Eng 127 Business Correspondence By: Mr. Randy M. Epon Characteristics of effective letters 1. Correctness Means no error, fault, mistake, or departure from the truth. In order to avoid errors the letter should be thoroughly edited. 2. Conciseness Brief short and limited in words. Using necessary words only as you retain the natural tone of your sentences Readable 3. Completeness Means perfectness, fullness or sufficiency of the letter as regards information and parts 4. Courtesy This is akin to acts, or expressions that manifest politeness, civility, affability, urbanity, considerateness and respectfulness. Expressions like please, kindly, thank you so much, we are glad, we appreciate etc. 5. Visual Appeal Creates a lasting impression that links unceasing business relationship. A letter should be attractive, has visual impact and generally looking good, but not multi-colored A quality paper, printer, generally accepted font size and style should be used. Format, spacing, margin and indention are matters to be carefully visualized. 6. Tonal Appeal Statements may exude tense, hostility, artificiality, friendliness, naturality, or sincerity of the communicators Eliminating Weaknesses in Writing Suggestions for better writing: For NOUNS and VERBS -simplify complex nouns -look for strong nouns that can be changed to strong verbs -use specific nouns -strengthen verbs -reduce the number of linking verbs -use active visual verbs 2. For Vocabulary -Cut Jargon -reduce the number of multisyllabic words -use vocabulary appropriate to the audience 3. For Sentences -strive for average sentences -vary sentence length -be careful of compound subjects and verbs -use subject-verb-object word order 4. For Content -concentrate on specific rather than abstracts -get to the message quickly -organize thoughts into a logical order 5. For Style -eliminate there -write in short paragraph -put words that demand emphasis of the sentence -limit each sentence to one thought -do not overuse transitional words, or phrases 6. About Weak Phrases 7. About Genderism Refrain from using terms that discriminate, or show biases regarding gender Neutral terms should be used for fairness and equality 8. About Wordy Lines 9. About Generality 10. About Abstract Lines 11. Split Infinitives Split Use I want you to seriously consider the proposal. She was trying to rapidly complete her report. Suggested I want you to consider seriously the proposal. She was trying to complete rapidly her report. 12. Sentence Upgrading Strategy Frequently used verb like am, is, are, etc. Should be substituted with vivid verbs or phrases to avoid MONOTONY 13. About the Voice of the Verb Voice –function of the verb indicating whether the subject acts as the performer of the action of the one acted upon. Active Voice- if the subject is the doer of the action Passive Voice- if the subject is the one acted upon When to use the Passive Voice? a. To emphasize the reciever of the action more than the doer. Ex: The treasurer is now computing the bunos for this year. The thirteenth month pay is now being computed. b. To avoid tone of accusation. Ex: Some documents were taken from my file. You took some documents from my file. The vendor was killed at the sidewalk. Peter killed the vendor this morning at the sidewalk. c. To conceal names or identities. Ex: The program was assessed poorly. The participants from the private corporations assessed the program as poor. 14. About writing numbers in Documents 1. Use figures for these reasons: if figures need emphasis easy for readers to visualize if they need to reason for critical points provide economic use of time and space Ex: 20,000 twenty thousand 2. A sentence shall never start with a number. Ex: 60 customers paid in cash. Sixty customers paid in cash. A single digit number should be spelled out, but if a single digit is accompanied by two, or more digit numbers, the single digit number should also be written in figure. Ex: We need to purchase six printers. We will aquire 16 printers and 2 scanners for our office. Figures shall also be used when expressing: dates sum of money mixed numbers decimals distance dimentions cubic capacity percentage wiegths temparature page number Ex: 4th of July 14 February 1990 We received Php 60 yesterday. He contributed Php 125.50 and Php 10.00 yesterday. Spell out these: one digit number is a sentence number that reprsents time when o’clock is used as nine o’clock Names of places from One to Twelve. Ex: Second Street Fifth Avenue d. the first number when two numbers are placed together in the same sentence. Ex: She purchased fifty- 2 liter water. e. numbers in parenthesis shall be enclosed in parentheses following the spelled out quantity. Ex: For the sum of three hundred pesos (Php 300). 15. On Dividing Words and Letters The letter discription is capitalized and separated by a hyphen from the word it modifies. Ex: T-shirt U-shape T-square V-neck 16. Conversion of Business to Common Time Ex: 1700 Military Time 5:00pm 0800 to 8:00am 17. Gobbledygook unnecessary use of long words and stuffy style in communications that complicates the message of a letter and it makes less understandable or readable to the receiver. EX: interlocking slide fasteners- zippers PUNCTUATIONS 1. Semicolon (;) -Indicates a separation from the part of the sentence greater than that marked by a comma. Specific Uses of a Semicolon a. It is indicated between clauses forming a compound sentence when they are not joined by a conjuction. Ex: The business earned much profit; the competition became stiff. b. It is placed between independent clauses connected by adverbs such as then, however, moreover, nevertheless, futhermore, thus, consequently. Ex: He flunked the board examinations; however, he still hopes to pass later. c. It is used to separate components of a series of phrases or clauses of one or more of the phrases or clauses contain a comma. Ex: Our outlets are located in Fairview, Quezon City; Karuhatan, Valenzuela City; and Sampaloc, Manila. 2. Colon (:) Is a mark of punctuation used before a quotation. summation, elaboration, enumeration and others. Specific Uses of Colon a. It intruduces an enumeration of information. b. It is indicated after salutations in letters. Ex: Madam: Gentlemen: 3. Dash (-) Is used to indicate abrupt pause, separation or parenthetical remark Specific Uses of Dash a. It is used to isolate and give stress to a part of a sentence. Ex: Keep this bills in the locker- and lock safely. b. It is used to separate a parenthetical insertion which defines, enumerates, or explains a phrase in the main clause. Ex: In the Philippines, these provinces – Cebu, Isabela, Pangasinan and Palawan – have the biggest land areas. 4. Hyphen (-) Hyphenate compound words whenever their fusion would result in ambiguity. (small dash) Specific Uses of a Hyphen a. Hyphenate compound words whenever their fusion would result in ambiguity. Ex: The I-believers declare themselves as the best. b. When the numerator and denomenator are both one word form Ex: One-half c.Adjectives when they precede the noun they modify, but not when they follow the noun Ex: Well-trained employees The employees trained well d. Do not hyphernate compound adjectives or adverbs if it results to ambiguity. Compound containing –ly adverb should not be hyphenated. Ex: Properly managed Satisfactorily completed program e. Do not hyphernate prefixes such as non, sub, inter, pre and others. Ex: Substandard, absent, nonsense Except if prefixes are followed by a proper noun or a hyphenated expression, if omitting hyphen would result in double similar vowel, or if omitting hyphen changes the meaning of the word. Ex: pre-empted, pre-election Non-Filipinos f. Hyphernate units of double measurement Ex: man-days 5. Parenthesis () Is used to set off explanatory word, phrase, or clause injected into a sentence without affecting it’s syntactical construction Specific Uses of Parenthesis a. It is used to isolate information not essential to meaning. Ex: The computer (now available in various models) is becoming affordable. b. It is used to isolate references from the text of the statement. Ex: It was reported (WHO, 2005) that TB is the main cause of mortality... c. It is used to enclose information relevant to the sentence. Ex: Grading a person considers assential criteri (brain, body, behavior, beauty). 6. Bracket [] Used to words or information Specific Uses of Bracket a. It is used as parenthesis within parenthesis Ex: The operation will be revitalized (during lean months [April-June]) to support the less previledge citizens. b. It is used to show insertion in quoted information. Ex: “Some employees [the undesirables] will be terminated en masse,” uttered the manager. #classmates :) this will be our exam on Monday..just share this to the others.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 12:10:07 +0000
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