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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
Part 2: Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
16.1 What problems do passive verbs create? When are passive verbs desirable? (LO 16-4)
Passive constructions are often longer and less clear than active ones. However, passive
constructions are appropriate in three situations:
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
16.2 List two ways to tighten your writing. (LO 16-4)
Ways to tighten writing include using active, not passive voice; using strong nouns and verbs;
16.3 What is parallel structure? (LO 16-4)
16.4 How do topic sentences help readers? (LO 16-5)
Topic sentences help readers to see what a paragraph or document section is about. They can
16.5 Would your other instructors like the style you’re learning to use in this class? (LO
16-1)
Students’ answers will vary. Chances are instructors outside of business communication will
16.6 Can a long document be tight rather than wordy? (LO 16-1 to LO 16-3)
Absolutely. Wordiness is primarily an issue of word choice, not document length. Avoiding
16.7 Ask a trusted friend or colleague how your tone comes across in classes and at work.
If other people find you shy on the one hand or arrogant on the other, what changes
in your tone could you make? (LO 16-2)
Students’ answers will vary. They should prepare themselves for responses that may be
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
16.8 Changing Verbs from Passive to Active (LO 16-4)
Student answers will vary—here are likely ones.
1. Lloyd drove the car to the airport.
2. Penelope made a phone call to the home office.
16.9 Using Better Verbs (LO 16-4)
Student answers will vary. Here are likely ones.
1. Many of our customers benefit from being a preferred customer.
2. Employees with more than nine months with the company accrue vacation time.
16.10 Reducing Wordiness (LO 16-4)
Student answers will vary. Here are likely ones.
1 a. Novice employees should attend a mandatory training session.
b. Bloomberg Businessweek printed an article on how executives regularly are finding
innovative solutions.
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
2 a. Customers wanting to participate in this month’s online promotion may find reviewing our
pre-registration process helpful.
b. Producing better but cheaper goods often makes a company more competitive in the selling
3 a. Michael supervises the Archives and Data Processing Departments and oversees 14
employees.
b. Our employees are trained to provide good customer service and want our customers to
have a positive experience shopping in our store. Because both our employees and our
customers want the same thing, we have the highest customer satisfaction rating of any
16.11 Improving Parallel Structure (LO 16-4)
Student answers will vary. Here are likely ones.
1. The county will benefit from implementing flextime.
Offices will stay open longer for more business.
2. Newsletters enhance credibility, are read by four times as many people, and allow soft-sell
3. When you leave a voice-mail message:
Summarize your main point in a sentence or two.
Say your name and phone number slowly and distinctly.
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
16.12 Putting Readers in Your Sentences (LO 16-4)
Student answers will vary. Here are likely ones.
1. You should proofread your résumé carefully to ensure typos are corrected.
2. You may work beyond 40 hours per week and earn overtime compensation.
16.13 Editing Sentences to Improve Style (LO 16-4)
Student answers will vary. Here are likely ones.
1. The Finance Department report is poorly organized. (The sentence could also be worded
more positively to protect egos: The Finance Department report could be better
organized.)
2. While few of our most valuable customers want to change vendors, we must always make
sure they stay with us.
3. Carla Meier may be the finest staff member we have ever had.
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
16.14 Using Topic Sentences (LO 16-5)
Student answers will vary. Here are likely ones.
1. Business slang flourishes at companies with rich corporate cultures. At Disney
World, a lunch put on expense account is “on the mouse.” McDonald’s employees “have
2. We’ll act on three items at the meeting. The first item on the agenda is the hiring for
the coming year. George has also asked that we review the agency goals for the next
fiscal year. We should cover this early in the meeting since it may affect our hiring
3. You can reduce the amount of solid waste your household produces in four ways.
Separate materials that can be recycled from your regular trash. Pass along old clothing,
toys, or appliances to someone else who can use them. When you purchase products,
16.15 Writing Paragraphs (LO 16-5)
The challenge in this assignment comes not from writing the paragraphs but from accurately
labeling the topic sentences, active verbs, and parallel structure and from editing.
Polishing Your Prose: Commas in Lists (Odd-numbered answers are in the back of the
textbook.)
Several answers are possible. Here are likely ones.
2. Raises for directors, supervisors, and managers will be 2.3, 2.5, and 2.2 percent, respectively.
4. David said that we need pens, pencils, erasers, notepads, folders, paperclips, note cards, and
name tages for the strategic planning retreat.
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Unit 4 Cases for Communicators
With the Best of Intentions
This unit case tells the story of how the state of Ohio paid a contractor to create a road sign for a
well-traveled stretch of highway in the northern part of the state. Unfortunately, the contractor
misspelled the word “north” in big white letters on the sign as “NORHT.” Although the
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 16 - Revising Sentences and Paragraphs
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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