Written Communication Skills

By RISHABH SHARMA
Tenses
I write this letter to inform you. ( present tense)
I wrote the letter in his very presence . (past tense)
I shall write another letter tomorrow. (future tense)

I play. (Simple Present)

I am playing. (Present Continuous)
I have played.( Present Perfect)
I have been playing . (Present Perfect Continuous)

I played. (Simple Past)

I was playing. (Past Continuous)
I had played. (Past Perfect)
I had been playing. (Past Perfect Continuous)

I shall play. (Simple Future)

I shall be playing. (Future Continuous)
I shall have played. (Future Perfect)
I shall have been playing. (Future Perfect Continuous)
American and British English
American English British English

Airplane Aero plane

Attorney Barrister , Lawyer

Busy Engaged (phone)

Candy Sweets

Cookie Biscuit

Crib Cot

Crazy Mad

Diaper Nappy

Elevator Lift

Eraser Rubber

Flashlight Torch

French Fries Chips

American and British English
American English British English

Garbage , Trash Rubbish

Gas(oline) Petrol

Highway, Freeway Motorway

Hood Bonnet

Intersection Crossroads

Mad Angry

Mean Nasty

Parking Lot Car Park

Pitcher Jug

(Potato) chips Crisps

Railroad Railway

Rest Room Toilet

American and British English
American English British English

Resume CV

Sidewalk Pavement

Sneakers Sports Shoes

Stingy Mean

Subway Underground

Truck Van , Lorry

Trunk Boot ( of a Car)

Vacation Holiday

Windshield Windscreen
Story Writing

A slave in ancient Carthage ……. cruel master ……slave runs away into
desert…..sleeps that night in a cave……….waked up by a terrible roar…….sees lion
coming into cave…..
….terrified……but lion holds up wounded paw……slave takes out a big thorn…..lion
grateful……slave and lion live together as friends…….at last slave homesick…….goes
back to Carthage…….is caught by his master…….condemned by judge to be thrown
to lions……..thousands go to amphitheatre to see man fight lion……..slave brought
out……lion rushes to attack him……but when he sees slave lies down and licks his
feet…..governor sends for slave….hears his story…..frees slave and gives him the lion
A jackal wants crabs on the other side of river…….wonders how to get across…..tells
camel there is sugarcane the other side……camel agrees to carry him across in
return for the information…..they cross…….jackal finishes his meal…..plays trick on
camel……runs around the field howling……villagers rush out….see camel in
sugarcane field…..beat him with sticks…….camel runs to river…..jackal jumps on his
back…..while crossing, camel asks jackal why he played the trick……jackal says he
always howls after a good meal………camel replies he always takes a bath after a
good meal…….rolls in the river……jackal nearly drowned
Story Writing

A king distressed – his lazy people – to teach them a lesson he had a big stone put
in the middle of the road one night- next day merchants pass and go around it –an
Officer driving in his carriage did the same – a young soldier came riding , did the
same- all cursed the stone and blamed the government for not removing it – then
the king had the stone removed – under it was a box marked, “ for the person who
moves away the stone- inside a purse full of money – the people were ashamed.

Ship of pirates becalmed near rocky coast- pirate sees bell fastened to dangerous
submerged rock – asks what it is – is told it was placed there to warn sailors in
storms- thinks it would be a joke to take the bell – rows across in boat to rock –
they cut the chain and sink the bell – wind rises and they sail away – years after
pirate returns to same coast – sea covered with fog storm rising – pirate does not
know where he is – a terrible crash – ship strikes on the same rock – as they go
down the pirate realizes his ship wrecked on the same rock – wishes he had left
the bell alone.
Office Memo & Notice

OFFICE MEMO
 

The General Manager ( F&O) All Sales Engineers

Eicher Ltd at Area Offices
New Delhi
 

This is to bring to your notice that as a policy decision the following needs to be implemented with
immediate effect:
a) The Sales Executive shall plan his / her travel in advance for the month and get approval for the
same from the Area Manager. A copy of the approved travel plan needs to be sent to the GM -
Sales.
b) The Sales Executive shall submit the travel expense statement within 24 hours of reaching back.
c) The Sales Executive shall not allow the dealer to make any payment on his / her behalf.
 
 
Signature
Date:

cc: The GM (Sales)

The GM (Accounts)
 
Office Memo & Notice

UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

PANJAB UNIVERSITY CHANDIGARH
 
No: 1287/ uiet/ adm
Dated: 25th March 2011
MEETING NOTICE

A meeting of the Academic & Administrative Committees will be held on March 26th , 2011 at 4 p.m in the
office of the Director, UIET.

Kindly make it convenient to attend the meeting.

 
(Gurdeep Singh)
Secretary
Issued to all the members:-
Reply to a Letter

Your nursery sells plants not only in your store but also by mail order.
Today you’ve received a letter from Sudhir Gupta , complaining that the
plants (in a $572 order) did not arrive in a satisfactory condition. “ All of
them were dry and wilted. One came out by the roots when I took it
out of the box. Please send me a replacement shipment immediately.”
Reply to a Letter

Dear Sir,

I checked to see what could have caused the defective shipment you received. After
ruling out problems in transit, I discovered that your order was packed by a new
worker who didn’t understand the need to water plants thoroughly before they are
shipped. We have fired the worker, so you can be assured that this will not happen
again.

Although it will cost our company several hundred dollars, we will send you a
replacement shipment.

Let me know if the new shipment arrives safely. We trust that you will not complain
again.
Reply to a Letter

Dear Sudhir,

Sorry we spoilt the order. Sending plants across country is a risky business. Some of
them just can’t take the strain. ( Some days I can’t take the strain myself !) We’ll
credit your account for $ 572.
Reply to a Letter

Dear Mr Gupta,

I’m sorry you aren’t happy with your plants, but it isn’t our fault. The box clearly says “ Open and
water immediately”. If you had done that, the plants would have been fine. And anybody who is
going to buy plants should know that a little care is needed.
If you pull by the leaves, you will pull the roots out. Always lift by the stem ! Since you don’t know
how to handle plants, I’m sending you a copy of our brochure, “ How to care for your plants “ .
Please read it carefully so that you will know how to avoid disappointment in the future.

We look forward to your future orders.

Reply to a Letter
Dear Mr Gupta,

Your letter of the 5th has come to the attention of the undersigned.

According to your letter, your invoice #47420 arrived in an unsatisfactory condition.

Please be advised that it is our policy to make adjustments as per the terms and
conditions listed on the reverse side of our acknowledgement of order. If you will read
that document, you will find the following:

“….if you intend to assert any claim against us on this account, you shall make an
exception on your receipt to the carrier and shall, within 30 days after the receipt of any
such goods, furnish us detailed written information as to any damage. “

Your letter of the 5th does not describe the alleged damage in sufficient detail.
Furthermore, the delivery receipt contains no indication of any exception. If you expect to
receive an adjustment, you must comply with our terms and see that the necessary
documents reach the undersigned by the close of the business day on the 20 th of the
month.
Reply to a Memo

You are the Director of Employee Benefits for a Fortune 500 company. Today
you received the following memo:

From: Michelle Jagtiani

Subject: Getting my retirement benefits

Next Friday will be my last day here. I am leaving the company to take a
position at another firm.

Please process a check for my retirement benefits, including both deductions

from my salary and the company’s contributions for the last three and a half
years. I would like to receive the check by next Friday if possible.
Reply to a Memo- Not Appropriate
March 25th 2011

To: Michelle Jagtiani

From: Lisa Niaz

Subject: Denial of Matching Funds

You cannot receive a check the last day of work and you will get only your own
contributions, not a matching sum from the company, because you have not worked for the
company for at least five full years.

Your payments and interest come to just over $17,200; the amount could be higher
depending on the amount of your last paycheck, which will include compensation for any
unused vacation days and sick leave. Furthermore, since the amounts deducted were not
considered taxable income, you will have to pay income tax on the money you receive.

The check will be sent to your home address. If the address we have on file is incorrect,
please correct it so that your check is not delayed.
Reply to a Memo-Appropriate

March 25th 2011

To: Michelle Jagtiani

From: Lisa Niaz

Subject: Receiving Employee Contributions from Retirement Accounts

Employees who leave the company with at least five full years of employment are entitled
both to the company contributions and the retirement benefit paycheck deductions
contributed to retirement accounts. Those employees who leave the company with less
than five years of employment will receive the employee paycheck contributions made to
their retirement accounts.
You now have $17,240.62 in your account, which includes 4% interest compounded
quarterly. The amount you receive could be even higher since you will also receive
payment for any unused sick leave and vacation days.
Because you now have access to the account, the amount you receive will be considered
taxable income. Beth Jordan in Employee Financial Services can give you information about
possible tax deductions and financial investments which can reduce your income taxes.
The check will be sent to your home address on May 16. The address we have on file is 2724
Merriman Road, Akron, Ohio 44313. If your address changes, please let us know so you can
receive your check promptly.

Gook luck with your new job !

Confusing words

accede / exceed

accede: to yield
exceed : to go beyond, surpass
I accede to your demand that we not exceed the budget

accept / except

accept : to receive
except : to leave out or exclude

I accept your proposal except for point 3

access / excess

access : the right to use

excess: surplus

As supply clerk , he had access to any excess materials

Confusing words

adept / adopt

adept : skilled
adopt: to take as one’s own

She was adept at getting people to adopt her ideas

advice / advise

advice: (noun) counsel

advise: (verb) to give counsel or advice someone

I asked him to advise me but I didn’t like the advice I got.

affect / effect

affect: (verb) to influence or modify

effect: (verb) to produce or cause

He hoped that his argument would affect his boss’ decision, but so far as he
could see , it had no effect.
Confusing words

affluent / effluent

affluent: (adjective) rich, possessing in abundance

effluent: (noun) something that flows out

Affluent companies can afford the cost of removing pollutants from the effluents
their factories produce.

between / among

between: (use with only two choices)

among: (use with more than two choices)

complement / compliment

complement: (verb) to complete, finish

compliment: (verb) to praise
The compliment she gave me complemented my happiness
Confusing words

compose/ comprise

compose: make up , create

comprise: consist of , be made up of

The city council is composed of 12 members. Each district comprises an area 50

blocks square.

discreet/ discrete

discreet: tactful , careful not to reveal secrets

discrete: separate , distinct

I have known him to be discreet on two discrete occasions.

forward / foreword

forward : ahead
foreword: preface , introduction
The author looked forward to writing the foreword of the book.
Confusing words

personal / personnel

personal : individual , to be used by one person

personnel: staff , employees

All personnel will get new personal computers by the end of the year.

principal / principle

principal: person in charge , money lent out at interest

principle: code of conduct, basic truth or rule

The Prince, Machiavelli’s principal work , describes his principles for ruling a
state.