Course Catalog / BMU 150 / Lesson 1 of 6
BMU 150
New to this course? Take the pretest first. About 10 minutes, not graded. It shows your starting point, so at the end you can see how far you came. Take the pretest
Lesson 1: Know your reader, know your point
New to this course? Read Getting started first. Key words are in the glossary.
Your Course Project: this lesson builds Part 1: Purpose and point. After the Try it, add it to your Course Project and press Check this part.
Warm up
1. Think of a message that got a slow reply, or none. Where was your main point: top, middle, or end?
See the answer
If it was in the middle or end, your reader had to dig. This lesson shows you how to put it on top.
Why this matters
Texts, work emails, forms, and applications all have a busy reader who wants your point fast.
Most readers skim. In a classic Nielsen Norman Group study (1997), 79 percent of test users scanned new web pages. Only 16 percent read word by word.
By the end you will have a Clear Writing Portfolio: a real email, a short essay, and an application answer, each revised.
Start with what you already do
You already talk one way to a child, another to a boss, and another to a doctor. Writing for a reader is the same skill.
Common belief: Good writing uses big words and long sentences, so it sounds smart.
What is actually true: Digital.gov's plain language guide says the first rule is to write for your audience, and that plain language does not mean dumbing things down. Clear is a sign of respect.
In this lesson you will
- Identify the reader, purpose, and desired action for a message before you write it
- Write the main point of a message in one sentence of 25 words or fewer
- Place the main point in the first two sentences of a message
Key words
reader, purpose, main point, main point first. Find what each one means in the course glossary.
Three questions before you write
Before you type, answer three questions. They take a minute and save long drafts that wander.
- Who is my reader? What do they already know? How busy are they?
- What is my purpose? Am I asking, telling, explaining, or persuading?
- What do I want them to do or remember? Name the action, like reply by Friday, sign the form, or call me back.
Write your answers at the top of your draft, then delete them before you send.
Picture one real reader
Write to one person, not to everyone, and ask what that reader needs first.
| Reader | What they look for first |
|---|---|
| A boss or coworker | The decision or update, and any deadline |
| A teacher or school office | Which student, what you are asking, and by when |
| An agency or company | Your case or account number, what you need, and what you sent |
| A hiring manager | The job you want and why you fit it |
Name your purpose
Most messages do one main job: ask, tell, explain, or persuade. Pick the one that matters most.
Your point in one sentence
Your main point is the sentence your reader would repeat to someone else. Write it in 25 words or fewer, then say it out loud. If you cannot say it in one breath, keep thinking until you can.
Weak: I wanted to reach out about some concerns regarding the schedule. Strong: Can I switch to the 7 a.m. shift starting May 6?
Put the point first
Put your main point in the first one or two sentences. News writers call this the inverted pyramid. The Nielsen Norman Group (2018) and the Federal Plain Language Guidelines (2011) both recommend it, so readers get the point however much they read.
Point first is not rude. A short greeting is still polite. For bad news, add one kind sentence first, then get to the point.
Worked example: Rosa's note to her son's teacher
Before: Hi Mr. Grant, I hope your week is going well. I wanted to touch base because last week Mateo said something about a project, and I was not sure if it was the science one or the history one. We have had a lot going on at home, so I may have missed an email. Anyway, could you let me know?
- Reader: Mr. Grant teaches about 120 students and reads email between classes.
- Purpose: ask.
- Action: tell Rosa the due date and where the instructions are.
- Main point: When is Mateo's history project due, and where can I find the instructions?
After: Hi Mr. Grant, When is Mateo's history project due, and where can I find the instructions? I may have missed an email after my work schedule changed. Thank you, Rosa Diaz (Mateo's mom)
Why it works: the question comes first and is easy to answer in one line. Rosa is a made up example.
Text version of this figure
- 1. Who is my reader?: What do they know? How busy are they?
- 2. What is my purpose?: Ask, tell, explain, or persuade.
- 3. What should they do?: Name the action, like reply by Friday.
- Before: a long opening; the question comes last. After: "Hi Mr. Grant, When is Mateo's history project due, and where can I find the instructions?"
Use it when: you write a message to someone busy.
Try it: Rewrite this made-up note to a boss with the point first: "Hi, I know things are busy, and I was thinking about next month, and my kid has a new school schedule, so I wondered about the 7 a.m. shift."
- Answer the three questions.
- Write the point in 25 words or fewer.
- Put it first.
Check your answer
- Reader: a busy boss. Purpose: ask. Action: say yes or no.
- After: "Can I switch to the 7 a.m. shift starting next month? My child's school schedule changed."
Why: Busy readers decide from the first line. Put the ask there.
Your version is strong if:
- The first sentence is the ask.
- It is 25 words or fewer.
Strong and weak examples
Two made up situations. Decide which example is stronger, then check.
Situation 1
Example A: Hi, I wanted to touch base about some things going on and a project, and also our schedule...
Example B: Hi Mr. Grant, which project is due Friday, science or history? Mateo was not sure. Thank you, Rosa
Check your answer
Example B is stronger. The point and the question come first, for this reader.
Why the other one falls short: The reader has to dig for the point and the ask.
Situation 2: A message to a landlord
Example A: Hi Ms. Cole, the kitchen sink in unit 4B has leaked since Monday. Could a plumber come by Friday? I am home after 3 p.m. Thank you, Ana
Example B: Dear Landlord, I am writing about many issues in the unit that have been going on for a while and I hope we can discuss them.
Check your answer
Example A is stronger. The reader learns the problem, the ask, and the timing in the first two lines.
Why the other one falls short: The landlord cannot tell what is wrong or what you want.
Text version of this figure
- 1. Who is my reader?: What do they know? How busy are they?
- 2. What is my purpose?: Ask, tell, explain, or persuade.
- 3. What should they do?: Name the action, like reply by Friday.
- Before: a long opening; the question comes last. After: "Hi Mr. Grant, When is Mateo's history project due, and where can I find the instructions?"
Use it when: you write a message to someone busy.
Try it: Rewrite this made up note to a boss with the point first: "Hi, I know things are busy, and I was thinking about next month, and my kid has a new school schedule, so I wondered about the 7 a.m. shift."
- Answer the three questions.
- Write the point in 25 words or fewer.
- Put it first.
Check your answer
- Reader: a busy boss. Purpose: ask. Action: say yes or no.
- After: "Can I switch to the 7 a.m. shift starting next month? My child's school schedule changed."
Why: Busy readers decide from the first line. Put the ask there.
Your version is strong if:
- The first sentence is the ask.
- It is 25 words or fewer.
Common mistakes
- Hiding the request at the end. Skimmers may never reach it.
- Two main points in one message. Split them into two messages.
Try it: Find your point for three messages
Pick your scenario:
- A message to a boss or coworker
- A message to a teacher, school, or child care provider
- A message to an agency, landlord, or company
- List three real messages you owe someone, using the scenarios above.
- For each, write the reader, purpose, and action.
- Write each main point in 25 words or fewer.
- Say each one out loud and cut it to one breath.
- Send one message with the point in the first two sentences.
- Start a file called Clear Writing Portfolio and save all three sentences.
Do it by: tomorrow
Reflect
Which reader do you find hardest to write to, and what makes it hard?
Check your understanding
1. You need your landlord to fix a leaking sink. Which opening sentence works best?
- Could you send someone to fix the leaking kitchen sink in unit 4B this week?
- I have lived here for three years and have always paid on time.
- I hope you are doing well and that the building is treating you kindly.
See the answer and feedback
A is correct. It names the problem, place, and timing.
B: This is background.
C: This delays the point.
Review: Put the point first.
2. Which question should you answer before you start writing?
- How many words can I fit in?
- What do I want the reader to do or remember?
- Which fancy words will impress them?
See the answer and feedback
B is correct. The action you want shapes everything else.
A: Length is not the goal. Review Three questions before you write.
C: Plain words work better. Review Start with what you already do.
3. Your draft says: I am writing to talk about a few things. Which rewrite gives a clear main point?
- I am writing today about several important matters.
- There are a few things I would like to talk about soon.
- Please approve my request for two days off on June 3 and 4.
See the answer and feedback
C is correct. It names the request and the dates.
A: Still vague.
B: This also delays the point.
Review: Your point in one sentence.
Recap
- Answer three questions first: who is the reader, what is the purpose, and what should they do.
- Write to one real reader and give them what they need first.
- Write your main point in one sentence of 25 words or fewer.
- Put the main point in the first two sentences.
You now have: three one sentence main points and the start of your Clear Writing Portfolio.
Next up
Next you will make every sentence easier to read with plain words and active voice. Lesson 2: Plain words, short sentences. BMU 150 is part of BMU All Access. All Access is $9.99 a month and gives you unlimited access to the course catalog. Sign up free as a Founding Member to continue. Public enrollment opens Nov 9, 2026.
Sources
- Digital.gov: Principles of plain language (plain language guide) (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Nielsen Norman Group: How Users Read on the Web (Jakob Nielsen, 1997) (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Nielsen Norman Group: Inverted Pyramid: Writing for Comprehension (Amy Schade, 2018) (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Federal Plain Language Guidelines, March 2011, revised May 2011 (copy hosted by the Institute of Education Sciences) (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
