What you will be able to do
- Put the bottom line in the first two sentences of any email, memo or update
- Structure messages with subject lines, headings and lists that a reader can skim in under a minute
- Apply plain-language rules to shorten your writing and make every sentence easier to read
- Edit your own drafts in focused passes and proofread with a repeatable checklist
- Write requests, decisions, meeting notes, how-to guides and feedback that are more likely to get the right response the first time
Who it is for
- Professionals who write emails, reports and updates every day and want them read and acted on
- New managers and team leads who need to write decisions, feedback and documentation
- Non-native English speakers and anyone who writes for international colleagues or customers
Before you start
- Working English and a few samples of your own recent emails or documents to practise on
- About two hours per week for four weeks
Curriculum
4 modules · 12 lessons · 3h 15m
Module 1Write for the Busy Reader3 lessons · 44 min
Understand how people actually read at work, lead with the bottom line, and give every email and memo a structure that can be skimmed.
- Writing for a busy readerHow people read at work, and the three questions to answer before you write a single word.12 min · free preview · worked example · exercise
- Bottom line up frontLead with the conclusion, request or decision, then give the reasons, so a reader who stops early still acts correctly.14 min · worked example · exercise
- Structuring emails and memosSubject lines that work as summaries, a reliable email skeleton, and memo headings that let readers jump to what they need.18 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
Module 2Plain Language, Editing and Tone3 lessons · 51 min
Apply plain-language rules, edit drafts in focused passes, and find a tone that is direct without being curt.
- Plain-language rules: short sentences, active voice, concrete wordsThree rules that make most business text clearer immediately, with the common traps for each.20 min · worked example · exercise
- Editing in passesEdit one thing at a time, from structure down to words, so you catch more problems in less time.16 min · worked example · exercise
- Tone: direct but politeHow to be clear about what you need without sounding curt, and how to avoid hedging that weakens your message.15 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
Module 3Requests, Decisions, Notes and Guides3 lessons · 53 min
Write the documents that keep work moving: requests that get answered, decisions people can find, meeting notes with clear actions, and how-to guides people can follow.
- Writing requests and decisionsMake requests easy to say yes to, and record decisions so nobody has to ask what was agreed.18 min · worked example · exercise
- Meeting notes and summariesNotes that record decisions and actions rather than conversation, sent quickly in a format people actually read.15 min · worked example · exercise
- Documentation and how-to guidesWrite instructions people can follow on the first attempt, and keep them accurate as processes change.20 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
Module 4Feedback, Proofreading and Global Readers3 lessons · 47 min
Give written feedback people can act on, catch errors with a reliable proofreading routine, and write so that international readers understand you the first time.
- Writing feedback messagesStructure written feedback so it is specific, fair and usable, whether you are praising work or asking for changes.17 min · worked example · exercise
- A proofreading routine that catches errorsWhy you miss your own mistakes, and a short, ordered routine that catches the errors that cost the most.12 min · worked example · exercise
- Writing across cultures and for non-native readersMake your English easy to read and translate for international colleagues, and adapt to different expectations about directness.18 min · worked example · exercise
- Module quiz4 questions with explanations
