BCM108_Business Communication(Draft 3)-converted-converted

What is the purpose of minutes? Minutes are written as an accurate record of a group's meetings, and a record decision taken. They are useful because people can forget what was decided at a meeting if there is no written record of the proceedings. Minutes can also inform people who were not at the meeting about what took place. The following is a guide for making this task easier: • Ensure that all of the essential elements are noted, such as type of meeting, name of the organization, date and time, venue, name of the chair or facilitator, main topics and the time of adjournment. For formal and corporate meetings include approval of previous minutes, and all resolutions. 150 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

• Prepare an outline based on the agenda ahead of time, and leave plenty of white space for notes. By having the topics already written down, you can jump right on to a new topic without pause. • Prepare a list of expected attendees and check off the names as people enter the room. Or, you can pass around an attendance sheet for everyone to sign as the meeting starts. • To be sure about who said what, make a map of the seating arrangement, and make sure to ask for introductions of unfamiliar people. • Don't make the mistake of recording every single comment. Concentrate on getting the gist of the discussion and taking enough notes to summarize it later. Think in terms of issues discussed, major points raised and decisions taken. • Use whatever recording method is comfortable for you, a notepad, a laptop computer, a tape recorder, a steno pad, or shorthand. It might be a good idea to make sound recordings of important meetings as a backup to your notes. • If you are an active participant in the meeting, be prepared! Study the issues to be discussed and have your questions ready ahead of time. If you have to concentrate on grasping the issues while you are making your notes, they won't make any sense to you later. • Don't wait too long to type up the minutes, especially while your memory is fresh. Be sure to have the minutes approved by the chair or facilitator before distributing them to theattendees. • Don't be intimidated by the prospect of taking minutes. Concise and coherent minutes are the mark of a professional. The very process of recording minutes can give you a deeper understanding of the issues faced by your organization along with ability to focus on what's important. Remember that minutes should capture the three points below – nothing more nothing less: • What was decided • What was accomplished • What was agreed and actions for the attendees The format for your minutes should be consistent and ideally you should be working from one 151 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

template. If your company does not have a branded template you should suggest this to yourmanager and design something for them, a simple word template with the following information will suffice: • The name of the Committee meeting • The date, time and location of the meeting • The attendees • The apologies • The name of the minute taker • Each of the agenda items underlined and listed with details on what was decided, what was accomplished and the action points to take forward (with the initials of the person responsible for the action). • Any other business • The date of the next meeting MEMORANDUM A memo (or memorandum, meaning “reminder”) is normally used for communicating policies, procedures, or related official business within an organization. It is often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass communication), broadcasting a message to an audience, rather than a one-on- one, interpersonal communication. It may also be used to update a team on activities for a given project, or to inform a specific group within a company of an event, action, or observance. A short message or record used for internal communication in a business. Letter Vs Memo Business memos are internal documents sent to employees to convey information about the company, while business letters are external communiqués, often related to sales activities or customer needs or to query a vendor or government agency. The formatting is different for both, and learning how to properly create each will help you more effectively communicate your message.Memos are often sent to notify staff members about a meeting or new policy the company feels is important enough to warrant more than word-of-mouth dissemination. Memos are often informal, with less attention to structure, formatting, grammar and quality of paper.Letters are more formal documents sent to people 152 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

outside your company. They can include requests for information or clarification from a government agency; responses to customer complaints or queries; or pitches or proposals to vendors, customers or the media. Letters are usually put on high-quality paper, rather than copy paper, and are carefully proofread to avoid even the smallest mistake. o A letter is a short or long message that is sent by one person to another while a memo is a short message that is sent by a person to another. o A letter is more formal and contains more information while a memo is informal and is very short. o A memo is more concise and to the point as compared to a letter. o A letter is exchanged between businesses and their clients while a memo is exchanged between individuals within an organization. o A memo usually has a header that states where it is from and who it is intended for while a letter may or may not have this feature. Structure of a Memo Begin a memo with this standard heading: TO:This is where the name of the recipient goes, along with their title in the company. FROM: the name of the sender, his/her position, and if the memo is printed, the sender’s initials. DATE: the date the memo is sent. SUBJECT or RE: the title of the memo. It mentions the situation the memo will address. Next, the memo’s content generally follows this structure: a. Situation/Problem- an introduction or the purpose of the memo followed by a description of the issue at hand. b. Solution/ Action– the steps needed to resolve the problem and how they are to be carried out. c. Closing- ends with a polite expression; also, provide a contact number where the recipient can reach you and offer to answer any questions that may arise. 153 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

8.5.1 Sample of Memorandum MEMORANDUM TO: Suresh Agarwal, Store Manager FROM: Deepak Dutta, Assistant Manager DATE: March 18, 2014 RE: Dress Code Issues A number of our clients have expressed their concern over the way certain sales associates are dressed. Clients complain their clothing does not reflect our store’s good image and quality of service, and instead makes them look trashy and unprofessional. I think it is necessary for us to establish and enforce a dress code for all our store employees. Some of the items that can no longer be considered appropriate are excessively baggy pants and T-shirts, low cut blouses, and any garment that exposes the chest and back. I would like to discuss this issue with you at your convenience, and also answer any questions you may have. Please contact me at XXX-XXXX. Writing strategies of a memo Step 1 Send your memo only to those individuals who need to see it. For a communications strategy, you will want to include your management team, sales, and anyone who has been, or will be, involved in the communications planning process. If it is confidential, you will want to both limit the audience to only those who need the information, and clearly note that the contents are confidential at the top of the memo. Step 2 State the purpose of your memo in your opening paragraph. Make your opening statement direct so that the reader clearly understands why he should pay attention. For example, you might write: “This memo details the communication strategy as determined by the task force selected by the agency last month.” Step 3 154 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Write the context of the memo, or the background information. For example, it might be that the communications team had been meeting for several weeks and identified a key objective but could not come up with an agreed-upon strategy. Step 4 Write your task. This is the action that was taken. In this case, it might be that you were tasked with assembling a smaller group, including several people from outside the communications department, to develop some strategies and solicit feedback. Step 5 Write your summary segment. If your task was to generate a strategy, your summary would reveal the communications strategy that you, and any others involved, have developed. For example, your strategy might be to initiate public relations activities using a combination of agency resources and in-house personnel to reach your agreed-upon objectives. Step 6 Write your discussion to provide details that support the summary. You may include reminders that the chosen strategy needs to be feasible, should be the one most likely to be effective, and that the purpose of a strategy is to achieve the stated objectives with the resources available. Include alternative strategies that were reviewed, along with their pros and cons or an explanation of why they were discarded. Step 7 Write your closing segment. This is where you list action items or offer to be a resource if there are questions or you want to set up a follow-up meeting for further discussion. You also want to note here if there are attachments with the memo. For example, you might include notes from the strategy meeting, or a copy of the communications plan that includes the objective and key messages -- items that are crucial in determining the communications strategy. You may also indicate that selecting tactics appropriate to the strategy will be the next step and give a time frame and responsible party for that. 155 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

MODERN FORMS OF COMMUNICATION: E-MAILS, SUMMARIZING E-mails The abbreviated form of electronic mail is 'email'. Email is a system used for creating, sending/receiving and storing data in a digital format over a network of computers. Today's email technology uses the store-and-forward model. In this model, users send and receive information on their computer terminals. However, the computer is used only to connect to the email architecture. The creation, transmission and storage of email takes place only when connection with an email architecture is established. Email is one of the important technological developments which has greatly influenced the way we communicate with each other. It would be interesting to study the benefits and limitations of this popular mailing tool. Advantages of emails • Emails are easy to use. You can organize your daily correspondence, send and receive electronic messages and save them on computers. • Emails are fast. They are delivered at once around the world. No other form of written communication is as fast as an email. • The language used in emails is simple and informal. • When you reply to an email you can attach the original message so that when you answer the recipient knows what you are talking about. This is important if you get hundreds of emails a day. • It is possible to send automated emails with a certain text. In such a way it is possible to tell the sender that you are on vacation. These emails are called auto responders. • Emails do not use paper. They are environment friendly and save a lot of trees from being cut down. • Emails can also have pictures in them. You can send birthday cards or newsletters as emails. • Products can be advertised with emails. Companies can reach a lot of people and inform them in a short time. Limitation of Email 156 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

1. Emotional responses. Some emails cause upset or anger. A reply in the heat of the moment can’t be easily retracted. 2. Information overload. Too many people send too much information. They often cite‘need to know’ as the justification. Learn how to use email effectively and you’ll reduce time wasted on this. 3. Lacks the personal touch. Some things are best left untyped. Email will never beat a hand written card or letter when it comes to relationships. 4. Misunderstandings. Emails from people who don’t take the time to read what they write before clicking ‘send’. Time is wasted, either to clarify or, worse, acting on a misinterpretation of the message. 5. Pressure to reply. Once it’s in your inbox, you feel an ever-increasing obligation to act on it. 6. Spam. Having to deal with spam and spoofs is one of the worst avoidable time wastersonline. 7. Sucks up your time. Over checking messages is so common, but it is time wasted on low value, passive activity. 8. Too long. How long is too long? It’s hard to say exactly, but the longer it goes on, the harder it is to take in. Email is suited to brevity. 9. Viruses. A virus could seriously affect your computer. If you want to know how to use email effectively, it's worth learning how to deal with these. Structure and Content 1. Structure An email includes at least the three following headers: • From: The sender's email address • To: The recipient's email address • Date: The date when the email was sent It may contain the following optional fields: • Received: Various information about the intermediary servers and the date when the 157 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

messagewas processed. • Reply-To: A reply address. • Subject: The message's subject • Message-ID: A unique identification for the message. 2. Style • Always fill in the subject line with a topic that means something to your reader. • Put your main point in the opening sentence. Most readers won't stick around for a surprise ending. • Never begin a message with a vague \"This\"--as in \"This needs to be done by 5:00.\" Always specify what you're writing about. • Don't use ALL CAPITALS (no shouting!), or all LOWR CASE letters either • As a general rule, PLZ avoid textspeak (abbreviations and acronyms): you may be ROFLOL (rolling on the floor laughing out loud), but your reader may be left wondering WUWT (what's up with that). • Be brief and polite. If your message runs longer than two or three short paragraphs, consider (a) reducing the message, or (b) providing an attachment. But in any case, don't snap, growl, or bark. • Remember to say \"please\" and \"thank you.\" And mean it. \"Thank you for understanding why afternoon breaks have been eliminated\" is prissy and petty. It's not polite. • Add a signature block with appropriate contact information (in most cases, your name, business address, and phone number, along with a legal disclaimer if required by your company). Do you need to clutter the signature block with a clever quotation and artwork? Probably not. • Edit and proofread before hitting \"send.\" You may think you're too busy to sweat the small stuff, but unfortunately your reader may think you're a careless dolt. • Finally, reply promptly to serious messages. If you need more than 24 hours to collect information or make a decision, send a brief response explaining the delay. 158 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

E-mail Etiquette There are certain professional standards expected for e-mail use. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding professional e-mail conduct: 1. Be informal, not sloppy. Your colleagues may use commonly accepted abbreviations in e- mail, but when communicating with external customers, everyone should follow standard writing protocol. Your e-mail message reflects you and your company, so traditional spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules apply. 2. Keep messages brief and to the point. Just because your writing is grammatically correct does not mean that it has to be long. Nothing is more frustrating than wading through an e-mail message that is twice as long as necessary. Concentrate on one subject per message whenever possible. 3. Use sentence case. USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING. Using all lowercase letters looks lazy. For emphasis, use asterisks or bold formatting to emphasize important words. Do not, however, use a lot of colors or graphics embedded in your message, because not everyone uses an e-mail program that can display them. 4. Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately. Don't use BCC to keep others from seeing who you copied; it shows confidence when you directly CC anyone receiving a copy. Do use BCC, however, when sending to a large distribution list, so recipients won't have to see a huge list of names. Be cautious with your use of CC; overuse simply clutters inboxes. Copy only people who are directly involved. 5. Don't use e-mail as an excuse to avoid personal contact. Don't forget the value of face-to-face or even voice-to-voice communication. E-mail communication isn't appropriate when sending confusing or emotional messages. Think of the times you've heard someone in the office indignantly say, \"Well, I sent you e-mail.\" If you have a problem with someone, speak with that person directly. Don't use e-mail to avoid an uncomfortable situation or to cover up a mistake. 6. Remember that e-mail isn't private. I've seen people fired for using e-mail inappropriately. E- mail is considered company property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law. Unless you are using an encryption device (hardware or software), you should assume that e-mail over the Internet is not secure. Never put in an e-mail message anything that you 159 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

wouldn't put on a postcard. Remember that e-mail can be forwarded, so unintended audiences may see what you've written. You might also inadvertently send something to the wrong party, so always keep the content professional to avoid embarrassment. 7. Be sparing with group e-mail. Send group e-mail only when it's useful to every recipient. Use the \"reply all\" button only when compiling results requiring collective input and only if you have something to add. Recipients get quite annoyed to open an e-mail that says only \"Me too!\" 8. Use the subject field to indicate content and purpose. Don't just say, \"Hi!\" or \"From Laura.\" Agree on acronyms to use that quickly identify actions. For example, your team could use <AR> to mean \"Action Required\" or <MSR> for the Monthly Status Report. It's also a good practice to include the word \"Long\" in the subject field, if necessary, so that the recipient knows that the message will take time to read. 9. Don't send chain letters, virus warnings, or junk mail. Always check a reputable antivirus Web site or your IT department before sending out an alarm. If a constant stream of jokes from a friend annoys you, be honest and ask to be removed from the list. Direct personal e- mail to your home e-mail account. 10. Remember that your tone can't be heard in e-mail. Have you ever attempted sarcasm in an e- mail, and the recipient took it the wrong way? E-mail communicationcan't convey the nuances of verbal communication. In an attempt to infer tone of voice, some people use emoticons, but use them sparingly so that you don't appear unprofessional. Also, don't assume that using a smiley will diffuse a difficult message. Summarizing Summarize long discussions. Scrolling through pages of replies to understand a discussion is annoying. Instead of continuing to forward a message string, take a minute to summarize it for your reader. You could even highlight or quote the relevant passage, then include your response. Summarizing is an important skill in academic writing. It enables you to extract the most important points from a text and rewrite them in your own words, in a shortened form. Such skills are invaluable when you are note taking and researching for an essay. Being able to write a good summary also demonstrates that you have fully understood the text you are reading. 160 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listen to an audio and visual overview of the learning object. Objectives • To show you the importance of good summarizing skills • To guide you through a set of exercises which aim to improve your summarizing skill Here are five ways to teach this valuable skill. 1. Use the right texts Students can’t summarize what they can’t comprehend. Be sure to provide scaffolding for students who need it — graphic organizers, comprehension questions, multiple readings, breaking down difficult passages into small sections — whatever it takes. Don’t ask your students to summarize something they don’t understand. Use texts you know your students can read. Even using a picture book can break down the concept of summarizing for students who are struggling. Snag a free summary lesson plan here! 2. Use a mentor text for the year Have you read the original Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum or The Call of the Wild by Jack London? Using just the first chapter of one (or both) of these books can help students really dig into summarizing (and so much more, but that’s for another post!). Because both of these texts are in the public domain, you can print an excerpt or provide students with a digital link. Bringing students back to the same text throughout the year gives them more than just an opportunity to summarize. It also: • provides you with a way to help students analyze the writer’s craft • deconstruct how the writer organizes ideas • analyze paragraph and sentence structure • look at character development When you use a mentor text to help students summarize, you can refer back to it again and again as the year progresses — students have a reference point. 161 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Don’t forget that your mentor text can also be used in your book clubs or literature circles. This allow you to build a foundation as a class with the text. 3. Have some fun with it What would happen if you challenged your middle school students to summarize a Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, or a favorite comic book? Are middle school students ever too mature for Captain Underpants?! Ummm…no. Not only will you be tapping into a bit of nostalgia for them, you can introduce the question “what is the big idea” in the story? Get a free lesson plan for teaching summarizing here! Students will need to filter out the silly details to get to the main ideas of the text. Additionally, short chapter and easy-to-read books like these make a great opportunity for students to look at the elements of the plot. Because there aren’t big sub plots, the main points will be clear to your students. 4. Let Sponge Bob (or Lucy) lead the way Who can resist this iconic I Love Lucy episode? I love this episode of I Love Lucy. Not only is it a classic, it is perfect for helping students practice summarizing. What’s going on here? What’s the problem? What are the big ideas of the scene? Again, students will have to filter out the details and get to the heart of the events. Another reason to love short video clips: • you can view them with your student’s multiple times. As I mention in teaching characterization post, students can view first for understanding and then again to analyze. • students LOVE watching old TV shows and commercials! • so much is left unsaid that students must inference what’s happening. Just watch Lucy’s face as the conveyor belt speeds up! • students can practice the same skills with different videos — as they gain confidence, they can transition to texts. 5. Create a graphic novel page 162 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

I love using graphic novel styled pages to help students practice summarizing. Most graphic novels and comic books that the story through the pictures and dialogue — and the big ideas of the story are featured. That’s where using comic book or graphic novel pages can help your students practice summarizing: • start by analyzing a few pages of a graphic novel. Students will notice that the story is told in a much different way than a traditional novel or short story. • students will notice that if the story were written out, it would be much longer and require more details. For example, the writer would want to include what the character was doing or feeling. The writer might want to describe the setting or the action. In a graphic novel, the author illustrates this. • now flip the concept. Provide students with a short text and graphic organizer. If they were going to make a graphic novel from the text, what would the panels be? Before having students actually create the graphic novel page, be sure they understand the big ideas that they’ll be illustrating • allow students to use their ideas to create a graphic novel page. Since students will only have a limited number of boxes on their graphic novel page, they are limited to just the big ideas. They must convey the story succinctly — they must provide enough detail to tell the story, but not get bogged down. The heart of summarizing! SUMMARY • Writing is a process that is made up of several different elements: Pre-Writing, Organization, Writing, Revising, and Editing. However, these different elements overlap with one another; they aren’t separate stages. Successful writers are constantly going through these different elements. Skilful writers continually remind themselves of this process, and they constantly monitor their writing, re-engaging themselves with their work. Every writer follows his or her own writing process. Often the process is a routine that comes naturally and is not a step-by step guide to which writers refer. Being conscious of your own writing process is especially helpful when you find yourself struggling with a particularly tricky piece. Here are five steps towards creating or identifying your personal writing process. 163 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

• Successful business leaders are master communicators, whether in oral or written form. The digital age has transformed how businesses communicate with consumers, vendors and partners. Written business communication should be professional, clear and concise. Don't fall victim to poorly written communication, before you realize just how important written communication is for your business. • Business Writing addresses the need to convey clear and concise communication in professional life – while dealing with colleagues, seniors, and representatives of other organizations. Business writing plays a vital role in big organizations where clear and transparent communication is absolutely essential to their functioning. The messages sent, hence, need to be clear, precise, facts-based and unambiguous. • Clear and concise professional writing is vital in many fields, such as in law, engineering, technical manuals and product labels, where misunderstanding could have serious consequences. • Many professionals today, especially at the beginning of their career, seek guidance on the skills needed for formal business writing, as they struggle with basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation. This is a serious limitation that lowers their confidence and makes them hold back when asked to document and present information. • With Effective Writing Skills, they can improve their written communication and manage to present points and ideas that they always used to have but never managed to present. This will increase their confidence and future prospects in the company too. KEYWORDS • Paraphrase: A summary or restatement of a passage in one’s own words. • Parliamentary procedure: Written rules of order that permit the efficient transaction of business in meetings. • Passive voice:the sentence form in which the subject receives the action expressed by the verb. • Plagiarism: Using another person’s words or ideas without giving proper credit. • Platitude: A trite, obvious statement. • Primary data: Data collected by the researcher to solve the specific problem at hand. 164 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Write a memo to a colleague concerning a problem you have encountered at work. Be sure to include a request for action in your memo. UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Questions A. Keeping in view the environment hazard that plastic causes, the management of your company is planningto ban the use of plastic carry bags in the organization’s campus. Assuming yourself as the Head, Planning and Development of your company plan a meeting adhering to all formalities like agenda and minutes etc. B. Summarize the given paragraph in 4-5 sentences There are various ways of preparing for cultural shock. It is helpful to learn as much of the language as possible before going to the country, to learn about the new culture, in particular aspects such as time differences, communication, conflict resolution, climate, standard of living, transportation, ethical practices, holidays, superstitions, taboos and technology. However, something that is extremely difficult to prepare for is what is known as ‘eco-shock’, the result of a person’s ‘physiological and psychological reaction to a new, diverse, or changed ecology’, a typical example of this being travel dysrhythmia, or jet lag, when people’s biological clocks have problems synchronizing with the local time. Physiological adjustment to the temperature, humidity, and altitude are also features of eco-shock, though these are generally coped with in the initial stage of cultural shock rather than being prolonged difficulties in the process of adjustment to life in a new country. For those who take frequent short trips abroad, however, eco-shock may be the most difficult part of dealing with cultural shock, since they do not experience its various longer-term phases. C. As the sales manager of ACME Electronic Equipment (12A, Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloon), you have recently received a number of complaints from your customers aboutthe way they have been treated. Some of them have not been served for more than half 165 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

anhour. Most of the complaints took place during lunch hour which is ACME’s peak time forbusiness. This has been brought to your boss, Mr. Peter Lee, the general manager’s attention. REQUIRED: You are told to write a memo to all the sales staff instructing them how they shoulddeal with visitors and customers who visit the company. They should take shifts for lunch and maintain at least a certain number of staff at all times. They should also come to work on time and any tardiness will be subject to disciplinary action. They also need to clean up their own area of work before they leave work for the day. D. Draft a memo to the employee of your firm for irregularities and indiscipline in work. B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. The word “memo” is a short form for : a. Memory b. Memorizing c. Memorandum d. Members order 2. Memo is derived from a Latin word which means : 166 a. A thing which must be remembered b. A thing which must be memorized c. A thing which must be written d. A thing which must be communicated 3. One characteristic of a memo is : a. Formal CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

b. Tool for external communication c. Concise d. Pretentious 4. Paragraph should be constructed as: a. The first sentence should state the main point of the paragraph. b. The rest of the paragraph expands the idea. c. Each paragraph should only contain one main idea. d. Use transitions to connect one paragraph to the next e.g. Yet, But, Also, Similarly e. All of the above 5. Writing business message concisely should achieve which of the following? a. Letters and memos should be no more than one page long. b. Reports should be no longer than two pages. c. Lay out your message as concisely as possible. d. Use bullet points and lists to make information easy to read and absorb. e. All of the above Answers: 1. (c) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (e) 5. (e) SUGGESTED READINGS • Lesikar R.V., Petit J.D. (2016). Business Communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw. • Chaturvedi, P.D. (2016). Business Communication. New Delhi: Pearson Education. • Raman, M., Sharma, S. Technical (2017). Communication-Principles and Practice NewDelhi: Oxford University Press. 167 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

• Murphy, R., (2015). Elementary Grammar.UK: Cambridge University Press. • Murphy, R., (2015). Essential Grammar in Use, 4th Edition. UK: Cambridge University Press. • Hewing, M. A (2015). Advanced English Grammar.UK: Cambridge University Press. • http:// www.basic English org. • www.everyday English com. • www.edufind .com. • www. language.com. • www.dauniv.ac.in 168 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT-9LISTENING – II Structure Learning Objectives Introduction Word stress and pronunciation Word stress Pronunciation Listening to announcements and directions Summary Keywords Learning Activity Unit End Questions Suggested Readings LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this unit we would • Explain the importance of word stress • Discuss the role of pronunciation in English • To explain how does one listen to announcements made INTRODUCTION A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said. Effective listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages. For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don't mean what they say. Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily 169 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

become frustrated or irritated.Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work.Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit theirsuccess to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of themain factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins allpositive human relationships, spend some time thinking about and developing your listeningskills – they are the building blocks of success. WORD STRESS AND PRONUNCIATION Word Stress Word stress is your magic key to understanding spoken English. Native speakers of English use word stress naturally. Word stress is so natural for them that they don't even know they use it. Non- nativespeakers who speak English to native speakers without using word stress, encounter two problems: • They find it difficult to understand native speakers, especially those speaking fast. • The native speakers may find it difficult to understand them. Pronunciation Pronunciation plays an important role in expressing our ideas. As discussed earlier, English is not our native language and hence the pronunciation of Indian speakers of English is different from that of the native speaker. An effort should constantly be made to make our speech asclose to standard English as possible. In terms of pronunciation, we should stick to RP(Received Pronunciation)English as it is recognized as the standard pronunciation of English worldwide. The chapter on phonetics discusses the different RP sounds of English and also gives you sufficient information regarding word stress, weak forms, and intonation patterns following which you can make your spoken English intelligible to a native listener. Articulation refers to our ability to speak different sounds distinctly. If we are able to speak and enunciate different sounds in a distinct and crisp manner, our articulation is considered appropriate and impressive. On the other hand, if we mix or mumble words, it is regarded as sloppy and 170 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

inelegant. LISTENING TO ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DIRECTIONS Listening to audiotexts of different genres has always been a challenging task for all students. While listening to announcements in English follow the steps below to make the comprehending process successful. After you’ve read the tips on listening to announcements at the initial and advanced stages, do the practical task: do pre-listening exercises, listen to the announcement, and accomplish while- and post-listening exercises. At the initial stage of listening to announcements 1. Analyze all the possible situations related to the topic (where and under what circumstances you can hear the definite announcement). 2. Brainstorm topical vocabulary on the topic of the announcement (make a list of 20-30 widespread words that you may hear in the message). 3. Practice repeating the brainstormed words to yourself aloud. Make a few partnerships with them. 4. Practice speed repeating 5-6 words you hear one by one without changing their order. 5. Answering questions in pre-listening activities, always give details, using as many key words on the topic as possible. It’ll help you understand the announcement better. 6. Be totally focused on the figures, abbreviations, proper and geographical names to be completed. Make associations, visualize to remember them better. 7. Before doing pre-listening activities, scan all the tasks in all three sections (pre-, while- and post-listening), highlighting key words and phrases, picking widespread synonyms ofthem. 8. Remember that peculiar characteristics of any announcement are its length (they are short), conciseness and laconism. So be self-disciplined to catch all the necessary information after the only listening. At the advanced stage of listening to announcements 1. After you have accomplished all Pre-listening tasks, read carefully the instructions and the text of the exercises in while-listening and post-listening parts. 171 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

2. Mark the figures and dates you can see in the while-listening and post-listening exercises. 3. Highlight key words and write them out on a separate piece of paper. Translate them, find synonyms, make word combinations with them to understand the announcement better. 4. In order to be ready for filling in the script of an announcement, be attentive to the details, to the way the words are combined into word partnerships: analyze what parts of speech can suit the gaps, what attributes are used, what particles, prepositions, conjunctions follow the verbs, nouns etc. 5. Reading the instruction, focus on the number of words you need to write for each answer, try to predict what questions will probably need a) a figure b) time, c) days of the week. 6. Read the heading and try to predict the answer before you listen to the announcement. SUMMARY • Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. • Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. • If there is one communication skill you should aim to master, then listening is it. • Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, and increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. • Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin. • Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus. Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it 172 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages. • Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. It is a physical process that, provided you do not have any hearing problems, happens automatically. • Listening, however, requires more than that: it requires focus and concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical as well. • Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages. • Listening is not a passive process. In fact, the listener can, and should, be at least as engaged in the process as the speaker. The phrase ‘active listening’ is used to describe this process of being fully involved. KEYWORDS • Resume: A brief record of one’s personal history and qualifications that is typically prepared by a job applicant. • Reference: A person who has agreed to provide information to a prospectiveemployer regarding a job applicant’s fitness for a job. • Report: An orderly and objective presentation of information that assists in decision making and problem solving. • Rhetorical question: A question asked strictly to get the reader thinking about the topic; a literal answer is not expected. LEARNING ACTIVITY In this word stress exercise, choose which syllable will receive the primary stress in these words? 1. production • PROduction 173 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

• proDUCtion 174 • producTION 2. question • QUEStion • quesTION 3. creativity • CREativity • creAtivity • creaTIvity • creatiVIty • creativiTY 4. productivity • PROductivity • proDUCtivity • producTIvity • productiVIty • productiviTY UNIT END QUESTIONS Word Stress Quiz 1. Can you pass me a plastic knife? • PLAS-tic • plas-TIC 2. I want to be a photographer. • PHO-to-graph-er • pho-TO-graph-er CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

3. Which photograph do you like best? 175 • PHO-to-graph • pho-TO-graph 4. He was born in China. • CHI-na • Chi-NA 5. Whose computer is this? • com-PU-ter • com-pu-TER 6. I can't decide which book to borrow. • DE-cide • de-CIDE 7. Couldn't you understand what she was saying? • un-DER-stand • un-der-STAND 8. Voting in elections is your most important duty. • im-POR-tant • im-por-TANT 9. We had a really interesting conversation. • con-VER-sa-tion • con-ver-SA-tion 10. How do you pronounce this word? • PRO-nounce • pro-NOUNCE CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

SUGGESTED READINGS • Lesikar R.V., Petit J.D. (2016). Business Communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw. • Chaturvedi, P.D. (2016). Business Communication. New Delhi: Pearson Education. • Raman, M., Sharma, S. Technical (2017). Communication-Principles and Practice New Delhi: Oxford University Press. • Murphy, R., (2015). Elementary Grammar.UK: Cambridge University Press. • Murphy, R., (2015). Essential Grammar in Use, 4th Edition. UK: Cambridge University Press. • Hewing, M. A (2015). Advanced English Grammar.UK: Cambridge University Press. • http:// www.basic English org. • www.everyday English com. • www.edufind .com. • www. language.com. • www.dauniv.ac.in 176 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT-10SPEAKING – II Structure Learning Objectives Introduction Congratulating, offering sympathy and condolence and making complaints How to congratulate someone in every stage of life What to say express sympathy What not to say to someone who has experienced a loss How to express condolence Steps for complaint making Summary Keywords Learning Activity Unit End Questions Suggested Readings LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this unit we would • To give details of how does one congratulate to someone • Explain the ways in which one offer sympathy to someone • Explain how does one express condolence to another • State the steps of complaint making INTRODUCTION Your voice can reveal as much about your personal history as your appearance. The sound of a voice and the content of speech can provide clues to an individual's emotional state and a dialect can indicate their geographic roots. The voice is unique to the person to whom it belongs. For instance, if self-esteem is low, it may be reflected by hesitancy in the voice, a shy person may have a quiet voice, 177 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

but someone who is confident in themselves will be more likely to have command of their voice and clarity of speech. Effective speaking is being able to speak in a public context with confidence and clarity, whilst at the same time reflecting on your own personality CONGRATULATING, OFFERING SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCE AND MAKING COMPLAINTS How to Congratulate Someone in Every Stage of Life When you want to tell someone their life achievement is worth celebrating, it’s typical to offer a note of congratulations. Saying ‘congratulations can take many forms. Sometimes, we shorten the word to simply, ‘Congrats!’ Other times, it may be more appropriate to pen a long, thorough message that showcases how proud you are. Whatever the case—be it a finished marathon, a major promotion, a new baby, or even a small victory like pulling a grade up from a C to an A—writing a congratulations message is a fantastic way to express your feelings and give praise. As long as you pay attention to the recipient’s milestone, your words of congratulations will let them know you truly care about their success. Who knows, your heartfelt message might just make their day! Since we’ve been focusing on writing how-top’s all month long, here are our tips for giving hearty congratulations throughout every stage of life. a. Wedding Wishes A wedding is a massive milestone in any person’s life, which puts the pressure on you to write something extra-special in your wedding card. Don’t worry! Here are some ideas to get you started. • I’m so happy to celebrate this special day with the two of you. Congrats! • You both are a wonderful example of what true love looks like. Congratulations on the start of your new chapter together! b. New Baby Congratulations There’s a new addition to the family, and it’s a small bundle of joy! Let your friend, co-worker, or 178 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

family member know how excited you are to meet the baby and, of course, see pictures. You could begin your congratulations message with • Congrats on your little miracle! Wishing your family plenty of love, health, and happiness now and throughout life. • Wishing you and your new-born all the best—and plenty of sleep! Congrats on the safe arrival of your bundle of joy. c. Congrats to the New Grad Graduating is a big deal at any age, as it’s often the culminating moment of years of hard work. How can you encapsulate a person’s educational achievements in words? Here are two good places to start • Congrats, grad! I am so proud of you for reaching this milestone and can’t wait to see what you do next. • Congratulations on your graduation day! Wishing you all the success in the world as you begin your next adventure. d. Still Stuck? A Simple Congratulations Guide If you’re still lost for words, these tips can make it easier to write a message of congratulations, no matter who’s on the receiving end. 1. Start strong. There’s one word you can always count on as you begin singing your praises. You probably guessed it: Congratulations! By congratulating your recipient from the very start, your note will already be on target with what you want to say. 2. Be personal. Everyone loves a hand-written compliment! After you say congrats, tell the recipient how proud you are of them and remind them why they deserve this. Acknowledge the specific achievement and add in some extra congratulation’s words. 3. End with a heartfelt closing. Offer your well-wishes for their continued success or new chapter, and you’re all set! The goal of any congratulations message is to show the recipient you care—and to make them feel extra-special! Words go a long way in expressing our deepest sentiments, and congratulatory words are no exception. 179 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

What to Say to Express Sympathy? The goal of expressing sympathy is to offer your compassion and concern for the bereaved. You can say how much you will miss the person who died or you can share a happy memory. The most important thing to communicate is that you care about the bereaved person and you are available as a source of support. • “I’m sorry for your loss.” While this phrase has become a cliché, it is also a simple and succinct way of communicating your empathy. If you are at a loss for words, telling a person “I’m sorry for your loss” can let the person know that you care. • “You are in my thoughts/I’m thinking of you.” Letting the person know that you are aware of the emotional difficulty of the situation can help a bereaved person feel less isolated in his or her experience, and reminding the person that you care enough to be thinking about him or her can help a bereaved person feel less isolated in the world. • “He/she was a wonderful person.” • “I will miss him/her.” • “This must be so hard for you.” Acknowledging the pain and grief that the bereaved is feeling can be very consoling. Many people who experience a loss feel alone and isolated in their feelings, and by acknowledging the emotional difficulty of the situation you can help make the bereaved feel less alone. • “I love you.” If you’re close enough, reminding a grieving person that you love him or her can be powerful. Grief can leave people feeling alone, and by reminding them that you love them and are there for them you can remind them that they are not alone. • “When you’re ready, I’d like to get together to learn more about what the person who died was like.” If you didn’t know the person who died, offering to listen to the bereaved can not only make the bereaved feel cared for but can also take some of the pressure off of immediate interactions. Letting the bereaved know that you’re there for him or her in the future can be a huge comfort in a stressful and painful time. • Share a memory of the person who died. 180 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

What not to say to someone who has experienced a loss Many people are afraid to say the “wrong thing” to someone who has just experienced a loss. Because a bereaved person is typically feeling overwhelmed and highly emotional, the stakes can feel very high. You should try to speak from a place of love and compassion, and honestly acknowledge the situation. Three good rules to follow when figuring out what not to say are: 1. Don’t deny that the person who died is dead. 2. Don’t deny that the bereaved is in emotional pain. 3. Don’t deny that this death may change everyone’s lives. • “I know how you are feeling.” While this may seem like an empathic statement, it can often have the opposite effect. Everyone experiences loss and grief differently, and you should encourage the bereaved to have his or her unique experience of the loss. A better way to express your empathy might be, “If you want to talk about how you are feeling, know that I am here for you.” • “S/he is in a better place.” Unless you know for sure that the person who died and the bereaved person both believed in an afterlife, this statement has the potential to be offensive. Instead, try acknowledging that the bereaved may be in pain, and that is okay. • “How are you doing/holding up?” For most people who have experienced a death, the answer to this question is “Not well.” While we want to check in with people who are in grief, the casualness of this question often forces someone struggling with grief to put on a falseface. • “Now you can start moving on with your life.” Especially after a prolonged or painful illness, death can seem like a relief. Still, a grieving person needs time and space to grieve. Support the bereaved person in taking the time and space that he or she may need. • “I don’t know what I would do if my [deceased’s relationship to the bereaved] died.” While this statement may be absolutely true for you, it does nothing to comfort the bereaved. In fact, it may make the bereaved person feel even more isolated in his or her grief. Instead, try acknowledging the profoundness of the loss and let the person know that you are there as a source of comfort and support. • “At least the death was quick so there wasn’t pain/slow so you had a chance to say goodbye.” 181 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Death is incredibly difficult, no matter the form it takes. While you may want to help the person look on the “upside,” the he or she may need some time to just live in the grief. • “Don’t worry, you’ll feel better soon.” While you may want to help the bereaved look toward the future, it’s important to give a grieving person the time and space to experience his or her feelings. Don’t pressure him or her to “get over it.” How to express condolence When someone you know has suffered the loss of a close friend or family member, it is important to let them know you are thinking of them. If course, it is difficult to know how best to express your condolences to someone who is recently bereaved but bear in mind that simply making contact and showing they are in your thoughts will be some comfort. What does ‘sending condolences’ mean? Sending your condolences means contacting someone who is recently bereaved and offering some words of comfort or sympathy for their loss. It is a way of acknowledging that they are grieving and showing that you care about them. There are an infinite number of ways to write a message of condolence. When is the best time to send your condolences? This probably depends on the nature of your relationship with the person who is experiencing loss. If you enjoy a close relationship either with the bereaved or the deceased, you should make contact as soon as possible. If you are a casual friend or part of a wider social circle, it’s fine to send condolences within a few days or just after the funeral. How to send a message of condolence A hand-written note or card is still the most traditional way to offer a formal message of condolence. You can simply send a letter or chose a blank card and devise your own words. Keeping it simple is probably best so soon after their loved one has passed. Although many of us frequently communicate via text or email, this is one instance where you should consider if this is the most appropriate choice. Text and email contact have the advantage of speed – as does a telephone call or visit of course. But on the other hand, a card or letter takes more effort and can seem more personal. 182 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

A word of warning regarding social media. It would not be right to offer condolences on Facebook or Twitter unless the bereaved person has already used these public platforms to acknowledge their feelings. This is a difficult time so be careful about inadvertently announcing the news by way of condolence on social media – even if your motives are clearly kind. As a general rule, take your lead from their online communication and tone. Example condolence messages • My/our condolences on the passing of your father/mother/friend. • Please accept our sincerest condolences. We are thinking of you. • I was so sad to hear of your loss. My condolences. • I offer my heartfelt condolences to you and your family. May [insert name]’s soul be at peace with our Heavenly Father. • I pray for peace and comfort for you and your loved ones at this difficult time and offer my condolences to you all. • His/her gentle soul will always be in our hearts. • “Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life.” Shakespeare • “If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.” James O’Barr • “Those we love and lose are always connected by heartstrings into infinity.” Terri Guillemets • “God is our refuge and our strength.” Psalm 46:1 • “Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.” George Eliot • “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” William Wallace • “It is not length of life, but depth of life.” Ralph Waldo Emerson • “It takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, and a day to love them, but it takes an entire lifetime to forget them.” Anonymous What not to say to someone who has lost a loved one 183 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Even with the very best intentions, we can sometimes say the wrong thing to someone who has recently been bereaved. To stay on the safe side, try to avoid the following: • Don’t compare your feelings with theirs We all experience grief in our own way, so even if you have also been bereaved, you are unlikely to know exactly how they might be feeling. • Don’t be overtly upbeat or try to find a positive angle. Give them the space to express their grief openly rather than feel obliged to appear that they are coping. • Don’t say what you would do if your partner/parent/friend died. Instead focus on what comfort you can offer them rather that thinking about yourself. • Don’t refer to the afterlife Unless you know for sure that the bereaved person and the deceased believed in life after death. Steps for Compliant Making An effective complaint often has three steps: explaining the problem; stating your feelings; and asking for action. 1. Explain the problem The first step is to explain the problem. To do it effectively, you must use polite, respectful language. In English, polite language is usually indirect. For example, if you are at a restaurant and the server forgets to bring your drink, saying, “You didn’t bring my drink” may be too direct. It may sound critical and cause the server to become defensive. So here are a few phrases you can use to politely explain your problem. • Let’s start with “I think you may have…” • Oh, hi! I think you may have forgotten to bring my drink. • Here is another opening line: “I’m sorry to have to say this but…” 184 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

• Hi. How’s it going? I’m sorry to have to say this, but I noticed some damage to my clothing. • Or you can simplify it with the words: “I just noticed…” • Hi. How’s it going? I just noticed some damage to my clothing. • Here’s another useful phrase: “I’m sorry to bother you, but…” • Hi, there. I’m sorry to bother you, but my hotel room is a little cold. • Or you might say: “There seems to be a mistake…” • Hi! How are you? There seems to be a mistake on my billing statement. I think you may have overcharged me. Note that, in the last example, the speaker used two phrases: “There seems to be a mistake…” and “I think you may have…” 2. State your feelings The second step is to say how you feel about the problem. This step is often not necessary. It will depend on how bad the problem is. Some problems have easy, quick solutions. For example, politely telling people that they forgot something or overcharged you usually leads to a speedy solution. But imagine that you are receiving poor service at a hotel or restaurant or that a repair shop has damaged your belongings. Or, maybe there is a continuing issue at your apartment building. In these cases, you may need to express how you feel. Always begin with step 1 – politely explaining the problem. Then, you can use phrases like “This is…” or “It is…” followed by one or more descriptive words. Let’s hear an example of someone telling their building manager about a problem: Hi Vanessa. I’m sorry to have to say this but there is still a mouse problem in my apartment. This has been an issue for three months now. It is unacceptable that the problem hasn’t been resolved. This was a continuing issue, so the speaker used step 2. But, again, use your best judgment to decide whether this step is needed. 3. Ask for action 185 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

The third step is to ask for action to be taken on the problem. This is an important step. Some people do steps 1 and 2, but forget step 3. SUMMARY • Public speaking is speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. The purpose of public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivating people to act, to simply telling a story. A good orator should be able to change the emotions of their listener, not just inform them. In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as \"who is saying what to whom utilizing what medium with what effects? Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental. • The art of persuading others goes back to the days of ancient Greece. While we don’t meet in markets and forums to discuss and defend ideas in the 21st century, communication still forms a significant part of business. Forbes mentions that the single most difficult hurdle in many professionals’ lives is the ability to deliver a memorable speech. Effective communication can help businesses get their messages across. Depending on what audience that message centers on, the methodology of delivery will differ. For a business professional, practicing the art of public speaking helps to make for a more effective transmission of ideas to the target demographic. • The definition of public speaking is: an oral presentation in which the orator delivers a discourse to an audience. In the context of business communication, public speaking may have several applications. Public speaking is important in business communication since it can be used for delivering motivational speeches, professional presentations and even training exercises. Because of the breadth of applications, companies view public speaking skills as a necessity for business communication. • Developing public speaking skills enables a business professional to deliver information that makes the listener eager to hear more. Similar to marketing, public speaking should appeal to a particular audience and get its message across succinctly. A public speaker representing a business must be able to persuade listeners, whether it’s to buy a product or service or for another purpose. Many professionals can be public speakers, and the ones who do this effectively are best remembered for getting their messages across engagingly. 186 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

KEYWORDS • Simple sentence: A sentence that has one independent clause. • Slang: An expression, often short-lived, that is identified with a specific group of people. • Solicited application letter:an application letter written in response to an advertised job vacancy. • Stimulus: An event that creates within an individual the need to communicate. • Style: The manner in which an idea is expressed (rather than the substance of the idea). LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Write a letter congratulating the competitor brand for bagging the “Best Innovative Brand Award” 2. Write a letter showing sympathy to a colleague whose entire family is being infected with the Covid-19 infection. UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Questions 1. Imagine that you are visiting friends or family in an English-speaking country. You need to have a few pieces of clothing professionally cleaned for a party. So, you take them to a dry cleaner. When you go to get your clothing from the cleaners, the man working there is friendly. He hands you the clothes, smiles and says, “That will be $21.50 please.” But you see a problem. There is now a hole in your favorite shirt and your pants have changed color. You are very unhappy. But how do you express this effectively? 2. Express sympathy to your ex-colleague who has had a huge business loss in this Pandemic. 3. Write a complaint letter to a government official of your area regarding the water supply cut. 187 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

4. You are the office manager for SmartSystem, Inc, a start-up IT firm in Central (22/F, Linkage Building, 188 Bowen Street, Central). Recently you bought 10 modems from Precision Supplies, a computer hardware supplier in Wanchai (12/F, Parkview Building, 276 Harcourt Road, Wanchai). Two weeks after installing the modems to the computer systems in your office, you discovered that two of the modems could not function properly. Since you have already paid the full amount for the modems, you are entitled to enjoy the two-year warranty that comes with the product including free replacement for any products bought within one month. You called their customer service department to ask for a replacement last Friday and was told that the replacement would be delivered to your office the following Monday. It is now already Friday and you still have not heard anything from them. You really need the two modems immediately for your company is working on a major project with an approaching deadline. This is the first time you have ordered from Precision Supplies and may be the last. REQUIRED: Write a letter of complaint to demand for an immediate replacement or a full refund. B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. The is the complimentary greeting with whichthe writer opens his letter. a. mailing notation b. salutation c. complimentary-close 2. is the assent of the writer to the subject matterof the letter and is a practical necessity. a. Opening Paragraph b. Salutation c. Signature 3. The letter should be based on a. I attitude b. you attitude c. we attitude. d. my attitude. 188 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

4. Business letter must possess the quality of a. coherence b. incompleteness c. faultiness d. Jargons 5. . is an important element in all business letters a. Signature b. letter head c. salutation d. complimentary close Answers: 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (a) 5. (c) 1. (b) 5. SUGGESTED READINGS • Lesikar R.V., Petit J.D. (2016). Business Communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw. • Chaturvedi, P.D. (2016). Business Communication. New Delhi: Pearson Education. • Raman, M., Sharma, S. Technical (2017). Communication-Principles and Practice New Delhi: Oxford University Press. • Murphy, R., (2015). Elementary Grammar.UK: Cambridge University Press. • Murphy, R., (2015). Essential Grammar in Use, 4th Edition. UK: Cambridge University Press. • Hewing, M. A (2015). Advanced English Grammar.UK: Cambridge University Press. • http:// www.basic English org. • www.everyday English com. • www.edufind .com. • www. language.com. • www.dauniv.ac.in 189 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT-11GRAMMAR – II 190 Structure Learning Objectives Introduction Sentence Correction and sentence completion Sentence correction Sentence completion Examples Para completion Examples Strategy for para-completion questions Stepwise approach for para-completion questions Approach to finding the last line of the passage Tips & tricks for solving para completion Sentence rearrangement Examples Summary Keywords Learning Activity Unit End Questions Suggested Readings LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this unit we would • Explain how does one go for sentence correction • Explain how does one go for sentence completion or rearrangement • To elaborate how does one do para completion CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

INTRODUCTION Having good grammar skills is something that is required of us while we are in school, but once we are finished with our academic careers, and once we enter the business world, we tend to have a more relaxed stance towards grammar. This has been especially true in the past 10 years or so, where the immediacy of communication has required us to respond quickly, without “wasting” time on stuff like capital letters, punctuation, and even spelling. We have grown so accustomed to using this sort of shorthand that we even use emoticons instead of words. This is perfectly acceptable if you are texting your friends or posting on social media under your own name, but you will also find that this sort of informal writing has crept inside your professional life, as well. We are all guilty of it, whether it’s sending company mails without punctuation and capital letters, or with emoticons in them. According the James Hammond, who works as Operations Manager at EduGeeksClub writing service, proper grammar is absolutely essential in the business world: “Poor grammar doesn’t just show the lack of attention to detail, but it can also be a cause of misunderstandings, and it can slow down the productivity of a company. The way we communicate is more important that you think.” SENTENCE CORRECTION AND SENTENCE COMPLETION Sentence Correction Sentence Correction or Error Spotting is the one of the most scoring area of verbal section in any competitive exam. In these questions, one or more sentences, with some parts of it underlined or bold, are given. You are required to check if there is any error in the sentence or in the marked parts of it. Accordingly, you will choose the option, which is grammatically correct. Sentence Completion Sentence Completion is a common test item in most competitive exams. A sentence contains one or two blanks (usually), to be filled in using the choices. These questions test your vocabulary and knowledge of the finer distinctions among words. A good vocabulary can be a great help here. But you can use many strategies for these questions, even without knowing all the choices. 191 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Strategies for Sentence Completion: 1. Read the Sentence Use the sentence clues by reading the sentence thoroughly. Two things make a question difficult: difficult words and sentence structure. If you cannot dissect a sentence to figure out what fits best, you CANNOT crack the question though you know the word meanings. We need to properly take apart the sentences and improve our vocabulary. 2. Hints The hints indicate what should go into the blank for the sentence to make sense. Here’s a test to locate the right hint: if you change the hint, the choice in the blank MUST be changed. Often, you can use the hint by putting that word or phrase into the blank itself. 3. Pluses and Minuses Once you find the word clues, indicate the kind of word you’re looking for with a + (positive meaning) or – (negative) sign. Also, to indicate synonyms or antonyms, you can use these symbols. 4. Structure Words Look for words like but, rather, although, however, and, while, but, therefore They reveal the sentence organization and the hint-blank relationship. They tell you what kinds of words to look for as they change the thought process in the sentence. 5. Visualize Before you go to the choices, think of the possible words for the blanks. It will save you from wrong choices. If you know roughly the KIND of words needed, the elimination is much easier. The word you visualize doesn’t have to be fancy – a general idea is fine. This is better than trying out the choices to find out “what sounds good.” It is faster and less prone to errors. EXAMPLES A. Neem has qualities and in many clinical trials, doctor have saved countless lives by using raw Neem leaves on serious wounds. a. Remedial. 192 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

b. Flavoring c. Inferior d. Doubtful e. notorious We need a positive word with a “lifesaving”-like meaning. Choices C, D, and E are negative and are ruled out. You may be unaware of remedial but you know that “flavoring” doesn’t mean anything like lifesaving. Therefore, the answer is remedial. B. The much-hated bill sparked off a wave of public which could not by the concessions the British announced. a. enthusiasm…dampened b. clamour…misled c. curiosity…complemented d. adoration…channelized e. discontent…abated Much-hated indicates a negative choice for the first blank indicating anger or protest here. The second one needs harder thinking; even the British concessions did not “lessen” the public anger. Once you are clear about the word SHADES needed, find the words similar to the ones you had visualized. 6. Elimination Ruling out the wrong choices should be easy now. But remember, BOTH the words have to fit in the given ORDER for the right answer. If one word is a perfect choice but the other one doesn’t make sense, the answer is WRONG. DO NOT rule out choices if you don’t know their meanings and unless you are sure they do not work. If you have doubts, leave and return after checking the other choices. 7. Improve Your Vocabulary Improving your vocabulary and usage can help you do better as the words meaning help you find the right answer. 193 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

8. Working Backwards The two-blank questions can be easier as you have more opportunities to eliminate wrong choices. If you can eliminate a choice based on one word, you don’t need to know the other word. Often, working BACKWARDS i.e. picking the second blank choice first works better. Keep the above points in mind while tackling sentence completion questions. PARA COMPLETION Para completion is a favored topic for various entrance exams, which makes it an important topic from the students' perspective. What is Para completion? As the name suggests, Para-completion requires you to complete the paragraph in a way that it is coherent and complete. It tests your comprehension skills. All it asks of you is to complete a missing line from a paragraph, and this line is generally the last line of the paragraph. It is a pretty simple thing to do, isn't it? Well, not quite. Let's understand the concept with help of an example. Example: The audiences for crosswords and Sudoku, understandably, overlap greatly, but there are differences, too. A crossword attracts a more literary person, while Sudoku appeals to a keenly logical mind. Some crossword enthusiasts turn up their noses at Sudoku because they feel it lacks depth. A good crossword requires vocabulary, knowledge, mental flexibility and sometimes even a sense of humor to complete. It touches numerous areas of life and provides an \"Aha!\" or two along the way. () • Sudoku, on the other hand, is just a logical exercise, each one similar to the last. • Sudoku, incidentally, is growing faster in popularity than crosswords, even among the literati. • Sudoku, on the other hand, can be attempted and enjoyed even by children. • Sudoku, however, is not exciting in any sense of the term. Can you spot the answer here? The answer is option 1. The paragraph's central idea is the comparison between crosswords and 194 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Sudoku. It first talks about crosswords and then points out how Sudoku is different. In the last two sentences crossword is discussed, hence the next sentence would be how Sudoku is different on the same lines. Strategy for Para-completion Questions Let's take another example to understand the strategy part for these questions: Most firms consider expert individuals to be too elitist, temperamental, egocentric, and difficult to work with. Force such people to collaborate on a high- stakes project and they just might come to fisticuffs. Even the very notion of managing such a group seems unimaginable. So, most organizations fall into the default mode, setting up project teams of people who get along nicely. • The result, however, is disastrous. • The result is mediocrity. • The result is creation of experts who then become elitists. • Naturally, they drive innovations. Stepwise approach for Para-Completion questions: • Identify the gist of the paragraph: This paragraph is about negative character traits of expert individuals and how they are avoided by firms. • Identify the continuing thread of thought: The author leaves us at a peculiar place: how companies choose employees that get along well. These cannot be experts because it is not in their nature to get along well. So, it has to be people who are not experts. A simple inference we draw. • Continue the thread of thought keep in mind the 'first thing’: We continue the inference we have drawn above. People who are not experts are not in a position to drive innovation or become experts. But we cannot say their results will be disastrous as the passage mentions how well they get along. So, we adopt a middle path and the choice that represents this balanced approach, option 2. Approach to finding the last line of the passage: When we are looking for the last line of the passage, we have to keep in mind that the last line can be 195 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

either of the two things. • The conclusion of the given passage. • Logical extension of the second last line. And in order to find, if any of the given option is a conclusion or logical extension, we can use some tricks. Tips & Tricks for solving Para completion • Tone of the passage: When a passage is written it follows a certain tone. This tone will never be changed abruptly. In case there is an option in which the tone of the passage changes bluntly and suddenly, we can easily eliminate the option. In case of change of tone, the author will provide certain hints like the usage of words such as - but, however, although, though etc. • Style of the author: Every author has different style of writing, for example some authors use a lot of metaphors, simile etc. While other authors use a very simple language. While solving the question make sure that the option matches with the style of the author. • Key words: In every paragraph there are certain key words that can be easily identified. If you are able to identify these key words, they will help in solving the questions and reaching the appropriate conclusion. Now that we have identified the tricks to solve, let us also look at the tricks for eliminating the options. • Do not get stuck on words. • Do not get stuck on the last line. The last line is vastly different from the last thought. Para- completion in a way is thought completion. • Last but not the least, avoid extreme answer choices. What cannot be the answer? • Restatement of one of the lines given in the passage. • Inference based on one of lines from the passage. • Inference is the conclusion drawn on the basis of the given facts. We don't have to draw the conclusion but identify it 196 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Sample Para completion question: They are the most terrible of punctuation marks in an otherwise optimistic story. Every few months a bombing somewhere in India claims dozens of ordinary lives, killing random unfortunates going about their daily business. The attacks are usually blamed on militant groups fighting Indian rule in parts of divided Kashmir, and on elements of the Pakistani intelligence services that allegedly help them. • The mighty Indian nation cannot do a thing against these irritant attacks. • It is an obstacle to ending the rancorous, bloody feud that has scarred the 60 years since independence and partition. • Blaming Pakistan is the standard response of India's old politicians who cannot think of anything new. • Each murderous onslaught sets back the painstaking progress India and Pakistan are making. • India has to be more responsible rather than blaming Pakistan for everything that goes wrong on its soil. Explanation: In order to solve this question, let us first identify the key words: (The words that are in bold are the required key words). They are the most terrible of punctuation marks in an otherwise optimistic story. Every few months a bombing somewhere in India claims dozens of ordinary lives, killing random unfortunates going about their daily business. The attacks are usually blamed on militant groups fighting Indian rule in parts of divided Kashmir, and on elements of the Pakistani intelligence services that allegedly help them. • By identifying the key words, we can see that they refer to the bombings, which are like punctuation marks (those are the pauses that we take), as they kill randompeople. • It is clearly mentioned in the passage that it is the Pakistani militants who help in the killings thereby creating the punctuation marks. Once the key words have been identified and understood, scan the options. 197 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Resolve the paradox: Scanning the options • Option 1: There is no mention of any action that may or may not be taken by India, and hence can be eliminated. • Option 2: The second statement is a restatement, and hence is eliminated. • Option 3: and Option 5: These are clubbed together as they are very similar and both talk of India blaming Pakistan, in spite of India being at fault. This has not been mentioned and thus cannot be derived from the passage. • Option 4: Thus, this is the only option left, and by method of elimination, this is the answer. Key Learning • The example in this article showcases the approach you need to adopt for Para completion. Follow the given tricks and learn to solve the questions on Para completion. • As the saying goes, Practice makes a man perfect, so is the case with this exercise. SENTENCE REARRANGEMENT When solving jumbled sentences or \"Sequence of Words\" type questions, first determine the \"Subject\" and the \"Predicate\". • SUBJECT - The part which names the person or thing we are speaking about. • PREDICATE - The part that tells something about the subject. A central Theme around which the passage is framed. Identify the central theme, which is usually the first sentence. A logical sequence is present which usually describes the central theme. If there are pronouns like (it, this, that etc.) in the sentence, then it simply means that they have already discussed about the subject. So, in maximum cases it won't be the first sentence (I and You are exceptions for this rule). Sentences that begin with 'And', 'But' etc. usually follow the central theme with an explanation to the same or give additional information. 198 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Sentences that have full names mentioned are either the starting or come in the first few sentences of the paragraphs. Similarly, the sentences that have 'they', 'him' or 'her' or the short names would only come after the proper introduction of the person. In maximum cases Last sentence ends with some conclusion / statement It’s always a good idea to read the answer options to figure out the most correct sentence, then to try solving the jumbled sentence yourself. 11.4.1 Example A. Miss Sullivan arrived at the Keller home when Helen was seven. B. The deaf and blind Helen learned to communicate verbally. C. But, eventually, Miss Sullivan's effort was rewarded. D. Before Helen Keller was two years old, she lost her sight and her hearing. E. Miss Sullivan worked closely with Helen, her new student. F. At times the teacher became frustrated. 1. DEFACB 2. DAEFCB 3. ACFDEB 4. CFDABE 5. FDACEB Explanation: Upon reading the above paragraph, we come to see that in A, B, E, F, the names mentioned are short while in D, the full name is mentioned. Hence D is the first sentence. Next, we see that Ms. Sullivan comes into the picture when Helen is seven years old and hence A is the second sentence. The paragraph revolves around Helen's learning and hence E states what joins Helen and Ms. Sullivan. 199 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)