Often, we write the way we speak without realizing it. This can lead to overstating the obvious. Something cannot be very unique, because unique itself means very rare, original, one of a kind. The word very is redundant.
The phrases because of and due to state a reason for something. Don’t write “The reason is because of,” or “The cause is due to.”
The word myriad is often used redundantly. There cannot be many myriad colors; there can be myriad colors.
Don’t Use Pretentious Verbiage in an Endeavor to Ameliorate Your Prose.
Use the word that best suits your needs. There’s no reason to get stuffy. The use of pompous language makes your writing stiff, boring and often unreadable. Stating your case simply and concisely means that your words will be more easily understood and remembered.
If you mean use, don’t say utilize. If you want to say bomb, avoid writing incendiary device. It’s a bomb. The word speaks for itself and has more impact than the obtuse phrase. Nix facilitate when you mean help, commence when you want to begin, and compensate when you mean pay. Simple, clear writing is always better than fancy writing, unless you’re shooting for the Nobel Prize.
Capitalization
Proper nouns and specific names of objects or products should have their first letters capitalized, not the whole word. If you want to mention the southern part of Atlanta, it’s south Atlanta, rather than South Atlanta or SOUTH ATLANTA.
The name of your favorite store is My Favorite Store, not any other variation. You visit a doctor’s office, but you are treated by Dr. Smith.
When addressing names in letters, (see how much easier that was to read than inter-office correspondence?) capitalize a person’s title. You write to Ms. Jane Brown, Officer Davis and Vice-President Joe Climber.
E-Mail
The only difference between a typed letter and an e-mail is the method of delivery. While using cute abbreviations like C U L8tr may be acceptable when writing to your sister, it is not acceptable at work. It’s about as professional as dotting your i’s with miniature hearts.
E-mail letters should have complete sentences with punctuation. They should have an opening and a closing. An e-mail takes seconds to send, but it shouldn’t take seconds to write.