Module 2 Writing Style And Techniques - I

Starting Right
We are not in the business of teaching you English grammar here. If you feel your grammar, spelling or punctuation need improving then look back to the Business English course. If you have particular doubts about your spelling always use a good dictionary, and if you use a computer, take advantage of the spell-check facility. But, don't rely on this as it will not correct your work if you confuse their and there, two and too or any of the other words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. As we mentioned in the previous module there are a few points about which we would like to remind you before going any further. If you already feel confident of your writing ability, then skim through them quickly. On the other hand, if you are not so confident then study these points carefully or look back to the Business English course. The first point is that you must try to write grammatically. You may think that such advice is old fashioned and certainly some of the more pedantic rules can be ignored. Nowadays we do see sentences beginning with 'and'; we do come across split infinitives. These things are acceptable if they help to make your work flow more smoothly or make your meaning clearer. But, don't use then simply through carelessness. So let's now look, for a moment, at the eight parts of speech. At some time you have probably seen the phrase, the eight parts of speech. This simply means that there are eight different jobs that English words can do. Here is a list of them, with a brief description of each. NOUNS are the names of things. They tell you who or what the sentence is about. The secretary typed a letter. PRONOUNS are simply words like he, she and it. They save us the trouble of having to repeat nouns. For example, instead of: The secretary typed the letter and the secretary gave the letter to the manager.
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we usually say: The secretary typed the letter and she gave it to the manager. VERBS are action words: they tell what happened. For example: The secretary typed the letter. ADJECTIVES describe other words: The secretary typed the long letter. ADVERBS describe verbs: The secretary typed the letter quickly. PREPOSITIONS show how a noun is related to another word: John is in the car. John is on the car. John is under the car. John is beside the car. John is behind the car. Those five sentences are all about John and the car. The five different prepositions give us five different meanings, because they place John in five different positions in relation to his car. CONJUNCTIONS These words let us add more meaning to a sentence by adding extra bits on to it: John was in the car when it crashed. John owns a car and a bicycle. INTERJECTIONS Words that people use to show emotions rather than logical thoughts. They have a meaning, but they do not fit into the logical structure of the sentence. For example: Oh! Really! Nonsense! Hello! Goodbye! My Goodness! These are used almost exclusively when you are speaking or in dramatic writing. As far as your business letters, memos and reports are concerned you can ignore them.
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Most people can write correct sentences if they concentrate on their work and then check it carefully. So we are not going to do the job of a grammar book here. But after saying this, every part of speech has its difficulties or oddities and if you are unaware of these it can lead to poor style or incorrect and unclear writing. So, over the next few pages we are going to point out the main problem areas. We will then show you how to improve your style by being aware of the different parts of speech and how you can use them correctly and to the very best advantage.

Nouns
The word noun classifies all words that represent people, places, ideas and things. It is the name of something. As you probably know, there are four types of noun: (a) (b) (c) (d) common proper abstract collective

Common nouns cause few problems for the writer as they are simply the names of everyday things we see around us. Proper nouns are the names of people, places etc. They always start with a capital letter and this is one area to watch. Only use capital letters where they are necessary (at the beginning of a sentence and for proper nouns). There is nothing more irritating for a reader than to have a letter or report 'peppered' with unnecessary capitals. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and needs a capital letter but brussel sprouts don't. Brazil is a country in South America and needs a capital letter but brazil nuts don't. Days of the week and months of the year start with capital letters but seasons and points of the compass do not. If you are writing a report about a specific organization, you put initial capitals in its title: Acme Trading Co Ltd. But when you refer to it later in the report, if the full title is not used, you can say: .... the chairman said that the company was in a good trading position.

Of course, if it is your company's policy to give initial capitals to such words as department, committee, board of directors, chairman, you must obey their rules. But the trend is away from unnecessary capitals in modern English. In salutations on a letter you use capital letters for both Dear and Sir but when you close the letter use a capital letter for Yours but a lower case (small) letter for both faithfully or sincerely. Note this as you go through the many examples of letters in the course itself. Abstract nouns (love, truth, honour etc) are the names of things you cannot see, hear, taste or feel. They are essential to express ideas but in business correspondence if you can find a more concrete word to describe your ideas then it will add strength and clarity to your writing. It will also help you to avoid long-winded, roundabout expressions and ensure that everyone knows exactly what you mean. Look at the following: Rules have been drawn up for the avoidance of disputes. (Abstract) Rules have been drawn up to avoid disputes. (Concrete) and: We expressed our disagreement with the plan that would lead to a reduction in earnings for staff. (Abstract) We disagreed with the plan to reduce staff earnings. (Concrete) As you can see, you can often get rid of abstract nouns by turning them into verbs as we have done in this second pair of sentences. As we mentioned earlier, it also produces a shorter sentence. Finally, we come on to collective nouns those nouns which describe several people or things as a group: team, crew, staff, audience etc. But, are they singular or plural? For example, suppose there is a government with ten people in it. Is the word government singular (because there is only one government)? Or is it plural (because there are 10 people in the government)? The answer is important, because it affects the rest of the sentence. If the word government is singular, it is correct to say: The government is in London.
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But if it is plural, you should say: The government are in London. The answer is simple. Collective nouns can be singular or plural. It depends on how you use them. For example, lets look at the word 'team'. In the sentence: The team is on the pitch. we are thinking about the team as one group of men, so it is singular. In the sentence: The team are in their rooms. we are thinking about them as individual players, doing different things in their lesure time. In this case it is plural. It is sometimes hard to decide whether a collective noun is singular or plural. In such cases, it does not matter which form you choose but make sure you do not change from one to another like this: The government is in London. They rule the country. Do you see the mistake? In the first sentence, the word government is singular because the singular form of the verb (is) has been used. Then, in the second sentence government is referred to as they (which is plural). It should read: The government is in London. It rules the country. This is because the word government is generally regarded as being singular.

Pronouns
We use pronouns all the time to replace nouns in a sentence so that we can avoid repetition.

For example: The secretary types a letter and the secretary gives the letter to the manager. Two nouns, secretary and letter are both used twice in that sentence. To avoid this clumsy repetition, we can re-phrase the sentence like this: The secretary types a letter and she gives it to the manager. The words she and it mean secretary and letter in this case. They improve the expression by cutting out repetition. Without pronouns I, you, he, she, it, we, they it would take much longer to say everything. Pronouns are in effect short cuts that make our writing easier. There are, however, one or two points you need to be aware of in your use of pronouns: (a) Ambiguous pronouns

Beware of using too many pronouns as this can make your meaning unclear. For instance, the meaning of the following sentence is quite clear: Jones told Smith that Brown was a good writer. If we replace Smith and Brown with pronouns, we get a sentence which is much less clear: Jones told him that he was a good writer. This is perfectly correct English, but it is not good English, for him and he could be either the same person or a different person. The sentence does not make it clear. Another common mistake with pronouns is to use them to refer to a noun which appeared much earlier in the sentence, or even in a previous sentence. This causes misunderstanding because your reader has difficulty in knowing which noun the pronoun refers to. So always check to ensure that what is clear to you is also clear to your reader. Last week we sent you four parcels. Two contained the new samples you requested and two contained the repeat order you kindly sent us. Unfortunately, we have just discovered that we sent you the wrong colours, so could you please return them so that they can be replaced.

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We have put the pronouns them and they in bold, but what are them and they referring to? Is it the new samples that should be returned, or the repeat order, or both because the colours are wrong? We don't know, do we? The passage just does not make it clear and it does not make it clear, because the pronouns are a long way from the nouns to which they refer. In this particular passage, it would have been better not to use the pronoun them at all, but to have repeated the noun to make the meaning clear. The last sentence could be rewritten: Unfortunately, we have just discovered that we sent you the wrong colours, so could you please return the samples so that they can be replaced. The meaning of this is now quite clear and there is no doubt that the pronoun they refers to the samples. (b) Other problems with pronouns

As you know, most sentences have a subject and predicate. The secretary (subject) typed a long letter. (predicate)

The predicate usually contains the object of a sentence and in a short sentence can be made up entirely of a verb followed by the object: The secretary (subject) typed letters. (verb + object)

When using the pronouns I and me you should remember to use I when you are the subject of the sentence but me if you are the object of the sentence: I spoke to the client. (Here I is the subject) but The client spoke to me. (Here client is the subject and me is the object) This is a particularly important point when writing about yourself and another person. Fiona and I went to the office party. (Correct) (subject) (object) but

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He gave the letter to Fiona and I. (Incorrect) (subject) (object) (Take away the words Fiona and and you will see what we mean!) You should always use Fiona and me if the two of you are the object of the sentence. Another point worth remembering is that you should say: She is better than me at writing reports. not She is better than I. (She is the subject of the sentence and you are the object; so this is why you use me not I.) The relative pronouns which/that and who/whom can cause uncertainty for some people. Relative pronouns do not replace a noun in a sentence, they are in addition to the noun and refer directly to it. They also have an important role of their own to play, because they connect different parts of a sentence. Look at the following: Have you received the samples which we sent last week? Have you received the samples that we sent last week? Both these sentences are correct as the two words are considered interchangeable when used as relative pronouns. But always base your decision on what you think sounds best in the context in which you are using the word. The difference between who and whom is now considered largely a fine point of grammar. You use who as a pronoun when the noun it relates to is the subject of the sentence. It was the Chairman who decided on the new investment. In this sentence the Chairman is obviously the subject, therefore we use the pronoun who. You use whom when the noun it relates to is the object of the sentence. I spoke to the man whom I saw yesterday. In this sentence the subject is I. The pronoun is talking about the man. The man is the object; so we use the pronoun whom.

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This difference between the use of who and whom is often ignored, many people using who all the time. But at least you will know how to use the two words correctly if you want to. Also, try to avoid the following type of expression: A writer must be dedicated if he or she wants to be successful in his or her chosen career. Many people, these days, would write: A writer must be dedicated if they want to be successful in their chosen career. We know that this is not strictly correct because there is not agreement between the singular subject and the plural they/their. But most people now find it better than using he or she, he/she or (s)he. But if you can avoid this by re-writing the sentence completely, then do so! Other pronouns that you will see are one, someone, anyone, everybody and nobody. These are often used incorrectly as many people think they must be plural. This is wrong, but there is an easy way to get it right. This is by thinking about the second part of each word. Anyone, anybody, someone, nobody. This will help you to remember that there is only one body. This means it must be singular and so you should never make this mistake yourself. Finally, never mix you and one in your writing: One should always try your best to achieve good results. (Incorrect) Sometimes one is a useful word for reports because if you are writing about something unsuccessful or warning of possible problems the use of you all the time can sound critical: You should be aware that your actions could lead to confrontation. or: One should be aware that one's actions could lead to confrontation.

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The second example sounds more objective but you should always bear in mind that overuse of one can sound both old-fashioned and pompous; so use your discretion. Finally, some people have problems with them and those. Can you pass me them books? (Incorrect) Can you pass me those books? (Correct) Them is a pronoun, not an adjective, and should never be used like one.

Self Test Exercise

Correct the following you will find the answers on page 31. (1) (2) We have a need for trainees with good academic qualifications. The team listened carefully to its coach and then went out and beat their opponents by three goals to one. Every now and again a businessman should consult his accountant to find out how well he is doing. Please indicate the colour you have a preference for. It is important that one always tries one's best to help your customers. Would you please phone Sue and I tonight. I refuse to do business with anyone who I know to be unscrupulous.

(3)

(4) (5) (6) (7)

Verbs
We know that every sentence has two parts. 1. 2. A subject. A predicate that makes a statement about the subject.

The most important part of the subject is the noun, because it tells us who or what the sentence is about. The most important part of the predicate is the verb, because it tells us what action takes place in the sentence.

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A verb is an action word. It tells us what happens. It can also express a state of being. Action verbs are: to walk; to kick; to type; to drink etc. State of being verbs are: to be; to have; to become; to seem; to appear etc. The tense of a verb indicates clearly when the action is taking place. It is important to know when the action in a sentence happens, whether it is in the past, the present or the future. For example in a business letter about the delivery of some goods, it is important to know if you are talking about the goods delivered last month, or talking about the ones to be delivered next month. Even a simple mistake here, by using the wrong tense, could cause a lot of confusion. There are three basic tenses: the past tense, the present tense, and the future tense. As you would expect, the past tense tells us about actions that have happened in the past; the present tense tells us about actions that are happening now, at the present time, and the future tense tells us about actions that will happen in the future. We delivered the goods last month (past tense). We are delivering the goods this week (present tense). We shall deliver the goods next month (future tense). Most people use tense consistently as a matter of course but it is well to be aware of the problems of muddled tenses. Look at the following: I arrived at the office as it grew dark. It looks deserted but then I notice a light on the top floor and I realised someone must be working late. Do take care that when you are describing something that happened in the past, no matter how vivid it may seem to you, you use tense consistently. Obviously it should be: I arrived at the office as it grew dark. It looked deserted but then I noticed a light on the top floor and I realised someone must be working late. Next, you must check that you have subject/verb agreement. By this we mean that the verb you use agrees in person (ie I, you, he, she, it, we) and number (singular or plural) with the subject of the sentence. The meeting was a great success. not The meeting were a great success.
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Most people get this right naturally. However, in some long sentences where additional information has been inserted between the subject and the verb to which it relates you may lose track of what has been said earlier. She realised that the information for which she had been searching so hard, and despaired of ever finding, was right under her nose. (Correct) But what if you have more than one subject in a sentence? Mr Smith is visiting the overseas division. (Correct) Mr Smith and the Chairman are visiting the overseas division. (Correct) A point worth remembering is that when you use the words with, together with, or as well as to link Mr Smith and the Chairman the verb remains singular. Mr Bloggs, together with the Chairman, is .... On the other hand, if Mr Smith is himself the Chairman you would say: Mr Smith, the Chairman, is .... Active-v-Passive In your writing, you must decide whether to use the active or the passive form of the verb. For example, look at this sentence: The secretary typed the letter. In this sentence, the verb typed is in the active form. We can turn this round and say: The letter was typed by the secretary. The verb was typed is now in the passive form. It is often better to choose the active form as it is more positive and vivid. Passive: Active: This report must be written in clear, grammatical English. Write this report in clear, grammatical English.

Also, active sentences are often shorter than passive ones:

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It was argued by the client that a mistake was made by the solicitor. (Passive 14 words) The client argued that the solicitor had made a mistake. (Active 10 words) At one time, the passive was often used in reports to make them sound more formal. But this sometimes lead to long sentences that were difficult to understand. The active form is usually shorter and better for the more direct style required today. Remember, though, it is possible to use the passive voice to effect when you wish to change the focus of a sentence. Consider the following: The new manager improved the department's performance substantially. (Active) or The department's performance was improved substantially by the new manager. (Passive) In the first sentence it is the manager that is the focus of our attention, in the second it is the department. So think what emphasis you require and then choose your words carefully. Participles Most verbs have two participles: the Present Participle and the Past Participle. For example:

Verb Type: Walk:

Present Participle typing walking

Past Participle typed walked

The participle is only part of the verb (that is where its name comes from). A very common error is when somebody tries to use the participle as a full verb especially at the beginning of a sentence. This is wrong, because the sentence is not complete without a proper verb. For example: Pulling the trigger, the gun fired. This is nonsense and taken literally means that the gun pulled the trigger! This is, of course, impossible.

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You can start a sentence with a participle providing you always put a subject and a complete verb into the sentence. Thus you could say: Pulling the trigger, he fired the gun. This now makes sense, because a subject, he, has been introduced. Here are two more examples: Being compressed, the typist managed to get the details onto one page. (Incorrect) Being compressed, the details were put onto one page by the typist. (Correct) This is still not good expression even though it is grammatically correct. It would be better style to leave out the participle altogether, and re-write the sentence like this: The details were compressed onto one page by the typist. Have/of make sure you do not use of instead of the verb have. Do not write: He should of left by the time we arrive. It should, of course, be: He should have left by the time we arrive. The difference is not always made clear in speech but make sure it is clear in your writing. The Split Infinitive The infinitive of a verb is its most basic part, giving no indication of tense (past, present, future) or person. It is usually preceded by to: to go to read to play At school, you were probably told not to split the infinitive. Look at this example: I used to continually talk about my work. It should be:

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I used to talk continually about my work. Notice how in the first sentence to talk (the infinitive) has been split by the insertion of the adverb (continually). This is why we call it a split infinitive. Avoid this if you can but if it would lead to ambiguity or stilted writing then go ahead and use it. As we said at the beginning of this module it is much more acceptable these days.

Self Test Exercise

Correct/improve the following you will find the answers on pages 31 and 32.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

The number of graduates are increasing annually. His instructions were to carefully check each document. A great increase in productivity was achieved by the workers. Which of the two applicants are likely to succeed? A sharp rise in prices has become apparent. Unscrewing the lid the ink poured out. The important letter, together with six or seven others, were found in his drawer. Entering the office the door shut with a bang.

Conjunctions
Conjunctions are joining words. They enable us to add more information to a simple sentence. When you add extra information by using a conjunction, you then turn a simple sentence into a more complex one. Examples of conjunctions are such words as and, but, when, because, although, if, that etc. Here they are in use: She typed the letter and the boss signed it.
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We completed the job before we were paid. He was reprimanded because he was late for work. Sometimes conjunctions are used in pairs, and in this case, they must come immediately before the two words they are comparing. For instance: It must be both cheap and useful. He is either a fool or a lunatic. That is neither my business nor yours. And now for a word of warning. It is wrong to say either ... nor and neither ... or. You should always put these common pairings of conjunctions as either ... or and neither ... nor. As you can see, conjunctions allow you to construct longer sentences and there are times when you will need to use long sentences to express your ideas clearly. However, it is generally regarded as bad style when sentences are very long. This is especially so if they contain a large number of ands and buts. Look at this sentence: He was late and he rushed his breakfast and he ran for the train and it was late and so he need not have hurried. All those ands make it clumsy and hard to read. This sentence would be much better written like this: Because he was late, he rushed his breakfast and ran for the train. This was also late; so he need not have hurried. By dividing the long sentence into two shorter ones, it is easier to read and understand two essentials of good style.

Self Test Exercise

Using conjunctions, combine the following short sentences to compose two well-written paragraphs. One of your most important tasks is the management of your career. At one time, people joined a company straight from school. They probably stayed with it until they retired. The company would provide security for its employees. It would even plan their careers for them. Things are different now. It is essential that you get a job you will like. Nobody succeeds at something he does not like. It is up to you to take responsibility. Consider all the options. Decide what you really want to do. Concentrate all your energy on it.

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You will find the answer on page 32.

Adjectives
Adjectives are words which tell you what things are like (red, tall, good, fast, slow, etc) or they tell you how many of them there are (plenty, three etc). In other words, adjectives describe and tell you about a noun or a pronoun. You should use these sparingly in your business correspondence. Your aim is not to write descriptive prose but to get your message across clearly and simply. So, before using an adjective consider whether it is absolutely necessary. When making comparisons follow these rules: Short adjectives such as big have er and est added to them to make the comparative and superlative forms eg big, bigger, biggest. Long adjectives should have the words more and most put in front of them eg capable, more capable, most capable. When there are two syllables in the adjective the rule varies. Sometimes you can safely add er and est to make comparisons, and at other times you have to add the words more and most. If you are in doubt at any time then use more and most. That way, you will rarely make a mistake. Where you will make a mistake is if you try to use the two methods together. It is quite correct to say: This parcel is more heavy than that one. or This parcel is heavier than that one. But never use: This parcel is more heavier than that one.

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Incidentally, a common mistake is to use a comparative adjective with the word unique. Unique means there is only one like it, there are no more anywhere else. Therefore you cannot compare it with anything; so do not use a comparative adjective with the word unique. You can never market a more unique product than your competitor; nor can you market the most unique product of the decade! Finally, if you need to use adjectives avoid the word nice. It was a nice thought (a kind thought?); a nice meeting (a productive or stimulating meeting?); she was a nice lady (a kind, attractive or helpful lady?) Choose the precise word you need to express your thoughts fully. And while we are on the subject, think twice before using the word very it is one of the most over-used (and often unnecessary) words in the English language.

Adverbs
These are the words normally used to describe a verb: He replied quickly. He wrote neatly. If you are not sure whether a word is an adverb, there is a simple test. Look at the sentence and ask yourself: how, when, where or why? An adverb should answer one of those questions. He wrote quickly. (How?) He came today. (When?) He fell down. (Where?) Also, it is worth remembering that many though not all adjectives end in ly: quickly, silently, slowly etc. You can make comparisons with adverbs in exactly the same way as you can with adjectives: quickly, more quickly, most quickly. Short adverbs take er and est: fast, faster, fastest.

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But some common adverbs break the rules, and are irregular: well badly late little much far better worse later less more farther best worst last least most farthest

I was late... he was later... they were last. I have much... he has more... she has the most. You will notice from the above list that some adverbs are the same as, or very similar to, some adjectives. This is quite true, and some words can be both adjectives and adverbs, depending on how they are used. If adjectives and adverbs were always the same as each other, nobody could ever make a mistake. Unfortunately, they are sometimes different. For example: Adjective Adverb good well better better best best

You cannot make a mistake with these words, except when you mix up good and well. 1. 2. His car is good... my car is better... her car is best. (Adjectives) He drives well... I drive better... she drives best. (Adverbs) good describes the noun car; so it must be an adjective. well describes the verb drives; so it must be an adverb.

In sentence 1. In sentence 2.

Another word that can be used either as an adjective or an adverb is fast. It is correct to say: My car is fast (adjective, describing the noun car). He drove fast (adverb, describing the verb drove). Adverbs should always be placed as close as possible to the words they are modifying (describing) or they can change the whole meaning of the sentence. Look at these two examples and we are sure you will see what we mean:
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Only he was given a company car (he was the only person to get one). He was only given a company car (he received a company car but no other 'perks'). or I need that report writing badly (I need a poorly written report!) I badly need that report writing (I need the report urgently). So, always think about the position of the adverbs you use in your sentences as this can be another cause of ambiguity.

Self Test Exercise

Correct/improve the following you will find the answers on pages 32 and 33. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) Of the two proposals we think the first is least attractive. Of all the houses in our street I think the end one has the more colourful garden. The opportunity you are offering me is very unique. If you can work in a quiet room you will find your studies more easier. The receptionist was a very nice lady who helped him a lot. I want my computer mended badly. Relatively few people feel that they actually need to improve their communication skills substantially.

Prepositions
Prepositions, such as in, to, from, between, under are placed before a noun or pronoun and show how that noun or pronoun is related to the rest of the sentence. A preposition shows the position of the noun or pronoun in relation to the action of the sentence. For example: John is in the car.
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The car is the noun and the preposition in shows John's position he is inside the car. Prepositions always act in a similar manner. For instance, John could just as easily be under the car, or behind it, or in front of it. Very often a preposition can look like an adverb which may be confusing unless you remember that an adverb answers by itself one of the questions how, when, where or why. In addition it should be positioned after the verb. While climbing a wall he fell down. Down is an adverb because by itself it answers the question where? Prepositions, however, usually come immediately before a noun. He climbed down the wall. You will notice that in this sentence down does not answer the question where? on its own. This is only answered by the full phrase down the wall. Here now are a few tips to help you with some of the more confusing aspects of the use of prepositions: among/amongst Which is correct? Both are, in fact, correct but amongst is gradually falling from use and being replaced by among. providing/provided Which one should you use? Provided is still considered to be the more correct alternative though both are now acceptable; so do not worry unduly about this. I will come to dinner provided/providing she is invited too. among/between use among with more than two people or things and use between with only two people or things: The profits were divided among all the members of staff. but The profits were divided between the Chairman and the Chief Executive. Incidentally, exactly the same applies to each other/one another:

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The two secretaries chatted to each other. The group of secretaries chatted to one another. at/with use at when talking about a thing, and with when talking about a person: The Chairman was angry at the decision that the committee had made. but The Chairman was angry with the Managing Director. beside/besides - beside means at the side of whereas besides means in addition to: The man stood beside his desk. The computers were individually packaged, besides being delivered in a crate. As you probably know, there are many words which require a specific preposition. You will already be familiar with many of these but your dictionary will tell you which preposition to use with any word if you are uncertain. Here are a few of the more common ones: involved with different from evasion of estranged from elicit from coincide with indicative of averse to prejudiced against oblivious to insensible to consists of sympathise with compatible with partial to conducive to amenable to

At one time it was considered bad style to end a sentence with a preposition, but this has now become more acceptable. However, you should still avoid it if possible. It is not usually difficult to change word order to do this: Here is the man I told you of. Can be changed to: Here is the man of whom I told you. and I want a light I can read by. Can be changed to:

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I want a light by which I can read. As you can see, the sentences which do not end in a preposition sound better. And our final part of speech Interjections! There is not a lot we can say about these. You are not likely to be closing your business letters with Cheers! or starting them with Hi! Interjections are the words you often find with exclamation marks after them in novels Oh! Damn him! Watch out! Use them in your personal letters by all means if they add colour but leave them out of your business writing.

Self Test Exercise

Insert the correct prepositions in the following sentences. You will find the answers on pages 33 and 34. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) He always jumps She was impatient the wrong conclusions. showing him the company's accounts. the situation. me when I go abroad. my personal records. her secretary. with the leader of the opposition party. The accountant was averse

After much argument, he is now reconciled The President is now reconciled I hope you will continue to correspond You must not interfere You should be conversant He was impatient The figures in the ledger do not correspond

affairs that do not concern you. our systems by now.

the delay caused by refuelling.

Before moving on, we would just like to touch upon a few points that do not fit neatly into any of the categories which come under the eight parts of speech. Double Negative Avoid using two negatives in a sentence as they cancel each other out and make your meaning positive. He didn't want nothing actually means that he wanted something! Also, words like hardly and scarcely can often have a negative meaning so watch your use of them as they can produce the same effect as a double negative:

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He didn't hardly know her. (Incorrect) He hardly knew her. (Correct) The 'Two Word Twitch' Try to avoid using two identical words next to each other in a sentence. It sounds bad and can usually be avoided. The most common culprit is had had which can occur when you use the past perfect tense. He had had a salary increase the previous year. In a sentence like this you do not need to use had twice. Although it is correct it sounds odd. Instead you should write: He had a salary increase the previous year. Another common one is that that. Look at the following: He confirmed that that product was what he had had a great success with. This is a particularly bad example and one that you are not likely to copy. But see how easily it can be remedied: He confirmed that he had always had a great deal of success with that product. (You will notice we have even managed to avoid ending the sentence with a preposition, too!) Finally, take care with your use of articles both definite (the) and indefinite (a, an). We looked at this subject in some depth in the Business English course, so we are not going to repeat the advice here. But, the mis-use of articles is one of the major problems we find in students' work. The most common fault is that people miss out articles when they should be included. Look at this: She bought a table (indefinite article used before a consonant 't') He picked up an orange (indefinite article used before a vowel 'o')

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The indefinite article a or an should be used when talking about an unspecific singular noun no particular table, no particular orange. But, if we go on to say what he did with the orange it would be: He put the orange on the table We would use the definite article (the) in both cases because we are now discussing an orange and a table that have been mentioned before. And in the plural you can often omit articles completely: She bought tables He picked up oranges This is a rather simple explanation and we could give you more complex guidelines, but if you stick to these basic rules you shouldn't go far wrong. The important point is: don't omit necessary articles (definite or indefinite) before singular nouns in your writing.

The Use Of Numbers

The use of numbers in written work causes problems for some people. It is normal to use words for numbers from one to nine but figures for 10 and upwards. She asked me to buy three printers. but He ordered 36 pens. But when showing mathematical calculations always use figures. You should spell out a number if you are beginning a sentence with it: Forty-eight hours ago we phoned your office. Also, if your sentence contains a few numbers be consistent. Use either all numbers or all words: He had three dogs, two cats and twelve white mice. He had 32 sheep, 65 cows and 6 pigs.

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Finally, when writing about sums of money, quantities and measurements use figures: He gave me 53.00. The fish weighed 9.5 kilos.

Always remember that if you read through your work and are not happy with how it sounds, have another go. English is a very versatile language and by choosing your words and the position in which you put them carefully you will write correctly and stylishly. We hope that you have done well on the self-test exercises. If you have, then turn to page 34 and complete Examination Paper One before going on to Book Two. We suggest that you practise your answers first on rough paper, read them through carefully and then transfer them to the sheets which you will send to us. Before posting your work check it again to make sure you have made as few mistakes as possible. This will improve your chances of achieving a high mark. Good Luck!

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Answers To Self Test Exercises

Page 14 (1) We need trainees with good academic qualifications. [Avoid using abstract nouns. Often by substituting a verb for an abstract noun a shorter sentence results.] The team listened carefully to its coach and then went out and beat its opponents by three goals to one. [Collective nouns can be treated as either singular or plural, but once you have made the decision then you must be consistent.] Every now and again a businessman should consult his accountant to find out how well his business is doing. [The final pronoun 'he' is ambiguous. Does the businessman want to find out how well he is doing or how well his accountant is doing? Note we have used 'business' to replace the pronoun instead of 'businessman'. This avoids clumsy repetition.] Please indicate the colour you prefer. [See answer to Question 1.] It is important that you always try your best to help your customers. [There are two things here. You should never mix 'one' and 'you' make your choice and then be consistent. But, remember that the over-use of one' can sound stilted and old fashioned.] Would you please phone Sue and me tonight? [Omit the 'Sue and' and you will see what we mean!] I refuse to do business with anyone whom I know to be unscrupulous. ['Anyone' is the object of the sentence, not the subject; so you should use 'whom'. NB Nowadays few people will frown even if you use 'who' all the time!]

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Page 19 (1) The number of graduates is increasing annually. ['Number' is singular and the verb must agree with this.] His instructions were to check carefully each document. ['Carefully' inserted between 'to' and 'check' gives a split infinitive.]

(2)

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(3)

The workers achieved a great increase in productivity. [By making the verb active instead of passive you achieve a shorter, more direct sentence.] Which of the two applicants is likely to succeed? [Only one of the applicants will succeed so a singular verb is needed.] Prices have risen sharply. [There are two things here we have eliminated an abstract noun and a passive verb to give a much 'tighter' sentence.] As he unscrewed the lid, the ink poured out. [The original sentence was ambiguous, implying that the ink unscrewed the lid itself before pouring out. By replacing the participle 'unscrewing' with a complete verb this is avoided.] The important letter, together with six or seven others, was found in his drawer. [Take out 'together with six or seven others' and you will see the reason for correction!] As he entered the office, the door shut with a bang. [See (6) above. Again in its original form it sounds as though the door is capable of walking into the office!]

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

Page 20 One of your most important tasks is the management of your career. At one time, people joined a company straight from school and probably stayed with it until they retired. The company would provide security for its employees and would even plan their careers for them. Things are different now. It is essential that you get a job you will like as nobody succeeds at something he does not like. It is up to you to take responsibility so consider all the options. Decide what you really want to do then concentrate all your energy on it. Page 24 (1) Of the two proposals, we think the first is less attractive. [You are only comparing two things so use less, not least.] Of all the houses in our street I think the end one has the most colourful garden. [You are comparing a number of houses so use most, not more.]
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(2)

(3)

The opportunity you are offering me is unique. [See page 22] If you can work in a quiet room you will find your studies easier/more easy. [You can use either easier or more easy but do not combine the two.] The receptionist was a helpful lady. [The word 'very' is over-used, and 'nice' is a weak, meaningless adjective. So, make the sentence crisper by using an appropriate adjective it even makes the final verb redundant.] I badly want my computer mended or I want my computer mended urgently. [Both are correct. So make sure you either position your adverbs correctly or choose ones which cannot be misinterpreted.] Few people feel that they need to improve their communication skills. [Do not include adverbs just because they sound impressive. Here the sentence means exactly the same without them and is much shorter.]

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Page 27 (1) He always jumps to the wrong conclusion. [You 'jump to' a conclusion but 'jump at' the chance to do something.] The accountant was averse to showing him the company's accounts. She was impatient with her secretary. [You are 'impatient with' a person but 'impatient at' a thing or a delay.] After much argument, he is now reconciled to the situation. [You are 'reconciled to' a situation or event but 'reconciled with' a person.] The President is now reconciled with the leader of the opposition. [See (4) above.] I hope you will continue to correspond with me when I go abroad. [You 'correspond with' a person but facts and figures 'correspond to' each other.] You must not interfere in affairs that do not concern you. [You 'interfere in' affairs but 'interfere with' a person.]

(2) (3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

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(8)

The figures in the ledger do not correspond to my personal records. [See (6) on the previous page.] You should be conversant with our systems by now. He was impatient at the delay caused by refuelling. [See (3) on the previous page.]

(9) (10)

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EXAMINATION PAPER 1
Correct grammar is a vital part of effective business communication. The following exercises have been designed to help your tutor assess your writing skills, and highlight any areas which may need special attention. Practice is the key to successful learning. As the assignments progress, you will find that you build greater confidence in all aspects of business writing. In this, and all future assignments, it would be helpful if your answers were typed. But, if this is not possible, please make sure you write legibly and leave plenty of space around your answers for your tutor's comments. Please don't forget to complete the cover sheet which we have included and then put your name, student number and number of the exam paper clearly on the front and each subsequent sheet of your answers. Answer the following questions, which will be marked by your tutor. 1. Write approximately 200 words, explaining why you have chosen to follow this course, and what you hope to gain from your studies. [15 marks] Write out the following sentences inserting in the spaces the correct word or words from those in brackets. (1) If staff in the department want to do so, ..... can attend extra training sessions in the evenings. (IT, THEY) Jeremy was the luckiest boy in his class; his parents ensured that he didn't want for ..... (ANYTHING, NOTHING) I asked Maria if she would mind driving Kelly and ..... to the conference in Blackpool. (ME, I) Blogg's Herbal Infusion, taken together with a short course of vitamin capsules, ..... most efficacious in treating the common cold. (IS, ARE) He was impatient ..... the way his wife always spent too much money. (AT, WITH) [5 marks]

2.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

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3.

In this exercise you must join the two sentences together with a linking word. Make changes to the sentences if necessary, but do not change the meaning. Write out each new sentence in full. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. He has studied English for five years. He doesn't speak very good English. He will not catch the train. He must hurry. She is saving some money each week. She can buy a car. I shall travel to Japan by boat. I do not like flying. I am happy with my job. I get a good salary. [5 marks]

4.

On the next page is a letter. Unfortunately, it is not properly laid out and there are many mistakes. We want you to re-write the letter. You must not change the meaning of anything but correct the mistakes and use accepted layout with clear paragraphs and correct opening and closing. [25 marks]

NB: This exercise will help your tutor to understand how much you already know about correct grammar, spelling and letter layout. If you are not sure about anything then restudy Modules 1 and 2 or check back to the relevant sections in the Business English Course.

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To Mr C Lockworth, Purchasing Manager, Huxley Printing, Huxley Buildings, Bootle Street, Manchester. From Robert Taylor, Sales Manager Further to our discussions today about the 'Autodrink Vendor', I should like to conform the main points we discussed. I am sure you will find the 'Autodrink Vendor' an economical and worthwhile addition to your office, for the following reasons. 1) The Autodrink Vendor make drinks much more quicker than less advanced machines, thus saving your staff valuable time. 2) There is no wastage of ingredients used for making the drinks another oblivious saving. 3) You can charge for each drink dispensed so that there is no overall cost to yourself. When you combine this feature with the to points mentioned above, you can see why the Autodrink Vendor is so economical and so popular. 4) The quality of drinks dispensed is consistently good; so ensuring ready acceptance by your staffs. 5) There are a wide range of different drinks available. The model we discussed can dispense 12 different drinks for you. 6) The Autodrink Vendor is easy to instil. All you need is an electricity supply and a link to the water supply. We will carry out any necessary plumbing work for you. 7) Maintenance is simple and quick. We can arrange for regular maintenance to be carried out for you. This will increase life of machine and I strongly reccommend you take out maintenance agreement. 8) All Autodrink Vendors are robust and reliant. We will be supplying vending machines now for many years and with our experience you can rely on their durability and trouble-free operation. With reasons like these I am sure you will agree that the Autodrink Vendor offer you a excellent investment. If you has any further questions about our equipment or service, please let me know at once. Otherwise, I look forward to phoning you to decide your exact requirements within the next couple of days.

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