FACULTY OF COMMERCE

B. COM.
(DUAL SPECIALIZATION)
2024 - 25

SEMESTER 2
ENGLISH PROFECIENCY & BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION 2

UNIT 3:
Essentials of Business Correspondence

COMPILED BY
Dr.Keyur Vohra Dr. Dhwani Sodha

STUDY MATERIAL FOR REFERENCE

 UNIT 3 -Essentials of Business Correspondence

SR. UNIT 3 -Essentials of Business Correspondence

NO

1 Appearance of a Business letter

2 Regular and Occasional parts of a business

letter

3 Qualities of an effective Business letter (7 Cs)

4 Letter Vs E-mail

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 Meaning of Business Letters:

In these days of telecommunication, letter is still the chief method of conveying

message.

Letter maintains the personal touch, serves as a record and also makes it
possible to have multiple copies, if required.

Every business, big or small, has to maintain contacts with its suppliers,
customers, govt. departments etc.

A large part of a company’s sales work is done through letters; for example
answering enquiries, acknowledging orders, contacting prospective customers,
executing orders, sending statement of accounts to debtors, requesting
settlement of accounts, canvassing for new products etc.

Activities relating to purchase such as making enquiries, placing orders,

complaints about delay in supply of goods and the like are made by letters.

Of all the forms of written communication, letters are the most common and
the most personal. It is the chief means of keeping oneself in touch with those
separated by distance. Letters may be friendly letters, social letters, business
letters etc.

In every business, letters play an important part. Through letters a business-man

tries to open up and maintain business relations, to introduce, to promote and
conclude transactions. A letter serves as a medium for buying goods, selling
goods, collecting debts, earning the goodwill of the customers and also
thrashing out all the important problems.

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It is through letter-writing a businessman can be in touch with everyone on the
globe. He can find market easily all over the world by sitting in his chair. Hence
letter- writing is of vital importance in business.

A letter represents the writer. It speaks to the addressee on behalf of the writer.
Defects in a letter will definitely endanger the chances of winning the attention
of the reader. Therefore, a letter should be carefully drafted and sent to the
addressee. Letter-writing is an art. The style of the letterhead, the paper on
which the letter is written, the neatness of writing etc. will create good
impression in the minds of the reader.

Appearance of a Business Letter:

The general appearance of the letter will create a favourable impression in the
minds of the reader.

It is, therefore, advisable to remember the following points with regard to

layout or appearance of the letter:

1. Stationery:

For making an initial impression it is necessary to use good quality paper. Use of
the best stationery is a good investment. White paper is preferable as the letters
stand out clearly on it and make easy reading. The size of the paper may be
according to the suitability of each organisation.

2. Typing:

Typing saves time and gives a good appearance. It is, therefore, necessary to get
the letters neatly typed. Typing of letter involves extra expenses. But the
appearance of the letter will pay rich dividends.

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3. Margin:

Margin in a letter adds to its attractiveness. One inch (2.54 cms) margin on all
sides is the standard one. Margin may be suitably changed according to the size
of the paper and it should give a picture frame appearance.

4. Folding:

Care should be taken when folding a letter. It should be done with minimum
number of folds and the letter should not look bulky when placed in a cover. The
folds should be well pressed down. When a letter is placed in a cover it must
give a smart look.

5. Envelope:

The colour and quality of the envelope must match the inside letter. The
envelope should suit the size of the paper on which the letter is typed.

Structure of a Business Letter:

The layout or structure of letter is about the systematic arrangement of

information in a letter. In other words, “Layout" can be defined as “the logical
arrangement of information in a business letter". If we look at a business letter,
we will find that there are various parts like senders name and address, subject
headings, paragraphs, etc. The layout is all about the arrangements of all parts
in a logical manner. The layout can also be called as “format" of a business letter
and involves various part of a letter in a logical manner. There is a conventional
lay-out for the business letter which most business correspondents adhere to.
The lay out has both Main and Occasional parts.

Main/Regular Parts of the letter:

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1. Heading
2. Date
3. Inside Address
4. Salutation
5. Subject Line
6. Body
7. Complimentary close
8. Signature

Occasional Parts of the Letter:

1. Reference number
2. Personal instructions
3. Postal instructions
4. Attention line
5. Carbon copy notation
6. Identification mark
7. Enclosure
8. Postscript

Main/Regular Parts of the letter

1. Heading/The Letterhead:

The first and foremost part of the letter is the HEADING that contains the name
and address of the sender firm. It is printed on the top of the letter-sheet. The
name of the firm is usually written or printed in bold capital letters followed by
the nature of business. The address of the sender should be complete and
accurate in all respects, i.e. correct number or serial of building, correct name of
road, city or town, pin code etc. The heading should comprise of telephone

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number, telex or fax number, e-mail id, address etc. These details forms the
essential part of letter heading. Sometime business concerns get their letter
headings as per their convenience. Some letter heads contain address written in
the centre whereas some prefer on the right hand side while some prefer at the
bottom. Letter-head with overcrowded information should be avoided.

2. Date:

The date should be indicated in the upper right hand corner of the letter sheet.
It is generally written two or three spaces below the last line of the letterhead.

There are two methods of indicating the date:

(i) British Method (ordinal numbers) - In the order of day, month and year —
10th July, 1999.

(ii) American Method (cardinal umbers) - In the order of month, day and year —
July 10, 1999.

Both methods are acceptable. It is advisable to write the names of the month in
full.

The date can also be written with closed and open punctuation eg.

i. British style with closed punctuations: 3rd December, 2018.

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 ii. British style with open punctuations: 15th September 2019
iii. American style with closed punctuations: December 29, 2003.
iv. American style with open punctuations: November 18 2006

3. Inside Address:

The inside address consists of the names and address of the person or firm to
whom the letter is written. It is generally written two spaces above the attention
line and two spaces below the level of date. If there is no attention line it is given
above the salutation in the left margin. The full address, i.e., the name of the
person, firm, street, road etc. should be written. The details should not be
abbreviated. This inside address can be written in two styles as mentioned
below:

Indented Form (British Style) (Closed punctuations-with Punctuation)

Dr. B. R. Mehta
Shri Charak Kunj,
Manav Society,
Mehsana – 380012.

Block Form (American Style) (Open Punctuation – without punctuations)

Dr. B. R. Mehta
Shri Charak Kunj
Manav Society
Mehsana – 380012

In case of “window cover" envelops sufficient space should be left above and
below the inside address. The letter is folded in such manner that the inside

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address is visible through the window. The inside address should be written
completely and legibly.

While addressing a firm, ‘Messrs’/ M/s. is used before the name. If the firm
bears personal title, Messrs (male partners) should be used. Mesdames/ Mmes.
for a firm with female partners

If the letter is addressed to an officer by name write Mr. or Shri before the name.
If the officer is an unmarried woman add Ms. Or Miss and if married Mrs. or Smt.
before her name.

Wrong Right

1. Prof. P. R. Nair, Esquire. (Esq.) 1. Prof. P. R. Nair/ P. R. Nair,

2. Mr. P. R. Nair, Esq. Esq.
3. P. R. Nair, M.A., Esq. 2. P. R. Nair, Esq.
4. Messrs/M/s. ABC Limited 3. P. R. Nair, Esq. M.A.
5. The Parikh & Sons 4. The ABC Limited
6. Messrs Sir Jamshedji Tata & Co. 5. Messrs/M/s. Parikh & Sons
Ltd. 6. Sir Jamshedji Tata & Co. Ltd.

4. Salutation:

The next part after inside address is salutation. It can be describe as token of
respect shown in business letter to the reader. Salutation means greetings. The
Salutation should be in tune with the inside address. The customary form of
writing salutation in a business letter is ‘DEAR SIRS' when we address company
or firm and ‘DEAR SIR' when we address a letter by the person's name or

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designation. When it is addressed to lady we prefer to write ‘Madam' and when
it is addressed to group of ladies we prefer the salutation by ‘Mesdames'. If we
address the letter to honorable dignitary or V.I.P or Highest Authority, then we
may write ‘Sir' as salutation to the letter. The salutation should be written on
the left hand margin below the inside address and after leaving two-lines space.
The usage of words like ‘Gentlemen' or similar terms should be avoided as they
become obsolete in present context of business world.

Salutation To be used
1. Sir/Madam, Formal salutation. A very important person. A government
2. Dear Sir, official.
3. Dear Sirs, It is the most popular salutation which is used in most business
letters.
4. Dear Mr….., It is used for a big firm or company, especially if the name starts
Dear Miss…, with Messrs.
Dear Mrs…., It is used when the writer is well acquainted with the person
Dear Dr…., addressed. Friendly approach appeals to modern customers. It
Dear Prof…, can be very useful in Letters of adjustment, offers and sales.
5. Dear Madam, It is used for a lady.
6. Mesdames, It is used for a firm of ladies.
7. Gentleman, Very popular in America, generally used for Board of Directors,
Dear Committees, Public Bodies, Big Firms and companies.
Shareholders,
8. Dear Member, It is used in circular letters.
Dear
Subscriber,
Dear
Shareholder,

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 Dear Student,
Dear Doctor,

5. Subject Line:

It is referred to giving short title given to the subject-matter of a business letter.

For example – we can have subject heading as “Supply of goods" or “Placing an
order" as subject heading if we prefers to supply goods or place an order to
business firm or company. The subject heading is generally written after the
salutation in a business letter. In official letters we can write subject before
salutation. The subject heading is preferred to be written in bold capital letters
and should be underlined so that it is displayed prominently and significantly in
a business letter. It can be denoted by words like ‘Sub', ‘Reg' or ‘Re' and also be
prefixed to the subject heading but in modern letters prefixes are avoided. The
subject heading should be either written in middle or towards the left hand
margin.

Eg.
Dear Sirs,
Sub: Order of Goods
Or
Dear Sirs,
Quotation of Items

The subject headings should well define the contents of a business letter and
should serve purpose for reader.

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6. Body of the letter:

The body is the most important part of a letter. The purpose of this part is to
convey the message and to produce a suitable response in the reader. It is,
therefore, important to organise and arrange the material very carefully.

Generally, the body consists of the following:

(i) Opening paragraph.

(ii) Main paragraph.

(iii) Closing paragraph.

The body of a letter refers to collection of lines or paragraphs of information

included in a business letter. The body of letter comprises of the following facts:

(1) Opening Paragraph – The opening paragraph should be written in such a way
that it attracts the attention of the reader and makes him go through the letter.
The opening sentences consists of few words in the beginning of a letter and
they are of great importance to both sender and receiver of the letter. The
opening sentences are different for different kinds of letters depending upon
the subject-matter of the business letter.

(2) Main Paragraph – The main paragraph contains the subject matter. It should
cover all the relevant points which the writer wants to convey. It should be
written in simple, clear and unambiguous terms. The rest of the information is
divided into suitable and convenient paragraphs and each paragraph should
have close link with each other. The paragraphs should be brief, concise and
should be in continuation to the subject matter.

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(3) Closing Paragraph – The closing paragraph should indicate the expectations,
intentions and wishes of the sender. The business letter is closed with a suitable
and fitting closing sentence and consists of a closing suggestion from sender's
side about future course of action. It should be impressive, congenial and
friendly so that it leaves a good impression on the reader. Like opening
sentences, they are different for different types of letters.

7. Complimentary close:

The complimentary close is a polite way of ending a letter. It is typed two spaces
below the last line of the body of the letter. It should agree with the salutation.

Salutation Complimentary Close

1. Sir, or Madam, Yours sincerely, or Yours
2. Dear Sir, or Dear Sirs, respectfully,
3. Dear Mr. Sharma, or Dear Mr. Yours faithfully,
Shah Very truly yours, Yours cordially,

8. Signature:

Signature is the assent of the writer to the subject-matter of the letter. It is

placed below the complementary close. A simple and legible signature should
be preferred. The signature should be hand-written.
Yours faithfully,

(H.P. Shah)

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When a lady signs letters, she should indicate whether she is Miss or Mrs.. Now
a days they write only Ms. For example
Yours faithfully,

(Ms. H.P. Shah)

The Complimentary Close and the Signature must follow the last line of the
letter. If they appear on another page, the name of the firm should be written
under the Signature. For example:
Yours faithfully,

(H.P. Shah)
(Messrs. Jeswani & Co.)

The ‘Per Pro’ Signature: Whenever the Director of the Company is absent, the
possible delay in the correspondence is avoided with the privilege of PER PRO
signature also known as Per Procurationem signature. It is abbreviated as per
pro. Or p.p. or For. For example:
Yours faithfully,
p.p. Prerna Pen Company

(H.P. Shah)
(Manager)

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Occasional Parts of the Letter:

1. Reference number
2. Personal and other notations
3. Postal instructions
4. Attention line
5. Carbon copy notation
6. Identification mark
7. Enclosure
8. Postscript

1. Reference:

It represents the number of file or folder where the copy of letter sent out has
been kept in records. The reference number of the sender firm is denoted to
easily locate the desired bill or information from the records. The format of
reference number comprises of initials of firm's name, name of department,
year and then the serial number of Despatch or Outward Mail Register. These
details are the fundamentals of a complete reference number. Reference
number makes reference to previous correspondence easy. It saves time. For
example:

REF.HMT/25/2005/114

2. Personal and other notations:

These Notations can be written on the right/left or in the centre between the
inside address and the salutation. They can also be written between the Date
and the Inside Address. These notations are Personal, Confidential, Urgent,
Immediate etc.

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 3. Postal instructions:

Postal instructions are mentioned in the centre of the letter between the date
and the inside address or at the bottom below the Enclosure. Sometimes they
are mentioned on the top of the envelope.

Generally, all the letters are sent by ordinary post. However some are sent by
Regd. A.D., Under the Postal Certificate, Registered Post, Air Mail etc.

4. Attention line:

When a letter is addressed to a company so that it should reach a particular

office by name or a particular department, then attention line is typed below
the inside address. This line is generally underlined. For example:

a. between the Inside address and the Salutation

DAPO PET SHOP
34 Susano Street
Nova Hills, Baguio City
Attention: Miss Daffodil L. Lopez
Gentlemen:

b. opposite the Salutation

DAPO PET SHOP
34 Susano Street
Nova Hills, Baguio City
Gentlemen: Attention: Miss Daffodil L. Lopez

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 5. Carbon copy notation

The Carbon Copy Notation (Copy to/C.C.) is written after the completion of the
letter. It indicates the name of the person/department/officer to whom the
copy of the letter is to be dispatched. For example:

Yours faithfully,

(H.P.Shah)

C.C. – Maharashtra Corporation, Laxmi road, Pune.

6. Identification mark

Reference initial identify the person who dictated and typed the letter. They are
placed at the left margin a double space below the signature lines. These initials
are often on internal office copies only. Identification Initials identify the initials
of:
a the writer or dictator
b the typist or transcribers.
Usually, the sender’s initials are capitalized and the typist’s are in lower case. If
someone else has composed typed the letter for you, it is common for them to
indicate so with initials.
Eg. RSS/MNP
(It means Mr. R. S. Shah has drafted/dictated the letter and Mr. M. N. Shah has
typed the letter.)

Some firms write the first initials in upper case followed by the other initial in
lower case.
Eg. RSS/mnp
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 7. Enclosure:

Sometimes, papers such as price list, catalog, draft may be attached to the letter.
This is indicated after the signature. Generally, the abbreviated form “Encl.” is
typed against which the number of enclosures is indicated.

Eg. Encl.: 3

Eg. Encl. : Cheque no. NR000231 for Rs.500

8. Postscript

Postscript refers to the left over information to be incorporated in a letter or

wants to emphasize some important information. It can be written at the end of
the letter in a blank space available on a paper or letter head. The latin word
‘postscriptum’ means ‘written afterwards’. It should be done by writing words
‘P.S' and should be signed by authorized signatory. It is advisable to avoid writing
the postscript in a business letter.

Eg.

P.S. – Please remember that the offer is valid up to 30th January, 2021.

ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD BUSINESS LETTER

PRINCIPLES OF LETTER WRITING

7 ‘C’s OF BUSINESS LETTER

In order to make letters, memoranda, reports, presentations and other

forms of communication effective, one should follow certain principles. A
thorough study of these can make you a sought-after letter writer and a
successful entrepreneur. To ensure that you communicate in the most
efficient and engaging manner possible and thereby enhance your

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productivity at work, you need to follow the 7 Cs of effective
communication: correctness, completeness, clarity, conciseness, courtesy,
consideration and concreteness.

(i) Correctness: Correctness implies - correct facts, correct time and

correct style. The term correctness refers to precision. The letter should
contain correct information. The facts and figures need to be
ascertained from the source before committing them to paper. The
spellings need to be correct; the manners correct (viz. respect shown
according to the position of the recipient). The grammar and
punctuation need to be according to the standard usage. In real-life
business situations, many letters get wisely rejected on account of the
errors they contain, because to send a wrongly worded or addressed
letter is to invite embarrassment. To achieve correctness, use the
following guidelines:

(a) Use factual words rather than general expression

(b) Use unambiguous words/ phrases

(c) Proofread the message for accuracy of spelling and grammar

(d) Check whether you have answered all queries

Misleading Correct
We need a large office space. We need at lease 10,000
square feet.
We are submitting a cheque in We are sending a cheque for
the amount of Rs. 20,000. Rs. 20,000.

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(ii) Completeness: A business letter is considered complete when (i) it
presents all the essential ideas, (ii) it has one objective only. Enough time
and attention need to be given to make the contents complete in order to
fulfill the intent of the letter. The terms and conditions of sale, for example,
need to be fully stated. Cool editing and comprehensive thinking are
required for this purpose. All enclosures of the letter should be duly
attached. The dispatcher also has a role to play in this. The letter should be
numbered, dated and signed.

Misleading Complete
The workshop will be held on The workshop on GST will be
10th October. held on 10th October in the
GLS auditorium at 3:00 pm by
Mr S. R. Rana.
I will send email to you when I will send email to you today
reached to Delhi. by 6:00 pm.

(iii) Clarity: The letter should be worded in clear language and be free from
all ambiguity (double meaning). For example, in America the date 2/6/2006
means sixth February. Hence a letter going to USA should spell the name of
the month. We can write “6th February 2006. Long paragraph and
uncommon word, dead phrases and foreign language words reduce the
clarity of a letter. It is best to read a lot of good letters from text-books or
actual correspondence to see how meaning is made clear.

Faulty writing can mislead customers, or its meaning becomes

obscure. The following table shows the difference in clarity:

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 Misleading Clear
1. The customer returned the 1. The customer returned by

parcel he has received in registered mail, the parcel

error that

by registered mail. he had received by error.

2. We have your recent letter. 2. We have your recent letter

of

July 26, 2010.

(iv) Conciseness: Conciseness or brevity is bought into letter writing at two

levels: matter and language. All extraneous information needs to be
removed from the letter. Sometimes a single line of acknowledgement or
thanks is enough to make an entire letter.

A concise message saves the reader's time and receives his prompt
attention. It can be achieved by omitting unnecessary details and by
avoiding unnecessary words. As for language, here are some examples of
how longer expressions are made concise:

Long Short
1. Attached hereto 1. attached

2. It is a company which is very 2. It is a wealthy company.

wealthy.
3. Many people have tried
this

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 3. There are a great many instrument.
people

who have tried this

instrument.

(v) Courtesy: To be courteous is to be friendly in attitude and in the use of

words. Apart from basic courtesies like saying “Dear Sir” and “Yours
sincerely” there are deeper courtesies that endear a letter to its receiver. A
modern businessman is supposed to observe the rules of courtesy and
etiquette while drafting business letters. Offensive language mars the
business, because we all expect good manners from one another.

"we receive but what we give"(S. T. Coleridge). Courtesy begets

Courtesy.

Plain More courteous

We have received your letter.. Thanks for your letter..

Your letter is blatantly wrong.. To set the record correct, we

may submit that….

(vi) Consideration:

Consideration of the reader's or customer's interests is also

one of the important essentials of a good business letter. A good
businessman should try to appeal to the customer's interests, suggesting to
him that the purpose of the letter is to benefit him.

With a little recasting, a letter can sometimes become more

favorable to the reader. A letter which is written from a customer's point of
view has the 'you' attitude. This consideration is called “You attitude”.
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 We attitude You attitude
We are happy to inform You will be happy to know…

We shall send the free copy if Yours free copy will be sent to
we receive.. you if you reply…

We will renew your subscription You can renew your

and send our gift… subscription and receive your
gift…

A “You attitude” letter generates a more positive response. However, the

use of “You attitude” does not simply mean a more frequent use of the word
“you”. A sentence which uses “we” and “our” can also sound nice to the
reader. “We would like you to have, with our compliments, a booklet…,”
Thus, balancing the words “we” and ‘you” is a finer game.

You attitude: When a receiver receives letter, he looks for his own
interest in it. Hence it is important to understand You attitude. 'You'
attitude touches him directly and personally. When a letter is written
from the receiver’s point of view, he knows quickly and clearly what
action to take or response to give. The letter should show an
understanding of the recipient’s situation and should address his
problems.

While You attitude is recommended in general, it is particularly

relevant in sales letters. It earns the reader’s confidence and goodwill.
You attitude does not mean just blind repetition of the word you and
your, but a judicious tilting of the content in the reader’s favour. The

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 letter should eventually show how the writer is genuinely interested in
the reader’s welfare.

We attitude: We are proud to announce the launch of our new model.

You attitude: You will be delighted to know about our latest user-
friendly new model that will serve your needs.

(vii) Concreteness: A business letter has to avoid approximate statement

when exact ones can be given or are expected. A business letter should not
be vague. It should be concrete and exact in meaning and purpose. To make
letter concrete, the writer should provide exact information. A complaint
letter can replace the phrase “loss on a large scale” by the phase “loss of a
1000 man-hours.” This can be backed up by other facts and figures. “We
process loan applications speedily” can be changed to “We decide on loan
application upto Rs.5 lakhs within 15 days.”

Abstract Concrete
Leading company First among 2000 companies
Substantial discount Flat 30% off

LETTERS V/S ELECTRONIC MAILS

Introduction:

The phenomenally rapid growth of the Internet and its widespread use in
business has changed the way in which organizations communicate. Almost
every organization now provides Internet access to its employees; in fact,
most employees will have their personal e-mail address as well.
Communication with other organizations now depends heavily on e-mails.
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Many organization encourage internal communication too with the help of
e-mails.

Email offers some tremendous advantages. It is fast-a message can be sent

to as many people as necessary instantaneously. It is inexpensive and it also
eliminates the cost of printing & making copies of memos. People can check
their e-mails without leaving their desks.

However, as a form of written communication, e-mails is completely

different. It is very informal and does not require strict attention to
grammatical rules. Page design, which is a vital requirement of a formal
business letter, does not exist for an e-mail. Over the years, the informality
of the e-mail has become very attractive and has simplified communication
to a large extent. As with every other form of communication, e-mails too
have advantages and limitations. Moreover, e-mail also has its own
vocabulary and acronyms.

Advantages of E-mail:

1. Communication can be done quickly as an e-mail usually reaches its

destination within minutes or seconds.

2. It is easy to send your message to more than one person. Several e-mail
addresses can be typed at the same time; plus, if a mailing list has been kept
on the computer, then that allows quick distribution to many people.

3. You can use e-mail to access vast pools of information stored on the
internet.

4. Thousands of e-mails can be easily saved, and the message files can be
searched electronically.

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5. You can paste all or part of an e-mail into other computer documents.

6. Some e-mail services allow the receiver access to a printer-friendly

version of e-mail messages.

7. Most e-mail system has a reply button that enables you to include all or t
of the original message when you are writing a reply. This aspect part speeds
up the reply to a message.

8. The sender can attach drawings, sounds, video clips other computer files
like word Documents or Power Point slides to her/his e-mails.

9. Letters, notes, files, data, reports etc. can all be sent using the same
techniques.

10. The sender does not have to worry about disturbing someone while
sending an e-mail, unlike a telephone. The e-mail is sent and delivered by
one computer system to another via the Internet. So, although it is put into
someone's mailbox, the recipient is not interrupted by the arrival of the e-
mail.

11. The receiver can deal with her/his e-mail at a convenient time. It does
not interrupt the receiver's work and he/she can read it at leisure.

12. The e-mail can be sent at a convenient time as well. It is not to be written
or mailed only when the recipient is available.

13. The distance does not become an impediment while sending an e-mail.
More importantly, distance does not have direct bearing on the cost of the
e-mail, making the e-mail a very inexpensive tool of communication.
Internet accessibility is of course required, but that service is generally paid
for on a monthly basis, hence the cost of one e-mail will be negligible.
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Limitations of E-mail:

1. E-mails can be edited. It is possible that everyone who receives a message

may intentionally or unintentionally alter it before they send it to the next
person. Hence, no receiver can be sure that the e-mail he/she has received
is in the original unaltered form. As a result, very often incomplete or
incorrect information may be received.

2 E-mails can have a masked identity, this means the source of the e-mail
can become anonymous. Hence, one cannot be totally sure from where it
has originated, or who is the original sender. Thus, without an identifiable
source, a claim cannot be validated.

3. It is very difficult to track an e-mail. So far there has been no technology

that can track an e-mail globally. There is no way for a third party to know
to whom or how many times a person has forwarded a particular mail.

4. E-mails are not necessarily private. Since messages are passed from one
system to another, and sometimes through several system or networks,
there are many opportunities for someone to intercept or ready e-mail.
Many types of computer systems have built-in protections to stop users
from reading others' e-mail, but it is still possible for a system to stop users
administrator to read the e-mail on a system or for someone to bypass the
security of a computer system.

5. In spite of the technological advance these days, there are still some e-
mail systems that can send or receive text files only. Such systems are very
often installed in high security zone areas where such email systems are
installed which do not support the sending or receiving of images, programs,

26
multimedia messages or complex coded texts. Hence, emails convey
incomplete, inaccurate and sometimes even faulty messages.

6. A hacker, which means a person who can guess or learn your password,
can easily use your e-mail account to send destructive mails. This is a
dangerous situation, as across the globe terrorists are using this device.
Therefore it is important to know the original source of the e-mail received.

7. These days, one also receives too much or unwanted e-mail. This is
generally called 'junk' mail. Usually, your email account will show this as
'spam'. Steps have to be taken to delete such mails and stop it from being
sent to you in the first place.

8. E-mails never really let you know the person with whom you are
communicating. The communication is often all in text and it is possible for
us to get an incorrect impression of the person sending the e-mail. There
are moreover, people who misrepresent themselves.

Style, Structure and Content:

E-mail are pretty informal as well as impersonal in nature. So, to make the
e-mails a little livelier and more personal, a huge set of punctuation marks
is used, which give a variety of faces depicting emotions These symbols
created with the use of joining two or more punctuations marks are known
as smileys". Smileys come in infinite number of flavors. E-mails tend to be a
cold and emotionless medium. Thus, to bring out, or rather clarify the real
intentions of the sender, the emotions were developed. They allow you to
make it clear when what you are saying is not meant to be taken seriously.
Those making fun of someone can, for example, use; which is a wink and a
gain.

27
Emotions are stylized conventions developed in e-mail and in forums, chat
rooms, and newsgroups. They try to bring subtly in the communication and
even help to bridge gaps. They reduce the harshness and polish the text.
Emotions are used to compensate for the inability to convey voice
variations, facial and bodily gestures in written communication.

E-mail Jargon:

• Spam: Unsolicited e-mail sent to many people simultaneously. usually

commercial, but occasionally political.
• Bounce: A message that was returned to the sender, either because
the e-mail address was incorrect or because there was a configuration
problem on the receiver's end.
• Distribution List: A single e-mail address that resends to many others,
allowing a discussion to continue easily among a group of
participants.
• Bot: A piece of software that acts on behalf of and in place of a remote
human (from robot)
• Mailbot: A piece of software that automatically replies to e-mail.
• Listbot: A piece of software that manages distribution lists. Also
called a list server or majordomo (after the name of a common list
server)
• Post: Send to a distribution list or Usenet newsgroup.
• Flame: An electronic messages that is particularly hostile.
• Lurk: To read message anonymously without postings.
• Ping: Test to see if the other person is there/awake/available.

28
E-mail Style:

In general, e-mail messages are equivalent to brief informal memos used to

communicate information or to ask questions. E-mails should therefore be
brief. Ideally, e-mails should not exceed 200 words. However, if a full-length
report has to be sent, then the e-mail will be long. But apart from reports,
messages should be brief. Receivers will not be much interested in reading
e-mails that go beyond the screen of the computer.

One must be careful about the tone of the e-mail. For example, an e-mail
from a junior employee that addresses the president of a major company in
a familiar manner or a formal tone would be inappropriate. Hence, the
formality of business letters should be kept in mind while writing the e-mail
reports as well.

Adequate attention should be given to spelling and grammar. If there are

glaring spelling/ grammatical mistakes, then the reader may doubt the
sender's ability and competence. Generally, problems with spelling and
grammar are ignored in forums such as the various Internet Newsgroups,
but they are not liked in school and industry. Sending an e-mail memo filled
with spelling errors to an instructor, client, or supervisor is ill advised. The
sender must think twice who will be reading the message and what effect
its tone, style, grammar and spelling will have on the reader.

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

Etiquette refers to rules of good behaviour and manners, and so ‘netiquette’

has become a set of rules for behaving appropriately online – network
etiquette. Like anything that has to do with human behaviour rules allow us

29
to regulate the use of email. A company needs to implement email etiquette
rules for the following three reasons:

1. Professionalism: by using proper email language your company will

convey a professional image.

2. Efficiency: emails that get to the point are much more effective than
poorly worded emails.

3. Protection from liability: employee awareness of email risks will protect

your company from costly law suits.

Below are the most important email etiquette rules that apply to nearly all
companies and formal communication situations.

1. Be concise and to the point

Do not make an e-mail longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading
an e-mail is harder than reading printed communications and a long e- mail
can be very discouraging to read.

2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions

An email reply must answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions -
If you do not answer all the questions in the original email, you will receive
further e-mails regarding the unanswered questions, which will not only
waste your time and your customer's time but also cause considerable
frustration. Moreover, if you are able to pre-empt relevant questions, your
customer will be grateful and impressed with your efficient and thoughtful
customer service.

30
3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation

This is not only important because improper spelling, grammar and

punctuation give a bad impression of your company, it is also important for
conveying the message properly. E-mails with no full stops or commas are
difficult to read and can sometimes even change the meaning of the text.
And, if your program has a spell checking option, why not use it?

4. Use templates for frequently used responses

Some questions you get over and over again, such as directions to your
office or how to subscribe to your newsletter. Save these texts as response
templates and paste these into your message when you need them. You can
save your templates in a Word document, or use pre-formatted emails. Even
better is a tool such as Reply Mate for Outlook (allows you to use 10
templates for free).

5. Answer swiftly

Customers send an e-mail because they wish to receive a quick response. If

they did not want a quick response, they would send a letter or a fax.
Therefore, each e-mail should be replied to within at least 24 hours, and
preferably within the same working day. If the email is complicated, just
send an email back saying that you have received it and that you will get
back to them.

6. Do not attach unnecessary files

By sending large attachments you can annoy customers and even bring
down their e-mail system. Wherever possible try to compress attachments
and only send attachments when they are productive. Moreover, you need

31
to have a good virus scanner in place since your customers will not be very
happy if you send them documents full of viruses!

7. Use proper structure & layout

Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the
structure and lay out is very important for e-mail messages. Use short
paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points,
number them or mark each point as separate to keep the overview.

8. Do not write in CAPITALS

IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING. This can be

highly annoying and might trigger an unwanted response in the form of a
flame mail. Therefore, try not to send any email text in capitals.

9. Read the email before you send it

A lot of people don't bother to read an email before they send it out, which
is why there are usually so many spelling and grammar mistakes contained
in emails. Apart from this, reading your email through the eyes of the
recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid
misunderstandings and inappropriate comments.

10. Do not overuse Reply to All

Only use Reply to All if you really need your message to be seen by each
person who received the original message.

11. Use the BCC field or do a mail merge

When sending an email mailing, some people place all the email addresses
in the To: field. There are two drawbacks to this practice: A) the recipient
32
knows that you have sent the same message to a large number of recipients,
and B) you are publicising someone else's email address without their
permission. One way to get round this is to place all addresses in the BCC:
field. However, the recipient will only see the address from the To: field in
their email, so if this was empty, the To: field will be blank and this might
look like spamming. You could include the mailing list email address in the
To: field, or even better, if you have Microsoft Outlook and Word you can
do a mail merge and create one message for each recipient. A mail merge
also allows you to use fields in the message so that you can for instance
address each recipient personally

12. Use active instead of passive

Try to use the active voice of a verb wherever possible. For instance, 'We
will process your order today', sounds better than 'Your order will be
processed today. The first sounds more personal, whereas the latter,
especially when used frequently, sounds unnecessarily formal.

13. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT

Even more so than the high-priority option, you must, at all times, try to
avoid these types of words in an email or subject line. Only use this if it is a
really, really urgent or important message.

14. Avoid long sentences

Try to keep your sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant

to be a quick medium and requires a different kind of writing than letters.
Also take care not to send emails that are too long. If a person receives an
email that looks like an essay, chances are that they will not even attempt
to read it!
33
15. Keep your language gender neutral

In this day and age, avoid using discriminatory language such as: The user
should add a signature by configuring his email program'. Apart from using
he/she, you can also use the neutral gender: "The user should add a
signature by configuring the email program'.

16. Don't reply to spam

By replying to spam or by unsubscribing, you are confirming that your email

address is 'live'. Confirming this will only generate even more spam.
Therefore, just hit the delete button or use email software to remove spam
automatically.

17. Use cc: field sparingly

Try not to use the cc: field unless the recipient in the cc: field knows why
they are receiving a copy of the message. Using the cc: field can be confusing
since the recipients might not know who is supposed to act on the message.
In general, do not include the person in the cc: field unless you have a
particular reason for wanting this person to see your response. Again, make
sure that this person will know why they are receiving a copy.

18. Do not attach unnecessary files

By sending large attachments you can annoy customers and even bring
down their e-mail system. Wherever possible try to compress attachments
and only send attachments when they are productive. Moreover, you need
to have a good virus scanner in place since your customers will not be very
happy if you send them documents full of viruses!

34
19. Maintain coherence

When you reply to an email, you must include the original mail in your reply,
in other words click 'Reply, instead of 'New Mail'. Some people say that you
must remove the previous message since this has already been sent and is
therefore unnecessary. However, I could not agree less. If you receive many
emails you obviously cannot remember each individual email. This means
that a 'threadless email will not provide enough information and you will
have to spend a frustratingly long time to find out the context of the email
in order to deal with it. Leaving the thread might take a fraction longer in
download time, but it will save the recipient much more time and
frustration in looking for the related emails in their inbox!

20. Use a meaningful subject

Try to use a subject that is meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself.

For instance, when you send an email to a company requesting information
about a product, it is better to mention the actual name of the product. e.g.
'Information on your iron-hold hair gel' than to just say 'product information
or the company's name in the subject.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LETTER AND E-MAIL

CHARACTERISTIC LETTERS E-MAIL

Structure Contains several Contains most of
elements starting the elements which
from heading to a letter has but
distribution list addresses are the e-

35
 mail addresses or e-
mail ids

Layout Elements are Given in prescribed

arranged in any of format by the e-mail
the layouts- block, service providers
modified, block,
semi- block, simple
layout

Purpose To persuade and to To convey short

share information routine messages
quickly
Audience Generally low-tech Generally multiple
and lay readers, readers with various
such as vendors and levels of knowledge;
clients could include

instructors,
company pollo
supervisors, and
subordinates as well
as family and friends

Degree of formality formal because of Degree of formality

external destination is less than letters
and follows a
conversational style

36
 Short forms, To be avoided To be judicious used
abbreviations etc
Circulation External Internal and
external

A. OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS

Do as directed:

1) Make the offer firm: We shall execute your order and give you 20%
discount.

Ans – We shall execute your order and give you 20% discount from 25th
December to 31st December, 2022.

2) Remove the business Jargon and rewrite in simple English: We beg to

thank you for your letter of 10th ultimo.

Ans – We thank you for your letter of 10th December.

3) Select the sentence that expresses the message most clearly:

(a) Seven of the fifty-five articles we received today, have been considerably

damaged in transit.

(b) Of the fifty-five gramophone records, we have received four are

completely broken while three have scratches on them.

(c) Some of the gramophone records, we have received are in a damaged

condition.

37
(d) Of the fifty-five gramophone records, we have received four are
completely broke while three have scratches on them.

4) Remove the business jargon and write the sentence in simple English:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 10th instant.

Ans – I received your letter of 10th April.

5) Rewrite the sentence in a polite tone: It is foolish to think we have

charged higher prices on your purchases.

Ans – Please understand that we have charged reasonable prices.

OR

Please note that we have charged reasonably.

6) Achieve conciseness in the following and rewrite: Please find enclosed

herewith cheque in the amount of Rs. 5,000/-

Ans – We enclose a cheque for Rs. 5,000/-

OR

Please find herewith a cheque for Rs. 5, 000/-.

7) Give the message a personal touch: The error is sincerely regretted.

Ans- We sincerely regret the error.

8) Write the message politely: Send the goods within three days.

Ans- Please send the goods within three days.

38
9) Rewrite the sentence using concrete words: This piece of jewelry is
inexpensive.

Ans- These beautiful earrings coat only Rs. 950.

10) Rewrite the sentence eliminating unnecessary words and improving the
expression: It is the duty of the cashier to disburse salaries.

Ans- The cashier disburses salaries.

Solve the Following:

1. Arrange the details in proper order and write the address in the Block
Form :
Concord Steel Works Pvt. Ltd., Worli, Dr. A. B. Road, Mumbai, 400
018, 507 Kakkad Chambers.

2. Capitalise appropriate letters, arrange the details in proper order and

write the address in the Indented Form :
snow white dress emporium the manager snowwhite building
mumbai d. n. road 400 001.

3. Capitalise appropriate letters and write the address in the Block Form
open punctuations :
the agent, bank of maharashtra, ballard estate, mumbai-400 038.

4. Capitalise appropriate letters, arrange the details in the proper order and
write the address in Indented Form with closed punctuation :
ashram road, opp shree ram temple, shreeji investment
corporation, 380 013, tilak complex, ahmedabad.

39
5. Write today's date in ordinal numbers with closed punctuations.

6. Remove the business jargon : we beg to draw your attention to our letter
of 20th instant.

7. Write with the 'you' attitude : Owing to our efficiency, our business has
expanded.

8. Write more concisely :

We thank you for your letter of October 21, 2017, placing an order
for same of our goods you want.

9. Write a very formal salutation and a very informal salutation.

10. Write in a more natural style :

In compliance with your esteemed letter dated 10th instant. we
have asked our salesman to call on you.

11. Give the sentence a personal tone :

Your instructions have been noted and the order will be executed
within three days.

12. Write more concisely, omitting unnecessary details :

With reference to the letter of March 9 you wrote to us in
connection with the goods we sent in response to your order of
March 6, we have to inform you that packing was according to your
instructions.

40
13. Rewrite the sentence in a polite tone :
As you are unknown to us, you do not deserve goods on credit.

14. Write the sentence more concisely.

A number of customers have written letters to us and have
complained about the same thing stow services.

15. Give a specimen of the carbon copy notation.

16. Correct the following : Your's Faithfully.

17. Shri M.B. Bhatt has been given the power of attorney in a firm running
under a personal title. Give his specimen signature.

18. Correct the following sentence and rewrite.

Our order for the footwear was placed on January, 5th 2017.

19. Rewrite the sentence more clearly :

We placed an order for fans and electric water heaters.

20. Use courtesy title Esq. and re-write : N. V. Patel, M. Sc.

21. Mention any four qualities of an effective business letter.

22. Make the offer firm :

We shall execute your order and give you 20% discount.

41
 23. Mrs. Vani Mehra has been given the power of attorney. Give a specimen
of her signature.

24. Remove the business jargon and rewrite in simple English.

We beg to thank you for your letter of 10th ultimo.
25. Give specimen of Per pro signature.
26. The following firm is having all female partners. Rewrite the firm’s name
with the proper courtesy title: Punita & Prerna Company.
27. Make the following more courteous or polite: As you are a new customer,
we cannot grant you any credit.
28. Correct the following:
Your’s sincere

B. Choose the correct option:

1. is a very formal salutation.

A. Sir
B. Dear Sir
C. Respected Sir
D. None of these
2. Registered post is
A. Identification Mark
B. The Salutation
C. Mailing Instructions
D. The First line of inside address
3. The inside address should be .
A. written fully and clearly
B. printed correctly
C. cyclostyled clearly
42
 D. none of these
4. is like a face of the company.
A. The Date
B. The Inside Address
C. The Letterhead
D. The Salutation
5. The Letterhead is typed on .
A. Right – hand
B. Left – hand
C. Centre, on the top of the letter
D. None
6. immediately follows letterhead on the left hand side..
A. The inside Address
B. The Salutation
C. The Signature
D. The Date
7. “Mmes” is a courtesy title used when the letter is addressed to a firm
having names in the title.
A. only female
B. only male
C. both male and female
D. none of these
8. The date, month and the year is written in styles.
A. The Indian, The Chinese
B. The British, The Indian
C. The British, The American
D. The American, The Indian

43
9. should be mentioned in all business letter as it has
documentary importance.
A. The Date
B. The Letterhead
C. The Inside Address
D. The Salutation
10. number is used in American Style.
A. Natural
B. Cardinal
C. Whole
D. Ordinal
11. number is used in British style.
A. Integer
B. Decimal
C. Ordinal
D. Cardinal
12. means the name and complete address of the receiver.
A. The Salutation
B. The Signature
C. The Inside Address
D. The Letterhead
13. The English style for writing the Inside Address is called .
A. Block Form
B. Indented Form
C. Italian Form
D. Times Form

44
14. The American style for writing the Inside address is called .
A. Indented Form
B. Italian Form
C. Block Form
D. Times Form
15. is the compliment or greeting used to begin the letter.
A. The Complimentary Close
B. The Salutation
C. The Body of the letter
D. The Inside Address
16. Rainbow Traders is a title.
A. personal
B. impersonal
C. regular
D. none of these
17. Cheque No. 31255 for Rs. 16000/- is
A. Identification Mark
B. Enclosure
C. Signature
D. None
18. INQ/JAM/2017 is .
A. Postscript
B. Reference No.
C. Business Jargon
D. Salutation
19. Any letter without is incomplete and worthless.
A. The Signature
B. Reference no.

45
 C. Carbon Copy Notation
D. Postscript
20. Whenever the director of the company is absent the possible delay in
correspondence is avoided by the privilege of the .
A. The ‘Per Pro’ Signature
B. The ‘Pro Per’ Signature
C. Both A & B
D. None
21. In most of the companies, an important person is authorized to sign
letters. It is known as
A. Pro Procurationem
B. Per Perticulars
C. Both A & B
D. None
22. When the writer forgets to include an important point, he adds it below
signature under the title .
A. P.S. B. PTO C. Both D. None
23. Sometimes it becomes necessary to attach a sheet of paper, or a bill,
or a cheque so it is covered up in the same envelope. It is known
as .
A. Postscripts
B. Enclosures
C. The Signature
D. None
24. is used after the name of a male person to show respect.
A. Mr. B. Esq. C. Ms. D. None of these

46
25. Appearance .
A. doesn’t count in a business letter
B. counts in a business letter
C. is the soul of business letter
D. none of these
26. Sometimes, business letter requires the immediate attention of a
particular person or department. In such circumstances
is used.
A. The Subject Heading
B. The Attention Line
C. The Identification Mark
D. None
27. The title should be used for a firm having a title like Bros.
& Sons. Etc.
A. Ms. B. The C. Messrs D. None of these
28. form of writing of Inside Address is very convenient for
the typist.
A. Indented B. Block c. Both A & B D. None of these
29. The Subject Heading is written to
A. Get idea about the letter
B. To give the Address
C. To mention the date
D. To give additional information
30. is used to identify the persons who have typed and
written the letter.
A. The Attention Line
B. The Date
C. The Subject Heading

47
 D. The Identification Mark
31. is used when more than two parties are involved in
the communication.
A. Carbon Copy Notation
B. The Identification Mark
C. The Personal and other Instructions
D. Mailing Instructions
32. is not appreciated in modern letters and should be
avoided.
A. Consideration
B. Postscript
C. Subject line
D. Clarity
33.) Letters with Attitude helps to enhance the business.
A. You B. She C. He D.None

34. at times creates an adverse impression on the business

A. Offensive Language
B. Ignorance
C. Flattery
D. None
35. The term used to address woman .
A. Senorita B. Senor C. Sine die D. Status quo
36. The clarity in communication could be achieved by which of the
following techniques?
A. Choose words that are short, familiar and conversational.
B. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.
C. Achieve appropriate readability.

48
 D. All the above
37. Conciseness of message refers to:
A. Crispness B. Comprehensiveness B. Specificity D. Brevity
38. Errors in language, grammar or visual representation of facts take away:
A. Clarity B. Correctness C. Crispness D. Conciseness
39. Which of the following is / are 7 Cs of Business Letter?
A. Clarity B. Conciseness C. Completeness D. All the above
40. Which of the following is /are not 7Cs of Business Letter?
A. Clarity B. Consideration C. Concreteness D. Collectiveness
41. in communication increases credibility of the sender of
message
A. Clarity B. Correctness C. Concreteness D. Consideration
42. All the following are principles of business letter writing, except:
A. Consideration B. Correctness C. Conciseness D. Concurrency
43. Consideration in a business letter means:

A. Stressing the “me” attitude B. Using first person pronouns

C.Stressing the “you” attitude D. Appealing to the sender’s interest
44. Correctness implies:
A. giving correct facts B. at an appropriate time
C. in a suitable style D. all of these
45. One should use words that say exactly what you mean.
A. jargons B. short and precise C. ambiguous D.difficult

46. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using emails?

a) Speedy delivery
b) Inexpensive communication
c) Limited storage capability
d) Access to vast information

47. What is one significant limitation of email communication?

a) Costly to use

49
 b) Messages may be intercepted and read
c) Cannot send attachments
d) No reply function

48. What term refers to unsolicited commercial or unwanted emails?

a) Bounce
b) Spam
c) Lurk
d) Flame

49. Why should emails generally not exceed 200 words?

a) Due to printing restrictions
b) It discourages reading long emails
c) Legal limitations
d) System limitations

50. Which of the following features helps in sending attachments securely?

a) Reply All
b) Virus scanner
c) Subject line
d) Signature block

51. What does the 'BCC' field stand for in email?

a) Blind Carbon Copy
b) Business Copy Count
c) Broadcast Communication Channel
d) Background Copy Chain

52. What is 'flame' in the context of email jargon?

a) A virus in email
b) An electronic hostile message
c) An anonymous message
d) A humorous reply

53. Why is it important not to write in all capitals in an email?

a) It uses more storage
b) It makes text difficult to read
50
 c) It appears as if the sender is shouting
d) It lacks professionalism

54. Which of the following ensures better readability of emails?

a) Long paragraphs
b) No punctuation
c) Blank lines between paragraphs
d) Writing in uppercase

55. What does 'ping' mean in email jargon?

a) Test if a recipient is available
b) Attach a file
c) Delete a spam message
d) Encrypt an email

56. What does 'mailbot' refer to?

a) An electronic virus
b) Automatic response software
c) Distribution list
d) A manual sender

57. Which of these terms refers to saving frequently used email replies?
a) Spam folder
b) Templates
c) Junk mail
d) Email headers

58. What is an essential characteristic of formal emails in business communication?

a) Casual tone
b) Use of slang
c) Proper spelling and grammar
d) Lack of subject

59. Which rule is part of netiquette?

a) Writing in bold
b) Using proper subject lines
c) Ignoring reply emails
51
 d) Sending large attachments

60. Why should the 'Reply All' option be used sparingly?

a) It wastes server space
b) It sends spam messages
c) It may annoy unnecessary recipients
d) It doesn't allow attachments

61. Why should emails maintain coherence in replies?

a) To ensure faster downloads
b) To include spam filters
c) To help readers understand the context
d) To avoid writing long responses

62. Which term describes reading messages anonymously without posting?

a) Ping
b) Spam
c) Lurk
d) Post

63. Why should you avoid using 'URGENT' and 'IMPORTANT' frequently?
a) It makes the message unreadable
b) It can be flagged as spam
c) Reduces the recipient's trust in urgency
d) Slows down delivery time

64. What should be avoided in email attachments?

a) Compression
b) Productive files
c) Viruses
d) Images

65. What type of voice is preferred in emails for clarity and engagement?
a) Passive voice
b) Complex voice
c) Active voice
d) Neutral voice
52
66. What is the purpose of using smileys in emails?
a) To confuse readers
b) To replace punctuation
c) To convey emotions
d) To hide the sender’s identity

67. What is the primary function of distribution lists in emails?

a) To block spam
b) To manage replies
c) To send messages to multiple recipients
d) To save drafts

68. What does 'bounce' refer to in email terminology?

a) An email successfully delivered
b) An email that failed to reach the recipient
c) A spam message
d) An automatic reply

69. What can hackers do if they access your email account?

a) Only read your messages
b) Send destructive emails
c) Improve spam filters
d) Change your signature

70. Which action can generate more spam?

a) Replying to spam emails
b) Ignoring spam
c) Using BCC
d) Using mail templates

71. Why should long sentences be avoided in emails?

a) They are difficult to read
b) They increase download time
c) They convey formal tone
d) They are grammatically incorrect

53
72. What is an example of discriminatory language in emails?
a) Using "he/she"
b) Addressing someone by name
c) Using only "he"
d) Providing clear instructions

73. Why is the subject line important in an email?

a) It acts as a greeting
b) It contains the recipient's address
c) It summarizes the message
d) It hides the sender's name

74. How does email improve communication efficiency?

a) By increasing costs
b) By allowing delayed responses
c) By reducing printing costs
d) By discouraging replies

75. Which feature allows adding additional context to emails?

a) Spam folder
b) Attachments
c) Distribution list
d) Subject field

76. What should you do before sending an email?

a) Ignore grammar mistakes
b) Check for spelling errors
c) Leave the subject line empty
d) Avoid reading it

77. What is a key reason to avoid unnecessary attachments?

a) They are free to send
b) They increase email download speed
c) They can annoy recipients
d) They improve communication

78. What does netiquette help ensure in online communication?

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 a) Professional image
b) Delayed responses
c) Reduced efficiency
d) Increased spam

79. Which of the following is a risk of email communication?

a) High cost
b) Difficulty in tracking messages
c) Inability to send text files
d) Limited recipient capacity

80. What is one reason to read your email before sending it?
a) To reduce download time
b) To add unnecessary information
c) To avoid misunderstandings
d) To ensure it is lengthy

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 B. Short notes:

1. 7 C’s of Business Letters

2. Regular Parts of Letter
3. Occasional Parts of Letter
4. Appearance of letter
5. Difference between Letter and Email
6. Advantages of Email
7. Disadvantages of Email
8. Email Jargons
9. Email Etiquettes

Reference Books:

1. Business Communication
Author: Asha Kaul, Publisher: PHI
2. Business Communication
Author: U Rai & S Rai. Publisher: Himalaya (10th Ed.)
3. Business Communication Today
Author: C. Bovee/ J. Thill/ B. Schatzman Publisher: Pearson Edu. (7th Ed.)

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