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What is the correct term for the style of writing used on resumes that does not have a subject?

English Language & Usage Asked by WirthLuce on March 18, 2021

On resumes, I frequently see a style of writing like the following:

Acme Corp — Contraption Designer

Designed systems for catching road runners. Coordinated with clients for delivery in remote locations. Collected statistics on system efficacy.

The writing here does not actually include a subject, instead the "I" is implied. This is similar to an imperative sentence but instead in the past tense.

I found one source that called this "first person implied", but the source does not seem to be very reputable.

Is there a term for this sort of writing? Are there any style guides for it?

One Answer

Linguistic sources call it a null subject, subject pronoun drop, or diary drop:

As the first source explains, “diary drop” is a more specific term used for this phenomenon in written language: “subject pronouns can frequently be dropped in certain registers of written English, such as diaries but also including text messages, emails, and other forms of informal communication”.

Correct answer by Laurel on March 18, 2021

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