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Introduction to Business Writing
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
Think about your topic and what you already know about it.
Narrow the focus of the topic.
Gather all the facts and figures you need for your research.
Rethink the topic, narrowing the focus further.
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
Priority: Start with the most important item and finish with
the least important. Priority places emphasis on the most
important item, which most likely will be read and
remembered.
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
Contd
Chronological: Start with first occurrence and work with the
present time. When you explain a process or procedure, use
this order.
Reverse Chronological: Start with the most recent occurrence
and work backward in time to the first event. This order
emphasizes the current situation.
Simple to Complex: Start with a simple topic and build from
that in sequential order to a more complex topic.
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
Contd
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
Do not stop to read over what you have written until you
finish the draft. Work as fast as you can.
Do not worry about your writing style or about correctness.
Do not go back to check on your data or re-evaluate your
findings. Make a note to do that later.
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
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Style
Style
Salutation
Tone and choice of words
Sign off
Usage of jargons
Usage of abbreviations
Usage of full name
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Tone
Tone
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Tone
Personal tone
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Tone
Impersonal tone
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Tone
Length of Statement
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Choice of Words
Choice of Words
Gender Sensitivity:
In todays business world, you will find both men and
women in all types of occupations and at all levels in an
organization. As a result, it is important not to assume
that your readers are all male or all female. Increasingly,
business firms are phrasing out the use of he, his, man,
mankind and other exclusively masculine terms to refer
to both sexes. The modern business world uses
languages that are not biased toward either sex but
include both.
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Choice of Words
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Choice of Words
Some practical guidelines for using gender-
inclusive language (Contd)
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Choice of Words
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Choice of Words
The Start
Dear Personnel Director, (use if you don't know who you are
Dear Sir or Madam writing to)
(use if you know who you are writing
to, and have a formal relationship
Dear Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms with VERY IMPORTANT use Ms
for women unless asked to use Mrs
or Miss)
(use if the person is a close business
Dear Frank
contact or friend)
(very formal as you do not know the
To Whom It May Concern
person to whom you are writing)
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Choice of Words
The Reference
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Choice of Words
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Choice of Words
Requesting
Could you possibly ?
I would be grateful if you could
Agreeing to Requests
I would be delighted to
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Choice of Words
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Choice of Words
Closing Remarks
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Choice of Words
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Verbs
Verbs
Objective:
Comprehend and apply appropriate choice of active and
passive verbs for responding to the situation, circumstance
and the concerned customer
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Verbs
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Verbs
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Editing - Punctuation
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Editing - Punctuation
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Editing - Punctuation
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Editing - Punctuation
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Editing - Punctuation
Punctuation
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Editing - Punctuation
Punctuation (Contd)
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Period
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Question Mark
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Exclamation Point
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Editing - Punctuation
Comma
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Editing - Punctuation
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Comma - Joining independent clauses
Use a comma before and, but, or, nor, for, yet when
they join two independent clauses, unless the clauses are
very short.
Examples:
The meeting was cancelled, for no one could get to the office.
Have him go ahead and I will follow soon.
Please have Mr. Cage reply by Saturday, and I will have this
cheque ready for him.
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Comma - Nonessential Material
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Comma - Direct Address
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Comma - Introductory Expressions, Phrases,
Clauses
Use a comma after introductory elements, such as no,
yes, well, why when they begin a sentence. Use a
comma after an introductory phrase or subordinate
clause, unless the phrase or clause is very short.
Examples:
By the way, can you work this weekend?
No, we cant change the schedule at this last date.
When the final results were compiled, the interviewer was
surprised.
Throughout the long meeting, she kept looking at her watch.
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Comma -Traditional Comma Uses
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Comma Faults
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Comma Faults (Contd)
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Editing - Punctuation
Semicolon
Independent Clauses
Series
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Independent Clauses
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Series
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Editing - Punctuation
Colon
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Before a Series or List
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Between Independent Clauses
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Time
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Editing - Punctuation
Quotation Marks
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Punctuation with Quotation Marks
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Single Quotation Marks
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Titles
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Terms and Expressions
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Editing - Punctuation
Apostrophe
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Possessive of Singular Nouns
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Possessive of Plural Nouns
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Indefinite Pronouns
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Individual and Joint Possession
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Units of Measure as Possessive Adjective
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Plural Forms of Symbols
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Editing - Punctuation
Hyphens
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Prefixes and Suffixes
Always use hyphens with prefixes ex-, self-, all-, and with
the suffix elect. Hyphens are also used with all prefixes
before proper nouns and adjectives.
Examples:
self-image
ex-manager
all-important
president-elect
pro-British
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Compound Adjectives
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Punctuation and Grammar
Dashes
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Punctuation and Grammar
Dashes (Contd)
Examples:
They explained the method to us we had to record each
number.
Many employees share this value they desire meaningful
work.
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Punctuation and Grammar
Parentheses
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Punctuation and Grammar
Parentheses (Contd)
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Punctuation and Grammar
Brackets
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Grammar
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Grammar
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Grammar
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Using Numbers
Figures or words: Spell out numbers ten and under; Use figures
for numbers over ten.
Examples:
The letter was eight pages long.
The insurance covers 198 single workers.
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Using Numbers (Contd)
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Using Numbers (Contd)
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Using Numbers (Contd)
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Using Numbers (Contd)
Dates: Follow the M-D-Y format and spell out the name of the
month in dates.
Example:
October 12, 2001
Fractions: Express fractions in words or decimals whenever
possible, whichever is most appropriate for the context. They
are hyphenated when in words.
Example:
two-thirds completed
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American v/s British English
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Proof Reading & Business Letter
After your revised draft has been set in final form, be sure
to proofread the material carefully. It is your last
opportunity to catch any errors that have slipped through
or that the word processor or typist has inadvertently
overlooked. This is because you would not want the
reader to catch your mistakes.
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Proof Reading & Business Letter
Capitalization errors
Number errors
Format errors
Grammatical errors
Punctuation errors
Spelling errors
Usage errors
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E-Mail
E-Mail Structure
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E-Mail
Body area: This is the field where the entire mail is written.
This field conveys the entire message.
Signature area: This field is the place where the sender writes
his own name and contact address.
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E-Mail Etiquette
E-Mail Etiquette
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E-Mail Etiquette
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E-Mail Etiquette
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E-Mail Etiquette
E-Mail Tips
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E-Mail Etiquette
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E-Mail Etiquette
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E-Mail Etiquette
Contd
TONE
Is the tone appropriate? Professional? Informal? Formal?
Polite? Angry?
MAIN MESSAGE
Does the subject line preview the content of the message?
Does the subject line represent the current content of the
message?
Does the main point of your message appear in the first
paragraph? On the first screen?
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E-Mail Etiquette
Contd
FORMAT
Short paragraphs?
Is white space used to group ideas?
Can information be presented in vertical lists, using dashes
or numbers?
FINAL CHECK
Initial caps and end-of-sentence punctuation?
Spell-checked and proofread?
Are promised attachments attached and explained?
Would the message make you blush if it were forwarded to
someone else?
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Course Summary
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Steps in Writing Business Correspondence
Idea bubble
Date
Salutation Address
Purpose
Subject
Thoughts for a letter
Place
Signature Time when the
customer called
Address
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