Writing Skills

List of contents
1. Introduction to effective writing 2. Different types of Communications 2.1 E-mail Writing 2.3 Letter Writing 3. Style and Tone 4. Punctuation 5. Linking words 6. Additional suggestions for structuring your writing 7. Practice Exercises in Writing 8. References 15-20 21 10 11-12 13-14 2-3 4 4 6-8 8

1.

Introduction to effective business writing

In this section, the emphasis is on practising the type of writing that is relevant to your professions The theoretical aspects you have done in Business English 1. Writing a business letter or report in a foreign language is not easy. Writing follows thinking and people usually think in their first language. Therefore, careful preparation is needed to write well. But before you start, you should ask yourself a number of basic questions to help you plan what you are going to write. These questions will help you to write more effectively. They are: Who is the reader? Why do I need to write? What shall I write? How shall I write?

1.1.

The five golden rules of good/effective writing

Write simply Write briefly Write precisely and clearly Write quickly

1.1.1.

Write simply simply Use uncomplicated words Use uncomplicated phrases Put information and ideas in a logical order Check what you write. Look for words and phrases that can be put more

1.1.2.

Write briefly Use as few words as possible Reduce the average length of your sentences and paragraphs Write shorter paragraphs The right paragraph length depends on the subject and the type of text you are producing, but keep sixty words in mind as an average. One sentence can be a paragraph. The single sentence paragraph is a technique to make a particularly important statement stand out strongly. Sometimes begin or end paragraphs with a very short sentence to achieve strong impact. Length of sentences Write shorter sentences. Vary sentence length, but aim at an average sentence length of around 15 words for most business purposes. Try to rewrite long sentences, turning them into two or three shorter ones. Always check what you write, looking for words and phrases to take out. In other words, always edit your written work.

1.1.3.

Write precisely and clearly Say what you want to say and say it as clearly as possible. Do not assume that the reader will deduce your message. Choose each word and phrase carefully to convey the message you want to convey. Leave no room for ambiguity or interpretation. If you are sometimes required to write letters which are evasive, that does not mean that they have to be vague and verbose.

1.1.4.

Write quickly Set a time limit for any piece of writing, and allow yourself less time than you think you need. Set a limit on the length of any piece of writing. Use a standard format or standard wording where you can. Most writing follows a formula (inventory lists, sales reports, letter of complaint or advice). Use headings and sub-headings and bullet points wherever you can to present your information. This makes for easier and quicker reading.

1.1.5.

A checklist for planning and writing effectively a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. What is your aim/objective in writing your document? Do you know precisely what you want to achieve and how you want your audience to react? Do you have all the information you need? Who are your readers? What are they like in terms of their command of English, level of intelligence, knowledge and what is important to them? Which is the best way of presenting your information, both in terms of the information itself and the audience you are presenting to? What is the suitable tone and style? Have you assembled all your arguments logically? What about the counter arguments? Are you being polite and unemotional? Are all the facts, words, and phrases essential for conveying the desired message? Cut out any irrelevant information, and unnecessary words and phrases. If you are not sure of any words and phrases, try leaving them out. Is it clear, or is anything ambiguous? If it needs a reply, do you say so? Do you say when? Are all your punctuation marks correctly used? Are the grammar and spelling correct? Finally, have you achieved your objective? Is it likely to achieve the result you want?

Footnote: Ram, Alan: Better Business English: an interactive course, York Associates, 1996.

2.

Different types of communications

In business there are five modes of written communication: e-mail, memos, letters, faxes and reports.

2.1

E-mail Writing
2.1.1 Aspects to pay attention to: Your e-mail should be Audience-centred Easy to follow Interesting Have the subject and purpose stated clearly Information must relate to the subject and purpose Keep your message concise as possible. Tailor your message for the receiver. Present your message in a clear, concise, coherent and logical manner The formality of your e-mail depends on your audience Be culturally aware regarding etiquettes when writing e-mails Always proof-read your message for spelling and grammatical mistakes Consider how your message will appear on your audiences screen Making responding easy by stating clearly if it is required and how soon. Maintain the same degree of professionalism that exists when sending correspondence on company letterhead. Include all your relevant contact information at the conclusion of an e-mail message.

Letter writing
Note that the three hallmarks of a good business letter are conciseness, preciseness and accuracy. If you are sometimes required to write letters which are evasive, that does not mean that they have to be vague and verbose. As in faxes, e-mails and memos, it is stylistically better to use active form rather than passive form of writing. Structuring letters Business letters must have a structure. As a general rule, letters and other kinds of writing have three-part structure. They are: a. An Introduction It deals with the past. In other words, it makes connection or provides a reference point. It says why the letter has been written. b. The development phase It provides new information to the reader, bringing the reader up-to-date. It explains the present state of affairs, giving reasons and so forth. In complicated letters this phase may need several paragraphs. c. The conclusion or outcome It summarises, gives a conclusion and focuses on action, and concerns the future.

2.2.2 Salutations and closures

A)Formal salutations: addressing a person or a company To a: company man (name unknown) woman (name unknown) person (gender unknown) man men (plural) woman (married/widowed) woman (unmarried woman (marital status unknown) women (plural) married couple unmarried couple friend or acquaintance for titled persons British English Dear Sirs Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir/Madam Dear Mr Bennett Messrs X, Y, Z Dear Mrs ... Dear Miss/Ms ... Dear Ms ... Dear Mesdames ... Dear Mr and Mrs ... Dear Mr ... and Mrs... Dear Jim Dear Sir John American English Gentlemen (plural mascu.) Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir/Madam Dear Mr. Bennett Messrs X, Y, Z Dear Mrs. ... Dear Miss/Ms. ... Dear Ms. ... Dear Mesdames ... Dear Mr. and Mrs. ... Dear Mr. ... and Mrs. ... Dear Jim Dear Lady Grace

N.B. Please note that using Sir/Sirs in British English is a mark of respect rather than a mark of impersonal address. B) Closing letters: Complimentary close Here are the ways in which a letter can be closed. Again the differences between British and American usage are shown. The closing depends on the opening. If you start Dear Sir/Sirs/Madam/ Gentlemen Dear Mr/Mrs/Miss/ Ms (British English) Dear Mr./Mrs/Miss/ Ms. (American English) Dear Jim Note Please note that in British English the closing is fixed by the opening. In American English, the closing depends on the degree of formality. Example: Formal tone: Yours truly, Yours very truly, Very truly yours More formal tone: Respectfully yours, Yours respectfully, Very respectfully yours, Yours very respectfully British English Yours faithfully Yours sincerely Yours sincerely/Sincerely yours/(Very) Truly yours/ Yours (very) truly With best wishes, With kind regards, (Best) regards Then close: American English Sincerely yours/ (Very) Truly yours

More personal tone: Sincerely, Cordially, Sincerely yours, Cordially yours, Yours sincerely. When you are addressing a letter to more than one person, instead of writing Mr Jones, Mr Black and Mr Smith, you would generally write Messrs Jones, Black and Smith. The same applies when addressing a company.

D) Writing dates There are several ways of writing dates. You may have in-house styles, make sure that these are clear. There is a difference between how Americans and British write dates. To avoid any confusion, use any of the following forms: 10 June 1999 June 10, 1999 If an American writes as 10.6.1999, it is read as 6 October 1999 and not as 10 June 1999. Please note that unlike in Dutch, the names of months always start with Capital Letters.

E) Use of abbreviations in letters, memos and faxes Firstly, English use fewer abbreviations in business correspondence than the Dutch. Abbreviations should not be used in the main body of letters, memos and faxes. Write out everything in full, including the professional jargon. It makes for better reading and avoids confusion and misunderstandings.

3. Style and tone

In Business writing, people don't have either the time or patience to hack their way into a jungle. The dense, tangled world of obscure and difficult language: Officialese, Jargon, Circumlocution, Verbiage, Pomposity, Cliche, all the ugly growths that prevent us from understanding a piece of writing. Most business writing is less reader-friendly than it could be because it is too formal, stiff and old-fashioned. To make your writing user-friendly, you need to choose the correct style and tone. Style and tone are the most important aspects to watch out for in most writing. You may have all the facts and figures, excellent ideas etc, but if your style and tone are not carefully chosen, you may not be able to convey the message you intended or wanted to clearly. Aim at a style that is rather neutral but reader-friendly.

3.1.

Style
Broadly speaking there are three kinds of style: formal - largely found in legal documents, treaties, contracts and letters from banks neutral - largely used in business reports and letters informal - letters to friends, personal diaries Formal style

3.1.1.

Formal writing is impersonal. It can sound powerful, but it often does not establish a persuasive relationship with the reader. It may be well-structured, but the language is often not user-friendly. It tends to use 3.1.2.. unnecessarily long words rather old-fashioned, stuffy words lengthy and unusual constructions which are tentative and lack directness fewer personal pronouns (particularly 'I' and 'you') formula phrases (for example 'We are in receipt of your letter ...'/ ', kindly favour us with your comments) Neutral style A coldly neutral business style (one from which all distinctive tone has been removed, and which has no reminders of human voice) suits some kinds of business writing, for example technical descriptions and instructions. A coldly neutral style also suits faxes and letters where the only intention is to communicate facts, and the relationship between sender and the receiver is of no importance. But most letters and even reports benefit from a style that is neutral-friendly rather than neutral. Tips Here are some suggestions how to improve your style and thus convey your written message smoothly, clearly and efficiently. a. b. c. d. Use the kinds of words you choose if, after careful preparation, you were presenting your information face-to-face. Avoid the kind of stiff, old-fashioned formal language that is characteristic of old-fashioned business writing, but which you would not dream of using faceto-face. Dont make your sentence structure too complicated sentence structure: overloading can sink a sentence. Do not overload your sentence by putting in too much information. Break it down into shorter, readable sentences.

3.1.3.

Always remember the KISS rule: Keep It Short and Simple.

3.2

Tone
Tone has to do with how you express yourself in a business correspondence. The notion of tone is very important to the business writer. Some readers can be insulted not by the message but by the manner of expression; an otherwise perfect memo or letter could quite possibly cause a breakdown in communication. It is therefore important for you to be able to analyse your relationship with your reader(s) and then to choose the appropriate language and tone. For instance, if you are giving a client advice without sounding dogmatic, you may present it in a tone using such expressions as We suggest that .... We strongly advise you to .... We would suggest that the following actions ....

4.2. Use of punctuation

Punctuation marks and their functions. Symbol . Full stop , Comma ! Exclamation Mark ? Question ; Semi-colon Function To end a sentence To make smaller breaks after a clause or a joining word To indicate strong feelings, surprise, anger, indignation To end a question To make a break in a long sentence, which is longer than a comma and shorter than a full stop Before a list To quickly add extra information which is not important to the rest of the sentence To quickly add extra information which is not important to the rest of the sentence To join two words to make a new word To show something belongs to somebody To show something is unfinished To show something is referred to by a strange name titles To show spoken or quoted words For titles or sub-titles Example The end. but, within a sentence, e.g. Oh no! What? I waited; nothing happened The following things: - I know it sounds strange (I know it sounds strange) Multi-ethnic, semi-colon The company's assets He said that ... this 'thingee' "Hello", she said The Story of my life

: Colon - Dash ( ) Brackets - Hyphen ' Apostrophe ... Dot, dot, dot ' ' Inverted commas " " Speech Marks Underline

5.

Linking words and phrases

Words, which are used to link sentences together in a business context, can be usefully divided under the following headings:

5.1.

Listing (to list or catalogue)/ordering/sequencing

Firstly, secondly, thirdly, fourthly First and foremost First and most importantly Next, then Lastly Last Finally Above all Subsequently After that

5.2.

Addition
Also In addition Moreover What is more Furthermore Besides Not only -----, but also Either ----- or

5.3.

Summing up
To sum up To summarise Briefly In short All in all Overall To conclude In conclusion

5.4.

Giving examples
For example ( e.g.) For instance That is (i.e.) Namely A case in point

5.5.

Generalisation
In general On the whole Generally speaking

5.6.

Result
Therefore Consequently As a result of

5.7.

Contrasting
Conversely, although However Nevertheless In spite of this On the other hand

5.8.

Similarities
Similarly Likewise At the same time Comparatively

6.

Additional suggestions for structuring your business writing

To make your writing reader-centred, you could use any one of the following structures/layout in writing long memos and reports. a. Top-heavy triangle model

In this model you put the most important point first, follow it with the next most important, and so on, until your last paragraph includes relatively minor points. b. Problem-Cause-Solution model

This is a simple model for short reports. State the problem Then the cause Then say what should happen in the future (solution/proposal) c. Chronological order model

This simply follows the time sequence of a series of actions. d. Questions and Answers model

Questions and answers model is useful because: They help to break up the information into small chunks Questions tend to provoke interest in readers by bringing them into the action Questions are particularly useful if they use personal words such as, 'Where can you obtain the information from?' Questions also convert dull, plodding label-headings into verb-rich information e. SCRAP (Situation, Complication, Resolution, Action, Politeness)

A corny mnemonic, but useful in letter writing. f. SOAP (Situation, Objective, Appraisal, Proposal)

Useful for writing short reports, especially in memo forms. g. PARbox memos

Some firms, infuriated at the time-wasting woolliness of inter-office memos, insist that all begin with three standard boxes for Purpose, Action and Response: Purpose To explain the discrepancies in the 1998 Corporate Tax return. Action requested To help in unearthing all the missing documents Response required

By end of April h. Correspondent's order

Here you can respond to some letters and memos using the same order of points as your correspondent. Normally it is wise to say that this is what you are doing: Example I would like to respond to your points using the same order in which you made them i. Full-dress report

Here the general structure is Title Content list Summary Introduction Discussion Conclusions Recommendations Appendices

7. Practice exercises
7.1Exercises in e-mail writing
Exercise 1

A) Formal or Informal?
Three different writing styles are often identified, although in real life the differences are not so clear: Note: with business e-mails you can mix styles to some extent, but don't mix styles at the two extremes. If in doubt, follow the style of the other person. Formal This is the style of an old-fashioned letter. Ideas are presented politely and carefully, and there is much use of fixed expressions and long words. The language is impersonal. Grammar and punctuation are important. This style is not common in e-mails, but you can find it if the subject matter is serious (for example a complaint). Neutral/Standard This is the most common style in professional/work emails. The writer and reader are both busy, so the language is simple, clear and direct. Sentences are short and there is use of contractions (I've for I have etc.). The language is more personal. However, the style is not similar to speech - it is too direct. Informal This is the most common style for emails between friends. Sometimes the e-mail can be very short or it could include personal news, funny comments etc. This is the style that is closest to speech, so there are everyday words and conversational expressions. The reader will also be more tolerant of bad grammar etc. First, read the information about writing e-mails, then match the informal phrases (115) with the neutral/formal phrases (a-o). INFORMAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 What do you need? a NEUTRAL/FORMAL With regard to ... (or With reference to ...) I can assure you that ... We note from our records that you have not ... Please let us know your requirements. I was wondering if you could ... We would like to remind you that ... I look forward to meeting you next week. Thank you for your e-mail received 12 February. I am afraid I will not be able to attend. Would you like me to ...? I would be grateful if you could ... Please accept our apologies for ...

Thanks for the e-mail of 12 Feb.b Sorry, I cant make it. c Im sorry to tell you that ... I promise ... Could you ...? You havent ... Dont forget ... I need to ... Shall I ...? But .../Also .../So ... Please could you ... d e f g h i j k l

13 14 15

Im sorry for ... Re ... See you next week.

m n o

It is necessary for me to ... We regret to advise you that ... However .../ In addition .../ Therefore ...

B) Rewrite the emails below by substituting the phrases in italics with more informal phrases. Section A will help you. Use contractions (e.g. I'll) where appropriate. Email 1

/ a m a f ra id I w ill n o t b e a b le to a t t e n d t h e m e e tsin /w ill m is s ta y . m e e t in g , / w a s A g o n F rid h e w o n d e r in g if y o u s e n d m e a c o p y o f t h e m in illt ersit e / to A n it a a s w inll, r m e r t h a t I c o u ld wuw ? e fo t oh w ill n obte t h e r e . O n c e ap le ins e a c c e p t m y a p o lo gt ieis , a ncda n a s s u r e y h a t w illb e a t ga a , fo r h s / t ou / t h e n e x t m e e t in g .
Email 2

T h a n k y o u fo r y o u r e m aJa n u a r5 w h e re reo u e s t e d a s s is t o n ch o w to o r d e r o nIt is e . il o f 2 y y qu a e -lin n e c e s s a r y fo r mke o w y o a len u m b e r b e fo r e I c a n d e a l w ith uh is b e g ra te fu l if y o u c o u ld n to ur w o t ld , / a ls o p ro v id e d e ta ils o f w h ic h v e r s io n y o u a ru s in g . o f W in e o w s d Email 3 W ithre fe r e n c e y o u r o r d e r n u m b e r J8 9 1 - w e r e c e iv e d it t h is m o rnvin gn, obt u t dy o u t h e to h a e fille in s e c tio n s o n s iz e a n d c o lo u re. le t u s k n o w y o u r e x a c t re q u ire s eep ro d u c t s a r e s e llin g P le a s T h e m n ts . v e r y w e ll a t th e m o m e n t, a e g r e t to a d v is e y oth et h a e d iu m s iz e is te m p o r a r ily o u t o f s t o c k . w e rnd u mt H o w e v e r , w e e x p e c t in g m o re s u p p lie e n e a r fu t u r e . W o u ld y o u likm am e o u w h e n a re in th s e e il y to th e y a r r iv e ? (Adapted from email English by Paul Emmerson, 2004)
Exercise 2 A) Correct the mistake in each sentence. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Please find attach my report, as promised in Friday's meeting. I hope we can to meet up soon. I look forward to receiving this information so soon as possible. I'm sorry I haven't written for ages, but I been really busy. It will be more better for me if we meet on Tuesday rather than Monday. Can we meet at 8 Feb at 14.30 instead? Sorry, I don't can help you on this matter. If you require any further informations, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to meet you next week.

10 I am really appreciate your kindness during my stay in London. 11 At the meeting we will discuss the follow points: 12 I'm afraid but we haven't received your payment yet.

B) Each phrase below has one word missing. Add the missing word. 1. Thank you sending me the catalogue I requested. 2. We are writing to inform that ... 3. We are able confirm that ... 4. I apologise the delay. 5. I would appreciate if you could ... 6. Please get back me if there's anything else. 7. What time would convenient for you? 8. If you like any more details, just let me know. 9. Anyway, that's enough, I think I stop writing now. 10. It was good to meet you the conference in Paris. 11. I look forward to hearing you soon. 12. I've attached a copy the latest sales figures. 13. Thank you for the invitation visit your company. 14. With reference your enquiry, I've attached all the information you need.

C) Each paragraph in the emails below has mistakes. Identify and correct the mistakes. Email 1 It w a s a p le a s u r e t o m e e t y o u in B u d a p e s t la s t w e e k a n d I w o u ld lik e t o t h a n k y o u fo r y o u r in

o ffic e p r o d u c ts . Y o u m e n t io n e d t h a t y o u w e r e g o in g v is it tu rk e y s o o n , a n d w h e n y o u d o I lik e to v is it o u r fa c to r y o u ts id e Is ta n b u l. W e w o u ld b e v e r y p le a s e d to s h o w in g y o u ro u n d o u r n e w m o d e rn p ro d u c t ioilitie s . ac n f A s y o u w o u ld b e in g o u r g u e s t , w e w o u ld o f c o u rs e a rr a n g e fo r y o u t o s ta y in a g o o d h o t e l a n to d in n e r . P le a s e to le t m e k n o w w h e n y o u h a v e fin a lis e d y o u r tr a v e l p la n s . I lo o k fo r w a r d to T u rk e y in t h e n e a r fu tu re .

Email 2

Y o u w ill a ll b e a w a r e t h a t w e b e e n in te r v ie w in g c a n d id a t e s fo r t h e p o s it io n o f M a rk e t in g D ir e p le a s e d to in fo r m t h a t w e h a v e a p p o in te d a n e x c e lle n t c a n d id a t e , S im o n e V e r h a rt . S im o n e h m a rk e tin g fo r o v e r fifte e n y e a r s a n d I a m s u r e t h a t s h e w ill b e a v a lu a b le m e m b e r o f te a m . I w o u ld lik e to in v it e y o u a s h o r t lu n c h t im e re c e p t io n in 2 n n x t rT u e s dR o o5 F e b w h e re y o u C o e fe e n c e a y m w ill h a v e c h a n c e to m e e t S im o n e o n a n in fo r m a l b a s is . R e fr e s h m e n t s w ill b e a v a ila b le . P le a s y o u c a n c o m e s o th a t I c a n to e s t im a t e n u m b e rs .

Email 3 I a m w r it e r e o u r o r d e r fo r 1 ,0 0 0 p ie c e s o f fo o t w e a r , r e fe r e n c e V K 8 9 9 . T h e m o n e y w a s tr a n s f

a c c o u n t o n 2 3 Ja n u a r y a n d w e y e t h a v e n 't r e c e iv e d th e g o o d s . Y o u p r o m is e d in y o u r e m a il o y o u w o u ld s h ip w it h in 7 d a y s o f a firm o rd e r .

I c a lle d y o u r o ffic e t h is m o rn in g b u t th e s e c r e ta r y t o ld t h a t y o u w e r e a w a y u n til to m o rr o w (T h c a ll m e a t t h e m o rn in g a n d le t m e k n o w w h a t is h a p p e n in g . W e h a v e c u s t o m e r s w a it in g fo r t th e d e la y is c a u s in g u s fo r t o lo s e b u s in e s s .

Email 4 It h a s b e e n b r o u g h t to m y a tt e n tio n th a t s e c u r it y in th e b u ild in g is n o t s o g o o d a s it c o u ld b e

a w a r e , o n e o f o u r s e c r e t a r ie s h a d h e r b a g s t o le n y e s te r d a y . In t h e lig h t o f th is , I w o u ld lik e to to ta k e c a re o f y o u r p e r s o n a l p o s s e s s io n s , p a r tic u la r a t th o s e tim e s o f t h e d a y w h e n th e b u ild

I a m g o in g to p r e p a re a re p o rt o n h o w s e c u r ity c o u ld b e im p r o v e d , a n d I c o u ld b e g r a t e fu l fo r

s u g g e s t io n s th a t y o u h a v e . P le a s e e m a il m e w it h y o u r id e a s b y th e e n d o f n e x t w e e k a t t h e l a w o rd w it h o u r s e c u r it y s ta ff in r e c e p tio n t o s e e if t h e re a r e a n y p r o c e d u r e s w e c a n im p ro v

Exercise 4 : Polite and indirect e-mails/letters A) Rewrite each sentence with the words in brackets to make them polite and diplomatic. 1. Can we meet again next week? ( wonder/could) 2. Youve made a mistake on the invoice . (there/seems) . 3. The quality is low ( not very) . 4. Shall I speak to Mr Baker? ( would you like) 5. Your estimate for the cost is too high. (might/a bit) .. 6. We should wait. ( wouldnt /better idea). .. 7.Its a bad idea (honest/Im not sure/good) . 8. Lets cancel the project. (perhaps/should think about) .

B) Bring to the course e-mails that you have recently written. Make multiple copies of these,
enough for the entire group. Let the group analyse these e-mails and suggest how you could improve them. Rewrite improved versions

1. 2.

Alexander, R., New International Business English, 1997. Burrough-Boenisch, J., Righting English thats gone Dutch, 1998

3. Cutts, M., The Plain English Guide - How to write clearly and communicate better,1995 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Dobrian, J.,Business Writing Skills, 1995. Doherty, M, Knapp, L.,Swift, S., Write for Business, 1987 Emmerson, Paul , email English, Macmillan, 2004 King, G., The Sunday Times Word Power Guide, 1993 O' Connor, M , Writing successfully in Science, 1991. Stanton, A.J. and Wood, L.R., Longman commercial Communication, 1996