Passive-voice verbs may be preferable in breaking bad news because they enable you to emphasize actions rather than personalities. Revise the following refusals so that they use instead of active-voice verbs. We will no longer be accepting credit cards for purchases under $5. Because of security risks, we cannot allow fans to enter the arena with large purses or Packages. We cannot offer health and dental benefits until employees have been on the job for 12 months. The manager and I could not arrange for the investors' lunch to take place until after they complete the facility tour. Because management now requires more stringent security, we are postponing indefinite requests for company tours. You can further soften the effect of bad news by placing it in an introductory subordinate that begins with although, since, or because. The emphasis in a sentence is on the clause. Instead of saying We cannot serve you on a credit basis, try Although we cannot you on a credit basis, we invite you to take advantage of our cash discounts and sale Revise the following so that the bad news is de-emphasized in a dependent clause that an independent clause. A shipping strike makes it impossible for us to ship your complete order at this point However, we are able to send two comer workstations now, and you should receive within five days