Deck 4: Revising Business Messages

Question 1

There are 15 candidates who applied for the job opening is an example of a sentence with

A) concise wording.
B) a wordy prepositional phrase.
C) a filler.
D) faulty parallelism.

Answer 1

C
Explanation:This sentence contains a filler (There are) and is not concise. The sentence does not contain a wordy prepositional phrase or faulty parallelism.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about revision is most accurate?

A) You must compose first drafts quickly (sprint writing) and return later for editing.
B) Careful writers always revise as they write.
C) Revision is required only for long and complex business documents.
D) Some business writers prefer to compose first drafts quickly and revise later; others prefer to revise as they go.

Answer 2

D
Explanation:Writers should use the method of writing and revising that works best for them. Only one answer choice expresses that concept: Some business writers prefer to compose first drafts quickly and revise later; others prefer to revise as they go.

Question 3

Which of the following sentences is most effective?

A) This is to inform you that your account is now up-to-date.
B) At this point in time, your account is up-to-date.
C) Due to the fact that we have just received your check, your account is up-to-date.
D) Your account is now up-to-date.

Answer 3

D
Explanation:Only "Your account is now up-to-date" is concise. Two sentences include flabby phrases ("At this point in time" and "Due to the fact that") and one contains a long lead-in ("This is to inform you that").

Question 4

Which sentence avoids the use of unnecessary fillers?

A) There are three important issues to discuss at today's meeting.
B) There is only one job opening available.
C) It was our office manager who won the raffle.
D) Three candidates are running for the board.

Question 5

In the near future is a flabby expression that could be written more concisely as

A) Now.
B) Soon.
C) Probably.
D) For.

Question 6

To be successful in the business world, you must be able to create messages and presentations that are

A) concise.
B) clear.
C) vigorous.
D) All answer choices are correct.

Question 7

Which of the following is true about writing and revising business documents?

A) Rarely is the first version satisfactory, but usually the second version is excellent.
B) Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try.
C) Revision is not necessary for informal documents such as internal memos or e-mail messages.
D) The real work of revision should happen in the writing stage as you select words and form sentences.

Question 8

Good business writing is concise. Concise means that the writing

A) avoids the use of redundant phrases.
B) is free of errors in grammar and punctuation.
C) has been revised to include examples and research.
D) contains proper documentation of resources.

Question 9

Concise writing

A) should be used only in informal business documents such as e-mail messages.
B) is easier to read and comprehend.
C) is improved during the proofreading step of the third phase of the writing process.
D) should be avoided because it can come across as being abrupt and rude.

Question 10

It is important to avoid long lead-ins because

A) they are grammatically incorrect.
B) conciseness is enhanced through long lead-ins.
C) the reader is delayed from reaching the meaning of the sentence.
D) they result in faulty parallelism.

Question 11

Monica lost a promotion due to poor writing skills. Which phase of the writing process should she most focus on to demonstrate better writing skills?

A) Improving content and research
B) Revising and proofreading
C) Formatting and documenting
D) Identifying her purpose and her audience

Question 12

Which of the following expressions is most modern?

A) Enclosed is
B) Under separate cover
C) Every effort will be made
D) Please do not hesitate to

Question 13

Which sentence avoids redundant expressions?

A) It is absolutely essential that our accounting records are accurate.
B) Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes.
C) Please refer back to the June financial statements.
D) I want to thank each and every stockholder.

Question 14

Due to the fact that is a flabby phrase that could be written more concisely as

A) About.
B) Although.
C) While.
D) Because.

Question 15

Which of the following best avoids flabby expressions?

A) In very few cases do job applicants perform adequate research about a company.
B) The CEO is of the opinion that stock prices will increase next quarter.
C) Although many employees have requested training, we can't afford the extra expense.
D) We do not expect any pay raises at this point in time.

Question 16

I am writing this letter to inform you that is an example of

A) a flabby expression.
B) an effective introductory statement.
C) a long lead-in.
D) strong business writing.

Question 17

Which of the following is a redundant expression?

A) Repeat again
B) New beginning
C) True facts
D) All choices are redundant expressions.

Question 18

Katelyn is writing a letter to thank a potential employer for her job interview. Which of these sentences contains modern expressions Katelyn should use?

A) Thank you in advance for considering me for your available position.
B) I am confident that my education has prepared me well for the medical technician position.
C) Enclosed herein please find the salary history you requested during the interview.
D) Pursuant to your request, I will return for a second interview on May 28.

Question 19

Jargon

A) is specialized terminology that individuals in a specific profession or field use.
B) should not be used in business writing.
C) is the same as slang.
D) improves the precision of most messages.

Question 20

Which of the following best avoids a long lead-in?

A) Yes, we will send the information you requested.
B) This is to advise you that we will send the information you requested.
C) You may be interested to learn that we will send the information you requested.
D) I am writing this letter to inform you that we will send the information you requested.

Question 21

Professional writers develop a system of writing and revising that works for them; they may revise at any point in the process.

Question 22

There are several excellent reasons to consider purchasing our new OfficeDataPro software. This sentence is clear and concise.

Question 23

Using expressions such as pursuant to your request and thank you in advance adds a level of professionalism to business writing.

Question 24

Business English is a necessary prerequisite for taking this course. This sentence is written as concisely as possible.

Question 25

Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?

A) Your supervisor will give consideration to all capital budget requests.
B) The committee worked on the establishment of a fund for scholarships.
C) The benefits committee will be responsible for the acquisition of an endowment.
D) The scholarship committee approved the plan.

Question 26

Once you master your business writing skills, you will begin to write perfect first drafts.

Question 27

Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?

A) Improving content and tone
B) Fine tuning sentence and paragraph structure
C) Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format
D) Determining whether the message should be written using the direct or indirect organization pattern

Question 28

You will be interested to learn that is a recommended and professional way to begin a business document.

Question 29

Dylan is designing his document to enhance readability and comprehension. What is the best advice you can give Dylan?

A) To improve readability, justify the left and right margins so they are both even.
B) To increase readability, create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.
C) Use only one typeface per document.
D) Use ALL CAPS anywhere in a document you want to emphasize your point.

Question 30

Which of the following sentences avoids jargon and slang?

A) Our stock price tanked last quarter because we blew our budget.
B) All companies must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
C) That company might get busted if the internal corporati don't watch their backs.
D) The de minimus use of the material creates a quasi violation, but quid pro quo is difficult to determine.

Question 31

The dangers of using slang in business writing include

A) obscuring meaning.
B) using language that is too informal.
C) using words that quickly go out of fashion.
D) All answer choices are correct.

Question 32

In view of the fact that could be written more concisely as in light of this information.

Question 33

Which of the following sentences contains the best use of vivid adjectives without overkill?

A) The resort offered luxurious suites with Jacuzzi tubs and saunas.
B) The all-inclusive, top-notch resort offered luxurious, totally marvelous suites with incredible extras.
C) The resort had nice rooms.
D) All of the sentences use vivid adjectives effectively.

Question 34

One reason concise messages are essential in business is that they save money by saving reading time.

Question 35

All fillers can be eliminated from your writing.

Question 36

Each and every student will be required to participate in one group writing project contains a redundant expression.

Question 37

Which of the following sentences avoids clichés?

A) We can prove the benefits of exercise for stress reduction beyond a shadow of a doubt.
B) Employees who engage in a regular fitness program are likely to pass the physical exam with flying colors.
C) Please encourage your department members to join the health club.
D) Last but not least, you, too, should join the fitness program.

Question 38

Which of the following is most concrete?

A) The board approved a substantial budget increase.
B) The board approved a 34 percent budget increase.
C) The board approved a large budget increase.
D) The board approved a sizeable budget increase.

Question 39

Words such as definitely, quite, actually, extremely, and totally are

A) adjectives that add a welcome degree of emotion to your writing.
B) adjectives that may be omitted because they are imprecise.
C) adverbs that should be used only sparingly in business writing.
D) adverbs that should be used as often as possible in business writing to show excitement and enthusiasm.

Question 40

Branch managers of First Federated Savings and Loan received this e-mail message: Please inform all personal that management retains the right to check personal belongings of employees before employees leave the bank. What error did the writer make?

A) A grammatical mistake
B) A proofreading error
C) Failure to use spell check
D) No error was made. The sentence is correct as written.

Question 41

You should eliminate phrases like basic fundamentals and combined together because they represent ____________ expressions.

Question 42

______________ involves correcting the grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and mechanics of your messages.

Question 43

You can streamline your writing and make it more emphatic by using vivid adverbs such as very, extremely, and actually as often as possible.

Question 44

Effective business communicators should use jargon only when communicating with others in the field or profession.

Question 45

I am sending this e-mail message to inform you that is an example of a long __________.

Question 46

Smart business communicators use clichés such as think outside the box to show that they are familiar with current business terminology.

Question 47

Converting a verb into a noun creates stronger, more professional business writing (e.g., made a decision instead of decided).

Question 48

Sans serif typefaces, such as Times New Roman, have small features at the ends of strokes and are frequently used for body text in business messages and longer documents.

Question 49

You are more likely to find errors when proofreading on screen than on a printed copy.

Question 50

A colleague says during a meeting, Meeting this year's budget guidelines will be easier said than done. He has used jargon.

Question 51

In describing sexual harassment in the workplace, Julia explains that Supervisors are getting burned in harassment lawsuits. Julia is using slang in this statement.

Question 52

As you revise, make your writing clear by using specific verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives.

Question 53

Business writers should consider document design during the revision process because well-designed documents improve readability and comprehension.

Question 54

When designing documents, try to place as much text as possible on a page so that you can save paper and printer toner.

Question 55

You should proofread every sentence of a document as soon as you write it.

Question 56

In order to sound current, fresh, and trendy, effective business communicators make ample use of slang when writing and speaking.

Question 57

One careful proofreading of any document is sufficient.

Question 58

_____________, which occurs during the third phase of the writing process, means improving the content and sentence structure of your message. It may include adding, cutting, recasting, reformatting, and redesigning what you have written.

Question 59

When right margins are "ragged"-that is, without alignment or justification-they provide more white space and improve readability..

Question 60

There are three building sites we are considering. This use of There are is an example of a ___________.

Question 61

Expressions that have become exhausted by overuse such as shoot from the hip are called _______________.

Question 62

Telecommunications experts use terms such as clickstream and protocols. These are examples of ____________, which is special terminology that is specific to particular activities or professions.

Question 63

______________, which appear most often in reports, are an effective tool for highlighting information and improving readability because they encourage the writer to group similar material together and help readers separate major ideas from details.

Question 64

____________ is composed of informal words with arbitrary and extravagantly changed meanings. These words quickly go out of fashion because they are no longer appealing when everyone begins to understand them.

Question 65

The accountants performed an analysis of the financial statements. This sentence contains a verb that has been converted to a(n) ______________.