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Training Bulletins through the ages
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 80
Training during a pandemic • Virtual Classroom Training is the safe, sensible option for staff now having to work from home… Read issue 80 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 79
Green eggs and spam • Fake emails' grammar and poor writing gives them away: make sure yours are correct… Read issue 79 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 78
The apostrophe that wouldn't die • The barbarians have won, the battle is lost – or is it?… Read issue 78 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 77
Are your modifiers dangling? • how to check that perils have not re-written your meaning… Read issue 77 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 76
How do you structure written information? • well, it depends: find out what it depends upon… Read issue 76 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 75
Bestseller meeting minutes – totally a thing? • meetings maketh the minutes, not the novel… Read issue 75 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 74
Yay athonre tringain belluitn • peace of mind through better proofreading… Read issue 74 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 73
The most important rules in writing • focus on your reader: you really don't want to offend that key reader… Read issue 73 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 72
English makes up and accepts new words so easily • no matter what’s going on, we’ve usually got a word for it almost immediately… Read issue 72 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 71
It's not how you learn it, it's how you write it • If you can't convey your ideas clearly, especially in writing… Read issue 71 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 70
Why should anyone read your report or email? • You may have just three seconds before you lose your reader Read issue 70 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 69
You're smarter than you realise • Your mastery of ablaut reduplication and rhyming reduplication is astounding Read issue 69 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 68
My way or the right way? • Try not to channel your inner Mrs Malaprop Read issue 68 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 67
Writing for the differently technical • Communicating with non-specialists Read issue 67 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 66
The PC-est Monkey in the Jungle? • How to avoid offending people Read issue 66 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 65
Why Did You Do That? • How clever marketing or persuasion can help people decide Read issue 65 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 64
Kids Can't Spell • GCSE pupils make more spelling mistakes than their parents' generation Read issue 64 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 63
Technostressed and technofrazzled • Technostress is a thing with a name and a body of research attached to it. Read issue 63 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 62
When in a hole, stop digging • sometimes things outside your control can put you on the front pages or all over the Internet. Make the problem much worse or get on the road to recovery? Read issue 62 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 61
Pedant's Revolt • Why you should trust a grammar pedant over someone who thinks it doesn't matter Read issue 61 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 60
The nine million pound typo • Major and minor effects of small errors in your text Read issue 60 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 59
Training on Tap • Plain Words launches self-study courses Read issue 59 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 58
What do you sound like? • Is it ever right to start sentences with and or but? Read issue 58 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 57
What do you sound like? • Getting in touch with your inner cave man helps you to write and present better. Read issue 57 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 56
Who should use internet memes in their writing? • How changes are adopted by English and why we can't prevent them. Read issue 56 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 55
Writing a report or a business case isn't enough: these days we have to be able to present it as well. • Five top tips that will make you a better presenter, from our Essential Presentations Skills course. Read issue 55 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 54
If anyone's confused about he or she, they should think again • Getting your pronouns to stand in for a singular noun. Read issue 54 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 53
Is there a cultural bias for or against being too wordy? • Tips for making your writing concise. Read issue 53 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 52
Using the President's English. • Subtle differences between British and American English. Read issue 52 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 51
Hyphens are for breaking words into syllables, separating prefixes and suffixes and for compound words. • But which two of these three uses are obsolete? Read issue 51 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 50
Improve your writing by concentrating on one thing for a month • until it becomes second nature. Read issue 50 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 49
Letter to Santa. • Help with producing professional documents Read issue 49 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 48
How a style guide can improve sales. • Voice, consistency, correctness and branding Read issue 48 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 47
Are your gadgets more intelligent than you? • Writing clearly and concisely Read issue 47 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 46
The computer made me do it! • Correct formatting for modern businesses Read issue 46 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 45
Signet rings and sealing wax • How to address and sign off your emails Read issue 45 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 44
Good King Wence’s Car Backed Out • Are you using the wrong version of a word? Read issue 44 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 43
Srsly, txting ok 2day? • Should you text in email or business communication? Read issue 43 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 42
Instant gratification • Make key information stand out with good subject lines and headings Read issue 42 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 41
How not to annoy your customers • Give your customers the right information – and use the right words Read issue 41 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 40
Hitting the moving target • Words that may sound old-fashioned--current usage in business English Read issue 40 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 39
Are you hearing what they’re saying? • Common mistakes due to hearing the wrong word Read issue 39 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 38
It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it • Choosing words to sound confident, distant, friendly, optimistic, pessimistic, competent, professional… Read issue 38 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 37
Quick fixes for common problems • Be concise, focus on your reader, get to the point Read issue 37 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 36
Minuting • How to minute disciplinary, redundancy or grievance meetings Read issue 36 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 35
Sleigh Riding For Beginners • Write clear technical documents, instructions and procedures Read issue 35 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 34
The Great Apostrophe Catastrophe • Using apostrophes correctly, common apostrophe mistakes to avoid Read issue 34 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 33
Aporkalypse now? • Writing clear emails that people will read, using teleconferencing effectively Read issue 33 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 32
Dealing effectively with complaints • What to ask, replying by letter or email Read issue 32 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 31
Survive without the spell checker… • Irregular or common misspellings in English Read issue 31 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 30
Proofreading & Editing • Do you mean what you say? Read issue 30 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 29
Latin • Do you understand what they’re saying? Read issue 29 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 28
Getting a job • How good is your CV? Read issue 28 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 27
Headline-grabbers • Do your headings grab attention? Read issue 27 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 26
“Me” or “I” • Do you know the difference? Read issue 26 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 25
Political correctness • How to get it right Read issue 25 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 24
Six point plan • Benefiting from training Read issue 24 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 23
$35million • Do your manuals lose you money? Read issue 23 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 22
Zero to ninety in fifteen years? • Email Read issue 22 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 21
Interviewing • Who is interviewing whom? Read issue 21 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 20
TMI! • Do your reports suffer? Read issue 20 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 19
Keeping your customers • Responding to complaints Read issue 19 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 18
Are you shooting yourself in the foot? • Reading should be painless Read issue 18 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 17
Above-board • Do you understand Company jargon? Read issue 17 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 16
Are your presentations good? • Ten tips Read issue 16 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 15
Comma worth $2 million? • Do you know where it goes? Read issue 15 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 14
“Your tools are words. Plain words.” • Paperwork comes to us all in the end Read issue 14 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 13
Let them eat Spam • not read it! Read issue 13 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 12
Unnecessary waffle • How much does poor writing cost? Read issue 12 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 11
Is marketing cheating • Are you winking at a girl in the dark? Read issue 11 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 10
Can scented candles relax you, or do you need a bit of help? • Learn how Read issue 10 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 9
Would you like an extra brain? • Using mind maps to maximise brain usage Read issue 9 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 8
Is Your Writing Foggy? • How readable is your writing? Read issue 8 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 7
Visit Rapunzel in her tower • Don’t allow poor communication to lead to misunderstandings! Read issue 7 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 6
Don’t be misinterpreted • Enlist the Jabberwocky’s help Read issue 6 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 5
‘Let it all hang out’ • The Quality of English teaching in schools Read issue 5 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 4
‘What is written without effort is, in general, read without pleasure.’ • Business Writing – learning the techniques
StyleWriter by Editor Software • Looking for more than a grammar checker? Read issue 4 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 3
Hankering after the Mediterranean way of life? • Training to deal with stress
A stitch in time saves nine • Using Word for Windows™ Read issue 3 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 2
“designed-in delivery flexibility”? • Training in effective business writing
Become a manager • Management and personal development Read issue 2 >
Plain Words Training Bulletin Issue 1
Business Writing courses • Do you feel confident to write that important document?
Technical Documentation Writing courses • Are you trained to write it? Read issue 1 >
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The Plain Words eLetter is purely a technology and e-business news source. It does not endorse any of the companies, products, or services that are mentioned in news shorts and articles.