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STYLESTYLE

Lesson # CW9Z04

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ARMY WRITINGARMY WRITING

THE STANDARDTHE STANDARD

EFFECTIVE ARMY WRITING ISWRITING THE READER CAN

UNDERSTAND IN A SINGLE, RAPIDREADING. IT IS GENERALLY FREE

OF ERRORS IN SUBSTANCE,

ORGANIZATION, STYLE, ANDCORRECTNESS.

AR 25-50

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THE FOUR ELEMENTS OFTHE FOUR ELEMENTS OF

WRITINGWRITING

SUBSTANCESUBSTANCE

ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION

STYLESTYLE

CORRECTNESSCORRECTNESS

VIEW WRITING AS A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT.

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STYLESTYLE

USE THE ACTIVE VOICE

KEEP CLARITY INDEX BELOW

40

ELIMINATE JARGON

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EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

WHERE THERE ARE VISIBLEVAPORS HAVING THEIRPREVELENCE IN IGNITED

CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS,THERE IS CONFLAGRATION.

WHERE THERES SMOKE,THERES FIRE.

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EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

NOTE TO 1SG:

SPC (USED TO BE SGT) SMITH GOTNAILED BY THE TWO-STAR THISMORNING FOR HITTING ON A SKIRTDURING THE RUN.

THE COMMANDING GENERAL

REDUCED SGT SMITH TO SPC THISMORNING. SMITH HARASSED AFEMALE SOLDIER DURING THE

PHYSICAL TRAINING RUN.

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RULES OF THUMBRULES OF THUMB

1. Words: use concrete, direct words, and remember thata word with three syllables is a long word.

2. Phrases: avoid jargon and use acronyms sparingly,

after spelling them out.

3. Sentences: compose sentences that express one idea.Remember that long sentences increase reading grade

level. (Average sentence length 12-15 words.)

4. Paragraphs: keep paragraphs short; compose

paragraphs to express one topic.5. Main action: keep the main action to one page, two

pages maximum.

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Delete unnecessary summaries.

Delete unnecessary quotations, data, or

tables.

Remove repetitive clauses, sentences, andparagraphs.

Change the passive to active.

Remove unneeded comparisons, descriptions,and modifiers.

Read your writing aloud to yourself.

Have someone else read your writing .

CHECKLIST FORACHIEVING BREVITY

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ALTERNATIVEALTERNATIVE

CONSTRUCTIONSCONSTRUCTIONS

It must be remembered that...

Due to the fact that Needless to say... In order (for) (that)...

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REASONS FOR THEREASONS FOR THE

ACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICEIT IS CLEARIT IS CLEAR

IT IS BRIEFIT IS BRIEF

IT PLACES RESPONSIBILITYIT PLACES RESPONSIBILITYIT IS PERSONALIT IS PERSONAL

SENTENCE

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SENTENCECONSTRUCTION:

VOICEJohnny was shot by Frankie.

Johnny was shot.

Frankie shot Johnny.

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* WHEN THE SUBJECT ACTS, THEVERB IS ACTIVE.

* WHEN THE SUBJECT IS ACTEDUPON, THE VERB IS PASSIVE.

** EFFECTIVE ARMY WRITINGIS ACTIVE.

ACTIVE OR PASSIVE VOICE

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PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICE

The passive voice consists of a form of

the verb to be (is, are, was, were, be,

being, been, am) and the past participle

(given, chosen, taken, etc.)

i.e. is given, are chosen, was counseled

TAKE TOOK TAKENPresent Past Past participle

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Passive construction is only appropriate if the

actor is unknown or unimportant.

EXAMPLE: The fuel handling operation

IS CONDUCTED by remote control.

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APPROPRIATE PASSIVEAPPROPRIATE PASSIVE

VOICEVOICE

The Bradley was designed to provide

maximum firepower, protection, andmobility.

I have been assigned to your unit.

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INAPPROPRIATEINAPPROPRIATE


At about 0230 hours, it was reported

that the motor pool gate key had not beenreturned; efforts were made to locate and

secure it.

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3 CURES FOR THE3 CURES FOR THE


1. PUT THE ACTOR BEFORE THE VERB.

Example:

--Appropriate clothing will be worn for

all personnel.

--All personnel will wear appropriate

clothing.

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2. DROP PART OF THE VERB.

Example:

--All students are known to own personal

computers.

--All students own personal computers.

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3. CHANGE THE VERB.

Example:--Personnel are prohibited from smoking

during refueling operations.

--Personnel cannot smoke during refueling

operations.

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PEPE

1. AN NCOPD CLASS WAS PRESENTED

BY THE BRIGADE COMMANDER.

2. THE STUDENTS HAD TURNED IN

THEIR TEXTS PRIOR TO THE EXAM.

3. THE THIEVES WERE CAUGHT BYTHE MILITARY POLICE.

4. THE CLASS LEADER HAD NOT YET

READ THE ASSIGNMENT.5. THE EXCESS AMMUNITION HAD

BEEN TURNED IN BY 1LT FRENCH.

P

A

P

A

P

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CLARITY INDEXCLARITY INDEX

THE CLARITY INDEX IS A QUICK,

USEFUL WAY TO EVALUATE WHAT

WEVE WRITTEN. IT GIVES US A

NUMERICAL INDICATION OF THE

READABILITY OF A PIECE OF WRITING.

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CLARITY INDEX FORMULACLARITY INDEX FORMULA

-CHOOSE A SAMPLE OF ABOUT 200 WORDS.

-COUNT THE NUMBER OF SENTENCES.-DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF WORDS BY THE NUMBER OF

SENTENCES.

-THE RESULT IS THE AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH.

-COUNT THE NUMBER OF LONG WORDS.-DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF LONG WORDS BY THE TOTAL

NUMBER OF WORDS.

-THE RESULT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS.

-ADD THE AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH TO THE

PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS. THE SUM IS THE CLARITY

INDEX.

-MULTIPLY THE CLARITY INDEX BY .4; THIS WILL GIVE

YOU THE READING GRADE LEVEL.

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OPERATIONOPERATION

MARKET GARDENMARKET GARDEN

Montgomerys plan for the single thrust was to

be called Operation Market Garden, an

operation which would entail a bold and

audacious scheme of maneuver, landing an

airborne force on a salient sixty-four miles long

and deep into enemy-held territory in Holland

followed by a ground movement of a corps-sizedmechanized force driving from the Netherlands

border to a link-up with the airborne forces and

a subsequent thrust into the heart of Germany.

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OPERATION MARKETOPERATION MARKET

GARDEN-RGLGARDEN-RGLTOTAL WORDS: 73

SENTENCES: 1AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH: 73 (731)

NUMBER OF LONG WORDS: 12

PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS: 16% (1273)

CLARITY INDEX: 89 (73+16=89 x .4= 35.6)

READING GRADE LEVEL: 35.6

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OPERATION MARKETOPERATION MARKET

GARDEN REWRITE--RGLGARDEN REWRITE--RGL

TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS: 61 (73)

NUMBER OF SENTENCES: 3 (1)

AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH: 20 (73)

NUMBER OF LONG WORDS: 11 (12)

PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS: 18% (16%)

CLARITY INDEX: 38 (89)READING GRADE LEVEL: 15.2 (35.6)

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