Questions and Answers of Essentials Of Business Communication

Is the indirect strategy of organization ethical, or is it manipulative to delay the presentation of the main idea in a message?
Bottled water consumption rose 2.2 percent in volume last year.Your Task.For each of the above numbered sentences, select the letter that identifies its type:a. Simple sentenceb. Compound sentencec.
Because Americans are increasingly health conscious, they are drinking more bottled water than ever before.Your Task.For each of the above numbered sentences, select the letter that identifies its
Americans are drinking fewer soft drinks, and heavy-hitters Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are affected negatively.Your Task.For each of the above numbered sentences, select the letter that identifies its
Calorie-counting Americans are backing away from sugary soda, but they are also fleeing diet soda.Your Task.For each of the above numbered sentences, select the letter that identifies its type:a.
Sales volume across the entire beverage industry slid last year; however, smaller players such as Monster Beverage and Red Bull expanded their market share because they appealed to younger
Although PepsiCo signed Beyoncé to endorse its soft drinks. Sales continued to plummet.Your Task. Identify the sentence fault (fragment, run-on sentence, comma splice). Then revise to remedy the
In the beverage industry, the latest sales declines are astonishing. But not surprising.Your Task. Identify the sentence fault (fragment, run-on sentence, comma splice). Then revise to remedy the
Sugar-filled soft-drink sales have been declining for nine straight years, however diet drinks are not far behind.Your Task. Identify the sentence fault (fragment, run-on sentence, comma splice).
Coca-Cola hired a creative director PepsiCo tried a new bottle design.Your Task. Identify the sentence fault (fragment, run-on sentence, comma splice). Then revise to remedy the fault.
Health concerns are not the only problem, soft-drink makers are also facing a boom in alternative beverages.Your Task. Identify the sentence fault (fragment, run-on sentence, comma splice). Then
Which sentence is more emphatic? Why?a. Artisanal, small-batch burgers will compete well against the burger giants.b. Although many new burger restaurants are opening, ours will be unique because we
Which sentence is more emphatic? Why?a. The new restaurant will attract foot traffic and also serve unique burgers.b. The new restaurant will attract foot traffic and, most important, will serve
Which sentence is more emphatic? Why?a. For many reasons hamburgers are definitely American.b. Hot, fast, and affordable hamburgers are a uniquely American triumph.Your Task. For each of the above
Which sentence emphasizes the writer of the report?a. Emma wrote a report about the emergence of fast casual restaurants such as Panera Bread and Chipotle Mexican Grill.b. A report about the
Which sentence places more emphasis on the seminar?a. A training seminar for all new managers starts June 1.b. We are pleased to announce that starting June 1 a training seminar for all new managers
Which sentence is more emphatic?a. Because he has experience in the restaurant business, the new CEO comes highly recommended and is expected to appear at the next meeting of the management board on
Which sentence is more emphatic?a. Three burger restaurants compete for business: (1) McDonald’s, (2) Burger King, and (3) Shake Shack.b. Three burger restaurants compete for business:(1)
Which sentence is less emphatic?a. One of our global brand’s profits decreased last quarter.b. Profits in Esso-branded fuels, services, and lubricants dropped 15 percent last quarter.Your
Which sentence de-emphasizes the refusal of government funding?a. Pfizer said no to research and development money from the government.b. Although Pfizer appreciated potential government funding, the
Which sentence gives more emphasis to emotional intelligence?a. She has many admirable qualities, but most important is her emotional intelligence.b. She has many admirable qualities, including
Workers were asked to wear badges with tiny sensors to monitor their communication and activity patterns at Bank of America.Your Task. Business writing is more forceful when it uses active-voice
Tracking devices are being installed by many companies to gather real-time information on how employees interact.Your Task. Business writing is more forceful when it uses active-voice verbs. Revise
Reliable data about how workers do their jobs are difficult to collect.Your Task. Business writing is more forceful when it uses active-voice verbs. Revise the above sentence so that verbs are in
Concern was expressed by some workers about the difference between Big Data and Big Brother.Your Task. Business writing is more forceful when it uses active-voice verbs. Revise the above sentence so
Kendall made a serious error in our annual tax figures.Your Task. When indirectness or tact is required, use passive-voice verbs. Revise the above sentence so that they are in the passive voice.
We discovered the error too late to correct the annual report.Your Task. When indirectness or tact is required, use passive-voice verbs. Revise the above sentence so that they are in the passive
The Federal Trade Commission targeted deceptive diet advertisements by weight-loss marketers.Your Task. When indirectness or tact is required, use passive-voice verbs. Revise the above sentence so
We issue refunds only for the amount of the purchase; we are unable to include shipping and handling charges.Your Task. When indirectness or tact is required, use passive-voice verbs. Revise the
An embarrassing mishap was caused because someone misinterpreted the procedures somehow.Your Task. When indirectness or tact is required, use passive-voice verbs. Revise the above sentence so that
Critics complain that young people today are obsessed with playing video games, taking selfies, and they are constantly checking their social media pages.Your Task.Revise the above sentence so that
To be hired, an applicant must be reliable, creative, and show enthusiasm.Your Task.Revise the above sentence so that their parts are balanced.
Job seekers use the Internet to find job opportunities, market themselves to companies, showcase their skills, and they hope to be able to land that dream job.Your Task.Revise the above sentence so
Recent graduates are seeking jobs that are stimulating and a challenge.Your Task.Revise the above sentence so that their parts are balanced.
LinkedIn can help college graduates by sending job alerts, by leveraging their networks, they can research a company, and LinkedIn can take the awkwardness out of asking for recommendations.Your
A company’s website might contain valuable information such as you might find current job openings, the company’s mission statement might be there, and the names of key hiring managers could be
When you want to complain about something, sending an e-mail or a letter is better than to make a telephone call.Your Task.Revise the above sentence so that their parts are balanced.
The NSF application for a grant requires this information: proposed funds required for staff salaries, how much we expect to spend on equipment, and what is the length of the project.Your Task.Revise
While interviewing applicants, questions are often asked by recruiters about qualifications.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers.
To be reimbursed, the enclosed application must be filled out and returned.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers.
Skilled at social networking, the marketing contract was won by ReachOut.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers.
Susan made a presentation about workplace drug problems in our boardroom.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers.
Study the numbered sentences in the following poorly written e-mail message. In teams or in a class discussion, identify specific sentence faults. To: Sierra.Maldonado@gmail.com From:
What’s wrong with expressions such as collaborate together and fewer in number?
Why are bulleted and numbered lists useful?
What are five items to check in proofreading? Be ready to discuss methods you find useful in spotting errors.
Consider the case of Taylor, who is serving as interim editor of the company newsletter. She receives an article written by the company president describing, in abstract and pompous language, the
Because business messages should have high skim value, why not write everything in bulleted or numbered lists?
We cannot complete the report at this point in time due to the fact that we encountered difficulties in our research and lost a collaborator to serious illness.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to
In the normal course of events, we would probably buy a larger building; however, in view of the fact that the economic outlook has dimmed, we cannot.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to eliminate
In very few cases do the new names of merged corporations signal clearly what the companies actually do.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to eliminate wordy phrases.
Inasmuch as our tax and regulatory policies hamper a return of manufacturing to the United States, they should be reformed.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to eliminate wordy phrases.
Despite the fact that forced shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic caused huge job losses in manufacturing, 63 percent of executives polled by Deloitte are optimistic about the future.Your
This is an announcement to inform the public that the New York Stock Exchange reversed its decision to delist China’s three largest telecommunications companies.Your Task. Revise the above
We are sending this message to notify all staff that anyone who wants to work from home may apply immediately.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate long lead-ins.
I am writing this e-mail to inform you that your new account executive is Aubrey Lee.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate long lead-ins.
This is to let all our staff members know that hackers exploit weak employee passwords to enter IT systems.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate long lead-ins.
There are hackers who distribute malware that blocks access to a target’s systems and then demand ransom payment to release the digital hostages.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to avoid
It is large corporations and local governments that struggle to devote the resources and expertise necessary to establish basic defenses against ransomware attacks.Your Task.Revise the above sentence
There are phishing attempts that many e-mail users don’t recognize even if it is obvious how crude they are.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to avoid unnecessary there is/are and it is/was
If there are any questions that you have about computer safety, please call us.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to avoid unnecessary there is/are and it is/was fillers.
Because her smartphone was bright red in color, she could always find it in the clutter of her home office.Your Task.Revise the above to avoid redundancies
The basic fundamentals of computer safety are to avoid using the names of pets, one’s birth date, the number sequence 1234567, and the word password to log into accounts.Your Task.Revise the above
The IT manager repeated again and again that we must use strong passwords and change them frequently.Your Task.Revise the above to avoid redundancies
Although the two reports look exactly identical, we need to proofread each and every page.Your Task.Revise the above to avoid redundancies
Pursuant to your inquiry, I will e-mail you the buyer’s residential preference sheet immediately.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate trite business phrases.
Enclosed please find the directory of our most recent corporate clients.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate trite business phrases.
As per your request, our payables staff is sending the check under separate cover.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate trite business phrases.
Every effort will be made by our collections staff to extract payment from customers with overdue invoices.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to eliminate trite business phrases.
To pull ourselves up by our bootstraps from this recession, we must think outside the box.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid confusing jargon, slang, clichés, and wordiness.
Although we made a bundle whenever our response was quick as a flash, we can’t keep shooting from the hip.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid confusing jargon, slang, clichés, and
In comparison with our lousy competitors, we have passed with flying colors and will ignore their snarky claims.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid confusing jargon, slang, clichés, and
Please circle back to me about the proposal and we will be good to go.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to avoid confusing jargon, slang, clichés, and wordiness.
After conducting an investigation, the legal department reached the conclusion that fraud had been committed.Your Task. Revise the above to recover buried verbs and convert zombie nouns.
Our board promised to give consideration to the proposed acquisition at its next meeting.Your Task. Revise the above to recover buried verbs and convert zombie nouns.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a warning to borrowers that an important provision will face expiration effective January 1.Your Task. Revise the above to recover buried verbs and
One of the lending provisions under the Dodd-Frank Act extends liability protection to borrowers who have a higher debt load but meet standards set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.Your Task. Revise
Under the current legislation, lenders are provided incentives to issue loans to borrowers who may not meet the strictest standards but are a relatively safe credit risk.Your Task. Revise the above
In order to receive an adequate assessment of the home insurance amount, homeowners must make a determination of the total value of their furnishings.Your Task. Revise the above to recover buried
One of the employees told me that it would be available soon.Your Task. Revise the above sentence to improve clarity and precision. Use your imagination to add appropriate words.
Please get in touch with the company in the near term.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to improve clarity and precision. Use your imagination to add appropriate words.
An employee from that organization announced the change in date for the event.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to improve clarity and precision. Use your imagination to add appropriate words.
She said that the film she worked on was not very good.Your Task.Revise the above sentence to improve clarity and precision. Use your imagination to add appropriate words.
@HTWilson94 asks whether grocer Whole Foods stocks Whole Trade certified flowers all year long. Prepare a response (preferably 140 or fewer characters) based on the following information: Yes, at
@AmyJean64 sent Bank of America a tweet saying she was frustrated with a real estate short sale. “Have a contract on a house and cannot get them to return calls to finalize.” Prepare a response
@VickiK wrote to JetBlue: “I have booked a flt in July, CA-VT. Wondering about flying my wedding dress w/me. Is there a safe place to hang it on the plane?” Prepare a response based on the
@ChrisC sent a message to Southwest Airlines saying, “This is extremely frustrating, how is it possible for your website to be down the entire day?” Prepare a response based on the following
@JamesR. sent a message to the delivery service UPS complaining, “Holy XXX. It’s after 6 pm and UPS still hasn’t delivered my pkg yet.” Prepare a response based on the following information:
Revise the following paragraph about three Twitter best practices by using a bulleted list. There are three simple ways you can build an online following, drive your reputation, and develop
Revise the following by incorporating a bulleted list with category headings.Auto accidents account for a high number of accidental deaths. The most common causes of these accidents are due to the
Revise the following by incorporating a bulleted list with category headings.There are many people today who want to improve their credit scores. Some simple tips for bumping up your score are
Study the following ineffective message from a manager to employees and staff. It suffers from numerous wordy constructions covered in this chapter. Study the message and list at least five
List and concisely describe at least five electronic communication channels used most commonly by business people today.
Why do you need to critically evaluate all information that engulfs you daily?
You have seen that e-mail is not universally loved although it is here to stay, despite the advent of real-time chat apps, texting, and other workplace short-form messaging. “Email is the last
Despite laws dictating a 40-hour workweek, many young Chinese tech workers endure the dreaded 9-9-6 schedule: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. What role does technology play here? How do you feel
Are conversational Internet acronyms and slang—such as AFAIK, G2G, HIFW, ICYMI, and NSFW—as well as all-lowercase writing acceptable in e-mail, texting, or instant messaging for business?
In many workplaces employers are introducing game-like competitions and tracking of workers’ vital functions with wearable devices. Consider the potential impact of gamification and wearable
An e-mail announcing a study:a. We have noticed recently a gradual but steady decline in the number of customer checking accounts. We are disturbed by this trend, and for this reason I am asking our
An e-mail announcing a new procedure:a. It has come to our attention that increasing numbers of staff members are using IM to send business messages. We realize that IM saves time and gets you fast

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