Adaptation in Business
Communication
- Fitting The Message To A
Specific Reader
Business Grammar
Do’s &
Dont’s
Golden 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 ConcreteA Substantial Gain A 60% Profit
A Piece Of Art A PaintingAdministration 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 yourWe acknowledge Thanks for your letterAttached herewith AttachedWould 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 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 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
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 attitudeWe 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
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
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