SESSIONTWO

Adaptation in Business

Communication

- Fitting The Message To A

Specific Reader

Business GrammarBusiness Grammar

Do’s & Do’s &

Dont’sDont’s

Golden RulesGolden Rules

Choose Short Words• Short words communicate better exceptions

exist• The antiquated merchandising strategy is

ineffectual in contemporary business operations

• The old sales strategy will not work in today’s business

• They acceded to the proposition to terminate business

• They agreed to quit business

Select Stronger Words

• Verbs -- Action Words -- Strongest

• Nouns -- Doers Of Action -- Are Second

• Adjectives And Adverbs -- Weak Words -- Add Length And Distract

Illustrations ofStronger Words

Strong Weak

Slump Period Of Decline In Market

Boom Period Of Business Prosperity

Tycoon Eminent, Successful Businessman

Use Concrete Words

• Concrete Words -- Form a Sharp and Clear Meaning In Mind

• Abstract Words -- Give a Vague Or a General Meaning

Illustrations of Concrete Words

Abstract Concrete

A Substantial Gain A 60% Profit

A Piece Of Art A Painting

Administration Managing Director

Avoid Jargon

Avoid Legal Words Like Thereto, Therein, Herein, Ipso Facto, Etc

The Land Adjacent Thereto Can Be The Adjacent Land

Avoid ‘We Beg To State’

Illustrations of Jargon

Replace “a stroke” with “a cerebral vascular accident”

Replace ‘ultimo’ with ‘of the previous month’

Replace ‘proximo’ with ‘of the next month’

Replace Formal and Stiff Words With Simple and Preferable

This is to acknowledge Thank you for your

We acknowledge Thanks for your letter

Attached herewith Attached

Would you be good enough Would you please

Instant, inst (of the same month)

Write the month

We hand you our latest quotation enclosed herein

Enclosed is our latest quotation

Use The Active Voice

ACTIVE VOICE

• SUBJECT DOES THE ACTION• STRONGER AND SHORTER

PASSIVE VOICE• SUBJECT RECIEVES ACTION• IT DULLS THE ACTION

ACTIVE VOICE

• SUBJECT DOES THE ACTION• STRONGER AND SHORTER

PASSIVE VOICE• SUBJECT RECIEVES ACTION• IT DULLS THE ACTION

Passive Voice has its Place• When the doer of the action is not

important • Helps to avoid accusing the reader• Better when the performer is not

known or• When the writer prefers not to

name the performer

Avoid Overuse of Camouflaged Verbs or

Abstract NounsA verb is camouflaged when it is

changed to a noun

(e.g. appear becomes appearance)

and then action words have to be added

(e.g. make an appearance)

Illustration of Camouflaged Verbs

»Passive, Indirect• Elimination of the surplus was effected by

the staff»Active, Direct

• The staff eliminated the surplus

• Assist -- Verb • Assistance -- Noun• Give assistance to -- Extra words added

Use Appropriate Synonym• Differences In The Finer Shades Of

Meaning Has Its Effect On Writing

• E.G. ‘Beautiful’ And ‘Magnificent’ Convey The Same Meaning, Yet– ‘Beautiful’ Is More Appropriate For A

Lady–And ‘Magnificent’ For A Building

Use Technical Words and Acronyms With Caution

Use Only When Readers Know Them

Use Initials Carefully, Define And Spell Out

Acronym Is A Word Formed From The Initial Letters Of A Multiword Name.

WAC Is Women’s Army Corps

Avoid Discriminatory Words Gender Bias

Replace authoress, actress with author, actor

Avoid using ‘he’ for everyone, use ‘he’ or ‘she’

Racial bias

Avoid Discriminatory Words Age Bias

Do not include age when irrelevant e.g. Mr X, 56, has just joined our

company Disability Bias

Replace “Crippled workers face difficulties in their work place”

with “Workers with physical disabilities face difficulties in their work place”

“You” Attitude• Avoid I, Me, Mine, We, Ours• Use You And Yours

We attitude You attitude

We have four different savings schemes in which our customers can invest their savings.

You have a choice of four savings schemes in which you can invest your savings

“You” Attitude• But Avoid It If It Makes You Sound Dictatorial Or When Someone Makes A Mistake

• e.g. Say “We Have A Problem” Instead Of “You Caused The Problem”

Emphasize the Positive• Explain What You Have Done, What You Can Do,

And What You Will Do• Avoid Saying What You Haven’t Done, Can’t Do

Or Won’t Do

Negative Positive

It is impossible to repair your computer today

Your computer would be ready by Friday

Emphasize the Positive• Avoid referring to failures, problems, shortcomings• Focus on what the person can do to improve

Negative PositiveThe problem with this department is a failure to control costs

The performance of this department can be improved by tightening up cost controls

Establish A Good Relationship With Your Audience By• Using “You” Attitude, Bias-free And

Positive Language• Establishing Your Credibility• Being Polite By Expressing Yourself

With Courtesy, Kindness, Tact• Being Prompt In Your

Correspondence• Projecting The Company’s Image

Bringing Clarity

Break Up Overly Long Sentences

Rewrite Hedging Sentences

Impose Parallelism

Correct Misplaced Modifiers

Misplaced Modifiers

Modifying words or words that describe. Keep them near the noun

Mr Jones is the person speaking to Susan with the grey moustache

Mr Jones is the person with the grey moustache speaking to Susan

Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers

• Walking to the office, a red sports car passed her

• A red sports car passed her while she was walking to the office

Unparallel and Parallel Sentences

• To waste time and missing deadlines are bad habits

• Wasting time and missing deadlines are bad habits

Unparallel and Parallel Sentences

• To reduce expenses the company will have to cut salaries, closing the canteen and slashing travel expenses

• To reduce expenses the company will have to cut salaries, close the canteen and slash travel expenses

Unparallel and Parallel Sentences

• Two new duties for the job are making phone calls and to call on clients

• Two new duties for the job are making phone calls and calling on clients

Bringing Clarity

• Replace Camouflaged Verbs• Avoid Starting Sentence With “It Is”

Or “There Are” (Expletive Forms)• Spell Out Abbreviations, Acronyms• Moderate Your Enthusiasm

Moderate your Enthusiasm

• We are extremely pleased to offer you a position on our staff of exceptionally skilled and highly educated employees. The work offers extraordinary challenges and a very large salary

• We are pleased to offer you a position on our staff of skilled and well-educated employees. The work offers challenges and an attractive salary.