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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A table of contents appears at the beginning of a document after the title page and other front matter, such as a foreword or preface. Here are some things to remember about tables of contents:
A table of contents includes titles or descriptions for first-level headings, which serve as chapter titles, along with second-level and sometimes third-level headings, which designate sections and individual topics. Page numbers are included for each level of heading. Second- and third-level headings are normally indented three to five spaces from the first-level headings.
Leaders, which appear as a series of periods ( … ), can be used to align the page numbers along the right side of the page.
The table of contents pages are often numbered with lowercase Roman numerals.
In most business documents, it is recommended that a table of contents not exceed three pages.
A table of contents can be created automatically using word processing software if consistent heading styles are used throughout the document.
Figure 2.11 is a sample table of contents page.
Figure 2.11 Table of Contents Page Example
TABLES
Tables are often used in business documents to organize information for reference purposes. Consider the following tips when creating tables:
Tables contain rows and columns and column headings.
Tables may have an optional title that is included within the frame of the table as the first merged row.
Use title-style capitalization for the title.
Tables need an introductory sentence that references the table.
The introductory sentence for a table that immediately follows should end in a period rather than a semicolon.
Column headings should be short, precise, and written in the active voice if they are sentences.
Capitalize the first letter of the first word in each column heading.
Text within the table should follow sentence capitalization and punctuation rules.
Incomplete sentences do not need a period.
Align the text within the columns consistently for all columns.
Organize the content in the table from left to right.
For definitions and descriptions, put the term in the leftmost column and the definition or description in associated columns to the right.
Text entries within the table should have parallel structure. (For example, all entries begin with an article, a noun, an action first, and so forth.)
Avoid blank column entries. Use not applicable or none.
Tables with long entries should be limited to two or three columns.
If a table must be divided over two or more pages, include the table title and column headings on each new page.
Border rules between rows are optional but should be included if the row size is inconsistent due to the length of the content.
Footnotes should be included at the end of the table.
Table 2.29 is a sample table, illustrating these tips.
TAG QUESTION
A tag question is created by adding an auxiliary verb and pronoun to the end of a statement.
Example: He’s happy, isn’t he [tag question].
TAKE, BRING
See Bring, Take.
TAUTOLOGY
A tautology is a figure of speech that occurs when two near-synonyms are placed together for emphasis.
Example: free gift, unsolved mystery, new innovation, suddenly without warning, added bonu.
TEACH, LEARN
See Learn, Teach.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
When including telephone numbers in your documents, consider these guidelines:
For U.S. telephone numbers, use parentheses instead of hyphens to separate the area code from the rest of the number.
Example: (800) 555-121.
For U.S. phone lists, do not include a 1 to indicate long distance.
For international phone lists, include the country code.
Use parentheses to separate the country code from the rest of the number.
If a country code and city code are required, keep both the country code and the city code within their own set of parentheses.
Put the country name or initials in parentheses at the end of the number.
Example: (22) (42) 0000 000 0000 (U.K..
TEMPERATURE
When writing about temperatures, use figures for temperatures except zero.
Example: The high temperature today was 55.
Example: It looks like the temperature may get down to zero today.
To designate temperatures below zero, use the word minus or below zero rather than a minus sign.
Example: The temperature today was minus 20.
Example: The temperature today was 20 below zero.
Optionally, you can add the word degrees to designate a temperature.
Example: The temperature today was 55 degrees.
For tables and other scientific documentation, you may use the degree symbol.
Example: 55°.
When you must designate whether the temperature is in Fahrenheit or Celsius, use either the word or the letter F or C, separated by one space from the number and with no periods.
Example: It was 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Example: The temperature was 55° F today.
Example: It was 11 degrees Celsius.
Example: The temperature was 11° C today.
TENSE
Tense is a way of expressing when an action of a verb occurs. There are present tenses, past tenses, and future tenses. The present tense is the base form of the verb. Regular verbs add -ed or -d to the end for the past tense. Irregular verbs may change forms to form the past tense.
The present tenses are:
Present simple—used to say what someone usually does
Example: I commute to work every day.
Present progressive or continuous—used to say what someone is doing now
Example: I am reading a book.
Present perfect simple—used to show unfinished time
Example: The meeting has not yet started.
Present perfect progressive or continuous—used to say how long someone has been doing something
Example: She has been in a meeting for the last hour.
The past tenses are:
Simple past—used to show a completed action
Example: I read the report.
Past progressive or continuous—used to say when something was being done
Example: I was reading email when he called.
Past perfect simple—used to say when something was done by a certain time
Example: You had studied Spanish before moving to Mexico.
Past perfect progressive or continuous—used to say how long something was done for a specific time
Example: They had been meeting for two hours before John arrived.
The future tenses include the following:
Simple future—used to say what you will do in the future
Example: You are going to read the report.
Future progressive or continuous—used to say when something will be happening
Example: You will be in Mexico when the merger takes place.
Future perfect simple—used to say something will be complete by a specific time
Example: You will have read all of the reports by the time the meeting starts.
Future perfect progressive—used to say how long something will have been happening by a certain time in the future
Example: We will have been meeting for more than an hour when John plans to mention the contract terms.
TERABYTE
A terabyte is equal to 1,024 gigabytes. Terabytes should not be abbreviated. Leave a space between a number and the word when used as a noun.
Example: My computer has over 3 terabytes of storage.
When used as an adjective, add a hyphen between the number and the word.
Example: I just purchased a 3-terabyte drive.
THAN I, THAN ME
When making a comparison between yourself and something or someone else, you will often end with a subject form or object form: “taller than I” or “taller than she” or the like.
When the comparison is made in the subjective case, normally we leave out the verb in the second clause: am, are, or is.
Example: He is taller than I [am].
Example: He is taller than she [is].
Be careful with comparisons in the objective case.
Example: I like him better than she. [You like him better than she likes him..
Example: I like him better than her. [You are saying you like him better than you like her..
To avoid confusion with the word than, add the verb or rewrite the sentence.
Example: I like him better than she does.
Example: I like him better than I like her.
THAN, THEN
Than is used when making comparisons or implied comparisons.
Example: Bongo would rather climb a tree than sit in his cage and eat.
Then is a conjunction, but it cannot be used as a coordinating conjunction.
Incorrect: Bongo ate an apple, then he climbed the tree.
Correct: Bongo ate an apple, and then he climbed the tree.
THAT, WHICH
In determining whether to use that or which, the choice of word depends on whether the clause that modifies the noun is a restrictive or nonrestrictive clause.
A restrictive clause means that the information is essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use that for restrictive clauses.
A nonrestrictive clause includes information that can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence. Use which for nonrestrictive clauses.
Incorrect: A high performance engine is an engine, which needs a high-octane fuel.
Correct: A high performance engine is an engine that needs a high-octane fuel.
When referring to people in a sentence with either a restrictive or nonrestrictive clause, use who instead of that or which.
THERE, THEIR, THEY’RE
Use there when referring to a place.
Example: Look over there at that horse.
Use their to indicate possession.
Example: My parents just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Use they’re as a contraction of they and are. They’re consists of a subject and a verb and is never used as a modifier.
Example: They’re really nice to new employees here.
THIRD CONDITIONAL
The third conditional is used for imaginary past actions that could not have happened because conditions were not met.
Example: If I had studied harder, I probably would have gone to medical school.
TIME
Consider the following guidelines when writing about time:
When a figure and a word come together as an adjective to express time, connect the two with a hyphen.
Example: a 24-hour day
But: a day of 24 hours
Example: two 2-year, 12-percent notes
But: two notes for two years at 12 percent
Hours, minutes, and seconds are separated by a colon.
Example: 10:05:02 a.m.
Never write “this a.m.” to mean “this morning.”
With a.m. or p.m., the word o’clock should not be used:
Example: I will meet you at 4 p.m.
Example: I will meet you at four o’clock this afternoon.
Ciphers (zeros) after the number of the hour are unnecessary.
For exact noon and midnight, it is correct to use the words noon or midnight:
Example: I will meet you at noon.
Example: The horn blew at midnight.
Dates
The day is written in numerals, without -th, -st -rd, or -nd, unless the day is written before the name of the month.
Correct: May 1, 2011
Correct: On the 2nd of June 2011
Incorrect: in the August 21st and September 3rd editions
Correct: in the August 21 and September 3 editions
In legal documents, dates are spelled out.
Example: the twelfth day of May, A.D. Two Thousand and Eigh.
TIME ZONES
The names of time zones should be treated as proper nouns and capitalized.
Example: Eastern Time, Central Time, Mountain Time, Pacific Tim.
Avoid specifying standard time or daylight saving time when writing about time zones. Do not abbreviate time zones.
TITLED, ENTITLED
Entitled should not be used as a synonym for titled. Entitled means that something is owed. Books are titled.
Incorrect: He was reading from a white paper entitled “Avoiding HR Litigation.”
Correct: He was reading from a white paper titled “Avoiding HR Litigation.”
TITLES
Consider the following tips for formatting titles:
Underlining and italics serve the same purpose. Never do both.
For titles of standalone works, use underlining or italics. Works that are part of another work are enclosed in quotation marks.
Table 2.30 itemizes what gets quotation marks and what should be italicized or underlined.
Table 2.30 Use of Underlining, Italics, and Quotation Marks in Titles
Formatting the Title of a Manuscript
The title page of a manuscript should be formatted as follows:
The title should be positioned in the center of the page, between the top and bottom margins and left and right margins.
Use a 12- to 14-point font, such as Times New Roman or Courier.
Use the bold font.
Capitalize the title properly.
Do not use all caps for titles.
Capitalize the first letter of each word, except for short words of less than four letters.
Add quotation marks, underline, or italics if you use any other work as part of your title.
TMESIS
Tmesis is a literary device that involves splitting a word into two parts and adding another word in the middle with all three parts separated by hyphens.
Example: any-old-how, fan-blooming-tastic, un-bloody-believabl.
TO, AT
Do not use either to or at with where.
Incorrect: Where are you at?
Correct: Where are you?
Incorrect: Where did he go to?
Correct: Where did he go?
TONE
Tone is the writer’s attitude toward the reader and the subject. Tone is a reflection of the writer and determined by the choice of words, the style, and level of care and detail.
To make sure a business document has the appropriate tone:
Know the purpose of the document.
Know the audience and what they need to understand.
Be confident, courteous, and sincere as you craft your writing.
Emphasize what’s important and avoid getting lost in the details.
Don’t use discriminatory language.
Stress the benefits.
Write at the appropriate reading level for your audience.
TOPIC SENTENCE
A topic sentence is the main sentence in a paragraph that states the main idea of the paragraph. Although it is often the first sentence in a paragraph, if the purpose of the paragraph is to draw a conclusion, the topic sentence is usually the last sentence, stating the conclusion.
TOTALLY
See Basically, Essentially, Totally.
TOWARD, TOWARDS
Toward and towards are interchangeable.
Toward is more common in the United States.
Towards is more common in the United Kingdom.
TRANSITIONS
As you compound sentences and vary your sentence structures to add variety to your writing, consider using transitions between ideas. Transitions help guide a reader from one idea to the next.
You can add transitions between ideas by:
Using transitional expressions.
Repeating key words and phrases.
Using parallel forms.
Transitional Expressions
In addition to coordinating conjunctions—and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet— you can use conjunctive adverbs and transitional expressions such as however, moreover, and nevertheless to transition your sentences from one thought to the next.
The key is to avoid using the same transitional elements because the repetition becomes boring.
Table 2.31 contains a list of some conjunctive adverbs that can add spice to your transitions.
Table 2.31 Conjunctive Adverbs
Repeating Key Words
By repeating a key word or phrase, you can establish its importance in the mind of the reader.
Example: It is spending that got us into this mess. It is spending by consumers that will get us out.
Pronoun Reference
Pronouns can be used to refer the reader to something earlier in the text. A pronoun such as this causes the reader to summarize what has been said so far.
Example: There has been an increase in the number of earthquakes in California in the past ten years. This [pronoun summarizing previous sentence] is true because we have geological records that go back almost 150 years, and they [pronoun related to “geological records”] show a clear trend.
Parallelism
Parallel constructions are expressions with similar content and function. Their similarity enables the reader to more easily recognize the content and understand the message.
Articles (the, a, and an) must be used either only before the first term in a group or before every term in the group.
Example: At the World’s Fair we sawall the latest model automobiles, including the new Hondas, Toyotas, and Nissans.
Example: We left on Sunday for vacation with the Wilsons, the Wausons, and the Bruecks.
Correlative expressions (both, and; not, but; not only, but also; either, or; first, second) should be followed by the same grammatical construction.
Example: It was not only the blowing wind, but also the freezing temperatures that made travel so treacherous.
TRANSITIVE VERB
A transitive verb requires both a subject and a direct object.
An intransitive verb does not take an object.
Example: He lifted [transitive] the box.
Example: She died [intransitive] last week.
TRY AND, COME AND, BE SURE AND
Don’t use a word if it is not necessary to convey your meaning.
Incorrect: Try and be here at noon.
Correct: Try to be here at noon.
Incorrect: Come and see me tomorrow.
Correct: Come see me tomorrow.
Incorrect: Be sure and watch out as you cross the street.
Correct: Be sure to watch out as you cross the street.
TYPE, ENTER
For technical documents involving computer-related procedures, use type when a user enters information to fill out a form or form field.
Example: Type your employee 10 in the User Name field.
Use enter to instruct users what kind of data should be typed.
Example: Enter the file name and then click OK.
TYPEFACE, FONT
See Font, Typeface.