The special nature of technical writing is seen in the emphasis on efficient information transmission. Rather than relying on the classic concept of information as the probability of items in a series, the article discusses information value with respect to reader background and to the distribution of “new” information (not known to the reader, or not focused) and “old” (known, presupposed, mentioned) information. It is argued that this perspective is best suited for the presentation of grammar in the teaching of technical writing, with special regard for the focusing techniques of written as opposed to spoken English; examples are provided.