Text-building
techniques
Instructor: Duc Minh Pham
Table of contents
01 Course
introduction 02 Business Writing
Style
03 Drafting an
e-mail 04 Practice
01
Course introduction
The basics that you need to know.
Course introduction
● Length: 5 weeks.
● Have your phone/laptop with you.
● Be punctual.
● No eating in class.
MODULES
#1 #2 #3
E-mails CVs/Resumes Linkedin
How to correctly and How to make sure your How to look
professionally draft profile will impress professional online.
emails. future employers.
Course introduction
● Name: Pham Duc Minh
● Tel: 0932256789 (Tel/Zalo/Viber)
● Email: ducminhpham620@gmail.com
02
Business
Writing Style
P-R-C Triangle
Purpose
Reader Content
P-R-C Triangle
Purpose
01 ● To inform? To persuade?
● To complain? To suggest? To request?
Reader
02 ● Someone superior/inferior to you?
● Someone who is equal?
Content
03 ● Technical terms?
● What information do the readers want?
Business Writing Style
Active Voice Sentence Structure
Sentences should always Be short and concise.
be in active form.
Avoid jargons
Makes the paragraph
easier to read.
Active voice Passive voice
Shorter and Cannot identify the person
more direct behind the action
More Avoid blaming anyone
straightforward
• The company bans • Smoking is prohibited.
smoking. • The monthly report was
• Your team was late to submitted late.
submit the report.
Positive Language
Negative sentences Positive sentences
Why are you doing this? Why
Vietnam is deeply
can’t you just get along? Why
concerned about the
are you always aggressive?
Stop fighting! situation …
Positive Language
Yes! No!
The manager delivered the The presentation was delivered
presentation. by the manager.
(Clear who performed the action) (Less clear about the doer)
I hope that you will not be
I am sure that you will be
disappointed with our test
delighted with our test scores.
scores.
Sentence Structure
Simple sentence Complicated sentence
Because the presentation is running
The meeting starts at 10 am. late, the meeting scheduled for 10
am will now begin at 10:30 am.
(Clear and concise, but might lack
detail) (more information but can be
cumbersome)
Simple sentences are great for Complex sentences can be used when
conveying essential information you need to establish a cause-and-effect
directly. relationship or add relevant details.
Avoiding jargon:
The semantic field of this word
demonstrates a high degree of
synonymy, while the grammatical
construction conveys modality.
Avoid jargons!
WHAT TO DO:
Break down concepts, explain their core functions, and
connect them to real-world language use.
The semantic field of this word demonstrates a high
degree of synonymy, while the grammatical
construction conveys modality.
This word has many synonyms, and the sentence
structure expresses the speaker's uncertainty.
Jargon
Denotation Connotation Ambiguity
(nghĩa sở thị) (nghĩa liên tưởng) (tính mơ hồ)
The literal The ideas or When a word or
meaning of a feelings beyond the phrase has multiple
word. literal meaning. interpretations.
Business Writing Style
No personal feelings Parallel form
Who asked? Nouns with nouns, verbs
with verbs.
Points and lists
Bullet points and
numbered lists.
No personal feelings
I think … I feel …
Parallel forms
Weak list Improved list
I left my job for several I left my job for several
reasons: reasons:
• Long hours • Long hours
• Poor pay • Poor pay
• I found the work repetitive • Repetitive work
• Equipment was dangerous • Dangerous equipment
Points and lists
More than 2 items make a list.
Please include:
You should include the
• name
name, address, email,
phone number, and • address
company. • email
• phone number
• company
Bullet points Numbered list
Order: not important Order: important
• Sugar 1. Conquer deadlines
• Spice 2. Make a lot of
• Everything nice friends
3. Graduate from DAV
Exercise:
Make a list why you
should and should not
study at DAV.
03
Basic emailing
techniques
Things to remember
#1 #2 #3
Always have a Always have a Always have
professional professional your full name.
email. profile picture.
SAY NO TO:
handanbatrumetoira@gmail.com
Kb jvx
yumenoakibara@gmail.com
Yui Chan
SAY YES TO:
davidjames1302@gmail.com
David P. James
janedoe130@gmail.com
Jane Doe
1. SUBJECT LINE
< 60 1 sentence
characters only
4. SALUTATION
Recipient is
… a man. … a woman.
…
Dear Mr. Stones, Dear Ms. Phillips,
Foreigner (John Stones) (Jane Phillips)
Vietnamese Dear Mr. Minh, Dear Ms. Linh,
Nameless Dear Sir, Dear Madam,
4. SALUTATION:
To whom it may concern, …
(no information/neutral)
6. CLOSE
Best regards,
Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully,
(address the (address the person by
person by name) “Dear Sir/Madam)
7. SIGNATURE
Nguyen Van A
English Linguistics Student,
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Tel: (+84) 901234567
Email: nguyenvana@gmail.com
Exercise:
Write an email to ask for
permission to be absent from
class this week.
Provide convincing reasons.
minhdpham62@gmail.com.
Exercise:
Write an email to ask for permission
submit your assignment later than
the deadline this week.
Provide convincing reasons.
minhdpham62@gmail.com.
7. SIGNATURE
● Writer’s name
● Job Title
● Phone number
● Email
Signature Generator
Canva www.mail-signatures.com/
Thanks!
Do you have any questions?
CREDITS: This presentation template was created by
Slidesgo, and includes icons by Flaticon and
infographics & images by Freepik
n-gl.com
