Page 210 - DENG102_COMMUNICATION_SKILLS_II

Unit 14: Writing and Planning Effective Business Letters

The sentence in these paragraphs should be revised to show relationships between ideas notes
more clearly, to keep readers interested, and to improve readability. Use simple sentences
for emphasis and variety, compound sentences for communication-ordinate (equal)
relationships, and complex sentences for subordinate relationships.
The first two sentences in the revision are complex, the third sentence is simple, and the
last sentence is compound. The lengths of the four sentences range from 12 to 27 words. To
write effective sentences, use different sentences patterns and lengths. Most sentences in
good business writing range from 16 to 22.

14.1.7 use active and Passive voice appropriately

Voice is the aspect of a very that shows whether the subject of the sentence acts or is acted on. In
the active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the very. In the passive voice, the
subject receives the action expressed by the verb.
Active: Inmac offers a full refund on all orders.

Passive: A full refund on all orders is offered by Inmac.
Active: Shoemacher & Doerr audited the books in 2002.
Passive: The books were audited in 2002 by Shoemacher & Doerr.
Passive sentences add some form of the verb to be to the main verb, so passive sentences are
always somewhat longer active sentences. In the first set of sentences, just given, for example,
compare ‘offers’ in the active sentences with is offered by in the passive sentences.
In active sentences, the subject is the doer of the action; in passive sentences, the subject is the
receiver of the action. And because the subject gets more emphasis than other nouns in a sentence,
active sentences emphasize the doer, and passive sentences emphasize the receiver, of the action.
In the second set of sentences, either version could be considered correct, depending on whether
the writer wanted to emphasize Shoemacher & Doerr or the books.
Use active sentences most of the time in business writing, just as you naturally use active sentences
in most of your conversations. Note that verb voice (active or passive) has nothing to do with
verb tense, which shows the time of the action. As the following sentences show, the action in
both active and passive sentences can occur in the past, present, or future.
Don’t: A very logical argument was presented by Hal. (Passive voice, Past tense)
Do: Hal presented a very logical argument. (Active voice, past tense)
Don’t: An 18% increase will be reported by the eastern region. (Passive voice, future tense)

Do: The eastern region will report on 18% increase. (Active voice, Future tense)
Passive sentences are most appropriate when you want to emphasize the receiver of the action,
when the person doing the action is either unknown or unimportant, or when you want to be
tactful in conveying negative information. All the following sentences are appropriately stated
in the passive voice:

l Protective legislation was blamed for the drop in imports. (Emphasizes the receiver of the
action)

l Transportation to the construction site will be provided. (The doer of the action not
important)
l Several complaints have been received regarding the news policy. (Tactfully conveys
negative news)
Words, sentences, and paragraphs are all building blocks of communication.

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