|
Using the
negative (specifically, the word not) in your writing
has its purpose and benefits, but it can be harder to read
and think in the negative because we must first comprehend
the positive before we negate it. When you want
to convey clear, straightforward ideas, choose a positive
statement with precise, active verbs. Let's consider an
example.
Ex.
Genevieve was not looking forward to
spending the weekend without her husband and dog around to
keep her company.
In the
first example, we see the positive verb, was looking
(or the inclusive phrase, looking forward to),
negated by not. Essentially, the sentence becomes
about what Genevieve wasn't doing instead of what she was
doing. We can convey the idea in a positive way (talk about
what she was doing, in other words) by choosing a
precise, active verb.
Better:
Genevieve dreaded spending the weekend without her
husband and dog’s company.
Notice that
the idea not looking forward to becomes clearer with
the word dreaded. By rewriting in the positive form,
the writer more clearly and concisely conveys the exact
feeling Genevieve had toward her weekend alone. Notice too
that we eliminate several
unnecessary words.
Ex.
According to Bask (2006), in corporate America, ethical
practices typically are not elevated to
the highest rung of the corporate ladder, unlike most CEOs’
jobs. Thus, principle is not as important as
position.
Better:
According to Bask (2006), Corporate America typically
elevates CEOs atop the corporate ladder but ignores
their ethical practices. Thus, position trumps
principle.
In the
second example, we see two verbs negated by not, and
in the first sentence of the example, the not forces
the writer into the passive voice. However, in both
sentences, switching to positive form eliminates wordiness,
as well as a somewhat unclear and perhaps too clichéd
metaphor in the first sentence. Switching to the positive
also allows the writer to use the active voice. The
positive
verb in the rewrite of the first sentence
clarifies 1) who is performing the action (“corporate
America”) and 2) what it means to say that ethics are not as
highly regarded as CEOs (in fact, the claim is that
corporations “ignore” ethics). In the rewrite of the second
sentence, the positive form also creates a stylistic
change that entails a more concise, even pithy, rhythmic
reading of the sentence.
As these
examples illustrate, changing from the negative form, which
uses not, to the positive form, which focuses
on more straightforward, active verbs, can help you write
sentences that are much easier for your reader to
understand. |