§ 20. Make everything you write speakable.
Exercises
Basic
Rewrite the following openers and closers from letters to make them speakable:
- Enclosed please find the following documents:
- Pursuant to your instructions, I met with Roger Smith today regarding the above-referenced cause.
- Please be advised that the discovery cutoff in the above-referenced cause is Monday, March 20, 2000.
- Pursuant to my conversation with Alex in your office on today's date, I contacted the trustee.
- This letter is for the purpose of retaining your services as a consultant regarding the above-referenced matter.
- Thank you in advance for your courtesy and cooperation in this regard. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions regarding this request.
Intermediate
In a law review, find a long sentence or a short to medium paragraph that strikes you as particularly unspeakable. Type it, provide a citation, and set out a bulleted list of reasons why you consider it difficult to read aloud. If you belong to a writing group or class, bring a copy for each colleague.
Advanced
In a judicial opinion, find a two- or three-paragraph passage that strikes you as being particularly unspeakable. Type it, provide a citation, and set out a bulleted list of reasons why you consider it difficult to read aloud. Rewrite the passage. If you belong to a writing group or class, bring a copy of your before-and-after versions for each colleague.
© 2001, Bryan A. Garner
These exercises appear in Bryan A. Garner's Legal Writing in Plain English: A Text with Exercises, published by The University of Chicago Press and available at bookstores and on the Web at www.press.uchicago.edu.