Amity University Online Business Communication PDF

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Business Communication Programs Offered Post Graduate Programmes (PG) n e i Master of Business Administration l Master of Computer Applications Business Master of Commerce (Financial Management / Financial Technology) Master of Arts (Journalism and Mass Communication) Master of Arts (Economics) Master of Arts (Public Policy and Governance) Communication O n y Master of Social Work Master of Arts (English) Master of Science (Information Technology) (ODL) Master of Science (Environmental Science) (ODL) it Diploma Programmes Post Graduate Diploma (Management) r s ve Post Graduate Diploma (Logistics) Post Graduate Diploma (Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence) Post Graduate Diploma (Data Science) Undergraduate Programmes (UG) Bachelor of Business Administration n i Bachelor of Computer Applications Bachelor of Commerce U ity Bachelor of Arts (Journalism and Mass Communication) Bachelor of Arts (General / Political Science / Economics / English / Sociology) Bachelor of Social Work Bachelor of Science (Information Technology) (ODL) A m c ) Product code ( AMITY Amity Helpline: (Toll free) 18001023434 For Student Support: +91 - 8826334455 Support Email id: [email protected] | https://amityonline.com (c )A m ity U ni ve rsi Business Communication ty O nl in e  e © Amity University Press in All Rights Reserved No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted nl in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. O SLM & Learning Resources Committee ty Chairman : Prof. Abhinash Kumar Members : Dr. Ranjit Varma si Dr. Maitree Dr. Divya Bansal Dr. Arun Som r ve Dr. Sunil Kumar Dr. Reema Sharma ni Dr. Winnie Sharma Member Secretary : Ms. Rita Naskar U ity m )A (c Published by Amity University Press for exclusive use of Amity Directorate of Distance and Online Education, Amity University, Noida-201313  Contents Page No. e Module-I: Essential English Grammar 01 in 1.1 Introduction to English Grammar 1.1.1 Present Tense 1.1.2 Past Tense nl 1.1.3 Future Tense 1.1.4 Subject-verb Agreement: Part 1 O 1.1.5 Subject-verb Agreement: Part 2 1.1.6 Punctuation: Part 1 1.1.7 Punctuation: Part 2 ty 1.1.8 Sentence Structure 1.1.9 Common Errors in English si 1.1.10 Foreign Words: Part 1 1.1.11 Foreign Words: Part 2 Module - 2: Written English Communication r 37 ve 2.1 Writing Techniques 2.1.1 Essay Writing 2.1.2 Crafting Essays: Conventions, Structure and Techniques ni 2.1.3 Paraphrasing, Summarising and Precis Writing 2.1.4 Enhancing Expression: Synonyms, Nominalisation, and Voice Usage U Module - 3: Concept and Nature of Communication 57 3.1 Concept and Nature of Communication 3.1.1 What is Communication ity 3.1.2 Stages of Communication 3.1.3 Channels of Communication 3.1.4 Communication in Organization Setting m 3.1.5 Barriers to Effective Communication: Part 1 3.1.6 Barriers to Effective Communication: Part 2 3.1.7 Guidelines to Overcome Communication Barriers )A 3.2.1 The Listening Process 3.2.2 Types of Listening 3.2.3 Barriers to Listening (c 3.2.4 Effective Listening Strategies 3.2.5 Non-verbal Communication: Part 1 3.2.6 Non-verbal Communication: Part 2  3.2.7 Non-verbal Communication: Part 3 Module - 4: Effective Presentation 88 e 4.1 Effective Presentation 4.1.1 Pre-Presentation Jitters in 4.1.2 Preparation and Practice 4.1.3 Delivering the Presentation nl 4.1.4 Qualities of a Skillful Presenter 4.1.5 Capturing and Maintaining Attention 4.1.6 Handling Questions O 4.1.7 PowerPoint Presentation 4.2 Writing for the Web ty 4.2.1 Netiquette 4.2.2 Professional Profiles 4.2.3 Blogs si 4.3 Correspondence 4.3.1 Letters r 4.3.3 Emails ve 4.3.4 Memo Module - 5: Employment Communication 113 5.1 Reports ni 5.1.1 Functions and Types of Reports 5.1.2 Report and Proposal Process U 5.1.3 Organising the Report and Proposal 5.1.4 Resume Writing 5.2 Employment Communication ity 5.2.1 Group Discussion 5.2.2 Qualities/Skills Assessed in Group Discussion 5.2.3 Do’s and Don’ts in a Group Discussion m 5.2.4 Effective Participation in Group Discussion 5.2.5 Mock GD Sessions )A (c Business Communication 1 Module-I: Essential English Grammar Notes e Learning Objectives: At the end of this topic, you will be able to: in Acquire skills required for office communication. Understand the significance of correctly forming sentences in order to be effective nl at work. Introduction O Grammar is the foundation of any language, providing structure and rules that allow us to effectively communicate. It functions as a language’s skeleton, giving it shape and coherence. Grammar is crucial in English for forming sentences, expressing ty ideas, and conveying meaning. Whether you’re learning English as a second language or if you’re a native English speaker, understanding basic English grammar is essential for concise and clear si communication. It teaches you how to effectively construct a sentence, choose the right tenses, communicate your meaning clearly, and prevent misunderstandings. r We will take a glance at fundamental concepts and rules that will help you ve establish a solid basis in this introduction to basic English grammar. Parts of speech, sentence structure, verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and common grammatical errors will be covered. ni 1.1 Introduction to English Grammar 1.1.1 Present Tense: U The present tense can be classified into four categories based on the state of the action: ity 1. Present Indefinite 2. Present Continuous 3. Present Perfect 4. Present Perfect Continuous m Now, let’s examine the examples given: 1. I play - This is in the present indefinite or simple present. )A 2. I am playing - This is in the present continuous. 3. I have played - This is in the present perfect. 4. I have been playing for three hours - This is in the present perfect continuous. (c The present indefinite indicates an action that is happening right now or occurs regularly. The English sentence structure for the present indefinite tense is used as follows. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 2 Business Communication Notes Subject + V-I (s or es) + Object e Important points to remember: 1) When the subject is in the singular form and is in the third person, add “s” or in “es” to the verb: For example: nl  I go - She goes  We search - He searches O  I quiz - He quizzes  We play - He plays  I pray - He prays ty  I pay - He pays For verbs ending in ss, o, z, x, ch, sh, add “es” to the verb. Otherwise, use “s” si for the third person singular. 2) When the verb ends with “y,” and the preceding word is a consonant, change “y” to “ies” in the simple present tense for subjects in the singular form, third r person: ve For example:  They fly kites - He flies kites  Girl’s cry - Suman cries ni  I verify - She verifies Negative and interrogative sentences follow the structures below (keeping the U same words): For negative sentences: ity Subject + do/does + not + base form of the verb For interrogative sentences: Do/Does + subject + base form of the verb? m Negative = Subject + Do/Does not + V-I + Object Interrogative = Do/Does+ Subject + V-I + Object? )A Affirmative Negative Interrogative I play chess. I do not play chess. Do I play chess? He does not go to He goes to office. Does he go to office? (c office. The do not write a Do they write a They write a lesson. lesson. lesson? Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 3 It rains. It does not rain. Does it rain? Notes We sing a song. We do not sing a song. Do we sing a song? e The present indefinite tense is used in different situations as follows: in 1) Based on eternal truths:  The sun rises in the east. nl  Birds fly.  The Earth revolves around the sun. O 2) Based on day-to-day activities:  I get up early in the morning.  My mother goes to the temple every day. ty  He plays football daily. 3) In direct narration, when the reporting verb is in the simple present tense, there si is no change in the tenses of the reported speech:  Ram says that Shyam was playing cricket.  He says that it will rain tomorrow. r 4) During commentary on radio and television, only the simple present tense is ve used. Raju passes the ball to Saluja, who, in turn, passes it to Sonu. Sonu heads the ball past the goalkeeper and scores! ni 5) Sentence starting with here and there with an exclamatory mark is also used in Simple present tense U  There she lives!  There goes the ball!  Here comes the train! ity 6) The newspaper of headlines are also used in simple present tense  Thief escapes, Cricket match draws, peace talk fail. 7) For planned future action present indefinite can be used m  Our college opens in the month of July  He reaches here tomorrow )A  Mr. Sharma retires on 31st December 8) Simple present tense is used with whenever and when  Whenever it rains, the roof leaks (c  He stays here for a day whenever he comes.  When he comes here, he brings fruits. 9) Simple present is used in quotations Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 4 Business Communication  Our teacher says “The Sun rises in the east.” Notes  Shakespeare says, “Birds fly and fish swim.” e Present Continuous Tense in Present continuous is also known as present progressive or present perfect. Read the following sentences. ™™ I am teaching nl ™™ He is reading ™™ We are going to market O ™™ Ram is playing ™™ We are singing ™™ the children are making noise ty When any action is in happening in a continuous form, sentence formed in that case is defined as Present. Continuous Tense. The below sentence structure is used to form present continuous tense. r si Subject + is/am/are + V-I + ing + object Normal rule: In the sentences of Present Continuous Tense, subject is used with ve helping verb, is/am/are + verb I form +ing (IV form/V-4) is used. Negative and Interrogative Sentences Negative and interrogative sentences in Present Continuous Tense are formed with ni below structure Negative = Subject + is/are/am + not + V-IV + object U Interrogative = Is/are/am + Subject + V-IV + Object? Affirmative Negative Interrogative ity I am writing. I am not writing. Am I writing? They are playing. They are not playing. Are they playing? He is watching T. V. He is not watching T. V. Is he watching T.V? m I am reading. I am not reading. Am I reading. The present continuous tense is used in various situations for actions that are continuous at the time of speaking: )A 1) Examples:  He is writing a letter.  He is playing basketball. (c  Mahesh is reading a magazine. 2) Present continuous tense is also used when actions are in regular process  He is writing a book nowadays Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 5  I am serving in this office Notes  Meera is learning English nowadays e 3) The actions planned which are going to be completed in near future. Can be used in Present Continuous tense in  They are going to London tomorrow  We are meeting early in the evening nl  He is coming day after tomorrow 4) People are who constantly complaining, always, continually, constantly, O forever are used in present continuous tense  She is always cribbing  They are constantly bothering us ty  You are forever finding faults in us 5) Stative and dynamic verbs: Some verbs are not used normally in continuous form; verbs like these are known as Stative verbs. Stative means fixed. It is si also known as Non- Conclusive Verbs Stative verbs are further classified in five parts. r ™™ Verbs of Perception: See, hear, smell, taste, Feel etc. ve ™™ Verbs of appearance, such as “look,” “resemble,” “seem,” and “appear,” and verbs of emotions, including “want,” “desire,” “wish,” “hate,” “hope,” “like,” “refuse,” and “believe,” are utilized in different situations in the English language. ni ™™ Verbs of thinking: Think, agree, suppose, trust etc. ™™ Verbs of possessions: Belong, owe, own, contain, have etc. U Incorrect Correct We are seeing with our eyes. We see with our eyes. Are you hearing a strange noise. Do you hear a strange noise? ity We are smelling with our nose. We smell with our nose. The water is feeling cold. The water feels cold. I am having a car. I have a car. m The book belonging to me. The books belong to me. Dynamic Verb: It means functional. Dynamic is opposite to Stative. For e.g. He is )A swimming, Ram is driving, she is walking etc. Present Perfect tense The action, which indicates completion in present, Present perfect tense, is used for the same. (c Read the following sentences. ™™ He has gone. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 6 Business Communication ™™ I have taken a bath. Notes ™™ She has slept. e ™™ Suresh has just arrived. ™™ It has just struck seven. in Present Perfect Tense is used in sentences in which the actions will take place in present. Below is the structure used for sentence creation in Present Perfect Tense. nl Subject has/have + V-III + Object O ‘Has’ is a helping verb which is used with Singular subect and third person. For e.g. He, she, it, name, my father, my sister. Whereas, ‘Have’ is used with I, You, we or any plural subject. ty Negative and Interrogative Sentences Below is structure used for negative and interrogative sentence in present perfect tense. si Negative = Subject + has/have+not + V-III + Object Interrogative = Has/Have + Subject + V-III + Object? r ve Affirmative Negative Interrogative I have taken dinner. I have not taken dinner. Have I taken dinner? He has gone. He has not gone. Has he gone? ni Meera has arrived. Meera has not arrived. Has Meera arrived? Rules: U In negative sentences not is used after helping verb has/have. No other changes in rest of the sentence. ity In interrogative sentences helping verb, have/has is used before the subject. Use of Present Perfect Tense in various situations 1) When any actions have taken place in past and still is continuous in present, then m Present Perfect Tense is used. For e.g. ™™ He has lived in the house for 10 years ™™ She has been ill since Saturday )A ™™ I have known him from 5 years All the above sentences show, all the actions which took place in past is still continues in present. (c 2) Present Perfect tense is used in sentences where there is no definite time to complete the actions and if actions are completed or not yet for e.g. ™™ Have you read ‘Hamlet’? ™™ He has gone to Russia. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 7 ™™ He has been to Russia 1) The sentence “I have never known him to accept a bribe” implies that the speaker Notes e has never observed him accepting a bribe. 2) The difference between “He has gone to Russia” and “He has been to Russia” is in that the former suggests he is currently in Russia or on his way there, while the latter means that he visited Russia at some point in the past. 3) The present perfect tense is used for actions completed in the present, as shown in nl the following examples: ™™ It has just struck nine. O ™™ He has just gone out. ™™ The cat has just had kittens. 4) The present perfect tense is used when actions that occurred in the past have an ty impact on the present, as demonstrated in the following examples: ™™ The lift has broken down. ™™ He has eaten all the fruits. si ™™ I have completed my work. 5) Time expressions like “yet,” “always,” “never,” “already,” “up to now,” “today,” “often,” r “several times,” “lately,” “recently,” “so far,” and “ever” are used in the present perfect tense, as seen in the following examples: ve ™™ Have the children gone to school yet? ™™ Has Ramesh left yet? ™™ I have already seen the film. ni ™™ Have you ever fallen off a horse? ™™ I have never been late for work. U 6) The structure “It is” is used with the present perfect tense in sentences like: ™™ It is five years since I have seen her. ™™ It is three months since I have smoked a cigarette. ity 7) To initiate a conversation about past actions, the present perfect tense should be used, as shown in the following examples: ™™ Where have you been? I have been to the cinema. m ™™ What have you bought? I have bought one t-shirt only. Present Perfect Continuous Tense: )A The present perfect continuous tense is used for actions that are ongoing at the moment but not yet completed. Read the following sentences (c ™™ He has been playing from two hours ™™ Shyam has been waiting for you since morning ™™ It has been raining for a long time Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 8 Business Communication ™™ Arti has been dancing for two hours Notes To create sentences in present perfect continuous tense, below structure is used e Subject + Has/have been + V-IV + Object + Since/for+……. in Points to remember ™™ For/Since: To indicate time in Present Perfect Continuous, for, since is used. nl For e.g. for two hours, for 20 days, for a long time etc. ™™ Has been is used with singular number, third person (He, She, It, Name, My mother, my father etc.) O Negative and Interrogative Sentences Below structure is used to create negative and interrogative sentences in present ty perfect continuous tense. Negative = Subject + has/have + not + been + V-IV + object + since/for +…… si Interrogative = Has/Have + Subject + been+V-IV + Object + since/for +…….? Read the following sentences r Affirmative Negative Interrogative ve I have been writing for I have not been writing for Have I been writing for two hours. two hours. two hours? He has been eating since He has not been eating Has he been eating since morning. since morning. morning? ni It has been raining since It has not been since Has it been raining since morning. morning. morning? U They have been dancing They have not been Have they been dancing since afternoon. dancing since afternoon. since afternoon? Use of Present Perfect Continuous tense in various situations ity 1) Any action which has taken place in past and still taking place continuously in present, in that case Present Perfect Continuous is used. For e.g. ™™ He has been writing for two hours ™™ He has been living with Ram for two months m  He has been sleeping for two days )A 1.1.2 Past Tense As per actions past tense is divided unto for parts: Past Indefinite (c Past Continuous Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 9 Past Indefinite Tense Notes All actions, which have taken place and completed in past, in that case Past e Indefinite or Past Simple Tense is used. Read the following sentences in ™™ Sita wrote a letter to Ram ™™ I wrote a book nl ™™ I helped her ™™ Raja donated two thousand rupees O Negative and Interrogative Sentences Below structure is used to create negative and interrogative sentences in Simple Past Tense. ty Negative = Subject + did not + V-I + Object Interrogative = Did + Subject + V-I + Object? si Affirmative Negative Interrogative He wrote. He did not write.r Did he write? She went. She did not go. Did she go? ve They played. The did not play. Did they play? Use of Past Indefinite Tense in Various Situations ni Any action, which has taken place in past, normally in sentences, the time of the actions are indicated and are definite. For e.g. ™™ An accident took place yesterday. U ™™ He came last night. ™™ I wrote a letter day before yesterday. Actions which are completed in past. ity ™™ He went to the market. ™™ Ramesh bought a pen. To express any habit of the past, Simple past is used. m ™™ He always carried the bag. ™™ He never missed the train. )A ™™ Ram is always on time. Please note to indicate habits of past ‘used to’ is used. Past Indefinite Tense is used in conditional sentences with an ‘if’. For e.g. ™™ If I had a map, I would give it to her. (c ™™ If he tries to tease me, I would inform you. When two incidents take place together, in that case Past Indefinite Tense is used. For e.g. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 10 Business Communication ™™ When the queen entered the hall, orchestra played the National Anthem. Notes ™™ When C.M entered the meeting room, he received congratulations from e everyone present. When expressing desires and regrets, the Simple Past Tense is used to depict an in unreal past situation that influences the present circumstances. For example: ™™ I wish I were a millionaire. nl ™™ I wish I knew him. ™™ If only she were allowed to deliver a lecture. Past Continuous Tense: O The Past Continuous Tense is employed for actions that were ongoing in the past. The following sentences illustrate its use: ty ™™ Rocky was writing a letter. ™™ Sneha was sleeping. ™™ It was raining in my town. si ™™ I was playing in the park. ™™ They were going to the park. r The structure for forming sentences in the Past Continuous Tense is as follows: ve Subject + was/were + V-IV + Object Negative and Interrogative sentences ni Here is the structure for creating negative and interrogative sentences in the past continuous tense. Negative = Subject + was/were + Not + V-1V + Object U Interrogative = Was/were + subject + V-IV + Object? Affirmative Negative Interrogative ity He was writing. He was not writing. Was he writing? They were smoking. They were not smoking. Were they smoking? Rita was cooking. Rita was not cooking. Was Rita cooking? m I was reading. I was not reading. Was I reading? Use of Past Continuous Tense in Various Situations )A Past Continuous Tense: The Past Continuous Tense is used for actions that were continuous in the past. Here are some examples: (c ™™ He was playing cricket. ™™ She was swimming in the swimming pool. ™™ Rahim was repairing the car. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 11 Past Continuous Tense to indicate a person’s past continuous habits: Notes ™™ He was always making fun of others. e ™™ They were continually bullying us. ™™ She was always grumbling. in Past Continuous Tense for actions happening simultaneously or when one action interrupted another: nl ™™ When he arrived, his wife was cooking food. ™™ The boy was hit by the car when he was crossing the road. ™™ Where were you standing when the explosion happened? O Past Continuous Tense for two actions happening at the same time: ™™ While she was washing clothes, I was cooking. ty ™™ While they were playing, I was watching television. Past Perfect Tense: si The Past Perfect Tense is used when actions are completed in the past. It is used to show the sequence of two completed actions, where the first action happened before the second action. The following sentences illustrate its use: r The train had departed before I reached the station. ve Sita came after you had gone. The patient died before the doctor came. Structure for forming sentences in Past Perfect Tense: ni Subject + had + V-III + (before/after) +…. (Past Indefinite) +… U Negative Sentences in Past Perfect Tense: To form negative sentences in Past Perfect Tense, use the structure: ity Subject + had not + past participle (third form of the verb) For example: ™™ She had not finished her homework before the teacher arrived. m ™™ They had not seen the movie before it was released. Interrogative Sentences in Past Perfect Tense: )A To form interrogative sentences in Past Perfect Tense, use the structure: Had + subject + past participle (third form of the verb) +...? For example: (c ™™ Had he completed the project before the deadline? ™™ Had they left for the party when you called? Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 12 Business Communication Please note that in both negative and interrogative sentences, “had” is used before Notes the subject, followed by the past participle of the verb, to indicate the Past Perfect tense. e Negative = Subject + had + not + V-III + Object in Interrogative = Had + Subject + V-III + Object? Affirmative Negative Interrogative nl She had not written a She had written a book. Had she written a book? book. Meera had not gone to O Meera had gone to Agra. Had Meera gone to Agra? Agra. She had not advised She had advised Kanika. Had she advised Kanika? Kanika. ty She had warned you. She had not warned you. Had she warned you? Use of Past Perfect Tense in Various Situations si Past perfect are used in similar situations as given below. Sentences like these are not divided into two parts, but while reading the sentence it becomes clear that the action has been completed before present. For e.g. r ve ™™ He had already informed me. ™™ I already warned him. ™™ I had never been Agra before. ni Past perfect is used for verbs like hope, expect, think, intent, want, suppose, all the hopes related with past. For e.g. ™™ We had hoped that you would cooperate with us (but you did not cooperate) U ™™ Despite their desire to donate some money, none was present there, so they could not donate any money. Past perfect can be used with “since,” “for,” or “always” to indicate an action that ity started in the past and is still relevant at the time of speaking. For example: ™™ Shyam had been a doctor for ten years. ™™ Shyam had been a soldier since he was twenty-one. m Past perfect tense is also employed in conditional sentences. For example: )A ™™ If he had met me, I would have helped him. ™™ If he had informed me, I would have gone there positively. ™™ If she had come to me, I would have given her a gift. (c This is an important structure; you must understand this carefully. If + Subject + had + V-III +…+would have + V-III +… Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 13 Past Perfect Continuous Tense Notes Past Perfect Continuous Tense is used for actions which at the time of speaking is e already happening in past. in Read the following: ™™ Gita had been watching T.V for two hours. ™™ Jakob had been living in the cottage since 1997. nl ™™ Nisha had been waiting for me since 11 o clock in the morning. The below structure is used to form sentences. O Subject + Had been + V-IV +……. + Since/for +…... With subject had been and IV form of verb is used. ty With the subject “had been,” the IV form of the verb is used, and the structure for negative and interrogative sentences in Past Perfect Continuous tense is as follows: si Negative Sentences in Past Perfect Continuous Tense: Subject + had not been + present participle (IV form of the verb) r Interrogative Sentences in Past Perfect Continuous Tense: ve Had + subject + been + present participle (IV form of the verb) +...? Negative = Subject + had + not + been + V-IV + Object? ni Interrogative = Had + Subject + been + V-IV + Object? Affirmative Negative Interrogative U He had been waiting for He had not been waiting Had he been waiting for her since morning. for her since morning. her since morning? Meera has been laughing Meera had not been Had Meera been laughing ity since morning. laughing since morning. since morning? She had been writing blog She had not been writing Had she been writing for two hours. blog for two hours. blogs for two hours? m Use of Past Perfect Continuous Tense in Various Situations: Past Perfect Continuous tense is used for actions in the past that were continuous. For example: )A ™™ He had been working since night. ™™ We had been playing chess for three hours. Repeated actions of Past Perfect can also be expressed as Past Perfect (c Continuous: ™™ He had tried so many times to contact her (Past Perfect). ™™ He had been trying to contact her (Past Perfect Continuous). Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 14 Business Communication ™™ He had tried many times to get the job there (Past Perfect). Notes ™™ He had been trying to get the job there (Past Perfect Continuous). e Please note that an action in the Past Perfect tense can sometimes be expressed as a continuous action in the Past Perfect Continuous tense. in 1.1.3 Future Tense nl According to actions, future tense is further classified in four parts: Future Indefinite. O Future Continuous. Future Perfect. Future Perfect Continuous. ty Future Indefinite Tense The actions which take place in future, for the same Future Indefinite is used. si Read the following sentences. He will go to London. r They will play basketball. ve I shall study. Let her go. Let us go to mall. ni Please remember, which is neither present, nor past that is future. In sentences, try to understand the use of may, can, must. These verbs indicate whatever actions has to take place will take place in future. U The below structure is used. Subject + will/shall/can/may etc + V-I ity Negative and Interrogative Sentences Negative and Interrogative sentences as future indefinite us the below structure m Negative = Subject + will/shall + not + V-I + Object Interrogative = Will/shall + Subject + V-I + Object? )A 1) Future Perfect Tense is used for actions that will be completed in the future at a specific time: ™™ I shall have graduated by next year. (c ™™ By the end of this year, I shall have received INR 1 lakh. 2) Future Perfect Tense is also used for actions that we think we know beforehand: ™™ You will have heard about Mother Teresa. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 15 ™™ He will have read the newspaper by now. Notes Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used for actions that will be continuous in the e future: ™™ They will have been playing for two hours by 7 o’clock. in ™™ She will have been working in this office for four years by next month. ™™ Rahul will have been teaching in this college for three years. nl Subject will/shall + have been + Object + Since/For +… O Negative and Interrogative Sentences Below is the structure used for negative and interrogative sentence to form under Future Perfect Continuous. ty Negative = Subject shall/will + not + have been + V-IV +… Interrogative = Shall/will + Subject + have been + V-IV…..? si Affirmative Negative Interrogative I shall have been playing I shall have not been Shall I have been playing cricket. playing cricket. r football? ve They will have been They will not have been Will they have been working. working. working. Will/shall is used with have been to create sentences in Future Perfect Continuous. ni 1.1.4 Subject-verb Agreement: Part 1 1) Concord or Agreement: Concord refers to the formal agreement in person, number, U gender, or tenses between various parts of a sentence. 2) Order (position): Word order in a sentence, including the positions of prepositions, adverbs, conjunctions, etc. ity “The verb must agree with its subject in number and person.” - Nesfield Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement: m ™™ I am playing. ™™ He is playing. ™™ We are playing. )A ™™ They are playing. Exceptions to the rule of Subject-Verb Agreement: 1) When an imaginary sentiment is presented in a sentence: (c ™™ I wish I were the Prime Minister. ™™ Were she an eagle, she would fly to me. 2) When verbs like bless, save, help, or live show emotions of desire, wish, or blessings, Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 16 Business Communication and singular subjects are used, the plural form of the verb is used: Notes ™™ Long live the king. e ™™ May God bless you with a good job. 3) When the modals “dare” and “need” are used in sentences, they remain the same in regardless of the subject’s singular or plural form: ™™ He need not go there. nl ™™ She dare not oppose your views. 4) When two different nouns are used for the same person or object, a singular verb is used: O ™™ The poet and painter has died. ™™ The clerk and counselor were present in the meeting. 5) When two nouns present the same meaning and are used to increase each other’s ty value, a singular verb is used: ™™ The scheme and plan of my life differ from that of yours. si ™™ Her authority and command are indeed great. 6) When two nouns are used as a phrase and present the same idea, a singular verb is used: r ™™ Bread and butter is a good breakfast. ve ™™ Slow and steady wins the race. 7) When two or more singular nouns are joined with “or,” “either,” “neither,” or “nor,” a singular verb is used: ni ™™ No man or woman was present there. ™™ Either Ramesh or Kamla was present at the party. U 8) When two or more nouns are of different numbers (singular or plural), the verb should be plural: ™™ Neither the Director nor the film stars were present at the function. ity ™™ Ramesh or his friends are abusing him. 9) When two or more subjects are joined with “either.... or,” “neither...nor,” or are of different persons, the verb used should be of the near person: ™™ You and Ramesh are responsible for the loss. m ™™ He or I am to go there. 10) When a plural noun indicates a definite quantity, amount, or unit, a singular verb is used: )A ™™ The Parliament has passed the bill. ™™ The fleet has reached the port. 11) Some nouns look plural in form but are singular in meaning, and a singular verb is (c used with them: ™™ No news is good news. ™™ The first innings was spoiled due to heavy rain. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 17 12) Singular verbs are used with singular nouns used with “each” and “every”: Notes ™™ Each boy and girl has to attend the function. e ™™ Each minute and each second is precious. 13) When two subjects are used with “not only... but also,” the verb used is closer to the in subject: ™™ Not only the principal but also the teachers were playing the match. nl ™™ Not only the students but also the class teacher was involved in the discussion. 14) Plural verbs are used with collective nouns that denote the whole class, such as “the O poor,” “the rich,” “the disabled,” “the young,” “the old,” “the English,” “the French,” etc.: ™™ The poor were trustworthy. ty ™™ The rich are dealing with an important issue. 15) Hair is used in singular, and a singular verb is used. However, when hair-counting calculations are done, a plural verb is used. si ™™ His hair is black. ™™ They need five hairs of the horse. r Rule 14: If “most of” is used after a countable noun, then both the noun and the ve verb used will be plural. However, if the noun is uncountable, a singular verb is used. About half of the students were present there. Half of the food was spoiled. ni Half of the land was cultivated, and half of it was uncultivated. 1.1.5 Subject-verb Agreement: Part 2 U Rule 15: Some nouns like furniture, luggage, information, advice, work, knowledge, equipment, behavior, scenery, traffic, fruit, electricity, music, progress, etc. are uncountable nouns. They cannot be pluralized; meaning “furniture” cannot be ity “furnitures,” and “information” cannot be “informations.” An article (a/an) cannot be used with them; only a singular verb can be used. Work is worship. m His behavior was not proper. Knowledge is power. )A Rule 16: The correct phrase is “as follows” instead of “as follow.” In English, “as follows” is used. The main points are as follows (not as follow). The details are as follows (not as follow) (c Rule 17: When “the following” and “the undersigned” are used for a singular subject, a singular verb is used. Otherwise, a plural verb will be used. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 18 Business Communication The following are the new prices of the items. Notes The undersigned has taken the decision. - N.K. Kumar e The following is the summary of the discussion held in the meeting. in Rule 18: In many sentences, the repetition of a singular noun is used after a preposition. In sentences like these, a singular verb is used. Man after man was coming there. nl He begs from door to door. Rule 19: Some nouns are already made in two parts and are plural; with them, a O plural verb is used. For example: My shoes are dirty. His pants are tight. ty A pair of scissors was purchased by me. Rule 20: If in a sentence, an infinitive, gerund, phrase, or a clause is used as a si subject, then a singular verb is used. Swimming is a good exercise (gerund). r How to start is a big question (infinitive). ve That she is rich is known to me (clause). Rule 21: If “more than” is used with a noun, then a singular verb will be used. More than one worker was absent. ni More than one gangster was killed. Rule 22: In some sentences, “more” is used as follows: U More books than one have been purchased by her. More boys than one were present in the lecture. More employees than one are not traceable. ity Rule 23: In some sentences, prepositions come after a noun, and then the noun comes again. In these cases, a singular verb is used. The quality of these goods is well known. m The color of this shirt is liked by all. The smell of these flowers is liked by all. )A Your views on the matter are supported by all. Rule 24: If in a sentence, a number or “the number” is used, then please remember that a singular verb will be used. A plural verb is always used with “a number,” which means many. (c The number of students opting for English in Administrative Services is generally small. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 19 A number of essential books are always available in the library. Notes There were a number of people waiting for their turn. e Rule 25: With “none,” usually, a singular verb is used. However, in Modern English, a plural verb is used with “none.” There is a lot of thought difference among in grammarians in this context. None but the brave deserve the reward (singular). nl None were injured (plural). Rule 26: When in a sentence, “nothing but” is used, then a singular verb is always used, even if the noun coming after is singular or plural. O Nothing but the hill is seen. Nothing but birds is seen. ty Nothing but students is there. Rule 27: If “no” is used before singular nouns, then a singular verb is used. si No boy and no girl was present at the party. No man and no woman was dancing at that time. r Rule 28: When countable figures are used with “and,” then a singular verb is used. A plural verb can also be used. Note that usually, a singular verb is used. ve Four and four is eight. Four and four are eight. ni Rule 29: Everyone, everybody, nobody, somebody, no one, each one, someone are used with a singular verb. Everyone was happy to get the news. U Each one was given a gift. Someone was there in the room. ity Somebody is going there. Rule 30: After some verbs, “as” is always used. These verbs include regard, describe, represent, portray, depict, mention, define, etc. You ought to have him registered as your sister. m You should have treated him as your younger brother. He portrayed himself as a typical businessman. )A Rule 31: After some verbs, “as” is not used. These verbs include name, call, term, think, consider, nominate, appoint. Ram called him a fool, a rogue, and a crook. (c I consider it a badly managed organization. 1.1.6 Punctuation: Part 1 Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 20 Business Communication Punctuation, derived from the Latin punctum meaning a point, involves the correct Notes use of stops or points in writing. The main punctuation marks are as follows: e a) The full stop represents the greatest pause and is used to mark the end of a declarative or imperative sentence; for example: “Dear patient, gentle, noble Nell in was dead.” In abbreviations, the full stop can be used, but it is often omitted in modern style; for example: M.A. or MA, M.P or MP, U.N.O or UNO. Please note that in current English, “Mr.” and “Mrs.” occur without a full stop, as they are regarded as nl full spellings. b) The comma represents the shortest pause and is used: 1) To separate a series of words in the same construction; for example: “England, O France, and Italy formed an alliance.” Note that a comma is generally not placed before the word preceded by “and.” 2) To separate each pair of words connected by “and”; for example: “We should be ty devout and humble, cheerful and serene.” 3) After a nominative absolute; for example: “This done, she returned to the old man with a lovely smile on her face.” si 4) To mark off a noun or phrase in apposition; for example: “Milton, the great English poet, was blind.” r 5) To mark off words used in addressing people; for example: “How are you, ve Mohan?” But when the words are emphatic, we ought to use the exclamation mark, for example: “Monster! By thee my child’s devoured!” 6) To mark off two or more adverbs or adverbial phrases coming together; for example: “Then, at length, tardy justice was done to the memory of Oliver.” ni 7) Before and after a participial phrase, provided that the phrase might be expanded into a sentence and is not used in a merely qualifying sense; for U example: “Caesar, having conquered his enemies, returned to Rome.” 8) To indicate the omission of a word, especially a verb; for example: “Rama received a Parker pen; Hari, a watch.” ity 9) To separate short co-ordinate clauses of a compound sentence; for example: “The rain descended, and the floods came.” “I came, I saw, I conquered.” 10) To mark off a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence; for example: “He said to his disciples, ‘Watch and pray.’ m 11) Before certain co-coordinative conjunctions; for example: “To act thus is not wisdom, but folly.” )A 12) To separate a noun clause- whether subject or object- preceding the verb; for example: “Whatever is, is right.” 13) To separate an adverbial clause from its principal clause; for example: “When I was a bachelor, I lived by myself.” When the adverbial clause follows the (c principal clause, the comma is frequently omitted; for example: “Seek to please if thou wouldn’t be happy.” a) The semicolon represents a pause of greater importance than that shown by the comma. It is used: Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 21 1) To separate the clauses of a compound sentence when they contain a comma; for example: “He was a brave, large-hearted man; and we all honored him.” Notes e 2) To separate a series of loosely related clauses; for example: “Her court was pure; her life serene.” in d) The colon marks a still more complete pause than that expressed by the semicolon. It is used (sometimes with a dash after it) 1) To introduce a quotation; for example: “Bacon says: ‘Reading makes a full man, nl writing an exact man, speaking a ready man.’” 2) Before enumeration, examples, etc.; for example: “The limitation of armaments, O the acceptance of arbitration as the natural solvent of international disputes, the relegation of wars of ambition and aggression to the categories of obsolete follies: these will be milestones, which mark the stages of the road.” ty 3) Between sentences grammatically independent but connected in sense; for example: “Study to acquire a habit of thinking: no study is more important.” e) The question mark is used, instead of the full stop, after a direct question; for si example: “Have you written your exercise?” But the question mark is not used after an indirect question. f) The exclamation mark is used after interjections and after phrases and sentences r expressing sudden emotions or a wish; for example: “Alas! Oh dear!” “What a terrible ve fire is this!” Note: Punctuation is essential in conveying meaning and clarity in writing. The correct use of punctuation marks ensures that sentences are well-structured and understandable. ni 1.1.7 Punctuation: Part 2 U g) Inverted commas are utilized to enclose the exact words of a speaker or a quotation; for example: “I would rather die,” he exclaimed, “than join the oppressors of my country.” ity h) The dash is used: 1) To indicate an abrupt stop or change of thought; for example: If my husband were alive—but why lament the past? m 2) To resume a scattered subject; for example: Friends, companions, relatives—all deserted him. )A i) The hyphen—a shorter line than the dash—is used to connect the parts of compound words; for example: Passer-by, man-of-war, jack-of-all-trades. j) Parentheses or double dashes are used to separate from the main part of the (c sentence or clause, which does not grammatically belong to it. k) The apostrophe is used: 1) To show the omission of a letter or letters. Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 22 Business Communication 2) In the genitive case of nouns. Notes 3) To form the plural of letters and figures. e 1.1.8 Sentence Structure in A sentence is a group of two or more words written in a specific order to convey meaning. For example, “She goes to the market” is a sentence with a clear meaning. If a group of words lacks meaning, it cannot be called a sentence. nl Sentences can be categorized into four types based on their functions: 1) Declarative or Assertive Sentences: These sentences make statements or assertions. O For example, “She sat on a wall.” 2) Interrogative Sentences: These sentences ask questions. For example, “Where do you work?” ty 3) Imperative Sentences: These sentences express commands, requests, or entreaties. For example, “Have mercy upon us, be silent.” 4) Exclamatory Sentences: These sentences express strong feelings. For example, si “How cold the night is! What a shame!” In terms of sentence structure, there are four types of sentences: r 1) Simple Sentences: These contain a single, independent clause. For example: ve ™™ “I don’t care for dogs.” ™™ “Our school basketball team lost their last round of the season 75-68.” ™™ “The old inn inverses the bus stop in the focal point of the town is most likely ni going to be wrecked toward the finish of one year from now.” 2) Compound Sentences: These contain two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. For example: U ™™ “I don’t care for dogs, and my sister doesn’t care for cats.” ™™ “You can write on paper, or you can use a computer.” ™™ “A tree fell onto the school rooftop in a storm, but none of the students was ity harmed.” 3) Complex Sentences: These contain an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. For example: m ™™ “I don’t care for dogs that bark at me when I go past.” ™™ “She got my homework done while her father prepared dinner.” ™™ “You can write on paper, although a computer is better if you want to correct )A errors easily.” 4) Compound-Complex Sentences: These contain at least three clauses, with two being independent and one dependent. For example: ™™ “I don’t care for dogs, and my sister doesn’t care for cats because they make (c her sneeze.” ™™ “You can write on paper, but using a computer is better as you can easily correct your mistakes.” Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education Business Communication 23 ™™ “A tree fell onto the school rooftop in a storm, but none of the students was harmed, although many of them were in classrooms at the top of the building.” Notes e Avoiding run-on sentences and sentence fragments is essential for clear and effective writing. Varying sentence types can also make the writing more engaging and in easier to read. 1.1.9 Common Errors in English nl When someone uses language incorrectly, it is not always fair to make a judgment about their knowledge or training. Mistakes in words, spelling, and punctuation can happen to even the most educated individuals. Language is powerful and can have a O lasting impact on others, so it’s essential to strive for accuracy. Here is a comprehensive list of common grammar mistakes: ty 1. “First come, First Serve”: It should be “First come, First Served.” 2. “I could mind less”: The correct version is “I couldn’t care less.” 3. “I regardless”: The correct word is “regardless.” si 4. “I” as the final say in a sentence: Incorrect. It should be “Karlee talked to Brandon and me.” r 5. “Me” as the first word in a sentence: Incorrect. It should be “Brandon and I met at ve Starbucks this morning.” 6. “Shoe-in”: The correct term is “shoo-in.” 7. “Emigrated to”: It should be “emigrated from” or “moved to.” ni 8. Misuse of punctuation: Punctuations should not be used for plurals or decades. 9. “Prostrate disease”: The correct term is “prostate.” U 10. “Skillful deception”: The right phrase is “sleight of hand.” 11. “Sharpened in”: It should be “honed in” or “homemade.” 12. “Bedeviled breath”: The correct phrase is “bated breath.” ity 13. “Bit of psyche”: It should be “peace of mind.” 14. “Wet your appetite”: The correct version is “whet your appetite.” 15. “Make due”: It should be “make do.” m 16. “Do tirelessness”: The correct term is “due diligence.” 17. “Crested my advantage”: The right phrase is “aroused my curiosity.” )A 18. “Must of, should have, would of, and could of”: It should be “must have, should have, would have, and could have.” 19. “Per state or per say”: The correct term is “per se.” 20. “All the unexpected”: The correct phrase is “all of a sudden” or “suddenly.” (c 21. “The main year commemoration”: The correct version is “the first anniversary.” 22. “More regrettable comes to more terrible”: The correct phrase is “worse comes to worst.” Amity Directorate of Distance & Online Education 24 Business Communication 23. “Unthaw”: The correct term is “thaw.” Notes 24. “Heated water tank”: It should be “hot water tank” or “water heater.” e 25. “Boldface lie”: The correct phrase is “bald-faced lie.” in 26. “Chock it up”: The correct phrase is “chalk it up.” 27. “Through some serious hardship”: The correct phrase is “through the wringer.” 28. Subject and pronoun difference: Be careful with pronoun choices in sentences. nl 29. “Given free rule”: The correct phrase is “given free rein.” 30. “Nip it in the butt”: The correct phrase is “nip it in the bud.” O 31. “Tie me over”: The correct phrase is “tide me over.” 32. “Toe the line”: The correct phrase is “tow the line.” ty 33. “Chalk full”: The correct phrase is “chock-full.” 34. “Throws of energy”: The correct phrase is “throes of passion.” 35. “A quiet point”: The correct phrase is “a moot point.” si 36. Misuse of “really”: Use “really” appropriately in sentences. 37. “Expresso”: The correct term is “espresso.” r 38. “Jive with the facts”: The correct phrase is “jibe with the facts.” ve 39. “For-tay” for strong point: The correct pronunciation is “forte.” 40. “Eccetera”: The correct pronunciation is “et cetera.” 41. “Profound cultivated”: The correct term is “deep-seated.” ni 42. “Concentrate retribution”: The correct phrase is “exact revenge.” U 1.1.10 Foreign Words: Part 1 Certainly! Let’s continue exploring interesting English loanwords from French and German, along with their pronunciations: ity From French: 1.