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Business Writing.rtf

Business Writing

Study Guide

BUSINESS WRITING

(C) Copyright 2012

All rights reserved

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Introduction and Course Overview 1

Chapter Two: Why Write? 2

Chapter Three: The First C 4

Writing Clearly 4

Exercises .................................................................................................................................................

Chapter Four: The Second C 7

Writing Concisely 7

Exercises 8

Chapter Five: The Third C 11

Making Your Writing Complete 11

Exercise 11

Chapter Six: The Fourth C 12

Chapter Seven: Word Agreement 13

Making Words Agree 13

Exercises 14

Chapter Eight: Active and Passive Voice 15

Chapter Nine: Sentences and Sentence Types 17

Sentences and Paragraphs 17

Exercise ...................................................................................................................................................

Chapter Ten: Readability Index 19

About the Index 19

Using the Index 21

Chapter Eleven: The Fifth C 23

Courtesy 23

What‘s My Style? 24

Chapter Twelve: Practical Language 27

Chapter Thirteen: Inclusive Language 29

Chapter Fourteen: Sentence Construction 30

Chapter Fifteen: Punctuation 31

Chapter Sixteen: Writing Business Letters 34

Steps to Writing Business Letters 34

Parts of a Business Letter 36

Types of Letters 39

Dissecting Letters 41

Chapter Seventeen: Reports 45

Chapter Eighteen: Spelling & Proofreading 48

Spelling 49

Proofreading 49

Chapter Nineteen: Writing Memos 51

Chapter Twenty: E-Mail Etiquette 52

A Personal Action Plan 53

Recommended Reading List 64

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Chapter One: Introduction and Course

Overview

Course Overview

We all know what good writing is. It‘s the novel we can‘t put down, the poem we never forgot, and the speech that changes the way we look at the world. Good writing is the memo that gets action, the letter that says what a phone call can‘t.

In business writing, the language is concrete, the point of view is clear, and the points are well expressed. Good writing is hard work, and even the best writers get discouraged. However, with practice you can feel more confident about your own writing.

Learning Objectives

• To learn the value of good written communication.

• To learn how to write and proofread your work so it is clear, concise, complete, and correct.

• To provide opportunities to apply these skills in real world situations.
• To understand the proper format for memos, reports, and letters.

What are my learning objectives?

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Chapter Two: Why Write?

Whether we want to or not, most of us must write. We write to explain things, to smooth relationships, to convince others of the value of some course of action. Such writing must be clear, concise, complete, and correct. It must also convey our message in a courteous tone. This module will help you to identify the range of this kind of writing, the forms it takes, and the persuasive techniques it requires.

Many writers are defeated by the attitude that writing is an awesome task. These people do not trust themselves with the language. They go to the files to see what has been done in the past. To overcome their insecurity, they try to write to impress. They hunt for big words to sound like an authority on the subject. They pad their reports to indicate thoroughness.

Our aim is to teach the habits of good writing. With the proper attitude, a respect for how words work together, and knowledge of the conventions of usage, your writing can be clear, concise, and easy to read.

Trust yourself. Find out what you think, and say what you mean in the simple language you would use with a friend. Make adjustments in your wording until you are sure you are saying what you want to say.

If you want to be a better writer, there are four things you can do to help yourself.

• You must READ. If the only writing you ever read is your own, you will have no standards to judge your writing against. We learned to talk by hearing others speak. If you spent a year in England, you would come back to the U.S. with a British accent. Read like a spectator, if you must, but try to read like an apprentice.

• You must WRITE. No matter how many rules you know, it takes practice to write well. Your tenth letter to a disgruntled client will be easier to write than the first one, and believe it or not, the tenth report will be easier to write too.

• You should WANT to WRITE. Find personal reasons for wanting to write well, for wanting to communicate with others, and then turn off the language cop and get writing.

• You need a FEEDBACK system to tell you how you're doing. You need to know if the writing works. People don't learn to write well from being corrected. They learn not to write. Look at feedback as an opportunity to find better solutions, not as an opportunity to correct errors.

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You are already very familiar with the English language. You already talk easily and well. People generally understand you. So the leap from talking to writing need not be difficult if we forget the rules for a moment and write the way we talk.

However, before putting pen to paper, or turning on the computer, there are several things to think about; things we think about whether we are talking or writing. They are the five Cs of communication.

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Chapter Three: The First C

Writing Clearly

Writing is like other forms of communication. You want people who receive your letters, reports, memos, or proposals to understand what you are saying.

The Pweor of the hmuan mnid

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn‘t mttaern what oredr the ltteers in a word are. The only iprmoetnt thing is that the first and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm.

This is bcuseae the human mind deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe.

Amzanig huh?

Why do we still want our writing to be better than it is right now, if people can understand us anyway?

• Readers will still judge us based on our writing and make up their mind about our ability and competence.

• We can‘t be sure we will always get that first and last letter right.

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Whenever we communicate we say three things:

• Something about your message
• Something about your reader
• Something about you

When we write well, we are saying that we have thought about our message, we have taken the time to understand the reader, and we send a positive image of ourselves.

Finally, when we write well, we improve the bottom line. Why? We save time, frustration, and inconvenience; all of which represent costs.

Look at the following sentences, and how we can re-write them to be more clear to the reader:

Original

Rewritten

Rose Walters is only an assistant to Frank

Rose Walters is Frank Crandlemire‘s only

Crandlemire.

assistant.

Report any other defects or mechanical

Report any other defects or mechanical

damage to the supervisor in the finished

damage in the finished product to the

product.

supervisor.

Arriving early for my interview the human

When I arrived early for my interview, the

resources office was not open.

human resources office wasn‘t open.

Kaye‘s job does not, because it causes

Because Kaye‘s job causes great stress, it

great stress, seem worth keeping.

doesn‘t seem worth keeping.

Driving cautiously, the dangerous

I approached the dangerous intersection

intersection was approached.

cautiously.

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Re-write the following sentences to make them more readable:

Complete this exercise on your own. Then refer to the Guidelines and Solutions at the end of the module for suggested answers.

DO NOT SUBMIT your answers.

Sentence One:

Regardless of their seniority or union affiliation, all employees who hope to be promoted are expected to continue their education either by enrolling in the special courses to be offered by the department, which are scheduled to be given after working hours beginning next Wednesday, or by taking approved correspondence courses selected from a list which may be seen in the Human Resources office.

Sentence Two:

This policy does not appear to be well understood by departmental management in the region even though this group has a prime responsibility for implementing the policy.

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Chapter Four: The Second C

Writing Concisely

Concise writing strikes a balance between abstract words that imply qualities (like beauty and inflation), general words (like management, team, and culture), concrete words (such as duck, lamp, lightning, and water, which we know by our five senses), and specific words that limit a general class. Building is a general word while a skyscraper is a specific building.

What are some ways we can make our writing concise?

• Eliminate unnecessary words. Don't use long, wordy phrases when a single word will. Use ―now‖ rather than "at this point in time.‖

• Stay away from vague words like "better," or "faster,‖ whenever possible.

How much better? How much faster?

• Don't create long, complex sentences by stringing phrases and clauses together carelessly.

• Include only relevant facts. Don‘t burden a sentence or a paragraph with useless information.

• Write courteously and show respect for your readers.
• Organise your thoughts so they flow effectively.

• Use concrete words whenever you can. Don't write "in the near future." Specify instead, "by noon on Thursday, December 15."

―There really are no true synonyms.‖

Do you agree with that statement or not? Is there a difference between ―daring‖ and ―reckless‖? Between ―famous‖ and ―notorious‖? While we do want to use words that others understand, at the same time, if the word you want to use is more precise, perhaps your writing will be more clear if you choose to use that word, rather than substitute something more readily understood but less precise.

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Exercises

Eliminate unnecessary words in the following phrases.

Wordy Phrase

Better Phrase

At this point in time

Now

In the near future

Soon

In the event that

If

For the purpose of

For

With regard to

About

I am of the opinion that

I think

Please do not hesitate to let me know

Let me know

I wish to take this occasion to express my thanks

Thank you

The early part of next week

Monday, Tuesday…

Your check in the amount of

Your check for

It is quite probable that

Probably

A large number of

Many

At the present time

Now

There is no doubt that

No doubt

Most of the time

Usually

In the same way

Like

During the time that

When

Remember the fact that

Remember that

Not in a position

Can‘t

In view of the fact that

Since

Until such time

Until

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Use up-to-date phrases, rather than those that are dated.

Wordy Phrase

Better Phrase

As per your instruction

As you asked

At an early date

As soon as possible

Attached herewith

Attached

In lieu of

In place of

In reply I wish to state

I think

In response to same

In response to

Kindly note same

Please note

Please be advised that/I would advise

We advise

Pursuant to our agreement

As we agreed

Refer back to

Refer to

Take the liberty of

Will

Thanking you in advance

Thank you

This will acknowledge

I want to acknowledge/We have received

We wish to advise that/ We deem it

We advise

advisable

Allow me to express

I feel

According to our records

According to our records

Hoping to hear from you soon, we remain

Sincerely

In response to yours of the 12th

In response to your letter of …

Awaiting your reply, we are in due course

We await your reply

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Write the following sentences more concisely.

Do this exercise on your own. Then refer to the Guidelines and Solutions at the end of the module for suggested answers.

DO NOT SUBMIT

Original

Rewritten

In the event that payment is not made by

January, your license will be suspended.

The invoice was in the amount of

R50,000.

He ordered desks which are of the

executive type.

There are four rules which should be

observed.

The department budget can be observed to

be decreasing each new year.

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Chapter Five: The Third C

Making Your Writing Complete

The third C is Complete. Here are some tips on making your writing complete.

• Use the 5 W's and an H. Answer the questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

• Make a checklist of all the important points you want to cover, and then check them off when the letter/memo/report is done.

• Empathize with the reader. Have I told him/her everything he/she needs to know?
• Give something extra when appropriate.

Exercise

Write a notice for your colleagues to inform them about an event that is coming up. If you have no activities approaching that you are aware of, use your imagination. If you don‘t know the details of the event, create them.

Own Answer. DO NOT SUBMIT.

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Chapter Six: The Fourth C

The fourth C stands for Correct.

We make most of our mechanical mistakes in four areas: grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. None of us need to be walking dictionaries, punctuation guides or spelling champions. Learn the most common errors and how to avoid them, and where to go for help when you need it.

Grammar

Subjects and verbs should agree in number. For example, if the subject (noun or pronoun) is singular, the verb should be singular too. Most of the time we will have no trouble, but occasionally things get a bit sticky.

Allow meaning to determine whether collective nouns (jury, team, family, etc.) are singular or plural. When they function as a unit, as is usually the case, treat them as singular.

• ―The Board is pleased to announce the promotion of Jane Doe to Acting

Manager.‖

• ―The committee made the decision to move forward.‖

• ―The jury has reached its decision.‖

However, if the members of the group function individually, treat the collective noun as plural.

―The Board was split on the need for budget cuts,‖ is an instance of a plural collective noun, with the Board representing several voices or points of view, so a plural verb was needed.

Don‘t let additional words in a sentence muddy the waters when they come between a subject and its verb.

• The tulips need watering.
• The tulips in the pot on the balcony need watering.

Words such as athletes, economics, scissors, statistics, and news are usually considered single despite their plural form.

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Chapter Seven: Word Agreement

Making Words Agree

―Which‖ and ―that‖ are relative pronouns that refer to other nouns or pronouns (antecedents) and the verb should agree with the noun or pronoun it refers to. For example, in the sentence, ―Take a suit that travels well,‖ ―that‖ refers to the suit and since ―suit‖ is considered one outfit, the verb is the singular verb ―travels.‖

Make pronouns and their antecedents (the word the pronoun refers to) agree.

• The doctor finished her rounds.

• The doctors finished their rounds.

Anybody, anyone, each, either, everybody, everything, none, no one, someone, and something are all considered singular. In a sentence using both ―neither‖ and ―nor‖ the verb agrees with the final noun as in, ―Neither Roger nor the twins are here today.‖

Note: The masculine pronouns are he, his, and him, but imagine the feminine she, shis and shim.

Place modifiers or describers as close to the word they modify as possible, so the relationship is clear to the reader. Putting modifiers in their proper place is not always easy, however. The mistakes can be funny for everyone but the poor writer.

For example, in the sentence, ―Opening the window to let out a huge bumblebee, the car accidentally swerved into an oncoming car,‖ the sentence falsely suggests the car opened the window. However, the car didn‘t open the window; the driver did.

To repair the sentence, it can be revised like this, ―As the driver (I) opened the window to let out a huge bumblebee, the car swerved into an oncoming car.‖ OR ―Opening the window to let out a huge bumblebee, I accidentally swerved my vehicle into an oncoming car.‖

―While reading the director‘s report, Gibbon‘s phone rang,‖ can be changed to, ―While Gibbon was reading the director‘s report, the phone rang.‖

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Exercises

Do this exercise on your own. Then refer to the Guidelines and Solutions at the end of the module for suggested answers. DO NOT SUBMIT

Rewrite these sentences so subjects and verbs, nouns and pronouns agree.

Original

Rewritten

Everyone was there, and I was glad to see

him.

Effective presentation of the competitive

advantages of these products require

increased television and advertising.

If any one of the garages are picketed, that

section of the city will be without public

transportation.

Some of these problems looks challenging.

Neither the doctor nor the nurses knows

the whereabouts of the patient.

Rewrite the following sentences so that modifiers are in their proper places.

Original

Rewritten

The only other zoo animals that tried the crackers were the raccoons. Hanging upside down from their cage, Lund fed them biscuits from his hand.

I have discussed with my colleagues the possibility of stocking the proposed poultry plant.

He has one of the lowest mortality rates anywhere of any heart surgeon.

Dr. Coleridge has nearly performed ninety-one heart transplants.

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Chapter Eight: Active and Passive Voice

Most people prefer to read writing that is in the active voice, especially when you are writing about people. It is easier to read ―Robert Green developed a process for constructing new solar homes,‖ than it is to read, ―A new process for developing solar homes was developed by Robert Green.‖

In the active voice, the subject of a sentence is the doer of the action. For active sentences, follow the usual word order in your sentences-subject, verb, object. Your sentences will be more interesting and easier to understand.

Examples

Passive

Active

The exam was thought to be unfair.

We thought the exam was unfair.

Every shred of evidence to be found was

The detectives investigated every shred of

investigated by the detectives.

evidence they could find.

The ground was littered after the concert.

Garbage littered the grounds after the

concert.

Many government documents and the policies of large organisations use the passive voice which sounds quite impersonal. Talking directly to your readers with words like ―I, you, we, us, our,‖ makes your document more personal.

Rather than, ―The client can make applications to the Department of Motor Vehicles for licensing before June 1,‖ write, ―You can apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for your license before June 1.‖

Passive Voice

There are times when the passive voice is useful:

• When you must deliver bad news. ―The decision to terminate your lease was agreed upon by all members of the committee.‖

• Use passive voice when the subject is not important or you don‘t know the subject. ―The children were delighted by the sudden appearance of a clown.‖

• Use passive voice when you aren‘t sure who or what is responsible for an action. ―Their house was broken into last night.‖

• Use passive voice when you want to focus attention on the action, not the doer of the action. ―When harvest time approaches, the potato plants are sprayed with a chemical to keep them from sprouting.‖

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How can you write each of the following sentences using the active voice?

Do this exercise on your own. Then refer to the Guidelines and Solutions at the end of the module for suggested answers. DO NOT SUBMIT

Original

Rewritten

The new process is believed to be superior by the investigators.

The office will be inspected by John

Rhodes from NYC.

It is desired by this office that the problem be brought before the board.

A complete renovation was required by the new owners.

The letter was typed by Brian, the new assistant.

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Chapter Nine: Sentences and Sentence Types

Sentences and Paragraphs

The Sentence

A sentence is a complete unit of thought. Sentences can be classified by their structure.

A simple sentence has one idea expressed by one subject and one verb: ―Billy ran.‖ Adding additional descriptors to those two words does not change the main idea: ―Billy ran into the school yard.‖

A compound sentence has at least two main ideas or clauses joined together. ―Billy ran into the school yard and started crying for his mother.‖

A complex sentence has one main idea and a second idea that is subordinate but tied to it. ―Billy ran into the schoolyard when the school bus pulled away.‖

A compound-complex sentence has two main ideas and at least one subordinate or secondary clause with it. ―Billy ran into the school yard when the school bus pulled away, and began crying for his mother, who was nowhere to be seen.‖

The Paragraph

A paragraph is defined as a collection of sentences that may introduce, conclude, connect, and develop some part of an idea. Paragraphs have a beginning (a statement of the theme), a middle (clearly and logically develops the theme), and an end (concludes the discussion and sometimes provides a link to the next paragraph).

Limit each paragraph to one idea, unless you are linking related thoughts. If you are comparing the old and the new, for example, it makes sense to bring them together in one paragraph.

Ordering the middle of a paragraph is a challenge for many writers. However, ordering may be chronological, in order of importance, move from general to specific (or vice versa), move from simple to complex, from pro to con, or from question to answer.

Complicated information, or a discussion of several ideas, generally needs to be broken up into separate paragraphs to be easily understood.

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To avoid choppy paragraphs, use a variety of sentence types and sentence lengths. While the average sentence should be about 17 words, vary the length of your sentences to make your writing more interesting.

Keep paragraphs short when possible. Paragraph length, of course, depends on content. Some topics are short, some are long, and others are in between. A good rule to follow is to question the unity of paragraphs over 12 lines. An average length of 9 lines makes for good readability.

Example

In the following exercise, we are going to point out at least one simple sentence, one compound sentence, one complex sentence, and one compound-complex sentence. Then we will identify one way to organise the information in the paragraph.

A woman and a man, both carrying baskets and pushing old bicycles, were just coming into the clearing, carrying baskets full of dry pine cones. A tall young man was frying bacon on a propane stove. When a well-known naturalist walked into the campground, he could see signs of early morning activity. There were several people in the clearing. The youngest member of the group squatted on the ground and tried to start a campfire with wet kindling. Nobody ran away and yet nobody spoke to the man. A woman who appeared to be the grandmother of the group sat off to the side reading stories to a group of very small children. They all stopped what they were doing to watch the stranger approach.

Simple sentence: A tall young man was frying bacon on a propane stove. Compound sentence: The youngest member of the group squatted on the ground and

tried to start a campfire with wet kindling.

Complex sentence: When a well-known naturalist walked into the campground, he could see signs of early morning activity.

Compound-complex sentence: A woman and a man, both carrying baskets and pushing old bicycles, were just coming into the clearing, carrying baskets full of dry pine cones.

One way to organize the information in the paragraph: Chronological.

Reorganised paragraph

When a well-known naturalist walked into the campground, he could see signs of early morning activity in the clearing. A woman and a man, both carrying baskets and pushing old bicycles, were just coming into the clearing, carrying baskets full of dry pine cones. A tall young man was frying bacon on a propane stove. The youngest member of the group squatted on the ground and tried to start a campfire with wet kindling. A woman who appeared to be the grandmother of the group sat off to the side reading stories to a group of very small children. Nobody ran away and yet nobody spoke to the man. They all stopped what they were doing to watch the stranger approach.

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Chapter Ten: Readability Index

*The Readability Index is also discussed in chapter 4 of ‘Report Writing’

About the Index

Sometimes we make writing difficult for our readers. That may not be our intention, but if we use unfamiliar words, use jargon or terms they don‘t understand, and write long, complicated sentences, the reader must work harder to understand your message—and sometimes they just don‘t bother.

To figure out how ―readable‖ your writing is, apply the readability test, sometimes called the Gunning Fog Index, to a sample of your own writing.

• Count out a sample of 100 words. Count to the end of the sentence nearest to the 100-word total. Record that number. (Example: 104 words)

• Count the number of sentences in your sample. Record that number. (Example: 7 sentences)

• Divide the number of words in the sample by the number of sentences. This will give you the average sentence length. (Example: 104 divided by 7 gives an average sentence length of approximately 15 words)

• Go back through this sample and count/circle all words of three or more syllables (polysyllabic words). Do not include proper nouns, compound words made up of short, easy words (like ―bookkeeper‖) or words that made polysyllabic by an ―es‖, ―ed,‖ or ―ing‖ added to the end of the word (such as ―adapted‖). (Example: 14 words of three syllables or more)

• Divide the number of polysyllabic words by the total words in the sample, and then multiply the answer by 100 to find the percentage of words that are polysyllabic. (Example: 14 divided by 104 multiplied by 100 equals approximately 13.5% of the words are polysyllabic.)

• Add the average sentence length (15) and the number of polysyllabic or "hard words" per hundred (14) together. (Example: 14 plus 15 equals 29)

• Multiply this by the Fog Factor (0.4) to learn your Readability or Fog Index. (Example: 29 multiplied by 0.4 equals 11.6)

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What does this mean? Very approximately, it means the number of years of schooling people would need in order to read your writing. For most instances, a score between 8 and 12 is good. For some readers you will want to have a lower readability index and occasionally you may be writing for readers who will be comfortable with a higher readability index.

As a point of comparison, here is how some well-known publications stack up against the readability index.

·

The Economist

13 (difficult)

· The Wall Street Journal

11

· The New York Times

10

·

MacLean‘s

10

·

Reader‘s Digest

8

·

USA Today

7

·

People Magazine

6

·

Tabloid Newspapers

6 (easy)

Robert Gunning, who designed this popular test, has said, ―The Fog Index is a handy means for judging readability. It is not a formula for how to write.‖

When you are using Microsoft Word, you can set it to measure your readability score with a slightly different tool. Here is how you would set it up. (These steps may be slightly different depending on the version you are using.)

• On your menu bar select Tools
• Select Options

• Select the Spelling and Grammar tab
• Under the Grammar section check the box ―Show Readability Statistics‖
• Select OK

You can then go through your document and not only check spelling and grammar but at the conclusion of the document, you can get a readability score. For example, this document scores at a 9.3 level.

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Using the Index

Ichabod Crane

The Cognoman of Crane was not inapplicable to this person. He was tall but exceedingly lank with narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves, feet that might have served for shovels, and his whole frame hung most loosely together. His head was small and flat at the top, with huge ears, green glassy eyes, and a long snipe nose, so that it looked like a weather-cock placed on his spindle neck, to tell which way the wind blew. To see him striding along the profile of a hill on a windy day, with his clothes bagging and fluttering about him, one might have mistaken him for the genius of famine, descending upon the earth, or some scarecrow, eloped from a cornfield.

- Washington Irving, ―The Legend of Sleepy Hollow‖

Number of words in sample

Number of sentences in your sample

Number of words divided by number of

Sentences

Number of polysyllabic words

Number of polysyllabic words divided by total words multiplied by 100

Average Sentence Length multiplied by number of polysyllabic words

Figure above multiplied by 0.4

131 words 4 sentences

Average number of words in a sentence: 32 4% polysyllables

Fog index is 15.2

Why is it so high, since it had very few large words in it? Because the sentences were so long. Check your own writing sample to determine the readability index.

DO NOT SUBMIT

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My Writing

Number of words in sample

Number of sentences in your sample

Number of words divided by number of

Sentences

Number of polysyllabic words

Number of polysyllabic words divided by total words multiplied by 100

Average Sentence Length multiplied by number of polysyllabic words

Figure above multiplied by 0.4

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Chapter Eleven: The Fifth C

Courtesy

Courtesy is an important principle of good business writing.

• Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative.

• Don‘t use words that could irritate, hurt, or belittle.
• Apologize with a good nature, when required.
• Answer your own mail promptly.

• Use an appropriate writing style that fits the topic you are writing about and your audience.

When writing letters, you should also make sure you:

• Use the appropriate company name
• Address the letter correctly

• Spell the person‘s name correctly

• Use the proper form of address; if unsure, use Mr. or Mrs. If unsure of gender, simply use the person‘s name.

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What’s My Style?

Look at the sample letters included below. Read the letters and rank them in order of preference, based on what you feel their appropriate style should be. Then, consider how you felt and why you ranked particular letters that way. DO NOT SUBMIT.

Sample One

Rating: ___________

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Sample Two

Rating: ___________

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Sample Three

Rating: ___________

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Chapter Twelve: Practical Language

Use language and punctuation in a practical manner. Rules were meant to be broken or stretched occasionally. If necessary, you may:

• Begin sentences with ―and‖ or ―but‖
• End sentences with prepositions

• Use the same terms consistently (the reader may be confused if you change words)

You can also use fewer punctuation marks, as long as the writing remains clear.

You should try not to start sentences with ―it‖ and you should spell out acronyms the first time you use them.

Word Usage

Fewer refers to number but less modifies a singular noun. ―There were fewer volunteers and they were less eager to work.‖

Anxious means worried. Eager means desirous. ―I am anxious about the interview tomorrow but I am eager to begin earning some money.‖

Almost means nearly. Most is the superlative form of much. ―I have almost finished lunch. This was the most delicious salad I‘ve eaten in days.‖

Numerous refers to a large but unknown number. Many is a large, indefinite number.

―There are numerous sales positions advertised but many of them are for jobs in manufacturing.‖

Who and whoever are always subjects of a clause. Whom and whomever are always objects of verbs or prepositions.

• ―The man who wanted to buy the miracle window cleaner stood in line for an hour.‖

• ―The firefighters rescued the children whom the police had been unable to reach.‖

That and Which

―That‖ is used almost exclusively with restrictive clauses; those that limit or narrows the definition of an item. The clause cannot be moved or changed without affecting the meaning of the sentence. For example, ―The clothes that Jamie wore to the party reeked of cigarette smoke.‖ The only clothes being talked about here are those Jamie wore to the party.

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―Which,‖ on the other hand, is used in a non-restrictive clause, neither limiting nor narrowing meaning but rather telling more about an item. ―The Statue of Liberty, which is in New York, welcomed many, many immigrants at the turn of the century.‖

Some reasons to be grateful if you grew up speaking English:

• The bandage was wound around the wound.
• The farm was used to produce produce.
• The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
• We must polish the Polish furniture.

• He could lead if he would get the lead out.
• The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

• Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

• At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.
• When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
• I did not object to the object, nor could I be objective about the objective.

• The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
• There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
• They were too close to the door to close it.
• The buck does funny things when the does are present.
• A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
• To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

• The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
• After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.
• Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
• I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
• How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
• I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt.

• If you have a rough cough, climbing can be tough when going through the bough on a tree!

• There is no egg in eggplant.

Let's face it - English is a crazy language!

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Chapter Thirteen: Inclusive Language

Don‘t make all nurses and secretaries ―she‖ nor all doctors and senior executives ―he.‖

An easy way to eliminate gender bias is to recast the sentence in the plural. Rather than ―Each employee should shut off his computer before leaving,‖ write, ―Employees should shut off their computers before leaving.‖

Another possibility is to delete the personal pronoun. Rather than ―If an employee is late, notify his immediate supervisor,‖ becomes, ―If an employee is late, notify the immediate supervisor.‖

Some inclusive alternatives for these words are:

Original Word

Alternative

Mankind

Humankind, people

Man on the street

People on the street

Manpower

People power

Chairman

Chair

Spokesman

Spokesperson

Policeman

Police officer

Stewardess

Attendant

Salesman

Sales executive

Fisherman

Fisher

Fireman

Fire official

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Chapter Fourteen: Sentence Construction

The two basic rules for constructing sentences are use construction that makes meaning clear and keep construction parallel. Parallel construction means that parts of a sentence that are parallel or balanced in meaning should be parallel or balanced in structure.

For example, if you write, ―She likes swimming, running and to play the piano,‖ to play the piano is a different construction from swimming and running. Write ―She likes swimming, running, and playing the piano,‖ to make the activities parallel in structure.

When Shakespeare has Hamlet say ―To die, to sleep, perchance to dream,‖ he is using parallel structure. Parallelism refers to a series of like grammatical structures—words, phrases, clauses—expressed in repeated grammatical construction.

Change the following sentences to the correct parallel structure.

Do this exercise on your own. Then refer to the Guidelines and Solutions at the end of the module for suggested answers. DO NOT SUBMIT

Original Sentence

Rewritten

Running, walking, and a swim are all good

forms of exercise.

To get to the store, you walked down to the

corner, take the path through the park and cut

across the square.

To run for office, you may have to join a party,

have to sell your independent views, and raffle

tickets.

Roseanne Barr battled her network, will fight

with her husband publicly, and sings the

national anthem with an equal absence of

class.

Three reasons why manufacturing companies

are losing money is that their plants are

inefficient, high labour costs, and increasing

foreign competition.

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Chapter Fifteen: Punctuation

The Comma

Commas are our most common punctuation mark inside a sentence. However, the trend today is to use it only when absolutely necessary, when omitting the comma would cause confusion.

Use a comma after a long introductory phrase or clause: "After working all day at the office, I went home for dinner." If the introductory material is short, forget the comma: "After work I went home for dinner."

Use a comma if the sentence would be confusing without it, like this: ―The day before, I borrowed my boss's calculator."

Use a comma to separate elements in a series, including numbers in a list: "I enjoy drinking orange juice, tea, milk, and coffee." You also use it with numbers: ―5, 7, and 9.‖ (There is a movement afoot to omit the comma before ―and.‖)

Use a comma to separate independent clauses that are joined by and, but, or, nor, for, or yet. "We shopped for three hours, but we didn't make a single purchase."

Use a comma(s) to set off nonessential elements in a sentence. Compare these two sentences:

In this sentence: ―At the podium stood a man wearing a green suit,‖ the phrase ―wearing a green suit‖ is essential to identify which man.

However, in this sentence: ―At the podium stood Frank, wearing a green suit,‖ the phrase ―wearing a green suit,‖ adds nonessential information about Frank.

Use a comma to:

• Separate a city or town from a state, as in Sarasota, Florida and Santa Ana, California.

• Set off the name in a direct address. ―Jane, can I see you in my office please.‖

• After dates, when day, month and year are used. ―He was born August 12th, 1975.
• Before degrees that come after a name, as in Joan Walker, PhD.

• Set off an informal quotation, as in: Robert remarked, ―My investment counselor is very good.‖

• After linking adverbs such as however, therefore, etc. ―The hike was several miles long; however, the path was a good one.‖

• Separate thousands in numbers for clarification, as in 18,239.

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When shouldn‘t we use commas?

• Do not use commas between two independent sentences.
• Do not use commas after titles like Jr. or Sr.
• Do not use a comma after a month when only the month and the year are used.

Note: If you use words like ―however‖, ―moreover‖, ―therefore‖, ―consequently‖, ―nevertheless‖, or ―then‖ between two independent clauses (i.e., sentences by themselves), you must use one of the following:

• A period

• A semicolon
• A comma plus a conjunction between the two clauses

NOT, "It looked difficult, therefore, we did not try."

BUT, "It looked difficult. Therefore, we did not try."

OR, "It looked difficult; therefore, we did not try."

OR, "It looked difficult, and therefore we did not try."

The Semi Colon

This is considered a more defined pause that the pause required by a comma. Use a semi colon to separate major sentence elements of equal grammatical rank.

Use a semi-colon to separate sentences joined by logical conjunctions such as however, therefore, thus and nevertheless.

Example: ―I learned all the rules and regulations; however, I never really learned to control the ball.‖

It can also be used to separate two closely related sentences not joined by a conjunction. The semi colon in this instance is useful for showing contrast or balance.

Example: ―Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is injustice.‖

It should also be used to separate a series that is complicated or whose items containing internal punctuation (such as commas).

Example: ―Please direct your comments to one of these individuals: Pat Warner, chair of the committee; Ross Ingram, public affairs; or Calvin Jenkins, promotions.‖

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The Colon

This punctuation mark is used primarily to call attention to the words that follow it.

Use a colon after the formal salutation in a business letter. (Dear Dr. Pomeroy:)

Use a colon before a list.

Example: Bring this equipment with you: a knapsack, thick socks, gloves, etc.

Use a colon to separate hours and minute, as in 2:25.

The Apostrophe

Use an apostrophe when the meaning of ―it‘s‖ is ―it is.‖

(Using it‘s when the word does not mean ―it is‖ is one of the commonest mistakes in the

English language.)

Use an apostrophe to show singular poschapter (The doctor‘s office was always busy) and plural poschapter (The doctors‘ offices were always busy).

Note: The use of an apostrophe can be determined by inserting an ―of phrase,‖ as in ―The offices of the doctors were busy.‖

Use an apostrophe to show poschapter of two objects by two people. ―Hilda‘s and Janet‘s cars were crushed by the falling tree.‖

Use only one apostrophe when a poschapter is shared by two people. ―Robert and Susan‘s house sold in five hours.‖

Use an apostrophe to show poschapter in words that are already plural. ―The women‘s changing room at the Y was being renovated.‖ Or, ―The men‘s changing room had been renovated last year.‖

Use an apostrophe to show contractions. ―They‘re on vacation and can‘t get back in time for the meeting.‖

Use an apostrophe to show plural of lower case letters. ―I made sure I‘d dotted all my i‘s and crossed all my t‘s before I signed the contract.‖

Use an apostrophe to show poschapter in a single compound noun. ―We are living in my mother-in-law‘s house until ours is finished.‖ Use an apostrophe to form the possessive case of indefinite pronouns. ―This election could be anyone‘s win.‖ Use an apostrophe in expressions of time or value: two weeks‘ notice, two dollars‘ worth of nuts.

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Chapter Sixteen: Writing Business Letters

Steps to Writing Business Letters

There are times when a telephone call cannot replace a letter. Perhaps you want a permanent, written record of a transaction, a commitment, a complaint, or a congratulatory note. Perhaps you know it will be difficult to catch busy people in the office and with time to talk on the phone. They are faced with hundreds of e-mails a day and may pass them by. However, you know they read their mail.

Business letters represent a direct communication between one person and another. You have an opportunity to make a good impression for you and your company, to take the reader's needs into account, and to be courteous, positive and professional.

The following steps will help you to write more effective business letters.

Assess the Situation and Your Objective(s)

Why are you writing? Assess your reader and your relationship with your reader. Then assess how you want to appear to the reader and what you want to happen. Time spent on preparation is time saved later, and goes a long way towards ensuring a more effective letter.

Decide the purpose of the letter. What do you want to achieve? Have action taken about a complaint? Have an instruction carried out by a deadline?

Decide who to write to if it is not obvious, e.g., if you are initiating a complaint.

Obtain all the information/facts you need before starting to write.

Decide What to Say

Only when it's clear in your mind can it be clear in the reader's mind. The reader might be tired, busy, or distracted. Try dealing with one point at a time and in a logical order. Give the letter a structure. The beginning sets the scene for the reader (reference to a previous letter, explanation of the purpose of the letter); the body of the letter sets out the key points; and the end of the letter indicates the next step that should be taken, by whom, and by when.

Put Your Thoughts in Sequence

Divide your thoughts into groups, with a clear paragraph for each thought. Individual paragraphs for each thought tell the reader when the writer has finished one thought before going on to the next. Long paragraphs are both hard to read and hard to digest. If

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you need to use a longer paragraph, consider using numbered sub-paragraphs to aid clarity.

Identify Your Subject

Address the letter correctly. Whenever possible, use the person's name in both the address and the salutation. That's one way of making your letter more personal.

End By Pointing the Way Ahead

Make it easy for the reader to comply with your request with a statement that's aimed at telling the reader what comes next.

Ensure the complimentary close matches the salutation. For example, ―Dear Dr. Holt:‖ is formal so you will want the end of the letter to end equally formally, as in, ―Yours truly,‖ and your full name. However, if you began your letter with, ―Dear Ted,‖ you may close your letter with a more informal, ―Sincerely,‖ and your name.

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Parts of a Business Letter

Here is a sample business letter. Each number is identified on the next page.

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• Letterhead: Most businesses use 8 ½ x11 inch paper printed with their own letterhead. The letterhead usually includes the company logo, name, address, phone number, facsimile number, and Web site (if applicable).

• Dateline: Two lines below the letterhead. Alignment depends on the style used.

• Addressee and Delivery notations: Delivery notations such as FAX TRANSMISSION, OVERNIGHT DELIVERY, CONFIDENTIAL, etc. are typed in all capital letters two line spaces above the inside address.

• Inside Address: Type the inside address (the address of the person receiving the letter) single-spaced, starting at the left margin, two lines below the dateline (or five lines if there is an addressee or delivery notation). It is there to help writers accurately file a copy of the message. Be sure to include a courtesy title such as Mr., Ms., and avoid abbreviated company names unless they appear in the printed letterhead of the document being answered.

• Attention line: If you know the person‘s complete name it is always better to use it as the first line of the inside address and avoid the attention line. If you do use an attention line, it may be typed in all caps or with upper and lowercase letters, one line below the inside address.

• Subject and Reference lines: Although experts suggest placing the subject line two spaces below the salutation; many businesses actually place it above the salutation. Use whatever style your organisation prefers. Reference lines often show policy or file numbers. They generally appear two lines above the salutation.

• Salutation: For most letters place the salutation two lines below the last line of the inside address, or the subject line if it is used. Even if you are on a first name basis with the individual, add a colon (not a comma or a semi-colon) after the salutation.

(Do not use a person‘s full name unless you are unsure of their gender, as in ―Dear Leslie Lenahan:‖)

Note: Letters addressed to organisations pose certain problems. Formerly, ―Gentlemen‖ was used generically for all organisations. That no longer works today. As of yet, no universally acceptable salutation has emerged, so you will probably be safest with

―Ladies and Gentlemen.‖

• Body: Most business letters and memos are single spaced, with double line spacing between paragraphs. Very short messages may be double spaced with indented paragraphs.

• Complimentary close: Typed two lines below the last line of the letter, the complimentary close may be formal (Very truly yours) or informal (Sincerely or Respectfully).

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• Signature Block: Two lines below the complimentary close. The combination of name, title, and organisation information should be arranged to achieve a balanced look. Use commas to separate categories within the same line but not to conclude a line. Women may choose to use a courtesy title. Men do not. Some organisations include their names in the signature block. In such cases, the organisation name appears in all caps, two lines below the complimentary close.

• Identification Section:

• The writer‘s name and title, or their initials, may appear three lines below the signature block, left-aligned.

• Reference initials: If used, the name of the typist and the writer are typed two line spaces below the writer‘s name and title. Generally the writer‘s initials are capitalised and the typist‘s are lowercased, but this format varies.

• When an attachment or enclosure accompanies a document, a notation to that effect appears two lines below the reference initials. This notation reminds the typist to insert the enclosure in the envelope and reminds the recipient to look for it. The notation may be spelled out or abbreviated (Enclosure, Attachment, Enc., Att.) It may also indicate the number of attachments or enclosures, or it may identify a specific enclosure.

• Copy Notation: If you make copies of correspondence for other individuals you may use cc or c to indicate a copy. A colon following the initial(s) is optional.

• Second Page Heading: When a letter extends beyond one page, use plain paper of the same quality and colour as the first page. Identify the second and succeeding pages with a heading consisting of the name of the addressee, the page number and the date. Separate this heading from the continuing text by two blank lines. If you have only one line of text or the complimentary close to put on the page, rearrange your information to avoid that second page. (Not included in the image)

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Types of Letters

Persuasion

• Rely heavily on the "you" attitude. It is crucial in the "please do something" letter to show the reader what's in it for him/her.

• While you may want to use the delayed opening to strengthen your position, don't take too long getting to the point.

• Give supporting reasons to justify your request.

• Avoid dwelling on explanations that tell the reader how his or her cooperation will solve your problem.

• Make certain you include all the details, explaining what you want the reader to do or how she should proceed.

• Since you are asking the reader to do something, make it convenient for him/her to comply.

• Be reassuring and cooperative. Avoid expressions of doubt like "If all goes well."

• In your eagerness to persuade, be careful not to make wild promises or unsubstantiated claims.

• Never beg or grovel.

• End by giving the reader a picture of himself or herself doing as you ask and benefiting from it. Use words that assume he or she will comply (without, of course, sounding presumptuous).

“No” Letters

• Read your correspondent's letter carefully to discover what you can do to get him or her to understand your point of view.

• Adapt your letter in tone and content to the reader's level of understanding. Avoid the extremes of talking down to the reader or "snowing" him with technical language.

• Delay your refusal. Open with an empathetic, soothing tone.

• Try to agree with the reader about something in the opening. At least begin on common, neutral ground. Don't, however, mislead the reader into thinking you'll change your mind.

• Generally a memo to correct an employee‘s behaviour is more effective if sentences begin with a word other than ―you.‖ ―You‖ is a word that can be easily overused.

• Give a sensible, reasonable explanation for the refusal. Don't blame it on "company policy."

• Whenever possible, avoid leading into the refusal with negative terms like "unfortunately."

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• State the refusal as positively as possible. Tell what you can do rather than what you can't.

• Don't dwell on the bad news. Be clear, direct, and brief.

• Give helpful suggestions when you can: Is there any way the reader can remedy the situation himself? Can you think of alternative courses he or she might explore?

• Never accuse. Avoid expressions like "you state" and "your mistake."

• Try to give the reader an alternative or offer any assistance you are prepared to give.

• Don‘t be sarcastic. Don't try to score points.
• Be well reasoned and courteous.

• Don't rub the reader's nose in his or her own mistakes or shortcomings. If the reader mishandled a product or situation, say briefly what he or she should have done.

• End on a positive note whenever possible. Often you can express good wishes for future success.

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Dissecting Letters

Look at the samples on the next few pages. Identify the different parts of the letter and what type of letter it is (to inform, persuade, say no, or recommend).

Own answers. DO NOT SUBMIT.

Sample One

Persuasive Peter Glassware Galore 21 Shady Lane ABC Town 12345

August 3 2013

Unique University 1 Learning Lane ABC Town

1234

Dear Mr Jones

I am disappointed that your committee decided not to co-sponsor a test advertisement in your alumni journal for our line of exclusive glassware. Our research shows that glassware with college logos is displayed prominently in alumni homes and offices. And, of course, glassware promotions can add substantial profits to your alumni fund.

Perhaps some of the statistics were omitted during your deliberations. School of Fine At, for example, generated over R 180 000 in glassware profits this year…and they have a much smaller alumni association than you do. Graphic design Institute kicked off a library fund drive with the nearly R 90 000 in profits generated.

I am going to put together an additional report, hopeful that you will resubmit it to the committee. Everything points to a successful collaborations ad considerably more money than any of your current programs are delivering.

I appreciate your support. You have much to gain by reconsidering this concept.

Sincerely,

Peter Persuasive

President

Type of Letter: ______________________

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Sample Two

Type of Letter: ______________________

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Sample Three

Type of Letter: ______________________

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Sample Four

Type of Letter: ______________________

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Chapter Seventeen: Reports

Reports make up a big part of on the job communication. All reports fall into two broad categories:

• Formal reports: Formal reports may take many hundreds of pages and cost thousands of dollars.

• Informal reports: Informal reports may run from a few paragraphs to a few pages. They may not be as time consuming or as costly as the formal report, but they do require careful planning.

If the report is very long, you may wish to include a Table of Contents, to help readers find specific parts of the report, and a summary that allows them to understand the gist of the report without reading it all.

Starting with an outline will not only keep you on track, it can form the basis for the Table of Contents when the report is completed.

Organising your report comes down to four basic organisational tactics:

• Finding the grand design
• Clustering

• Sequencing
• Connecting

The grand design is the shape of the report as a whole. Your brain needs this sense of large structure. It needs to perceive the big chunks in order to understand. It helps you decide what the purpose of the report is, what information you need, and who your audience is going to be.

Clustering is putting all the bits that belong together in groups. You start putting bits of information in groups almost as soon as you start writing. You can't think without categorizing, and then sub-categorizing, and then sub-subcategorizing.

Sequencing is putting one cluster after another, so that your read can read about them in order. There aren't always any absolute answers in sequencing, but if you keep your reader in mind, you can't go far wrong. The most popular tool for sequencing is the outline.

Finally comes connecting, where you connect all the clusters together to make a cohesive report.

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Reports have three or sometimes four main parts:

• Introduction
• Body of the report
• Recommendations
• The conclusion

Organisation

The order in which you have decided they should be arranged depends on what you are trying to do.

Chronological sequence

This is information that is arranged chronologically. This plan is effective for presenting historical data or for describing a procedure. A report explaining how to obtain federal funding for a project might be arranged chronologically. Often topics are arranged in a present to past or past to present sequence.

Geographical or spatial arrangement

Information arranged geographically or spatially is organised by physical location. For instance, a report analysing a province‘s employment statistics might be divided into sections representing different geographical regions such as Northern, Central, Eastern, etc.

Topical or functional arrangement

Some subjects lend themselves to presenting information by topic or function. A report analysing changes in the management hierarchy of a government department might be arranged in this manner. First the report would consider the duties of the deputy minister, followed by the functions of the other senior managers.

In organising a formal report, you may find that you combine some of these strategies. However it‘s done, you must break your topic into major divisions—usually three to six. You can then break these into smaller subdivisions. Now comes the tough part: connecting them and making them all part of an organised whole. The same rules of good communication apply. Be clear, concise, complete, and correct. But don't try to accomplish all this in the first draft. The first draft is for getting it down. The polishing comes as you rewrite. Keep the little language cop locked up in the closet until it's time for him to come out.

References that can help:

• A good dictionary
• A good thesaurus
• A good book of quotations

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Questions and Answers

Complete the table on your own. Then refer to the Guidelines and Solutions at the end of the module for suggested answers. DO NOT SUBMIT.

• In which of these situations would you use a comma?

• After a clause

Elements in a series

After an adverb

All of the above

• What are two tips for writing concisely?

• What are the five W‘s?

• In a sentence, what should the pronoun agree with?

• How many ideas should a paragraph have?

• What does parallel construction mean?

• You‘ve calculated that your document has a fog index of 8.5. What does this mean?

• What is the first step to writing a business letter?

• What parts does a complex sentence have?

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Activity

Find a Promotions Hand-out at the back of this guide. Cut out the pieces of the Promotions hand-out and arrange them in the proper order.

Check your completed work with the correct edition at the end of the Guidelines and Solutions at the back of the guide.

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Chapter Eighteen: Spelling & Proofreading

Spelling

People are either good spellers or they aren't. Most of us have a few words that we regularly forget how to spell. However, that doesn't mean we can't produce letters, memos and reports that are word perfect.

Here are some tips for making your documents perfect:

• Use a dictionary. It doesn‘t matter which form you use, but it is important that you be consistent.

• Use spell check on your computer, but don‘t rely on it totally.

• Use a telephone book to check spelling of names and addresses. However, there are sometimes errors in telephone directories too.

• Proofread your work, and when possible have someone else proofread your work.

• Learn some little tricks to help you remember words that you use frequently but still spell incorrectly, like "i before e, except after c."

Make up a list of your most common spelling errors and learn how to spell those words correctly. Keep that list posted so you can refer to it when you need to.

Proofreading

Proofreading carelessly can spoil a writer's best efforts. Proofreading is classic evidence that writing looks different to the writer and to the reader.

To the writer, typographical or spelling errors don't mean all that much. So your finger slipped, or you always put two t's in "commitment." For the reader, an unfixed typo can transform the writer from a smart guy into a careless writer in the twinkling of an eye.

It is impossible to read about "fist class work" or "shot meetings" without breaking up. It may be unfair that proofreading matters so much, but it does.

If you can put yourself in the reader's position, you'll proofread obsessively, gripped by the fear that a mistake will turn you into a laughing stock!

Proofreading errors are different from punctuation or spelling or usage problems, and you fix them differently.

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Punctuation, spelling, and usage are knowledge problems, and you fix them by learning.

Proofreading problems are usually a matter of seeing, and you fix them by learning to look. The better you read, the worse you'll proofread, unless you consciously are aware of what you are doing. Good readers, fast readers, guess what the words are, and they just check in now and again to see if they are right. The more they can guess, the less they have to look and the faster and better they read.

To be a good proofreader, you have to go back to being a child again, looking at every word as it comes along. Here are some principles to guide you.

• Ignore content. As soon as you start paying attention to what the text is saying, you'll start assuming and stop looking.

• Assume there's at least one typo.
• Forget what you meant. Read the memo/letter as though you never saw it before.

• Read backwards. This destroys comprehension, and your eyes can't trick you as easily.

• Don't try to do something else when you proofread. Stop tinkering with the thing and look for errors.

• Take your time. When you hurry you guess and skim, and that usually doesn't work.

• Proofread a second time, paying attention to content. This is where you find those things spell check and reading backwards did not catch, such as "The little cap pulls off it you put enough effort into it."

• Read it aloud. It is more difficult, but still not impossible, for your eyes to skip over errors when you read aloud.

• Try to have someone else proofread your work, particularly if the document is important or going public.

• Make proofreading a game. Score points for yourself when you find an error!

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Chapter Nineteen: Writing Memos

So far, we have talked about writing reports and business letters. Another item that you may have to write for your business is a memo. A memo, short for memorandum, is the traditional way of relaying information through an office in a written form.

Let‘s take a look at a sample memo:

The memo above was created using a basic template from Microsoft Word. Here‘s a look at the three parts:

• Title identifying the document as a memo

Standard fields, including to, from, date, and subject

Body of the memo

When writing memos, the same rules that we have been discussing apply. As well, memos should be kept short (typically no longer than a page) and should not discuss extremely sensitive information or information that is likely to change. (This type of information is better dealt with in person.) A memo should also be kept to one topic.

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Chapter Twenty: E-Mail Etiquette

Virtually everyone today uses e-mail to communicate at work and at home. It‘s fast, easy, and can save you a tremendous amount of time.

Some do‘s and don‘ts include:

• Don‘t send an e-mail message if a telephone call would be just as good.
• Don‘t send copies of e-mails to people who don‘t need to receive them.
• Do cover only one topic in your e-mail.

• Do compose your message and then create your message using word processing software if the message is a critical one. Word processing has much more efficient text editing.

• Do provide a descriptive subject line.
• Keep lines, paragraphs, and messages short.
• Don‘t automatically include the sender‘s message.
• Don‘t automatically CC your messages to a large distribution list.
• Do care about correctness. You are still judged by your writing.

• Do remember that e-mail is far from private, so if the issue is sensitive, perhaps e-mail isn‘t the best medium to use.

• Don‘t use acronyms or shorthand; they‘re too informal for business writing. How would you feel if you got a message that looked like, ―BBIAB; I was ROTFL at your msg!‖

Although e-mail can be great, it can also be a huge time consumer. Here are some tips for managing your e-mail:

• Set e-mail program to receive mail every 30 minutes or an hour, rather than every five minutes.

• Set aside an hour each day to review correspondence (mail, memos, and e-mail).
• Use folders and other organisational tools to keep e-mail inbox clean.

• Ensure that co-workers understand you do not want jokes and other junk mail forwarded to your work address.

• Have a free address for personal use outside office time.

Other ideas:

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A Personal Action Plan

• I know where I‘m starting from. I know I am already good at these things, and I can do them more often.

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• I can learn this, I am learning this, I am doing what I can at this stage as well. I have already learned:

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• I will start with small steps, especially in areas that are difficult for me. My short term goals for improvement are:

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• I promise to congratulate and reward myself every time I do something, no matter how small, to maintain and improve my skills. My rewards will be:

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• I‘m setting myself up for success by choosing long-range goals to work for gradually. My long-term goals for success are as follows:

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Guidelines and Solutions

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Chapter 3 – The first C

Sentence One

Regardless of their seniority or union affiliation, all employees who hope to be promoted are expected to continue their education either by enrolling in the special courses to be offered by the department, which are scheduled to be given after working hours beginning next Wednesday, or by taking approved correspondence courses selected from a list which may be seen in the Human Resources office.

Answer

All employees who want to be promoted are expected to continue their education. Enroll in one of the courses given after working hours or sign up for a correspondence course.

Sentence Two

This policy does not appear to be well understood by departmental management in the region even though this group has a prime responsibility for implementing the policy.

Answer

This policy is not understood by department managers even though they must implement it.

Chapter 4 – The second C

Original

Rewritten

In the event that payment is not made by

Your license will be suspended if we don‘t

January, your license will be suspended.

receive your payment by January.

The invoice was in the amount of

The invoice was R50,000.

R50,000.

He ordered desks which are of the

He ordered executive-type desks.

executive type.

There are four rules which should be

Observe four rules.

observed.

The department budget can be observed to

The department budget gets smaller each year.

be decreasing each new year.

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57

Chapter 7

Original

Rewritten

Everyone was there, and I was glad to see

Everyone was there and I was glad to see

him.

them.

Effective presentation of the competitive

Effective presentation of the competitive

advantages of these products require

advantage of these products requires

increased television and advertising.

increased television and advertising.

If any one of the garages are picketed, that

If any one of the garages is picketed, that

section of the city will be without public

section of the city will be without public

transportation.

transportation.

Some of these problems looks challenging.

Some of these problems look challenging.

Neither the doctor nor the nurses knows

Neither the doctor nor the nurses know the

the whereabouts of the patient.

whereabouts of the patient.

Original

Rewritten

Everyone was there, and I was glad to see

Everyone was there and I was glad to see

him.

them.

Effective presentation of the competitive

Effective presentation of the competitive

advantages of these products require

advantage of these products requires

increased television and advertising.

increased television and advertising.

If any one of the garages are picketed, that

If any one of the garages is picketed, that

section of the city will be without public

section of the city will be without public

transportation.

transportation.

Some of these problems looks challenging.

Some of these problems look challenging.

Neither the doctor nor the nurses knows

Neither the doctor nor the nurses know the

the whereabouts of the patient.

whereabouts of the patient.

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58

Chapter 8

Rewritten

Original

The only other zoo animals that tried the

Lund fed the raccoons biscuits from his

crackers were the raccoons. Hanging

hand while they hung upside down from

upside down from their cage, Lund fed

their cage.

them biscuits from his hand.

I have discussed with my colleagues the

I have discussed the question of stocking

possibility of stocking the proposed

the proposed poultry plant with my

poultry plant.

colleagues.

He has one of the lowest mortality rates

He has one of the lowest mortality rates of

anywhere of any heart surgeon.

any heart surgeon anywhere.

Dr. Coleridge has nearly performed

Dr. Coleridge has performed nearly

ninety-one heart transplants.

ninety-one heart transplants.

Chapter 14

Original Word

Alternative

Mankind

Humankind, people

Man on the street

People on the street

Manpower

People power

Chairman

Chair

Spokesman

Spokesperson

Policeman

Police officer

Stewardess

Attendant

Salesman

Sales executive

Fisherman

Fisher

Fireman

Fire official

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59

Chapter 17

In which of these situations would you use

All of the above

a comma?

After a clause

Elements in a series

After an adverb

All of the above

What are two tips for writing concisely?

Eliminate unnecessary words.

Stay away from vague words

Include only relevant facts.

Organize your thought

Use concrete words

What are the five W‘s?

Who, What, Where, When, Why

In a sentence, what should the pronoun

The antecedent (the word the pronoun

agree with?

refers to).

How many ideas should a paragraph have?

One

What does parallel construction mean?

A series of like grammatical structures—

words, phrases, clauses—expressed in

repeated grammatical construction.

You‘ve calculated that your document has

It should be easily readable by anyone

a fog index of 8.5. What does this mean?

with a grade eight education.

What is the first step to writing a business

Assess the situation and your objective(s)

letter?

What parts does a complex sentence have?

At least two main ideas or clauses joined

together.

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60

Promotions HAND-OUT

Cut out each piece and then put it together in the correct order.

― the newly promoted person is often expected to meet the position‘s demands from day one‖

Promotions are considered a desirable prize, especially now that organizations are cutting the number of steps in the corporate hierarchy. Although promotions can come with obvious, positive side-effects, there are also hidden hazards along the way. Re-employment specialist John Stoten notes his firm is frequently asked to work with individuals who had been promoted not long before termination.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

―These are often the last people one would expect to be released, given their tendency to perform at above level averages‖ says Stoten, director of Murray Axmith Western Ltd., in Edmonton. ―Unfortunately, experience tells us that the promotion itself is often the event which signals the beginning of their difficulties in the company.‖ Stoten says that employees accept their promotions for a number of reasons.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A promotion is often seen as a reward for good performance – a compliment that has been earned. For many, a promotion is a milestone of career success. Along with the higher salary and prestige that will come with a promotion, Stoten says there may also be a strong social pressure to accept the promotion. This can come both from a superior, who expects acceptance of the promotion, and from colleagues who may see the move as creating new openings for themselves as well. But Stoten says employees sometimes accept a promotion ion the basis of false assumptions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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61

According to Stoten, some of the more common myths are:

• A promotion is a reward for good work. ―This may or may not be so, but a promotion is always intended to benefit the organization,‖ writes Stoten. ―It is a company solution to dealing with a man-power need at a more senior level and may not be to the advantage of the worker.‖

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• There is little risk as the job is in the same organization, with the same players. ―This is a very dangerous assumption,‖ writes Stoten. ―If a promotion involves reporting to a new supervisor or to a new department or location, the move can represent a totally new job. In addition, both the nature and level of the responsibilities may be radically different.‖

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Even though I may not have all the skills required for this position, the company will help me acquire them. Contrary to what a newly promoted manager may believe, ―It‘s quite common for an individual to be expected to grow into the job unaided with a ‗learn by doing‘ philosophy,‖ says Stoten. ―In fact, the person is often expected to meet the position‘s demands from day one. At best, the learning curve is expected to be steep and short and the output high.‖

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• The company will look after me. If this position doesn‘t work out, they will find something for me. Stoten says this may have been true once.

―Today, however, companies cannot guarantee job security and focus strongly upon individual performance of their senior staff. An individual is very much on his/her own. In these lean times, companies have little flexibility to accommodate an employee‘s request for a modified position or to be transferred to a more comfortable job.‖

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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62

A promotion is often seen as a reward for good performance – a compliment that has been earned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For many, a promotion is a milestone of career success.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Along with the higher salary and prestige that will come with a promotion, Stoten says there may also be a strong social pressure to accept the promotion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This can come both from a superior, who expects acceptance of the promotion, and from colleagues who may see the move as creating new openings for themselves as well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But Stoten says employees sometimes accept a promotion on the basis of false assumptions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

END OF HAND-OUT

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63

Correct edition:

Promotions Are No Picnic

―The newly promoted person is often expected to meet the position‘s demands from day one.‖

Promotions are considered a desirable prize, especially now that organizations are cutting the number of steps in the corporate hierarchy. Although promotions can come with obvious, positive side-effects, there are also hidden hazards along the way. Re-employment specialist John Stoten notes his firm is frequently asked to work with individuals who had been promoted not long before termination.

―These are often the last people one would expect to be released, given their tendency to perform at above level averages‖ says Stoten, director of Murray Axmith Western Ltd., in Edmonton. ―Unfortunately, experience tells us that the promotion itself is often the event which signals the beginning of their difficulties in the company.‖ Stoten says that employees accept their promotions for a number of reasons.

A promotion is often seen as a reward for good performance – a compliment that has been earned. For many, a promotion is a milestone of career success. Along with the higher salary and prestige that will come with a promotion, Stoten says there may also be a strong social pressure to accept the promotion. This can come both from a superior, who expects acceptance of the promotion, and from colleagues who may see the move as creating new openings for themselves as well. But Stoten says employees sometimes accept a promotion ion the basis of false assumptions.

END

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64

Recommended Reading List

Aaron, Jane E. The Little, Brown Essential Handbook for Writers. Longman Books, 2002.

Bates, Jefferson D. Writing with Precision. Penguin, 2000.

Birkets, Sven, and Donald Hall. Writing Well (Longman Classics Edition). Longman Classics, 2006.

Guffey, Mary Ellen. Essentials of Business Communication . South-Western College Pub, 2006.

Holberg, Andrea, Sonia Garza, Kathleen D. Kelly, and Kathleen A. Moses. Forms of Address: A Guide for Business and Social Use. Rice University Press, 2006.

Kessler, Lauren. When Words Collide: A Media Writer's Guide to Grammar and Style.

Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2003.

King, Stephen. On Writing. Pocket, 2002.

Kipfer, Barbara Ann. Roget's International Thesaurus, 6th Edition. Collins, 2002. Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. Merriam-Webster, 2003.

Smith, Lisa A. Business E-Mail: How to Make It Professional and Effective. Writing & Editing at Work, 2002.

Strunk, William, and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition. Longman, 1999. Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Gotham Books, 2006.

Zinnser, William. On Writing Well. Collins, 2006.