Effective Business Writing 1.3

Effective Business Writing 1.3

Directions (from 1 to 10): Often helping words are unnecessary if the writer chooses his words carefully. Match list A with list B accordingly,

LIST A (unnecessary Adjectives/ Adverbs Used)	LIST B (Replacement)
1.   pursue vigorously	a. soared
2.   powerful increase	b. blocked
3.   move swiftly	c. force
4.   erroneous decision	d. plummet
5.   moved moderately higher	e. surge
6.   decline sharply	f.  mistake
7.   moved rapidly higher	g. strive
8.   exert irresistible pressure	h. hurry
9.   preliminary investigation	i.  probe
10. halted suddenly and completely	j.  rose

Directions (from 11 to 15): Choose the correct option.

11. True or False: It is acceptable to make personal observations and comments in the body of a business letter, just as long as you get all of the important details in also.

(a) True, (b) False

12. True or False:  A colon placed after the salutation in a business letter denotes formality.

(a) True, (b) False

13. The alignment of a business letter has two basic formats,

(a) block format, (b) type format, (c) none of these.

14. The business memo has a certain format that must be followed in order to make specific points and avoid confusion. What are the parts of a memo?

(a) heading, introduction, body, closing

(b) heading, salutation, introduction, body, closing

(c) heading, salutation, body, closing

15. What is the main difference between a letter and a memo?

(a) Letter - longer, more parts in the heading. Memo – contains more information, not as detailed.

(b) Letter - longer, more formal, contains more information. Memo – brief, communicates information in just a glance.

(c) None of these.

Directions (from 16 to 28): The following text comes from a student's essay. Some of the lines in this letter contain a word that shouldn’t be there. If you find any line correct, write OK in the front column.

Chris Eubank, the British boxer talks about how he keeps healthy.	OK
16. At the moment I’m more healthier than any man in the street. I’m fit
17. again, although I had chicken pox not long ago. I have had a temperature
of 102 degrees and my face was swollen. Apart from colds and flu,	OK
18. chickenpox is the only illness who I’ve had.
19. When we were children my mother gave to us basic food like fish, rice,
20. fresh vegetables and fruit. Junk food like the hamburgers and sweets are
21. expensive and we couldn’t to afford them. The kitchen is the most
22. important room in the house because food is medicine. We weren’t ill
23. when we were been young because we ate the right things.
24. Now I don’t eat until after three in the afternoon because I like to training
25. on an empty stomach, but I do miss the big breakfasts I used to have.
26. I began smoking when I was six years, but when I was sixteen my chest
27. began to burn whenever I ran too much fast, so I gave it up
My favourite drink is water or pineapple juice. I never drink alcohol.	OK
28. I don’t feel as if I’m getting old yet – I haven’t got no grey hair and my teeth are all mine

Directions (29-33): In each of the following questions, a part of sentence is given in bold. Below each sentence, four choices numbered (A), (B), (C) and (D) are given which can substitute the part of the sentence in bold. Find out the choice which can correctly substitute that part of the sentence. The number of that choice is the answer. If 'No correction needed' is your answer, the choice is (E).

29) We must take it granted that he will not come for today's function.

A. have it granted, B. took it as granted

C. taking it granted, D. take it for granted

E. No correction required

30) The train will leave at 8.30 pm, we have been ready by 7.30 pm so that we can reach the station.

A. should have, B. are

C. must be, D. were

E. No correction required

31) She unnecessarily picked up a quarrel with him and left the party.

A. picking up, B. picked

C. picked on, D. has picked up

E. No correction required

32) He has the guts to rise from the occasion and come out successfully.

A. in rising from, B. to raise with

C. to rise against, D. to rise to

E. No correction required

33) I need not offer any explanation, my behaviour is speaking itself.

A. speaks about itself,B. has been speaking

C. speaks for itself, D. will speak to itself

E. No correction required

BUSINESS CROSSWORD PUZZLE: Directions (34 - 50): Find 17 business words in the grid below.  Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally, backwards or forwards.

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