Effective Communication Techniques

Questions and Answers

Before writing a message, you should do which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.)

Learn as much as possible about your readers (correct)

Consider how to organize your message so that it appeals to your readers (correct)

Consider previous correspondence with your readers (correct)

The kind of words used in everyday conversation are ______ words.

familiar

Typically, short words are ______ words.

familiar

Which of the following are potentially positive outcomes of using business clichés? (Choose every correct answer.)

The ability to rapidly convey an idea Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are benefits of using specialized language? (Choose every correct answer.)

Signaling your qualifications Signup and view all the answers

When your message is reader focused, it signifies that you are ______.

considerate Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are the kinds of things that concrete words stand for? (Choose every correct answer.)

Things that can be counted Signup and view all the answers

According to U.S. government guidelines, a message written in plain language is one that ______.

can be immediately understood by an audience Signup and view all the answers

Nouns that are abstract have ______ meaning.

general Signup and view all the answers

The use of long words in communication tends to do which of the following? (Choose each correct answer.)

Create an impression of difficulty Signup and view all the answers

What is the property of a process that is repeated frequently and regularly?

Continual Signup and view all the answers

What is the property of a process that is repeated without interruption?

Continuous Signup and view all the answers

When business clichés are overused, they ______.

carry the risk of replacing thought Signup and view all the answers

When communicating within your field of business, you should avoid using specialized terms and acronyms.

False Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are forms of verbs that tend to undercut the energy of your writing? (Choose every correct answer.)

Weak verbs Signup and view all the answers

In good business communicators, words should convey which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.)

Concrete messages Signup and view all the answers

When you use a dummy subject, the verb comes ______.

before the subject Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are examples of concrete words? (Choose every correct answer.)

House Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of writing sentences in active voice?

The verbs become more lively Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms is appropriate to use when referring to a quantity of something that cannot be counted?

Less than Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are circumstances that call for the use of passive voice? (Choose every correct answer.)

When the performer of an action is unknown Signup and view all the answers

The most important part of speech for making lively and engaging writing is the ______.

verb Signup and view all the answers

Avoiding ______ will help reduce the use of 'to be' verbs.

dummy subjects Signup and view all the answers

Sentences are more lively when they are written in ______.

active voice Signup and view all the answers

Camouflaged verbs are ______.

hidden within a noun Signup and view all the answers

Passive voice can be useful when you want to deemphasize ______.

the doer of the action Signup and view all the answers

When planning to compose a message, your first task will likely be to ______.

plan the message's organization Signup and view all the answers

Longer sentences are useful for ______.

conveying complex ideas Signup and view all the answers

When you eliminate a camouflaged verb from a sentence, the sentence typically becomes which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.)

Shorter Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are true statements about stock phrases? (Choose every correct answer.)

They are ready-made. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following strategies can help deal with surplus words? (Choose every correct answer.)

Leaving them out Signup and view all the answers

Ideas that are repeated using different words that mean the same thing are called ______.

redundancies Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following must be considered when deciding how to compose the sentences of a successful message? (Choose every correct answer.)

How to order the information Signup and view all the answers

To be an efficient writer, you should always use as few sentences as possible.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is a ready-made phrase that you would use without careful thought?

Stock phrase Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are considered to be especially important elements of a message? (Choose every correct answer.)

The purpose Signup and view all the answers

Words that add nothing to a sentence's meaning are considered ______.

surplus Signup and view all the answers

The ______ clause of a sentence expresses the main point of the sentence.

main Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are potential benefits of repeating words? (Choose every correct answer.)

Creation of writing style Signup and view all the answers

When you treat ideas equally in a sentence, you ______ them.

coordinate Signup and view all the answers

By leaving out supporting information, short sentences ______.

call attention to their content Signup and view all the answers

You can convey the importance of the various elements of a sentence by altering its ______.

structure Signup and view all the answers

When you alter the main clause, you necessarily alter a sentence's ______.

emphasis Signup and view all the answers

Why would you use a short sentence at the beginning or ending of messages? (Choose every correct answer.)

To give the reader a strong final idea Signup and view all the answers

To subordinate ideas in a sentence, you ______.

add modifying clauses or phrases Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following undermine a sentence's unity? (Choose every correct answer.)

Unrelated ideas Signup and view all the answers

Compared to long sentences, short sentences contain ______.

more emphasis Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are true of the ideas in a sentence? (Choose every correct answer.)

They must convey one overall point. Signup and view all the answers

When a sentence contains too much detail, you risk ______.

concealing the central thought Signup and view all the answers

Mixed construction occurs when you ______.

mix two different kinds of sentences together Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are good applications for short sentences? (Choose every correct answer.)

To end a message Signup and view all the answers

When you fail to follow through on the expectations for content that you set up early in a sentence, you create ______.

an incomplete construction Signup and view all the answers

When a sentence has unity, its components ______.

work together to make one clear point Signup and view all the answers

A dangling modifier exists when the modifier ______.

doesn't modify anything Signup and view all the answers

If the ideas in a sentence don't clearly belong together, you should ______.

separate them Signup and view all the answers

When a modifier confuses the logic of a sentence, it is considered a ______.

misplaced modifier Signup and view all the answers

When a detail is important but a sentence contains too many details, you should ______.

split the sentence into multiple sentences Signup and view all the answers

What does faulty parallelism fail to do?

Express similar content in a sentence in the same way Signup and view all the answers

What did Della's actions exemplify?

Mixed construction Signup and view all the answers

What is an incomplete construction?

Failing to provide what the reader expects based on the opening of a sentence Signup and view all the answers

Paragraphs help readers mentally organize information by indicating ______.

where each topic begins and ends Signup and view all the answers

When you include a modifier that doesn't modify anything in the sentence, you have created a(n) ______.

dangling modifier Signup and view all the answers

What did Mr. Tran use in his sentence?

Misplaced modifier Signup and view all the answers

When phrases in a list are not constructed in the same way, a sentence suffers from ______.

faulty parallelism Signup and view all the answers

The best paragraphs are typically at least seven sentences long.

False Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following occur when you paragraph strategically? (Choose every correct answer.)

Certain ideas will stand out. Signup and view all the answers

A document made up of long paragraphs is more likely to be ______.

overlooked Signup and view all the answers

What would be the recommended way to proceed if you have written a paragraph explaining two job procedures?

Discuss each procedure in a separate paragraph Signup and view all the answers

The criterion you should use for choosing to include any detailed information in a paragraph is if ______.

the information helps achieve your purpose Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements are true about writing a paragraph? (Choose every correct answer.)

All the points in the paragraph belong together. Signup and view all the answers

Compared to body paragraphs, opening paragraphs are typically ______.

short Signup and view all the answers

If most of the sentences in a paragraph provide a kind of news story, the topic sentence can be considered that story's ______.

headline Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following occur as a result of frequent paragraph breaks? (Choose every correct answer.)

The text becomes easier to comprehend. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are functions that paragraphs serve? (Choose every correct answer.)

Continuing an earlier point Signup and view all the answers

When you have reached the fourth sentence of a paragraph but have not exhausted a topic, you should ______.

find a logical way to divide the information and start a new paragraph Signup and view all the answers

In terms of the detail you include, your primary goal when constructing a paragraph should be ______.

efficiency Signup and view all the answers

The main appeal of starting a paragraph with a topic sentence is that it allows the reader to ______.

see how the following sentences are related Signup and view all the answers

The concept that every part of a paragraph should concern every other part of the paragraph is called _____.

unity Signup and view all the answers

The main idea of a paragraph is contained in the ______ sentence.

topic Signup and view all the answers

Where does a topic sentence belong?

Wherever it best serves the writer's purpose Signup and view all the answers

Where would you put a topic sentence if you wanted to begin with supporting details and lead readers to the conclusion?

At the end of a paragraph Signup and view all the answers

What allows the reader to immediately see how all the sentences in a paragraph will be related?

Putting the topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph Signup and view all the answers

The least common location for a topic sentence is ______.

in the middle of a paragraph Signup and view all the answers

When a reader is able to move easily and directly through your message, it is considered ______.

coherent Signup and view all the answers

The information in a paragraph is tied together with ______.

transitional devices Signup and view all the answers

The second most common location of a topic sentence is ______.

at a paragraph's end Signup and view all the answers

Which method can be used to smoothly transition through related ideas?

Repeating key words and ideas Signup and view all the answers

Transitional devices can be used not only within paragraphs but also between paragraphs.

True Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are demonstrative pronouns? (Choose every correct answer.)

This Signup and view all the answers

To ensure that a paragraph fulfills a strategic function, ask yourself ______.

what it is saying and doing Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are commonly used transitional words? (Choose every correct answer.)

For example Signup and view all the answers

To ensure that you are furthering your purpose throughout a document, you should compare what a paragraph ______ and what it does.

says Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are common functions of transitional devices between paragraphs? (Choose every correct answer.)

Tying thoughts together Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are typical characteristics of paragraphs written with a strategic purpose in mind? (Choose every correct answer.)

They are part of an effective document. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Effective Message Crafting

Organize messages with reader appeal, consider prior correspondence, and understand audience needs.
Use everyday, familiar words to enhance communication effectiveness.

Word Choice and Clarity

Short words enhance understanding, while long words can hinder communication and create difficulties.
Business clichés can increase credibility and convey ideas quickly, but overuse may replace original thought.

Language Specialization

Specialized language provides efficiency and signals qualifications but should be used judiciously.
Reader-focused messages demonstrate consideration for the audience.

Concrete vs. Abstract Language

Concrete words refer to tangible items that can be seen, counted, or smelled, while abstract nouns have general meanings.
Messages should be written in plain language for immediate comprehension.

Sentence Structure and Verb Usage

Active voice creates livelier verbs, while passive voice is useful for deemphasizing the actor.
Avoid dummy subjects; they can weaken the impact of sentences.

Clarity and Conciseness

Eliminate camouflaged verbs and surplus words to make sentences clearer and concise.
Stock phrases are ready-made expressions that can often be shortened without losing meaning.

Paragraph Structure

Effective paragraphs help organize information and indicate the beginning and end of topics.
Shortened paragraphs with clear main ideas are easier for readers to process and engage with.

Topic Sentences

A topic sentence clearly states the main idea of a paragraph, often placed at the beginning or end to fit the writer's purpose.
Unity in paragraphs ensures all components work together to develop a single point.

Transitions and Coherence

Transitional devices tie information together, using pronouns and transitional words to maintain flow.
Ensure each paragraph serves a strategic purpose by focusing on what it conveys and accomplishes.

Common Writing Errors

Dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers disrupt sentence clarity and logic.
Faulty parallelism occurs when similar content isn't expressed consistently within a sentence.

Overall Writing Effectiveness

Brainstorm concise ways to convey information and divide complex topics into manageable paragraphs.
Repetition of key ideas emphasizes points and enhances writing style.

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Description

This quiz covers key strategies for crafting effective messages, focusing on word choice, clarity, and audience consideration. Learn how to enhance your communication skills by utilizing concrete language and appropriate sentence structures. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their professional writing.