Correct the text and make it consistent

Use standard proofreading symbols to correct the errors in the passage overleaf, and to
bring the text into line with the brief style guide given. Remember, all the exercises in
the course are cumulative, so you may find types of errors covered in an earlier video
than the one you’ve just watched.

Style guide for headings

Level 1 headings should be in 18-point bold text. All words except prepositions, articles and
conjunctions should have initial caps.

Level 2 headings should be 12-point bold text and all caps.

Level 3 headings should be 12-point bold text and in sentence case.

Titles of books should be italicised.

1 of 7
18 Resources To Help You Become A More Persuasive
Writing
ONLINE TOOLS TO INCREASE YOUR WRITINGS READABILITY
Wouldn’t it be great to get professional feedback on all your business writing? If
getting a second pair of eyes on your work isn’t possible, the next best thing is to
run your business writing through an online readability tool. Here’s our pick of the
free online tools that give you a visual snapshot of how readable a piece of writing
is.

The Writer’s Diet

The Writer’s Diet is like having your own personal trainer who’ll tell you straight
whether you sentences are flabby or fit. Run a piece of business writing through
this tool and it will rate aspects of your text on a scale from “lean” to “heart
attack territory”. writersdiet.com

The Gunning Fog Index

Developed in 1952 by Robert Gunning, an American businessman, The Gunning-Fog
Index scores you on how readable your writing is. It does so by measuring the
length of your words and sentences. From there, it calculates the number of years
of formal education someone needs to have had if they are to understand your
writing. gunning-fog-index.com

Drivel Defence From The Plain English Campaign

Since 1979, the Plain English Campaign has been fighting the war on jargon,
gobbledygook and meaningless corporate drivel. The organisation’s Drivel Defence
tells you instantly how many words there are in each sentence of a piece of text
(the figures in pink in the pictures below) and highlights in blue letters the
longest sentence. plainenglish.co.uk/drivel-defence.html

Hemmingway App
Named after the American writer famous for his clear, simple, direct prose style,
this tool suggests ways to bring clarity, simplicity and directness to your business
writing. http://www.hemmingwayapp.com/

Up-Goer 5
The Up-Goer Five text editor is a delightful online tool that challenges you to
describe an idea using only the most common 1,000 words in English. It’s harder
than it sounds. www.splasho.com/upgoer5/

2 of 7
ONLINE COURSES
A list of highly readable titles without which no writer’s library would be
complete. All are available from Amazon.

Troublesome Words by Bill Bryson

Did you know Bill Bryson cut his teeth as a sub-editor on The Times? In this book,
he explains the difference between infer and imply, uninterested and
disinterested, and many other easily confused words.

Writing Well: The Essential Guide by Mark Tredinick

A wonderful book about writing and being a writer. Includes exercises and
activities to warm up your writer’s muscles.

The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
by Stephen Pinker
The famous cognitive scientist on what constitutes an elegant written style, and
why good style matters. Pinker is an academic so this isn't light reading. Rewarding
nonetheless.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White

The classic pocket guide to clear and elegant writing. A bit prescriptivist,
however.

Learn to Write Badly by Michael Billig

This is a caustic but entertaining critic of the parlous state of modern academic
writing. I’ve included it here simply because bad business writing has much in
common with bad academic writing.

On Writing by Stephen King

You don’t have to be a fan of spooky thrillers to enjoy this book. Part memoir, part
writing guide, King offers wittily delivered nuggets of advice that are as relevant
to business writing as they are to the novelist’s craft

Words that Sell

This clever little book by Richard Bayan provides more than 6,000 words and
phrases that will boost your chances of making a sale. And they’re handily
organised by category, from opening lines to enhancing your company’s image.

Write To Sell and Persuasive Copywriting by Andy Maslen

In Words that Sell, one of the UK’s top copywriters reveals the tricks of the trade
for persuading people to part with their cash. His follow-up, Persuasive
Copywriting, shows you how to use recent findings from neuroscience to make
people to buy.

3 of 7
MADE TO STICK BY CHIP AND DAN HEATH
A highly readable book that considers why some ideas thrive while others die. If
you like Malcolm Gladwell’s books, you’ll love this.

Editing Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing by Claire Kehrwald Cook
A great read if your serious about becoming a better writer. Describes itself as
‘the one book that shows you how to make what you say as good as what you
mean”.

The Tall Lady with the Iceberg by Ann Miller

A guide to honing your metaphor-developing skills so you can explain anything to
anyone. Aimed at business people, but the principals apply to academic writing to.

4 of 7
 Answers
Seventeen
18 Resources To Help You Become A More Persuasive X2

er
Writing
,
ONLINE TOOLS TO INCREASE YOUR WRITINGS READABILITY
Wouldn’t it be great to get professional feedback on all your business writing? If
getting a second pair of eyes on your work isn’t possible, the next best thing is to
run your business writing through an online readability tool. Here’s our pick of the
free online tools that give you a visual snapshot of how readable a piece of writing
is.

The Writer’s Diet

The Writer’s Diet is like having your own personal trainer who’ll tell you straight
r whether you sentences are flabby or fit. Run a piece of business writing through
this tool and it will rate aspects of your text on a scale from “lean” to “heart
attack territory”. writersdiet.com

The Gunning Fog Index

Developed in 1952 by Robert Gunning, an American businessman, The Gunning-Fog
Index scores you on how readable your writing is. It does so by measuring the
length of your words and sentences. From there, it calculates the number of years
of formal education someone needs to have had if they are to understand your
writing. gunning-fog-index.com

X2Drivel Defence From The Plain English Campaign

Since 1979, the Plain English Campaign has been fighting the war on jargon,
gobbledygook and meaningless corporate drivel. The organisation’s Drivel Defence
tells you instantly how many words there are in each sentence of a piece of text
? (the figures in pink in the pictures below) and highlights in blue letters the
longest sentence. plainenglish.co.uk/drivel-defence.html

Hemmingway App
Named after the American writer famous for his clear, simple, direct prose style,
this tool suggests ways to bring clarity, simplicity and directness to your business
writing. http://www.hemmingwayapp.com/

Five Up-Goer 5
The Up-Goer Five text editor is a delightful online tool that challenges you to
describe an idea using only the most common 1,000 words in English. It’s harder
than it sounds. www.splasho.com/upgoer5/

5 of 7
BOOKS ONLINE COURSES
A list of highly readable titles without which no writer’s library would be
complete. All are available from Amazon.

Troublesome Words by Bill Bryson

itals Did you know Bill Bryson cut his teeth as a sub-editor on The Times? In this book,
x6 he explains the difference between infer and imply, uninterested and
disinterested, and many other easily confused words.

itals n
Writing Well: The Essential Guide by Mark Tredinick
A wonderful book about writing and being a writer. Includes exercises and
activities to warm up your writer’s muscles.

itals The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
v by Stephen Pinker
The famous cognitive scientist on what constitutes an elegant written style, and
, why good style matters. Pinker is an academic so this isn't light reading. Rewarding
nonetheless.

itals The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White ,

The classic pocket guide to clear and elegant writing. A bit prescriptivist,
however.

itals Learn to Write Badly by Michael Billig

que This is a caustic but entertaining critic of the parlous state of modern academic
writing. I’ve included it here simply because bad business writing has much in
common with bad academic writing.

itals On Writing by Stephen King

You don’t have to be a fan of spooky thrillers to enjoy this book. Part memoir, part
the book writing guide, King offers wittily delivered nuggets of advice that are as relevant
to business writing as they are to the novelist’s craft .

Words that Sell itals by Richard Bayan

This clever little book by Richard Bayan provides more than 6,000 words and
phrases that will boost your chances of making a sale. And they’re handily
organised by category, from opening lines to enhancing your company’s image.

Write To Sell and Persuasive Copywriting by Andy Maslen Itals x 2

Write to In Words that Sell, one of the UK’s top copywriters reveals the tricks of the trade
for persuading people to part with their cash. His follow-up, Persuasive
Copywriting, shows you how to use recent findings from neuroscience to make
people to buy.

6 of 7
 MADE TO STICK BY CHIP AND DAN HEATH Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
A highly readable book that considers why some ideas thrive while others die. If
you like Malcolm Gladwell’s books, you’ll love this.
itals
Editing Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing by Claire Kehrwald Cook
’re A great read if your serious about becoming a better writer. Describes itself as
“ ‘the one book that shows you how to make what you say as good as what you
mean”.

itals The Tall Lady with the Iceberg by Ann Miller

A guide to honing your metaphor-developing skills so you can explain anything to
principles anyone. Aimed at business people, but the principals apply to academic writing to. o

7 of 7