4. Developing Business Writing Techniques

You can improve your message by using mechanical emphasis, parallelism, voice, and well-placed descriptions.

One way to achieve emphasis is through mechanical devices.

Complete the following sentence.

The use of conveys special meaning.

You can also improve your messages through stylistic emphasis in sentence structure and word choice. Which of the following stylistic devices can be used to achieve emphasis? Check all that apply.

Label the main idea.

Position important ideas in the middle of the sentence.

Use passive voice.

Avoid general words.

Give important information the spotlight.

In some cases it is necessary to de-emphasize an idea, such as bad news. Does the following selection emphasize or de-emphasize the bad news?

While we are unable to renew your contract for the upcoming year, we hope to have the position reposted once the funds are available.

De-emphasize

Emphasize

When you compose messages, you may use the active or passive voice to convey meaning. Most business messages use the active voice. Which of the following are instances when you would use the passive voice in a business message? Check all that apply.

To conceal the doer of an action

To emphasize the sender not the reader

To emphasize an action instead of the recipient of an action

To de-emphasize negative news

Does the following sentence use the active or passive voice?

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Christina Balian.

Active

Passive

Parallel sentences are balanced and easy for readers to understand. Choose which sentence has the better parallel structure.

Although the presentation was extremely long, it outlined the research, analyzed the data, and provided clear recommendations that will be useful in the future.

Although the presentation is extremely long, it outlines the research, analyzes the data, and provides clear recommendations that are useful in the future.

Choose the best revision to the following sentence.

While listening to the WebEx presentation, my computer speakers malfunctioned.

My computer speakers malfunctioned while listening to the WebEx presentation.

While I was listening to the WebEx presentation, my computer speakers malfunctioned.

Effective business writers use various techniques to improve their messages. How could the following selection be improved?

The last time the board met, members discussed sending Fui to Tokyo for training on HumanPoint software, but she isnt working with HumanPoint any longer because we decided to use Point I software rather than HumanPoint, and she will no longer need to attend this training.

The problem in this ineffective selection is:

A dangling/misplaced modifier

Passive voice

Sentence length/comprehension rate

Writers should use words carefully and construct sentences skillfully to emphasize main ideas and de-emphasize minor ideas.

Choose the best response

Which of the following uses vivid words and phrases?

Please make a copy of the report for everyone at our next meeting.

Please make 12 copies of the report on paper with letterhead. Well use them in next weeks staff meeting when I announce our exciting new corporate merger.