Bullet lists are useful for breaking up text. They help in plain language writing. However, too often it seems the list writer has become distracted and we see this –

The Council is responsible for:
✅ collecting waste
✅ maintaining city streetscapes
✅ acting as planning authority
❌ local events must be run.

So clearly, the fourth list item did not follow the stem.

When writing lists like this, the trick is to read the lead-in ‘stem’ with every list item to make sure it follows. Correct any that do not follow the stem properly. For completeness, the fourth one is –

The Council is responsible for:
✅ running local events.

Okay, over to you for one more example.

Among other responsibilities, the Board must:
● monitor the operational and financial position of the organisation
● inculcate ethical values in the organisation’s culture
● manages the organisation’s risk appetite
● appoint and, where appropriate, remove the CEO.

Uh-oh, spot the error?

If you hate writing lists, grammar and all this stuff, be assured that we love it. Contact us to have a chat about how we can help you.