English Listening Article: Tips for Writing Formal Announcements and Lists

Let's look at another important part of writing an announcement. We'll begin by looking at two email messages. Which one is easier to read? A or B? So, which one was easier to read? I'm going to guess that message B was easier for you. The information is the same, but the list makes it easier to see the details. In announcements, it's often helpful to provide a list of things to the reader. This is especially true if there's a lot of information. For example, you may want to list the features of a conference, or you may need to tell participants what to bring to a workshop.

Let's look at some guidelines about making lists. First, if the information includes several items, make a list with bullets or symbols. A list is usually indented or moved in a few spaces from the right. Don't put a period at the end of this item unless it is a complete sentence. You don't need to capitalize the list items. These steps make a list easier to read than a long sentence with many items. It's efficient and organized. Readers can find the information they need quickly. Use a complete sentence to introduce the list. The sentence will tell the reader what the items in the list are. Use a colon at the end. You can use a period at the end, but a colon is more common. Don't use a comma at the end of the sentence.

Here are some examples. The following items are provided. We will do the following. Below are the times for the networking events. Here are the rooms that can be reserved for special meetings. We still need volunteers for these committees. The following items will be provided. Oops! Remember, don't use a comma at the end. We need to change that. In an earlier lesson, you'll learn that all the items in a list should have similar grammar. For example, all the items in a list could be noun phrases. Or, they could all be verb phrases or sentences. The important thing is they should all be the same type.

Let's look closer at our examples. Think about what kind of phrases would go in the list. This list would use all noun phrases. For example, the following items are provided: a local restaurant guide, area maps, shuttle tickets. What kind of phrase would you use in this list? This list would use all verb phrases. For example, we will do the following: introduce our new directors, explain the new business plan, present our vision for the company. Let's look at those two phrases again. The following items are provided. We will do the following. Notice that we say, the following in both examples. Always be sure to include the article, 'the'. It's possible to omit the noun after 'following', as we can see in the second example. Here, 'the following' is short for 'the following things'.

Below is often used for introducing lists. The word 'below' can be used at the beginning of the sentence, but it can also come at the end. Notice the first example list here. When 'below' is the first word, the parts of the sentence are inverted. 'Below' is followed by the verb, and the subject comes last. Below are the times for the networking events. In our second example, when 'below' is at the end, the order of the sentence parts doesn't change. Below are the times for the networking events. The lunch choices are below. We can also use the word 'here' to introduce a list. It's very similar to 'below'. 'Here' is the first word in the sentence, and the subject comes last. Here are the rooms. Unlike 'before', 'here' doesn't come at the end. When we are making a list, we can't say, 'the rooms that can be reserved are here'. We can use 'these' plus a noun to introduce a list too. We still need volunteers for these committees.

If the list is long, try to make two shorter lists. You'll need to write a complete sentence to introduce each one. This list seems a little long. Here I see two categories. One is what the attendees will see, and the other is extra things they can do. I would try to make two shorter lists, like this. The first list is about things attendees will see, so we would list nouns. The second list is about what people can do, which indicates verbs. Often, dividing a long list makes it clearer for the reader. A list should have at least two items. Don't make a bulleted list with just one item.

You'll notice that the phrases in our list are short. Remember, we want the list to be easy to read. Avoid writing long items in your list. Instead of 'registration receipt to show that you've registered, picture ID such as a driver's license or passport, workshop materials that were mailed to you,' write this: 'registration receipt, picture ID, workshop materials.' Isn't this better? By shortening your list, it is a little easier to find the information you need.