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I think that Nancy, having resolved to rewrite in a manner like we have suggested, seems to still be interested in the academic question of using "how test results are saved" as a DO.
It's exactly the same as saying "the way test results are saved," which is an actual noun phrase and might therefore satisfy Lady Lasereye.
-Dave
________________________________
From: "Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>
To: Nancy Allison <maker -at- verizon -dot- net>
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 10:47:30 AM
Subject: RE: Wrong? Poor style? OK?
Nancy Allison wrote:
> Milan, it has to do with menu picks.
>
> Everyone, it quickly became apparent that the way out of the problem
is
> to rewrite it as "There are two ways to save test results." However,
> the
> initial grammatical question interests me in its own right.
>
> My editor's note was "needs a noun somewhere" I think the issue is the
> use of
>
> "how test results are saved"
>
> as the direct object of
>
> "controls"
I suspect, as Dave suggested, that the real issue is "There are..."
Presumably, if it's a matter of menu choices, the doc continues by
naming or describing them. I suggest some variation of what Dave
proposed. "You can save test results in two ways:" followed by two
bullet items.
Or, for a procedure step, an imperative version: "Save the test results
by doing one of the following:" again followed by two bullet items.
Richard
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
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