BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION /

BACHELOR OF COMMERCE /
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
(TRAVEL AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT) /
BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS /
BACHELOR OF ARTS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

BBA105/BCM105/BTT105/BCA115/BAQ101

Bhavana Singh
Shilpi Sanjay Dey
 CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY
Institute of Distance and Online Learning
Course Development Committee
Chairman
Prof. (Dr.) R.S. Bawa
Vice Chancellor, Chandigarh University, Punjab
Advisors
Prof. (Dr.) Bharat Bhushan, Director, IGNOU
Prof. (Dr.) Majulika Srivastava, Director, CIQA, IGNOU
Programme Coordinators & Editing Team
z Master of Business Administration (MBA) z Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Co-ordinator – Prof. Pragya Sharma Co-ordinator – Dr. Rupali Arora
z Master of Computer Applications (MCA) z Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)
Co-ordinator – Dr. Deepti Rani Sindhu Co-ordinator – Dr. Raju Kumar
z Master of Commerce (M.Com.) z Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.)
Co-ordinator – Dr. Shashi Singhal Co-ordinator – Dr. Minakshi Garg
z Master of Arts (Psychology) z Bachelor of Science (Travel & Tourism
Co-ordinator – Dr. Samerjeet Kaur Management)
z Master of Arts (English) Co-ordinator – Dr. Shikha Sharma
Co-ordinator – Dr. Ashita Chadha z Bachelor of Arts (General)
z Master of Arts (Mass Communication and Co-ordinator – Ms. Neeraj Gohlan
Journalism) z Bachelor of Arts (Mass Communication and
Co-ordinator -– Dr. Chanchal Sachdeva Suri Journalism)
Co-ordinator – Dr. Kamaljit Kaur
Academic and Administrative Management
Prof. (Dr.) Pranveer Singh Satvat Prof. (Dr.) S.S. Sehgal
Pro VC (Academic) Registrar
Prof. (Dr.) H. Nagaraja Udupa Prof. (Dr.) Shiv Kumar Tripathi
Director – IDOL Executive Director – USB

© No part of this publication should be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission of
the authors and the publisher.

SLM SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR

CU IDOL STUDENTS
Printed and Published by : Himalaya Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.,
E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.himpub.com
For : CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY
Institute of Distance and Online Learning
 Communication Skills
Course Code: BBA105/BCM105/BTT105/BCA115/BAQ101 Credit: 3
Course Objectives:
z To augment students’ overall communication and interpersonal skills by making them realize
the importance of good oral and written English communication skills in professional life.
z To enrich their reading capability with special emphasis on expanding vocabulary and
grammatical formations.
z To build exceptional LSRW skills by correcting grammatical errors and pronunciation through
practice.

Syllabus
Unit 1 - Business Communication: Meaning, importance, process, models and types, barriers
to effective communication, verbal and non-verbal communication, techniques for building
LSRW skills.
Unit 2 - Reading Skills: The student is required to read the book:
Using English – A Course Book for Undergraduate Learners,
English for Engineers and Technologists *
Reading: Unit – Humour.
Unit 3 - Technology with a Human Face *
Writing: Paragraph writing, reading comprehension.
Listening: Vowel sounds, stress and intonation.
Speaking: Greeting, taking leave, introducing oneself and others.
Unit 4 - Grammar: Parts of Speech, articles, modal verbs.
Vocabulary: Word formation – Prefixes, suffixes and compounds, homonyms,
homophones, homographs.

Unit 5 - Business Communication: Ethics in communication – significance, factors, dilemmas

in ethical communication.
Unit 6 - Reading: Unit – Inspiration. Unit – Climate Change and Human Strategy*

Unit 7 - Writing: Précis writing, leave application, permission letter, business letters – sales,
request, order, inquiry, acknowledgement, complaint and collection letters, memorandum
writing, office order, circular, various types of notice writing.

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Unit 8 - Listening: Consonant sounds.
Speaking: Social etiquette, interrupting and making polite conversation.
Grammar: Tenses, concord (subject-verb agreement), punctuation.
Vocabulary: One-word substitutes, synonyms, antonyms.
Unit 9 - Business Communication: Cross-cultural communication –significance, elements,
cultural context and barriers to cross-cultural communication.
Unit 10 - Reading: Unit – Sustainable Development. Unit – Emerging Technologies*

Unit 11 - Writing: Summarizing, note making and note taking, email writing, digital content writing
(blogs and websites), proofreading.
Listening: Listening to details and taking notes, points and sub-points, listening for the
theme and gist.

Unit 12 - Speaking: Making request, apologizing and listening.

Grammar: Narration, voice, transformation and correction of sentences.
Vocabulary: Collocations, idioms.

Text Books:
1. Lesikar, R.V. and Petit, J.D. (2016), Business Communication, New Delhi: Tata McGraw.
2. Chaturvedi, P.D. (2016), Business Communication, New Delhi: Pearson Education.

Reference Books:
1. Raman, M. and Sharma, S. (2017), Technical Communication – Principles and Practice,
New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
2. Murphy, R. (2015), Elementary Grammar, UK: Cambridge University Press.
3. Murphy, R. (2015), Essential Grammar in Use, 4th Edition, UK: Cambridge University
Press.
4. Hewing, M.A. (2015), Advanced English Grammar, UK: Cambridge University Press.

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 CONTENTS
Unit 1 : Business Communication 1 – 31

Unit 2 : Reading Skills 32 – 37

Unit 3 : Writing Skills 38 – 51

Unit 4 : Grammar Skills 52 – 73

Unit 5 : Business Communication 74 – 84

Unit 6 : Reading 85 – 91

Unit 7 : Writing Skills 92 – 117

Unit 8 : Listening Skills 118 – 134

Unit 9 : Cross-cultural Communication 135 – 144

Unit 10 : Reading Skills 145 – 153

Unit 11 : Writing Skills 154 – 182

Unit 12 : Speaking Skills 183 – 199

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Business Communication 1

UNIT 1 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Structure:
1.0 Learning Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Definition of Communication
1.3 Nature of Communication
1.4 Scope of Communication
1.5 Functions or Importance of Communication
1.6 Process of Communication
1.7 Models of Communication
1.8 Communication Barriers
1.9 Verbal Communication
1.10 Non-verbal Communication
1.11 Techniques for Building LSRW Skills
1.12 Summary
1.13 Key Words/Abbreviations
1.14 Learning Activity
1.15 Unit End Questions
1.16 References

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2 Communication Skills

1.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn the meaning, importance, process of business communication

z Learn and analyze SMCR Berlo’s model of communication
z Differentiate between verbal and non-verbal communication
z LSRW – Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing skills

The term communication is derived from the Latin word ‘communicare’ which means ‘make
something common’ or ‘communis’ which means ‘common or sharing’. So, it is the act of spreading
information.

1.1 Introduction

Communication is a means of sharing facts, information, thoughts and ideas with others. It is an
important link that joins people together. Human beings cannot live in society without communication.
In workplace you can achieve success only if you can communicate effectively. Communication is
the process of exchanging information, usually through a common set of symbols. SMCR Berlo’s
model of communication is a very important model where how message is sent from sender to
receiver is shown. During this communication, there are several barriers which are encountered.
Two types of important communication are Verbal and Non-verbal Communication. In communication
the most important skills are Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing skills.

1.2 Definitions of Communication

1. According to Peter Little, Communication is ‘the process by which information is transmitted
between individual and/or organizations so that an understanding response is created.’

This definition touches all aspects of the communication process:

z The process of communication involves the communication of ideas.
z The ideas should be accurately replicated in the receiver’s mind, i.e., the receiver
should get exactly the same ideas as were transmitted. If the process is perfect, there
will be no distortion of the ideas.

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Business Communication 3

z The transmitter is assured of the accurate replication of the ideas by feedback.

Communication is a two-way process including transmission of feedback.

z The purpose of communication is to elicit action.

2. One of the simplest definitions by Robert Anderson. He defines “Communication” as

interchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs.

3. According to Bartol and Martin, “Communication is the exchange of messages between

people for the purpose achieving common meanings.”

These definitions show that the communication depends on the understanding of the messages
by the receiver. The sender is able to transmit his own ideas effectively. The communication also
requires a medium or a channel to be received by a person.

1.3 Nature of Communication

Communication occurs wherever life exists. It creates common ideas, strengthens the feeling
of togetherness through exchange of messages and translates thought into action.

The important features or characteristics of communication are:

1. Continuous Process:

Communication is a continuous process. It is not static but dynamic. The people with whom
you communicate change the situation changes and the content and nature also changes. It starts
with the sender. Then it moves by encoding and decoding messages through some channel and ends
with the feedback. After receiving the feedback, the sender again gives another message so it is a
continuous process.

2. Interchange of Information:

It aims at exchanging information. It is a two-way process. The exchange of information can

happen between two or more persons. One person cannot communicate to himself so a sender
and receiver both are required to complete the communication act. A manager might send many
warning letters to the employees but communication is not complete unless it is read by the
employee.

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4 Communication Skills

3. Mutual Understanding:

The main purpose of sending the message is that the receiver receives and understands the
message. So the message should be clearly and concisely worded.

4. Universal Function:

Communication is a universal function, which covers all levels of authority.

5. Spiralling Process:

The receiver and the sender’s communication do not start at the same level. The abilities of the
sender and the receiver are different. Noise and time have an impact on it. So communication takes
a spiral shape before it is completed and reaches the receiver at the same level and space.

6. Social Activity:

The meaning of the message also depends on the social and cultural situation in which it is
delivered. The components of a society are into a relationship of sharing, be it information, feelings
or emotions.

1.4 Scope of Communication

Communication has unlimited scope. Broadly, the scope of communication can be explained
under two headings:

(i) External Dimensions

(ii) Internal Dimensions

}
Superiors
Internal
Communication Co-workers
Subordinates

}
Customers
Suppliers
External
communication Public
Government

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Business Communication 5

External dimensions means on a bigger level where we build relations with all external agencies
and stakeholders. If there is effective communication then the external organizational climate will
be based on trust, co-operation, innovation and commitment. External activities would be related to
sale and purchase of goods and services, reporting to the government and shareholders on the
financial situation and business operations, etc. Through effective communication one comes to
know how an organization looks after its advertisements, publicity and public relations function.

Internal communication is very important as it happens within an organization. It starts from

formulating corporate vision, mission and captivating goals to their implementation, etc. For framing
policies, top management need to obtain information and views of the middle and lower level
management people. Thus proper communication can only facilitate proper understanding of the
policies in the right spirit. Internal activities include maintaining and improving the morale of the
employees, giving commands to workers, announcing policies and organizational changes, etc.
Different departments in an organization execute different functions. So, for obtaining and giving
co-operation to other departments, exchange of information plays an important role. For example: In
Human Resource department, the HR manager has lot of responsibilities like conducting interviews,
appraising employees’ performance standards, explaining disciplinary rules and regulations, etc.
This can be achieved only through effective communication. Communication has direct link with
motivation and morale of the employees.

In addition to External and Internal dimensions, the scope of communication may be looked into
many things which comprise oral and non-verbal communication, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and
Mass Communication, etc.

1.5 Functions or Importance of Communication

Communication plays a vital role in every walk of life. The major functions or importance of
communication in an organization are:

1. Information:

The Communication facilitates decision making and problem solving. Managers, with the help
of effective communication receive and transmit the information which helps them to solve problems

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6 Communication Skills

and make decisions. For example: If there is strike in an organization, the manager calls the workers,
listen to their problems, explain the organizations position, etc.

2. Control:

Control is the power to influence people’s behaviour. When the employees are expected to
adhere to the company’s policies and procedure or first communicate their job related grievances to
their boss, communication performs the control function.

3. Motivation:

The employees need motivation at every level. Communication with employees from time to
time by the organization will keep the motivation of the employees high. By giving rewards and
incentives managers attempt to motivate employees to do excellent job.

4. Emotional Expression:

Communication facilitates expressing or letting out the feelings and emotions of employees
under diverse circumstances. It enables people to express their disappointment and discontent. In
several organizations managers are trained how to handle the employees’ emotional problems and
grievances.

5. Helps in Co-ordination:

Many a times there exists a lot of difference in departments, divisions, authority and power. So
an organization is not able to achieve its goal. Effective communication mechanisms like letters,
circulars, meetings, telephones, etc. can minimize these differences and activities are properly co-
ordinated to achieve organizational goals.

6. Performance Feedback:

Employees need to identify how well they are performing and what they can do to surpass the
standard. So managers communicate their feedback through letters of appreciation or suggestion, etc.

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Business Communication 7

1.6 Process of Communication

The communication process begins with the idea. The idea is a result of the need to send a
message. The sender who desires to send the message follows the following procedure:

The following factors/components are part of the process of communication:

1. Source/Sender of Communication:

The sender is the most important factor as the need for communication begins with the sender.
Thus, the purpose of communication from the sender’s point of view is very important. The purpose
may be to inform, to motivate, to persuade or to influence action; depending on this need, the other
components are structured.

2. The Message:

The message is the idea, expression in the oral/ written and verbal/non-verbal form. The type
of communication of message is dictated by the purpose of communication decided upon by the
sender.

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8 Communication Skills

3. Encoding:

While encoding the message the sender must use symbols which will have the same meaning
in the mind of the receiver as was prevalent in the mind of the sender. Selecting the right symbols in
an attempt to establish mutual understanding is the most important process of encoding.

4. Receiver:

The receiver may be an individual or a group of people for whom the message is targeted. The
message that reaches the receiver, he should be able to decode the code effectively.

5. Decoding:

To unravel the code effectively, understanding the code is the most important thing. The
deciphering of the code is most important. The deciphering of the code depends upon past experiences
of the receiver, personal assessment of symbols used, expectations of the sender. In order to increase
the effectiveness of the message, the receivers decoding should match the senders decoding.

6. Medium/Channel:

The choice of the right medium is very important. A faulty medium can affect the effectiveness
of the massage. A condolence message if given in the oral form is more effective, than the written
form. Whereas, sales message if given in the written form is less effective than the oral form.

7. Noise:

Noise is the factor that disturbs, diminishes, confuses or interferes with the message. Noise
can take place at any level of communication – when the sender is disturbed while formulating the
idea, if medium of the (telephone) is not working properly or causing disturbances etc.

8. Feedback/Response:

This is the most important component of communication. The effectiveness of the process of
communication is determined on the basis of the feedback received. Feedback can be positive or
negative. Positive feedback allows the process of communication to happen at the next level. Negative
feedback makes the sender realize that the ineffectiveness of communication and so the sender
makes efforts to reformulate the message send it in a manner that it becomes effective.

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Business Communication 9

Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model

David Berlo’s SMCR (SOURCE, MESSAGE, CHANNEL, and RECEIVER) model shows
that for the communication process there is a very important relationship between the source and
the receiver. The communication skills need to be very well developed of the source and the receiver
so that the encoding and decoding of the message happens smoothly. A SOURCE is someone who
makes the message based on his communication skills, attitudes, knowledge, etc. The MESSAGES
which are made by the source are then transferred along CHANNELS including sight, hearing,
touch, smell and taste. A RECEIVER is someone who tries to understand the message based on his
communication skills, attitudes, knowledge, etc. The only limitation of this model is that there is no
scope for feedback.

Aristotle in his model of communication has placed the speaker at the central position and says
the entire communication is in the hands of the speaker. The Berlo’s model of communication gives
importance to the emotional aspect of the message.

Berlo’s model has four components:

1. S – Source: Source is also called the Sender from whom the thought or the message is
originated. The Sender carefully puts his thoughts into words and sends the message to the
receiver. The factors are:

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10 Communication Skills

(a) Communication Skills – A sender needs to have excellent communication skills so

that a great impact is created among the receivers. The speaker should know about
pauses, pronunciation, sentence construction, accent, etc. A sender should listen to all
the queries of the receiver.

(b) Attitude – The effect of the message is created by the attitude of the speaker. The
sender’s attitude towards his own self, receiver and environment changes the meaning
of the message. If a person is very good in speaking but doesn’t have right attitude then
there is a problem.

(c) Knowledge – The educational qualification and number of degrees is not called
Knowledge but the clarity of the information which needs to be given to the receiver. The
sender should have in-depth knowledge about the subject. He should be able to answer
all the questions of the receivers. He should be familiar with the content of the subject.

(d) Social System – When the sender is sending the message it is affected by values,
beliefs, laws, rules, religion and other social factors.

(e) Culture – The cultural background of the receivers where the speaker is giving the
speech refers to culture. Something might be accepted in one culture and offensive in
another.

2. M – Message: The content which is sent by the sender to the receiver is called Message.
Here the sender converts his thoughts into words. It is also called Encoding. The factors are–

(a) Content – The beginning to the end of the message is the Content. The script of the
message is Content. The words have to be chosen carefully. The impact can be created
with sensible, accurate and crisp words.

(b) Element – The speech alone cannot bring a difference in communication. Non-verbal
Communication like Gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, body language, etc. are
Elements.

(c) Treatment – The way in which the message is given to the receiver is Treatment. It
has to be given in an accurate form. A person has to understand the importance of the
message and should know how to handle it.

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Business Communication 11

(d) Structure – The way the message is structured or organized or arranged affects the
effectiveness of the message. It has to be in a desired or proper form.

(e) Code – It is a form in which message is sent like language, expressions, gestures, text,
video, etc.

3. C – Channel: The medium through which the information goes from the sender to the
receiver is Channel. The effectiveness of the channel is affected by the five senses of
human beings –

(a) Hearing – Through Hearing we receive the message.

(b) Seeing – We recognize through seeing. We also get non-verbal messages by seeing.

(c) Touching – Touching like holding hands or shaking hands is a kind of non-verbal
communication

(d) Smelling – The information is collected from Smelling.

(e) Tasting – Taste also provides the information to be sent as a message.

4. R – Receiver: The receiver responds to the message after he tries to understand what
the sender wants to say. It is also called as Decoding. He should have good listening skills.

The other factors are similar to that of the sender as Communication Skills, Attitudes, Knowledge,
Social systems and Culture.

There are some criticisms to this model as it doesn’t have the element of the feedback, noise or
barrier to communication, linear model no two-way communication and speaker and receiver should
be in same platform not always possible.

1.7 Models of Communication

Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver in 1948 came up with Shannon and Weaver model of
communication which is also called Telephone Model as it is said that message is interfered by the
noise from the telephone switchboard in 1940s. It is a transaction model of communication.

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12 Communication Skills

Example: A businessman wants to send a message to his worker. So, he uses Telephone as a
medium to send it and conveys the message about meeting happening about their bad promotion.
Due to noise, the worker does not receive full message.

z Sender – Businessman

z Encoder – Telephone Network Company

z Channel – Mobile Network

z Noise – Distraction in Voice

z Decoder – Mobile Phone

z Receiver – Worker

Shannon and Weaver Model merely says that a message in fact originates from the person
who gets the thought or has the information. The sender is also called the Source of Information or
the Information Source. The information then gets transmitted from the brain to the mouth and
comes out as a signal which then reaches the receiver after joining hands with several noises and
other disturbances. The receiver then further passes on the message to its final destination or other
minds of other individuals.

SHANNON AND WEAVER MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

Information Transmitter Channel Receiver Destination

Source (Encoder) (Decoder)
Message Signal Signal Message
Sent Received

Noise

Advantages:

z The communication can be effective by using the concept of noise and removing the noise
or problems causing noise.

z It can be used in general communication as well. It is a two-way process.

z Communication is taken as quantifiable in this model.

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Business Communication 13

Criticisms or Disadvantages:

z This model can be used for interpersonal communication rather than group communication
and mass communication.

z Sender plays the primary role and receiver has a passive part.

z Feedback is given less importance.

Difference between Shannon Weaver and SMCR Model

z Shannon – It is used for interpersonal communication.

z SMCR – It is used for interpersonal, intrapersonal, group or mass communication.

z Shannon – Senders and receivers are communicators. So, they can change their role.

z SMCR – Senders and Receivers are different people.

z Shannon – It includes noise and communication barriers as factors.

z SMCR – It does not necessarily have the concept of noise.

SMCR Model – Criticisms or Disadvantages:

z As there is no concept of feedback, so the effect is not considered.

z There is no concept of noise or any kind of barriers in communication.

z There is no two-way communication as it is a Linear model of communication.

z Both of the people must be similar according to all the factors mentioned above.

1.8 Communication Barriers

Communication fails when the message received is not the same as the message sent.
Communication Barriers exist in the entire organization. It is not limited to only one or two people.
There are many barriers that cause Communication failures. These are as follows:

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1. Organizational Structure:

If in an organization the hierarchy is greater (i.e., more the number of managerial levels), there
are more chances of communication getting destroyed. The top level managers can see the overall
picture while the employees just have knowledge of only some areas.

The structural barriers can be overcome by having upward, downward and horizontal
communication. Adopt techniques such as employee surveys, open door policies to encourage two-
way communication.

2. Difference in Status:

When people from diverse hierarchical positions communicate, there might be communication
breakdown. Mostly employees at lower level are very cautious while sending messages to managers.
The managers may sometimes refuse to discuss anything important with the employees. Thus, they
want to retain the importance of their status.

To overcome status barriers, create a fair and just environment through honesty and including
employees in decision making.

3. Information Overload:

Too much information or too little information both are bad as the person will not be able to
focus on the important part of the message. If the information is not controlled it is likely to be
misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked.

To overcome information overload, try to analyze the meaning of information before passing it
and set priorities which one is essential.

4. Message Complexity:

If a message is difficult in nature or difficulty in understanding the message it means message

is complex. The linguistic differences also lead to Communication breakdown.

To overcome complex messages, one has to make sure to keep the messages clear and easy to
understand, organize them suitably, using concrete and specific language, etc.

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5. Inattention:

Sometimes we only hear the information but not listen. We need undivided attention of the
receiver.

If a person does not have the time to pay attention to your message avoid telling your message
at that time. Make written messages visually appealing and easy to understand. Oral messages are
effective in face-to-face communication.

6. Physical Distractions:

If there is a lot of noise, it leads to distractions. Physical distractions like poor lighting,
uncomfortable seating arrangements, and unhygienic room also affect communication in a meeting.

To overcome physical barriers, ensure less noise by providing soundproof rooms or peaceful
surrounding. Try to prepare well written documents which are clear and comprehensive. When
giving oral presentation, the audience should be able to see and hear the speaker clearly.

Barriers can be categorized more aptly as:

1. Physical
2. Psychological
3. Semantic
4. Organizational

1. Physical Barriers

z Defects in the medium: Defects in the devices used for transmitting communication are
external and usually not within the control of the parties engaged in communication. The
telephone, the postal system, the courier service or even electronic media may fail or
breakdown. A partial failure of the mechanical equipment is more dangerous than a complete
failure, as it carries an incomplete or distorted message, which might cause a wrong action
to be taken.

z Noise: Noise is any disturbance which occurs in the transmission process. In face-to-face
communication without microphone, the air maybe disturbed by the noise in the environment
such as traffic, factory work or people talking.

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z Temperature and Humidity: A high temperature and humidity can lead to stress on both
sender and receiver of the message. In case there is high temperature, the lecturer may
not be able to communicate properly and students will also find it difficult to listen.

z Time and Distance: If two persons are working in two different shifts or at two different
places, then there could be communication gap. It could be possible if proper media of
communication or telephone facility is not available.

2. Psychological Barriers:

z Self-centered Attitudes: We pay attention to messages which are useful to us and often
do not pay enough attention to those messages which do not interest us. Self-interest may
prevent us from seeing the point of view of others.

z Group Identification: We tend to reject an idea which goes against the interest of the group,
e.g., family, people of locality and city, religion, age group, nationality and so on.

z Self-image: Self-image are our ideas about what we are, what we look like and what
impression we make. A self-image is built up over the years and it is quite difficult to accept
any idea which goes against it. So, it is difficult to give and take feedback.

z Selective Perception: Sometimes, we fail to get complete message which is sent to us.
Read or hear selectively according to our own needs, interest and experience. We project
our expectations into the communication as we interpret the message.

z Filtering: Filtering is a process of reducing the details or aspects of a message. Each

person who passes on a message reduces or colors a message according to his or her
understanding of the message or situation.

z Status Block: A boss who is conscious of status finds it difficult to receive favorably, any
suggestions from subordinates.

z Closed Mind: Limited intellectual background, limits reading and narrow interests can
cause person’s mind to be narrow. This limits the ability to take in new ideas.

z Emotions: If the sender is angry, worry or excited, then his thinking process will be affected.
So, the emotions of sender or receiver can affect the message.

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Business Communication 17

3. Semantic or Language Barriers

Languages are most important and powerful tools of communication, and yet it is a tricky tool
which needs skill in handling words has multiple meanings. Example – Similar sounding words like
access and excess, flour and flower, cite and site can cause misunderstanding in speech.

Even a concrete noun like table may suggest a dining table or a study table to different people;
chair could be something to sit or a position to occupy.

Sentences can convey entirely different meaning depending upon how they are spoken.

Semantic Barriers arise because words mean different things to different person. Technical
terms can be a barrier to communication. Example – Computer literate people are familiar with
mouse and others only know it as an animal.

4. Organizational Barriers

Within the organization, the movement of papers and of information may be held up by the
system itself. Oral messages and information which have to pass through many levels of authority
are often delayed. They are also likely to be distorted because at each level, they are edited and
interpreted.

Many gaps are created in upward communication because subordinates do not send all information
upwards; they tend to send up only such information which is favourable and hide which is
unfavouarable.

1.9 Verbal Communication

When the message is transferred through spoken words it is called Verbal communication. The
feelings, thoughts, opinions, ideas, etc. of the sender are put into words in the form of speeches,
discussions, conversations, etc. There are various aspects like tone, clarity, volume, speed, body
language, etc. which are important for the effectiveness of Verbal Communication. The feedback
given in Verbal Communication is instant. Verbal communication can be successful if speaking and
listening both are done in a proper way. Written and Spoken Communication both comes in Verbal
Communication.

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When the spoken words are used it is Oral Communication. Intonation, Paralinguistic and
Vocalization are important aspects of Oral Communication. Written communication is the one which
lasts for a long time and with the advent of new media it has developed over time and will be
continuously developing as science and technology continue to create new communication channels.

Advantages of Verbal Communication are:

z It helps in saving time during communication.

z Feedback can be given instantly.

z If a person has any doubts in the understanding of words it gives clear understanding of
communication.

z Most reliable method of communication.

z Most flexible and effective method.

z It is a dominant means of influence and control.

z Cheapest method of communication as it saves money.

Disadvantages of Verbal Communication are:

z In some situations, emotions are visible which can lead to trouble.

z As it has no legal validity in some situations, it can lead to problems.

z It does not provide a permanent record.

z When a person is communicating with distant people, it can have issues.

z As different speech tones are used, so some people cannot understand.

z In case of lengthy message, it is not suitable.

1.10 Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is indirect, without words. People mostly believe in actions, more
than in words. Verbal communication is communication through words. Researchers have found
that even in a spoken language, the listener pays more attention to Non-verbal Communication. For

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example – In a candidate’s resume, he communicates not only with words which describes his
education and experience, but also with the quality of paper and color of ink which were used in his
resume. Non-verbal communication is more important than Verbal Communication. Non-verbal
cues, can speak louder than words. Non-verbal communication includes all unwritten and unspoken
messages, both intentional and unintentional. They have a great impact on the receiver but it is
difficult to interpret them accurately. They should not be ignored but understood correctly.

Communication is transfer of information from one person to another. 75% of our time we
spend in communicating our thoughts and ideas but we fail to realize that our communication is more
in non-verbal form than oral and written forms.

Definition of Non-verbal Communication:

Non-verbal Communication can be defined in several ways:

z Communication through any means other than words.

z Instead of speech or writing using any other medium to transmit the messages.

z Usage of non-linguistic means to convey the message.

According to one definition, ‘Non-verbal Communication involves those non-verbal stimuli in a

communication setting that are generated by both the source (speaker) and his or her use of the
environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver (listener).’

Peter Drucker says, ‘The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being
said’. Bartol and Martin define Non-verbal Communication as, ‘Communication by means of elements
and behaviours that are not coded into words.’

Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication:

1. Non-verbal Communication involves usage of sign language, symbols, etc. that

enables communicating in the absence of words: It uses body language, proxemics,
visuals, etc. for communicating. The meaning is shared through involuntary responses.

2. Non-verbal Communication is used to perform specific functions: In some situations,

some functions of non-verbal communication are important, i.e., like to express emotions,
to manage interactions, create impressions, in greeting someone, etc.

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3. It is an inexpensive speedy means of informal communication only if the receiver

is able to see the sender: It does not cost much and saves time. It involves experiencing
or sharing something which is not expressed in words but the receiver is able to see the
sender.

4. Non-verbal Codes are used to establish and maintain interpersonal relationship:

It builds healthy relationships. It is more polite to communicate non-verbally especially to
avoid embarrassing situations.

5. It can support in the building of corporate image by complimenting verbal

communication: It builds the corporate image as team members; need to understand the
message of others more than merely listening to the spoken words.

6. It provides scope for feedback: As it happens only in face-to-face situation, feedback

can be given immediately.

7. Its success depends on the attentiveness of the receiver and his capability of understanding
the communication:

The receiver has to pay attention, otherwise he will miss out or fail to hear the non-verbal
message.

Types of Non-verbal Communication:

Appearance
Clothing, Hair Style, Choice of Colors
Gestures
Hand Movements, Winking Nodding
Non-verbal
Para-linguistics
communication
Tone of voice, pitch, loudness
Facial Expression
Eye Contact Smile, Frown
Movement of eyes, Blinking
Postures
Arm Crossing, Leg Crossing, Seating Position

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1. Kinesics:

Development of scientific study is called KINESICS – a science of body language. George

Terry uses the expression body language, to include facial expressions, gestures, posture, body
movements, etc. as non-verbal means of communication. An unspoken communication that happens
in face-to-face encounter is body language as it reveals the true feelings on how well your words
are being acknowledged. For example: When we welcome someone, we extend our hands, smile,
etc. When boss is giving instructions, we shrug our shoulder it indicates doubt or disapproval.

It is said that only 10 per cent is communicated through actual words and around 70 per cent is
communicated through body language. A lot is told by our body in different ways as we communicate.
It can indicate attitudes and feelings. Out body movement includes our head, eyes, shoulder, eyebrows,
fingers, hands, etc. Together these pieces say whether we are sad, happy, nervous comfortable, etc.

(a) Facial Expressions:

The non-verbal messages sent by this channel are first noticed but is difficult to understand
because of the complexity of possible expressions. There are so many ways in which the
eyebrows, lips and jaws can move. But research shows that people mostly are accurate in
judging the meaning of facial expressions. For example: We can judge the warmth or
coldness, varying moods from the sender’s face. It communicates emotions like surprise,
sadness, fear and attitudes like friendliness, anger, affection, etc. A face is a book in which
you can read a lot. For example: If your boss smiles you are pleased but if he frowns it
leaves you into discomfort position.

Facial expressions also provide information about a candidate’s thought process. For example:
The interviewer can judge the confidence of the candidate in the information being given.
The high quality messages are produced through face in which the meanings are same
with the expressions.

(b) Posture:

Posture is another indicator of our mood and attitude. Slouching while sitting may indicate
lack of interest. The way we stand or sit and the position of the head and hands influence

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communication. When we keep our hands folded it shows that we adopt defensive position
and we don’t agree to the other person.

The right posture:

It is said that you will feel better if your posture is right. So whenever you feel a bit low then
take a look at your posture, you might be slouching.

There are certain types of postures that convey inclusion or exclusion. In a group the
members can place his/her body in a way that will include or exclude an individual from a
conversation. For example: A group of people may form a little circle that excludes all
others. Also, one can acquire a posture that agrees with the person with whom he is
communicating. Posture indicates relationship between people – superior and subordinate,
shows confidence level, shows inferiority or shyness.

(c) Gestures:

Gestures are observed actions. Movement of the parts of the body specially hands, arms,
legs and feet is Gesture. Gestures in face-to-face communication always add and support
oral communication. Gestures communicate following things:

z Gestures can give information:

For example: Raising of hand – waiting to ask a question, V – Victory. It is also used as
a Dumb and Deaf sign language. While praising the work of the employee, the employer
pats him on his back.

z Gestures can indicate emotions:

Clapping of hands to indicate appreciation, touching of face – nervousness or anxiety,

Putting hands on mouth or head – tensed, etc.

z Gestures are used to support speech:

During his speech a person moves his hands, body and head continuously. For example:
Nod of the head – Yes, horizontal headshake means ‘No’.

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z Gestures helps to give feedback:

When the audience is fidgeting it indicates lack of interest or boredom. Non-verbal

feedback can warn that you must change or do something different so that you get the
result that you desire.

z Gestures express self-image:

Even your image is conveyed through Gestures. An extrovert person may use wide
energetic gestures while a shy person may use smaller gestures and restricts his gestures
to the area close to his body.

2. Oculesics:

The usage of eyes while communicating is Oculesics. This may include eye contact or the
avoidance of eye contact. Eye contact is a very important form of non-verbal communication. For
example: The boss maintains a longer eye contact than the employee. When a candidate goes for
the interview if he maintains eye contact it shows the confidence. Avoidance of eye contact may
also mean a person is guilty or telling lies. In a class if a student is slouching then as soon as the
teacher stares the student will sit straight. Eyes can communicate a wide range of meanings.

At the end of a social evening, people may signal ‘Let’s go!’ only by eye contact. Length of eye
contact may be confusing. For example: If a boy looks at a girl for a prolonged period then she feels
embarrassed or uncomfortable. If a person maintains good eye contact it shows respect and interest.

3. Haptics:

Haptics or tactile communication or touch is an important form of Non-verbal Communication.

Bonds are formed with touch. When your boss pats your back you feel pleased as his touch shows
the appreciation. Mostly touch is used during greetings and departures but it can also be used in
conversations. For example: touching the feet of elders is considered to be respectful.

If touch is used properly in communication it can create a more direct message then words
but if used improperly, it can build barriers and cause mistrust. Touch not only sends the message but
also has the emotional impact of the message. When a person is trying to influence the other person
the touch reinforces the message. It can also indicate the relationship between people. Touch is

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especially good at imparting a sense of empathy. Touch is very important way to convey comfort
and reassurance.

4. Proxemics:

The way we use the space around us, how we arrange it and what we arrange in it is called
Proxemics. It is the study of space and its effect on human communication. For example: Many families
have a particular chair which is Dad’s chair so no one dares to sit on it. An employee will never sit
on the boss’s chair. In a class, students have their favorite bench, and this space is respected by others.
Sometimes if someone is standing very close to us we will feel they have invaded our space.

Types of Spaces:

(a) Intimate Distance:

It is the closest phase which shows relationship of parent-child, lovers, close friendship, etc

(b) Personal Distance:

In this phase there are two areas close personal distance and far personal distance. When
you hold your partner’s hand is the close personal distance. When you cannot comfortably
touch your partner at this distance it is far phase of personal distance. Still the distance is
close where personal discussions can be made.

(c) Social Distance:

It is the distance that house wife keeps from the repair man, distance which a business
man maintains when he meets the new client.

(d) Public Distance:

It is the distance that politicians, celebrities or VIP’s maintain with the public.

5. Appearance and Artefacts:

People are impressed if a person is muscular and good in shape. A person’s physical appearance
creates an image and is a part of Non-verbal Communication. A girl who is attractive would be able
to influence the people. The opinion of a person is made on his personal appearance. People can

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even change their appearance by changing their clothing styles, hairstyles, accessories, etc. For
example: If a person is poorly dressed he is treated poorly and well dressed people are treated well.
Casual wear indicates a relaxed, casual and approachable attitude where as formal wear indicates
a professional business like attitude. The most influential artefacts you own are your clothes.

6. Paralanguage/Vocalics:

Para means support, so paralanguage means supporting language. It is the changeable, connected
used of speech related mechanisms we use to complement our oral communication like tone, stress,
accent, pitch and register.

(a) Tone:

The combination of raised and lowered voice is tone which is used for supplementary
meaning. Tone can be direct, commanding, loud, soft, etc. For a request, we use politely
raised tone and a lowered tone for a command. During a speech we must well-modulate
our tone so that people will be paying attention.

(b) Stress:

Stress is unique to English opposed to Indian Language. In English for correct pronunciation
and meaning a particular syllable in a word is stressed. For example: complete.

(c) Accent:

Accent is the tune which we speak. For example: American and British accent. Americans
flatten their vowels more than the British.

(d) Pitch:

The measure of how high or low a voice is Pitch and is determined by speed of vibration of
the vocal folds. For example: While speaking to child we raise our pitch but we reprimand
an employee in a low pitch. Some people have the habit of speaking on the telephone with
a higher pitch.

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7. Chronemics:

The usage of time is known as Chronemics. It is like a message system which shows punctuality,
waiting time, etc. A silent message is given by the way we use time. If an employee comes on time
to office it shows his sincerity and the boss is impressed. The amount of time we spend on a task
shows how much importance we give to it.

Techniques for Improving Non-verbal Communication Skills:

z Establish and maintain eye contact.

z Use posture to show interest.

z Reduce or eliminate physical barriers.

z Probe for more information.

z Avoid assigning non-verbal meanings out of context.

z Associate with people from diverse cultures

z Appreciate the power of appearance.

z Observe yourself on videotape.

z Enlist friends and family to monitor your body movements and gestures.

1.11 Techniques for Building LSRW Skills

For effective Interpersonal communication a person need to have LSRW – Listening, Speaking,
Reading and Writing which are the four skills of Language Learning. When we talk about first
language acquisition, then in the order first comes listening then Speaking and then probably Reading
and Writing. For becoming a well-rounded communicator, all these skills are very important. The
receptive skills like Listening and Reading are the one where you don’t need to produce the language,
you just need to receive and understand it. They are also called Passive skills. The productive skills
like Speaking and Writing are the one where they need to produce the language and apply those
skills. They are also called Active skills.

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Listening

The most difficult skill is Listening which is a receptive language skill. The learners go through
a tremendous pressure to understand every word. Instead of Hearing he has to listen with his ears
and mind. It is necessary for the listener to be attentive and relaxed. The speaker should maintain
eye contact. Listener should keep an open mind. Listener should never interrupt the speaker. He
should try to keep himself in the speaker’s shoes and empathize with him. Anticipation is a skill to be
nurtured in Listening. The listener should concentrate on the message content by understanding it.
The students should be made to understand the sounds of the particular language. It could lead to
the right pronunciation of words. While giving training to the students one should comprehend speeches
of people of different backgrounds and regions. This intensive listening will eventually help a student
to understand more on the accents to be used and the exact pronunciation of words.

Speaking

Language is an instrument for communication. We need to express our ideas and need to know
other’s ideas as well so we communicate with others. In primary schools elocution and recitation
are main sources to master the sounds, rhythms, and intonation of the English language through
simple reproduction. There are many Speaking games and pair work activities which could encourage
the learner to speak the language. In a controlled situation this could lead the learner to manipulate
the language. This skill could be improved by understanding para-linguistic attributes such as voice
quality, volume and tone, voice modulation, articulation, pronunciation etc. Some more activities
which could be done to enhance Speaking skills are debates and discussions. We should make sure
to listen as well as to speak.

Reading

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spelling, grammar, and writing. It helps to develop language perception in the corrected form. Then
the brain imitates them, producing similar sentences to express the desired meaning. The skimming
or scanning techniques are very popular and effective methods to read quickly. We should take care
to underline key words while reading. Reading Skills help the students take hold of the content and
draw conclusions. The students should read newspapers, articles, books, magazines, etc. and make

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it as a habit. By doing these things, they would get acquainted themselves with the jargons and new
words. The students should read in portions. They should set reading goals. They should understand
common themes. They should try to personalize the content.

Writing

A person can measure his improvement and get a physical evidence of his achievements with
Writing. The learner will come to know his hold on vocabulary and structure with Writing. It helps to
understand the text and write compositions. Eliminate unnecessary words while writing. You can imitate
the writers you admire. He can summarize the content and use the language freely. One can excel
in Writing skills if he has a perfect language. Importance should be given to composition and creative
writing. Coherence and Cohesiveness are important aspects when it comes to writing a language.

With these four skills addressed equally while learning English, the learners can be assured of
having good communication skills, a great necessity in today’s competitive world.

1.12 Summary

Communication is the process where information is transferred between people. Communication

is a continuous process where there is a mutual understanding between people. It is a two-way process.
It is global and is a spiralling process. Internal communication within the organization and external
communication with the customers are important. In the process of communication, sender gets an
idea which he expresses through oral or written communication and encodes the message. The receiver
decodes the message and gives the feedback. Communication is very important as it gives information,
influence, motivates people, helps in co-ordination and gives feedback. Berlo’s SMCR Model shows
the relationship between sender and receiver through aspects like Source, Message, Channel and
Receiver. In Source, there are different factors like communication skills, attitude, knowledge, social
system and culture. In Message, there are different factors like content, element, treatment, structure
and code. In Channel, there are different senses like hearing, seeing, touching, smelling and tasting.
In Receiver, there are similar factors like source. Shannon and Weaver model says that the person
who gets the thought is the sender and from his brain it comes to his mouth and then receiver gets the
signal after going through several noises. Communication barriers exist like difference in status,
information overload, complex messages, physical distraction, etc. There are also physical,

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psychological, semantic and organizational barriers which exist. Verbal communication consists of oral
and written communication. Different types of Non-verbal communication are Kinesics, Gestures,
postures, facial expression, eye contact, etc. LSRW skills are necessary to develop in this world.

1.13 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Communication: Communication is a means of sharing facts, information, thoughts and

ideas with others.

z Barriers: When two people or group has a problem in communicating with each other.

z Verbal communication: When the message is transferred through spoken words, it is

called Verbal communication.

z Non-verbal Communication: Non-verbal communication is indirect, without words.

z Kinesics: Development of scientific study is called KINESICS – a science of body

language.

z Oculesics: The usage of eyes while communicating is Oculesics.

z Proxemics: The way we use the space around us, how we arrange it and what we
arrange in it is called Proxemics.

z Paralanguage: Para means support, so paralanguage means supporting language.

z Chronemics: The usage of time is known as Chronemics.

1.14 Learning Activity

1. Have a Group Discussion on topic like Reservations, Arranged Marriage vs. Love Marriage,
etc.
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2. Communication Origami – Folding Paper – Problem Solving Game

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By following spoken instructions, a group of team members will close their eyes and then fold
a sheet of paper in the classic style of Origami.

What’s the purpose of this? Following these instructions shows the team members just how
important communication is, and how different people interpret the same thing. The results of this
prove that communicating clearly is a crucial skill.

1.15 Unit End Questions

A. Descriptive Type Questions

1. What is communication? Illustrate the process of communication with a diagram.

2. Explain the barriers that lead to communication failure.

3. What are the characteristics of Communication?

4. Explain internal and external dimensions of Communication.

5. Elaborate the functions of communication.

6. What are the different types of non-verbal communication? Explain each briefly.

7. Explain the term Kinesics. Write a note on the major types of body language.

8. What are the techniques of improving LSRW skills?

9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Verbal Communication?

10. Explain Berlo’s SMCR model in detail.

11. Differentiate between SMCR model and Shannon-Weaver communication model.

12. What are the shortcomings of SMCR model?

13. Define reading.

14. Why reading skill is important?

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15. Define SQ3R technique of reading.

16. What is the difference between skimming and scanning?

B. Multiple Choice/Objective Type Questions

1. The Latin word ‘Communicare’ means __________.

(a) to take (b) to export (c) to impart

2. Messages arise in the mind of the _________.

(a) sender (b) receiver (c) listener

3. Decoding is the process by which information is ____________.

(a) sent to all (b) understood by the receiver
(c) made into a concrete message.

4. Barriers _________.

(a) enhance (b) obstruct (c) preserve

5. When a message is expressed using gestures or signs, it is _________ communication.

(a) oral (b) verbal (c) non-verbal

6. In Writing skill, Coherence and ____________are very important.

(a) cohesiveness (b) concreteness (c) confidence

Answers
1. (c), 2. (a), 3. (b), 4. (b), 5. (c), 6. (a)

1.16 References

1. https://www.takecareofmoney.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-ver bal-
communication/

2. https://www.englishmate.com/blog/developing-the-four-essential-skills-listening-speaking-
reading-writing/

‰‰‰

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UNIT 2 READING SKILLS

Structure:
2.0 Learning Objectives

2.1 Definition of Reading

2.2 Types and Techniques of Reading
2.3 SQ3R Method of Reading
2.4 Read a Book
2.5 English for Engineers and Technologists

2.6 Reading Unit – Humour

2.7 Summary
2.8 Key Words/Abbreviations
2.9 Reference

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2.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Develop reading habits.

z Understand the importance of reading.

2.1 Definition of Reading

Reading is basically understanding a text or gaining knowledge from an information which is

presented for the reader. Reading is done majorly for gaining knowledge or for improvising current
scheme of knowledge. Reading allows people to understand various things in a new perspective.
The impact of reading usually turns the reader into a better person.

Why is Reading Skill Important?

Reading skill is very important because it helps to make a person better because the printed or
written text is written in a fine vocabulary and also vast information is provided. A well-read person
is always far more appreciated in the society than the one who is not. Reading well transforms
people in a positive way and teaches them to hone their skills in the right way.

2.2 Types and Techniques of Reading

Reading is a joy best benefitting the reader. The way the readers read is also very important.
Sometimes, a book is read in a rush, sometimes in depth and sometimes in an intrigued manner.

There are majorly three types of reading:

1. Skimming Reading: This is basically superficial reading where you read only the headlines
and first sentences of each paragraph. It is very similar to terms preview, overview and
review. The thing about skimming is that it helps to give an idea about the topic so that the
reader can relate with what is being spoken and read.

2. Scanning Reading: This kind of reading is basically a kind of searching. In this type of
reading, the entire content is not read but only those parts are read from where the answers

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can be obtained. This type of reading is only done to search for a particular content, quotation
and answer or information. Here, reading is only done for a particular purpose.

3. Intensive Reading: Intensive reading is a more involved version of reading. It is far more
involved, detailed and deep version of reading. Here, the reader reads content for
understanding the concepts and arguments provided in the text. This intensive reading
usually should take place after skimming reading.

2.3 SQ3R Method of Reading

1. S – Survey

Survey includes reading the topics and sub-topics. It is more like glancing through the headers
and trying to understand the headings along with the content. This also includes making notes,
analysing and preparing a content with the available information which has been read.

2. Q – Questions

Writing questions play a significant role in developing better understanding of the topic. People
get an opportunity to clear their doubts when they ask questions.

3. R – Read

Reading helps to provide an opportunity to answer questions, understand themes and even
make notes. Reading keeps one more updated and knowledgeable on the topic. A well-read person
is also a wonderful orator.

4. R – Recall

Recalling is basically an art of memorising the book only upon reading it intensively. The best
result of an in-depth reading is how well one can visualise the content. Mentally visualising the
content can be helpful in recalling the information one has read. This is only possible if the content
has been read very well.

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5. R – Review

This is basically an understanding of the content after reading and understanding everything.
This step completes the mental picture. This is more of a recalling or a recap.

2.4 Read a Book

It is almost imperative for one to read a book as reading makes the best version of yourself.
Here is a book one must read and then discuss in class. You can even discuss how the ending should
have been.

The palace of illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

2.5 English for Engineers and Technologists

English, as we all know, is a known and preferred language in many parts of the world. Maximum
people communicate in English and having a good command over English language helps to leave a
lasting impression. When we speak about importance of English language, it is important for everyone
to know the language decently.

Engineers and technologists must primarily be proficient in the language because globally English
is recognised and preferred. Many people feel that those belonging to technical fields need not know
proper English because the world is only concerned with their work and not their language. However,
this mentality is wrong. Engineers and Technologists especially need to know the language not just
for their academic life but also when they want to make it big in career. There could be wide
possibilities that you may get clients who are English speaking only. When you have a client who
speaks only English and you are not very good at it, there can be huge communication barriers. This
is a very common problem and this is also when technical professionals realise the value of the
language. You may be excellent at your work, but you could not deliver due to language barrier. Who
is to blame for that? English is a glue for the world, people bind with a common language and
successfully conduct and establish plans and launch careers.

For those, whose native language is not English, they must try to work more hard and master
the common language in order to achieve success at global levels. There are humungous numbers of

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engineers who graduate from college but are not very successful. This rate of unsuccessful graduates
is high because of lack of communication skills and lack of knowledge in English language. Engineers
have to deal with a lot of people to understand the problems, not being able to speak even Basic
English is a big disadvantage. It is now time to understand that, English to engineers is as important
as water is to fishes. When you speak well, you can work with people from different countries and
prove your mettle at a global platform.

2.6 Reading Unit – Humour

Humour is an essential part of human lives. Humour adds joy and laughter in our lives. Humour
is the comedy element which one finds in normal situations in life. With humour, an individual lightens
up, cheers up and looks at things in a fun manner.

Some books which one can read with HUMOUR genre are as follows:

1. Swami and Friends – R.K. Narayan

2. Life is what you make it – Preeti Shenoy

2.7 Summary

z Reading is very important for engineers and technologists as it helps them to improve their
vocabulary and meet the requirements of the world. Reading can improve the knowledge
on a particular subject. Often, reading good books and write-ups can encourage one to
think constructively. This habit can lead to positive changes which can contribute to long-
term growth. The content a person reads directly or indirectly shapes him into a person he
becomes. Reading can impact a person very well which can alternatively be useful in
making lasting impression on the people they usually come across. Especially, people from
technical backgrounds can make most use of the habit of reading as it can help improvising
language which can in turn make their commercial prospects better as language will be
their core along with their skill.

z Reading helps to improve knowledge in various segments. A lot of times, in several

professions one can upgrade their knowledge by reading well and reading right. Often,

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Reading Skills 37

people look for courses to study where they can upgrade themselves. However, doing
these kind of courses is not feasible at all times due to commitment and financial reasons.
Therefore, reading on upgraded topics can be very useful and can be done totally at a
convenient time. Apart from educational readings, there is a lot of other reading a person
should indulge in from the point of view of knowledge on different topics and also sometimes
must take part in light readings.

z Humour reading relieves the reader from stress. Several times, people read with a lot of
tension in the back of the mind. In such situations, if a person reads humour writing, it can
help the person free his mind from worries and give a few quality minutes to themselves.
Having habit of reading for at least 30 minutes can contribute richly to one’s mind and
personality development.

2.8 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Read: The ability to understand and comprehend what is written; to comprehend the text.

z Recall: To remember everything which has been read.

z Review: To havee a quick look through over the entire text.

z Books: Source of information.

z English: A language known to many and spoken and preferred in many parts of the world,
world – the globe comprising of all countries and oceans.

z Vocabulary: Ability to use a good language.

z Humour: Comic element, genre-certain type of segment which has limited topic and scope.

z Oral communication: To speak and pass information verbally.

2.9 Reference

1. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/e10alpha/2009/11/08/the-importance-of-english-for-engineering-
students/

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38 Communication Skills

UNIT 3 WRITING SKILLS

Structure:
3.0 Learning Objectives
3.1 Paragraph Writing
3.2 Comprehension
3.3 Vowel Sounds

3.4 Stress and Intonation Speaking

3.5 How to Prepare for IBPS Officer Exam?
3.6 Summary
3.7 Key Words/Abbreviations
3.8 Unit End Questions
3.9 Reference

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Writing Skills 39

3.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Understand about reading paragraph and writing about self-skills

z Learn how to socialise

3.1 Paragraph Writing

Paragraph Writing requires a knowledge of few things which should especially be kept in mind.
Paragraph is basically writing about something in short. Although you write paragraph in short, it is
imperative to provide complete information about the topic you have chosen to write in a brief
manner. Paragraph makes the best use of one word substitutes which helps in explaining a lot of
things together but not in a very long format.

However, preparation is very important before writing a paragraph. Following steps are important
to keep in mind before writing a paragraph.

1. Decide well in advance about what you plan to write on.

2. Research well on the topic.

3. Make pointers before you begin to write.

4. Begin with an introduction about what you want to say, middle should be information you
want to provide and may be just a small closure for the paragraph at the end.

5. Never break the order of the paragraph especially with your pointers.

6. Give meaning to the paragraph, demonstrate with good words.

7. Conclude in short but well.

8. Proofread your work and analyse if the work has been written well and supports the theme
of the paragraph.

A perfect paragraph basically comprises of two lines of introduction, three supporting lines and
one concluding line. This however, should be written well in order to complete it into a paragraph.

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40 Communication Skills

Importance of TSC in Paragraph Writing

TSC is a common abbreviation which is used to explain the basic structure or format for
designing a proper paragraph. When the TSC format is followed, the paragraph becomes far more
sensible and also gives shape to the content along with providing a clear vision to the reader.

T – Topic Sentence:

The kind of topic sentence one chooses gives a clear idea about the content of the text. The
topic sentence is usually the opening line of any paragraph. The right kind of sentence will help the
reader understand if this is the paragraph he will want to read or not. The first sentence should be
written in such a manner that it supports the rest of the content.

S – Supporting Details

The supporting details are the lines which usually describe the topic sentence. These details
are taken from various sources, researched upon and then put together for the reader. The supporting
details are an intensive and in-depth version of the first sentences. The entire content works on to
give more and more information to the readers for providing them complete knowledge.

C – Concluding Sentence

This term refers to the last few closing lines, the lines one chooses to mention after giving out
the entire information. The concluding line works as a closure and informs the reader that post this,
there would be no more information on the mentioned topic. The last lines indicate that there is no
more information for the topic.

Learning Activity:

Write a paragraph on difficulties in living abroad.

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3.2 Comprehension

Comprehension is a reading and a writing task which goes well together. Comprehension is
basically deep analysis of what been provided to read along with what should be comprehended or
rather understood to answer. Comprehension is sometimes just one story or even a long story which
has been given to read, analyse and answer the question. It is imperative to read the story, understand
it, analyse it enough to be able to answer the questions. Usually all answers are often inside the
paragraph. The questions are sometimes asked in a tricky manner, however, it should be understood
and answered accordingly. The questions asked after a comprehension can be really twisted so the
reader has to reflect upon many ways of thinking and what could be the possible connection of the
question with the comprehension. Sometimes, the questions are asked directly too, which are of
course more easy to answer than the twisted ones. However, in case of difficult questions it becomes
very necessary to think parallel and look for more possibilities or more sides to one question.

Learning Activity:

Read the following comprehension and answer the questions below:

In this digital age, more and more kids get influenced by the TV and other electronic gadgets.
Parks and gardens are empty today because they are forgotten by the kids. Kids have got addicted
to TV to an extent of even planning the day’s schedule as per the TV show timings. Then there are
some kids who refuse to eat without the television. If your worry is similar to the ones mentioned
here, its time you take control over the TV and introduce them a life without the idiot box!

Each day, the number of TV addicts is increasing and almost 80% of the addicts are children
below 10 years of age. This is definitely not a good news as there are list of problems which come
due to this addiction. Children loose memory, have a short attention span, use slang language and
also lack physical activities. Thus, the earlier you get a grip on this vicious habit of TV addiction the
better it is for your child. Here we present to you 6 tips to keep your children away from television:

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42 Communication Skills

1. Say a NO

Next time, your child goes to switch on the TV, immediately tell them a firm NO and explain
your child about the life without television. Introduce him/her to parks, beaches and gardens. Take
your child out more often especially during the time he watches the TV. Play with him and let him
make more friends. Allow him to explore the earth, the plants, the animals, the birds and the water.
Let him loose and get him indulged in a new outdoor activity each day. But, remember to do all of
this during the TV time. Slowly but gradually the interest to watch TV will fade and the interest to
play outdoor will increase.

2. Reduce the TV time

Have a polite but a stern talk with your kids regarding the time spent on the TV. Ask the
children to choose any 2 shows they would like to watch and allow them to watch only those. Make
sure you do not give them more than 1.5 or 2 hours a day to watch TV. Children may not choose
instantly, they may cry, shout and even fight but it is for the parent to stay strong and stern during
such times. Eventually, the children will be forced to choose certain programmes and TV addiction
will reduce.

3. Turn it off

As much as the children are required to follow the TV regime, parents should do the same. Try
keeping the TV off for maximum times as this will not get the kids distracted while they are busy
with something else. Parents should also limit their TV viewing as this will encourage the children to
quit on the addiction in a faster and an easier way.

4. Get rid of the TV

Well, this one is for those who are highly addicted to the television. Although, this is a very big
step but it works the best. The TV should be given off to a friend for a month and post this, the
lifestyle should be like the times when the TV was not invented. This can help get rid of the addiction
very quickly and easily. But while the parent does this, there should be no access to the internet too.
Time should be passed by playing various games like cards, jigsaws and board games.

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Writing Skills 43

5. No TV’s in bedrooms

Large number of people also have television units in their bedrooms, this habit should be changed
at the earliest. Bedrooms should be purely for talks, rest and peace of mind. The presence of the TV
ruins the peace and calmness of mind. Thus, eradicating the TV’s from bedrooms is definitely a sure
way to get rid of the addiction.

6. Create new activities

In order to get children out of the TV addiction, parents must get them indulged in various
indoor activities during the television time. Parents can make them solve puzzles, words and quizzes
whenever they plan on watching the TV. These activities can stimulate the mind of the children and
bring out the best in them. Initially, children may detest the activities which come between them and
their TV shows. But with continuous efforts they will begin to enjoy them.

Questions:

1. List three of your own ways on how to keep children away from TV.
2. Does coming up with new activities really help to break an addiction which children have?

3. Can the rule of no TV in bedrooms frustrate a child?

3.3 Vowel Sounds

Vowel sounds are basically words which begin with alphabets like a, e, i, o and u. Sometimes,
the alphabet Y is also recorded as vowel sounds especially for words like fly, away etc. The vowel
sounds are usually said by changing the shape of the vocal tract above the tongue. Vowel sounds are
used on day to day basis especially in vocabulary. The vowel sounds can only be identified when
speaking generally. Almost every word in English has a vowel sound.

Description for Vowel Sound

Vowels are mainly comprising for alphabets which are a, e, i, o and u. The vowel is actually a
sound of a speech which is made by changing the upper tone of the verbal speech using the vocal
tract. These words are said by keeping the mouth above the tongue. Theoretically, there are 5 vowel
alphabets, but there are many vowel sounds which are also known as consonants. It is almost
imperative to know that all English words are written with at least one vowel word.

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3.4 Stress and Intonation Speaking

Intonation usually relates to the pitch of the voice which is used for conversation. Stress is used
to increase or decrease the pitch. When certain words are given more emphasis than usual, there
are known as stress words. The meaning of the term “Stress” is about giving the right sound to the
word. The emphasis which is placed on the word during pronunciation is because of stress which
has been impressed upon the word in order to provide clarity of the word to the speaker and to the
listener. The right kind of stress can help listeners to understand the meaning without any confusion.
Moreover, knowing the right kind of stress for every kind of word can improve the overall
communication and make it sound more polished and impactful. For example, the word “Photographer”
has more stress on the second part of the word or on the second syllable whereas the word,
“Fantabulous” has more stress on the first part of the word or on the first syllable. Knowing which
part of the word should be stressed can help in creating successful content and SEO words. The
next important aspect is the “Rhythm” of the sentences. The way we pronounce the word or say the
sentence is an important part of rhythm. Sentences come up with two kinds of beats: Strong Beats
and Weak Beats. Rhythm has a lot to do with the intonation part of the speaking skills. The way the
voice tone changes when a sentence is spoken is a form of “intonation”. The tone of the voice used
by the speaker helps to pass a message to the listener. If the speaker stresses on every word and in
a loud voice, it clearly means he is speaking angrily. If the speaker stresses on few words, it is a
clear indication that he wants the listener to focus on few keywords. All of the above are the
contribution of the word intonations which help to put across the words and the tone of the message
across clearly.

There are many sub factors which play a key role in stress and intonation speaking.

A. Greeting

It is very essential to greet a person very well. It pleases the person and also leaves a positive
impact on the person who has been greeted. Greeting words like “good morning”, “how are you?”
or “you look happy this morning”. It is very necessary to greet everyone with a lot of positivity and
grace. When you know a person, it is essential to acknowledge that individual’s presence even more
when they are in front of you.

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B. Taking leave

When an individual is working there can be days when you may want to take a leave from
work. However, asking for a leave from work place can be difficult and there is always a polite way
of requesting for the same. Always use sentences like, “I know the intensity of work, but the leave
which I have to take is unavoidable” or, “It will be really considerate of you, to allow me a leave for
a day” or “ I would request you to please grant me a leave for a day” or “it would be great if you
could grant me a leave”

The above are a few ways of taking a leave.

C. Introducing oneself

Introducing oneself is one of the key qualities which every individual should have. Many people
get clueless when they are told to speak about themselves. Usually, people can start their self-
introduction with their name, their passions, and overview of themselves, their choices and their
experiences.

For example: My name is XYZ, I am passionate about writing, I am polite and a happy go lucky
person. I believe in living life to the fullest and I believe in making a positive impact wherever I go,
I believe in uplifting each other and also prefer people with similar mind-set.

D. Striking up a conversation

Often when we meet new people it gets difficult to strike up a conversation, the feeling of
awkwardness is common. When you meet new people, you can strike up conversations with common
topics like the weather, preferences or even with a compliment. You can start with sentences like, “I
really like your command over the language” or “The weather is really pleasant today” or “You can
always try this new drink”. Sometimes you can even ask few things but be very careful that the
conversations should not sound like an interview. Always remember to have a casual body language
as that matters a lot. Beginning with basic things can also be very helpful to strike up a conversation
which will lead to a proper conversation after a while.

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3.5 How to Prepare for IBPS Officer Exam?

The term IBPS stands for Institute of banking personnel selection. This examination is given by
aspirants to secure a respectable position in the banking sector. Each year, large number of students
appear for this exam in order to be recruited by the leading banks as the specialist officer. Before
one proceeds with IBPS, it is very important to know the eligibility criteria, the syllabus, the marking
system and the exam pattern.

Preparation Tips and Study Plan:

There are two parts to this exam. One is the written exam and the other part is the interview.
IBPS examinations are conducted on four subjects which are reasoning, English, general awareness
and professional knowledge. Two subjects, viz., reasoning and general awareness is for 50 marks
and the other two subjects which is English is for 25 marks and professional knowledge is for 75
marks. The duration for these four papers is 2 hours. Those who have selected Marketing, will have
to attempt slightly different papers. The subjects will be reasoning holding 50 marks, English language
holding 25 marks, quantitative aptitude holding 50 marks and professional knowledge holding 75
marks. The duration of the examination is the same as the prior exam which is 2 hours. These
exams are for 200 marks in total.

Few preparation tips:

z IBPS exams are not tough to crack. They are easy if practiced regularly. Solve more
solved question papers from previous years to get an idea of the exam.

z IBPS questions are objective based which makes it easier to score.

z There is a special book known as the Specialist Officer Test books which should be referred
while preparing for IBPS.

Subject-wise Preparation Tips:

Reasoning

Being a common subject in both the types of exams, reasoning requires special training and
practice. In this subject, the examinee’s analytical and mental abilities are tested. One can score in
this subject if the concepts are clear.

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z Students must study from IBPS question bank.

z Students must attempt IBPS specialist officer mock test online

z It is mandatory for the students to cover each and every topic in order. Skipping of chapters
will not help the students in any way.

z Topics like data sufficiency, input-output, coding-decoding, number series test, syllogism,
blood relations, direction sense, odd figures and miscellaneous test should be revised by the
students thoroughly while preparing IBPS.

English

English is another common paper and is prevalent in every banking examination. Students who
are good with English will have an edge over the others in the paper. Not only this, students are also
required to leave a lasting impression during the interview. The questions asked in this paper are
grammar based.

z Students must focus largely on grammar, comprehension, reading, writing and vocabulary.

z Topics like phrases, idioms, spot the error questions, grammar, synonyms and antonyms,
tenses and vocabulary should not be missed.

General Awareness

General knowledge paper is a very important paper and this subject is extensive. Students who
are attempting this paper must have global knowledge of the happenings, events and politics worldwide.

z Students must have knowledge about Indian economy, banking policies, currency exchanges,
Indian politics, sports, agricultural sectors and many more.

z Regular habit of reading newspapers, books, magazines should be developed in order to

become a success in this exam.

z Attempt online mock tests

Quantitative Aptitude

Aptitude paper is given to the students to test the calculation speed and the understanding
capabilities. Quantitative Aptitude is a time-consuming paper and should be done with utmost

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concentration and careful interpretation. Examiners try to confuse the student in several ways in
this paper.

z Be clear with the formulas.

z Topics like average, time and work, number system, data interpretation, ratios, percentage
etc. should be revised time and again.

z Students must practice sums with different formulas and solve last year’s paper.

z Taking a mock test can prepare the student about the examination in advance.

Professional Knowledge

This paper holds the highest marks from the set of all the papers. Since, this paper is of 75
marks, it is necessary, students take this paper seriously. This subject includes questions from IT,
agriculture, marketing, law and HR.

z Start studying this subject at the earliest because the syllabus is extensive.

z Topics like database management system, networking, computer hardware and software,
web technologies, operating systems, programming languages, recruitments and selections
and many more should be revised for a successful paper.

z Students should take this subject with a systematic approach in order to avoid stress and
confusion during the exams.

Interview Tips:

z Be confident

z Remember formal greetings

z Take your time but answer correctly

z Create a lasting impression

z Wear formal attire

z Maintain corporate hygiene standards.

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Some key points to remember:

z Negative marking is prevalent and is very strict.

z Wrong answers reduce 0.25 points as penalty for wrong answers.

z Blank answers or no answers does not lead to penalty.

z First attempt those questions you are confident about.

z Study plan is the only way IBPS exam can be a success for the aspirant.

z Studying topic wise is the only wise way to prepare.

z Stay updated with world events.

z Develop the art of time management.

z Remember practice makes a man perfect. Practice as much as you can before exams.

z Make notes regularly for the final revision.

z Eat healthy meals and sleep enough.

Some important books for references and guidance for IBPS

z Comprehensive Guide to IBPS-CWE Specialist IT Officer Scale I and II – 2nd Edition.

z Bank Specialist Agricultural Field Officer Common Written Exam Complete Guide

z Bank Specialist Officers (IT Officer/Agriculture Field Officer/Rajbhasha Adhikari/Law

Officer/HR/Personnel Officer/Marketing Officer) Common Written Exam (CWE) Guide

z IBPS – CWE Specialist Officer 101 Speed Tests – Agriculture Officer/Marketing Officer/
IT Officer

Questions:

1. Why is it necessary to specially prepare for IBPS exam?

2. What is the purpose of reference books in IBPS preparation?

3. What are the last minute revision which a candidate can do?

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3.6 Summary

z Paragraph writing is essential to be able to master the verbal and non-verbal communication.
Knowing how to write paragraphs can add the necessary effects which are required to
make the write-up interesting. Knowing when to pause and when to continue is the main
essence of paragraph writing. This is very important in terms of writing skills. Students
often fail to understand as to when the break should actually be given. Write-ups can
usually be divided into 3 parts or 3 paragraphs which is Introduction, Body and Conclusion.
Introduction writing usually includes the information for understanding the characters,
location and a background hint. After this paragraph, the students can switch to a new line
and begin the story. When the student reaches the end of the story, it is known as the
conclusion. This should start from a new paragraph which will also be the last paragraph.

z Stress and intonation speaking is essential to make an impactful conversation. It is imperative

to know which word has to be put more stress on. Sometimes, a word is stressed more to
add more effect on the sentence which has been spoken. This kind of stress allows to draw
focus on the word which you want people to attentively listen to. Knowing when to stress
on a word helps to give clarity to the listeners as to which topics are important. This
stressing of words is also very helpful for noting down keywords which may be very useful
in relating with the content. In order to make the right kind of emphasis, the speaker should
have clarity in themselves first as to what they want to extract from their listeners and
emphasise on the words accordingly.

z One has to speak well, be confident and be able to frame the words in a convincing manner
to achieve successful outcomes from the conversation. This can only happen if people
prepare in advance and know exactly to which crowd they are dealing with. The speaker
has to sound extremely convincing with his tone. This will help in making the listeners feel
that what is expected out of them is validated and they will work accordingly in agreement.
However, all of this can only happen if the communication has been done in a positive and
impactful manner.

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Writing Skills 51

3.7 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Comprehension: A paragraph full of information and questions asked on basis of

communication.

z Paragraph: A set of words usually consisting of information, introduction or conclusion.

z Confidence: An ability to communicate without hesitation or fear.

z Speaking skills: To be able to speak in different yet effective manner.

3.8 Unit End Questions

1. Write a paragraph on how tigers are on the verge of extinction.

2. Explain the vowel sounds with examples of 5 word for each letter.

3.9 Reference

z Wren and Martin English Grammar Book

‰‰‰

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52 Communication Skills

UNIT 4 GRAMMAR SKILLS

Structure:
4.0 Learning Objectives
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Parts of Speech
4.3 $UWLFOHV

4.4 Modal Verbs

4.5 Word Formation
4.6 3UHIL[
4.7 6XIIL[
4.8 Compounds
4.9 Homophones
4.10 Homonyms
4.11 +RPRJUDSKV
4.12 Summary
4.13 Key Words/Abbreviations
4.14 Learning Activity

4.15 Unit End Questions

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Grammar Skills 53

4.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn basic grammar such as Parts of Speech

z Articles,

z Modal verbs,

z Build vocabulary,

z Prefix,

z Suffix,

z Homonyms,

z Homophones and

z Homographs

4.1 Introduction

Grammar is the base for any great communication skills. One can communicate well, only
when he can frame the sentences well. However, a great sentence formation can only happen when
the base is strong. Whether it is written or oral communication, grammar can be a great support in
making impactful conversations or a great write-up. Thorough knowledge in grammar can help in
enhancing the conversation skills and also make a lasting impression on the person spoken with or
written to.

4.2 Parts of Speech

Meaning:

Parts of speech can be called as a base or the home of all other important grammar. Parts of
speech is important because it helps in detecting the problems in a sentence or in the formation. The
8 major parts of speech are as follows:

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1. Verb: Verbs are usually action which is described in the sentence such as eat, drank, ran.
Sometimes, the word is also described in the state of presence or in being like “eats” “has”
“is”. Often, verb is related to the time of the action or when it is conducted. Any action
specifically is a verb.

E.g.: I eat three times a day.

E.g.: I love to trek in the summer holidays.

2. Noun: Noun is actually termed for places, things, feelings and sometimes measures. There
are various kinds of nouns which actually help in giving information in the sentence. It is
rather a plain definition for a person, place or thing. In the below examples, Mumbai is a
place and hence a noun, Dog a living being and hence a noun.

E.g.: Mumbai is the biggest city of India.

E.g.: I love watching my dog playing with his toys

3. Pronoun: The support system for the noun words are known as pronouns. It is only because
of the pronouns that the sentences don’t sound repetitive. Pronouns are used as a
representation for a people, things or places. In any case, you cannot repeat one word or
one name in one sentence more than once. Like, Sita is a girl, she is an artist. In this
situation, Sita is the noun and she is the pronoun

E.g.: He is one of the people Ram looked upto.

E.g.: They love to meet one another in the garden.

4. Adjective: The words or parts of sentences which give more information about a noun or
rather uses descriptive words to describe a noun is known as Adjectives. Any kind of extra
describing word makes up for an adjective. Like, the shimmering sea engages its viewers,
here, the sea is described with the word shimmering.

E.g.: They live in a beautiful house. (Here, the house is described as beautiful.)

E.g.: Minaz’s hair is gorgeous. (Here, the hair is described as gorgeous.)

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5. Adverb: Adverb usually provides more information to the verbs or in the sentence. This
can be even one word or a describing information in the sentences. Usually, the adverb
words end with the tail –ly. Like The doll is beautifully dressed.

E.g.: He speaks politely

E.g.: He swims swiftly

6. Preposition: Preposition usually represents the relationship between the objects in the
sentences. Usually, the preposition words are on, in, under, above, of, before, after, above,
across, though, inside, blue, etc.

E.g.: Are you sure about your decision?

E.g.: The book is in the cupboard.

7. Conjunction: Conjunction are connectives which joins two different sentences and make
it into one. The two parts of the sentence are joined with joining words like as, and, because,
or, so etc.

E.g.: I have to find a new college because I want to complete my degree.

E.g.: Margaret was late for her job and she received a cut in her pay.

8. Interjection: The sentences which usually end with an exclamation mark are interjections.
The purpose of interjections is to create a sense of surprise and shock to the readers. Like,
Oh! Darn!

E.g.: Wow! Her dance is so full of expressions.

E.g.: Voila! I won the lottery!

([DPSOHV

1. Hurray! Spain won the world cup!

Ans: Hurray! – Interjection

Spain – Noun

Won – Verb

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2. My investments doubled last year and I bought a yacht. Yippie!

Ans: and – Conjunction

Bought – Verb

Doubled – Adjective

3. I was not sure if I could take up the initiative.

Ans: if – preposition

4. Lastly, she thanked her mother for her success.

Ans: Lastly – Adverb

5. Seema is a dancer. She is also a singer.

Ans: She – Pronoun

Learning Activity:

Identify and state the various parts of speech from the underlined words.

1. It is not possible to run fast without practice.

2. Her excellent vocabulary draws people close to her.

3. Damn! what is this world coming to.

4. I was confident that things will get better if I get the post.

5. She was a teacher and a counsellor.

6. Rarely do we find beautiful people like you.

7. Mother has been cooking all day.

8. Bali is a famous holiday destination in Indonesia.

9. She swims swiftly.

10. His father is an inspiration to him.

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4.3 Articles

0HDQLQJ

An article most of the times modifies the noun present in the sentence. An article improvises
the sentences very well and also gives the clear idea on what article can be used before what kinds
of word. There are two major types of articles. The first type of article is Definite article and the
second type is Indefinite article.

Definite article comes before the word. The word “The” before a noun will become
a definite article.

Indefinite article comes before plural nouns. The words “an” will come before singulars and
plurals starting with alphabets a, e, i, o and u. The word, “a” will come in all other plural nouns which
do not start with the previously mentioned alphabets.

In some exceptional cases, a sentence may not require articles at all.

([DPSOHV

1. I want an orange from that basket.

The word apple starts from the specified list of alphabets which is a singular object. Therefore,
the article “an” can be used for orange.

2. The temple on the corner is progressive

There are two “the” in one sentence, but only the first the will be considered since it is
placed before a noun. Temple is a common noun.

3. I borrowed a pen from your stationary.

Indefinite article “a” is mentioned as an article because it is placed before a singular noun
pen and the initial alphabet of pen does not come under the specified list and therefore “an”
will not be used.

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Learning Activity:

Identify the articles from the following sentences. Also state whether the articles are definite
or indefinite.

1. The children love to play in groups.

2. The perspective of an individual is formed by the experiences he gains in his life.

3. Life is too short to hold a grudge.

4. The angels come to earth in the form of innocent animals.

5. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

6. The way to Mr.Gomes' house is towards the left.

7. Ravi is an excellent orator.

8. Life is sometimes unfair with the poor.

9. The world needs to be more positive and more giving towards each other.

10. Omkar is a dedicated film maker.

4.4 Modal Verbs

0HDQLQJ

Modal verb usually indicates a possibility or a necessity with words like shall, must will, should,
can, could, may, would and might. These words are usually present in the sentence which usually
expresses possibility or permission upon speaking or hearing.

([DPSOHV
Modal Meaning Example
Can to express ability ,canspeak a little French.
Can to request permission Can,RSHQ\RXUFXSERDUG"
May to express possibility ,maybe home late in the evening.
May to request permission May,VLWGRZQSOHDVH"
must to express obligation ,mustJHWLQWRXFKZLWKWKHWHDFKHUQRZ

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must to express strong belief 6KHmustEHRYHU\HDUVRIDJH

should to give advice <RXshouldVWRSRYHUHDWLQJ
would to request or offer Would\RXOLNHDFXSRIWHDRUFRIIHH"
would in if-sentences If I were you, I wouldVLQFHUHO\DVNIRUIRUJLYHQHVV

Learning Activity:

Fill in the blanks with a suitable modal auxiliary from the given options.

1. She _______ have to seek permission from the authority. (May/Might)

2. You _______ express your right on him. (Can/Could)

3. Gold _______ be bought from a trusted jeweller. (Should/Shall)

4. You _______ leave without wasting any second. (Must/May)

5. ___________ you like some water? (Will/Would)

6. You _______ respect all living beings. (Must/May)

7. It will be great if you ________ pick me up. (Can/Could)

8. I ________ be honoured to be able to help you. (Will/Would)

9. Mr. Soni’s wife __________ be here any moment. (Will/Would)

10. The judge ________ support the right. (Shall/Should)

4.5 Word Formation

Meaning:

Word formation is basically a creation of a new word with few changes either in pronunciation
or in spelling and sometimes in the meaning itself. When two words are split and are joined together
with altogether a different word, it is known as word formation. When we add an affix or a tail to a
general word, it together creates a new word, rather forms a word. Many may feel word formation,
complicates the language, but in reality it only makes the sentence more meaningful and increases
the worth. Blend of few alphabets of two different words can lead to word formation as well. For

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Example, the word zebra is derived from a Portuguese word. In the 16th century, zebra was known
as “zebros” and since it has half body which looks like a wild ass, the name was changed to zebra.

Examples:
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

Attraction Attract Attractive Attractively

Attention Attend Attentive Attentively

Creation Create Creative Creatively

Salutation Salute – –

Addition Add Additional Additionally

Learning Activity:

Fill the blanks:

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

Donation

Learn

Introduce

Conditional

Morally

Nature

Intent

Carelessly

Vocational

Preparation

Develop

4.6 Prefix

Meaning:

Prefix is usually a two or more letter word which is placed in front of noun or a verb. When
prefix is added, the pronunciation and meaning of the word completely changes. Prefix is added in

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the beginning of a word. This is very important in word formation and also helps to create new
words with new meanings.

Examples:
Word Word with prefix

Efficient In efficient

Developed Un developed

Expensive In expensive

Biased Un biased

Happy Un happy

Learning Activity:

Fill in with the right prefixes

Word Word with prefix

Create

Examine

Read

Cover

Existing

Colour

Work

Sect

Living

Hygienic

4.7 Suffix

Meaning:

Suffix is usually a two or more letter word which is placed in the end of noun or a verb. When
suffix is added, the pronunciation and meaning of the word completely changes. Suffix is added in
the ending of a word. This is very important in word formation and also helps to create new words
with new meanings.

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Examples:
Word Word with suffix

Efficient Efficiently

Developed Development

Lavish Lavishly

Crazy Crazily

Happy Happily

Learning Activity:

Fill in with the right suffixes

Word Word with suffix

Fashion

Redevelop

Magical

Brand

Automatic

Major

Amaze

Social

Threat

Able

4.8 Compounds

Meaning:

Compounding in grammar means blending of two words and making it a constructive new
word which can be used in the daily use spoken as well as written. Compound words are sometimes
written or spoken together like swimsuit, sometimes written with a hyphen and spoken with a pause
like co-operate, sometimes written separately but spoken together like swimming costume.

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Examples:
WRITTEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER 1. Babysitter
2. Backspace
3. Backend
4. Bedbug
5. Blackberries

WRITTEN WITH HYPHEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER 1. Good-looking

2. Part-time
3. X-ray
4. Close-up
5. Half-hearted

WRITTEN SEPARATELY IN LITERATURE BUT SPOKEN TOGETHER 1. Apple tree

2. Fire drill
3. Bus stop
4. Swimming pool
5. Police station

Learning Activity:

Provide 5 types under each variant of compound sentence.

WRITTEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER

WRITTEN WITH HYPHEN AND SPOKEN

TOGETHER

WRITTEN SEPARATELY IN LITERATURE

BUT SPOKEN TOGETHER

4.9 Homophones

Meaning:

The term homo means similar. Homophones are two same words in pronunciation but different
in meaning. Homophones may sound alike but may also have different spellings. The noun ale means
a drink one must avoid of having too much whereas the noun ail means to fall sick. Here if you
notice, the word ail and ale is same in pronunciation but meanings and spellings are totally different.

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Examples:

(a) Ad: The ad for new shampoo interested me.

(b) Add: I can add up the work as per your choice.

In the above two sentences, the word add and ad can be pronounced in a similar fashion.
However, the meanings and use of each of the word is different.

Learning Activity:

Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with
two different meanings.

1. bug – bug

2. sea – see

3. hear – here

4. weather – whether

5. muscle – mussel

6. addition – edition

7. bawl – ball

8. course – coarse

9. creak – creek

10. weak – week

4.10 Homonyms

Meaning:

Homonyms are two different words with same pronunciation and same spellings but different
meanings. Similar words with similar spellings change their meaning depending upon what kind of a
sentence it is and in what pretext is the word being used.

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Examples:

(a) Bid: Ramesh placed a winning bid at the auction

(b) Bid: The gentleman bid the child a farewell.

In the above two sentences, the word bid is pronounced and spelled identical but used in
different meanings in the sentence. In the first sentence, it’s a price quoted at an auction. In the
second sentence, it’s a form of a goodbye.

Learning Activity:

Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with
two different meanings.

1. address – address

2. ring – ring

3. match – match

4. mean – mean

5. rose – rose

6. spring – spring

7. well – well

8. date – date

9. park – park

10. ruler – ruler

4.11 Homographs

Meaning:

Homographs are also known as heteronyms, here the words have the same spellings but different
meanings, origins and pronunciations. For instance, a word like homer, one meaning can be an
ancient unit of measure and another meaning can be a homerun.

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Examples:

(a) Beat: Can you beat him at the scores?

(b) Beat: The police walks his beat at night.

Here the spellings are same but pronunciation and meanings are totally different.

Learning Activity:

Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with
two different meanings.

1. bat – bat

2. contact – contact

3. bow – bow

4. brace – brace

5. console – console

4.12 SUMMARY

z Parts of speech include all the basic grammar topics like adverb, noun, verb, pronouns,
interjections, prepositions, conjunctions and adjectives. These 8 parts are required at all
levels of English grammar. Hence, knowledge on the sub-topics with their sub-types is
highly recommended to be able to make a lasting impression especially when using the
grammar skills in practical life.

z Articles comprise of two main types, viz., Definite article and Indefinite article. Definite
article is represented by the word “the” and indefinite articles are represented by the
words “a” and “an”. Articles can also be called as the veins of the grammar.

z Modal Verbs usually indicate the possibility which is reflected by the presence of words
like may, might, could and can majorly. Although there are exceptions, most parts of the
modal verbs include a possibility or sometimes a permission. This tone is injected with the
probability of the modal words.

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z Word formation means creation of a new word with the noun forms, adjective forms, verb
forms and adverb forms. This can be done by adding and removing some words.

z Prefix are affix which are added in the start of the word. The prefixes usually add a new
meaning to the words.

z Suffix are affix which are added in the end of the word. The suffixes also usually give
altogether new meaning to the words.

z Compound words are those which are created by joining two parts of different words.
These co-joined words have altogether a new meaning and are used differently in the
sentences giving different effect on the sentence which it has been used in.

z Homophones are two words with similar pronunciation with different meanings and different
spellings.

z Homonyms are those words which have similar pronunciation, spellings and different
meanings.

z Homographs are those words which have same spellings but totally different pronunciations
and meanings.

z Correct grammar is very important in framing a proper sentence. The importance of Grammar
is much underrated as people feel it is enough to just speak and writing does not hold much
importance. However, this perception is not true, the importance of grammar is equal to the
importance of salt in daily consumption. Having perfect knowledge of Grammar can do
wonders in making a powerful impact on the listeners or readers.

4.13 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Grammar: Set of rules acting as a base usually for all languages.

z Verbs: The action words

z Parts of speech: a set to which a word is assigned in the protocol of grammatical order
noun, pronoun, adjective, determiner, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

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z Homophones: words having the same pronunciation which may sound same but have
different meanings, origins, or spellings.

z Homonyms: words having the same spelling or pronunciation but different meanings and
origins

z Homographs: words that have the same spelling but are not pronounced similarly. they
may also have different meanings and origins.

4.14 Learning Activity

1. Debate on “World wide financial crunch” and make sure points are discussed after research.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

4.15 Unit End Questions (MCQs and Descriptive)

A. Identify and state the various parts of speech from the underlined words.

1. Sita is good at cooking Mexican dishes.

2. Her artwork is excellent.

3. Yippie! we won the match.

4. The secret will only be revealed if the team is able to unlock the code.

5. He was a writer and a philanthropher.

6. Rarely do we find good-looking men like you.

7. Mohini has been practising and singing all day.

8. Bangkok is a famous shopping destination in worldwide.

9. She eats swiftly.

10. Rita loves her niece too much.

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B. Identify the articles from the following sentences. Also state whether the articles
are definite or indefinite.

1. The puppies are a great source of happiness.

2. The nature of a person can be understood by their action.

3. An example set by a teacher, stays a lifetime with the students.

4. The deeds done by a person, stays longer than him.

5. Kindness and appreciation are a vital source for well-being.

6. The world is full of people showing black and white shades of life.

7. Prathamesh is an entrepreneur.

8. A poor man has a sound sleep.

9. The Hollywood is at a constant search for actors.

10. An advice from the right person, can be a great guidance.

C. Fill in the blanks with a suitable modal auxiliary from the given options.

1. The students _______not come today as it was picnic yesterday. (May / Might)

2. You _______ have put across your view forward. (Can / Could)

3. A strict action _______ be taken against him. (Should / Shall)

4. You _______ comply with the rules of the organisation. (Must / May)

5. ___________ you like to be a part of the annual day? (Will / Would)

6. You _______ learn to read people through their behaviour towards you. (Must / May)

7. It will be great if you ________ give me some financial advise. (Can / Could)

8. I ________ be obliged to you for a lifetime. (Will / Would)

9. The principal __________ be giving the judgement any moment. (Will / Would)

10. The common man ________ always support the right. (Shall / Should)

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D. Fill the blanks with the correct word formation:

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

Challenge

Cheer

Damage

Deaf

Delightfully

Embarrassment

Glorify

Harmfully

Red

Security

Sight

E. Fill in with the right prefixes

Word Word with prefix

Marine

Size

Practice

Star

Natural

Food

Accurate

Ordinary

Agree

Appear

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F. Fill in with the right Suffix

Word Word with Suffix

Delight

Cheer

Care

Disaster

Meticulous

Miracle

Nasty

Late

Calm

Broad

G. Fill in the blanks with correct compound word:

Provide 5 types under each variant of compound sentence.

WRITTEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER

WRITTEN WITH HYPHEN AND SPOKEN

TOGETHER

WRITTEN SEPARATELY IN LITERATURE

BUT SPOKEN TOGETHER

Exercise (Homophones):

Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with
two different meanings.

1. none – nun

2. meat – meet

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3. morning – mourning

4. male – mail

5. soul – sole

6. sun – son

7. wait – weight

8. tail – tale

9. root – route

10. sail – sale

Exercise (Homonyms):

Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with
two different meanings.

1. pen – pen

2. pitcher – pitcher

3. play – play

4. nail – nail

5. sink – sink

6. wave – wave

7. cool – cool

8. right – right

9. crack – crack

10. clay – clay

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Exercise (Homographs):

Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentence with
two different meanings.

1. quarter – quarter

2. bat – bat

3. bar – bar

4. desert – desert

5. left – left

6. accent – accent

7. advocate – advocate

8. bass – bass

9. blessed – blessed

10. chest – chest

‰‰‰

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UNIT 5 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Structure:
5.0 Learning Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Ethics in Communication
5.3 Imortance or Significance of Ethics in the World of Business

5.4 Dilemmas in Ethical Communication

5.5 Summary
5.6 Key Words/Abbreviations
5.7 Learning Activity
5.8 Unit End Questions
5.9 Reference

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5.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn ethical communication and how ethics is used in organization.

z Explain the advantages or importance of ethical communication

z Discuss the factors affect organizational ethics

z Explain the dilemmas in ethical communication.

5.1 Introduction

Business Ethics is a part of the philosophy of business. Business is buying and selling goods for
a profit. Ethics are moral guidelines that govern good behaviour. To a shallow thinker the term
business ethics may appear contradictory but it is not so. Behaving ethically or morally is a part of
good business practice that results in good business.

5.2 Ethics in Communication

In the face of severe competitions and market pressures maintaining a high degree of ethics
and corporate responsibility is difficult for employees. Therefore, modern organization has modes of
ethics and responsibility.

According to John Donaldson, Business ethics, in short can be described as the systematic
study of moral matters pertaining to business, industry or related activities, institutions, or practices
and beliefs. According to Keith Davis, ‘Ethics is a set of rules that define right and wrong conduct.’

“A business that makes money is a poor kind of business” said Henry Ford. Behaving ethically
as one does business is good business.

“Being good is good business” says Dame Roddick. Goodness is always rewarding in the long
run and ethical behaviour corresponds to human needs. Thus, one cannot overlook the factor of
ethics in business.

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5.3 Importance or Significance of Ethics in the World of Business

1. Ethical behaviour amounts to creation of goodwill and credibility with the public:

When one of the cars of Tata sumo was reported to be faulty Tata motors immediately recalled
the batch of car and made the appropriate checkups and changes and then released it to the customers.
The trust and faith that the customers have shown by buying the company’s product should be
consistently maintained and strengthened through ethical behaviour on company’s part.

2. Ethical behaviour with the employees builds a trustworthy and cordial atmosphere:

Transparency in the recruitment process, fairness in giving increments, promotions, appreciation,

rewards and other perks creates a work culture based on fairness and justice.

3. Ethical behaviour leads to better decision making:

When decisions are to be made on the basis of rules and regulations that are fair, without
reporting to favoritism or corruption, the decision making process is quicker and smoother.

4. Ethical behaviour sustains customer’s loyalty and maximizes profit:

Customer’s satisfaction leads to continued patronizing of products. If a product is adulterated,

one should give the faithful and honest details of efficiency of the product and its ingredients then
the customers will never feel cheated because they precisely know what they are buying and its
use. Exaggeration of the benefits of the product can lead to distrust among the customers.

5. Efficient utilization of business resources:

In an organization, there is a tendency that juniors follow the seniors and so they also copy the
ethics. If the seniors follow ethical practices then employees will follow the same. Ethical behavior
of employees will never lead to wastage of company resources whether- it is the raw material,
energy, time or paper. The resources of the company will never be used for personal purpose
thereby increasing the efficiency level of resources.

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6. Creates goodwill in the market:

Reputation of the company is one of the prime assets of the organization. An organization
which is well-known for ethical behaviour/ practices creates goodwill in the market with relation to
customers, investors, as well as other shareholders. Employees too remain loyal to an organization
that engages in ethical practices.

7. Helps promoting high standards:

Corporate governance is often defined as business ethics. Corporate often chart the code of
ethics that has to be followed by the associated shareholders in the company, the investors, employees
and management. They all are bound to follow the ethics of loyalty, thereby leading to higher standards
of production and management.

The following factors affect organizational ethics:

1. Corporate Culture:

If the corporate culture/environment is such that the seniors and colleagues value ethical
behaviour, it will surely forge ethical practices at the work place. Workplaces where corruption and
bribery is rampant would make it difficult to even accept ethical behaviour.

2. Existence and application of a written code of ethics:

If the corporate house has a written code and makes the employees follow the code strictly
then ethical behaviour at the workplace becomes a norm. At many workplaces an unsaid code of
ethics is also made known to the employees through word-of-mouth. Breach of the written code of
ethics will lead to punishment.

3. Norms of accepted behavior:

What is acceptable in one corporate culture may not be acceptable in another. These norms
are usually through explicit or implicit means made known to the employees.

4. Rewarding system:

Some corporate houses have system that rewards their employees for the ethical behaviour.
The rewards may be in the form of oral or written appreciation, a trophy or bouquet of flower or a
monetary package to appreciate the efforts of the employees.

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5. The corporate attitude towards employees:

If the corporate house handle its employees with a humane attitude it affects the overall work
culture of the corporate house.

6. Hiring practices:

If the recruitment process is based on merit and does not resort to favoritism, it creates an
atmosphere that is positive which in turns gives importance to transparency in the administrative
process. In such corporate culture bribery and corruption cannot survive. Malpractices are easily
detected and frowned upon.

7. Decision-making process of the company:

A strict tyrant like, dictatorial kind of leaders creates resentment among the subordinate. A
democratic form of administration is more suited to the creation of an atmosphere that forges ethical
behaviour.

8. Behaviour and attitude of the leaders in the organization:

Leaders in the organization should be the people of integrity who encourage their employees to
follow ethical practices. If the superior gives importance to ethical practices, the subordinates too
would do the same.

Personal integrity is the quality of being honest with yourself and others, and living a life that is
aligned with your moral principles. Developing personal integrity requires examining your beliefs
and value system, and taking conscious steps to behave in ways that are consistent with your
personal moral code. Here are some ways to develop personal integrity.

Steps :

1. Identify aspects of your behaviour that require change:

Reflect on your interactions with others in the workplace, at home and in social situations to
determine specific areas in need of improvement. For example, if you are late for work every day
and feel guilty about creating excuses for this behaviour, this may be an opportunity to develop
greater personal integrity.

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2. Determine your reasons for not behaving with greater personal integrity:

For example, you may be pushing unpleasant work tasks on to other employees instead of being
honest with your boss about your inability to do the tasks. You may be afraid to admit to yourself or
to your boss that you do not possess the right skills or that the job is not the right fit for you.

3. Face the obstacles that cause you to lie or violate your moral code:

This might involve finding a more suitable job, facing your fears about how others may perceive
you and/or seeking out counseling to address emotional challenges and insecurities.

4. Practice truthfulness:

Consider all of the relationships at home and work that will benefit from greater truthfulness.
For example, if managing a team of employees, be honest and direct with each individual about your
expectations and employee performance. Avoid backbiting or gossiping. Refrain from causing harm.
Part of developing personal integrity is gauging when and how to deliver the truth. Be careful not to
confuse truthfulness with anger-driven and brutally honest confrontation.

5. Make a list of tasks and behaviours in which you will become more trustworthy:

The list might range from basic tasks, such as taking out the trash as promised to repaying large
sums of money in a timely manner.

6. Respect the property of others:

Consider any complaints you may have received in the past about using another person’s
belongings, parking in someone else’s parking spot or littering on another person’s property. Make a
concerted effort to respect other people’s belongings.

7. Listen to and respect the opinions and decisions of others:

Part of possessing personal integrity is acknowledging the human rights of others. Respecting
diverse thoughts and decisions is a sign of open-mindedness and integrity.

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8. Help others in need:

If you are in a position to contribute to the development of others or help them to do something
they cannot accomplish on their own, make an effort to assist.

9. Assess your progress:

Developing personal integrity is a trial and error process that requires persistent effort. Ask
yourself on a daily or weekly basis if you are making progress.

10. Enlist the help of others:

Colleagues, relatives and friends who know you well and have your best interest at heart can
assist your progress by providing objective feedback on a daily basis about the personal changes you
are making.

5.4 Dilemmas in Ethical Communication

When there is a problem in decision-making process between two possible options where both
the options are absolutely unacceptable when you talk from ethical point of view is called an Ethical
Dilemma. We do face many ethical and moral problems in our day-to-day life. It is not easy to solve
ethical dilemmas as its very challenging. In all the aspects of life like personal, social, professional
every person goes through this ethical dilemma.

It is very difficult to give an obvious solution which will comply with ethical norms which is a
biggest challenge of ethical dilemma. People have always faced it and philosophers have tried to
find solutions to the problems.

Some approach to solve an ethical dilemma is to analyze the situation carefully and logically
prove it false. Even you can choose the option which gives you greater good and lesser evil. Also
new alternative solutions can be given.

Ethical issues arise in Managers as they work in a smaller budget and they face difficulty in
negotiating low-cost benefits. Manager is the point person between boards of directors and employees.
Manager need to be very confident in handling the issues. The key information liability issues facing
manager are software privacy, proprietary databases of individual rights to privacy. Managers should
support ethical behaviour.

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These dilemmas present interesting real-life cases that will test the reader’s ability to think
critically and apply ethical and professional standards to address issues or concerns the reader will
face his/ her nursing practice.

Whistle-Blowing – A leak is a kind of anonymous whistle-blowing. Some whistle-blowers are

motivated by greed, jealousy and revenge. Companies try to know about corporate practices soon.
In companies, there can be complaints, concerns and criticisms. These can be handled internally and
rather than externally. The open door policy is the typical approach. Grievances are taken to supervisor
or managers till they get satisfied with their issues. Open door policy is useful in many situations and
they can affect in individual case. In short, sometimes blowing can be problematic. So, one has a
plan how to properly channel employee dissent.

Leaks – Employees leak information to the press for honorable and dishonorable reasons.
Are leaks ethical? Yes, it is same as whistle-blowing. Using a leak is dubious in nature and should be
undertaken in the rarest of circumstances.

Lying – It is the least morally perplexing. A lie means people intend to deceive or hurt others.
Lying breaks down trust between individuals, thus hampering organizational effectiveness. Some
people have the habit of saying lies. When an employee lies during crisis, the disaster is never
known, as it shakes the foundation of the company also.

Ambiguity – It can be used for ethical and unethical purposes. Manager can fine employees
for the best of company. Ambiguity is the quality of being open to more than one interpretation,
inexactness.

5.5 Summary

Ethics is a complex subject and its application is filled with many different arguments.
A study of moral matters pertaining to business, industry or related activities, institutions, or
practices and beliefs is called Business Ethics. If one has to find an approach to business ethics
that is free from conceptual problems, one will probably not find any. Some attention to one’s
profit motive and the moral interests of consumers will always lead to morally responsible
business decisions. Examples of excellent ethical practices leading to good business are there in
front of Indian corporate. The importance of business ethics are it will lead to creation of goodwill

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and credibility with the public, employees will get a trustworthy and cordial atmosphere, better
decision-making, sustains customer’s loyalty and maximizes profit, efficient utilization of business
resources, creates goodwill in the market and helps promoting high standards. The factors which
affect organizational ethics are corporate culture, existence and application of a written code of
ethics, norms of accepted behaviour, rewarding system, and the corporate attitude towards
employees, hiring practices, decision-making process of the company and behaviour and attitude
of the leaders in the organization. Personal integrity is the quality of being honest with yourself
and others, and living a life that is aligned with your moral principles. We can develop personal
integrity by identifying aspects of your behaviour that require change, determine your reasons for
not behaving with greater personal integrity, face the obstacles that cause you to lie or violate
your moral code, practice truthfulness, make a list of tasks and behaviours in which you will
become more trustworthy, respect the property of others, listen to and respect the opinions and
decisions of others, help others in need, assess your progress and enlist the help of others.

5.6 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Ethics: The moral values that a person should possess.

z Goodwill: The well-known status of a business.

z Credibility: When someone trusts and believes in it.

z Trustworthy: A person who can be relied as he is honest or truthful.

z Hiring: Someone in a job for salary.

z Personal Integrity: When a person’s honesty and truthfulness is checked.

z Dilemma: It is a situation in which a complex decision has to be made between two or

more alternatives, which are equally unwanted.

z Whistle-blowing: When a person discloses secret information that is illegitimate, immoral

within a private or public organization.

z Ambiguity: Confusing.

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5.7 Learning Activity

1. A debate and discussion on ethical questions like ‘Is Britain/the USA now a damaged
global brand?’ Discuss.
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2. A Case study should be given to the students about telling the truth.
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5.8 Unit End Questions

A. Descriptive Type Questions

1. What do you mean by business ethics? Explain its relevance to present times.

2. Define Business Ethics and explain the factors affecting organizational ethics.

3. Write a short note on the importance of ethics in the world of business.

4. What is meant by personal integrity? How can personal integrity make a difference at the
workplace?

5. Explain Ethical Dilemmas in detail.

B. Multiple Choice Questions:

1. _______ is a result of self-discipline, inner trust, and a decision to be relentlessly honest in

all situations.

(a) Exercise (b) Integrity (c) Work

2. Ethics are ________ guidelines that govern good behaviour.

(a) Moral (b) Profit (c) Social

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3. Ethical _______leads to problem in decision-making process.

(a) Dilemmas (b) Companies (c) Invasion

4. Corporate ______ is where senior values ethical behaviour.

(a) Violations (b) Culture (c) Social responsibility.

Answers

1. (b), 2. (a), 3. (a), 4. (b)

5.9 Reference

1. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/ethical-dilemma/

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UNIT 6 READING

Structure:
6.0 Learning Objective
6.1 Inspirational Stories
6.2 Climate Change
6.3 Summary

6.4 Key Words/Abbreviations

6.5 Learning Activity
6.6 References

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6.0 Learning Objective

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Develop sound reading habits.

6.1 Inspirational Stories

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the most loved 11th President of India especially for the period
2002-2007. He was born on October 15, 1931 in Rameshwaram, Madras Presidency, British India.
By profession, he was an author, scientist and a professor. He has been given the title of “The Missile
Man of India” because he has been recipient of several awards related to science and technology.
He has also been awarded with the Bharat Ratna Award which is the highest title of respect in India.

Early Life

This great man had a very humble beginning. He was born into a very poor Tamil family, with
very little means to themselves. His mother was a housewife and his father was an Imaam in a
mosque. In spite of not having a strong financial background, his parents ensured that he is raised
well and remains humble in all practices of life. The atmosphere he was raised in taught him to
always treat people with love and compassion. In order to support the family financially, Kalam sold
newspapers in his early years. He did this strenuous job only to provide some financial relief for his
family. As a student, he was average in his studies but was very dedicated and hardworking. He
was very fond of mathematics and he excelled in the subject till the very end. He aimed at becoming
a fighter pilot but was unsuccessful as there were only eight string positions in the IAF and he got
the 9th position. He felt the pain of losing with just one position. He always took his failures positively
and decided to pursue a career as a scientist.

In the eventful year of 1960, he graduated from Madras Institute of Technology. Post this, he
joined in as a scientist at the “Aeronautical Development Establishment” after becoming a member
of “Defence Research and Development Service” he was a core scientist. He participated in various
projects and gained a reputation of a learned person.

In the year 2002, Kalam was declared as the 11th President of India. He served his position
with all dedication till 2007. He was the most loved President of India because he had a special way
of interacting and empathising with common people. He always had a very simple approach and
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people felt very comfortable to speak to him. He was rightly called as “People’s President”. He had
a beautiful way of handling the problems of people and made sure justice was served. Even though
there were many controversies on his judgement or actions, he always kept his primary focus on
justice which he served till his last day. He has written various books and has authored and co-
authored several books, including ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium,’ ‘Wings of Fire,’
‘The Luminous Sparks: A Biography in Verse and Colours,’ ‘Mission of India: A Vision of Indian
Youth,’ ‘You are Born to Blossom,’ ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India,’ ‘Guiding
Souls,’ ‘Inspiring Thoughts,’ ‘Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges,’ ‘Transcendence My
Spiritual Experiences,’ ‘Beyond 2020: A Vision for Tomorrow’s India,’ and various others.

He also played a significant role as an academician and made a huge difference in the lives of
the students who remember him as a positive contributor in their lives. He was associated with Indian
Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad as a visiting professor. Kalam lost his life, while doing
what he loved the most, while teaching. He went amongst the people, he loved the most, the youth.

Some important things to know:

z Provided public service and had nothing of his own. He had no property, TV, Fridge, Car,
AC but had 2500 books, six shirts, pair of shoes, wristwatch, four trousers and three suits.
z Never expected nor accepted any gifts other than books.
z He never charged a fee for his teaching services.
z He was a technology enthusiast.
Moral: No matter where you come from, the right passion mixed with compassion can take
you places to serve the community.

Steve Jobs – An Inspiration for Generations

Early Life:
The co-founder of Apple Computers, Steve Woznaik was a simple boy who had big ambitions.

He was born to a couple studying of University of Wisconsin who gave him up for adoption
unnamed. His biological father was a professor and his biological mother was a speech therapist.
Steve found out about his biological parents when he was 27.

Steve was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs. His new father was an accountant and his new
mother was a coast guard veteran and machinist in California.

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Ever since Steve Jobs was young he began showing his interest in electronics and mechanical
prowess. He was always an intelligent and an innovative person who felt typical formal schooling
was not meant for him. However, he gave in and his intelligence was so admired in his school life
that they wanted to give him double promotion which his parents denied. His parents wanted him to
go through each phase of schooling. After successfully completing his school life, he pursued college
studies of which he dropped out within 6 months. Even though he dropped out of college, he kept his
interest in typography and studied in college for this particular subject only. In the year of 1974,
Steve worked as a video gamer, post which he took up travelling for spiritual enlightenment in India.

Career:

In his college days, Steve met his partner and co-founder, Steve Wozniak. Together, they
founded Apple computers. They formed this company at a time when people had no idea about what
computers and chips actually were. Two young entrepreneurs gave in everything they had to form
this company. The duo became famous for their work and gained a lot of popularity. They began to
create user friendly computers at reasonable rates. After a certain period, their sales increased by
700% and reached a whooping score of $139 million. In the year 1980, it had reached the benchmark
of $1.2 billion which was a huge target achieved by the company.

However, after this magnificent success, the company had lots of complaints and flaws especially
in terms of designs, quality and market share. Their major competition became IBM computer services.
After this, the team came up with Macintosh. Although, it was a successful stint, people still preferred
IBM over their company. After observing these unresolved issues, Steve left Apple in 1985.

After he resigned, he came up with a new company, called NeXT which made it big in the
international IT market. This was however not very successful and an American company, Apple
eventually purchased this company in 1996 for $429 million.

After this acquisition, Jobs became the CEO for Apple. The revitalised the company and Apple
reached its peak after it came up with their I- products. Their products like Macbook Air, iPod, iPad,
iPhone, etc. created a buzz in the world markets. They reached a point where they became debt
free and had a shining stock market.

In 2008, Apple became the second biggest music retailer and made it in the list of “America’s
Most Admired companies”

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In 1986, Jobs purchased an animation company, which became Pixar Animation Studio. Pixar
gave some unforgettable hits like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles.

The Grip of Cancer

Unfortunately, in 2003, Jobs was detected with a rare pancreatic cancer. Instead of going for
surgery, he went ahead to change his diet which was called as pesco-vegetarian diet. However, the
tech entrepreneur went for the surgery after 7 months of detection. After few years, the disease
returned and he had no option but to resign and take care of himself. He left for heavenly abode
when he was just 56 years old.

Moral: It doesn’t matter where you come from or which background you belong to, the
determination to make it big, makes you successful.

6.2 Climate Change

Climate change is a serious concern, rather a threat which the world is facing. Climate change
was first discovered and widely spoken about, 30 years ago by Nat Geo. The change in the climate
occurs due to plenty of reasons and most of them we already know. Major factors affecting the
climate are pollution and careless use of natural resources.

The day industries were set up, it was the beginning of the end of Nature and natural habitats.
Industries began polluting the air through industrial smoke, started polluting water with industrial
waste, using up resources like coal and water abundantly. While all these resources were being
exploited, very few people gave a thought to nature and maximum only saw profits, business and
money. Minimum efforts were taken for taking care of earth and earthlings.

This was not enough, man invented plastic. Plastic is the main cause of the death of this world.
Plastic was the last and the final blow to nature. The day plastic was invented, it was the beginning
of the destruction of this very beautiful house, our earth. Plastic has led to spread of diseases, plastic
has led to spread of problems in earth. One plastic bag takes a century to decompose. Today, a large
number of animals are loosing their precious life due to plastic consumption which they innocently
take in, less realising the consequences. In the unlimited use of plastic, we are taking the lives of
those who are closest to nature, plants, animals, ourselves. When we don’t take care of earth, we
partially don’t take care of ourselves too. Humans are no longer humans but have turned to people,
heartless people.
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People don’t take the problem of climate change seriously. They still think, there is a lot of time
for the world to end. People don’t understand that the world doesn’t end suddenly, it meets a painful
and slow death which happens due to the carelessness of earthlings themselves. So, many parts of
the world are suffering from season change. Rajasthan, a desert region is experiencing snow fall,
Arctic Ocean has its glacier’s melting, and Narmada River has become full of foam and less of
water. There is no stability in the seasons, it rains in winters and it is cold in summers. For many
people, it is fun and they rejoice at these sudden changes. Unfortunately or fortunately, the situation
is a serious one.
The moment everyone realises that we indeed have very little time, crowds must gather to
plant more trees, to recycle natural resources like water, to take care of our fellow living beings like
animals and plants. This all can be done for saving the species from getting extinct. It is not easy to
fight this alarming issue alone, it can be successfully implemented by large number of people coming
together. It’s about time, we try one last time, to give a new birth for this world, earth and all our dear
living beings.

6.3 Summary
z More people must read inspiring stories of people in the day-to-day life, i.e., the common
man. We all need inspiration at some point or the other. Inspiration is something which keeps
us going positively and strong. People often don’t give up in life when someone’s inspirational
stories keep them going. It is very important to have some motivation in order to be able to
stay positive and not give up. Although, it is easy to get astray, it is very much needed to
stay active and develop positive attitude to go on with different regular chores of life.
z Climate change is a serious issue and needs to be spoken about first hand. Climate change
is an ever increasing problem and it is an alarming issue which is creating a global effect.
Climate change is a dangerous situation as it will affect all the children taking birth in the
future. The intensity of this problem can be solved only if all countries take effort unanimously
to address the problem and work on it positively and constructively. There is a dire need as
the world may come to an end if the resources are used up or not cared for.

6.4 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Climate change: An unpleasant situation for the environment causing a change in the
season patterns.
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z Inspiration: To look upto someone.

z Fighter: To be brave to face every challenge successfully.

z Give up: To not be able to sustain life’s challenges or refuse to accept.

z Struggle: To keep trying.

z Life: Pattern of birth and death.

z Climate: Environment.

z Animals: Innocent living beings.

z Plants: Flora and necessity of world.

z Earth: A planet which inhibits life.

6.5 Learning Activity

Read the following books and discuss in class.

1. Loosing Earth by Nathaniel Rich

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2. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli

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6.6 References

1. Personal observations

2. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/07/embark-essay-climate-change-
pollution-revkin/

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UNIT 7 WRITING SKILLS

Structure:
7.0 Learning Objectives
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Précis Writing Passage
7.3 Leave Application Letter

7.4 Business Letter Writing

7.5 Principles of Effective Business Correspondence
7.6 Components of Business Letter
7.7 Parts of a Business Letter
7.8 Memorandum Writing
7.9 Office Order
7.10 Circular
7.11 Notice
7.12 Summary
7.13 Key Words/Abbreviations
7.14 Learning Activity

7.15 Unit End Questions

7.16 References

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7.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn how to write Précis

z Learn how to write different types of letters such as sales, request, order, inquiry and
complaint letters with proper formats

z Learn to draft memorandum, notice, office order and circular

7.1 Introduction

The essential skills required in a business are writing and convey your thoughts clearly. If you
are unable to express your ideas then you will not get success. For the documentation purpose one
needs to have writing skills. The business documents like reports, proposals, letters, emails, etc.
provide information, persuade readers, etc. Good communication skills are very important in business.
You have to take care to use the right words, style and approach which suits your readers while
writing a business message.

Précis Writing

Précis writing has got its name from the French language. It is a summary where you ‘cut
brief’ or ‘precise’. It is a synopsis of a published work or scholarly article. It can be called a
summary of the text but not paraphrased text. When the ideas of a literary work are summed up it
is called Précis writing. It is a brief summing up of the ideas. It does not ask your personal opinion.
Only important points should be covered. It should be short and to the theme.

Tips to Write Précis Writing

z Read the article vigilantly and underline or mark the main ideas.

z Try to mirror on what author is trying to speak through the text.

z Take a close look at evidences that the author has used.

z You would need to restate hypothesis given by the author in your own words. Do note that
it should be accurate and on-point.

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z You need to write only one or two sentences for each of the section. It would be a summary
of each section but not in too many words.

z Now you need to re-read article and check whether it is in sync with your summary.

z You must evaluate write-up and confirm whether you have covered the main points or not.
Always use a rational structure.

z Check the text for correctness and clarity. Do a grammar check.

Sample Passage

There is an enemy beneath our feet – an enemy more deadly for his complete impartiality. He
recognizes no national boundaries, no political parties. Everyone in the world is threatened by him.
The enemy is the earth itself. When an earthquake strikes, the world trembles. The power of a
quake is greater than anything man himself can produce. But today scientists are directing a great
deal of their effort into finding some way of combating earthquakes, and it is possible that at some
time in the near future mankind will have discovered a means of protecting itself from earthquakes.
An earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modern
city, the damage it causes is as great as if it has struck a primitive village. Gas mains burst, explosions

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are caused and fires are started. Underground railways are wrecked. Buildings collapse, bridges
fall, dams burst, and gaping crevices appear in busy streets. If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal
waves sweep inland. If it strikes in mountain regions, avalanches roar down into the valley. Consider
the terrifying statistics from the past 1755: Lisbon, capital of Portugal – the city destroyed entirely
and 450 killed. 1970: Peru: 50,000 killed. In 1968 an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively
unpopulated part, only a few people were killed. But it is likely that this was one of the most powerful
quakes ever to have hit the world. Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole of the state
moved over 80 feet farther west into the Pacific Ocean. Imagine the power of something that can
move an entire subcontinent! This is the problem that the scientists face. They are dealing with
forces so immense that man cannot hope to resist them. All that can be done is to try to pinpoint just
where the earthquake will strike and work from there. At least some precautionary measures can
then be taken to save lives and some of the property. (330 Words)’

7.2 Précis Writing Passage

z Earthquake – The Great Destroyer

Earthquake is the mankind’s deadly enemy. Earthquake strikes all without a distinction of
nationality or political affiliation. The power of a quake is greater than that of any man-made weapon
of destruction. An earthquake strikes mankind without a warning. A modern city when struck is reduced
– to a nibble. A quake strikes plains, seas and mountains causing all round destruction. The quake
struck Lisbon in 1755 killing 450; Peru in 1970 killing 50,000; Alaska in 1968 moving it 80 feet into
the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are trying to find out means to combat earthquakes, to predict the origin
of the quake so that precaution can be taken to save man and property from destruction. (115 words)

7.3 Leave Application Letter

It is necessary to take leave from school or office at some point of the time. It is necessary to
give a leave application letter in office if you are going out or have medical reasons. Your boss will
be able to understand your real situation if you write a good Leave Application letter.

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Difference between Memo and Letter

z Memo – It is used for internal communication.

Letter – It is used for external communication.

z Memo – It is written on a plain sheet of paper.

Letter – It has letterhead.

z Memo – It does not have inside address, salutation, courtesy titles, etc.

Letter – It has very formal appearance.

z Memo – It has no complimentary close or signature.

Letter – It has complimentary close and signatures.

Leave Application for Office

Sender’s name and address:

Date:

Receiver’s name and address:

Subject: Application for leave from [start date] to [end date]

Respected Mr. /Mrs. [Name of the recipient] (or Sir/Madam),

I am writing this application to ask for leave from office. I have a wedding function of my sister to
attend. I need leave from [start date] to [end date] to attend this wedding function.

As I am a responsible member of my family, it is necessary for me to attend this function. After

attending the function, I will be joining back the office on [date])RUWKHXSFRPLQJZHHN,KDYHFRPSOHWHG
all my work and have delegated my colleague, [Name of the colleague] for any urgent matters.

Please consider my leave application and grant the same for this period. I shall be really thankful to you.

Yours Sincerely,
[Name]
[Signature]

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Sick Leave Application for Office

Sender’s name and address:
Date:
Receiver’s name and address:
Subject: Sick Leave Application

Respected Mr. /Mrs. [Name of the recipient] (or Sir/Madam),

I am writing this application to inform you that I am suffering from severe lung infection and therefore,
I need sick leave from work. I came to know about this infection last week and my doctor suggested me a
week’s bed rest. My doctor told me to have complete bed rest unless I recover fully. The letter from the
doctor is also attached for your reference.

Kindly allow me a leave for 7 days. In case of any urgency, I will be available on phone. Please contact
me as per your convenience.

I hope you will understand and allow me a leave for 7 days period. Waiting for your approval.

Yours Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Signature]

Permission Letter

Permission letterLVDIRUPDOOHWWHUWRLQIRUPRXUVXSHUYLVRUVRURWKHUSDUW\WRWHOOWKHPDERXW
our plans and if it will affect them. It could be any plans like going on vacation, visiting your family,
attending a funeral or any other activity.
Sender’s name and address:
Date:
Receiver’s name and address:

Subject: Permission to hold a dance party at Raj Banquets

Dear Sir or Madam

We are students from ___________ college. We are all getting together to host a farewell dance
party for a few friends of ours who will be relocating out of here.
We would like to hold the party on 15th January 2020 from 7 pm to 10 pm. We would like to ask you for
the permission to host the party at your Banquets.

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Our Guests will behave well that is our assurance. As it is a dance party, there will be loud music. We
also assure you that we will clear the place and will not leave it in a mess. We understand that there would
be a cost attached to this party and will be glad to pay as per your advice.

We hope you will give us the permission requested.

I am thanking you in anticipation.

Yours Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Signature]

7.4 Business Letter Writing

Correspondence refers to communication in writing. An exchange of ideas, information, views

and opinion are done in a written form. It can be done in the form of letters, invoices, bills, memos,
reports, etc. The business letter must be clear; understanding the needs of the reader.

The seven C’s of business letter writing include being: Clear, Courteous, Convincing, Concise,
Conversational, Complete and Correct.

Persuasive letters are also important as a reader has to be convinced. So, the letter should be
clear, concise, friendly and helpful.

7.5 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

1. Place the reader first:

When reader is kept in mind and when we write a letter, we use right tone, appropriate language
and right details. All the relevant information is presented in clear and easy-to-understand style.
Readers just want to understand the gist of the message. So, think from the reader’s perspective.
The writer should visualize the reader’s problems and possible reactions to the letter.

2. Keep to the point:

A business letter is drafted after good thinking and planning. The letter should be clear and free
from confusion and ambiguity. Maximum possible information should be conveyed in minimum words.

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Try not to waste the time of the reader. Try to be focused on the information that supports your
central aim, and to remove the information that is irrelevant.

3. Set the right tone:

Using the appropriate tone in business writing is an important aspect of communicating the
desired message and of achieving the desired results. The tone should be friendly, yet efficient.
There should be conversational approach with helpful tone.

4. Write effective openings:

The most important thing is to grab the reader’s attention. So, the important principle of effective
writing is to put the most important information first. We need an opening line to make reference to
previous correspondence or to say why you are writing to the recipient. For example:

(i) With reference to your letter of 8 June, I………..

(ii) After having seen your advertisement in ……, I would like ………….

Your first paragraph should stand out so don’t waste the reader’s time and get straight to the
message. Be direct and use your words positively to create a good impression before the reader.

5. Write effective conclusions:

Ending a business letter professionally can help you ascertain the professionalism and credibility.
Because the ending of the letter is the last part that the recipient will read, it is what will be freshest
in his memory. It should end in a polite and business-like note. For example:

(i) If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.

(ii) I look forward to hearing from you.

7.6 Components of Business Letter

1. Heading:

The heading is a very important component of a letter as it contains vital information on the
company/sender, reference number, address and the date. Mostly, writer’s name is not included in
heading.

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2. Inside address:

The inside address of the recipient is always written on the left-hand margin of the letter. It
shows the name, designation and full address of the recipient. The suitable title of the recipient like
Shri, Smt, Mr, Ms, etc. must be typed.

3. Salutation:

It refers to greeting to the addressee. It is written just below the inside address. Sir, Sirs,
Madam, Madams, Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Mr. Mehta, Dear Mrs. Suresh Mehta, etc. to be
used depending upon the relation with the receiver.

4. Subject or reference line:

It announces the main business of the letter. The subject line helps to sort out the letters and
immediately the receiver may come to know the purpose of the letter.

5. Body of the letter:

It has the subject matter which is divided into paragraphs. The main contents of the letter are
in the body.

6. Complimentary close:

It refers to the regards or respect which the writer wants to convey to the reader. Some
common ones are Thanking You, Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, Yours truly, etc.

7. Enclosures:

They are documents sent along with the letter and it is necessary the recipient knows that these
items accompany the letter in the same envelope. So, they use indications as ‘Enclosure’, ‘Encl’.

8. Copies:

There may be a number of copies of the original letter meant for different people. Details
should be indicated in the letter through which the recipient also gets to know the people who will be
reading the mail.

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Sample Business Letter

Begin your heading 1 to 1.5 inches from
the top of your paper. Side margin should
also be 2 to 1.5 inches.
Heading
1234 Melrose Street Type the writer’s address (no name), followed
San Diego, CA 92127 by the current date
December 10, 2002

Four to seven spaces Inside address

Ms. Helen Moss Type the name and address of the receiver
Poway Unified School Board Member
13626 Twin Peaks Road, Salutation
Poway, CA 92064-3098 Begin with Dear, end with a colon.
Double space
Dear Ms. Moss:
Double space
I am curently a student in the Poway Unified School District, and I am Body
writing to you regarding the recent ban on soda sales in the Los Angeles The first questions states
Unified School District. I am concerned that the Poway Unified School the letter ’s subject and
District will attempt to do the same, and in doing so, will be making a purpose.
grave mistake. There are many reasons not to ban soda sales. It answers the question:
Double space between paragraphs Why are yo writing this
Our schools desperately need the money brought in by soda sales. If letter?
we sacrifice such profits, we will have greater difficulty supporting the
The middle presents details
events they fund. Furthermore, the ban might not even work, since
of the message.
banning soda sales is not enough to combat the problem of childhood
obesity. Students should adopt healthier lifestyles, not use quick- The ending requests action,
solution diets. In addition, it would be hypocritical to refuse to sell shows appreciation, or
sodas but still offer foods like pizza, French fries, and doughnuts. motivates the receiver, It
Schools instead should better educate students on how to make healthy answers the question: What
choices on their own. do you want the reader to
As you can see, banning the sale of sodas on high school campuses do?
would be an inadequate solution for teen health problems. I have
enclosed an essay on this topic that gives evidence to support my
cliam. Please read my essay, and when youreceive the chance to vote
on whether to enforce a soda ban, please vote against it.
Double space Complimentary closing
Sincerly yours, Capitalize the 1st word; end with a comma.
Sean Kosmo Four spaces
Signature lines
Sean Kosmo
Sign your name in blue or black ink above your
Student
types name.
Double space
Indicate whether you are including enclosures
Enclosure
and/or sending copies of the letter to others.
CC: Mr. Lopez, Poway Unified School Board member

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7.7 Parts of a Business Letter

Sales Letter

For selling products, sales letters are useful. A letter which is written to promote sales of
products is defined as a Sales letter. A bond of goodwill between a customer and seller can be
created with the help of a well-designed sales letter. It influences the reader to purchase a product.
AIDA formula is very necessary in a Sales letter. Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. First, we
should grab the attention of the customer by having a catchy headline, then create an interest by
creating suspense then create a desire by telling features of the products and discounts then take
action by giving contact details.

THE DIAMOND

Charni Road, Mumbai

Date – 28th December 2019

Dear Shopper,

Looking for a relaxed and enjoyable shopping experience? A difficult thing to dream of in a busy city
like Delhi.

The Diamond is dreams come true for many of our shoppers. The Diamond, which is spread over
four storeys, includes a car park, lavatory facilities and a small play-area for young children while you
shop in peace.

You’ll find all your favourite brand of products at The Diamond: clothes, cosmetics, leather goods,
cutlery, and confectionery. You name it and we have it.

The Diamond ensures that each and every visitor will be pleased and happy customer. You can be
guaranteed of the quality of our products. Our trained people will be at your service, to help you make the
most of your shopping trip at The Diamond.

And there are lots more. Join our Frequent Customer Club and win gifts and special holiday trips
anywhere in India on purchase amounting to more than ` 75,000/- a year.

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Shopping need not be an annoying job. Come to the Diamond today and be a part of its
magnificent offers.

Yours sincerely,

Kartik Sharma
CEO
The Diamond

Request Letter

When you need any information, permission, favour, or any other thing you need to make it in
a polite and humble way which is called a Request letter.

These are few topics related to Request Letters:

Credit Line

1. Request an increased credit line

2. Request correction of an error in a credit report

3. Request or apply for a credit account

Information

1. Request information

2. Request information on a product or service

Sales

1. Request a discount or a complimentary product or service

2. Request samples or information about products or services

Service

1. Request an individual to volunteer services

2. Request government service or action

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Miscellaneous Request

1. Request confirmation of receipt of earlier mailings

2. Request correction of an insurance company’s error

Request Related

1. Announce an employee training session

2. Appeal to higher authorities when complaint letters don’t work

3. Decline a request for credit

4. Inform a customer of an incorrect payment amount and ask for the balance

Example:

There was an advertisement in newspaper for which we have received various responses and
resumes for the Manager position in J.P. Cellar Company. From many applicants, Kartik stands
apart. The kind of experiences and qualifications detailed on his resume propose that he would
proficiently perform the necessities of the Manager’s position. However, in addition to taking into
account the applicant’s documented experiences and testimonials, in the process of finalizing our
decision; I am contacting all of the references listed on his resume.

Since you are one of the applicant’s primary professional references, I am writing today to
request your individual insight into Kartik’s abilities and qualifications. At a time suitable to you,
I would be thankful to you for the chance to speak with you about the applicant, either over the
phone or in person. My personal contact information is given above. I thank you in advance for your
support, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Order Letter:

When a company or the concerned person writes a letter to place the request of purchase from
another company, it is known as an Order Letter. It confirms the details of a purchase of goods or
services from one party to another. It generally includes more information about what you are
ordering, like quantity, model number, or color, the payment terms, and the matter in which the
products are to be shipped. There could be Trial order, Repeat order or Routine order.

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Universal Kitchen Equipment

Arun Monteiro
Kolaba,
Mumbai

Dear Mr. Monteiro,

We would like to purchase thirty two (32) individual stand mixers (Model #73723), all in the color blue.

We would like you to charge this purchase to the preexisting account that we have with you, business
account #842134.

We hope to receive this order no later than Monday, February 11th, 2020. Attached to this letter
please find our preferred shipping method and receiving address.

Please confirm that you received this order by calling us at 022 424846 anytime during business
hours, Monday to Friday.

Thank you for your cooperation

Nikka Kitchen Co.

Inquiry Letter

When a trader wants to buy goods for selling then he writes to the manufacturing firms or
suppliers of goods a Letter of Inquiry. Firstly Quotations are asked and after comparing the advantages
the trader places an order with the best offer. It could also deal with various matters like job vacancies,
funding, grants, scholarships, projects, sales, pre-proposals and others.

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Bell Manufacturing Company (Letterhead or sender’s address)

1-1-2 Shibaura, Minato-Ku
Takyo, Japan

May 27, 2009 (Date)

Mr. Neo Chan

In-charge of Customer Reltaions (Inside address)
Kowlooa Company
13 Bayvlew street
Kowlooa, HongKong

Dear Mr. Chan : (Salutation or greeting)

I am systems engineer at Bell Trading. We are planning to launch a new cell phone model.
We need an advanced semiconductor for this project.

My company is considering using your new release semiconductors of your company.

We need, however, information about the following :

1. discount 2. Unit Price 3. Delivery 4. Terms of payment 5. Warranty

I would be happy to talk to you further about your product.

You can e-mail me at [email protected].

Sincerly, (Clsoing)
___________ (Signature)
Jun Suzuki (Printed Name)
Senior Systems Engineer (Position of sender)

Cc: Mr. E. Stanton

(Carbon Copy Receiplent)

Acknowledgement Letter

When a person formally acknowledges the receipt of something, it is known as an

Acknowledgement letter. They are mostly short and have a legal purpose to confirm the receipt of
goods. There are different types of Acknowledgement letter like Application acknowledgement
letter, Acknowledgement of resignation and Business Acknowledgement letter.

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Important phrases to be used in writing acknowledgement letters

Usually, acknowledgement letters use very similar wording, such as:

1. Company is acknowledging receipt of the following documents:

2. I hereby acknowledge the receipt of the following document/s:

3. I am writing to confirm the receipt of:

4. We wish to thank you for sending us (quotation, goods, documents, etc.)

5. I am writing in reference to our telephone conversation to confirm the …

(Date)
(Name of recipient)
(Position)
Dear (Name of recipient)
We would like to acknowledge the receipt of ____________ (document name).
We are presently examining it and if there are no issues to be addressed, the signed
(document) will be returned to you within _______ business days. If there are any
further concerns regarding the (document), we will contact you by (date).
Thank you for your continued trust in our company and we look forward to doing
business with you in the future.
Respectfully yours,
(Name of sender)
(Position in company, company name)

Complaint Letter

Complaint letter is the one in which reader’s interest if often in conflict with those of the writer.
In these letters, indirect approach is used. They are written with restraint and caution.

In a routine operation of a company, a majority of complaints can be quickly adjusted. If we

talk about viewpoint of the customer, it is an appeal for justice. The situation in which the letter is
written and honesty of an individual is important.

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There are different reasons or occasions to write a Complaint letter:

1. Delay in the implementation of an order.

2. Damage of goods in transportation.

3. Supply of wrong goods.

4. Insufficient quantity of goods supplied.

5. Inferior quality of goods supplied.

6. Rudeness from staff member.

7. Price of goods vary from price in catalogue.

Sunita Glass Wares

Dadar West, Mumbai – 400 028

28th December, 2019

The Manager,
Deluxe Potteries,
Bandra West,
Mumbai.

Dear Sir,

Subject – Our Order No. 8657

I am writing with reference to the delivery of Eureka Coffee sets we received against the above order.
Thank you for your quick service.

However, out of the 40 coffee sets that we ordered only 15 were without any damage. The seal on the
crates seem to have been broken in shipment and some of the additional items were found missing.

We have enclosed a list of damaged and missing pieces along with the letter. We will store the
consignment at our storehouse till we receive your instructions about this matter.

Yours sincerely,
Das
Sales Manager

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Collection Letter

Credit sales are a promotion tool, which is used to strengthen the company’s competitive position
in the market. It shows growth of its business. But money extended in the form of credit is sometimes
not easy to realize. All sales transactions are completed in time and at minimum cost is seen by
Credit control. You require professional trainers for this. A warning sent in writing, informing a
consumer of his past due payments is called a Collection Letter.

The first collection letter is a friendly reminder that you have passed your due date. The second
collection letter could be toughing where you need to be more assertive. The third collection letter is
where you will tell customer to pay immediately otherwise he will be taken to the court.

8th January, 2020

Blue Plumbing,
Bangur Nagar,
Goregaon West,
Mumbai.

Account# or Invoice #:456

Balance due or Past Due Balance: 30,000.00

Dear Ajitesh,

This is a reminder that your account balance of ` 30,000.00 was overdue as of October
28, 2019.

Please pay this amount today; I have enclosed a stamped payment envelope for your convenience.

Thank you for your payment.

Yours sincerely,

Hema Patel
Hema Plumbing

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7.8 Memorandum Writing

When a management writes a short notice to inform about a certain policy or make an
announcement or changes in an organization, it is known as Memorandum or Memo. When a person
is writing to confirm to his suppliers that he has received certain goods in a business case, it is called
a business memorandum. There are different types of memos like Request memo, Confirmation
memo, Suggestive memo, Report memo, etc.

How to Write a Good Memo?

1. Make it as short as possible.

2. Use simple English.

3. Use an attractive headline.

4. Use bolding on emphasize.

5. Use a different colour for the heading.

6. Avoid simple grammar and spelling errors.

MEMORANDUM

To: All students taking IT course at the University.

From: The department chair.
Date: 15th July, 2019.

Subject: Submission of your final project.

It has come to our notice that some of you have not submitted their final year projects which is very
essential at this minute because it determines whether you will graduate or not. In the previous years, there
were many students who came to us crying stating that their name was not there in the graduation list.
The project should be taken seriously as forty percent of your final grade is based on that. On that
note the department has given out a time limit of 3rd August 2019, if you do not have submitted your project
by then, you will have to wait 1 academic year to graduate. You are all advised to submit your project before
the due date as we do not want you to suffer when it comes to graduation. Thanks in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Sign…….
Department chair.

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7.9 Office Order

When an order is issued by the employer or a senior employee, it is called an office order. The
organization specifies instruction related to work in it. The employees need to accept it. Mostly,
these orders are given at the start of the month or on Mondays to keep track on the progress.
It carries out the communication about the change in the designation of the employee or suspension
of a particular employee and granting of privileges, disciplinary actions, imposing restrictions, etc.

Office orders are specific and short to the point and they clearly give information. Office
orders are given either to the individual or to the proposed target group of audience.

ZENTH COMPUTERS
8/10, PITAMPURA, NEW DELHI

20 MARCH, 2010

REF. NO. 86/05-06

ORDER

Mr. P. C. Gupta has been transferred to the marketing department and has been
promoted as chief of Marketing Department. He shall take the charge from 1 May 10,
after handing over his current charge of Product Manager to Mr. R.C. Chander.

For more details contact undersigned.

R.K. Chowdary

Chairman

C.c. To R.C. Chander

P. M. Thakur

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7.10 Circular

The circulars are at large for information given by the employers. The circulars are related to
the rule and regulations or handing out of general information. It is issued to a group of employees or
to the entire organization. Example: You need to invite your department for a meeting or inform
about the dress policy to entire organization – a circular is the best means of communication for
these purposes.

PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY
(A Central University)

R. Venkataraman Nagar, Kalaper, Puducherry - 605 014

HOSTEL OFFICE

Date : 25.07.2015

CIRCULAR

Sub : PU - Hostel accommodation - Reg.

ŠŠŠ

Based on the request and representation received from the Students Council of
Pondicherry University, it has been decided to provide hostel accommodation for all the
First year students in the recreation halls of the concerned hostels. All the students who
are willing to avail this facility are instructed to contact the hostel office on 26.7.2015,
(Sunday) at 10.30 A.M. for confiming their accommodation.

\\BY ORDER\\

SD/-

P. SUBRAMANIAN
DEPUTY REGISTRAR (HOSTELS)

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7.11 Notice

The office notice serves the purpose of information about the occasion or the occurrence of
the event in the establishment. It is a written or a printed information or news announcement. It is
displayed in important places or published in newspapers or magazines. As it is a formal announcement,
its tone should be formal and factual. It should be brief and to the point.

There are several types of notice: public noticeRU OHJDOnotice), actual notice,
FRQVWUXFWLYHnotice, and implied notice.

Important tips to be followed while writing notices:

z Stick to the particular word limit of 50 words.

z Write the word NOTICE at the top.

z Name and place of the school, organization or office issuing the notice should be mentioned.

z Give a suitable heading.

z Write the date of issuing the notice.

z Clearly mention the target group (for whom the notice is to be displayed).

z Reason of the notice.

z State all the appropriate details (date, venue, time).

z State whom to contact for extra information.

z Signature, name and designation of the person issuing the notice.

z Put the notice in a box.

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NOTICE WRITING

Delhi Public School, New Delhi

NOTICE

Date : 18 Feb. 2014

Meeting of Science Society

On the occasion of National Science and Technology Day, the school has decided
to organize a fair. All office bearers are requested to attend a meeting.

in the School Library

on 20 Feb 2014 at 10 am

to discuss the arrangements for the fair.

_________ (Signature)
VIKRAM SINGH
(Secretary, Science Society)

7.12 Summary

Writing is a very important part especially in business. There are seven C’s of business letter
writing which are Clear, Courteous, Convincing, Concise, Conversational, Complete and Correct.
For effective business correspondence, we should place the reader first, keep to the point, set the
right tone, write effective openings and write effective conclusions. A Letter should have Heading,
Inside, Address, Salutation, Subject or Reference line, Body of the letter, Complimentary Close and
Enclosures. Leave application letter when a person has to go on a sick leave or for a function,
Permission letter for a particular occasion is important. It could be any plans like going on vacation,
visiting your family, etc. Précis writing is like a summary of a particular thing. It is a synopsis of a
published work or scholarly article. Different business letters like sales, order, request, inquiry,
complaint, collection, etc. are very important for business dealings. In offices on a regular basis, memo,
order, notice and circulars are used. A letter which is written to promote sales of products is defined
as a Sales letter. AIDA formula is very necessary in a Sales letter. Attention, Interest, Desire and

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Action. When you need any information, permission, favor, or any other thing, you need to make it in
a polite and humble way which is called a Request letter. When a company or the concerned person
writes a letter to place the request of purchase from another company, it is known as an Order Letter.
When a trader wants to buy goods for selling, then he writes to the manufacturing firms or suppliers
of goods a Letter of Inquiry. Complaint letter is the one in which reader’s interest is often in conflict
with those of the writer. When a management writes a short notice to inform about a certain policy
or make an announcement or changes in an organization, it is known as Memorandum or Memo.

7.13 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Précis writing: It is the general idea of a passage expressed in as few words as possible.

z Leave application: When a person takes leave from office.

z Permission: When you officially allow someone to do a particular thing.

z Request: When you politely ask someone.

z Inquiry: When you ask someone for information.

z Collection letter: When you inform a customer of past due payments.

z Memo: A Memo is a small official note that is sent by one person to another within the
same company or organization.

z Office order: An office order is an order given by the boss or senior employees.

7.14 Learning Activity

1. Write a complaint letter about the dispatch of wrong goods.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

2. Write a sales letter to sell a branded perfume.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

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3. Write a collection letter for the payment due of a credit card.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

4. Write an inquiry letter to inquire about t shirts.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

7.15 Unit End Questions

A. Descriptive Type Questions

1. What is Précis writing?

2. What is the difference between Notice and Circular?

3. Explain different types of Collection Letters.

4. Explain the scenarios when leave can be applied.

5. What are the key points to précis writing?

6. What is the difference between memo and letter?

B. Multiple Choice Questions

1. A short notice is written by management about policy change is called ______.

(a) Memorandum (b) Notice (c) Circular

2. A short summary is called _________.

(a) Précis writing (b) Inquiry writing (c) Acknowledgement

3. For selling products _________ letter is useful.

(a) Complaint (b) Credit (c) Sales

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4. When a person formally acknowledges the receipt of something, it is known as an

___________ letter.

(a) Circular (b) Request (c) Acknowledgement

Answers

1. (a), 2. (a), 3. (c), 4. (c).

7.16 References

1. https://www.slideshare.net/NaveenKumarsaini1/precis-writing-39372679

2. https://edubirdie.com/blog/how-to-write-a-precis

3. https://gdpi.hitbullseye.com/precise-writing.php

4. https://www.successcds.net/learn-english/writing-skills/leave-application.html

5. https://www.letters.org/permission-letter/permission-letter.html

6. Business Communication I and II – Reliable Series

7. https://www.writeexpress.com/request.htm

8. https://howtowritealetter.net/letter-of-order.html

9. https://www.sampletemplates.com/letter-templates/letter-of-inquiry.html

10. https://acknowledgementsample.com/write-acknowledgement-letter/

11. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/sample-collection-letter-the-effective-way-to-get-paid-
2951433

12. https://www.aresearchguide.com › write-a-memorandum http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/news/

circular-hostel-accommodation-university-hostel-office

13. https://www.nextgurukul.in/wiki/concept/madhya-pradesh/class-10/english-writing-skills/
short-writing-skills-i/notice-writing-format-types-and-sample/3963278

14. https://www.slideshare.net/StephenAntonyRaj/notice-writing-47891535

‰‰‰

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UNIT 8 LISTENING SKILLS

Structure:
8.0 Learning Objectives
8.1 Consonant Sounds
8.2 Social Etiquettes
8.3 Polite Interruptions

8.4 Polite and Respectful Conversations

8.5 Grammar
8.6 Summary
8.7 Key Words/Abbreviations
8.8 Unit End Questions

8.9 Reference

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8.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn consonant sounds

z Learn social etiquette

z Learn to make a polite conversation

z Learn tenses

z Learn SWA

z Learn Punctuation

z Learn vocabulary concepts like one word substitutes, synonyms and antonyms

8.1 Consonant Sounds

Consonant sounds are basically those sounds which do not relate with a vowel. The non-vowel
words which we speak or use regularly are known as consonant sounds. There are 21 consonant
alphabets. However, when we speak about consonant sounds, there are 24 consonant sounds.
As we all know, there is never a direct relationship between sounds and words.

Articulation of place is the different ways of how the consonants are produced. As we all
know, some sounds are created with two lips, sometimes twisted tongue, sometimes teeth, and may
be alveolar ridge, etc. There are various types of consonant sounds which are as follows:

1. Bilabial sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of two lips for words
which often start with p, b and m.

2. Labia dental sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of lower lips and
upper front teeth for words which often start from f and v.

3. Dental sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of the tip of the tongue
taken backwards and upper front teeth usually for words which start from /d/, /n/, /t/, /l/.

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4. Alveolar sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of the tip of the tongue
and the alveolar ridge for words which often start with t, n and d.

5. Palatal sounds are those sounds which are produced by clubbing the blade of the tongue
and the hard palate usually for words which sound, “y”

6. Velar sounds are sounds which are produced by contacting the back of the tongue with the
soft palate usually for words mostly starting with k or g.

Definition of Consonant Sounds

Consonants in simple language are the non-vowel sounds. They are the ones which often hide
under an adjective or into descriptive words. These words are often used in musical tunes making it
sound soft and not harsh like vowel sounds. Consonant all alphabets excluding the a, e, i, o and u.

Speech Mechanism Diagram

Nasal cavity
Alveolar
Ridge Palate
Lips Uvula
Teeth Tongue

Pharynx
Larynx Vocal cords
Epiglottis

Learning Activity:

Identify which type of consonant sounds are there in the following sentences:

1. Planets are the most important part of the solar system.

2. Foreign visitors usually find India very peaceful.

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3. Kite flying is a popular festival in Gujarat.

4. Songs sung by Enrique touches the heart of the audiences.

5. Yak is the sheep of the snow regions.

8.2 Social Etiquettes

Social etiquettes form a very important part of any personality. They are also known as social
manners which make a lasting impression on an individual. Etiquettes are more about respect and
kindness and respect in communication and dealings with others. These are the most accepted and
expected code of conduct which are usually expressed during communication or through body
language. Social etiquettes can be learned through observation or sometimes by reading about it.
Expressing right social etiquette at the right time and with the right person is one of the most important
forms of non-verbal communication. Some basic and expected social etiquettes are as follows:

z Always look into someone’s eyes when you have a conversation with the individual.

z Never speak between in someone else’s speech, always keep the respect for the speaker.

z Any kind of sarcastic or negative expression should be avoided especially when someone
is speaking to you.

z Always be punctual and on time, it leaves an impression that you value the person who has
given you time.

z Use polite words like please, thank you, sorry, grateful, etc. It turns the conversation into a
positive one.

z If the person is willing, have a confident handshake at the start and end of the meeting.

z If you are eating something, always offer the person in front of you.

z Never use commanding words like must, should, have to the person you are communicating
with, it makes the person feel restricted or bounded.

z Always look for the positive thought about what the person is talking about.

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z Never simply assume and do not ask. If there are queries, the questions must be asked
while the conversation on the topic is active.

z Avoid making too much noise while writing, talking or even eating.

The above are some ways in which one can develop social etiquettes and leave a lasting
impression on every person they meet.

Learning activity:

Make a list of table manners you know of, you can also look up to the internet for more ideas
and discuss in the class.

8.3 Polite Interruptions

We all are familiar with the curiosity to ask or correct an individual when they are speaking.
This is quest of knowledge we feel, but it is not necessary that the other person treats it positively.
It is usually bad manners to interrupt someone while they are speaking. When you interrupt someone,
it breaks their flow of thoughts which they have for speaking their next sentence. This is not
appreciated and rather found rude in parts of the world including India.

Sometimes, there are situations where a person may need to ask certain things so that he can
understand the next part of the sentence spoken by the speaker. In fewer situations, the information
given by the speaker may be wrong. So, the listener may feel the urgent need to rectify the information
before other people sink it in. Interruptions during such situation isn’t wrong, but there is definitely a
polite way of interruption which will be far more appreciated and taken positively.

Some polite ways of interruptions are as follows:

1. Always ask permission before you interrupt in between of someone else’s talking. You can
start conversation with, “May I interrupt” or “Please excuse me, I want to gain clarity on
something”

2. Begin with an apology for speaking in between. You can begin with sentence like, “I beg your
pardon for interrupting, I have a question” or “I am really sorry, but I need more information
about your speech” o “I regret cutting you between your lines, but I have a question”

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3. Make your interruption sound like a discussion. You can begin either with a permission or
an apology and have conversations starting with terms like, “While I agree to all your
points, I have some questions” or “On the topic that you were just standing at,” or “In
agreement to whatever you said”. While making your interruption sound like a discussion,
don’t go off topic as the speaker may not appreciate that his preparation is going the other
way. This may not be fully appreciated by the person who has done his work and may not
want to break his flow of speech.

4. As audience, one thing you can ask at the very beginning of the speech is what will be the
preferred pattern of the speaker and if he will be comfortable with questions been asked in
the middle of the session or he would prefer the questions in the end. If he says, he is
comfortable with questions in the end, you can comfortably make a list of key point questions
to be asked in the end or probably in the question and answer session round. If he is ok with
questions been asked in the mid of the speech, the same can be done with a polite or an
apologetic interruption in a very soft and respectful tone.

Learning Activity:

Prepare a speech on, “Awareness of CAB & NRC” and have a mock session in the class.
Make sure the mock session has polite interruptions. Practice of the tips should be the motive of the
mock speech.

8.4 Polite and Respectful Conversations

One of the most imperative qualities for a social animal like humans is having a polite, fulfilling
and a respectful conversation with each other. It is very easy to be loud, unsympathetic and not
caring about people or their preferences. The nature of having polite and respectful conversations
comes with a lot of practice and self-training. In order to be able to have polite and respectful
conversations one must try to follow the tips stated below:

z Avoid words which sound like an order like, “I want you to hand over the wine to me.”

z Make use of words like sorry, please, thank you, mention not more often as it sounds
very polite.

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z Try to ask for things before you actually do them, you may ask for formality sake too.
Questions like, “May I?” or “Could you please” or “It would be great if..”

z Speaking in a low tone of voice can be very relaxing to the person speaking also for the
person who is listening. When words are spoken in the loud tone, it makes the person more
hyper than usual. Often, words said loudly, can also be a major reason for a person to over
react on situations or even take them negatively.

z Compliment very often. When you compliment a person genuinely, the approach of the
person becomes far more positive and receptive towards you. This makes the conversation
easy and allows scope for more conversations to erupt.

z Laugh and have enough comic timings in your conversations. The more a person laughs
during a conversation, the experience of talking with the person becomes more fulfilling,
enriching and memorable.

z Even if you disagree with somebody, remember you disagree on the conversation or on the
opinion not with that person. Even in disagreement, respect the person enough by speaking
politely and keeping your point across in a very neat manner.

z Never make use of abusive words for a person as it demoralises the person’s self-esteem
to a very large extent. It also plays with the person’s confidence and shatters it.

z Speak to everyone in a low pitch, respectful and caring tone of voice. To have a polite and
respectful conversation, the tone of the voice is very important.

z Address the person correctly when speaking to them, giving proper respectful titles is
highly essential in having successful conversations. If you are speaking to an elderly the
titles like Sir or Madam would be impactful. If you are speaking to a person your age, then
giving titles like Mr. or Ms. (for a formal greeting) or respectfully by the name is preferred.
When speaking to someone younger, terms like darling, sweetie, love is far more appreciated.
Such loving words make the children feel very safe and appreciated.

Learning Activity:

Write a polite conversation between a father and a son regarding savings, investments and
being a responsible man in the big world.

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8.5 Grammar

Grammar is the very foundation of English. All sentences get formed and modified with the
help of grammar rules. Even basic grammar like nouns, verbs and articles are important in day to
day speaking and writing. Grammar enables sentences to be formed and adds value to it.

Tenses

Tenses are basically of 3 main types, viz., Present Tense, Past Tense and Future Tense. Each
tense has further sub types. Present tense relates more with what is happening currently, past tense
relates with what has happened and future tense relates with what is going to happen.

Present Tense has three types; Present Perfect Tense, Present Continuous Tense and Simple
present tense.

Present perfect tense is about a complete action currently.

E.g.: They have written three letters already.

Here, the action is complete in the current situation.

Present Continuous tense is about an action which is going on in the current situation.
E.g.: They are writing three letters now
Here, the action of writing is still going on and hence it is complete.

Simple Present Tense

Simple present tense is about action which is at current situation.

E.g.: They write letters

The above sentences indicate that the action is still on.

Learning Activity:

Convert the following simple present tense sentences into Present Perfect and Present
Continuous Tense:

(a) She sings for her friends.

(b) She writes stories.

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(c) She plays cricket with her friends.

(d) He strokes puppies playfully.

(e) She writes with passion.

Past Tense has three types; Past Perfect Tense, Past Continuous Tense and Simple Past
tense.
Past perfect tense is about a complete action which has already taken place.

E.g.: They had written three letters already.

Here, the action is complete and has already taken place.
Past Continuous tense is about an action which is going on but has already taken place.

E.g.: They had been writing three letters now

Here, the action of writing was going on and has already taken place.

Simple Past Tense

Simple past tense is about an action which has been done and has taken place.
E.g.: They wrote letters.

The above sentences indicate that the action is done and complete.

Learning Activity:

Convert the following simple Past tense sentences into Past Perfect and Past Continuous
Tense:

(a) She sang for her friends.

(b) She wrote stories.

(c) She played cricket with her friends.

(d) He stroked puppies playfully.

(e) She wrote with passion.

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To make things easy, Future Tense is an action which will take place in the time to come. There
are no sub types which have different forms, future tense usually relates to activity which will be
done at a future date and at a future time.

Learning Activity:

Convert the following into Simple Future Sentences:

(a) She sang for her friends

(b) She wrote stories.

(c) She played cricket with her friends.

(d) He stroked puppies playfully.

(e) She wrote with passion.

Concord

Concord is a subject and verb arrangement in a sentence where they agree with each other.
The subject of the sentence and the verb of the sentence are kept positively together.

Subject-Verb concord

For instance, when the subject is plural and the verb is plural too, it means they agree. Similarly,
if both would be singular, then they would agree.

E.g.: The pages are held together by the staple.

In the above sentence, pages is subject and held is the verb. They both are written in plural
form which makes them a concord.

Learning Activity:

Identify from the following sentences, if the underlined subject and verb are concords or not.

1. The group of dancers are dancing here.

2. The books have been kept together with an identifier.

3. The peacocks are dancing very beautifully.

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4. The student is writing his notes very neatly.

5. The puppies have eaten their food very joyfully.

Punctuation

Punctuation is a glue which explains us the importance of stressors in a sentence. It is only

because of punctuation that we know when to pause, when to know types, when to distinguish
between more words and much more. Without punctuation, there would be a thousand meanings of
one sentence and there would be no clarity of the language at any given point of time.

Punctuation usually comprises of the following symbols:

. Full stop used to mark the end of a sentence.

, Coma used to show more types or options.

: Colon used to precede an explanation.

“ Inverted commas used to show a dialogue said by someone. This is put in the start and end
of the dialogue.

; Semi colon used to separate major sentence elements.

‘ Apostrophies usually used on nouns e.g.: Doctor’s advice.

Use of capital letters in the start of the sentence and for proper nouns.

Learning Activity:

Add the necessary punctuation in the following sentences.

1. sometimes people fall for false love and false company

2. did you ask old peter about the famous story haunting this villa

3. often life throws such things at people which they least expect

4. travelling with good people fulfils the meaning of life in true sense

5. half of people’s lives are spent worthless in pleasing people they mean nothing to

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One Word Substitute

One word substitutes are those words which explain the full sentence in just one word. They
are smarter ways of writing and also leaving a lasting impression.

For example:

Joyous – it is a one word substitute for the meaning happy and fulfilled occasion.

Learning Activity:

Find the one word substitute for the following sentences

1. that through which light can pass –

2. book written by an unknown author –

3. grass eating animal –

4. place where orphans live –

5. life history written by someone else –

Synonyms

Synonyms are basically one meaning which has many words. You will always wonder that
different people use different words to express one feeling. There are many words which have
same meaning and are different words.

E.g.: kind – affectionate, amiable, humane, sympathetic, gentle

In the above example, you witnessed 5 different words for the word kind. They all mean the
same.

Learning Activity:

Write 5 synonyms for the following words:

1. curious

2. happy

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3. breathtakingly

4. serene

5. horror

Antonyms

Antonyms are words which mean opposite but with different word forms.

For example, the opposite of right is wrong but it can also be error, incorrect, etc.

E.g.: Antonyms of Kind- inattentive, unkind, uncaring, inhospitable, uncivil

Learning Activity:

Write 5 antonyms for the following words:

1. security

2. seldom

3. separate

4. terrible

5. take off

8.6 Summary

z Consonant sounds are the various ways of sounds which one uses in pronunciation of
words in verbal communication. These sounds are very important especially to bring out
different effects into the language. Knowledge of these consonant sounds is very important
to give the desired effect on the language spoken. Therefore, it is very important to use
consonant sounds effectively in spoken and written language. This usage of language with
consonant sounds is very promising and adds new value to the words spoken.

z Social etiquettes are basic manners in behaviour and politeness in speaking which a person
should maintain. A person with good social etiquettes is more liked and preferred by people
over those who lack this quality. Social etiquettes include being polite, understanding, helpful

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and understanding. The people who have good social etiquettes are always easier to
approach. Their way of handling things is also very rational and productive.

z Grammar forms the very base of the English language which can only be evolved with a lot
of knowledge in grammar. Without proper grammar, the meaning of the sentence would
not be expressed in a far better manner. Grammar enhances the flavour of the sentence. In
order to obtain 100% success from the language, it is very important to use grammar
effectively. The effect of grammar makes the sentence more meaningful and adds value.

8.7 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Synonyms: Meanings.

z Antonyms: Opposites.

z Social manners: Accepted norms of being a part of society.

z Etiquettes: Basic assumed formalities to be maintained in a social set up.

8.8 Unit End Questions

A. Identify which type of consonant sounds are there in the following sentences.

1. Dental care is primary not only in childhood but in all ages.

2. Florentine is becoming increasingly popular amongst the tourists.

3. Verbal communication is the fastest and the most effective forms of communication.

4. Always learn from mistakes, never repeat them again.

5. Nina has her masters in human psychology and social sciences.

B. Make a list of social etiquettes which are important in day-to-day life. Make
sure your list is different from the pointers mentioned in the chapter. You can
refer to the internet for some points.

C. Prepare a speech on, “Time Management” and have a mock session in the class.
Make sure the mock session has polite interruptions. Practice of the tips should
be the motive of the mock speech.

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D. Write a polite conversation between two men in their 50’s who are discussing
about the changes in the technology which they have witnessed and how it is
necessary to keep evolving with changing times.

E. Convert the following simple present tense sentences into Present Perfect and
Present Continuous Tense:

1. He plays basketball with national team.

2. He dances for world competitions.

3. He cooks Italian for his special guests.

4. He paints all things which describe love.

5. He designs pots and cutlery with resin art.

F. Convert the following simple Past tense sentences into Past Perfect and Past
Continuous Tense:

1. He played basketball with national team.

2. He danced for world competitions.

3. He cooked Italian for his special guests.

4. He painted all things which describe love.

5. He designed pots and cutlery with resin art.

G. Convert the following Simple Future Tense.

1. He played basketball with national team.

2. He danced for world competitions.

3. He cooked Italian for his special guests.

4. He painted all things which describe love.

5. He designed pots and cutlery with resin art.

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H. Identify from the following sentences, if the underlined subject and verb are
concords or not.

1. The group of deer are chasing here.

2. The clothes have been kept together in the rack.

3. The kids are dancing very beautifully.

4. The girl is writing her letters very neatly.

5. The senior citizens have eaten their food with a lot of peace.

I. Add the necessary punctuation in the following sentences.

1. Sports has an amazing way of exercising the body

2. given at any period of time advice from the elderly helps

3. friends are a family which we get to choose

4. living life king size has its own share of luxuries

5. uncle john said that I will be late for the dinner tomorrow kindly excuse me

J. Find the one word substitute for the following sentences.

1. people who work together –

2. people who live in similar locations –

3. study on animals –

4. one who always looks at the negative side of things –

5. one who works for free –

K. Write 5 synonyms for the following words:

1. dance

2. shining

3. awesome

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4. rejoice

5. care

L. Write 5 antonyms for the following words:

1. supporter

2. happy

3. teach

4. urban

5. sugar

8.9 Reference

1. Wren and Martin Grammar Book.

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UNIT 9 CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Structure:
9.0 Learning Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Importance or Significance of Cross-cultural Communication
9.3 Different Communication Styles

9.4 Cross-cultural Communication Strategies

9.5 Summary
9.6 Key Words/Abbreviations
9.7 Learning Activity
9.8 Unit End Questions

9.9 Reference

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9.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn different concepts of cross-cultural communication

z Learn different elements of cross-cultural communication

z Learn different barriers to cross-cultural communication

z Learn different cross-cultural communication strategies

9.1 Introduction

According to Edward T. Hall, ‘Culture is communication and communication is culture.’ So,

they both go hand in hand. Culture is a complex concept which has many definitions. ‘Culture refers
to the behavioural characteristics typical of a group of people.’ A group or community with which
we share common experiences is Culture. These groups are the ones where we are born into. It can
also include groups which we want to become part of. For example: We can acquire a new culture
if we move to a different country.

The people who belong to different cultural background communicate in a different way which
is looked by Cross-cultural Communication. It just wants to understand how people who belong to
different cultures communicate with each other. There might be misunderstandings which people
face and culture is often at the root of communication challenges.

9.2 Importance or Significance of Cross-cultural Communication

Business has gone global today. In the modern workplace, there are people of different cultures.
There are many challenges and language or cultural barriers often stand in the way. Miscommunication
or misinterpretation can hinder team progress and make pointless differences in the workplace.

(a) Understand Cultural Diversity

New communication strategies are required in the global workplace as people belong to different
cultural backgrounds. The solution to build the most of those opportunities and fight the challenges
is to understand the importance of cross-cultural communication in business.

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For an effective communication to happen, cultural differences should be considered as

employees speak the same language though they belong to different locations.

(b) Facial Expressions

Many times when people are interacting with their team members they misread facial expressions
as they belong to different culture. The people should be familiar with these differences and avoid
misconception. The individual training sessions should be given to employees for successful
communication. In spite of the culture, a pleasant expression is universal. If a person is communication
through videos still, he should have a positive and friendly facial expression which can lead to
successful cross-cultural business communications.

(c) Pause Before Reacting

A person should take a moment to react to any statement or behavior as people belong to
different cultural backgrounds. This enables you to step back, process the information, and create
your response.

There is no chance of misunderstanding and you give enough time to understand the message.
Become a better listener and communicator.

(d) Be Present

Your eye contact, facial expressions, and commitment are obvious in person by the use of
video conferencing. So, a person can make out whether you are paying attention or not. In phone
meetings as well, your interaction and engagement is important. If you are inattentive, it can cause
you much. There may be a breakdown in communication and you might end up offending others.
You might get distracted because of mobile device.

We live in a universal village. Working with people from different cultures, both in person and
through digital platforms is commonplace. That is why, it is important to be alert of cross-cultural
communication in business. In this way, you can achieve common goals and these skills will cultivate
productivity and creativity.

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9.3 Different Communication Styles

Communication styles refer to how people communicate between and within cultures. Two
major aspects of communication style are language usage and non-verbal communication. These
are also the elements of cross-cultural communication.

1. Direct/Indirect or High/Low Context:

The communication styles are different in different cultures. Cultural context is the pattern of
physical gestures, environmental setting and shared understanding that conveys meaning between
members of the same culture. In a high context culture like Thailand or Japan, people rely heavily on
non verbal actions and environmental setting to convey meaning but in low context cultures like
United States or Germany, they rely more on Verbal Communication.

The primary role of communication in high context culture is building relationships but in low
context culture, it is exchanging information. In high context cultures, information is shared with
everyone but in low context cultures, information is highly centralized and controlled.

2. Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism can be defined as the tendency to judge all other groups according to the standards,
behaviours and customs of one’s own group. So, we see other cultural group from our own cultural
view point. For example: When an Indian employee in UK bow slightly to greet his manager, the
comment may be the Indians always behave like this. If an American gives an Arab, a deadline to
finish the work, he is seen as aggressive. But if same Arab prefers a handshake over a written
contract, he is seen as untrustworthy by the American. So, they have attitudinal difference because
of Ethnocentricity. People start making assumptions which leads to misunderstandings. Ethnocentrism
reactions may be taken care of if we gain knowledge about other cultures, avoid assumptions and
start being empathetic to other cultures.

3. Cultural Variables and Communication Sensitivity

In a workplace, individual differs in national and cultural backgrounds. So, there is workforce
diversity which lends a much richer workplace environment and variety of viewpoint. Hence, a
manager should possess the skills to manage workforce diversity. People believe that the word

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culture refers to the people from a specific nationality. National cultures do exist but culture also has
other dimensions. Within a country, regional differences may exist. Attitudes, values, customs, race,
etc. can influence behaviour. Other important cultural differences are religion, gender, age, non-
verbal signals, etc.

4. Variables or Barriers of National Cultures:

In a foreign nation when a person interacts for business purpose, he should realize that the
overall national as well as individual cultural difference will exist. In various ways, national
environmental constraints such as education, language, politics, religion and social norms affect a
national culture.

(a) Education

In every nation, the education system is mostly different. For example: The universities, colleges,
schools all over the world may function differently. They will have different curriculum, evaluation
system, etc. In western culture, students are imparted education about local and national politics but
in India and Asian countries, most of the students spend their childhood in the classroom. This shows
that same educational criteria cannot be applied while recruiting people for an organization.

(b) Law and Regulations:

For the sale of products, Government regulations are important. For example: If children are
targeted in advertising, then American countries keep a watch on them. Advertising of cigarettes
and their budget are restricted by European nations. Even there is a limit to the usage of foreign
language in advertisement in countries like Mexico. In English Common law, someone is presumed
innocent until proved guilty but in Turkey someone is presumed guilty until proven innocent.

(c) Politics:

The concept of democracy and the form of government also differs from country to country.
For doing a business, even political stability or instability of the country is important.

(d) Religion:

The difference in religious beliefs and religious diversity leads to cultural barrier. Some have
single religion while others have multi-religion. Nations like India and US tolerate several religions

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while Iran does not accept multiple religions. The work schedules can be hampered or responses to
queries get delayed because of religious holidays.

(e) Social Norms:

All the above things – Education, Laws and Regulations, Politics, Religion – influence social
norms of a country. Some nations have a Patriarchal society which affects business decisions.
Nuclear or joint family also influence the social norms. Culture also tries to dictate the roles that
people play. For example: In some countries, women don’t have an important role in business so if
women executives visit their country they will not be taken seriously as business people.

(f) Language:

Language is an important factor as sender and receiver if comes from different linguistic
background will need to understand each other through a common language. English is a language
used throughout the world. There are many misunderstanding due to language problems. A Hindi-
speaking person when visits Kerala where people speak Malayalam will face lot of troubles.

5. Individual Cultural Variables or Barriers:

There is a unique lifestyle of personal habits and ethnic diversity which an individual follows.
For example: There are individual cultural traits seen in the following matters:

(a) Non-verbal Signals:

Gestures, posture, eye contact, facial expressions, etc. are non-verbal signals which are different
all over the world. For example: In some countries, people shake hands while greeting but in India
we embrace and fold our hands. In some countries, direct eye contact is considered as friendliness
but in Japan, it might be considered as aggressive.

(b) Time (Chronemics):

In some countries, people are ‘Time Conscious’ but in others they are less concerned with
precision in time. For example: In India, arriving late is a socially accepted custom. Punctuality is
treated differently across cultures. In some countries, people take afternoon naps and close shops
but in others, they have specific hours of opening and closing shops.

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(c) Space (Proxemics)

In India, it is common if a person stand close to you while speaking but in America, people
demand more space between them while speaking. Some cultures think that if a person is not
standing close he is uninterested while others feel if a person is standing close he is rude and pushy.

(d) Food:

Eating habits, the preparation of food, serving, type of food, etc. is different in every culture.
Table manners are also very important. People in Asia like to eat with their hands while Chinese
people refer chopsticks.

(e) Dress:

Norms of acceptability and non-acceptability differs in every culture. In America, males refer
business suits and females refer tailored suits.

(f) Decision-Making:

In America, they prefer individual decision-making, while in Japan, they prefer collective decision
making. So, it varies with culture.

9.4 Cross-cultural Communication Strategies

There are many communication problems which may arise because of cultural differences. So,
we have to make an effort to overcome these problems. Some precautions are as follows:

z Jumping to conclusions to be avoided. Active listening is important and confirming the

understanding of the communication can be done by repeating what the person heard.

z Words are used differently which can lead to misunderstanding so prior knowledge about
such words is preferable.

z Translators who are familiar with both cultures can help.

z Recognize the diversity and ethnicity of people and respect them.

z Avoid drawing conclusions about entire cultural group or avoid stereotyping.

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z Direct experience like access to sources of the other culture is the best way to understand
any culture.

z Try to use a common language which both sender and receiver are familiar with.

z Instead of looking at the differences try to find out similarities between two cultures.

z A business manager especially should try to update his knowledge about different cultures
as he will be interacting with people from different cultures.

z Provide relevant and truthful information to avoid misunderstanding in culture.

9.5 Summary

‘Culture refers to the behavioural characteristics typical of a group of people.’ Globalization

means that for a company to survive, it must establish markets not only in its own country but also in
many other countries. Employees should understand each other’s cultures. There are different
elements like high or low context which exist. There are language barriers, ethnocentrism, etc. The
importance of cross-cultural communication understands cultural diversity, facial expressions, pause
before reacting, be present. There are different communication styles like direct/indirect or high/low
context, ethnocentrism, cultural variables and communication sensitivity, variables or barriers of
national culture and individual cultural variables or barriers. There are many strategies which are
developed to overcome these cross-cultural barriers like jumping to conclusions to be avoided, active
listening, translators who are familiar with both cultures, recognize the diversity, try to use a common
language, find out similarities between two cultures and provide relevant and truthful information.

9.6 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Cross-cultural Communication: The way people from differing cultural backgrounds

communicate is called Cross-cultural communication.

z Cultural Diversity: In our society, there are people from different cultural or ethnic groups.
z Facial Expressions: It is a kind of non-verbal communication where you don’t use words.

z Ethnocentrism: We judge other cultures as per our own culture.

z Variables: Any feature or element that can be changed.

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9.7 Learning Activity

1. A Role play can be done on different cultures.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

2. Each student should give one example of how culture contributes to one’s view of the
world.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

3. Each student should identify and connect to cultural experiences that is similar and different
to one’s own.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

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9.8 Unit End Questions

A. Descriptive Type Questions

1. Discuss the cross-cultural barriers to communication.

2. Define cross-cultural communication. Discuss about different communication styles

highlighting low/high context cultures.

3. Discuss variables of national culture in detail.

4. Explain the importance of Cross-cultural communication.

5. What are the different cross-cultural communication strategies?

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B. Multiple Choice Questions

1. The role of communication in _________ context culture is building relationships.

(a) high (b) low (c) centralized

2. _________ is judging others groups according to customs of own group.

(a) ethnocentrism (b) variables (c) context

3. The information is highly controlled in _______ context culture.

(a) low (b) high (c) chronemics

4. Jumping to ________ should be avoided.

(a) conclusions (b) people (c) culture

Answers

1. (a), 2. (a), 3. (a), 4. (a)

9.9 Reference

1. https://myonline.centralchristian.edu/news/2018/10/24/importance-cross-cultural-
communication-business

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UNIT 10 READING SKILLS

Structure:
10.0 Learning Objectives
10.1 Write-ups on Sustainable Development
10.2 Write-ups on Emerging Technologies
10.3 Summary

10.4 Key Words/Abbreviations

10.5 Learning Activity
10.6 References

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10.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Develop reading skills and habits

10.1 Write-ups on Sustainable Development

In this century, when the world is getting far from nature, getting far from understanding the
value of things given by nature, we need sustainable development. Many people are still not educated
about the term, “Sustainable Development”. Sustainable development means using things which
save nature and natural resources responsibly. With the way resources are being depleted due to
increasing population, sustainable lifestyle is the need of the hour. Switching to bio degradable
substances, green revolution, renewable energies will make a huge difference to Mother Nature.

If factories started throwing their sewage through safe disposal mediums instead of in the sea,
it would help the aquatic life a big deal. Even for us, when we use and throw plastic, unknowingly
we are creating trouble for 100 years to earth. Plastic takes 100 years to dissolve and in the span of
100 years it kills a lot of innocent animals. Recently, a baby whale died because of gulping down
plastic used by us. Sometime back, a cow’s neck was choked due to plastic ingestion. There are
numerous cases, where in the living beings who do not even use plastic, die because of it. Only if
people, stopped using plastic and used better alternatives like carrying their reusable water bottle, or
drinking water in bamboo shoots, it would save the earth a great deal. The world has become so full
of plastic things, that you can see plastic use even in the smallest of things. This use can be replaced
with paper plates, banana leaf plates and so much more. Sustainable living starts from home. Starts
from you.

You must have noticed a lot of people are dying of diseases or of breathing issues, this is only
because of lack of sustainable living. On a social plane, sustainable and natural life choices will help
in improving one’s health and will correct the environmental situations at various levels. Ecological
living is one choice that one can make as it has several benefits for living beings and nature. We
must never forget that nature, animals, plants, fishes, sea, land, mountains, rivers, lakes and man
were all made to co-exist with each other, not to be superior from one another. Today, in the
advancement of technology, man has forgotten to take care of his first mother which is nature,

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forgotten to listen to the beautiful chirping of the birds, forgotten to listen to the waves of the sea and
has forgotten to look for love into the eyes of animals.

It is time, we come back to nature, living below our belt even if it means living less with what
you can afford by living for everyone and not only for ourselves. It is imperative at this time, to live
ecologically so that we can teach the principles of sustainable development for the future generations
so that they don’t need to worry about depleting natural resources like water, electricity or even life
in that matter!

After reading this, many will agree for sustainable living but will wonder how they can do so in
day to day life. Here are a few ways:

1. Switch from plastic to paper or leaves. Stop carrying plastic bottles and begin using a
permanent bottle.

2. Recycle old clothes and make things out of it. For instance, old clothes can be converted
into rugs, mats, hand bags, blankets and so much more.

3. Use banana leaves instead of aluminium foils to keep food hot in tiffin.

4. In any case, you need to use plastic bottles, please close the lid and throw. Don’t make a
thousand pieces of plastic and then throw as smaller the piece. It takes much time to
dissolve and small pieces can easily be digested by animals.

5. Close water taps when not in need. Collect the water which falls from AC and use it to
water plants or to clean the toilets.

6. Try to grow at least one plant in your house, this will bring a fresh input of oxygen in your
house.

7. Feed or take care of minimum one animal, this brings you closer to nature.

8. Volunteer for some environment saving programmes like lake cleaning drive, beach cleaning
drive, recycle and reuse of biodegradable products etc.

9. Try to avoid using anything much ruins the biodiversity.

10. Always remember, Reuse – Recycle – Reduce.

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Learning Activity:

Read the following write up and have a discussion in class.

Loy Krathong

INTRODUCTION: Loi Krathong is a celebration commended yearly all through southwestern

Tai societies (Thailand, Laos, Shan, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah and Xishuangbanna). The name
could be made an interpretation of as “to buoy a bushel”, and originates from the convention of
making krathong or light, brightened wicker container, which are then skimmed on a stream. Loi
Krathong has been praised in Thailand for many years, and every year brags everlasting recollections
for any individual who has come to encounter the snippets of gliding the Krathong as an image of
warding off the unpalatable past and inviting good fortunes.

HISTORY: Loi Krathong is regularly guaranteed to have started in the Sukhothai by a court
woman named Nopphamat. Nonetheless, it is currently realized that the Nopphamat story originates
from a ballad written in the early Bangkok period. As indicated by H.M. Ruler Rama IV, writing in
1863, it was a Brahmanical celebration that was adjusted by Thai Buddhists in Thailand to respect
Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The flame worships the Buddha with light, while the Krathong’s
drifting symbolizes relinquishing all one’s contempt, outrage, and debasements. Individuals at some
point trim their fingernails or hair and spot the clippings on the Krathong as an image of relinquishing
past transgressions and negative contemplations. Numerous normal Thai utilize the Krathong to
thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha.

The history behind the celebration is perplexing, and Thais celebrate for some reasons. The
fundamental rice harvest season has finished and it’s a great opportunity to thank the Water
Goddess for a year of her bottomless supply, and additionally a conciliatory sentiment for dirtying
the waters. Some trust that this is the opportunity to typically ‘skim away’ all the displeasure and
hard feelings you have been clutching, and including a fingernail or a lock of hair is seen as a
method for relinquishing the dim side of yourself, to begin once again free of negative emotions.
On the off chance that your light stays land until your Krathong vanishes beyond anyone’s ability
to see, it implies a year of good fortunes.

WHY IS IT CELEBRATED? Loi Krathong is regularly guaranteed to have started in the

Sukhothai by a court woman named Nopphamat. In any case, it is presently realized that the

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Nopphamat story originates from a sonnet written in the early Bangkok period. As per H.M. Ruler
Rama IV, writing in 1863, it was a Brahmanical celebration that was adjusted by Thai Buddhists in
Thailand to respect Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The flame loves the Buddha with light,
while the Krathong’s coasting symbolizes relinquishing all one’s disdain, indignation, and contaminations.
Individuals at some point trim their fingernails or hair and spot the clippings on the Krathong as an
image of relinquishing past transgressions and negative contemplations. Numerous standard Thai
utilize the Krathong to thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. The history behind the
celebration is unpredictable, and Thais celebrate for some reasons. The principle rice harvest season
has finished and it’s a great opportunity to thank the Water Goddess for a year of her rich supply,
and in addition an expression of remorse for dirtying the waters. Some trust that this is the opportunity
to typically ‘glide away’ all the indignation and hard feelings you have been clutching, and including
a fingernail or a lock of hair is seen as a method for relinquishing the dull side of yourself, to begin
again free of negative sentiments. In the event that your flame stays land until your Krathong
vanishes beyond anyone’s ability to see, it implies a year of good fortunes. Since this celebration is
a spiritual, old, and consecrated issue that welcomes fresh starts by means of profound purifying,
going to as a westerner ought to be viewed as a benefit, which is the reason it’s imperative to treat
the occasion with the appropriate measure of appreciation.

10.2 Write-ups on Emerging Technologies

With each passing day, there is a birth of new technology which pledges to make life easier and
faster. We have technology for almost everything. There is technology for you to communicate, a
technology to travel to another country, a technology to make a difference with your thoughts and
write up, a technology to know ideas of different places, technology for reading, technology for
security, technology for banking and the list simply goes on.

Emerging technologies aim at bringing the world closer and in a click. When one is technologically
ahead, it somehow makes you more prepared and able to handle things even when you are not
physically not present there. Such technology is needed to improve the quality of life and to be at par
with the other parts of the world. This rise in technology makes life better and easier. For instance,
when you have a phone banking app, transfer of funds becomes possible at any time and any hour.

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In any case of emergency, a person need not wait to go to the bank next day, instead the transfer
simply happens in seconds with just two clicks. Technology makes life easy and hassle-free.

Emerging technologies are necessary to meet global standards. These kind of rise in tech know
how helps in dealing with world problems too. We, all the people of this world know about things
which are happening around is simply because of technology. World initiatives take place because of
the technology which informs and binds us together.

Just imagine, a life without technology. Imagine a life without online platforms, without mobiles,
without apps, without TV, without Netflix and without any technical interference in general. Life
would be so dull, we would still be living like the way people lived in the 18th century. Technology
plays a pivotal role in bringing about positive changes in our lives and in increasing our standard of
living. Without technology, we would have not been able to be as groomed as we are today. However,
this is not it, technology keeps on emerging and is growing positively towards world growth and
development. It will rather be right to say that the world is positively meeting all the potentials which
mankind combined with technology can craft.

Learning Activity

Read the following write-up and have a discussion in class.

Popular IT courses and career scopes in current market

When it comes to technology, there is always a lot to explore and learn. Even though, there are
so many inventions, there are a certain technologies which always have a higher demand than the
others. The demand is high for a variety of reasons like convenience, faster speed and more facilities.
Thus, we have shortlisted some famous courses for the aspirants of current and future markets.

1. Cloud Computing

The technique which helps in delivering the service through the medium of network, majorly
via the internet is called as cloud computing. The demand for cloud computing is increasing with
each passing day because it makes accessing files and apps much easier. As per statistics, 25% of
the most renowned Multinational Companies are on a hunt for those individuals who are aware and
are experienced in virtualisation, development, and software in terms of service (SaaS), platform in

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terms of service (PaaS). As of today, the cloud computing has grown close to $123 billion market.
Amazon, a popular online portal itself owns AWS of close to $18 billion.

2. Java

Being one of the most popular programming language, Java is one of the most popular and
much used programme in terms of web development. Java was developed and known to masses in
1995 and has been popular even 20 years later. Java is much preferred because the programmes
which are originally developed for Microsoft Windows can be run on Mac as well. Thus, Java is a
worldwide accepted and preferred language for applications. Demand for Java is very high and the
top companies are looking to hire candidates from Java backgrounds.

3. Big Data

Big Data is usually generated to handle huge and ever growing data. Today, Big Data has a
business with a net worth of $6 billion dollars. And it is estimated that around 2018, the business may
have a business close to $50 billion. Top IT companies like Hadoop, Map Reduce and NoSQL are
having a constant and a rising demand for Big Data.

4. Development of Mobile Application

Large number of people in India are using mobile phones. The phones are either android or
Iphones. The Android and iOS development needs to keep changing and updating itself to meet the
changing demands of people. The sale of mobile phones and tablets will keep increasing and thus the
demand for application developers is also increasing. Consumers do not want to be left behind in any
aspects of life especially when it comes to technology or some convenient online applications. Thus,
mobile application developers are the need of the hour and so the openings for the same are plenty.

5. Javascript

Javascript plays a key role in web development, HTML and CSS forms. Javascript has been
around for quite some years and the increase in online businesses today only makes the demand for
the web originators higher. The demand of web developers is significantly rising with the positive
changes which are being enforced in the market.

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6. Ruby on Rails

The demand for Ruby on rails has been on an increasing trend for quite some time. Today, the
changes in the construction of the web applications is only because of Ruby on Rails. Ruby on Rails
has full control over the presentation layer of the code for HTML, CSS and Javascript. Thus, if you
are person, with great coding skills, you need not worry as top companies today are stating their
requirements for coders. Twitter also works entirely on Ruby on Rails.

7. Python

Python is a very popular and an advanced level language programming which is designed
especially for users. The syntax of Python basically keeps in mind the preferences of the users.
Between a comparison of Java and C++, Python gives more writing space in lesser lines of code.
Python developers are required on a very large scale by big companies like IBM, Yahoo and Google.
Thus, making a career in Python is definitely more promising and well paying.

10.3 Summary

z Reading is a great habit which one should develop and inculcate. Reading at least one page
a day makes you far more knowledgeable than what you got up with. Reading opens up the
mind to more than one perspective. It helps to fill in you fresh new ideas and allows you to
be open to different visions on one particular topic. Reading fulfils your soul and enriches
your mind in various ways.

z Nowadays, a major topic of concern is climate change and environment. With the rise in
population, the resources are getting used up without any ways of rejuvenating it. It is very
important for people to be aware about the alarming problems of nature. People should
start using products which are recycled and can be used without harming the environment.
Replacement of plastic products with natural eco-friendly products should be practiced.
This can save the environment to a large extent.

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10.4 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Sustainable living: to live responsibly keeping in mind the nature, the concept of recycle,
reuse.

z Green revolution: to grow more plants, to be eco friendly and nature conscious.

z Eco-friendly lifestyle: the concept of living with the attitude of recycle and optimum
utilisation of resources

10.5 Learning Activity

A. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie?

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B. Innovation and its enemies by Calestous Jumas.

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10.6 References

1. www.google.com

2. Environment and Life – Article Written by Sri Kumar in the Times of India.

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UNIT 11 WRITING SKILLS

Structure:
11.0 Learning Objectives
11.1 Summarising
11.2 Note Making and Note Taking
11.3 Email Writing

11.4 Digital Content Writing: Blogs and Websites

11.5 Listening to Details
11.6 Taking Notes, Points and Sub-points
11.7 Listening and Understanding Themes
11.8 Summary

11.9 Key Words/Abbreviations

11.10 Unit End Questions
11.11 References

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11.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Summarise paragraphs

z Take and make notes

z Write email, blogs and digital content

z Develop listening skills

11.1 Summarising

Summary making is basically writing a long content in short. Summary writing is an art where
in the writer can express a long information in a very brief manner without skipping the primary
information. Summary is actually an overview for the reader to understand about the detailed subject
in just few words.

Some tips for writing an effective summary:

z Summary should always be written in paragraph format.

z Preparation of important points is mandatory before preparing the summary. These pointers
help in making a summary with complete information.

z The content of the summary should be plagiarism free and must be originally written covering
all essential points.

z Summary should not include any points of imagination or creative elements of the writer
but should only present the facts mentioned in the long story or information paragraph in a
short manner.

z The last sentence should be final sentence which just wraps up everything in one line.

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Learning Activity:

Prepare a summary of the following paragraph.

Depression is a very common phenomena which occurs to people in today’s world. More and
more people are affected with this mental disease. Depression can happen to any person at any age
and anytime. Unfortunately, the statistics say that every 2 out of 3 people are diagnosed with
depression. Depression is a problem which affects the mind, then the heart and lastly the body.
There are various reasons why a person may be depressed. One of the most common reasons why
people get depressed is because of financial problems, family issues and work stress. Another
reason for depression in teenagers and young adults is social media. Depression takes birth because
of stress. Stress takes place when an individual is upset or overthinks about a particular person or a
situation beyond limits. Stress only aggravates depression which takes a toll on an individual’s health
in a massive manner.

However, a layman terms the stress of life as the ups and downs of livelihood. This happens
because of lack of awareness in terms to depression or the symptoms of depression. If you notice
yourself or your loved one depressed for more than two weeks, please make sure you talk to that
person. Being upset for more than two weeks is surely a sign of depression. There are various
symptoms which I have listed below:

1. Lost interest: Usually in depression, individuals begin to reduce or rather lose interest in
activities they once loved. This sudden withdrawal of interest is certainly a sign of rising
depression which can affect the emotional state of a person to an unimaginable extent. You
may be depressed if, for more than two weeks, you’ve felt sad, down or miserable

2. Lost memory of usual things: If you notice yourself or your loved one being forgetful of
day to day things too often, please understand that it’s time to help that person. Forgetting
small things time and again clearly indicates that there is something else which has taken
over the thoughts of the person.

3. Lost social life: Depressed people rarely do go out or interact much with outsiders.
Noticing such symptom can indicate that depression has reached a really high stage and
this can even tempt the victim to have suicidal thoughts. During such times, talking helps.

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4. Lost Focus: Usually, the person who has been a victim of depression has only one or few
things clouding their thoughts. The attention of such an individual usually gets split and they
lose focus really easily.

5. Lost self-control: Often the depressed person seeks for pleasure to distract themselves
from the thoughts or stress. Such times are testing times for the individuals and they usually
give in to alcohol, sedatives and much more.

6. Lost confidence: Confidence is where depression hits the victim really hard. A depressed
person begins to feel guilty for almost everything they do. When an individual begins to lose
his self-confidence, he eventually loses himself.

7. Lost patience: Depressed people commonly get irritated at the slightest of things. They
can develop an anger or irritation on almost anything and everything. They do not keep the
patience to maintain understanding or calmness in a situation.

8. Lost themselves: People who are victim to this mental disease usually loose themselves,
their identity and their status in society. They become very vulnerable and easy traps of
con men and fake god people. They lose their abilities, knowledge and skills.

9. Lost positive thinking: One of the reasons the person gets into depression is because
the positivity in thoughts and life is missing. When the positivity converts into negativity,
depression begins to set in.

10. Lost physical energy: An individual who is suffering depression becomes very lazy and
demotivated in life. They often avoid going out or even performing remote tasks which
involves basic physical energy.

11. Lost appetite: Another warning sign of depression is when a person stops eating. Sudden
loss of appetite can be a major sign which should be looked upon immediately. Such a sign
may require a meeting with the counsellor or a psychologist.

12. Lost faith in others: Depressed people often think that others may not be interested in
them or they may not be of use to others. They start losing faith in others assuming that
they would be a liability to others.

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13. Loss of sleep: Any individual who loses his sleep over a thought or over multiple thoughts
is a clear sign that he or she is depressed. An intense conversation about his problems with
solutions can really help this person out.

14. Loss of immunity: Depressed people begin to fall ill more rapidly than those who don’t.
When mind cannot face the issue, it begins to show in the pathology. The sickness of the
mind begins to reflect in the body too over a period of time.

15. Loss of weight: Due to change in complete lifestyle, the weight also suddenly drop or
either increases in a different fashion. Depressed usually appear very weak.

Depression slowly takes over the full body and that’s why it is very important for people to
understand the early signs and take the right action at the right time. This is a very sensitive issue
and proper awareness programmes should be conducted in favour of the general public. Depression
can attack anyone at any given point of time, staying alert matters the most. The signs of depression
begin very normally and sometimes even in a fun way, but it takes a lot out of the victim and almost
kills them. There are still many people who don’t understand how threatening depression can get.

11.2 Note Making and Note Taking

Note making is basically a short information with all important details, it is usually a form of
recording important stuff from a source. The sources for note making are usually books, interviews,
journals, articles and some oral interviews. Note making usually is a much more structured version
of presenting information. Note making is very important because it allows readers to focus on key
concepts and important topics only.

Some tips on creating an effective note making:

z Don’t record any unnecessary information in the form of long sentences.

z Mostly record keywords and short abbreviations.

z Note making should be in pointers format.

z Include flowcharts and mind maps in the note to send the message across very clearly.

z Don’t make a messy list of many keywords. Keep it short and simple.

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Note taking is also a great way of collecting information from the various sources like interviews,
books, journals, articles and some oral interviews. It is the ability to filter out information from the
sources and present it with necessary factors. It helps to bring clarity to the content which has been
said or presented. It is an important task for understanding things much better with the guidelines. It
is a systematic way of arranging important information.

Some tips on conducting proper note taking:

z Highlighting of important information from the document is helpful.

z Keeping a note of key words instead of paragraphs or sentences is advised.

z Trying to cover big information in the form of flowcharts or mind maps can be very helpful.

z Writing short forms for big terminologies also forms an essential part in note taking.

Learning Activity:

1. Prepare a note from the following information.

Hair comes in all lengths, textures and styles. Some are straight, curly, rough, dry, silky, wavy or
oily. However, it is the only one feature that enhances the beauty of any person, be it a man or a
woman. Women in general are more concerned about their hairstyle, hair texture and hair length.
Men, on the other hand, are generally only concerned about balding and not much else. Thus,
products related to hair health and nutrition is popular among the masses. Recently, it has been
discovered that most shampoos contains an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, commonly
known as SLS. This ingredient, although not very expensive, is a very powerful detergent that cuts
through grease which is responsible for the forming of lather while using any soap product. Yes, we
all love lather when we use soap, but the lather is no indication of the effectiveness of the soap
product. In fact, SLS is known to cause damage to the hair and is regarded dangerous. The beauty
industry is thus popularly encouraging people with twingy hair to opt for special sulfate free shampoo
for curly hair for smoother curls and long lasting beauty.

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2. Take notes from the following information.

How to Prepare for IBPS Officer Exam?

The term IBPS stands for Institute of banking personnel selection. This examination is given by
aspirants to secure a respectable position in the banking sector. Each year, large number of students
appear for this exam in order to be recruited by the leading banks as the specialist officer. Before
one proceeds with IBPS, it is very important to know the eligibility criteria, the syllabus, the marking
system and the exam pattern.

Preparation Tips and Study Plan:

There are two parts to this exam – one is the written exam and the other part is the interview.
IBPS examinations are conducted on four subjects which are reasoning, English, general awareness
and professional knowledge. Two subjects, viz., reasoning and general awareness is for 50 marks
and the other two subjects which is English is for 25 marks and professional knowledge is for 75
marks. The duration for these four papers is 2 hours. Those who have selected Marketing, will have
to attempt slightly different papers. The subjects will be reasoning holding 50 marks, English language
holding 25 marks, quantitative aptitude holding 50 marks and professional knowledge holding 75
marks. The duration of the examination is the same as the prior exam which is 2 hours. These
exams are for 200 marks in total.

Few preparation tips:

z IBPS exams are not tough to crack. They are easy if practiced regularly. Solve more
solved question papers from previous years to get an idea of the exam.

z IBPS questions are objective based which makes it easier to score.

z There is a special book known as the Specialist Officer Test books which should be referred
while preparing for IBPS.

Subject-wise Preparation Tips:

Reasoning

Being a common subject in both the types of exams, reasoning requires special training and
practice. In this subject, the examinee’s analytical and mental abilities are tested. One can score in
this subject if the concepts are clear.

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z Students must study from IBPS question bank.

z Students must attempt IBPS specialist officer mock test online

z It is mandatory for the students to cover each and every topic in order. Skipping of chapters
will not help the students in any way.

z Topics like data sufficiency, input-output, coding-decoding, number series test, syllogism,
blood relations, direction sense, odd figures and miscellaneous test should be revised by the
students thoroughly while preparing IBPS.

English

English is another common paper and is prevalent in every banking examination. Students who
are good with English will have an edge over the others in the paper. Not only this, students are also
required to leave a lasting impression during the interview. The questions asked in this paper are
grammar based.

z Students must focus largely on grammar, comprehension, reading, writing and vocabulary.
z Topics like phrases, idioms, spot the error questions, grammar, synonyms and antonyms,
tenses and vocabulary should not be missed.

General awareness

General knowledge paper is a very important paper and this subject is extensive. Students who
are attempting this paper must have global knowledge of the happenings, events and politics worldwide.
z Students must have knowledge about Indian economy, banking policies, currency exchanges,
Indian politics, sports, agricultural sectors and many more.

z Regular habit of reading newspapers, books, magazines should be developed in order to

become a success in this exam.
z Attempt online mock tests

Quantitative Aptitude

Aptitude paper is given to the students to test the calculation speed and the understanding
capabilities. Quantitative Aptitude is a time-consuming paper and should be done with utmost

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concentration and careful interpretation. Examiners try to confuse the student in several ways in
this paper.

z Be clear with the formulas

z Topics like average, time and work, number system, data interpretation, ratios, percentage
etc. should be revised time and again.

z Students must practice sums with different formulas and solve last year’s paper.

z Taking a mock test can prepare the student about the examination in advance.

Professional Knowledge

This paper holds the highest marks from the set of all the papers. Since this paper is of 75
marks, it is necessary to students take this paper seriously. This subject includes questions from IT,
agriculture, marketing, law and HR.

z Start studying this subject at the earliest because the syllabus is extensive.

z Topics like database management system, networking, computer hardware and software,
web technologies, operating systems, programming languages, recruitments and selections
and many more should be revised for a successful paper.

z Students should take this subject with a systematic approach in order to avoid stress and
confusion during the exams.

Interview Tips:

z Be confident

z Remember formal greetings

z Take your time but answer correctly

z Create a lasting impression

z Wear formal attire

z Maintain corporate hygiene standards.

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Some key points to remember:

z Negative marking is prevalent and is very strict.

z Wrong answers reduce 0.25 points as penalty for wrong answers.

z Blank answers or no answers does not lead to penalty.

z First attempt those questions you are confident about.

z Study plan is the only way IBPS exam can be a success for the aspirant.

z Studying topic wise is the only wise way to prepare.

z Stay updated with world events.

z Develop the art of time management.

z Remember practice makes a man perfect. Practice as much as you can before exams.

z Make notes regularly for the final revision.

z Eat healthy meals and sleep enough.

11.3 Email Writing

One of the most important forms of writing which one must know is email writing. Email
writing is the new form of communication in the digital era. Email writing is similar to letter writing
but the format for the same is slightly different. Normally in a letter, you have to mention the address
in the front of the envelope. However, the senders email address is all mentioned in the same page.

However, there are a few tips to write the perfect email. They are as follows:

z Always mention the subject whenever you have to write an email.

z Always start the email with pleasantries i.e. greetings.

z Try to keep email short and concise.

z Covering of important topics should always be done in the middle paragraph.

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z If you have any authority whom you want the email conversation to know, you can keep
them on Cc and Bcc options.

z It is necessary for the sender and the receiver to have a registered Email Id. It only takes
few minutes to create an email id on google or yahoo etc.

The format of email writing is as follows:

To: [email protected]

Cc: [email protected]

Bcc:

Subject : The concern you are planning to write about.

Dear XYZ,
Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Regards,
XYZ

Advantages and Disadvantages of Email Writing

Advantages:

1. Budget-friendly: Sending an email is not at all expensive, it is all-inclusive in one internet

plan. Emails are very cost-effective as a lot of expenditure on stationary is saved because
of digital transactions.

2. Global platform: Using emails helps one to connect at global platforms within just few
seconds. There are no additional costs involved in sending messages to another country.
Email works as a great tool for communication without any major barriers.

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3. Easy to refer: Once you have communicated through emails, record the communication
is maintained in the inbox and sent folders. It always gets easier to access these records if
any confusion arises. It also acts as a proof.

Disadvantages:

1. Email not checked: Many people across the globe do not have a habit to check their
emails, wherein they become late to make a reply or to even address a problem on time.

2. Lack of clarity: Often, emails make use of excessive formal language, which lands up
giving out an unclear message to the readers. Since there is no verbal communication
involved, the doubts seldom resolve.

3. Unnecessary utilisation of time: Often people check their emails rarely, but when they
do, they try to check all at one time which leads to maximum time waste, since the list of
unopened emails is very high.

Learning Activity:

Write an email to the Municipal Corporation of your state requesting the authority to take an
action against those who indulge in animal cruelty. Raise your voice against animal cruelty. Write an
email with proper format.

11.4 Digital Content Writing: Blogs and Websites

Content writing is basically writing for online platforms like blogs, websites and social media
pages. Now that we all know, maximum people are into digital reading than actual book reading,
Digital means are easily available to people. Let us consider ourselves, if we do not know the
meaning of something, the first thing we do is Google it, because it is a storehouse of information
which is readily available at our fingertips. This is how dependant we are on digital means. Therefore,
it becomes very important to keep on adding and updating information on the online platforms especially
in today’s time, when almost everything has turned into online portals. This input of information is
done by content writers.

Just imagine a website with only pictures and no content. Would you be able to understand
anything without words? Would you be comfortable in a picturesque platform of only pictures and no

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word? Absolutely not, because words give us clarity about the pictures. Words form the most important
aspect of any content. Therefore, when one chooses to write contents for blogs and websites there
are some important tips to keep in mind.

Some tips to write digital content for blogs and websites are as follows:

z Never repeat the words more than twice in a paragraph.

z Concentrate on keywords and distribute them evenly.

z Make use of good vocabulary.

z Always try to give more information in the body and keep introduction and conclusion small
but meaningful.

z Research well before you begin to write.

z Remember minimum length for content writing should be between 300-500 words depending
upon the requirement of the website or blog.

z Writing should not have unnecessary fillers like when, then, that, like etc. it breaks the link
of the reader and also does not make you sound proficient in writing.

z Never break the flow of writing. Often writers drift away from the central topic and the
content goes away from what it is supposed to be. It is very essential to keep reading your
content even in the middle of writing simply to check if the content has been written
keeping in mind the main topic.

z Lastly, proof reading is the soul to the writing. It is very important to proof read your work
to check for errors and changes.

Once, you master these tips, you are already on the way of being an excellent writer.

Learning Activity:

Prepare a content of 500 words on the topic of “Impact of good communication in daily life”
This activity should be done individually and performed and discussed in class.

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11.5 Listening to Details

A good listener is always a great speaker. Being able to listen to understand is a gift which one
can cultivate after a lot of practice. When you cultivate the habit of listening, you get to experience
knowledge from different perspectives. Listening helps one to learn and understand new things. It
opens the mind to new visions.

Being able to listen, helps to concentrate on minute details which can be helpful in pinning down
important details which could come to lot of use. Listening to details can keep a person planned and
prepared with information which can be useful when preparing a final draft about something either
verbally or in the written form. For example, if you have to prepare a draft after listening to a
learned individual, it will be very important to listen to details so that the draft can be prepared with
all the necessary content. Listening to details means keeping in mind only the content which is
required and filtering out all the unnecessary stuff.

Listening to details helps to be prepared with all chief matters, when only this imperative details
are presented well it leads on to make lasting impression. When you listen to details properly, it
makes you more prepared and alert than those who don’t care to hear.

Learning Activity:

Professor must read this text to class and ask students to make notes from the information
processed verbally. This should be read twice in a class. Upon listening carefully, details must be
recorded.

Looking for a job in the medical field? Well you need to be certain about the decision because
becoming a doctor or a nurse takes years of study and can be expensive. The course is fairly longer
than the other courses.

There is a profession that can be entered in a minimum of two to four months. The profession
is Phlebotomy. Phlebotomy has become a specialized field in medicine.

So long, people think of doctors and nurses taking blood samples, which they do. But the
doctors and nurses have become too busy to do this on a regular and routine basis. Now this is
where the specialization of Phlebotomy makes its mark in the field. Given below are the pros and
cons of becoming a phlebotomist, so you can have a clearer mind if you want to be one.

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PROS

z Phlebotomy is a field projected to grow at least 15% by the year 2020, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.

z The training to become a phlebotomist can range from two months to two years. The
education for the study can be acquired in trade schools, community colleges and universities.
It is acknowledged that the longer the program, the more in depth the subject is covered.

You can acquire specialist training such as donor phlebotomy, after your initial certification.
Doing this will surely increase your income.

z Many employment options like doctor’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics and independent
labs will be open for you.

z You would work one on one with patients.

z In this field, you will have a flexible schedule.

CONS

z This is one of the lowest paid fields in medicine.

z If you are just entering the field, it might be difficult for you to find your first job.

z There is no career mobility for you.

z You would be considered expendable with just a certification, if budgets are being cut.
Further education is required at least for a stable income.

z The working hours are irregular. You would have to work irregular hours like daylight,
evenings, nights and weekends. However, this depends on how busy your lab is and whether
its a hospital, doctor’s office or independent clinic.

z Technicians must be aware of the safety and security procedures to prevent infections
spreading to other patients or even to themselves because blood is being drawn to test for
a variety of diseases.

z You will have to be on your feet standing for long hours working with small precision tools.
This is a physically demanding job. You should not opt for this if you are physically weak.

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z There is also a chance of you becoming attached to critically ill patients like children with
cancer.

z The competition can become quite fierce as more jobs are opening up and trade schools
are also turning out more and more phlebotomists.

Entering the medical field through phlebotomy can assist you in managing your educational
expenses while you earn a living completing the studies. Becoming a Phlebotomist totally depends
on your choice. You are assisting doctors in the efforts to treat/cure the patient. (this will be the
job in short)

11.6 Taking Notes, Points and Sub-points

The ability of being able to take down notes, points and sub points depends highly on how well
one can listen and concentrate. For being able to pen down important details, you need to know how
much part of the content is important to record. If it is a lot of content which needs to kept in record,
one needs to write all important details in one sentence form and club those points into a note. When
the sentences, have some inner details, then they can make points and if those points have some
more important stuff to be noted, it becomes a sub point. However, when you have to record these
points while reading or listening, it becomes imperative to make a note of all these things in short and
very quickly. Taking notes, point or sub-points is not a very big deal if attention is paid enough while
listening or reading the main study. However, there are some points one must keep in mind especially
while taking notes, points and sub points which are as follows:

z Use more of keywords instead of big sentences.

z Use abbreviations which means short forms wherever you can.

z Make a sign next to those words or points which are very important like a star mark or so.

z Go through your notes before you ask for some more details from the source.

z Make sure the main topic and the sub points are written in the same page. New topic and
new sub points should be written on a new page.

z Make use of sticky notes or note pad but avoid writing too much information on one particular
page. This will confuse the reader at the time of preparation of final draft.

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Learning Activity:

Prepare notes, their points and sub points from the following passage:

Fastest Power Bank with USB Cord

IXCC has successfully launched the fastest power bank along with an efficient micro USB
charging cord. This product is a definitely not something to miss out because of the convenience and
advantages it provides to its users. With the help of the power bank one can easily charge the iPhone
6 on the go. Power bank is a very helpful device as it is very mobile and can be used at all times.

IXCC has come up with one of the best power banks available for iPhone 6. This jet black colour
charging bank is a powerful 3200 mAh rechargeable battery which is a Li-polymer, providing one full
time efficient charging to the phone. Charging the phone once with the IXCC power bank will ensure
up to more than 14 hours of talk time and approximately above 10 hours of web browsing. This high
end facility in the device requires the user to charge the phone only once in 24 hours. Also, the LED
indicator helps the user realise the exact battery life the phone can sustain. This super-fast power bank
helps to detect the device type and change the optimal speed of the charging function accordingly.

More and more people are enjoying the efficiency the power bank provides to them. One very
happy customer, Martha James says, “I am using I phone for most of my day. Having a smart phone,
I am about 60 per cent dependent on my phone, be it to find something out or to call someone or get
myself entertained with social media. And, majorly I use my phone majorly for my work purposes.
Sadly, with increased usage of my phone the battery life would drain out really quickly which would
halt me from completing most of my tasks. That’s when I decided to try the power bank launched by
IXCC. And I must say, this is the best I have used so far. All I need to do is charge my cell phone
with this amazing power bank and the rest of my day goes without worrying about my phones
battery life. Also, the sharp features of this power bank enable me to know how much battery is
used up by my phone. This product is a must buy because of the high product quality and the high
end features which are available at a very reasonable rate.”

IXCC, is definitely one of the most renowned brands in electronics. They strongly believe in
providing high quality products blended with amazing features and customer friendly system making
them one of the most reliable providers in electronics market. This company is an ever evolving
company as it constantly works on improving the quality and service with changing times and
changing needs.

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11.7 Listening and Understanding Themes

Whenever an individual speaks or arranges a conference where many people speak, it always
has a theme or a subject where in the discussion or the seminar has been arranged. When an
individual visits the conference as an audience or to say more appropriately a listener, it is highly
important to able to be attentive. Being attentive to what is being said helps you to know fresh new
ideas and fresh perspectives. Sometimes, when we don’t listen enough we have knowledge on only
one perspective but interaction with others helps us to realise there are many other aspects too
which we often overlook due to our one-sided opinion.

To be able to understand the theme of the conversation, it is very important to have an open
mind and be attentive. If you lose focus, especially when one is speaking it becomes very difficult to
understand what the conversation is about. Focus is the key element in knowing and understanding
the central idea of the topic which is being discussed. It is very common that people only physically
are seated but don’t really pay attention on what is being spoken too. Such an act is an utter waste
of time.

Some tips on how to listen attentively and understand the various themes people speak about:

z Be positive and enthusiastic about learning.

z Learn to be attentive.

z Make sure you take back more knowledge than what you came with.

z Ask questions but only after listening well.

z After you have known what the theme is really about, research more about the topic and
complete your knowledge on the subject.

Learning activity:

Understand the theme of the following passage and explain the theme in about 100 words and
give an appropriate title.

Gone are the days when children used to play outside the house with other children, when the
only ‘gaming, anybody knew was the one that would be out in the open. Gone are also the days when

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owning a computer meant having the luxury of playing indoor games. With technology taking over our
day to day living and lifestyles, it has even had its share of influence on the childhood experience of
the generation. Today, with mobile phones becoming smarter every year, new games are being
designed each day. What started with simple games like Tetris and Snake has now achieved limits
beyond the sky. Visual effects and graphics have had a huge role to play in bringing about this change.

Previously, only two mobile games existed – Tetris and Snake. Both of these games would
come pre-installed on the mobile phone. Snake, introduced by Nokia in December 1997, is known as
the world’s most played mobile game and it has been found on more than 350 million devices
worldwide. This game made use of shaded squares for animation, owing to their limited capacity for
graphics. However, today, with the introduction of camera on mobile phones, the quality and capacity
of graphics has increased tremendously. In 2003, Namco introduced an interesting fighting game
whereas Panasonic introduced a virtual pet game in the same year. In the initial years of 2000s,
mobile gaming became increasingly popular in Japan. Eventually, Japanese phones started coming
up with more puzzles and arcade-like games. Even today, Japan remains the biggest market for
mobile gaming. Japan is the only country which runs large scale business in the gaming sectors.
There are special courses and training sessions held in Japan in order to expertise as a gamer.
Namco started introducing the gaming culture in Europe too in 2003.

A revolutionary change was brought about in the gaming market when Apple launched its own
Apple App Store. It widened the user’s opportunities to choose the place they download their apps
from. However, Apple user could only download games from the App store. Users no longer needed
to play the only games given by the phone companies and the developers. App store was a fantastic
idea as game fanatics could select their choice of games from the large set of options made available
to them. Gamers could easily install and uninstall the games as per changing interests and choices.
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negotiation with publishers and distributors, leading to an increase in overall revenue. It would be
safe to say then, that the initial commercially successfully games were made only after the launch of
the App store. Angry Birds developed by Rovio Entertainment was launched in December 2009 on
the iOS and became instantly popular among the masses. The gaming market has revenue has been
on an increase from $2.6 billion in 2005, to $5.8 billion in 2008 and a striking $7.8 billion in 2012.

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11.8 Summary

z Summarising is all about clubbing all important and noteworthy details in short or in one
paragraph. Summarising is all about presenting a gist of a long story into a short one with
right details.

z Note making and note taking is a way of recording all important stuff from the source and
making sure, you keep in mind all the tasks which are needed in a neat and efficient
manner.

z Email writing is the digital method of communication wherein the format is slightly different
from the usual letter writing.

z Digital content writing is the modern way of writing for blogs, websites and various other
online portals. Content writing should be written after keeping the mentioned tips in mind.

z Listening effectively allows the listener to be more prepared with the content discussed
and also reduces last minute confusion because listening with focus brings about clarity in
the conversation.

z Taking notes, points and sub-points effectively helps in keeping in mind all the relevant and
required data.

z One can even understand the theme very well if they hear things with attention and try to
understand the reasons behind the speaker sharing certain information.

11.9 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Summary: A compilation of information in brief.

z Email: Digital form of communication across the globe.

z Content writing: Usually a digital write-up for blogs and websites.

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11.10 Unit End Questions (MCQs and Descriptive)

1. Prepare a summary of the following paragraph.

The old system of learning and teaching students is turning out to be pretty much a task or
rather challenging. There are various issues which crop up while taking studies at the university or
college. Shortage of cash, budget fixes, shortage of faculty, non-availability of certain courses and
many such problems make studying from the university a bit tiring and not interesting. Since times
are changing, students are being presented with more and more opportunities for opening up to the
digital world. Students can now access studies and tutors from online channels. They can enrol
themselves to online degree courses and along with it they also try to take up an additional short-
term course. More and more students are taking up serious education programmes online which is
even being enjoyed by them. Studying online is preferred by students because it is convenient and
even reduces a few costs like the travelling and the tuitions. Initially, students were not keen on
taking up online classes but eventually after trying it, they have loved the idea and found online
teaching more comprehensive and easier. The 10 benefits of learning online are as follows:

(i) Large options to choose from

In comparison with the traditional courses available for students, there are more options provided
in online courses. Children can combine subjects of their choice and pursue their interests. This
means students are not bound to take up a subject they have no interest in. Students can pursue
more than one course in the same time if they are confident about pulling it off with ease. The
availability of options provide better scope for students to choose the right course.

(ii) Offers variety

Online programs offer a large variety in subjects as they are not bonded by a higher power.
Options for students are plenty because every field is almost available for students. Subjects like
hospitality and human resources to subjects like neurosciences are also available. Online studies
offer a huge line of careers. From basic courses to the doctorate ones, online education helps in all.

(iii) Less expensive

The fees and the other expenses of studying in a university is too much. Studying the same
course online works out much cheaper and also within the comfort of the home.

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This is because the other courses from the universities include in the fees other costs which are
usually not displayed. Studying online saves the travelling costs, material costs and many more.
Being a student from the online courses, materials and other references can be found online for free
as well. This makes the course very workable and in budget.

(iv) High comfort level

Studying at the comfort of the house and in private helps to draw the best from the students.
There is no barrier of a particular dress code, students can be comfortable in their outfits and put
more focus on education and studies. Another advantage is the amount of time students can save in
travelling, they need not fight traffic, bear the scorching heat or even find parking spaces. Online
education helps in saving time, energy and money.

(v) Flexibility

When a student studies online, he derives a large amount of flexibility. Flexibility comes in
different ways as they can plan their studies during their peak energies. The materials required to
study can be found for free online. This allows them to maximise the resources they have with them.
Students have the provision of working and performing whenever they are comfortable. This makes
studying a completely stress free experience.

2. Take notes from the following information.

Along with welcoming new students to college, there is another harmful and unjustified act
which follows which is known as, “Ragging”. Ragging is a notorious way of welcoming new students.
The seniors feel it is their utmost right to rag the juniors. Ragging usually means teasing or forcing
the juniors to do what is asked by the seniors. Senior students find easy targets in fresher’s and
make them do things which may have lasting effects emotionally and physically. Students work
tremendously hard and take exams not to be ragged. In certain situations, ragging leads to physical
injuries and psychological fear. This fear stays for a lifetime. Unfortunately, ragging takes place in
the most reputed institutions as well. No matter how hard an individual may try to escape ragging, he
or she falls prey to it eventually. Ragging is a very common practice and goes on either openly or
under the hiding.

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Meaning of Ragging

Ragging means playing a rough joke or teaching someone a lesson in a very offensive way.
Ragging may also mean irritating someone while he/she is speaking, mimicking in a vulgar way and
giving abusive and incorrect commands. As per the Reader’s digest great encyclopaedia dictionary,
“Ragging means a noisy disorderly conduct, annual parade of students in fancy dress collecting
money for charity, playing rough jokes and throwing into wild disturbance in a person’s life.” Ragging
can take place either verbally, physically or in writing. Ragging was initially started in England,
where in seniors would play light hearted jokes on juniors and welcome them into the university.
With time, ragging got popular everywhere and today it has taken a very ugly form. India is probably
the worst country when it comes to ragging. The ragging in India is deadly and at times, it has even
led many to commit a suicide. The government has declared many laws against ragging but they
don’t seem to be followed by the students.

Forms of Ragging

Ragging has no limits. Ugly and unforgiving imagination of man definitely has no bounds.
Ragging has many different ways, and few are listed below:

(i) Dress code ragging

This form of ragging is usually in terms of clothes. Students are expected to wear funny and
fancy clothes for a certain period of time. They may ask the students to wear a weird outfit, a funny
hair do and ask them to roam around in college. This may be quite embarrassing for the student and
may attract unwanted attention from other students. This is easy and not very harmful.

(ii) Formal introduction

New students are asked to introduce themselves in proper Hindi, and if they cannot do so, they
will be given a light punishment. Seniors go around in the college, look for juniors and ask for an
introduction.

(iii) Verbal ragging

Verbal ragging involves forcing new students into loose talking. This could be singing a song,
talking in a vulgar language and making an abusive statement. This is done against the wishes of the
student and he/she may not be comfortable with the verbal form of ragging.

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(iv) Sexual abuse ragging

This is the dirtiest way of ragging. Seniors ask personal questions to juniors which are related
to their sexual preferences, choices and fantasies. In the worst circumstances, the seniors may also
ask the juniors to strip in front of them. This can lead to a lifetime of pain and emotional disturbance.

(v) Playing the fool

Many times, seniors ask the juniors to enact a movie scene, dance on a song, kiss a tree or even
propose a teacher. Such foolish things are told to the juniors only for fun and entertainment purposes.

(vi) Hostel ragging

Another popular form is the ragging which takes place in hostels. Ragging in hostels is usually
done in the nights. They may ask the students to clean the rooms, wash the clothes, clean the
bathroom and even make the juniors complete their assignments. This kind of ragging mostly happens
with those who come from different places in the hostel to study.

Thus, ragging is something which should be permanently prohibited. Ragging leaves an

unimaginable impact on the student’s life. It may destroy his strength, peace of mind and even future
hopes. Probably, soon the concept of ragging will end with evolving times.

3. Write an email to the Municipal Corporation of your state requesting the authority
to take an action against corrupt officials who do not help the common man in property
documentation. Raise your voice against animal cruelty. Write an email with proper
format.

4. Prepare a content of 500 words on the topic of “Digital dependence of people in the
21st century”. This activity should be done individually and performed and discussed
in class.

5. Professor must read this text to class and ask students to make notes from the
information processed verbally. This should be read twice in a class. Upon listening
carefully, details must be recorded.

In the fast paced digital world, almost all businesses are incomplete without a website. Website
has become a pre requisite for business as it allows them to interact and build better relations with
the employees. There used to be a time when only MNC’s would have a website. These days, even

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start ups have a website which eventually helps them to grow their business. With the help of
websites, world and businesses get connected at a global level. More and more companies are
spending on websites and are always hunting for skilled web developers. Market today offers a
huge array of jobs to web developers and the demand for the same is increasing rapidly. The person
who works on the website of the company is known as the web developer.

In the world of web development, there are two important aspects which is the front end and
the back end. Let us understand these terms better.

Front end: In the layman’s language, the appearance of the website or the visual interface is
called front end. Website which is visible to the customers including designs, colours, animations,
images, buttons and content comprise of the front end.

Back end: While front end is visible to customers and visitors, back end is not visible to anybody.
Back end comprises of coding and database through which the visible data is received and displayed.
Back end is more flexible and is purely for technical purposes. Individuals, visitors, users or customers
do not have any access to the back end and this part is purely handled by a web developer.

Simple use case: Simple use case is the entire mechanism which keeps the website working.
The components which are used to keep a website active but without displaying to the members or
visitors is the back end. On the other hand, the mechanism which we can clearly see, make choice
to and fro come under front end.

There are several risks, tasks and duties of the front end developers. One of the biggest task is
to ensure a memorable and a convenient experience for the visitor or user in the website. In order to
create an impressive web page and layout, there are certain factors to bear in mind. The choice of
colour, font, accessibility, animation and convenience are the key requirements.

Some important functions of the front end developer are as follows:

z Must know how to create, customise and maintain a website. The user interface should
always be impressive and convenient.

z Must be an expertise in creating templates for development of the website and web pages.

z Must keep updating the styling and look of the website. Attractive website is a plus point
for any business.

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z Must know the art of converting static pages into web pages. A web developer should be
able to work in a team.

z Must maintain fair co-ordination with the back end developers in order to put to use the
coding language. This should be done for producing interactive and innovative web pages.

z Must know to edit and control the content which will displayed for the customers and
visitors to read.

6. Prepare notes, their points and sub points from the following passage:

Revision is one of the most important priorities for a student when preparing for an examination.
Having the right kind of revision techniques can go a long way for the student. Proper and timely
revision boosts the memory power and also builds confidence in the student. Doing revision in the
right way is the only way to be a success in school and high level exams. Here we provide students
with some tips to conduct an effective revision before the exams.

(i) Timetable

Although a large number of students do not make or follow a timetable, it definitely is a pre
requisite. Proper timetable helps the student to complete a certain task of revision or leaning within
a limited time span. This creates more revision time and also creates focus. This pressure is the right
kind of pressure which should be placed on students. Allocating time to each subject helps in inculcating
time management skills in young students. However, the timetable should not only consist of studies
but also of other activities like rest and play. Preparing for exams in advance allows extensive
practice in the forms of test and previous year paper’s. Enough practice allows students to get
prepared to tackle the questions which may come in the paper.

(ii) Short notes

Large number of students make long and too many notes for one subject. Too much notes only
creates a mess and results in student getting stressed out before examinations. Instead of lengthy
notes, students must prepare short summary cards with the important points. These pointers will
also help in revising before the last minutes of the examination. Since, they save time and do not look
boring, this tip always works handy for students. Underlining key sections of the textbook also helps

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in finishing last minute revisions successfully. Just browsing through summary cards and underlined
content can help the students a big deal.

(iii) Code words

Many answers have numerous points and memorising all of them can be quite a task! In order
to solve this problems students should prepare code words and learn accordingly. This is a very
effective method and works successfully for many. Students must take the first alphabets of the
point names and combine them together to make it into a word. Each word would represent the
answer. Students with less time span in between exams can remember this code words which will
eventually allow them to remember the entire answer error free.

(iv) Study in groups

Many times, students procure better results in group studies than studying in private. There are
several benefits of studying together. For instance, a student may not have a certain point in mind,
but his classmate may remember the point. This helps in revision of even those points which the
student may have forgotten or may have not given importance to. Often, the subject gets covered
quicker when studying in a group. Group revision also makes studying and revising a fun process
which helps in relieving stress and boosting confidence. However, students must take up group
studies or revision sessions only if they are comfortable with it. Studying alone is also a great option
provided the student is aware of right techniques for revision.

(v) Take breaks and sleep well

Sometimes, students are too engrossed in exam preparation, where in they forget to take a
break and loosen up a bit. Revisions for a longer durations draws the energy out of the student
which eventually leads to poor performance in the exams. Taking regular breaks helps to keep the
concentration and interest on the subject intact. Lack of sleep too makes the students feel very tired
and unproductive. Therefore, good few hours of continuous sleep is highly recommended during
exams. Sleep can improve performance and also have a positive impact on the student as it keeps
the mind fresh and positive. For those who get scared or worried before exams, sleep and frequent
breaks can help them too.

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7. Understand the theme of the following passage and explain the theme in about 100
words and give an appropriate title.

Books are probably the best asset a person can own in his or her lifetime. However, not
everyone can be avid readers or would be a book lover. The habit of reading books should be
developed from a very young age. This habit is a wonder habit as it keeps growing with your child.
Not all children are fond of books and inculcating this habit in kids can be a quite a daunting task. But
to begin with, children’s books like tinkle comics, Enid Blyton’s stories and fairy tales can be a good
start for the kids. Helping children in reading these books can go a long way in developing good
habits, values and virtues in them. However, when parents ask children to read the books, they
should also be a part of their reading habit as it will encourage the children to read more and more.

(i) Illustrated books

One of the best ways of introducing children to books is by gifting those illustrated books. Cute
pictures, nice graphics and bright colours develop an interest in the minds of the kids to see the book
more often. More pictures and less of words is a great way to introduce little kids to books. Books
with moral of the story is advisable. Good stories with morals make children look forward to books
and take up reading very positively.

(ii) Read along

When planning to develop reading skills in children, it is very important for the parents to read
along. Being a team is always a better way of teaching children. Parents should stick to a specific time
where in they would indulge into a reading activity with their child. Always fix up a time to read a certain
number of pages in a book, this could be done to only challenge the child’s potential and for fun. Reading
to your child will improve listening skills and if he/she is very curious, he/she may read along too.

(iii) Don’t forget to discuss

Parents should discuss with children about the books they read. You could discuss the story, the
characters or even the pictures. Doing this often, allows the parent to realise the understanding
potential of the child and also the experience the child has gained upon reading the book. Healthy
discussion allows children to express themselves freely and also helps to form a bond with the
parents. Reading and talking could well, make your children excellent communicators.

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(iv) Start funny and simple

The first book a parent brings to the child should be very thin, bright and simple. Complicated
books will withdraw the interest of the child from reading immediately. Funny books, activity books
or 3D books can incline the attention of the child towards the book. Such books help in keeping
children amused and develops the interest towards reading. Starting with simple books will definitely
make your children into avid readers of the future.

(v) Find your child’s interest

After your child has read quite a few books, figure out which kind of book he picks up again
and again. Notice if he picks up the book with a lot of pictures, or numbers or colours and according
to this pattern understand his choice. Post this, get those kinds of books he/she would like. Encourage
them for their choice of books and allow them to choose which book they would like to read. Slowly
and gradually encourage them for other kinds of books too.

(vi) Replace videogames with books

Instead of purchasing an expensive video game, it is always a better option to buy a book
instead. Remember, children loose interest very soon, thus getting them one book at a time will
ensure the child has read the full book. Once they know they will get a new book only after finishing
the old one, the curiosity for the new one will make them finish the old book on time. This also helps
in distracting them from video games and all sorts of unproductive gadgets.

8. Elaborate the Cornell Method of Note taking and Note making.

11.11 Reference

1. Wren and Martin Grammar Book.

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UNIT 12 SPEAKING SKILLS 

Structure:
12.0 Learning Objectives
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Making Request
12.3 Apologizing  

12.4 Narration Speaking and Writing

12.5 Listening 
12.6 Narration Speaking and Writing
12.7 Voice Transformation
12.8 Correction of Sentence

12.9 Collocations 
12.10 Idioms 
12.11 Summary
12.12 Key Words/Abbreviations
12.13 Unit End Questions
12.14 References

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12.0 Learning Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:

z Learn how to make request, apologize and listen

z Learn grammar concepts, narration, and correction of sentences

z Build vocabulary by using collocations and idioms in speaking skills

12.1 Introduction

Speaking skills are very important for any person to polish his communication. With the right
words an individual can win the world. Concentrating on good speaking skills can pave way to
success. Good speaking skills can only be achieved with a lot of practice, observations and efforts.
When an individual can communicate well, he can reach heights as he will be able to express his
ideas and views far more clearly than others. The right kind of speaking can help to communicate a
large sentence into merely two words which will be more impactful and will also sound better. For
example, I have been trying to communicate with you for a very long time, can be said in a much
more polished manner, like, I was intending to speak to you for the longest time. Speaking skills can
improve with a lot of reading too.

12.2 Making Request

Request means to ask for a favour or a kind help from someone who is in authority or is not
entitled to help or consider you. The term request is a very polite way to get acceptance for your
work of personal interest. When speaking in English, good manners and polite speech is held at
prime importance. When you make a request to someone, it is important to be very polite and have
a good choice of words in order to successfully obtain the help from the individual you are making
request to.

Usually while writing or speaking for request, we make use of a lot of modal auxiliary verbs
like May, Might, Can, Could, Please and a lot more.

When making a request one must be very careful of the tone, it should not sound very harsh or
authoritative. Let’s take for example, you want to ask for a glass of water.

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Command: Give me a glass of water

Request: Could you please give me a glass of water?

When requests are made with politeness, humbleness and with a modal verb in the sentence,
the listener also gets a positive impact of your request and this leads to successful acceptance of the
request. It is very important to use the right words and the right tone, especially for making requests.
The words should not sound like a command because if it doesn’t sound very right, it is quite likely
that the so called request may get rejected. Some examples are as follows:

1. May I come in? (A request to come inside with the modal auxiliary May)

2. Could you write this for me, please? (A request to come inside with the modal auxiliary
could and a request word please)

3. Do you mind if I sit here? (No auxiliary used, only good manners)

Learning Activity:

Fill in the blanks with a proper request word like please, may, can, could, should,
shall and other suitable words:

1. _________ I borrow your stationary?

2. _________ help me with my documentation work.

3. _________ can you lend us your motorbike tomorrow?

4. _________ I carry all the books now?

5. Try to reach by 9 pm, _________.

12.3 Apologizing

Apologizing is very important for building relations. We apologize or say sorry when some
mistake has been committed either big or small. Apology helps to save relations and even sometimes
to recreate it. Being able to apologize or say sorry is a way of showing that you are truly guilty of the
act and sincerely hold empathy for the person you have caused hurt to. When a person does not
apologize well, somehow the relationship gets compromised. Being able to say sorry the right way

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can mend lot of hurt, anger and can express respect for an individual. The right kind of sorry can
also help to avoid misunderstandings. When we hurt someone but we apologize sincerely, we
acknowledge that person’s value in our life. Apologizing at the right time, can improve the mental
health of the guilty and the victim tremendously. However, apologizing in the right manner is more
important, it should sound sincere and polite. Some ways are as follows:

1. Only if I could turn the clock back, I would have never done what I did that day.

2. Please forgive me for my doings, I will never repeat it again.

3. I have understood that my behaviour has wronged you and caused you immense pain. I
sincerely want to apologize for that.

4. Please consider my apology and allow me to prove myself.

5. Upon analyzing, I have realized that I have caused you much pain and grief. I sincerely
apologize for it.

6. It is unforgivable I know, please at least try

7. Please don’t hold a grudge.

8. I would like to express my regret of my action.

9. I accept full responsibility of my unacceptable behavior, I will ensure this doesn’t happen
DJDLQ

10. I just want the ground to swallow me up for my unacceptable behaviour.

Apologizing can improve your mental and physical health to an unbelievable extent. There are
umpteen benefits of the receiver and giver.

1. The guilt evaporates, once the guilty apologizes and the victim accepts the apology. When
a person takes responsibility of their action, it makes the apology process easier.

2. Apology with the right words can sensitize even the angriest person of this world.

3. When a person accepts his mistake, he frees himself from the pain and gains more self-
respect.

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4. Apologizing at the right time can help the victim and guilty to stay emotionally connected.

5. Apologizing with right intention, right attitude, right words, right tone and right timing can
solve the biggest problems of this world.

Learning Activity:

Use the correct apology words from the option.

1. I have realised my mistake, please _______ my behaviour. (excuse/pardon)

2. I know I should not have shouted at you, please accept my _______. (sorry/apology)

3. I have understood that, it was indeed my mistake and I am really ______. (sorry/apologetic)

4. I would like to express my _______ for my words. (regret/pardon)

5. I know I am wrong, _______ accept my apology. (please/kindly)

12.4 Narration Speaking and Writing

Narration is basically a creation of a content in variety of forms. Narration is basically story

writing with a central character with an introduction, body and conclusion. The character in narrative
stories is usually non fictional and sometimes fictional too. The narrative story has all sorts of drama
whichever a person can possibly imagine. Narratives are an extremely important part of any sorts of
writing. Narratives help to create new content and also sometimes polish a draft of a book or
content. Narratives are a great experience for learning in the form of stories. There are umpteen
factors in a story which help to make it impactful. It is very difficult for people to take in information
directly all the time. When information is passed through a narrative, it becomes easier to process an
information. Stories allow the writers to come up with creative elements which make it more interesting
for the readers and allows them to absorb the information in a much more fun manner. Narratives
are very powerful in making clear emotions and giving out right kind of information in a very subtle
manner. Not just this, it is also very easy to remember information which has been received in the
story form. Readers often get too deeply involved with the creative part of the story line which also
makes it an interesting source of information. As amazing narratives are to read, it is very interesting
to know how storylines are written. Some tips to write Narratives well are as follows:

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1. Go easy and treat it like a story telling. Narratives are all about simple language and ability
to tell a story. While writing narratives, the narrator must first prepare a basic plot as to
know what guidelines the writer is going to use to express the story. Along with the guidelines,
the character should also be decided in advance so as to make the narrative interesting.

2. Try to make use of maximum examples. Examples will make it very easy for the readers to
connect with the central idea of the story.

3. Originality is the basic key to a successful story telling. Keeping the story plagiarism free
and original will develop an interest in the listeners. If the story is not new and original, it
can lead to loss of interest in listeners as they might already know the plot.

4. Lastly, involvement of the audiences in the story will make the story telling very successful.
No story is ever successful if the audiences don’t feel it strongly. Every emotion has to be
told in such a way that the listener feels as though he is the character and he is dealing first
hand in the situations.

After keeping the above tips in mind, the narration skill gets better and more impactful. Another
form of narration writing is also a conversation between two or more people which is expressed
between two people in the form of direct and indirect speech. Sometimes it is also written and
understood as dialogue writing. With the flow of conversations it can be referred to as a series of
conversations between individuals. This topic may also include use of a lot of direct and indirect
speech in the content.

Learning Activity:

Write a narrative content on, “An incident which changed my life” in 500 words. Students must
read aloud their written content in front of the full class.

12.5 Listening

Listening plays a very important role in verbal communication. In any form of communication,
success can be derived if the instructions or details are heard well. When individuals listen well,
work progresses very fast and can be completed without any errors. When you are asked to listen,
one must try to listen with intent and keep some pointers of the speech ready. After the speaker has

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finished the speech, the listener must go through the pointers written down and see if he has clear
understanding of all points covered in the speech. These points must be revised and right kind of
questions should be asked depending upon the speech. Listening attentively helps to reduce
misunderstandings and helps to gain right information. Anyone unable to listen attentively can usually
get into conflicts due to blunders done by the respective person. Listening with focus is a primary
quality which will help you to take right decisions. For instance, you are interviewing someone and
ask for all details, it’s important to listen attentively to the candidate so that you can analyze whether
the person is suitable enough or no for the job. When listening is done correctly, it enables to make
timely precautionary decisions. There are umpteen benefits of listening well. Some are as follows:

1. Helps to improve reputation

When one person’s listening skills are noteworthy it helps to know things better and do them
better, which in turn improves the reputation of a person to a considerable extent. Knowing details
about the speech can make you sound very focused, credible and professional. Any business transacted
through verbal communication should have proper facts and that can only be acquired if the listening
has been done correctly.

2. Helps to reduce conflict

Listening intently can help to reduce conflicts, arguments and confusion. For instance, there is
a team work and if the listening part has not been done correctly, there can be a chance of
miscommunication which can lead to major issues in all initiatives taken by the team.

3. Listening helps to get motivated

When an individual listens well, he gets motivated and inspired by new words, new line of
thoughts and much more. Listening carefully can help channelize an individual’s line of thought. It
helps to make a person more mentally ready for certain endeavours.

Some tips for being a good listener:

z If possible catch a few keywords from the speech.

z Make a note of the various words and quotes used by the speaker.

z Try to focus and rephrase in the mind.

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z If possible avoid getting distracted.

z Try to concentrate on the words which are repeated by the speaker, repetition of words
mean those words are important.

Learning Activity:

z https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpv—dBo-aM

Students must listen to audio by typing the link in the search engine and analyse the various
tones used while speaking. Make a note of it and discuss in the class.

12.6 Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech is basically different ways of speaking.

Direct speech is when you address the person directly and expect an immediate response.

Indirect speech is when you speak about someone in their presence or in their absence.

Direct speech is usually said with a reference to a person and using hyphens

Eg: Shishir told Zanna, “ how are you this morning?”

Indirect speech is said for the person irrespective of a person being there or no.

Eg: Shishir told Zanna that how was she that morning.

Certain rules to be kept in mind.

This becomes That

Today becomes This Day

Yesterday becomes The previous day

Tomorrow becomes The next day

Learning Activity:

Convert the following direct speech into indirect speech

1. Jack asked,” Why has the ambulance not reached?”

 My teacher said to me, “May you pass in the test!”

3. Robert told his daughter,” Lisa you must go to the church”

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12.7 Voice Transformation

One of the most important aspects in speaking skills is the voice or the tone of the individual.
Voice transformation is very important when wanting to make a lasting impression on the listener.
Voice transformation means being able to change the tone of the voice depending upon situation and
the person you are conversing with. There should be a balance in two types of voice which a person
has, knowing when to shift from one voice to another is very important. Source 1 and source 2
should flow naturally depending upon the situation. This can be achieved only after thorough practice.
For instance, a person may speak very casually and in a high tone with a friend but when they speak
to an elderly the voice must instantly sound humble and polite. The need for the change of voice
should be understood and immediately practiced. The quality of the voice should be supreme because
only then there will be an impact of the words spoken on the particular person. The speech and the
tone of the voice should be taken care of and it can make any conversation a successful one.

Some essentials for a successful and positive voice transformation.

1. Avoid speaking in a monotonous voice, this can make you sound very disinterested in the
person and in the conversation. Always have a cheerful tone with voice frequency going
high and low during the conversation, makes the recipient feel good as well.

2. Right expressions are very important not only in face but also in speech. The pitch you use
or the tone you use, can make a huge impact on the listener.

3. Modulation of voice is very important depending upon the mood the person is, it is essential
to gauge a person’s mood when speaking. For instance, if you see a person in an angry or
upset mood, speaking politely will be very helpful.

4. Knowledge on how to speak one sentence in different ways depending upon the situation
is also an important aspect.

Speech Exercises:

Always know which sentence should be said loud and which sentence should be said in a
humble tone.

If you are happy being loud may be supported but if it’s a sad news and you are unhappy, you
can try to speak in a lower tone. Few examples may help.

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z I am going for a vacation to Bali! (Speak loud)

z I lost my grandfather to heart attack. (Speak soft)

Again, voice modulation also includes being able to say the same sentence in a different way
with different people at different situations.

Learning Activity:
For example, you are a sales person and you have to convince your customer a new pair of
Adidas shoes.

(i) These shoes are a must have in your collection. (Speak loud)

(ii) You will be proud of your this purchase. (Speak loud)

(iii) This is the best product at this price. (Speak soft)

(iv) Trust me, buy this product in full faith. (Speak soft)

12.8 Correction of Sentence

One of the most important aspects in speaking skills is the knowledge of framing and speaking
correct sentence which means how to place verbs, conjunctions and other grammar essentials.
Correction of sentence is a very important topic as it helps to make your sentences very impactful
and helps in leaving a good impression. However, in correction of sentences there are a set of rules
which must be followed to obtain a successful result.

(a) Meaning of Subject with Verb agreement

The literal meaning of the subject with verb agreement is that the subject and verb must tally in
number. Either both of them should be plural or both of them should be singular.

Example:

1. The cat is fiddling with the ball.

Here the subject cat and the verb fiddling both are singular.

2. The cats are fiddling with their ball.

Here the subject cats and the verb are fiddling both are plural.

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When the subject and the verb both are aligned with being singular or plural but both should be
following the same pattern.

(b) Rule of Repetition

One must never write two similar words twice in a sentence. The repetition of two words can
make the sentence sound very incorrect and easy to spot the errors.

Example:

1. I returned back from the States today. (Returned and back are not supposed to be written
together, this is the reason it is an incorrect sentence)

2. I came back from the states today. (Correct sentence)

(c) Modifiers

Modifiers means the sentence is not incorrect but needs modification in the placement of the
words.

Example:

Unmodified version:

z Sitting in the garden, a snake stung her.

In the above sentence, there is no specific error which we can spot, but let’s have a look at
the modified version.

z Sitting in the garden, she was stung by a snake.

The modified version sounds better and the words are placed properly.

(d) Parallelism

Knowledge about the structure of sentence with different words or actions in one sentence is
very important.

Example:

z She likes to read, write and sing. (Correct parallel sentence)

z She likes to read, write and singing. (Incorrect parallel sentence as one form of tenses is
not used here)
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(e) Diction errors

Some words which sound same but have different spellings and different meanings.

Often in the sentences, people make errors with words like effect and affect, win against and
win from, later and latter etc. Knowing the difference between these words can help in writing
correct words in the required sentence which will help in setting a lasting impression upon readers
and listeners.

Learning Activity:

Correct the following sentences:

1. Seema cooks the food today.

2. She comes to my office tomorrow.

3. One of my sisters is coming yesterday.

4. I has not any interest in sports and politics.

5. Do she know what he is doing.

12.9 Collocations

Certain words which are usually said or written together are collocations. Two separate words
like hard and work are spoken separately and are also said together. We cannot say you must do
heavy work instead of hard work. Certain words suit best when are said together, these accepted
terms are called as collocations. In English language, especially in speaking skills knowledge of the
right collocations are very important in making lasting impressions.

Here are a few tips which can help you to identify and use collocations in daily life.

1. Notice the words which are either written together or spoken together from books or
magazine or even in random conversations of people you interact with.
2. Collocation dictionaries are available which can help to get an insight on collocation words.
The list is humungous.
3. Try to understand the full sentence and not only just a word. This will allow to observe
words which are written together.

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Learning Activity:

Use the correct collocations:

1. After working for 12 hours, Seema was _________ (Dead tired/ dead energy)

2. She tried giving a lot of _________ (job interviews/office interviews)

3. We have witnessed ________ since morning. (heavy rain/hard rain)

4. Sometimes, it is necessary to ________ from the routine. (take a break/ take a off)

5. Two people in a romantic relationship are known as _______. (young couple/ baby couple)

12.10 Idioms
An idiom is usually a form of an expression for a word with a different meaning. The words of
the idiom does not match with the meaning of the idiom. Idioms have words with a secret or a hidden
meaning.

For instance, “to let the cat out of the bag” is an idiom and it means to reveal a secret.

Learning activity:

Explain the meaning of the following idioms:

1. Rome was not built in a day

2. One trick pony

3. A stitch in time, saves nine.

4. It’s raining like cats and dogs.

5. An elephant in the room.

12.11 Summary

1. Request must always be made by using polite words like please, can, could, shall, do I, can
I, etc. The tone of the voice should be very soft especially when making a request.

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2. Apologies should always be sincere and can be asked for it by using words like realisation,
guilt, let it go, I am sorry, etc.

3. Listening is an art which should be acquired with a lot of focus and attention, good listeners
can become good speakers and good writers.

4. Narration speaking always happens in first person, it should be sort of story-telling in easy
and a smooth language.

5. Voice transformation is very important because knowledge of using which tone in what
situation helps to achieve success or positive result in many places.

6. Correction of sentences makes the language sound better by modifying the words or using
good grammar which also helps in making lasting impression to the listeners or readers.

7. Collocations are list of words which are usually said together and they even sound in
proper alignment when spoken conjunctively.

8. Idioms are phrases which express an entire meaning with the help of few words put together.

12.12 Key Words/Abbreviations

z Request: Ability to put across a requirement and convincing someone to fulfil the
requirement.

z Apology: To feel sorry and genuinely regret.

z Collocations: Set of words spoken together.

12.13 Unit End Questions

A. Fill in the blanks with a proper request word like please, may, can, could, should,
shall and other suitable words:

1. _______ I borrow your time?

2. _______ support me for my fight for the right.

3. _______ can you lead us to the correct destination?

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4. _______ you expect me to finish the moderation by evening?

5. Try to meet deadlines, ______.

B. Use the correct apology words from the option.

1. I absolutely abhor my action, please _______ my behaviour. (excuse/pardon)

2. I know I should have kept my trust on you, please accept my _______. (sorry/behaviour)

3. I realised much later, that it wasn’t your mistake, I am genuinely ______ for behaving in
that manner with you. (sorry/apologetic)

4. We students would beg for your _______ teacher. (regret/pardon)

5. It will be a big relief for me if you, _______ accept my apology. (please/kindly)

C. Students must listen to audio by typing the link in the search engine and analyse
the various tones used while speaking. Make a note of it and discuss in the
class.

z https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-hJ-iD6vW4

D. Write a narrative content on, “An animal who taught me a life lesson” in 600
words. Students must read aloud their written content in front of the full class.

E. For example, you are a sales person and you have to convince your customer a
new pair of sunglasses. State which tone you will use loud or soft in the following
sentences.

(i) These set of spectacles are a must have in your collection.

(ii) You will be having a better vision and more clarity.

(iii) This is the best product at this price.

(iv) For a first timer like you, this is the best choice.

F. Correct the following sentences:

1. Reshma watches movie today.

2. She usually came tomorrow to office.

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3. I cannot said the correct place.

4. Rima does not know what is she doing yesterday.

5. Do you have knowledge about where is going today.

G. Use the correct collocations:

1. He had planned to _________ in Singapore. (to take a break/ to take a holiday)

2. He ________ from his previous mistakes. (learnt a lesson/ learnt the hard way)

3. He had taken up responsibility as he was under _________ (family pressure/family debt)

4. The teachers expected the students to do their __________ (home work/ writing work)

5. The start up is already ________ (bankrupt/loss of cash)

H. Explain the meaning of the following idioms:

1. Pen is mightier than the sword.

2. Don’t put all eggs in one basket.

3. As cool as a cucumber.

4. When in Rome, act like the romans.

5. Actions speak louder than words.

12.14 References

1. https://www.google.com/search?q=collocations+exercises

2. https://www.google.com/search?q=audio+on+women+empowerment

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