Page 208 - DENG102_COMMUNICATION_SKILLS_II

Unit 14: Writing and Planning Effective Business Letters

you stress the advantages of doing so rather than the disadvantages of not doing so. Positive notes
language also builds goodwill for you and your organization and often gives more information
than negative language. Note the difference in tone and amount of information given in the
following pairs of sentence:
Don’t: The briefcase is not made of cheap imitation leather.
Do: The briefcase is made of 100% belt leather for years of durable service.
Don’t: We cannot ship your merchandise until we receive your cheque.
Do: As soon as we receive your cheque, we will ship your merchandise.

Don’t: I do not yet have any work experience.
Do: My two terms as secretary of the management club taught me the importance of accurate
record keeping and gave me experience in working as part of a team.
Expressions like cannot and will not are the only ones that convey negative messages. Other
words, like mistake, damage, failure, refuse, and deny, also carry negative connotations and
should be avoided when possible.

Don’t: Failure to follow the directions may cause the blender to malfunction.
Do: Following the directions will ensure many years of carefree service from your blender.
Don’t: We apologize for this error.
Do: We appreciate your calling this matter to our attention.
Don’t: We close at 7 p.m. on Fridays to give you time to shop after work.

Do: We’re open until 7 p.m. on Fridays to give you time to shop after work.
Sometimes you can avoid negative language by switching to the subjunctive mood, which uses
words like wish, if, and would to refer to conditions that are impossible or improbable. Such
language softens the impact of the negative messages, making it more palatable to the reader.
Here are two examples:

Don’t: I cannot speak at your November meeting.
Do: I wish it were possible for me to speak at your November meeting.
Don’t: I cannot release the names of our clients.
Do: Releasing the names of our clients would violets their right to privacy.
In short, stress what is true and what can be done rather what is not true and what cannot
be done. This is not to say that negative language has no place in business writing. Negative
language is strong and emphatic, and sometimes you will want to use it. However, unless the
situation clearly calls for negative language, you are more likely to achieve your objective and to
build goodwill for yourself and your organization by stressing the positive.

Notes Writing effective sentence
A sentence has a subject and predicate and express at least one complete thought. Beyond
these attributes, however, sentences vary widely in style, length, and effect. They are also
very flexible; writers can move sentence parts around, add and delete information, and
substitute words to express different ideas and emphasize different points. To build effective
sentences, use a variety of sentence types, and use active and passive voice appropriately.

lovely Professional university 203