TECHNICAL WRITING
PROF. DR. MOHAMED REFAAT DIAB AHMED
LECTURE FIVE
LECTURE FIVE
THE STRUCTURE OF TECHNICAL ENGLISH
I. INTRODUCTION
The language in which scientific and technical facts expressed is certainly not a different language from that of everyday life.
The structures presented are intended to familiarize the student with the kind of writing and the kind of statements he is likely to find in his reading of scientific and technical literature.
II. WORDS AND PATTERNS
The followings are words which have technical or semi-technical meanings and Patterns, structures, which are used in technical writing.
A. Words
1. Negligible, Considerable, Substantia
2. Engine, Machine, Motor, Tool, etc.
3. Contents
Contains, Content, Container, Consists Of, Comprise, Etc.
4. Produce, Product, Production
5. Devise, Device, Instrument, Apparatus
6. Property
7. Adjust, Modify, Transform, Adapt
8. Should
Should is used very often in technical writing with several slightly different meaning.
9. Adopt
10. Apply
11. Exploit, Utilize, Employ
12. Speed, Rate
13. Fairly, Rather, slightly
14. State, Condition, Conditions
15. Supply, Provide, Fit, Equip, Install, Insert
B. PATERNS 1. Quantity
2. Make + Noun + Adjective
3. Classifications
4. Comparative
5. Velocity
6. Prevention, Protection, etc.
7. Purpose
8. Movements
9. Requirements and Necessity
10. The use of Will, Can, and May
11. Measurements and Calculations
12. It is + Adjective + to
13. It is + Adjective + that
14.Difference
15. Problems, Difficulties, Solution
16. Too Much or Too Little
17. Results
18. Variables
19. Means (By+ Noun or v-ing)
20. When, Once, If, etc.+ Past Participle
A time clause or If-clause can be shortened in two ways:
N.B.
- When, While, once, and If must be followed by an-ed form of the verb in this construction, not by a noun.
- These four words can also be used with an adjective.
when necessary if possible
once full
while still hot
21. Noun + Noun
English allows the writer very often to put another noun in front of the noun, and sometimes two or three:
N.B. The possessive form (’ s) is very seldom used in technical writing.
