SLASH (/)


  To separate words or to show alternatives (he/she)
• SEMICOLON (;)


  To join independent clauses when and, or, yet, but, or so are not present, to separate items in a series that contains commas "The governor will meet with Rey Simon, the mayor of Concepcion; Bert Vesca, the vice mayor; and Peter Cayabyab."
• ELLIPSIS (. . . )


  To indicate that words have been deleted from quoted material
• COMMA (,)


  To signal pauses and shifts in sentences, used with and, or, so, but, yet to join independent clauses "Chinatown is a popular tourist attraction, and it serves as an important cultural center."
• general principles to keep in mind for the Mechanics:

  • Always use standard English
  • Avoid Contraction (shouldn't, gonna)
  • Avoid exclamation marks unless part of a quotation
  • Mention full name in first mention. Thereafter, use abbreviations.
  • Numbers zero to ten vs 11 and so on
  • Citations are used in academic and formal texts but sparingly used in business texts