Written Communication

• True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,
  As those move easiest who have learned to dance.
  
  
• Writing reveals (show) one’s ability to think clearly and to use language effectively.
  
  
• The task for effective writing is to recognize the needs, expectations, fears, and attitude of the audience/receiver and the reader of the written message.
  
  
• To be accurate you should check and double check all information for- facts, figures, words, language, tone.
  
  
• A message should be communicated correctly in terms of grammar, punctuation, and spellings.
  
  
• If both subjects are singular, the verb will be singular.
  
  
• If one subject is singular and the other plural, the verb will be plural.
  
  
• Wrong prepositions change the meaning of the statement.
  eg:- She has a strong feeling towards us.
         She has a strong feeling against us.
  
  
• “at” denotes a specific moment or point in time.
  -The meeting begins at 3.00 pm.
  Do not say “in the night” it is “at night”.
  
  
• “on” is used for a particular day when it is mentioned as a day of the week (Monday ) or as particular day in the year.
  
  ( on Diwali,  on Friday morning, in the summer morning, in the evening, in the day time ).
  
  
• Remember that ‘night’ can be used as ‘tomorrow night’ not as ‘yesterday night’.
  
  
• “in” used for a future period of time at the end of which, something will happen.
  eg:- I shall complete my work in a few minutes.
         she will come back in an hour.
  ‘in’ is used with the future tense, not the past tense.
  
  
• He decided to meet me today ( not on today ) Amit spoke to me yesterday ( not on yesterday ), I shall remind you tomorrow (not on tomorrow).
  
  
• Say ‘last night’ and ‘tonight’ instead of saying ‘yesterday night’ or ‘today night’.
  
  
• We say ‘this morning’ , ‘this evening’ , ‘this afternoon’.
  
  
• ‘in’ used before the names of large places, such as capital cities large towns, countries states or districts.
  -I live in Delhi / in India (in Gujarat). But use ‘at’ before village and smaller towns.
  -My house is at sector 3 in Gandhinagar. I live at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
  
  
• in a bank, in an office, in a shop, in a factory, in a college, in a hotel.
  
  
• on a farm, on the railway, on a tea-estate, on plantation.
  
  
• In English punctuation matters. It determines the meaning of the sentence and paragraph. Sometimes even the meaning of a word gets changed by the punctuation mark.
  
  
• While writing a letter:-
  -Refrain using words that underline the negative aspects of the situation.
  -Write with a cool frame of mind. Do not write a letter or memo when you are angry or excited.
  -Don’t allow your anger, or harshness to creep into your letters/memos.
  
  

Guidelines for reflecting ‘you’ point-of-view in business correspondence:-

-place yourself in his/her position.
-accept a pleasant tone as far as possible.
-evade negative words and images. Don’t use words which insult or accuse the reader.
-offer some helpful suggestions if possible.
-use words which are familiar, clear, and natural.
- Avoid expressions which are old-fashioned or legalistic.
Compiled By: Chaudhary Amit V.