ENGLISH COMMUNICATION

All notes and Assignments

Divyansh Bansal
TPO-1217001

Assignment-1 ENGLISH COMMUNICATION, DIP-301 Third Semester UNIT-1 Q. What is active and passive voice? Give 5 examples. A. When a verb represents its subject or is doing the action, it is said to be in the Active Voice. But when a verb represents its subject as being acted upon, it is said to be in Passive Voice. Ex. Active: I play soccer. Passive: Soccer is played by me. Active: He hit me. Passive: I was hit by him. Active: You may take my car. Passive: My car may be taken by you. Active: The officer may have taken the action. Passive: The action will have been taken by the officer. Active: Say it again. Passive: Let it be said again. Q. What are conditional sentences? Give 5 examples. A. Conditional sentences or clauses are used for the events that might occur or might have occurred. There are 3 types of conditional sentences: Type 1: When action is likely or probably maybe or may not. We use future tense in Main clause and present indefinite in conditional If clause. Ex: a) She will sing if you ask her. b) If he runs, he will get there in time. Type 2: when actions are imaginary, unlike or improbably. We use helping verb would in Main Clause and past indefinite in If Clause. Ex: a) If I had wings I would fly. b) She would go if they called her. Type 3: In this the action has become impossible because the condition was not fulfilled in time. In the main clause we use helping verb would have, should have + Past perfect tense. Ex: a) I should have won if I had practised with you.

Q. What is syntax? Give 5 examples. A. In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and processes by which sentences are constructed in particular language. Ex: a) Birds fly. b) Mr. Sharma was a teacher. c) The public elected her the mayor. d) They lit a fire. e) I gave her a rose. Q. Define concord. Give 5 examples. A. Concord is defined as an agreement between words in gender, number, person and generally agreement between subject and verb. Ex: a) Singular: A bird flies. Plural: Birds fly. b) Many a man likes seeing movies late night. c) The doctor nor the nurse is present at the moment. d) Time and tide waits for none. e) Bread and butter is a wholesome food.

Unit-2

Q. Define communication. A. The word communication has been derived from the Latin word communicare which means to share, or to participate. Thus communication stands for sharing of ideas, opinions, information, feeling, education and attitudes. It gives an insight into the other persons mind, conduct and character. Q. What do you understand by conversation? A. Conversation is a form of interactive, spontaneous communication between two or more people who are following rules of etiquette. It is polite give and take of subjects thought of by people talking with each other for company. Conversations are 'interactive' because contributions to a conversation are response reactions to what has previously been said. Conversations are spontaneous because a conversation proceeds, to some extent, and in some way, unpredictably. However, the scope of that spontaneity may legitimately be somewhat pre-limited for the purpose of

expediency, e.g. a talk show. Conversations follow rules of etiquette because conversations are social interactions, and therefore depend on social convention. Failure to adhere to these rules devolves, and eventually dissolves the conversation. Q. How many types of communication have been divided? A. Communication is mainly divided into 2 parts:a) Verbal b) Non-verbal Verbal: the word verbal means - comprising of words. Since words can be spoken as well as written they are further divided into 2 parts. a) Oral b) Written Oral: It means communication on face to face conversation, conversation over phone, speeches, group discussions, meetings and conferences. Written: Written communication depends upon recognizing a specific set of symbols and giving a feedback in the same. It includes articles, dissertations, theses, letters, memo, reports. Non-Verbal: It includes postures, gestures, tone or modulation of voice. Nonverbal communication of a person tells a lot about his upbringing, his confidence, character, conduct and even his present state of mind. Non-verbal communication is divided into 4 parts: a) Body language b) Proxemics c) Para language d) Sign language Q. Discuss process of communication. A. Process of communication is a two way process, which goes through six stages. The process involves two persons- a sender and a receiver. The first three stages are initiated by the sender, and the rest three are covered by the receiver. The last stage in the form of a feedback, reaches the sender and this completes the communication cycle. a) Ideation: an idea flashes in the mind of sender and he wants to show it. b) Encoding: When the person has an abstract idea he wants to give it a concrete shape decided by the sender.

c) Transmission of message: the sender transmits his encoded message through the most suitable transmission channel to make transmission to receiver a success. d) Receiving the message: the receiver gets the message transmitted by the sender. The success of its reception depends on its reception at the right time and in its original form. If an urgent message reaches its destination too late or in a damaged condition, its transmission will be a failure. e) Decoding: the receiver has to decode the message. The decoding will be success if the receiver understands the message correctly. f) Feedback: after decoding the message the receiver sends his response/ judgement back to the sender, completing the cycle of communication process. Q. Discuss importance of communication. A. The need for technical communication arose along with the industrial revolution which broke out in the 17th century in England. Revolution spread all over the world due to that industrial growth and technology, communication has become indispensable for human progress. One of the primary needs of any technical advancement is the team work where co-ordination is a must. For a successful completion of a heavy engineering project, the Executive Engg. will have to explain and interact with the expert of auxiliary facilities and they in turn will have to explain the task in hand to floor level technicians. It is not enough to gain technical expertise, the ability to impart that expertise effectively and efficiently to others is even more important. We need to increase our new kinds of communication skills for the new advancement in information technology. This regular updating of the technical expertise is essential for the highly competitive environment as technical communication is playing a pivotal role in every field of business and technology. Q. Discuss language as tool of communication. A. With the help of language man has found an easy and convenient way of passing on as well as safe knowledge and experience for future generation. Before the languages we know today, man invented a set of symbols called Letters. Letters were further organised and found words. Then came logical group of words called Sentences. Though the other species may be better equipped like having wings or more power, but man can fly aeroplanes or launch rockets by sharing knowledge and experiences through language. Thus language has helped man come out victorious over other species, even nature. It is through language our ancestors could hand out knowledge and experience to us and we, in turn, can do the same for the coming generations

with the help of languages only. Language acts as a bridge spanning not only generations but centuries, even eras. In todays hi-tech generation, knowledge is spread and shared through electronic communication right up to every nook and corner of the world, bringing people of different castes, colours or creed closer to each other.

Q. What is feedback? A. Feedback is the final stage of communication process. After decoding the message successfully, the receiver evaluates it, gives his own judgement over the matter, and sends his response back to the sender. This feedback completes the cycle of communication process. Q. What is encoding and decoding? A. Encoding: Encoding is the 2nd step in communication process. When the person has an idea, he wants to give his abstract idea a concrete shape decided by
the sender. It can be in oral form, written form or even in a non-verbal form like sign language.

Decoding: After receiving the message successfully, the receiver has to decode (understand and interpret) it. If the received message has been decoded correctly and in the same spirit as it was intended to be by the sender, the decoding will be success. Q. What is the role of transmission of message?

A. Transmission of message is an important step in process of communication. The sender transmits his encoded message through most suitable and appropriate channel. While transmitting his message, sender has to keep in mind the need, expectation and receptivity of the receiver in order to make the transmission successful.

Assignment-2 UNIT-3 Q. What is a job application letter? What are its functions? A. A job application letter is a formal employment-seeking document, which is written to apply for a specific position. It is persuasive in nature and its basic objective is to draw a clear interaction between the job and the candidates qualifications. It persuades the reader to believe the suitability of a candidate for a particular position. It introduces the applicant to the hiring organisation and highlights his/her positive personal skills and achievements that make him/her suitable for the applied position. Moreover, it shows how the applicants special talents will benefit the organization and asks for an opportunity to be interviewed. Q. What are the guidelines for writing a good resume? A. The main function of a resume is to attract the employer hence the following guidelines should be followed: 1. The resume should be well written, sentences and paragraphs should be small and simple. 2. Use of jargon should be avoided. 3. It should be type written. 4. It should provide all necessary information, related to applicants education and experience. 5. Any personal information which is not directly related to the job target should not be included. Q. Give a brief summary of resume? A. Resume: Resume must be written carefully selecting the most pertinent information and choosing a readable format. There are two different formats in order to present information in a resume: 1. Chronological Resume: Traditionally the information required in a resume is initially been arranged in a chronological order. Because employees are accustomed to this order, they know where to find information they need and can focus easily on your positions and accomplishments. Necessary sections of this type of resume are as follows: i) Career objective ii) Summary iii) Educational history iv) Personal history v) Work history 2. Functional Resume: The functional resume focuses on skills and strengths. This kind of resume presents the applicant to the employer, in the same way the employer looks the applicant: in terms of whether the relevant

skills are present. The functional resume has the following sections: i) Objective ii) Personal data iii) Education iv) Work experience v) Skills and certifications. Q. Comment on resume design. A. Resume design refers to the structure and layout of a resume. The design of a resume depends largely on a candidates education, professional background, employment needs, career goals and professional conventions in the area of his/her specialisation. A resume should be designed to reflect the candidates personality, employment goals and his/her career aspirations. One may use a resume writing software to design a resume or it may be written by a professional resume writer/resume-writing services. While designing resume, one should consider individual needs. Q. Write a brief note on style and tone of a business letter. A. Effective business letters are characterised by appropriate style and tone. An effective style involves clarity, courtesy and consideration, conciseness and correct tone and correct attitude. Clarity involves the use of clear, simple, familiar and specific words and expressions and clear references. Business letters must be courteous as the basic principle of business interaction is mutual understanding and respect. Use of positive and encouraging phrases can express courtesy and consideration. Moreover, business letter should be concise and direct. The writer has to ensure that the letter makes its point in the fewest words possible. Unnecessary words, word expressions, empty words, wordy compound prepositions, repetitions and redundancies must be avoided. An appropriate tone in a business letter helps to establish the relationship that the writer wishes to establish with the reader. It is important to use a tone appropriate to the situation in order to adapt ones expression to the demands of the situation and the needs of the reader. The tone of business letters should be formal, tactful, personal and positive. Finally, business letters must reflect positive attitude. Q. An application letter is a sales letter. Discuss. A. An application for a job is just like a sales letter because the applicant is selling his services. Such applications are supposed to be very important documents. The following guidelines should be used while applying for a job: 1. Before the applicant writes an application letter let him first consider all the qualifications required for that particular job. At the second stage, he should try to judge his own qualifications.

2. Each individual has a specialty of his own, given to him by God. The applicant should try to discern that unique trait of his own character. If this speciality of him is in accordance with the job then it should be emphasized so that the candidate will be able to differentiate himself from the other applicants. 3. Sentences and paragraphs in an application should be short and simple. Jargon should be avoided. 4. The facts related to ones social interests, hobbies or personal information (i.e., height, weight, marital status) should not be included unless they directly relate to ones job target. 5. The resume should put the applicant in the best possible light. Resume may also be defined as the personal sales representative. Q. What do you understand by report? A. The word report has been derived from the Latin word reportare which means to carry back. A report, thus, means to carry back to someone who was not present in the description of an event. A report generally means to give an account of something seen, heard, done e.t.c. Report writing has assumed tremendous importance in the modern democratic set up and also in complex business organizations. The meetings are held, commissions set up and the committees are formed to attend some special business where several resolutions are passed, decisions are taken and the policies are laid down. The members of these meetings, commissions and committees have to submit their reports on all proceedings. Today report writing has been developed into a technical art. Thus, report is a special form of narrative which aims briefly at conveying information, based upon facts. Q. Discuss the characteristics of a report. A. Report writing has become a part of technical art. The writer is advised to keep in mind the points listed below: 1. The narrative of the report should be based on facts. It should be objective in approach. 2. Language of a report should be simple and not figurative. 3. All facts of a report should be objectively analyzed. 4. It is different from the descriptive and dramatic description where there is much scope for the free play of imagination. 5. Important facts should be given at the very inception. 6. Report must be complete in all respects. 7. There is no scope for exaggerated or hyperbolic expressions in report writing.

Q. Comment on the following: i) Scientific attitude in report writing. ii) Readability of report. A. i) Scientific Attitude in Report Writing : A report is a prose narrative prepared by a responsible person on any aspect of some organization. Such a prose narrative is found to be identically written. It means that a good report is based on facts and nothing else. The report writer should be free from all bias and prejudice. He should not record the facts from is personal point of view. Biased reporting is never welcomed, it is never convincing. The fundamental principle of report writing is unprejudiced reporting. The reporter is after all a human being so his assessment may be affected by his personal liking and disliking. Some elements of bias may enter into ones reporting, but efforts should be made to minimise it. ii) Readability of Report : Objectivity is an important feature of a good report. Another important quality of a good report is readability. A report is a written document hence it should be well written. The word readability not only to its legibility but also to the style in which it is written. The language of report should be simple. A good report does not imply the use of figurative language. It should be simple, able to convey meaning.

UNIT-4 Q. What do you mean by listening? A. Listening is the act of hearing attentively. We listen more than speak. If this listening skill is used in a proper way we can master the tools of communicative skills. Listening is difficult, as human mind tends to distract easily. A person who controls his mind and listens attentively acquires various other skills and is benefited. Listening skill makes you successful in workplace, family and in the society. Good listening skill is mandatory to get into a profession in communications, management, planning, sales, etc. Listening skills involve a different set of etiquettes, questioning for explanation, showing empathy and providing a suitable response. Good listening skills include the understanding ability. Body language is also a part of listening skill. Eye contact with the speaker, sitting straight and alert are the good gestures of a good listener. Q. Discuss the types of listening. A. Listening is basically of two types: i) Passive Listening: Sometimes we hear somebodys speech without comprehending it. In such case the mind perceives no message and thus no communication takes place. Most of the time such a situation arises due to inattentiveness of the listener. This type of listening is often known as Passive Listening. But such type of listening is not desirable in business communication. ii) Active Listening: When the listener listens to ones speech attentively and comprehends its meaning, it is known as Active Listening. In such sort of listening, the listener is actively involved in the process of communications. Listeners attentiveness provides an impetus to the speaker to present his message more enthusiastically and more sincerely. This sort of listening where the listener at once grasps the message communicated to him is known as Active Listening. Q. What are the different stages in development of listening skills? A. Listening, a skill and ability, has different stages in its development: i. The basic experience in listening, understanding and recognition can be considered the first stage in the development of the listening skills. This is called casual listening. ii. At this stage the learner recollects and comprehends the meaning of the message without the help of any visual presentations. This is possible when the learner is able to stake back from memory the recorded message. This is the 2nd stage of listening called attentive listening.

iii. In the next stage, the learner uses the language code. He forms certain images in the mind and name them using language code. iv. The next stage is called analytical listening which is very essential for creative thinking and writing. At this stage, the learner develops the ability to analyze, evaluate and apply his ability on an envisioned situation. Q. What are the guidelines for being a good listener? A. The guidelines to follow to be a good and effective listener are: 1. Prepare to listen: Clean your mind so that your attention is assured. Concentrate on what is being said. 2. Avoid pre-judgement: Do not prejudge the speaker because of appearance or occupation, or jump to any conclusion before hearing what is said. 3. Be open minded: Hear what is being said, not what you would like to hear. Appreciate the speakers point of view. 4. Establish eye contact: This shows that you are listening as does your posture. 5. Watch for signals: Pick up aspects that the speaker considers important by watching postures and gestures and listening to the tone of speaker. This is like listening to music as well as words. 6. Extract main points: pick out and repeat to yourself the key words or phrases. This will help to fix in your mind what is being said. 7. Give feedback: Learn to give positive feedback non-verbally, by nodding, and smiling. Be alert so that you can provide a suitable remark or ask a question to assist your understanding of the message. 8. Make notes: Record important conversations afterwards] your notes will serve as a useful reminder. Develop your note-taking skills by jotting down salient points of lecture or meetings. Q. What are the barriers/deterrents to listening? A. Despite the fact that an individual is physically present, there could still be instances when it is unable to grasp a great deal what is being said. There are a number of factors for the same: 1. Lack of interests: If an individual is not interested in the topic being discussed, no matter how hard he tries he would not be able to concentrate on the topic. 2. Ego: Superiority complex within an individual will also prevent him from listening to what the other individual is saying. It is the biggest communication block as the individual is not willing to accept the point of view of other person.

3. Preoccupied: If the listener is too busy with his own thoughts or is involved with himself, there is bound to be some mistake in the understanding of the intentions of the speaker. 4. Imperfect past/present tense / Uncertain: A behavioural aspect hampering the listening process is lack of self confidence may be because of some past events. A lot of time is waste on thinking about the past which may have been problematic or imperfect. The present too becomes rather uncertain for the individual as he makes futile attempts to break loose of the pasts. 5. Preconceived Ideas and notions: To enter into any kind of interaction with preconceived ideas, notions and thoughts can have a negative impact on the listening process. 6. Stress/Double Connotation, Negative/Positive impact: Working under stress can again lead to barriers in listening process. As mentioned above, when the mind is completely blocked to the proceedings and it becomes difficult for the participant to grasp what is being said, at that particular moment, however, stress sometimes can have a positive effect on some listeners. Under stress, an individual may be able to operate more consciously leading to above mentioned case. Q. What is the difference between hearing and listening? A. LISTENING It is voluntary. It requires conscious efforts. It is an active process. Listener plays a very active part. It is a two-way interactive process engaging the speaker and listener. HEARING It is involuntary. It happens automatically. It is passive process. Listener plays a passive part. It is a one-way process.

RESUME
Name Email-id Contact no. Branch : : : : :

CAREER OBJECTIVE

TECHNICAL SKILLS

PR OJECT WORK DURING POLYTECHNIC :

EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS Course Year

: Board/university Subject % of marks

College

Strength Hobbies Personal Details Fathers Name Mothers Name Date of Birth Sex Marital Status Language Known Nationality

: :

: : : : : : : Signature

Date:

BIODATA
Name D.O.B. Star Caste Height Complexion Educational Qualification Occupation FAMILY DETAILS FATHER Name Occupation Native Name Occupation Native Name Occupation Marital Status Name Occupation Marital Status Name Occupation Native : : : : : : : : : [if applicable] : : : [if applicable] : : : : : : : : : : :

MOTHER

BROTHER(S)

SISTER [Elder]

Brother in Law

ADDRESS FOR COMMUNICATION PHONE Postal Address : :

SOLUTION OF CT-2 Corporate Communication / DIP-301/307

Q1.

Attempt any four of the following: (a) What is the difference between Bio-data and Resume? Ans. A resume is a document that contains a summary of relevant job experience and education. The resume is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants, often followed by an interview, when seeking employment. A resume is ideally a summary of one's education, skills and employment when applying for a new job. A resume does not list out all details of a profile, but only some specific skills customized to the target job profile. A resume is usually written in the third person to give it an objective and formal tone. Bio Data is the short form for Biographical Data and is an archaic terminology for Resume or C.V. In a bio data, the focus is on personal particulars like date of birth, gender, religion, race, nationality, residence, marital status, and further details of personal background of the candidate. A chronological listing of education and experience comes after that. (b) Fill in the blanks with suitable form of verb. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The gentry is invited to tea party. Ten kilometres is not a very long distance. The boy who was absent is punished. Every man and every woman is in a happy mood. Geeta and her friends are singing a song.

(c) Explain the terms Encoding and Decoding. Ans. Encoding: Encoding is the 2nd step in communication process. When the person has an idea, he wants to give his abstract idea a concrete shape
decided by the sender. It can be in oral form, written form or even in a non-verbal form like sign language.

Decoding: After receiving the message successfully, the receiver has to decode (understand and interpret) it. If the received message has been decoded correctly and in the same spirit as it was intended to be by the sender, the decoding will be success.

(e) Change the following sentences into passive voice:1. Someone has stolen my camera. My camera has been stolen by someone. 2. Nobody can lift this box. This box cannot be lifted by anyone. 3. Do it. Let it be done. 4. Let him pay the bill. Let the bill be paid by him. 5. He ought to help her. She ought to be helped by him. Q3. Explain communication process with the help of suitable diagram.

Ans. Process of communication is a two way process, which goes through six stages. The process involves two persons- a sender and a receiver. The first three stages are initiated by the sender, and the rest three are covered by the receiver. The last stage in the form of a feedback, reaches the sender and this completes the communication cycle. a) Ideation: an idea flashes in the mind of sender and he wants to show it. b) Encoding: When the person has an abstract idea he wants to give it a concrete shape decided by the sender. c) Transmission of message: the sender transmits his encoded message through the most suitable transmission channel to make transmission to receiver a success. d) Receiving the message: the receiver gets the message transmitted by the sender. The success of its reception depends on its reception at the right time and in its original form. If an urgent message reaches its destination too late or in a damaged condition, its transmission will be a failure. e) Decoding: the receiver has to decode the message. The decoding will be success if the receiver understands the message correctly. f) Feedback: after decoding the message the receiver sends his response/ judgement back to the sender, completing the cycle of communication process.

ENCODING

IDEATION

TRANSMISSIO N

FEEDBACK

RECIEVING

DECODING

Q4. Write a job application for the post of Junior Engineer in Indian Networks located in Bangalore in response to an advertisement published in The Hindustan Times. Ans. To, The General Manager, Indian Networks Bangalore Sub: - Application for the post of Junior Engineer Sir, I would like to apply for the post of Junior Engineer prior to the advertisement published in the esteemed newspaper The Hindustan Times. Your company is a leader in producing heavy goods in the whole country and is a well reputed one. I have come to know through the vacancy advertisement that you are planning recruiting a few mechanical engineers. So, I request you to

kindly consider me as one of the candidates for the said jobs. I give below details about me. I am a graduate with a diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnic, TMU. The duration of my diploma course was three years. I have always been a attentive and hardworking student throughout the completion of my course and have achieved admirable grades in all semesters. I am a young man of 20 years. I have a good health and like to take a challenging task. Your company is well reputed and will provide me a chance to boost my career. I think it would be mutually beneficial to both if I join your reputed company. The salary matter can be discussed by us at the time of interview. I enclosed attested copies of my certificate and testimonials for your consideration. Originals, if required, shall be produced at the time of interview. I hope you will give me a chance to serve your company. Yours faithfully, (Name)