English for Business Communication by Mable Chan
1 Don’t use a long word where a short word will do.
2 Use familiar and common words.
3 Don’t use the passive voice where you could use the active voice.
4 If you can cut a word out, cut it out.
With the use of you, shorter sentences and simpler sentence structures in the after version, however, the readers know what they should do without difficulty.
Avoid nominalization
Nominalisation is “a noun phrase that has a systematic correspondence with a clausal predication which includes a head noun morphologically related to a corresponding verb”
Be positive
Positive sentences are easier to understand than negative sentences. Read the following examples:
1 Person other than children may not use these facilities. Only children can use these facilities.
2 Don’t do any more than is necessary. Do only what is necessary.
3 The course will not be available unless approved by our department head. This course will be available when approved by our department head.
Other ways to keep effective short and simple sentences
One reason why sentences are difficult to understand is that the subject, verb, and object are not put together. To keep sentences effective, we need to keep the subject, verb, and object close together.
Parallelism
parallelism reinforces grammatically equal elements, contributes to ease in reading, and provides clarity and rhythm.
Our company is recruiting people with decision-making capabilities who can think logically, and they should also have the ability to analyze situations quickly.
Parallelism: Our company is recruiting people who can think logically, analyze situations quickly, and make decisions.
In this version, the attributes required are presented using verb phrases (can think/can analyze/ can make) and it is much easier for the readers to identify what the people can do
Writing effective email messages
1. Use a descriptive subject line
2. Be concise
3. Use embedded email wisely
4. Use to/cc/bcc field appropriately
5. Note the formality of email - In 93% of the email messages collected in the study, a salutation is found, and the most common way to open an email is Dear + first name (49%), followed by Hi + first name (32%) and Dear + first name + last name (8%). Studies in the literature seem to argue that this is to “imply an interpersonal closeness among the writers of the present emails”
Dialogic devices
• I didn’t write the code myself you see, . . .
• Well, is it a good time to catch you, sir?
b. Use of rhetorical questions
• What do you think? Any mileage in any of this? Has it been done to death? Would no one be interested?
Linguistic features of telephone discourse and answer machine talk
• [final paragraph] Well that’s all for now – I think.
• [at end] Cheerio for now.
• Hi, here’s the email address for [****]. All the best. B.M.
please confirm, please advise, please check, please let me/them/us know, please help, please note. Such a phraseological pattern helps facilitate the coherence of the discourse and invoke a prior text as in please find and please see.
As is another common word used to introduce prior discourses as in as discussed and as spoken. It is also used in the structure of as per your request and as per our conversation. Based on is also a common phrasal verb used for the same function
Use reminders tactfully
I am writing to ask if you need more time on the abstract/if you can send me the abstract in a day or two. Thanks again.
In the preceding two examples, peruse should not be used. We need skim for the first one and scan for the second one:
You should skim the information quickly and submit a report to me.
The CV should be prepared in a way that can help readers scan relevant information easily and quickly.
Email etiquette
Rahman (2017) suggests the following points to note concerning email etiquette:
1 Be concise and to the point.
2 Answer all questions and pre-empt further questions.
3 Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
4 Make it personal.
5 Use templates for frequently used responses.
6 Answer swiftly.
7 Do not attach unnecessary files.
8 Use proper structure and layout.
9 Do not overuse the high priority option.
10 Do not write in CAPITALS.
11 Do not leave out the message thread.
12 Add disclaimers to your emails.
13 Read the email before you send it.
14 Do not overuse Reply to All.
15 Take care with abbreviations and emoticons.
16 Be careful with formatting.
17 Do not forward virus hoaxes and chain letters.
18 Do not request delivery and read receipts.
19 Do not ask to recall a message.
20 Do not copy a message or attachment without permission.
21 Do not use email to discuss confidential information.
22 Use a meaningful subject line.
23 Use active instead of passive.
24 Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT.
25 Avoid long sentences.
26 Do not send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist, or obscene remarks.
27 Keep your language gender-neutral.
28 Do not reply to spam.
Persuasive strategies: Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion
According to Aristotle (1954), there are three modes of persuasion: ethos (character); pathos (emotion), and logos (reason and logic). These three modes of persuasion can take the audience from where they are to where you want them to be: “There is persuasion through character whenever the speech is spoken in such a way as to make the speaker worthy of credence. [. . .] There is persuasion through the hearers when they are led to feel emotion [pathos] by the speech. [. . .] Persuasion occurs through the arguments [logoi] when we show the truth or the apparent truth from whatever is persuasive in each case” (Aristotle, 1991, p. 39).
Professor Robert B. Cialdini is famous for his book on Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (1993), he concluded that there are six weapons of influence:
(1) reciprocation;
(2) commitment and consistency;
(3) social proof;
(4) liking;
(5) authority; and
(6) scarcity.
Bhatia (1993) concluded the following seven moves for writing sales letters
Move 1: Establishing credentials (more or less obligatory)
Move 2: Introducing the offer
Move 3: Offering incentives
Move 4: Enclosing documents
Move 5: Soliciting response
Move 6: Using pressure tactics
Move 7: Ending politely
Cover letter
Move 1: Opening
The job applicant invites the reader to read the letter (40 out of 40 letters examined included this move).
Move 2: Referring to the job advertisement
The job applicant refers to the job advertisement in which the position was named and described (this move was present in 19 letters in a corpus of 40).
Move 3: Offering candidature
The applicant expresses interest in applying for the opening (40).
Move 4: Stating reasons for applying
The applicant gives reasons for applying for the job (11).
Move 5: Stating the availability
Indicating when he/she would be able to take up the position (2).
Move 6: Promoting the candidate
Highlighting what makes himself/herself qualified for the position in terms of qualifications, work experience, personalities, etc. (40).
Move 7: Stipulating terms and conditions of employment
Indicating expected salary, desired working hours, and other relevant contractual matters (4).
Move 8: Naming referees
Naming referees who can provide references to support the application (2).
Move 9: Enclosing documents
Outlining documents enclosed (34).
Move 10: Polite ending
Closing the letter in a conventional manner (40).
Move 11: Signing
Signature required claiming ownership of the letter (40).
In promoting oneself, there are dominant strategies adopted by native speakers of English, including (1) listing relevant skills and abilities; (2) stating how the skills were obtained; (3) naming present job; (4) listing qualifications; and (5) predicting success.
Stating how the skills were obtained is to emphasize how the experience was obtained:
In naming the present job, a variety of tenses are used.
To list qualifications, this sentence structure is dominant: I verb . . . NP (degree).
Not just praising oneself, it is also important to praise the company. Note how the candidate praises the company and in return himself:
• I feel my educational training and professional background make me well suited for the demands of this position (praising oneself).
• I am especially interested in your company because I see that you are the leading insurance company in the Midwest region and also earned a Worker Safety Zone award from the Winsconsin Safety Commission. I’d love to contribute to a company as interested in workers’ safety as yours seems to be (praising the company).
• I believe the rest of this letter will illustrate what a great addition I would be to your workforce (praising oneself).
The overall structure of business reports
While textbooks suggest six sections to be included in a business report, including Executive Summary; Introduction; Methods; Findings; Conclusion; and Recommendations, only Introduction, Findings and Interpretations and Recommendations seem compulsory in authentic business reports.
Many business reports essentially contain the following sections:
• Introduction (Why did you write the report?)
• Methodology (How did you gather the data?)
• Findings/discussion (What are the results?)
• Conclusions (An interpretation or summary of the results)
• Recommendations (What suggestions can you make?)
Use of language in discussing findings
1. Hedging verbs
The following hedging verbs are often used when we express what we think: suggest indicate estimate assume
The verbs appear and seem are used when a writer wishes to distance himself/herself from the findings (and therefore avoid making a strong claim).
Note that the writer also “protects” himself/herself by using the phrase on the evidence. These expressions are used in a similar way: according to, on the basis of, based on.
2. Modal verbs
Another way of appearing “confidently uncertain” is to use modal verbs such as may, might, could, and can.
3. Adverbs
The following adverbs are often used when a writer wishes to express caution.
probably possibly perhaps maybe apparently seemingly presumably conceivably
4. Adjectives
Another technique is to use an adjective.
probable possible uncertain unlikely
5. Nouns
The following nouns can also be used:
probability possibility assumption evidence likelihood claim
6. Generalisation
There are several ways in which you can qualify a generalization.
generally largely primarily for the most part predominantly mainly usually to a great extent
Writing conclusion
If you want to draw a clear conclusion about your findings, you can use these expressions:
• It can be concluded that . . .
• The findings clearly indicate that . . .
• Itisclearthat...
• The study has found/demonstrated/revealed/shown that . . .
If you want to express caution when drawing conclusions, you can use these expressions:
• The findings seem/appear to indicate that . . .
• The results suggest that . . .
• The evidence points to . . .
Conclusions often contain expressions of generality such as:
• The main . . .
• In general...
• Overall . . .
• Taken as a whole . . .
• On the whole...
• Generally speaking . . .
Content and structure of a proposal
A proposal generally has three major parts:
1 Preliminary section
a Title page
b Table of contents
c Executive summary/abstract
2 Body
a Introduction (statement of the problems; objectives/purposes)
b The proposed plan
c Budget/timeline/personnel
d Conclusion
3 Supplementary section
a References
b Appendices
Making the audience think
1 Excite, link, and involve
2 Story or quotation
3 Question or riddle
Surprising the audience
1 Shocking image
2 Striking fact
3 Provocative statement
Being off the wall
• Joke
• Topical reference
• Silence
Organizing your presentation: Conclusion
Assigning a task to your audience
Summarise the main ideas in three main points
What are some useful words for minutes?
discussed/debated/deliberated/considered/examined/analysed
• said/stated/reported/established/confirmed/verified/declared
• pointed out/explained/suggested/drew attention to/raised/informed/understood
• were reminded that/recalled/clarified/illustrated/defined/demonstrated/emphasised
• agreed/concurred
• disagreed/disputed/not the case
• planned/intended/meant/hoped/proposed
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