Section 20.4 Professional Writing
Professional writing occupies a middle territory that is easy to misjudge. It is not as formal as academic writing—professional readers do not expect nominalization, hedging, or impersonal constructions—but it is not casual either. A business email that opens Hey! or a report that uses slang signals a misreading of the situation just as badly as a job cover letter peppered with fragments and contractions. Different professional subfields also have their own conventions: what works in a business email will not work in a legal contract, and what works in a legal contract would be baffling in a set of technical instructions.
Professional contexts have their own register expectations.
Business Writing.
Email:
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Clear subject lines
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Concise paragraphs
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Action items highlighted
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Appropriate greeting and closing
Reports:
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Executive summaries
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Clear headings
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Data presentation
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Recommendations
Tone: Professional but accessible; formal but not stiff
Legal Writing.
Features:
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Precise terminology
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Defined terms
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Conditional structures
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Lists and enumeration
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Shall/must for obligations
Challenge: Balancing precision with readability
Technical Writing.
Features:
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Step-by-step instructions
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Imperative mood (Click the button, not You should click...)
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Defined terminology
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Visual elements
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Active voice often preferred
