1. STYLE USE THE ACTIVE VOICE ELIMINATE JARGON KEEP CLARITY INDEX
BELOW 40

2. RULES OF THUMB 1. WORDS: USE CONCRETE, DIRECT WORDS, AND
REMEMBER THAT A WORD WITH THREE SYLLABLES
IS A LONG WORD.
2. PHRASES: AVOID JARGON AND USE ACRONYMS
SPARINGLY, AFTER SPELLING THEM OUT.
3. SENTENCES: COMPOSE SENTENCES THAT
EXPRESS ONE IDEA. REMEMBER THAT LONG
SENTENCES INCREASE READING GRADE LEVEL.
4. PARAGRAPHS: KEEP PARAGRAPHS SHORT;
COMPOSE PARAGRAPHS TO EXPRESS ONE TOPIC.
5. MAIN ACTION: KEEP THE MAIN ACTION TO ONE
PAGE, TWO PAGES MAXIMUM.

3. CHECKLIST FOR ACHIEVING BREVITY
a. Delete unnecessary summaries.
b. Delete unnecessary quotations, data,
or tables.
c. Remove repetitive clauses, sentences, and
paragraphs.
d. Change the passive to active.
e. Remove unneeded comparisons, descriptions,
and modifiers.
f. Read your writing aloud to yourself.
g. Have someone else read your writing .

4. ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS
1. Attention is invited to...
2. It is important to note that...
3. It is necessary that...
4. It must be remembered that...
5. It cannot be overemphasized that...
6. There is..., or There are...
7. Needless to say...
8. In order (for) (that)...

5. MONTGOMERY’S PLAN FOR THE SINGLE
THRUST WAS TO BE CALLED OPERATION
MARKET GARDEN, AN OPERATION WHICH
WOULD ENTAIL A BOLD AND AUDACIOUS
SCHEME OF MANEUVER, LANDING AN
AIRBORNE FORCE ON A SALIENT SIXTY-FOUR
MILES LONG AND DEEP IN ENEMY-HELD
TERRITORY IN HOLLAND FOLLOWED BY A
GROUND MOVEMENT OF A CORPS-SIZED
MECHANIZED FORCE DRIVING FROM THE
NETHERLANDS BORDER TO A LINK-UP WITH
THE AIRBORNE FORCES AND A SUBSEQUENT
THRUST INTO THE HEART OF GERMANY.

6. REASONS FOR THE ACTIVE VOICE
IT IS CLEAR.
IT IS BRIEF
IT PLACES RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS PERSONAL

7. SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION: VOICE
1. Frankie shot Johnny.
2. Johnny was shot.
3. Johnny was shot by Frankie.

8. ACTIVE OR PASSIVE VOICE
* WHEN THE SUBJECT ACTS, THE
VERB IS ACTIVE.
* WHEN THE SUBJECT IS ACTED
UPON, THE VERB IS PASSIVE.
** EFFECTIVE ARMY WRITING
IS ACTIVE.

9. PASSIVE VOICE The passive voice consists of a form of
the verb “to be” plus the past participle.
is given, are chosen, was counseled
TAKE TOOK TAKEN
Present Past Past participle

10. PASSIVE VOICE EXAMPLE: The fuel handling operation
Passive construction is only appropriate if the
actor is unknown or unimportant.
EXAMPLE: The fuel handling operation
IS CONDUCTED by remote control.

11. APPROPRIATE PASSIVE VOICE
Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.
The Bradley was designed to provide
maximum firepower, protection, and
mobility.
I have been assigned to your unit.

12. INAPPROPRIATE PASSIVE VOICE
At about 0230 hours, it was reported that
the motor pool gate key had not been returned;
efforts were made to locate and secure it.

13. 3 CURES FOR THE PASSIVE VOICE
1. PUT THE ACTOR BEFORE THE VERB.
Example:
--Appropriate clothing will be worn for all
personnel.
--All personnel will wear appropriate clothing.

14. 3 CURES FOR THE PASSIVE VOICE
2. DROP PART OF THE VERB.
Example:
--All students are known to own personal
computers.
--All students own personal computers.

15. 3 CURES FOR THE PASSIVE VOICE
3. CHANGE THE VERB.
Example:
--Personnel are prohibited from smoking
during refueling operations.
--Personnel can not smoke during refueling
operations.

16. CLARITY INDEX THE CLARITY INDEX IS A QUICK,
USEFUL WAY TO EVALUATE WHAT
WE’VE WRITTEN. IT GIVES US A
NUMERICAL INDICATION OF THE
READABILITY OF A PIECE OF WRITING.

17. CLARITY INDEX FORMULA -CHOOSE A SAMPLE OF ABOUT 200 WORDS.
-COUNT THE NUMBER OF SENTENCES.
-DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF WORDS BY THE NUMBER OF SENTENCES.
-THE RESULT IS THE AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH.
-COUNT THE NUMBER OF LONG WORDS.
-DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF LONG WORDS BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
WORDS.
-THE RESULT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS.
-ADD THE AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH TO THE PERCENTAGE
OF LONG WORDS. THE SUM IS THE CLARITY INDEX.
-MULTIPLY THE CLARITY INDEX BY .4; THIS WILL GIVE YOU THE
READING GRADE LEVEL.

18. OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
Montgomery’s plan for the single thrust was to be
called Operation Market Garden, an operation which
would entail a bold and audacious scheme of
maneuver, landing an airborne force on a salient sixty-
four miles long and deep into enemy-held territory in
Holland followed by a ground movement of a corps-
sized mechanized force driving from the Netherlands
border to a link-up with the airborne forces and a
subsequent thrust into the heart of Germany.

19. OPERATION MARKET GARDEN--RGL
TOTAL WORDS: 73
SENTENCES: 1
AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH: 73
LONG WORDS: 12
PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS: 16%
CLARITY INDEX: 89
READING GRADE LEVEL: 35.6

20. OPERATION MARKET GARDEN--REWRITE
Montgomery’s audacious plan for a single thrust
into the heart of Germany was Operation Market
Garden. It would entail landing an airborne force on
a salient sixty-four miles long and deep into enemy-
held territory in Holland. A ground movement of a
corps-sized mechanized force, driving from the
Netherlands border, would link up with the airborne
force to then move into Germany.

21. OPERATION MARKET GARDEN REWRITE--RGL
TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS: 61.
NUMBER OF SENTENCES: 3.
AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH:
NUMBER OF LONG WORDS: 11.
PERCENTAGE OF LONG WORDS: 18%.
CLARITY INDEX: 38.
READING GRADE LEVEL: 15.2.