Company Writer's Guide

3.Make sure that your graphics clearly support information in the text. Have you chosen the most illustrative graphics in each section? Is there a difficult passage of text that you could elucidate with a figure?

Verb Tenses

As a general rule, use the present tense. For example, “our design includes” (not “will include” or “included”); “our Project Team is ready” (not “will be ready”). However, use future tense when describing project activities still to be performed. Also, use future tense in outline revisions when describing what completed sections will contain.

Use past tense when discussing completed project activities, observations from walkdowns, and the results of studies and tests already performed. “The controls analysis showed that…”

Active versus Passive Voice

Use active voice to raise impact. Examples include:

Passive: Procedures were initiated to reduce plant accidents.

Active: The company initiated procedures to reduce plant accidents.

Passive voice is acceptable, and is used often in customer documents, in a particular situation – when the object in the sentence must have emphasis over the subject.

Example: The Quality Plan must be followed by all subcontractors.

Additional Guidance

1.Avoid pathetic fallacy, that is, giving inanimate objects actions or responsibilities. Examples include:

•The Management Plan ensures . . . (a plan cannot ensure)

•The program is enjoying success . . . (a program cannot enjoy)

•The site must consider . . . (a site cannot consider)

2.The word “comprise” means to include or to be made up of. A large entity cannot “be comprised of” smaller things. It comprises them.

[For Illustration Only]

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