Lecture note Chap 4- Revising Business Message

Lecture note Chap 4- Revising Business Message

University of Foreign Languages and International Studies
DIVISION OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES Chapter 4
Student’s name: Revising Business Message
Date of birth: 04/09/2001.
Fill the gap with a suitable word or phrase. Use textbook as a reference.
Outcome 1: Make messages more concise by rejecting flabby expressions, long lead-ins, there
is/are and it is/was fillers, redundancies, and empty words.
Revising: (1) improving content, sentence structure, and design
Proofreading: (2) improving the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics of your
messages.
Revising for Conciseness:
(3)
at this point in time (flabby) → now (concise)
(4) Limiting long lead-ins: This is to let you know that Monday is a holiday (wordy) →
Monday is a holiday (concise).
(5) Dropping unnecessary There is/are and It is/was Fillers: There are at least ten
candidates who applied for that position. → At least ten applicants applied for that
position.
(6) Getting rid of redundancies: combined together → combined
(7) Purge empty words: We are aware of the fact that many managers need assistance.
→We know many managers need assistance.
Outcome 2: Enhance clarity in business messages by keeping the ideas simple, dumping trite
business phrases, cutting clichés, shunning slang, rescuing buried verbs, restraining exuberance,
and choosing precise words.
Keep it short and simple (KISS):
It would not be inadvisable for you to affix your signature at this point in time. →
You should sign now.
(8) Dumping Trite Business phrases:
pursuant to your request → as you request
(9) Avoiding jargon (worn phrases) and Slang (informal words with extravagant meanings)
Get on the horn with my admin. → Please call my administrative assistant.
(10) nburying Verbs that are needlessly converted to wordy noun
expressions.
Please give serious consideration to a company intranet.
Please seriously consider a company intranet.
(11) Controlling exuberance by using sparingly such words as very, definitely, quite, totally,
etc.
We are actually very certain that they totally agree with our proposal.
(12) Choosing clear, precise Words:
He said that he thought they should help out with the report.
Eliminating Flabby expressions:
U
→ The team leader told Jason and Chris that they should write sections of the report.
Outcome 3: Identify proofreading problem areas, and apply smart techniques to catch mistakes in
both routine and complex documents.
(13) What to watch for in proofreading?
Spellin
g
Gramma
r
Punctuatio
n
Format
(14) How to Proofread Routine Documents:
Use the down arrow to reveal one line at a
time
Read from a printed hard
copy
Use standard proofreading marks to indicate
changes.
(15) How to proofread complex Documents Print a copy, preferably double spaced.
Set it aside and take a breather.
Allow adequate time for careful proofing.
Expect errors and congratulate yourself when you find them.
Read the message at least twice–once for meaning and once for grammar and mechanics.
Reduce your reading speed and focus on individual words.
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University of Foreign Languages and International Studies
DIVISION OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES Chapter 4 Student’s name: Revising Business Message Date of birth: 04/09/2001.
Fill the gap with a suitable word or phrase. Use textbook as a reference.
Outcome 1: Make messages more concise by rejecting flabby expressions, long lead-ins, there
is/are and it is/was fillers, redundancies, and empty words.
• Revising: (1) improving content, sentence structure, and design
Proofreading: (2) improving the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics of your messages.
Revising for Conciseness:
• (3) Eliminating Flabby expressi at t
ons: his point in time (flabby) → now (concise)
• (4) Limiting long lead-ins: This is to let you know that Monday is a holiday (wordy) →
Monday is a holiday (concise).
• (5) Dropping unnecessary There is/are and It is/was Fillers: There are at least ten
candidates who applied for that position. → At least ten applicants applied for that position.
• (6) Getting rid of redundancies: combined together → combined
• (7) Purge empty words: We are aware of the fact that many managers need assistance.
→We know many managers need assistance.
Outcome 2: Enhance clarity in business messages by keeping the ideas simple, dumping trite
business phrases, cutting clichés, shunning slang, rescuing buried verbs, restraining exuberance, and choosing precise words.
• Keep it short and simple (KISS):
It would not be inadvisable for you to affix your signature at this point in time. → You should sign now.
• (8) Dumping Trite Business phrases:
pursuant to your request → as you request
• (9) Avoiding jargon (worn phrases) and Slang (informal words with extravagant meanings)
Get on the horn with my admin. → Please call my administrative assistant. • (10) U
nburying Verbs that are needlessly converted to wordy noun expressions.
Please give serious consideration to a company intranet. →
Please seriously consider a company intranet.
• (11) Controlling exuberance by using sparingly such words as very, definitely, quite, totally, etc.
We are actually very certain that they totally agree with our proposal.
• (12) Choosing clear, precise Words:
He said that he thought they should help out with the report.
→ The team leader told Jason and Chris that they should write sections of the report.
Outcome 3: Identify proofreading problem areas, and apply smart techniques to catch mistakes in
both routine and complex documents.
(13) What to watch for in proofreading? Spellin g Gramma r Punctuatio n Names and Numbers Format
(14) How to Proofread Routine Documents:
Use the down arrow to reveal one line at a time Read from a printed hard copy
Use standard proofreading marks to indicate changes.
(15) How to proofread complex Documents Print a copy, preferably double spaced.
• Set it aside and take a breather.
• Allow adequate time for careful proofing.
• Expect errors and congratulate yourself when you find them.
• Read the message at least twice–once for meaning and once for grammar and mechanics.
• Reduce your reading speed and focus on individual words.