Purpose: To show participants that the rules of written language are constantly changing.

 Time Required: 20 minutes.

 Size of Group: Unlimited.

 Materials Required: A selection of old books, either fiction or academic texts.

 The Exercise in Action: People often regard the writing rules and styles they learned in high school or college as the final word on the topic and resist suggested changes. But written language, like spoken language, is in a constant state of flux, says Jane Watson, president of J. Watson & Associates, Toronto. People need to adapt their personal styles accordingly.

To make her point, Watson asks how many in her business communication courses have read Anne of Green Gables and enjoyed it. Several people usually raise their hands. She asks when they read it last. Most report it was years ago, during their childhoods. Most of the others have at least heard of the book.

Watson then reads the first page of the book aloud. Participants usually find it dull and uninteresting. Many are surprised at how stilted the writing seems. Next, she reads the first few paraphrases from A Child’s Anne, the same story updated for today’s readers by Deirdre Kessler. Generally, all prefer the modern version.

To show that the lesson applies in the workplace, Watson reads selections from old grammar and style books—readily available in many used book stores—and compares them against the latest editions. Everything from punctuation to the proper closing of a letter has changed with time.

The lesson gets people laughing and talking about changes they personally recall, Watson says, and opens participants’ minds to the possibility that some of the guidelines they use in business correspondence might be outdated and in need of change.