Alignment in a Dialogue

Your main message and the next questions that you anticipate of your reader should generally follow the same pattern. This creates a logic that makes your message easier to follow. Such a pattern is known as alignment.

As in the examples you encountered on the previous screen, a strong main message should prompt obvious subsequent questions. These questions should be aligned with the main message. For example, if the main message is “I need training in French and Excel,” then your subsequent questions should come in the order of French first and Excel second. The paragraphs of your e-mail would likewise follow this same order.

Using alignment in this way meets your readers’ expectations and is an excellent organizing strategy.