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RE: Usage of second person or third person when writing procedures
Subject:RE: Usage of second person or third person when writing procedures From:"Jane Carnall" <jane -dot- carnall -at- digitalbridges -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 31 Aug 2001 17:37:06 +0100
-----Original Message-----
>Need a little help. Our style guide is almost finished but have
>conflicting source references as to second or third person usage. When
>writing instructions, use the implied second or third person?
>Example...Eat dinner before eating dessert or Dinner should be eaten before
>dessert. Does anyone know which is correct when writing procedures?
You must eat dinner before you eat dessert. - second person, appropriate if
the procedure is one the person reading the instructions will carry out (for
example, on the menu at a strict restaurant).
They must eat dinner before they eat dessert. - third person, appropriate if
the procedure is one the person reading the instructions must confirm but
does not carry out themselves (for example, the waiter at the strict
restaurant won't actually be eating dinner there, but must make sure that
the cowed customers eat their dinner before they eat dessert).
"Eat dinner before eating dessert" could be either first, second, or third
person - it's impersonal, but active.
"Dinner should be eaten before dessert" is passive. Who is supposed to carry
out this procedure? Who is eating in this procedure?
Jane Carnall
Technical Writer, Digital Bridges, Scotland
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.
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