Long time readers of this blog will recognize the importance of understanding the difference between written English and spoken English as one of my persistent themes. That’s because understanding that difference can help technical writers to produce more effective writing.
Past posts have provided plenty of examples. Here’s another example: try and. Consider the example sentence in the graphic above. It probably seems that the sentence is fine. And it would be in a context less formal than technical writing.
Try and is simply colloquial, and colloquial writing is less formal writing. What creates the lessened formality? It’s the exclusion of the word to that indicates the infinitive form of the verb. Omitting it in speech is fine since speech is typically less formal and the position of the infinitive verb within the sentence indicates its tense.
Seeing the words in writing communicates all of that, including the informal tone. More effective technical writing demands a more formal tone. Using the complete form of the infinitive verb helps to convey that formality.
Compare the difference made with the changed sentence below.
Past posts have provided plenty of examples. Here’s another example: try and. Consider the example sentence in the graphic above. It probably seems that the sentence is fine. And it would be in a context less formal than technical writing.
Try and is simply colloquial, and colloquial writing is less formal writing. What creates the lessened formality? It’s the exclusion of the word to that indicates the infinitive form of the verb. Omitting it in speech is fine since speech is typically less formal and the position of the infinitive verb within the sentence indicates its tense.
Seeing the words in writing communicates all of that, including the informal tone. More effective technical writing demands a more formal tone. Using the complete form of the infinitive verb helps to convey that formality.
Compare the difference made with the changed sentence below.
You can try to see what outside resources are available.
Alternatively, you could avoid using the verb try altogether.
You can search for outside resources.
It’s very common in speech to employ informal constructs. But more effective technical writing demands that writers avoid informality. So try to avoid try and. Your readers will have a better presentation of your message, and that will improve their impression of you and your brands in their minds.
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