Business Correspondence and Reporting Revision

Chapters to be prepared for scoring maximum marks in BCR:

1. Communication – 6 marks questions - 2 marks each

2. Sentences, voices and speeches – 5 marks questions – 1 mark each (MCQ)
3. Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, idioms) – 4 marks questions – 1 mark each (MCQ)
4. Note making and summary – 5 marks question (3 marks note making & 2 marks summary)
5. Comprehension – 5 marks (mostly one sentence questions shall be asked)
6. Precise writing – 5 marks question

NOTE: questions shall be asked along with same marks as given in above points.

So students, the above SIX chapters are to be studied thoroughly for scoring maximum marks
as the sum comes to 30 marks out of 40.

Now let us have a look at writing skills section: (each of 5 marks)

7. Report writing (mostly news paper or magazine reports are asked in examination)
8. Formal letter writing (any one of the 7 types of formal letters given in ICAI module)
9. Article writing (300 to 400 words)
10. Circular and memos (120 to 150 words)
11. Email writing (150 to 200 words)
12. Agenda, Minutes and Action taken Reports writing

NOTE: Of the above writing skills, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are very important topics

LET US DISCUSS THE PAPER PATTERN – 40 marks

Q. 7 – Compulsory question – Comprehension – 5 marks

Note making & summary – 5 marks

Attempt any 3 questions from Q.8, Q.9, Q.10 and Q.11 – 10 marks each

Each question comprises of:

2 marks question from communication chapter
3 marks questions - voices, speeches, synonyms, antonyms, idioms (1 mark mcq)
5 marks question from writing skills

Few Things to remember

1. Kindly use Black Ball Point Pen to write the answers in examination
2. Avoid marking anything on the question paper
3. Adhere to the formats prescribed for various answers including writing skills
4. Only underline with pencils wherever necessary.
1. COMMUNICATION
Introduction:
1. Derived from Latin word „Communicare‟- means “to share
2. Process of exchanging info, ideas, thoughts, feelings, emotions by using speech, signals,
writing or behavior
3. Sender- also known as encoder and Receiver- also known as decoder

Main steps in communication:

1. Sender uses a medium/channel to transmit the message
2. Receiver sends the “feedback” on receiving the message via medium/channel to sender
3. Messages are often misinterpreted due to external disturbances also known as barriers.
3. Communication is a two way process, on receiving the feedback, the communication gets
Completed

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
SENDER

CHANNELS MESSAGE

FEEDBACK CHANNELS

RECEIVER

Types of Communication

Based on communication channels:

1. Verbal communication
- Involves use of words and language
- Two types of verbal communication: (a) written (b) oral

2. Non verbal communication

- Sending and receiving wordless messages and they aid verbal communication
- Non verbal communication is of 5 types
(A) Physical non verbal:
- It comprises of body language such as facial expressions, stance, gestures, touch and other
Physical signals
- Smiles, frowns, pursing of lips, clenching of hands etc are also examples

(B) Paralanguage:
- Voice quality, intonation, pitch (highness or lowness of tone), style of speaking or making
sounds is used for communication.

(C) Aesthetic communication:

- Art forms such as dancing, painting, sculptor, music are used to communicate.

(D) Appearance:
- Usually it is first noticed about a person
- A well dressed and groomed person appears organized and methodical
- A slobby or shabby (casual looks) person fails to make a favourable impression

(E) Symbols:
- Signs such as religious, status or ego building signs are used to communicate.
- Danger symbols, rupees, dollars, males, females, religious symbols, cross, swastika etc.

3. Visual communication:
- Visuals like graphs, pie charts and other diagrammatic representations clearly and concisely
show the information
- Also an essential part of official presentations

Based on Purpose and style:

FORMAL COMMUNICATION
 both oral and written,
 follows rules and regulations
 needed to be established in every organization for its success
 Facilitates effective comm. within an organization.

Types of formal communication:.

(a) vertical (b) horizontal (c) diagonal

(A) VERTICAL COMMUNICATION

 info flows upwards or downwards
 Info flows up to top levels of mgt for review and decision making
 Info flows down in the form of orders/ instructions to subordinates
(B) HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION
 Involves comm. Between two peoples of the org. at the same level
 Eg. Managers of the project may hold regular meetings to discuss the progress of the
project.

(C)DIAGONAL COMMUNICATION
 Cross functional comm. between the employees at different levels of the hierarchy
 Encourages direct comm. between the relevant parties and reduces the chances of
distortions and misinterpretations

INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
 It is casual, friendly and unofficial communication without conforming to rules and
regulations.
 Info can flow from any source in any direction where employees interact out of formal
domain called as GRAPEVINE- gossips in the office

NETWORKS IN COMMUNICATION

 Refers to method and pattern followed to pass info to other employees in the org.
 Helps managers create various types of communication flow acc to requirement of the
task
 Network in comm. Depends on
- (A) Size of the org.
- (B) Type of communication channels used in org.
- (C) Number of persons involved in the process.

TYPES OF NETWORKS (VCCWS)

Vertical network:
 Usually between a higher ranking employee and a subordinate and immediate feedback
is possible

supervisor

subordinate
 Circuit network:
 People interacting can be colleagues placed at the same hierarchical level in the org
 They communicate sending messages and feedback forming a comm. Circuit

Employee
A

feedback message

Employee
B

Chain network:
 Follows a chain of command from the senior to the junior.
 It often takes up time and comm. May not be clear

Employee
A

Employee Employee
B c

Employee Employee
D E

Wheel or spoke network:

 Usually carried where there is single controlling authority giving orders to all employees
and all reports back to the same leader
 Direct and efficient for small business/company
 If the central figure is not competent, the entire business will suffer
 B
G C
A
E D

Star network:
 has multiple channels of communication open between all members
 Propagates group comm. and is essential where team work is involved

B F

C D

CHARECTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ( 6C‟S FEL)

Clear:
 Communication should convey the message clearly, keep your language simple
 Complex sentences must be avoided
 Present each idea in separate bullet or head points and diff paragraphs

Concise:
 Brevity is the essence of the comm.
 avoid using irrelevant points and words
 Ensure that there is no repetition

Concrete:
 Should be based on facts and figures as abstract ideas and thoughts may lead to
misinterpretation
 Ensure that you have sufficient detail to support your case

Coherent:
 Do not jump from one idea to other
 Avoid changing paragraphs if not needed as it may become difficult for the reader to
understand the main idea
 logically presented information is easily understood

Complete:
 Communication must convey all facts and info required by the recipient
 Complete comm. Helps building company‟s reputation, and aids in better decision
making
 Incomplete information may lead to confusions.

Courteous:
 Implies that sender is polite, considerate, respectful and open and honest with the receiver
 Sender must consider the viewpoints and feelings of the recipient of the message

Focus and attention:

 Some distractions such as ringing of phone, incoming mail, anxiety, emotional distress,
no of tasks requiring your attentions may be detrimental to communication process
 It is very vital to be focused and attentive

Emotional awareness & control:

 Emotions play a major role in our interactions with other people
 They affect our perception of reality regardless of how hard we try to be unbiased
 Recipient‟s emotions are also to be taken into consideration while having comm.

Listening for understanding:

 We should try to listen to all comm. Carefully neglecting the noise and sounds with
which we are bombarded
 Understanding may be colored by listener‟s emotions, opinions, but, he has to be
objective, practical and in control of his emotions

BARRIERS IN COMMUNICATION

 There are multiple barriers in comm.

 They result in distortion, misunderstanding of the intended communique
 Barriers can be physical, linguistic, emotional, cultural etc.

Physical barrier:
 Results from our surroundings such as Noise, Technical disturbances, Outdated
equipments, Office doors, Large office spaces
 Lack of appropriate infrastructure

Organizational structure barrier:

 Occurs when systems, structures and process are not clear and have gaps in them
 Results when chain of command is not clear

Language barriers:
 Language creates many obstacles in communication.
 People from diff regions and countries interpret the same words differently
 It is imp to use clear, simple, easily understood lang in most official comm.

Cultural barriers:
 Cultural differences exist between people of diff countries, regions, tribes, religions
where words and symbols interpret different meanings, leading to misunderstanding of
conveyed msg.
 Necessity - Employees should have basic knowledge of diff cultures in order to comm.
Smoothly in the era of globalization

Emotional barriers:
 Anger, Fear of criticism or ridicule, Mistrust of person, Suspicion of intentions
 Jealousy and anxiety
 Sentiments we carry within us affect our comm.
 our emotions colour the perception and assessment of the comm.

Attitude barrier:
 Personal attitudes affect the communication.
 Eg: a proactive & motivated employee v/s dissatisfied employee
 Regular interactions with the workers or employees may address this problem efficiently

Perception barrier:
 Different perceptions of the people towards the same thing causes this problem
 Same content is seen and interpreted differently by two people which lead to
miscommunications & misunderstandings

Physiological barriers:
 Ill health, Poor eyesight, Hearing difficulties, Other physiological problems etc. lead to
creating hurdles in interacting with others

Technological barriers:
 Communication modes in today‟s world are tech driven
 Technology is constantly upgraded and new formats are emerging frequently
 Person who is not tech-friendly experiences difficulty in transmitting the msg

Gender barriers:
 Men – straightforward, linear and logical, blamed for giving insufficient info
 Women – uses logic and emotion both, blamed for providing too much detail
  Gender bias is another factor due to traditional mindsets and thoughts of the men towards
women

2. SENTENCES TYPES, VOICES AND SPEECHES

CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES:

1. SIMPLE SENTENCES: It has one subject and one predicate

Eg. I ate
Eg. Rehaan was keeping a watch on his small brother.
Eg. In great anger, the man shouted and yelled at his lazy son.

2. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Two or more main or independent clauses. does not have dependent clause.
conjunctions used are and, for, nor, but, or, yet, either…or, neither…nor, not
only…but also, no sooner…than, rather….than, as…so, whether….or., comma,
semi colon and even colon sometimes.
Eg. The robber tried to escape but the police caught him.
Eg. I will decide what I have to do; you are requested not to interfere.
Eg. The night came on, the rain fell heavily and we all got very wet.

3. COMPLEX SENTENCE: It has one main clause and one or more dependent clause.
Conjunctions used are after, before, since, when, whenever, while, until, as, once, as long
as, as soon as, where, wherever, as if, as though, how, because, so that, why, in order that,
now that, so, if, unless, until, in case, provided that, only if/if only, that, although, though,
even though, while, whereas, rather than.
Eg. The boy ran away when he saw the lion.
Eg. When he saw the bear, he climbed up the nearest tree, because he was terrified.
Eg. He said that he was so disappointed that he would not try again
Eg. All that glitters is not gold

4. COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCES: It has both the characteristics of compound and complex sentences.
(consists of co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions)

Eg. He smiled brightly and laughed delightedly, when he saw his new bicycle.
Eg. The door of the room was open as I crossed the hall and I saw the most beautiful
arrangement of flowers.
 Eg. After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and she went to the gym.

VOICES- ACTIVE AND PASSIVE

ACTIVE VOICE: SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + REMAINING SENTENCE
Eg. Suriya + bakes + the cake + in 30 minutes.

PASSIVE VOICE: OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB + BY + SUBJECT + REMAINING SENTENCE

Eg. The cake + is + baked + by + Suriya + in 30 minutes.

IMPERATIVE SENTENCE: LET + OBJECT + BE + PAST PARTICIPLE OF THE VERB (COMMAND/ORDER)

Eg. Open the door
Ans: Let + the door + be + opened.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE: QUESTION WORD + AUXIALLRY VERB + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB

+ BY + SUBJECT
Eg. what are you reading from that book? Ans: what + is being + read + by + you + from that book?
Eg. when did he leave the room? Ans: when + was + the room + left + by + him?

SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES:

ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE.

Has – has been/have been verb+ ing – am/is/are/was/were + being + past participle
have – have been]/has been would have – would have been
had – had been can - can be
will/shall – will be/shall be must – must be
will have – will have been lease – requested to
shall have – shall have been advice – advised to/ should be

CHANGE THE VOICE:

1. He reads a novel. Ans: A novel is read by him

2. She is waiting for us.
3. He does not obey his teachers.
4. Is Rahul doing job?
5. Why do you waste time?
6. Who is knocking at the door?
7. Who teaches you mathematics?
8. Are the kids flying kites?
9. Which novel do you read these days?
10. Why is he not watering the plants?
Ans: We are being awaited by her
Ans: His teachers are not obeyed by him.
Ans: Is job being done by Rahul?
Ans: Why is the time wasted by you?
Ans: By whom the door is being knocked?
Ans: By whom is mathematics taught to you?
Ans: Are kites being flown by the kids?
Ans: Which novel is read by you these days?
Ans: Why the plants are not being watered by him?

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

RULES FOR CHANGING THE SPEECH:

1. SIMPLE PRESENT BECOMES SIMPLE PAST

2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS BECOMES PAST CONTINUOUS

3. PRESENT PERFECT BECOMES PAST PERFECT

4. SIMPLE PAST BECOMES PAST PERFECT

5. PAST CONTINUOUS BECOMES PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

6. PAST PERFECT AND PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS (NO CHANGE)

7. FUTURE TENSE BECOMES FUTURE CONDITIONA

SOME MORE IMPORTANT CHANGES TO NOTE DOWN

WORD CHANGES TO WORD CHANGES TO

Will Would Now Then
Shall Should/would These Those
Can Could This That
May Might Here There
Has/have Had Ago Before
Am/is/are Was/were Thus So
I He/she Today That day
We They Tomorrow Next day/following day
You They/he/she Yesterday Day before/previous day
My His/her Last night The night before
Our/your Their/his/her Me Him/her

CHANGES RELATED TO REPORTING VERB AND CONJUNCTION:

1. If it is normal question in direct speech, reporting verb is changed to asked, enquired of, wanted to know,
investigated etc. (no conjunction to be used)
Eg. He said to me, “What are you doing?”
He asked me what I was doing.

2. If it is yes/no question, then if or whether is used after the reporting verb.

Eg. “Have you anything to say on behalf of the accused?”, said the judge to the lawyer.
The judge enquired of the lawyer if he had anything to say on behalf of the accused.

3. If it is a command, Reporting verb is changed to told/ordered/commanded

Eg. The master said to his servant, “Finish the work at once.”
The master ordered his servant to finish the work at once.
4. If it is a request, Reporting verb is changed to requested.
Eg. The teacher said to his student, “Please study properly.”
The teacher requested the student to study properly.

5. If it is an advice/suggestion, Reporting verb is changed to advised or suggested.

Eg. Father said to his son, “Work hard for success in life.”
Father advised his son to work hard for success in life.

6. If it is a declarative/exclamatory sentence in reported speech, use “that” conjunction.

and reporting verb is changed to “exclaimed” (in case of exclamation only)
Eg. The reporter said, “Alas! Many lives have been lost due to tsunami.”
The reporter exclaimed sadly that many lives had been lost due to tsunami.
Eg. The foreigner said, “What a man Obama is!”
The foreigner exclaimed in wonder that Obama is/was a great man.

7. If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tenses of the direct speech do not change.
Eg. He says, “I like classical music.”
He says that he likes classical music
Eg. Rohit says, “I watched a movie at night.”
Rohit says that he watched a movie at night.

CHANGE INTO INDIRECT SPEECH:

1. She says, “I am little bit nervous.”

Ans: She says she is little bit nervous

2. They said, “They take exercise every day.”

Ans: They announced that they took exercise every day.

3. You say, “I went to London yesterday.”

Ans: You say that you went to L:ondon the previous day.

4. Razia said, “We were celebrating Eid yesterday.”

Ans: Razia said that they had been celebrating Eid the day before.

5. Chemist said to me, “I will not give you any medicine without prescription.”
Ans: Chemist said to me that He would not give me any medicine without prescription.

6. Rohini said, “I shall be visiting my college tomorrow.”

Ans: Rohini said that she would be visiting her college the next day.

7. We said to him, “Mind your own business.”

Ans: We urged him to mind his own business.

8. Mrs. Pawar said to him, “Consult a doctor.”

Ans: Mrs. Pawar suggested him to consult a Doctor.

9. I said, “How lucky I am!”

Ans: I said in a great wonder that I was very lucky.
10. You said to me, “Have you read the article?”
Ans: You asked me If I had read the article.

3. VOCABULARY
VOCABULARY
• It is defined as the body of words used in a particular language.
• A good vocabulary helps us to understand what other people are saying and what we are reading.
• Having a rich vocabulary helps us to communicate in a more engaging

CLASSIFICATION OF VOCABULARY

DIFFERENT TYPES OF VOCABULARY

.
PHRASAL VERBS
 Verbs that are accompanied by either preposition or adjectives
 Eg. pass away, pass out, pass up

CONNOTATIONS
 Words that express sense or feeling when heard or read
 Words may have: positive connotations – Eg. Employ and negative connotations - eg. exploit
neutral connotations- Eg. use
 SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
 SYNONYMS : words with similar meanings
 ANTONYMS: words with opposite meanings

WORD SYNONYM ANTONYM

1. Abstract ideal, metaphysical concrete, tangible

2. Abstruse unfathomable, incomprehensible clear, obvious
3. Perturbed Flustered, anxious calm
4. Acumen Awareness, brilliance stupidity, ignorance
5. Morbid Nasty, Macabre healthy, cheerful
6. Abolish Abrogate setup, establish
7. Bawdy erotic, coarse decent, moral
8. Derogatory Sarcastic, critical Laudatory, appreciative
9. Hapless unfortunate, ill fated fortunate lucky
10. Jejune dull, boring Interesting, exciting

COLLOCATIONS

 Words that appear usually together. eg. heavy rains, bright sun
 Some business collocations are: security blanket, cash flow, opinion poll, forgive a debt, counterfeit money, go
bankrupt, close a deal, hard earned money, annual turnover etc.

TYPES OF COLLOCATIONS:
1. NOUN+NOUN 2. NOUN+VERB 3. ADJECTIVE+NOUN
4. ADVERB+ADJECTIVE 5. VERB+ADVERB

IDIOMS

 Group of words that convey the meaning which is different from its literal meaning
 Eg. miss the boat(lose an opportunity); pull yourself together(regain self control)
spill the beans (reveal secret)

FEW EXAMPLES ON IDIOMS AND THEIR MEANINGS:

1. Down to earth – sensible and realistic

2. As red as a cherry – very red
3. To go bananas – to go crazy
4. The apple of someone‟s eye – At the present moment, for now, very special
5. Second banana – a person in a subservient position
6. The cherry on the cake – the final thing that makes something perfect
7. A bite at the cherry – an opportunity to achieve something
8. A plum job – An easy, pleasant job that also pays well
9. Go pear shaped – to fail, go wrong
10. Cool as a cucumber – calm even in difficult or frustrating situation.

4. COMPREHENSION PASSAGES
How will you attempt Comprehension passages?

- Scan through all the questions first

- Read the passage quickly to understand the main idea
- Identify the key words and statements
- Identify the specific information related to questions and then answer to the questions

What types of questions are asked?

- asking specific details from the content of the passage

- determining the meaning of words/idioms/antonyms/phrases etc.
- drawing conclusions
- main idea/ theme of the passage
- suitable title for the passage

How will you enhance your vocabulary?

- always read newspapers, magazines, novels or any other texts extensively
- use dictionary to look up meanings of new words
- learn group of words that come together

Let us practice one comprehension passage:

Passage

It is an old saying that knowledge is power. Education is an instrument which imparts

knowledge and, therefore indirectly controls power. Therefore ever since the dawn of our
civilization, persons in power have always tried to supervise or control education, it has been
handmaid of the ruling class. During the Christian era, the ecclesiastics controlled the institution
of education and diffused among the people the gospel of the bible and religious teachings.
These gospels and teachings were no other than a philosophy for the maintenance of the
existing society. It taught poor men to be meek and to earn his bread with the sweat of his brow,
while the priests and the landlords lived in luxury and fought duels for the slightest offence.
During the Renaissance, education passed from the clutches of the priest into the hands of the
prince. In other words, it means more secular. Under the control of the monarch, education
began to devise and preach the infallibility of its masters the monarch or king. It also invented
and supported fantastic theories like “The Divine Right Theory” and that the king can do no
wrong etc. with the advent of the industrial revolution, education took a different turn and had
to please the new masters. It now no longer remained the privilege of the baron class, but was
thrown open to the new rich merchant class of the society. The philosophy which was in vogue
during this period was that of the “Laissez-faire” restricting the function of the state to a mere
keeping of laws and order while on the other hand, in practice the law of the jungle prevailed in
the form free competition and the survival of the fittest.

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does the theory “The Divine Right of King” stipulate?

(a) The kings are God
(b) That the right of governing is conferred upon the kings by god
(c) They have the right to be worshipped like gods by their subjects
(d) That the right of king is divine and therefore sacred.

2. What did the ruling class in the Christian era think of the poor man?
(a) That he is the beloved of God
(b) That he deserves all sympathy of the rich
(c) That he should be strong and lord over others
(d) That he is meant for serving the rich

3. What does the policy of “Laissez-Faire” stand for?

(a) Individual freedom in the economic field
(b) State control over Law and order in society
(c) Joint control of the means of production by the state and private enterprise
(d) Decontrol over law and order by the ruling class

4. Which of the following describes the writer?

(a) Concerned (b) Unconcerned (c) Aggressive (d) Frustrated

5. Choose the correct synonym out of the four choices given: Gospels
(a) Chitchat (b) A teaching or revelation of Christ
(c) Rumor (d) Guidance

6. Choose the correct synonym out of the four choices given: Vogue
(a) Uncertain (b) Out-dated
(c) The prevailing fashion or style (d) Journey

5. NOTE MAKING AND SUMMARY WRITING

1. Read the text and mark the important points
2. Categorize the points into sub headings, sub points and sub sub points
3. Use symbols, acronyms, abbreviations instead of long phrase & avoid full sentences as it
saves time
4. Provide an appropriate title for the given text.
5. Give key to symbols & abbreviations used in notes (use common symbols that are acceptable
and known)

TYPES OF NOTE MAKING:

1. Linear note making (most commonly used)

2. Non linear note making- mind mapping, table, flowchart, tree diagram.

TYPICAL FORMAT OF A NOTE MAKING: (LINEAR NOTE MAKING)

 HEADING/TITLE

1. sub heading
1a. sub point
1b. sub point
1c. sub point
1c(i) sub sub point
1c(ii) sub sub point
2. sub heading
2a. sub point
2a(i) sub sub point
2b. sub point
3. sub heading
3a. sub point
3b. sub point
3b(i) sub sub point
3b(ii) sub sub point
3b(iii) sub sub point
3c. sub point
3d. sub point
Key :

Let us look at one example of Linear Note making:

Passage

Parents are totally clueless about what kids are doing on cell phones. They are taking pictures,
surfing the web, playing games and listening to MP3s. they are harassing each other, cyber
bullying, says child safety advocate parry Aftab. Even responsible parents who follow the time-
tested advice of keeping the computer out of child‟s bedroom and in a family room, where
usage can be casually monitored, may not have control over what their kids are doing with cell
phones, she said.

“The same parents who tell me the computer is in a central location are clueless that their kids
are chatting with anyone they want on their cell phones”. Cell phone makers have taken an aim
at the segment, which is constantly being refreshed by kids coming of cell phone age. About
half of the children with phones are signed up with increasingly popular family plans, designed
to outfit entire households with phones, and designed by industry to hook loyal users.
Teens have also been targeted by a recent aggressive move to push video games onto cell
phones. When the games were simple, such as the knockoffs of the Atari- era „breakout‟, there
wasn‟t much to worry about. But newer phones with color displays and higher processing
power create a landscape that might make some parents worried about what their kids are
playing on the bus home from school. Games and videos with sex and violence are now a
technological possibility, even if the screens are small, and the characters pixilated. And then
there‟s the more subtle messages sent by some games.

Complicating matters further said Patricia Vance of the Entertainment Software rating board, is
a fact that game ratings can‟t be used on cell phones – the technology doesn‟t allow it. Console
and PC games have ratings on the outside of the package, so parents at least know what they are
getting into when they make a purchase, since cell phone downloads offer no method for
displaying ratings before purchase, there‟s no way to enforce a rating system. There could be
parents who decide they don‟t want their kids playing a game at home, but it ends up on their
cell phone.

Erin McGee, manager of Public Affairs for the Cellular Telecommunication & Internet
Association, said the best way to enforce strict limits is to keep hold of the mobile purse strings.
Since consumer must be 18 in order to purchase a cell phone contract in United States, most
parents are buying the phones their children carry in the first place. Different kids handle things
differently. If your kid has a cell phone, it‟s really important for parents to talk with kids what
they are doing.

Kids and Cell Phones

(A) What kids are doing with cell phones?

(i) Parents – clueless
(ii) kids- surfing, playing games, listening music,
(iii) more often they harass & cyber bully each other

(B) Challenges faced by parents

(i) keeping the PC out of child‟s bedroom in living room
(ii) unable to find what kid is doing in cell phone
(iii) Dilemma of the parents
- clueless about the chatting of their kids
- aim of cell phone makers

(C) What attracts kids towards cell phones?

(i) Video games, color displays, high processing power
(ii) the screens may be small- games and videos projected high pixilated

(D) Disadvantages the parents unaware about:

(i) Biggest disadvantage – videos with sex and violence
(ii) Game ratings not allowed on cell phones
- written on packaging of console and PC games

(E) Suggestions from Erin McGee

– Mgr of Public Affairs at CT&IA
(i) To keep hold of the mobile strings

6. PRECIS WRITING
- A shortening of a text, in one‟s word, is known as précis writing.
- The term is derived from French word précis meaning “precise”.
- It is an exact reproduction of the logic, representation and organization of the original text.

Qualities of a good précis:

1. Clarity 2. Objectivity 3. Correctness
4. Coherence 5. Completeness 6. Conciseness

How to draft a précis?

1. Read the passage carefully
2. Decide what facts are of primary importance & essential and need to include in précis.
3. Consider the length to be reduced to 1/3 of the original text.(in terms of sentences)
4. Add a suitable title

Points to remember:
1. Length should not exceed one third of the original text
2. Avoid repetition of ideas.
3. The order of the information should not be changed
4. Keep the title short and sweet
5. Do not criticize author‟s ideas
6. Use past tense and write in third person while drafting a précis
7. Do not add ideas of your own in any case

Let us have a look on one example of drafting a précis

Question:

The crown and glory of life is character. It is the noblest possession of a man, constituting a
rank in itself, dignifying every station, and exalting every position in society. It exercises a
greater power than wealth, and secures all honors without the jealousies of fame. It carries with
it an influence which always tells; for it is the result of proved honor, rectitude, and
consistency- qualities of which perhaps more than any other, command the general confidence
and respect of mankind. As daylight can be seen through very small holes, so little things will
illustrate a person‟s character. Indeed character consists in little acts, well and honorably
performed, daily life being the quarry from which we build up and rough-hew the habits which
form it.

Answer:

The Value of Character

Character is the crown and glory of life. It is the noblest possession of man. It exalts his
position. It is more powerful than wealth, and brings honor without exciting jealousy. It is the
result of rectitude and consistency- qualities which all respect. It consists in little acts honorably
done. Character can be built by the honorable performance of our duties and by the formation of
good habits.
7. ARTICLE WRITING
Important points to keep in mind:

1. Mainly published in newspaper, magazine or journals etc.

2. Creating non-fiction texts on general topics such as health, politics, entertainment,
environmental concerns etc.
3. Language used should be interesting including short stories/ anecdotes to keep readers
engaged.
4. As it is considered as informal writing, no rules or techniques to be adhered.
5. It should have a Title, By line, 2-3 Paragraphs, Conclusion.
6. Begin with a striking opening sentence.

FORMAT OF AN ARTICLE

TITLE
BY LINE
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________ 1 PARAGRAPH 80-100 WORDS_________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________2 PARAGRAPH 100-120 WORDS_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH 80-100 WORDS_________________

Few Topics for practice of article writing:

1. Moral strength is a greater but rarer virtue

2. Changing dynamics of consumerism
3. Impact of e-commerce on business
4. Issues involved in transiting to a cashless economy
5. What is stopping India from becoming a superpower?
6. Crime in India
7. Role of news channels in shaping Indian psychology
8. WhatsApp Snooping
9. The growing menace of Drug abuse in India
10. Lifestyle changes and associated diseases

8. REPORT WRITING
What is a report?

Information given of a particular event, issue, subject etc. especially in the form of an official
document, after thorough investigation or consideration by an appointed person or a body

Difference between report and an article

In simple words report informs public about the event and its impact whereas articles express
the views of the person writing it on a certain topic.

Types of reports

1. Newspaper report
2. Magazine report
3. Official reports for various organizations

Points to remember:

1. No place for personal opinions, emotions and feelings in a report

2. Avoid using words like I, you, we, they, me, us, our etc.(except in reported speech)
3. Make sure who is the target audience and draft the report accordingly.
4. Language should be clear, concise and to the point
5. Information should be presented in chronological order and coherently.
6. Try to avoid grammatical mistakes at the most.

Format of newspaper report

Headline (self explanatory- 6 to 8 words)

By line( name of the reporter)
place, date: first paragraph 40-50 words
second paragraph 50-60 words
third concluding paragraph 50-60 words

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________ present it in block format_____________________________

Format of a magazine report

Headline (self explanatory- 6 to 8 words)

By line (name of the reporter)
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________150-200 words__________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

No need to write place and date if report is on any school, college function etc.
Write date in all other general magazine or business journal reports.

Format of the main content remains the same as newspaper report.

Let us have a look at one newspaper report:

Air pollution killed over 1.16 lakh infants in India last year: Study
By Neha Sabarwal

New Delhi, October 30: A comprehensive analysis of air pollution‟s global impact on
newborns has found that it killed more than 1, 16,000 infants in India in 2019. The report, state
of global air 2020- first- ever such study to be conducted globally stated that India and sub –
Saharan Africa were the biggest hotspots. Nearly two thirds of the deaths came from noxious
fumes from cooking fuels.

More than 116000 Indian infants died from air pollution in the first month of life, and the
corresponding figure was 2, 36,000 in sub Saharan Africa, According to the state global air
2020. The authors relied on a growing body of evidence linking mothers exposures during
pregnancy to air pollution with increased risk of their infants being born to small (to birth
weight) or too early (pre term birth).These conditions are associated with serious complications
and already account for the vast majority of neo natal deaths in both regions.

The new analysis estimated what percentage of those deaths came from ambient and household
air pollution. “ although there has been slow and steady reduction in household reliance o poor
quality fuels, the air pollution from these fuels continues to be a key factor in the deaths of these
younger infants”, he added. Over all, the report found that air pollution led to 6.7 million deaths
worldwide in 2019, making it the fourth leading cause of death behind high blood pressure,
tobacco use, and dietary risks. The report also comes as Covid 19 which is especially deadly for
people with heart and lung disease has claimed more than 110000 lives in India

9. FORMAL LETTERS, CIRCULARS AND MEMOS

1. Letters are traditional and popular method of communication.
2. There are two types of letters: (a) formal letters (b) informal letters
In this unit we will focus on business or official letters only.

Points to remember while drafting formal letters:

1. Use the specified format.( block format)

2. Leave a line between paragraphs.
3. State the reason for writing in first paragraph.
4. Use simple language that is easy to read and understand.
5. Add details and information to make reader easily understand the objective.
6. Use polite language.
7. Check to ensure that letter is free from any grammatical or spelling mistake.

Essential parts of a formal letter:

1. Sender‟s address
2. Date (e.g. 31st march 2020)
3. Name and address of the receiver
4. Salutation (dear sir/madam or name)
5. Subject (briefly)
6. Content (introduction, body &
conclusion)
7. Complimentary close
(yours respectfully, yours truly,
with sincere appreciation etc.)

Types of business or official letters:

1. Enquiry letter- It is written to gather information from various sources.

2. Order letter- It is written by a buyer to a seller requesting him to deliver goods.

3. Complaint letter- It is written in an individual capacity or behalf of a company for complaints

raised by customers due to several reasons, dissatisfaction with a product or
Any services.

4. Reply to complaint letter- letter which is responding to complaints and unhappy customers.

5. Promotion letter- It is written to customers primarily to inform them of some new

development, like opening of a new branch, new offers, new services etc.

6. Sales letter- It is written to publicize and ultimately sell a product or a service to the
Consumers and even written after the sale is made.

7. Recovery letter- It is addressed to customers or clients from whom money needs to be

collected for the goods or services provided to them.

Format of a formal letter (block format)

Sender/Organization‟s name
Address______________
_____________________
_____________________

Date

Receiver‟s designation
Name of the organization
Address_____________
____________________

Subject: ________________________________________________________

Salutation,

________________________________________________________________
____________________introductory paragraph__________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________main body___________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
_________________________concluding paragraph____________________________

Complimentary close

Name of the sender

Designation and name of the organization

What is a Circular?

1. Information circulated to employees at large in an office through a document is a Circular.

2. cost effective and formal tool of communication
3. It may be an invitation to a meeting, any important office related issue, new rules, and
changes in rules etc

Format of a circular
Circular no: 25/xx Date

Subject

For all employees/staff members,

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________ __60-70 words__________________________________

Name of the sender

Designation

Example: Draft a circular for staff meeting of sales department

Circular no: 45/AE 25th October, 2020

Invitation for staff meeting of Sales department

For all employees of Sales department,

We would like to inform all employees of Sales Department to be present in the Conference
Room on November 2nd ,2020 for the monthly closure meeting. The meeting will begin sharp at
11 am and will last for half an hour. The purpose of meeting will be to discuss about the
progress in Sales in October 2020. All the employees are requested to bring along the concerned
documents, data and analysis sheets for the meeting.

We look forward to have all the related members of Sales team at the meeting so that we can
further improvise on our sales based on the outputs of the meeting.

Mr. Arun Rajpurohit

Sales Manager, AVM technologies.

Memos:

1. It is used to communicate with a group of few concerned people within an organization

3. Mainly its objective is- to remind, to highlight, to keep a record, to inform or instruct briefly.

Format of a memo

Name of the organization

Address
 Interoffice memo

Date:

To: designation
From: name and designation
Reference: BM/26

Subject:

_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________ 60 to 80 words_____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Name and designation of the sender

Example: Draft a memo on an employee appraisal for marketing presentation made by him

OPM Enterprises
29, Kapasehra, Gurugram, Haryana

Inter office Memo

Date: 25th October, 2020

To: Mr. John Louis Joseph

From: Karan More, Marketing Head
Reference: 24/OTO

Subject: Appreciation for marketing presentation

The JSKL Marketing presentation you prepared last week to showcase our new product line
was exceptional. Your enthusiasm, sales strategy and product knowledge were impressive and
certainly sealed the deal with the company.

Thank you for your outstanding work and dedication. Bonus cheque will be distributed next
week. My sincere congratulations to you.

Karan More
Marketing head
10. WRITING FORMAL MAILS
POINTS TO REMEMBER:

1. Emails can be used for inter office or external communication.

2. Formal mails are addressed to colleagues functioning within the team and outside the
Organization.
3. Two Imp terms to understand
(a) CC – carbon copy- same mail being sent to others and their email IDs visible
(b) BCC – blank carbon copy – no other person can see the IDs of any other
Individual if he/she is under BCC except the sender

EFFECTIVE PRINCIPLES FOR WRITING AN APPROPRIATE EMAIL:

1. Be clear about the purpose of writing an email

2. Tone and language should be suitable for the recipients.
3. Use an appropriate salutation.
Dear Sir/Madam/Dear Mr. X
Hi all (if addressed to a group of people)

4. You may include graphs, tables, flowcharts etc. to present information.

5. Avoid complicated and repeated lengthy presentation.
6. Do not use abbreviations or SMS language in your mails.

Format of an Email

To: _____________________________________

CC/BCC: ________________________________

Subject: _________________________________

Dear (name),

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________100 to 150 words_________________________________

Thanking you.

Regards
Name and designation of the sender
11. RESUME WRITING
RESUME:

It is a document that introduces you i.e. applicant to your prospective employer or trainer

COVER LETTER:
 A COVER LETTER IS A LETTER THAT ACCOMPANIES THE RESUME
 A RESUME IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT A COVER LETTER.

Chronological format:
1. It lists your most recent work or education history in reverse order
2. It is the Most commonly used format

Resume in Chronological format

Name:

Contact details:

Career objective:
Seeking a challenging career with a progressive organization that provides an opportunity to
utilize and enhance my _______________________ skills and abilities in the field of
_______________.

Summary: 1. More than ____years of experience in both practical and managerial aspects of
the Job
2. Possess a flawless understanding of fundamental concepts in __________. (Field)
3. Excellent communication and comprehension skills.

Professional experience:
Name of the org. worked with, post, period etc. (at least write 2-3) IF ANY

Academic qualifications:
SR NO COURSE COLL/UNIVERSITY YEAR OF PASSING PERCENTAGE/GRADE
1.
2.
3.

Skills: (TECHNICAL/OR ANY OTHER)

Personal details:

DOB: _______ MARITAL STATUS: _______

LANGUAGES KNOWN: _________ HOBBIES: __________

Declaration:
I solemnly declare that all the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge and
belief.

Date:
Place: Name and signature

Functional format:
1. It Places more importance on your skills and accomplishments
2. Job titles and work experience takes secondary place

Name:

Address:

Personal details:

Career objective: same as chronological format

Skills: (technical/ personal)

Academic Qualification:

Achievements: (if any)

Professional experience:

Declaration:
I solemnly declare that all the above information is correct to the best of my knowledge and
belief.

Date:
Place:
Name and signature
 Format of a Cover letter

Sender‟s name, address and contact details, email (if any)

Date

Receiver‟s designation and address

Subject:

Sir/Madam,

This is with reference to your advertisement in __________________ dated ________ for the
post of a ______________ in your esteemed organization. I wish to apply for the same.

As requested, I am enclosing a completed job application.

I believe that my strong _______ or ________ skills and education will make me a very
competitive candidate for this position. My wide experience in ________________ (field) has
taught me the great value of providing best service in this field. My positivity and clear
communication skills will help to drive the organization achieve a new height in future.

I am keen to work for a ____________(company/organization/school/industry) with a great

reputation like you.

Waiting for an opportunity to work with you

Thanking you
Yours faithfully, yours truly,
(Name of the applicant)
12. MEETINGS
Meetings:
Formal or informal deliberative assembly of individuals called to debate certain issues and
problems, and to take decisions

Requisites of meetings are as follows:

(a) Select the right participant
(b) Send intimation to all participants- notice and agenda
(c) Set an agenda – list of items to be transacted at the meeting
(d) Appointing a facilitator – a person who aids the meeting to reach a consensus
(e) Arrive at clear conclusions and formulate next steps

Minutes:
 Instant written record of a meeting or hearing
 Typically describe the events of the meeting
 Include a list of attendees, statement of issues discussed, related responses,
decisions taken etc.
 Ensures written record always ready for future reference

Action taken report:

 A report compiled 5-7 days after a meeting, stating the various actions taken

Format of an Action Taken Report

Date: ____________

As per the meeting held on __________ (date) at the ___________________(place), the

following actions have been reported:
1.
2.
 Format of the Minutes:

(A) Date : __________________

(b) Time of the meeting : __________________

(c) Location : __________________

(d) Members present:

1. Name and designation
2. Name and designation

(e) Members absent: (if any)

1. Name and designation

(f) Call to order: (according to agenda)

1. ____________________
2. ____________________ (minimum 5 points)

(g) Announcement: (if any)

1. ______________________________

Minutes submitted by
Name and designation

Format of an Agenda:
Sr No Particulars Speaker Duration
01

02

03

04