6-BC Part - Ii

CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Session-6
Developing Your Business Writing Skills
What is style in writing
Words:

Write Clearly

Prefer short simple words

Write with vigor

Write Concisely

Prefer positive language
Sentences

Use a variety of sentence type

Use active and passive voice appropriately
Paragraphs
Keep paragraphs unified and coherent

Use parallel structure

Not: The new dispatcher is competent and
fast worker

But: The new dispatcher is competent and
fast

Control paragraph length
Overall Tone

Write confidently

Use a courteous and sincere tone

Use appropriate emphasis

Use nondiscriminatory language

Stress the YOU attitude

Design your documents for readability
While writing the first draft of a message, you
should be more concerned with content than
with style
Your major objective is to get your ideas down

in some form, without worrying some style
and mechanics (i.e. form, spelling,
punctuation abbreviation, capitalization,
number division, word division)
The more familiar you are with basic stylistic
principles, the easier it will be to write your
first draft and the less editing you will need
to do later.
Choosing the right words
Write clearly
Be accurate
Be complete
Use familiar words
Avoid dangling expressions
Avoid unnecessary jargon
Avoid dangling expressions
Not: Dr Ellis gave a presentation on the use of

drugs in our auditorium
But: Dr Ellis gave a presentation in our

auditorium on the use of drugs
Prefer short, simple words
Ascertain (learn)

Endeavor (try)

Enumerate (list)

Fluctuate (vary)

Indispensable (vital)

Initiate (start)

Modification(change)

Recapitulate(review)

Substantial(large)

Termination(end)

Utilization(use)
Short words are bright, like sparks that glow in
the night; sharp like the blade of a knife; hot,
like salt tears that scald the cheek; quick like
moths that flit from flame to flame; and terse
like the dart and sting of a bee.
(mono syllabic words- Lincoln's favorite style of
using words-Gettysburg Speech)
Write with vigor
Use specific concrete language

Not: The vehicle broke down several times
recently
But: The delivery van broke down three times
last week
Avoid slang and buzz words
Not: Enclosed please find an application form

that you should return at your earliest
convenience
But: Please return the enclosed application

form before May 15
One common pitfall in team writing is the failure
to achieve a single voice in the document.
Regardless of who drafts each individual part
of the document, the final documents must
look and sound as though it were prepared by
one writer. Think of the document as a whole,
rather that as collection of parts. Organize and
present the information so that the document
comes across as coherent and unified
Avoid cliches, slang, and buzz words
A cliche is an expression that has become

monotonous through overuse. It lacks
freshness and originality and may also sent
the unintended message that the writer
couldn't be bothered to choose language
geared specifically to he reader.
Slang
Slang is an expression, often short lived, that is
identified with a specific group of people. If you
understand each word in an expression but still
don't understand what it means in context,
chances are you are having trouble with a slang
expression.
It turns my stomach the way you can break your
neck and beat your brains out around here, and
they still stab you in the back
(An American slang)
I am really upset that this company ignores hard
work and loyalty when making personal decisions.
Buzz Words
A buzz word is an important sounding expression

used mainly to impress other people. Because buzz
words are so often used by government officials
and high ranking business people. People whose
comments are newsworthy. These expression get
much media attention. They become instant cliches
and then go out of fashion just a quickly.
Ex.-Bottom line, paradigm, done deal, parameter,

scenario, interface, user-friendly, vision-statement.
Avoid Redundancy
A redundancy is the unnecessary repetition of an

idea that has already been expressed or intimated.
Eliminating the repetition contributes to
conciseness.
Signing both copies of the lease is a necessary

requirement
Combine the ingredients together

Some other examples of Redundancy

Advance Planning (Planning)

Over again (over)

Past history(History)

Plan ahead (Plan)

Repeat again (Repeat)

Basic fundamentals(Basic or Fundamental)
Write concisely
Business people are busy people. The information

revolution has created more paperwork, giving
business people access to more data. Having
more data to analyze, managers want
information presented in the fewest possible
words. To achieve conciseness , make every
word count. Avoid redundancy, wordy
expressions, and other space eaters.
Avoid wordy expressions
Writing Although wordy expressions are not

necessarily writing errors they do slow the pace
of the communication and should be avoided

Not: In view of the fact that the model failed
twice during the time that we tested it, we are
at this point in time searching for other options.

But: Because the model failed twice when we
tested it, we are now searching for other options

are of the opinion that (believe)

due to the fact that (because)

for the purpose of (for/to)

in order to (to)

in the event that (if)

pertaining to (about)

with regard to (about)
Writing effective sentences

A sentence has a subject and a predicate and
expresses at least one complete thought.

Beyond this, sentences vary widely in style,
length, and effect

To build effective sentences, use a variety of
sentence types, and use active and passive
voice appropriately
Variety of sentences
Simple sentence:

A simple sentence contains one independent
clause (one complete thought)

It presents a single idea and is usually short

Often used for emphasis

Use simple sentences for emphasis and variety

Ex. I quit.
I have got a good job.
Compound Sentence

A compound sentences contains two or
more independent clauses

Each clause presents a complete idea

Each idea receives equal emphasis

Use a compound sentence to show
coordinate (equal) relationship

Ex. - 1. Stacey listened, but I nodded.
2. Morris technologies made a major
acquisition last year, and I turned to be
disaster.
Complex sentence
A complex sentence has one independent
clause and at least one dependent clause.
Ex.- 1. George Bosley, who is the new CEO at

Hubbell, made a decision.
2. I will be moving to Austin when I assume

my new position
A unified paragraphs gives information that is
directly related to the topic, presents this
information in a logical order, and omits
irrelevant details.

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CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Your major objective is to get your ideas down

Not: Dr Ellis gave a presentation on the use of

But: Dr Ellis gave a presentation in our

Use specific concrete language

Not: Enclosed please find an application form

But: Please return the enclosed application

A cliche is an expression that has become

A buzz word is an important sounding expression

Ex.-Bottom line, paradigm, done deal, parameter,

A redundancy is the unnecessary repetition of an

Signing both copies of the lease is a necessary

Combine the ingredients together

Business people are busy people. The information

Writing Although wordy expressions are not

Ex.- 1. George Bosley, who is the new CEO at

2. I will be moving to Austin when I assume

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