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Workplace Writing

Workplace Writing. Business Letter (Pearson Literature Book p. 512). What is a business letter?. A piece of correspondence that you write when conducting business or professional matters. . What makes a business letter effective?. Clear Direct Courteous Well formatted.

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Workplace Writing

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  1. Workplace Writing Business Letter (Pearson Literature Book p. 512)

  2. What is a business letter? • A piece of correspondence that you write when conducting business or professional matters.

  3. What makes a business letter effective? • Clear • Direct • Courteous • Well formatted

  4. Where do you find this type of writing? • Requests for information, appointments, or interviews • Formal complaints or commendations • Business proposals

  5. Format of the business letter Refer to page R34 in Pearson Literature Book

  6. How do you format a business letter? • Block Format • Each part of the letter begins a the left margin. • A double space is used between paragraphs • Modified Block format • Some parts of the letter (heading and closing are indented to the center of the page.

  7. What is the heading? • The writer’s address and organization if any and the date

  8. What is the inside address? • Indicates where the letter will be sent

  9. What is the salutation? • It is punctuated by a colon • When the specific addressee is not known, use a general greeting such as “Dear Sir or Madam:” or “To Whom It May Concern:”

  10. What is the body? • States the writer’s purpose

  11. What is the closing? • “Sincerely” is common, but “Yours truly” or “Respectfully yours” are also acceptable • To end the letter, the writer types his/her name and provides a signature.

  12. What are voice and tone?Pearson Literature p. 513 • Voice • Created by the use of formal vocabulary and tone • Tone • The attitude you take toward the subject of your letter

  13. Who is your audience? • Express yourself clearly and professionally • You may need to research topic so you can ask relevant questions. • Maintain a formal tone

  14. How do I maintain a formal tone in a business letter? • Avoid slang and contractions • Replace casual language with formal expressions • Include only essential information the person needs to answer your questions • No contractions (e.g. it’s, there’s)

  15. What is a memo? • Purpose is to give information to a number of people • Has all the information at the top • Who wrote it • Whom it is to • Date • Subject • Body of memo has all the information • Do not have addresses, greetings, or closings

  16. Sample memo

  17. What is e-mail? • An efficient way to request or present information • Less formal than business letter • Speedy and direct access to the source of information • Be clear in subject line (like in a memo) • Short and to the point • Include a greeting, body, closing, and an electronic signature

  18. Sample e-mail

  19. Revising Strategies for a Business Letter

  20. ACTIVE Verb in the active voice expresses an action done by its subject Ex: The student yelled at the teacher. PASSIVE Verb in the passive voice expresses an action done to its subject Ex: The teacher was yelled at by the student. Active Voice vs. Passive Voice Active voice produces a more direct and forceful sentence, therefore USE ACTIVE VOICE.

  21. Grammar Workbook Pages 127-130 EXERCISES PRACTICING ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

  22. Combine Choppy Sentences Avoid choppy sentences by combining two or more sentences with related ideas into one. CHOPPY: I went to Hometown Buffet. I had mashed potatoes and gravy. COMBINATION: I went to Hometown Buffet and had mashed potatoes and gravy.

  23. Letter to Principal Write your own letter to the principal. Use graphic organizer and rough draft form. Type final letter to be turned in. Use rubric in Pearson Literature book p 515 to check letter before turning it in.

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