RULES OF GOOD WRITING

UNIT 5
 Modern Business Communication

• Business communication can be written in

much more relaxed style than they were
decades ago.
• Old-fashioned, long-winded jargon is out.
• Aim to put across naturally, in a friendly,
informal style.
• Use plain language as if you are having a
conversation.
 Six key rules of good writing for the
twenty-first century
1-Come straight to the point
Busy business people have not got time to
read long-winded (boring) documents. They
welcome letters that are direct and to the
point-but at some time, courteous as well.
Save your reader’s time by keeping your
sentences short and simple.
 Exercise
• Please be informed that our monthly management
meeting will be held on 28 August 200- in Training
Room A.
• Please note that the fire alarms throughout the
company will be tested next Tuesday 14 July 2000.
• Would you be so kind as to let me know when these
goods can be delivered?
• I wish to advise you that Mrs. Joanna Green is no
longer with this department.
• I am writing to inform you that our company’s
Annual Dinner and Dance will be held on Friday 28
December 2000.
• Please be informed that our monthly
management meeting will be held on 28 August
200- in Training Room A.
• Please, our monthly management meeting will
be held on 28 August 2000.
• Please note that the fire alarms throughout the
company will be tested next Tuesday 14 July 200.
• Please, all the fire alarms of the company will be
tested next Tuesday 14 July.
• Would you be so kind as to let me know when
these goods can be delivered?
• Would you be so kind to let me know the
delivered goods?
• I am writing to inform you that our company’s
Annual Dinner and Dance will be held on Friday
28 December 2000.
• Our company’s Annual Dinner and Dance will
be held on Friday 28 December
2-Remember the KISS principle
• Keep it short and simple- that means short
sentences and simple words.

• Don’t try to impress (amaze) your readers

with big words-they will not be impressed –
they will just to reach for the dictionary.
 Choose short words instead of these:
• Commence = start
• Utilize= exploit=use
• Terminate=finish=end
• Purchase =buy
• Dispatch=send=mail=post
• Ascertain= discover= learn
• Come to a decision = decide
• In the event that=anyway=anyhow
• Give consideration to= consider= think about
• Under separate cover= envelope
• Despite the fact that=although
• In the near future=future=coming=imminent
• At the present in time=now
3-Use active not passive voice
• ‘Voice’ refers to the relation of a verb to its
subject.

• Active voice means that the subject of the

sentence does the action of the sentence.

• Passive voice means that the subject of the

sentence receives the action.
Change the voice
• The marketing director completed the study.
• Each buyer should prepare separate requisition.
• Your goods will be sent by us within the next 14 days
• Violin was played by team.
• The fault was fixed by the electrician.
• Business writing workshop will be conducted by Shirley
Tailer.
• The investigation has been concluded by our clients and
the paperwork has been signed
 Is passive voice ever appropriate?
• Yes, there are some occasion when passive would be
more appropriate.
• To make a particular important noun the subject of the
sentence, thus giving extra emphasis.
• For example:
Our restaurant has been recommended by all the
leading hotels in Singapore.

• When you want to place the focus on the action, not the
actor.
• The noise was heard all over the building.

Here, the emphasis is on the noise, not the

people who had made the noise.

• When you want to hide something or when the

tact is important. For example:

• An unfortunate mistake was made.

 4- Use the right tone
• To convey messages in different ways.

• Written communication may be worded so that they sound

polite, friendly, firm, bossy, sarcastic, condescending
(humiliating), even rude .

• Wrong tone in a written communication can cause real offence to

your reader.

• If you feel angry or frustrated, try not to vent (say or utter) your
emotion in writing. Your objectives will be achieved through
careful and appropriate use of words.
 Study the following expressions and choose an alternative
way of saying the same things more tactfully.

• You have deliberately failed to reply to my letter.

( Too emotive)
• I think you forgot to answer my letter.
• We cannot do anything about your problem. Try calling a
plumber. ( Too abrupt)
• Sorry, we are not expert about this problem. Please try to
call a plumber.
• Your interview will be held on Wednesday 28 August at a
1400. ( Too bossy)
• __________________________________________________
• The problem would not have happened if you
had connected the wires properly in the first
place. (Too condescending)
• _______________________________________
______________________
• Your computer’s guarantee has expired so you
will have to pay for it to be repaired.(Too blunt)
• _______________________________________
_______________________
• It is not our fault that your curtains faded. You
obliviously did not read the instructions about
dry cleaning only. (Too sarcastic)
 5-Use modern language
• The main rule of writing today is to write as
you speak.
• If you find yourself that you cannot say to the
person what you have in writing, then you
should not be writing it either.
• Replace these sentences with modern
business language:
• The above-mentioned goods will be dispatched to you today.

• These goods will be sent to you today.

• Please find enclose herewith a copy of our new catalogue.

• ________________________________________________

• I should be grateful if you would be good enough to advise me.

• ___________________________________________________

• I am afraid that we are unable to accede to your request due to

the fact that your contract has lapsed.
• ___________________________________________________
 6- Use gender-neutral language

• The Use of the masculine gender in generic

sense is our great grandfather’s style of writing,

• In this era, more and more women are entering

in the world of business.

• Writing should be free from “gender bias”.

• The chairman will not attend the meeting.
_________________________________________
• The company is looking for additional salesmen.
• _________________________________________
• The airhostess took care of us in the flight.
• _________________________________________
• I feel all businessmen are dishonest.
• _________________________________________
• The policemen were asked to be alert.
• ____________________________________________
• Ramesh spoke on ethic in management and how it affects
mankind positively.
• _______________________________________________
 Jargon or Gobbledygook
• Jargon can seriously get in the way of business. No-one
understands what people are talking about or what they
are writing about!
• Using jargon can result in one of two things_ the reader
will get bored and stop reading OR will spend a great
deal of time trying to figure out what you meant four
sentences ago.
• Abbreviations are another thing which can bring
confusion. So as a general rule, always explain
abbreviations when you first use them.
1. If there are any points on which you require
explanation or further particulars we shall be
glad to furnish such additional details as may
be require by telephone.
2. High-quality learning environments are a
necessary precondition for facilitation and
enhancement of the ongoing learning
process.
3. It is important that you shall read the notes,
advice and information details then complete
the form overleaf(all sections) prior to its
immediate return to the council by way of
the envelope provided.
• 1-Before: if there are any points on which you require
explanation or further particulars we shall be glad to
furnish such additional details as may be require by
telephone. Now, take a look at these examples:
• Revised: if you have any questions, please call.
• 2-Before: High-quality learning environments are a
necessary precondition for facilitation and enhancement
of the ongoing learning process.
• Revised: Children need good schools if they are to learn
properly
• 3-Before: It is important that you shall read the
notes, advice and information details then
complete the form overleaf(all sections) prior
to its immediate return to the council by way of
the envelope provided.

• Revised: please, read the notes before you fill

in the form. Then, send it back to us by 15
March 2009 in the envelope provided
 Effective proofreading
• 1-avoid distractions
• 2- Read the work out loud
• 3-concentrate on reading one word at a time
• 4- Be methodical.
• 5-Take a break occasionally
• 6-Remember to look also for inconsistencies in style and
presentation.
• 7-leave a decent period of time between writing and
proofreading the work
• 8-print out a hard copy for the final proofreading
• 9-keep your knowledge of punctuation and grammar up-
to-date
• 10- Ask someone else to do a final check of important
document-
 Key point to remember
• Use short sentences
• Choose simple words
• Avoid wordiness: choose words with care and be reasonable
• Use appropriate tone
• Be precise: your letter should be long enough to serve its purpose but
no longer
• Ensure accuracy: double check all figures, dates, numbers and prices as
well as spelling, punctuation, tenses and word endings etc.
• Check consistency: ensure if it is (fully blocked style with open
punctuation) as well as (I,we,etc)
• Use your initiative: ensure the reader knows everything. Instead of
‘next week,’ state a day and date. If an overseas visit is planned, give
the time of arrival and flight number
• Use active not passive voice
• Write as you would speak: use everyday language as if you were having
a conversation
• Use gender-neutral language
•