A Practical Guide To Business Writing

Writing In English For Non-Native Speakers

Khaled Al-Maskari

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781118410790
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Small Business
• Index: Business

Nowadays, letters, reports and emails are vital components of business practice. Communication is increasingly global, but it's not any easier to understand or contribute to for non-fluent English speakers. There is increasing pressure to be able to produce effective documents for a business environment but little help out there to do so efficiently, resulting in wasted time and uncomfortable business communication.

This book provides a wealth of practical information for any person who aims to produce short, effective documents within the work environment. It offers sensible, valuable and helpful rules for producing effective short reports, memos, letters and e-mails that are clear, concise and easy to read for the busy manager or supervisor working in the demanding setting of modern industry or commerce.

But it goes further: not only are rules provided for the inexperienced business writer, but models are proposed which provide solutions for a whole host of business situations – providing help, support and encouragement for the many thousands of business writers who need to feel confident in their writing.

Chapter 1

Business Writing Style

This chapter is intended to provide tips for effective business writing that can be applied to all forms of business correspondence such as: memos, faxes, reports, and e-mails.

Use these 12 tips to develop an effective business writing style:

1. Keep your purpose, readers and content in mind

2. Keep your sentences short

3. Use positive language

4. Use linking words

5. Use simple, familiar words

6. Use passive voice for specific reasons

7. Use bullet points and numbered lists correctly

8. Use tables and charts effectively

9. Use impersonal style when expressing opinions

10. Avoid outdated expressions

11. Avoid repetition

12. Avoid turning verbs into nouns

1. Keep Your Purpose, Readers and Content in Mind

Before you start writing your e-mail, memo or report, consider the following points and keep in mind the PRC (Purpose, Reader, Content) Triangle (see fig 1.1 below).

Purpose

What is my purpose?

• To inform
• To request
• To persuade
• To suggest or recommend
• To complain
• To explain
• To appreciate

Readers

Who are my readers?

• Supervisors
• Assistants
• Trainees
• Technicians
• Managers
• Employees
• Others

Content

• What information do my readers want?
• Will my readers understand technical terms?
• Would examples, details, or graphics help the readers to understand better?

Figure 1.1 PRC Triangle

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You should keep in mind the PRC Triangle when writing a memo, an e-mail or a report. This shows that the purpose, reader and content of a report are all equally important but that each is influenced by the others (see figure 1.1).

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2. Keep Your Sentences Short

In business writing, the fewer words, the better.

The following examples illustrate how to remove unnecessary words that do not add meaning to a sentence.

Long	Short
One of the best things you can do for yourself to improve your writing is to learn how to cut words that are not necessary.	To i...