Don’t fall for the “but it’s correct grammar” excuse. Your reader isn’t interested in an accurate-but-boring-and-probably-confusing article any more than they’re interested in a string of hyphenated phrases.
Passive language is a literary sleeping pill.
Passive sentence: the subject has an action done to it.
From rural towns to densely-populated metropolises, a wide range of geographies and demographics for public and private sector clients is reflected in our portfolio.
Active sentence: the subject performs the action.
We work in communities of all shapes and sizes.
Use strong language!
- The transportation department installed 25 miles of bicycle paths. The new network connects three neighborhoods and two schools.
- City Council repealed the mandatory bike helmet law. Evidence showed no connection between the law and public safety, but it did correlate to a drop in bicycle ridership.
Make a point to purge the passive tone and the dreaded opening parenthetical phrase. With this suggestion in mind, an improved concept may slip into your mind. Err, be strong and clear.