The goal of this exercise is to help you polish your writing style by applying Chapter 8's Guidelines 1 through 3 on constructing sentences.

The Exercise

Part I: Reduce the number of words in the sentences below.

1. The usage of function keys by a user allows a user to perform certain specialized functions within the program.
2. When several users (more than 20) attempt to access the same data simultaneously, the software's functionality is such that the software displays a warning message on the screens of some of the users.
3. A special computer language called PostScript is the language used by a laser printer to print images on the paper.
4. We could use the power of a wide area network as a solution to our problem of sending data to users at geographically dispersed plants located all across the United States.

Part II: Rewrite the following sentences in a way that will keep the related words together.

1. Bar code readers are photoelectric scanners that read bar codes printed on product packages, which look like zebra-striped marks.
2. The system clock, whose speed is expressed in megahertz (MHz) equaling one million beats (cycles) per second, controls how fast a computer can perform tasks.
3. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are portable computers that will allow us to run standard PC applications and exchange data with remote systems that fit in the palms of our hands.
4. By pressing the F4 function key (which may be labeled PF4 on some keyboards or may be located on a separate menu bar at the top of the screen), a list of valid units of measure will display.

Part III: Rewrite the following sentences to put the action in the verb.

1. There are three allowable functions on this screen: adding a new user, deleting a user, and changing a user's system access.
2. Installation of the system upgrade will be accomplished by our own System Support Department on July 30.
3. Logical grouping of materials for reporting purposes will aid us in presenting inventory data more meaningfully.
4. The addition of math co-processors to our PCs will allow faster calculation of complex formulae.

Part IV: Rewrite the following sentences in the active voice.

1. Database updates will be performed by the database administrator.
2. A shielded twisted-pair cable was chosen for your system by our network specialist.
3. Text messages are not saved in rich text format by our users if the messages will be sent through company e-mail.
4. To prevent normal computer operations from being disrupted, a disaster recovery plan should be developed by a senior data administrator.