Grammar Q

[Mary Arrotti]

Chris Vickery <cvickery at arenasolutions.com> wrote:     I don't understand how "Click the widget to begin" can be anything but
imperative, second-person writing. The implied subject is the reader.
How could it be interpreted as "[The user] click the widget to begin"?
  
 
  (1) You're right - when that phrase is written, the "you" is implied. And that is commonly known as imperative, second-person writing. [I say commonly known since it's always possible for people to make up their own terminology and writing rules.]
   
  When you write "Click the widget" you are addressing the reader. 
   
  (2) Now, I agree that it's generally best to minimize the use of "you" in documentation. And by "you" I mean the word "you" - not the implied you in imperative, second-person writing. 
   
  However, there are instances where usage of "you" makes sense - makes info easier to understand. 
  Here's an example:  
  "Once the Admin updates your access rights, you can schedule a report."
   
  Now, this isn't an imperative so "you can" makes sense - the info being given is that the reader has the capability to perform a task. Yes, you can write different sentences then the above but I don't think any would be significantly shorter or clearer.

       
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