One of the 7c's of business communication - Correctness

CompletenessConcisenessConsiderationConcretenessClarityCourtesyCORRECTNESS

CORRECTNESSBy Vaibhav, Naman, Pulkit,

Tushar, Siddharth, Anirudh and Arunav

CORRECTNESS

Different meanings depending on medium of communication used.

Written – Grammar, spellings, punctuations, style etcetera

Spoken – Use of right language, Vocabulary etcetera

WRITTEN

WRITTEN

Grammar – Dangling modifiers, Coherence, Parallel structure.

DANGLING MODIFIERS (Misplaced Modifier)UNCLEAR : Upset by the teams performance the arena started to get empty. (SUB-Arena)

CLEAR : Upset by the teams performance the fans started to leave the arena. (SUB-Fans)

WRITTEN

Grammar – Dangling modifiers, Coherence, Parallel structure.

COHERENCEMake the message to be conveyed, coherent and logical

Example : Also, however, therefore, for instance, similarly, because of, etcetera

Help tie sentences

WRITTEN

Grammar – Dangling modifiers, Coherence, Parallel structure.

PARALLEL STRUCTUREParallel : The instructor explained how to start a car and how to shift gears.

Not parallel : The instructor explained how to start a car and shift gears.

WRITTEN

PUNCTUATIONComma ( , )

Semicolon ( ; )

Colon ( : )

Hyphen ( - )

Exclamation mark ( ! )

Apostrophe ( ‘ )

WRITTEN

PUNCTUATION

EXAMPLE

Incorrect : Arunav is in the washroom (No use of any punctuation)

Correct : Arunav is in the washroom ? (Punctuation used)

While speaking, the tone determines whether the sentences is a question or just a statement. But while writing the use of punctuations substitute the tone. Therefore in the above case avoiding the use of question mark ( ? ) has made the sentence ambiguous.

STYLE (Written)

Abbreviations Titles

Description

Professional degrees

Numbers as numerals or words

Word choice

ABBREVIATIONS

Titles – Mr, Mrs, Dr, Messrs

Description – Jr, Sr, Mt, St, Inc, Ltd

Professional degrees – B.B.A, B.B.S, B.M.S, B.B.E, Ph.D, M.D, C.P.A

STANDARD STATE ABBREVIATIONS

1. ND – New Delhi

2. UP – Uttar Pradesh

3. AP – Andhra Pradesh

4. MP – Madhya Pradesh

5. TN – Tamil Nadu

6. HR – Haryana

7. WB – West Bengal

8. JK – Jharkhand

GENERAL ABBREVIATIONS

1. PL – Place

2. N – North

3. S – South

4. W – West

5. E – East

6. RD – Road

7. CR – Credit

8. APT - Apartment

NUMBERS AND NUMERALS (Rules)

Rule of 10 – In letters spell out numbers from 1-9 and use numerals for 10 and higher.

Express numbers in word if sentence is beginning with a number

In a sentence if there is a series of numbers express them in numerical form unless they all are below 10

Express monetary values in numerical form

NUMBERS AND NUMERALS (Rules)

Express quantity in numerical form if it has more than three digits

Express one in words and the other in numerical form if a number is immediately preceded by another

Example : I wish to place an order of fifteen 4-inch paintbrushes

Express time, percentage, decimals, house number, dates, etcetera

SPOKEN

INFORMALRefers to the spontaneous speech in situations that may be described

as natural

Used by people who know each other well

In an organisation informal conversation takes place between people at same level

Example : What’s up, dude, bro, etcetera

SPOKEN

FORMALAssociated with scholarly writing

Contains long and involving sentences

Used while communicating with superiors and subordinates

Example : impromptu, rendezvous, leitmotif, etcetera

COMPARISON

MORE FORMAL LESS FORMAL

Participate Join

Deem Think

Edifice Building

Utilize Use

Procure Get

ACCURACY OF FIGURES, FACTS, AND WORDS

Verifying statistical data

Double checking totals

Avoid guessing figures and facts

Considering time period when dealing with facts and figures

Have someone else read the messages

WORDS THAT CONFUSE

English is a dynamic language

A lot of confusion between similar sounding words and words with similar spellings which have different meanings.

EXAMPLEEffect & affect

Farther & further

Counsel & Council, etcetera

WORDS THAT CONFUSE

A & An – ‘a’ is used before consonants whereas ‘an’ is used before a vowel or a silent ‘h’ as in ‘honesty’

Accept & Except – ‘accept’ means to receive something whereas ‘except’ means omitting something

Anxious & Eager – ‘anxious’ implies worry whereas ‘eager’ implies keen desire

WORDS THAT CONFUSE

Continual & Continuous – ‘continual’ means recurring regularly whereas ‘continuous’ means without stopping

Counsel & Council – ‘counsel’ means to advice whereas ‘council’ is an advisory or a governing group

Effect & Affect – ‘effect’ means result whereas affect means to influence