Clarity and Precision in Writing Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Clarity and Precision in Writing flashcards as text
A statute reads: 'No vehicle shall enter the park.' A bicycle rider argues this does not apply to bicycles. What drafting principle does this dispute illustrate?
Answer: The importance of defining key terms within the statute.
Failure to define 'vehicle' creates interpretive disputes; defining terms eliminates ambiguity about what falls within a statute's scope.
Which sentence contains a 'squinting modifier' that creates ambiguity?
Answer: Witnesses who lie frequently face perjury charges.
'Frequently' in 'Witnesses who lie frequently face perjury charges' squints because it could modify either 'lie' or 'face,' creating two different meanings.
What is the main precision problem with using 'and/or' in legal documents?
Answer: It creates three possible interpretations: A alone, B alone, or both A and B.
'And/or' is imprecise because readers cannot determine whether both elements are required, either element suffices, or any combination applies.
Evaluate this sentence for structural clarity: 'The plaintiff, who had been employed by the defendant for six years and who had an unblemished record, filed suit.' What is the best revision strategy?
Answer: Break it into two sentences, moving background information to a separate sentence.
Long embedded relative clauses disrupt reading flow; separating background facts into a distinct sentence improves clarity and emphasizes the main action.
Which of the following is the clearest way to express the concept of 'prior to the expiration of the applicable limitations period'?
Answer: Before the limitations period expires.
'Before the limitations period expires' preserves necessary legal precision while eliminating redundant words like 'applicable' and 'prior to.'
In argument writing, what is the risk of using 'clearly' or 'obviously' to introduce a point?
Answer: These words signal that no evidence will be provided, weakening the argument.
Asserting something is 'clear' or 'obvious' substitutes a claim of self-evidence for actual reasoning, which undermines argumentative credibility.
Which sentence structure best conveys a precise cause-and-effect relationship?
Answer: Due to the defendant's failure to maintain safe premises, three visitors sustained injuries.
This sentence explicitly links the specific cause (failure to maintain safe premises) to the precise effect (three visitors injured), satisfying legal clarity requirements.