Lecture Notes

Unit – III
Composition

Letter Writing
Business correspondence is an instrument of decision making in the business world. Its
significance has increased with growing changes in modern life. In fact, a letter is an important
channel of communication used to send information outside an organisation. As it helps to
reinforce professional and business relations, it is a positive instrument of professional exchange
of ideas, opinions, and information. Everyday business dealings and the ordinary activities of
business would not be possible without letters. These days, emails have replaced letters in many
areas; however, letters still have their own signifi cance. In order to succeed in today’s
competitive environment, we need effective letter writing skills because we may have to write
different kinds of business letters, such as a letter to request for services or information, give
information, request for action, give instructions or guidelines, express an opinion, reinforce
business relations, maintain good public relations, or motivate and persuade people.
Process of Letter Writing
It is easier to write an effective business letter while following a systematic writing plan. Letter
writing is a typical composition process that involves pre-writing, writing, and post-writing.
Pre-writing
It involves audience analysis, purpose identification, scope determination, and an analysis of the
action desired. The writer should bear in mind the keyword APSA i.e., Audience, Purpose,
Scope, and Action. The process should begin with the writer asking himself/herself the following
questions:
1. Who is/are my reader/s? (Audience analysis)
2. Why am I writing? (Purpose identification)
3. How much should I write? (Scope determination)
4. What do I want the readers to do? (An analysis of the action desired)
Once these four questions are answersed, half the work is done and the writer is ready to write.
Now, he/she may do background research, collect relevant information, make a list of the points
that he/she wants to cover, or organize his/her thoughts to help him/her write.

Writing:
Writing involves organizing the matter, outlining what needs to be written and writing the first
draft. Several writing strategies may be used, which includes brainstorming, freewriting, and
mind mapping.
 Brainstorming is a planning technique in which you list ideas as they come to your
mind.
 Freewriting is a process that allows you to express your ideas without worrying about
spelling, grammatical mistakes, or organizational problems.
 Mind mapping is a clustering technique that takes advantage of your mind’s natural
ability to organize information.
Post-writing
Once the first draft has been written, it should be revised, edited and evaluated. Revising is the
process of improving the content, the layout, and the sentence structure of the letter while editing
involves correcting its grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and structure. Evaluating, on the
other hand, refers to the process of critically examining the letter to ensure that it can achieve its
purpose.

Form and structure of Formal Letter

1. Heading = Sender’s Address/ letter Head

2. Date

3. Reference (optional) = Your letter M/123/VC dated 08 September 2020

References are often quoted to indicate what the letter refers to (Your ref.) and the
correspondence to refer to when replying (Our ref.)

4. Mailing Notation (optional) = By Speed Post/Registered post (it is used when you
specify the medium)
This phrase may be written at the head of a letter and more important, on the
envelope, in cases when the medium is to specify.

5. Inside Address = Receiver’s Address

Order of inside address

After the name of the person and / or company receiving the letter, the recommended
order and style of addresses in the UK is as follows: -
Name of house or building
- Number of building and name of street, road, avenue, etc.
- Name of town or city and postcode
- Name of country
Industrial House
34-45 Craig Road
Bolton BL4 8TR
UK
Job title known
If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, but know their job title,
you can use that, e.g. The Sales Manager, The Finance Director, in the inside address

6. Attention Line (optional)

Attention: An alternative to including the recipient's name or job title in the inside
address is to use an Attention line (Attention line is used when the inside address does not
include the name/post of an individual, and the letter is addressed to the company, the
objective is to indicate the intended recipient of the letter) as;
Attention: Mr. Rohan Kumar, In Charge, Water Supply.

7. Address Notation (optional) This phrase may be written at the head of a letter
(below the inside address) and, more important, on the envelope, in cases where the
letter is intended to be read only by the addressee. eg = Personal /Private /
confidential (it is used when you are to specify)

8. Salutation
(a) Dear Sir opens a letter written to a man whose name you do not know.
(b) Dear Madam is used to address a woman, whether single or married, whose name
you do not know.
 (c) Dear Sir or Madam (or Dear Sir / Madam) is used to address a person when you
do not know their name or sex.
(d) When you know the name of the person you are writing to, but do not know them
well, the salutation takes the form of Dear followed by a courtesy title and the
person's surname, e.g. Dear Mr Smith. Initials or first names are not used with
courtesy titles, we cannot write Dear Mr J. Smith or Dear Mr John Smith.
Business associates who you know well can be addressed using just their first
name, e.g. Dear John.
(e) A comma after the salutation is optional, i.e. Dear Mr Smith, or Dear Mr Smith.
(ln American English a colon is usually used after the salutation, e.g .Dear Mr
Smith:, Gentlemen:)

9. Subject line
(a) A subject title at the beginning of a letter, directly after the salutation, provides
a further reference, saves introducing the subject in the first paragraph,
immediately draws attention to the topic of the letter, and allows the writer to
refer to it throughout.
(b) It is not necessary to begin the subject title with Re. (with regard to), e.g. Re.:
Application for the post of web designer. When sending email messages this may
even be confusing as. RE is short for reply.

10. Message = Main part

11. Complimentary Close = Regards, yours faithfully

(a) If the letter begins with Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear Madam, or Dear Sir or Madam,
the complimentary close should be Yours faithfully.
(b) If the letter begins with a personal name, e.g. Dear Mr James, Dear Mrs
Robinson, or Dear Ms Jasmin, it should be Yours sincerely.
(c) If the letter begins with medical/academic/military title e. g. Dr/Professor/General
(these titles do not change whether addressing a male or female it should be Yours
sincerely.
(d) A letter to someone you know well may close with the more informal Best
wishes. Note that Americans tend to close even formal letters with Yours truly or
Truly yours, which is unusual in the UK in commercial correspondence.
(e) A comma after the complimentary close is optional, i.e. Yours faithfully, or Yours
faithfully.
(f) The complimentary close is usually placed on the left, aligned under the rest of
the letter.

12. Signature block followed by Name and post

(a) Always type your name and, if relevant, your job title, below your handwritten
signature. This is known as the Signature block.
(b) Per Pro: The abbreviation P.P. sometimes appears in signature blocks. It means
Per Pro i.e., for and on behalf of, and is used by administrators or personal
assistants when signing letters on behalf of their managers.

13. Reference initials = an initial sign is needed when the producer is different person
than who write/type, sign and prepare.
 14. Enclosure line
If there are any documents enclosed with a letter, although these may be mentioned in
the body of the letter, it is also common to write Enc. or EncI. below the signature
block. If there are a number of documents, these can be listed.
Enc. 1. Bill of lading (3 copies)
2. Insurance certificate (1copy)

15. Copy line

When copies are sent to people other than the named recipient, c. c. (carbon copy) is
added, usually at the end of a letter, before the name/s of the recipient/s of the copies.
C.C.: Chairman

16. Post Script = PS: Please instruct your office to give prior intimation….

Addressing Envelopes: Envelope addresses are written in a similar way to inside

address.

Note: full stop at the end of the abbreviation:

A full stop is often used at the end of the abbreviation if it takes the form of the first
few letters of the word, e.g., Prof. (Professor), but is not necessary if it takes the form
of the first and last letter of the word, e.g., Dr (Doctor). However, some people prefer
to write, e.g., Mr., Mrs., with a full stop. Again, whatever you choose to do, you
should be consistent throughout your correspondence.

Formats for business letters

Formats for business letters: there are four popular styles of business letter formatting, viz.
block, modified block, semi-block, and simplified. A write may choose as his convenience.

Block format: in this style all the parts of letter begin at left. The paragraphs are not indented.
The beginning and ending lines are justified.

Modified block format: in this style, the date line, the complimentary close, and the signature
block are at the centre of the page. The ending lines are unjustified. The paragraphs are not
indented.

Semi-Block format: like the Modified block format, in this style, the date line, the
complimentary close, and the signature block are at the centre of the page. The ending lines are
unjustified. But the paragraphs are indented.

Simplified format: this style is same as the block style except that the salutation and
complimentary close are avoided.

Types of business letters

Letter of inquiry: inquiry letters are written to request information or seek clarifications.
Inquiry letters maintain a courteous tone, mention and explain the request clearly, and close with
a good expression.
Replies to inquiry letters: two kinds of replies may be written to letters of inquiry, viz. (1)
letters giving the information asked for or complying with request and (2) letters of regret. The
letters complying with request should be written with a direct approach. Letters of regret should
be written with an indirect approach. A negative response letter should be opened with a buffer
statement as an expression of appreciation or compliment or agreement. Thanks to buffer
statement the reader receives the message without ill feeling.

Letters placing orders: a letter placing an order is a state forward written message that orders
supplies, services, or merchandise. List of items must be included. The time-period for the
delivery and mode of payment must be stated. To order items by letter, the direct pattern may be
used. The letter should be closed with an expression of appreciation and goodwill.

Letters giving instructions: instruction letters specify the instructions with specific details, and
focus on the required action. Several instructions may be logically sequenced. The letter should
be closed with courteous conclusion.

Letters urging action: letters urging action open with a tactful attention attracting statement by
motivating the reader to act. A reasonable approach and a well-controlling argument are required
to convince and peruse the reader. The letter may be closed with a goodwill expression.

Complaint letters: a complaint letter is an expression of dissatisfaction. In a complaint letter

mention the purpose of letter, explain what happened, convince the reader that your complaint is
genuine and motivate the reader to act. Don’t show anger, nor apologize. Be firm but in a polite
way.

Complaint letters open with a clear problem statement, support the complaint with data, and
close with an expression of goodwill.

Adjustment letters: an adjustment letter is an attempt to satisfy an aggrieved customer. The

writer should be very tactful to express clear understanding of the problem conveyed by the
customer and offer reasonable solution. In an adjustment letter, there should be appreciation and
understanding, apology and explanation, investigation and promise positive action, and
expression of goodwill.

Letters calling for quotations: a common practice in business transactions is to write a letter
asking for the price of a service or a product from potential service providers. It is to understand
the terms of agreement and payment before actually entering into a financial deal.

Tenders: government organizations invite bids from potential service providers for large
projects; they usually follow a process called the tender process. This process has pre-defined
deadlines.

Sealed tenders are invited from reputed contractors for repair work at Mewar Apartments, Sec. -
17, Pratap Nagar, Jaipur for painting of the building and replacement of pipes. Last date for
downloading tender document from www.rajma.in is November 20, 2022.

Sales letters: sales letter are persuasive messages that persuade the readers to believe what the
sender wants them to believe. Writing a sales letter involves a careful analysis of the product,
service, or idea that needs to be promoted through the letter. A sales letter should be organized
very tactfully because the reader is under no obligation to read the letter. A sales letter opens
with a tactful attention attracting statement, builds the interest of the reader, shows the worth of
the product/service, focuses on the benefits of the reader, and motivates action.

Letter writing strategies

Business communication is an instrument of decision making in the business world. Letters
reinforce personal and business relations. A personal letter is an informal letter in the form of a
private dialogue. A business letter is a formal written message, written in a conventional form for
a specific audience to meet a specific need. We should consider three writing stages – pre-
writing, writing, and post-writing for an effective business letter. Followings are the basic
characteristic of a business letter - clarity, courtesy, conciseness, correct tone, correct attitude
and correct language.

Clarity: in order to create clarity, simple, familiar and specific words and expression and clear
references should be used.
Tactless Version Tactful Version

With reference to your inquiry last week, we Thank you for your September10, 2020 letter,
would like to inform you that the information with Ref. No. JB 213/20, asking about our
that you want can be sent within a week. 2020 training schedule. We would send you
the schedule by September 20, 2020.

Courtesy: the letter must reflect courtesy and consideration, as the reader is under no obligation
to do what the writer requests. Positive and encouraging phrases should be used and irritating
phrases and expressions should be avoided.
Tactless Version Tactful Version

We want you send us more information about We would be glad if you could send us more
your Executive Development courses. information about your Executive
Development courses.

Conciseness: business letters should be concise and direct so unnecessary words, wordy
expressions; empty words, wordy compounds, repetitions, and redundancies must be avoided.
Indirect expressions, rhetoric, and exaggeration should be avoided.
Tactless Version Tactful Version

It should be very clear to everyone and there The company does not encourage
should be no possibility of any doubt about incompetence and lethargy.
the fact that the company would never be the
one that encourages incompetence and
lethargy in any way whosoever.
Correct Tone: tone in a business letter refers to the manner or mood of expression. It helps
establish the relationship that the write wishes to establish with the reader. The tone should be
formal, tactful, personal, and positive. A tactless or negative tone can lead to misunderstanding,
resulting in negative response.
Tactless Version Tactful Version

As we have given the job to another Thank you for your application for a sales
candidate, we cannot entertain your position in our company. However, the
application. position has been filled; nevertheless, we have
kept your resume for future use.

Correct Attitude: attitude in a business letter refers to the reflection of the opinion of the writer
on the reader. To establish goodwill and a long-term relationship with the reader, avoid a poor
and negative language.
Tactless Version Tactful Version

As you do not have a current account in our Please open a current account in our bank so
bank, we cannot process your request thus the that we are able to process your request.
fault in on your part. Don’t blame us.

Précis Writing/Summarizing
Summarizing
Précis is a French word pronounced preseé connected with the English word precise.
Summarizing involves the skill of extracting the maximum amount of information of the text
concerned, and conveying this information to a reader in minimum number of words. What is
important is to select everything that is of essential importance, and to discard whatever is
irrelevant to the main theme, so the summary may present the concentrated essence of what is
read. The summary must present an intelligible account of the substance of the original text to a
person who has not read the original text. Thus, it is different from paraphrasing as it is
condensing the text. The summary of a technical text is an exercise in concentration,
comprehension and condensation. In order to make a good summary a careful reading and
understanding of the material is essential.
A summary is the gist or the main theme of the text expressed in as few words as possible. A
balanced precis reduces each section according to the relative importance of the ideas contained
therein, not according to the number of words used in a particular section. The overall tone of the
original should be conveyed in the precis as far as possible. Nevertheless, a precis is usually
written in more factual and less emotive language than the original. Overall, it is more important
to convey an author's meaning accurately than to recreate his or her style. Precis writer should
aim for clarity and coherence. He must remain objective; his role is that of a communicator
rather than that of a creative writer.
No rigid rule can be laid down with respect to the length of the summary, as the styles of the
writers differ-some being concise and some diffuse. By and large the summary should not
contain more than one third of the number of words of the original text.

Precis writing strategies

1. Title: the title should be short, thematic, suggestive and of attracting attention.
 2. Person: a precis is an objective art so it should be written in third person even dialogue
and speeches should be reported in the third person.
3. Tense: generally, the precis should be written in past tense.
4. Form of speech: a precis is always in indirect speech except in the very are cases where
full justice can not be done to the author of the original text.
Question Give the suitable title of the following passage.
‘Revenge is a kind of wild justice; which the more man’ s nature runs to, the more ought
law to weed it out. For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge
of that wrong, putteth the law out of office.
Answer: Of Revenge

Question: Give the suitable title of the following passage.

‘Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth and
embaseth it.’
Ans. ‘OF Love’

Characteristics of a Summary
(i) Compactness: The core essence of the text must be retained in the summary. None of the
main points of the original test should be ignored while writing the summary.
(ii) Clarity: All the irrelevant ideas and redundant words should be done away with. A
summary calls for clarity as the original ideas/message of the writer has to reach the
reader through summary.
(iii) Conciseness: A summary needs to be brief. In other words, it should not be more than
one third of the original.
(iv) Coherence: All the main ideas produce in the original text should be logically arranged
and produced in the summary in a condensed form.
(v) Vocabulary: A summary needs the summary writer’s own vocabulary as far as possible
but the ideas must be retained in original and not of the summary writer. A summary that
contains the sentences or clauses patched together from the original text is a poor
summary. Figurative expression or poetic ornament is generally to be excluded.
(vi) Objectivity: A summary should be as objective as possible and not comment on the
original.

Process of writing a Summary

Interpreting
Interpreting a text is the ability to understand the text thoroughly. It requires intensive reading of
the text concerned. It is the reading with a purpose that requires obtaining specific information
about the text, understanding the text for critical answering and retaining this information for
future use and reference. It ensures a high degree of understanding and remembrance.
All types of summary-writing are based on the same general principles—the discrimination
between essential and non-essential material, the judicious selection of key ideas, and the
compilation of the essential information into a new text. The precis should be a fluid text which
stands on its own as an accurate, condensed re-creation of the source text, rather than a collage of
expressions and sentences copied from the original.

(i) Identify the topic: First glance through the original document, then read it very carefully
once more to extract the main ideas and concepts.
(ii) Highlight or underline main ideas: Each paragraph has a topic sentence. Identify it and
see how it helps in developing the entire paragraph. Highlight or underline it so that it
remains noticeable.
(iii) Give a title to the summary: The title will help you focus on the central idea of the
passage. The title can be a word, a phrase, or a brief sentence. The title should be short,
suggestive and impressive.
(iv) Write summary of each paragraph: Writing summary of each paragraph will help you
collect points about the passage and maintain the coherence in the summary.
(v) Write the summary: Once all the main ideas of the text are collected, one can begin
writing the summary. One has to remember that the summary should be written in one’s
own language. While writing the summary, retain important concepts, key words, and
important data. Avoid superfluous and ambiguous words. The use of modals and phrasal
verbs may be used for subtract. Never write a summary in direct speech and in first
person. Do not quote, comment and give examples. Never use abbreviations and symbols.
The tense of the original text should remain unchanged except in the extracts. It is
advisable that the third person should be used in summary writing.
(vi) Review and edit the summary: Once the summary is written, it needs to be reviewed so
that no unnecessary detail remains and the summary is clear, concise, and compact. The
summary also should be checked for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
Dos for precis writing:

(1) Lengthy lists and enumerations can often be summarized by the use of generic terms. It is
far better to find one general term to summarize a series than to select one item in the
series to represent the whole. For example, "Representatives of the Liberal Party, the
Progressive Conservative Party, and the New Democratic Party were in attendance,"
should be reduced to "Representatives of the major political parties were present.”
(2) Parallel structures can often be shortened by the omission of common elements or by
ellipsis: "He wanted to expand his horizons; he wanted to meet new people; he wanted to
realize his potential” can be shortened to "He wanted to expand his horizons, meet new
people, and realize his potential."
(3) Such expressions as for the example, in other word, moreover, similarly, in paraphrasing
etc. indicates the repetition of information so such information should be avoided after
critically comprehending the original text.
(4) Subordinate clauses can often be reduced to shorter structures with no loss of meaning:
"Peter, who was in a very hurry to leave abruptly, was brusque," can be shortened to
"Peter, anxious to leave, was brusque,"
(5) As modals show the attitude of the writer or speaker so the use of modals can shorten the
text. For example;

Don’ts for precis writing

(1) Do use detailed descriptions, illustrations, and examples.

(2) Do not Metaphors, similes, and picturesque discourse. These can often be reduced to a
neutral form, unless the image is essential to the passage.
(3) Do not use repetitions. If repetition is used in the original text for emphasis, you could
convey the emphasis by other means, such as by using emphatic vocabulary.
(4) Do not use the first-person pronoun and second person pronoun.
 (5) Do not use direct speech except in the very are cases where full justice cannot be done to
the author of the original text.
(6) Do not use redundancies.

"Approximately" is preferable to "in the neighbourhood of"; "Because," is preferable to "in view
of the fact that"; "If," is preferable to "in the event that"; "Therefore," is preferable to "with the
result that.";"2022," is preferable to "the year 2022.";"November," is preferable to "the month of
November."

Types Of precises

1. Popularization-summary/ Abridgement
2. Summary of a speech
3. Interlingual precis /Translation-summary
4. The Synthesis-Summary
5. Abstracting

1. Popularization-summary/ Abridgement
A popularization-summary is an easily understood abridged version of a fairly complex original
text. Writing a popularization summary involves a combination of skills: not only must you
determine and communicate the major ideas in the original, but you must also adapt the style and
level of diction to suit a general readership. The precis writer not only summarize but also
popularize the original material. The popularized version should be simply and clearly worded
and easy to understand; it should be less technical and more transparent than the original. Some
technical detail will of course be lost; after all, you are summarizing.
Whereas the original text is fairly specialized and is aimed at an audience that shares with the
author a certain expertise in the field, the popularized version is designed for an average reader
with no specialized background. The specialized text is written by an expert for an expert; the
popularized text may deal with specialized subject matter, but it is written for the general public.
The writing of the popularization-summary is a real test of your comprehension of the original;
your ability to express the essence of a specialized text in simple terms is proof of your
understanding of the material.
Question: Write a precis of the following text
The finding of an inverse relation between socio-economic status of parents and impaired mental
health is particularly significant because it indicates that successively lower parental status
carries for the child progressively greater likelihood of inadequate personality adjustment in
adulthood. The finding that one's current socio-economic status is even more closely related to
one's mental health suggests that the effects of low socio-economic status are probably
cumulative in that the vulnerable personalities developed by some low-status children prevent
their upward mobility and destine them to the further burdens and stresses that low
socioeconomic status adults typically encounter in the United States. Moreover, lower-class
persons tend toward socially disturbing psychotic adaptations that further complicate their
adjustment to an already stressful environment, while higher-status persons tend to respond to
stress with neurotic responses that are socially more adaptive. Thus, the cumulative effects of
unfavorable childhood and adult experiences on the lower-class person may result in a higher
degree of vulnerability not only to mental illness but also to the development of more serious
psychiatric symptoms.
Ans. Title: Poverty versus mental health
The poorer a family is, the greater the chance that its children will suffer from mental illness as
they grow up. Children in lower-income groups are caught in a vicious circle: the cumulative
effects of poverty on their mental health prevent them from improving their lot as they become
adults and thus from escaping a very stressful environment. People in higher income groups are
able to adapt to stress in a more socially acceptable way, whereas those from the lower classes
are more likely to develop serious psychiatric problems.
Question: Write a precis of the following text
The Ivory Coast is a country awash with goods. The money comes from the land. There is no oil
in the Ivory Coast (though promising offshore deposits have recently been discovered) and no
major mining. But practically everything that can grow, does. The country is the world's third
leading coffee exporter and has become first in cocoa (in part thanks to beans smuggled in from
Ghana, its troubled eastern neighbor). The forests of the southwest and the modern port of San
Pedro make it a principal supplier of timber to Europe. Most striking on a continent of singlecrop
economies, the Ivory Coast has successfully diversified its agriculture since it achieved
independence in 1960. The drier northern part of the country now produces some sugar, and the
region's red dirt roads are lined with dusty balls of cotton spilled from trucks headed for the
coast. The southern part has become Africa's leading exporter of pineapples and bananas. (156
words)
Answer:
Title: The Ivory Coast
The Ivory Coast is prosperous, thanks to its fertile land. It has little mining or oil, but it has a
diversified agricultural sector, unlike other African countries which rely on single crops. The
Ivory Coast is a leading exporter of coffee, cocoa, timber, pineapples and bananas; even the drier
north grows cotton and sugar. (54 words)
Question: Write a precis of the following text
The first principle of a modern plan for traffic is to separate through traffic from local traffic.
The American Automobile Association has said that from one-half to three-quarters of the
automobiles in the downtown area have destinations elsewhere and are simply passing through
because no convenient alternative route exists. It is short-sighted of business firms to insist upon
having major arteries pass their doors. Through traffic discourages local people from driving
downtown to shop.
Answer:
Title: Good traffic plan
A good traffic plan must first separate through traffic from local traffic. Through traffic, which
reportedly accounts for the majority of traffic in city cores, deters local customers from
frequenting downtown businesses.
Write a precis of following passage

It is very-very strong possibility as black-black clouds are hovering all over the skies like the
black flying threads of cotton, thereby creating dusky, dim, darkish views all over the
surrounding environment except here and there at times lightening along with frightening
thundering and stormy winds, that it is going to rain heavily very shortly.

Summary:

Title: Rain
Shortly, it may have rained stormily with lightening and thundering.

2. Summary of a speech
A written summary of a speech, of proceedings, or of other spoken material is called a summary
record. In abridging a speech, you must make several adaptations of format to convert direct
speech to indirect speech. As Change of person, change of tense, change in reference to time and
place.
Question: Write a summary of the following speech
On Saint Jean Baptiste Day, all French Canadians are invited to search their souls to rediscover
how history and their indomitable will to live have shaped them. In an age where assembly lines
and mass media tend to standardize lifestyles and rob us of our identities, French Canadians need
this opportunity to rediscover their roots and celebrate their distinct culture. For them, Saint Jean
Baptiste Day is a reminder to be true to oneself and to one's origins. This does not mean,
however, closing oneself to others. On the contrary, self-confidence encourages openness, as is
borne out by French Canada's refusal to withdraw into its shell at every major turn of its people's
existence. Though of French descent, they chose to be part of the Canadian and North American
adventure without renouncing either their language or their culture. Saint Jean Baptiste Day thus
affords an opportunity for other Canadians to look at their francophone compatriots in a new
light; to appreciate more fully the immense spiritual richness of the land we have built together
on North American soil, where people of all backgrounds come together. I hope that French
Canadians, in Quebec and in other provinces, will share this Saint Jean Baptiste Day with their
fellow Canadians and derive new inspiration from it. (214 words)
Answer:
Title: Enrich Cultural roots
Prime Minister Trudeau invited French Canadians to use Saint Jean Baptiste Day as an
opportunity to reflect on their roots and rejoice in their distinctive culture. He congratulated them
for not withdrawing into themselves but rather for being open and active participants in Canadian
and North American culture while still remaining true to their origins. Canadians of all
backgrounds should appreciate Canada's rich and diverse heritage and share in this celebration.
(71 words)

3. Interlingual precis /Translation-summary

This precis is written in other language than that of the source/given text. The source text is
summarized in a second language. This exercise combines translation and precis-writing skills.
4. The Synthesis-Summary
The Synthesis-Summary is the art of interpreting and grasping the ideas from the two different
texts and combing the information /material in one compact text. In drawing up a synthesis of
two or more articles on a particular topic, one must first grasp the main ideas in each of the
articles, and then combine the material into one concise comprehensive text.
5. Abstracting
An abstract is a summary of the essential facts and theories presented in a report, article, or other
document. Abstracts are a very specialized type of summary with a specific format. The main
focus of an abstract sets on —purpose, methodology, results, conclusions, and recommendations.
The standard length of an abstract is 100-250 words, depending on the length and complexity of
the original.
The precis is basically an academic exercise—hence the emphasis on the style and readability of
the finished product as a piece of prose in its own right. Abstracts, on the other hand, are
pragmatic texts designed to be used primarily by specialists interested in the content of recent
publications in their field.
An abstract is a well-defined type of form with definite attributes and a unique style. Abstracting
is not a 'natural' form of writing; it requires training. The abstract must be brief and accurate, and
it must be presented in a format designed to facilitate the skimming of a large text.

Types of abstract

There are two standard types of abstract, with two distinct functions.

Descriptive, or Indicative Abstract: The descriptive, or indicative, abstract describes the scope
of the text, but does not contain extensive data and is not designed to replace the original. Rather,
it is designed to help the reader decide whether or not the original is relevant to his or her
research. Indicative abstract describes the purpose, scope, and methods found in the original
text.

Informative Abstract: The second type of abstract, the informative abstract, gives more detailed
information on the content of the article; it can in some cases replace the source text and save the
reader the bother of reading the original document. The informative abstract describes the
purpose, scope, methods, results, conclusions, and recommendations.

Author abstracts: are written by the author or publishing house and are published along with
the document itself.

Access abstracts: are written by information specialists and published in collections by

abstracting services.

Process of Abstract writing:

Edward T. Cremmins in his The Art of Abstracting suggests a three-stage approach to

abstracting. He breaks the process down into what he calls;

Retrieval Reading: The first step is to read the text analytically, identifying the nature of each
section of the text and indicating the themes by using a system of marginalia.

Creative Reading: The second step involves grouping all the relevant material into general
categories—for example, bringing together all the information on purpose, scope, and method
under one heading—then rereading the information in each category, and summarizing it in one
or several concise sentences.
Critical Reading: In the third step, the material assembled and drafted in step two is edited and
revised; the abstractor endeavours to polish the text, making sure that the sentences flow together
and that there is no unnecessary repetition.

Don’ts for abstract writing:

•Don’t include your critical assessment of the document.
• Don’t change the meaning of the original document.
• Don’t include background information or information concerning work done by others, unless
the document studies or evaluates this work in depth.
• Don’t include any information not in the original.
• Don’t use jargon, circumlocutions, or unnecessary words.
• Don’t repeat yourself.
• Don’t go into excessive detail.

Dos for abstract writing:

• Read the text analytically, with the purpose of identifying information to be included in the
abstract.
• Include the purpose of the work done, the methodology used, the results obtained, and the
conclusions reached.
• Be as informative as possible but with the focus of brevity.
• Use full, connected sentences and standard English; follow conventional rules governing
grammar and punctuation.
• Avoid overuse of the passive.
• Use the third person.
• Use standard nomenclature.
• Make sure that your abstract is no more than 250 words in length (if the original is of standard
length)
E-mail Writing
Introduction: Electronic mail (e-mail) is the medium of communication that sends and receives
messages through specially designed computer networks. With the revolution in information
technology along with the rapid growth of the Internet, e-mail has become the most popular
communication medium. More and more people are spending time on the Net sending e-mail
messages. There is no doubt that due to its high speed, low cost, and efficiency, e-mail is today
one of the most important channels of communication.
Like business letters and memos, e-mail messages help to reinforce professional and business
relations. Everyday business dealings and ordinary activities of business would not be possible
without e-mail. E-mail can be used both as a means to reach out to people outside an
organisation, and to send information within an organisation. It is used within organisations
through specially designed internal computer networks.

Advantages of E-mail

Speed: Speed is the main advantage of using e-mail. Unlike regular mail, which may take days
or even weeks to reach its destination, e-mail reaches its destination instantaneously. A message
can be sent quickly to anyone anywhere in the world. Distance is immaterial. Just type the
name/names and e-mail address/addresses of the recipient and click the mouse on the send
button, and your message goes.

Low Cost: Low cost is yet another advantage of using e-mail. As sending e-mail does not
involve printing and copying, it is less expensive than any other channel of communication (that
is, postal mail, telephone, fax etc.). Many e-mail messages can be sent in a few minutes and the
only cost would be that of using the internet. Moreover, the size of the message or the distance to
the recipient does not affect the cost.

Quick Distribution: E-mail makes distribution quick and easy. Messages can be sent to more
than one person at the same time. There is no wasting of time and no repetition.

Flexibility: E-mail allows complete flexibility during composing and drafting. While using e-
mail, the sender may edit, revise, modify, and redesign his/her message without printing and
copying it. He/She can easily reshape e-mail messages before sending them. Moreover, he/she
has the flexibility to receive or compose e-mails as per his/her convenience.

Easy Attachments: It is easy to attach files, photographs, clippings, drawings, video clips,
sound recordings, and so on to an e-mail. The attached file may reflect near the e-mail header or
at the last of an e-mail page as the style depends on the used software.

Easy Upward Communication: E-mail is less formal and structured than letters and memos. It
is normally in the form of a private dialogue, where the sender wants to say something and
expects a response to the message. Thus, e-mail promotes easier upward communication. While
using e-mail the sender need not worry about a formal and fixed style of communication. He/She
may follow the norms of any set pattern of writing and is free to choose any style or pattern that
suits the content.

Characteristics /Standards of Effective E-Mail Writing:

Concise: Conciseness is the most important characteristic of a successful e-mail message. An e-

mail should not contain unnecessary information. Unnecessary explanations, repetitions, wordy
expressions, and exaggeration should be avoided. Ideas should be organised in such a way that
the e-mail makes its point with the fewest words possible. The reader may not be interested, or
have the time, in a very long and detailed message.

Correct: Accuracy is crucial to successful e-mail writing. Correct format and structure should be
used. Correct e-mail addresses should be written. Messages may bounce if incorrect e-mail
address is written. The content of the e-mail should also be checked for factual accuracy. E-mail
messages should be edited for spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.

Clear: E-mails should be simple and clear. An unclear and vague e-mail may be immediately
deleted. Simple, familiar, direct and specific words, appropriate linkers, and transitional signals
should be used to form short sentences and paragraphs.

Conversational Tone: The tone of e-mail messages is usually formal but conversational. It is
better to use a tone which gives a personal touch to e-mails. However, one should avoid being
too informal or emotional. The challenge is to maintain professionalism without being too
formal. Although first person pronouns (that is, I, we) and conversational contractions (you’ll,
he’ll, she’ll, can’t, don’t, doesn’t, etc.) may be used, standard writing techniques should be used
and professional writing conventions followed.

Single Theme: A successful e-mail message deals with only one topic. In order to be purposive,
you need to focus on a single theme. Develop a single theme logically, subordinating related
ideas.

Be Formal: E-mail is a formal channel of communication and formal language should be used.
Standard writing techniques should be used and professional writing conventions should be
followed.

E-Mail Structure

Formatting e-mail messages demands awareness of current e-mail conventions and standard
practices. In order to write an appropriate e-mail, it should be formatted correctly. Standard
writing conventions should be followed. When we receive an Internet e-mail message, it usually
contains many lines before the beginning of the actual text. These lines consist of the “header” of
the message.

The three most important pieces of information in the header are the e-mail addresses of the
sender and the e-mail addresses of the recipient, and a subject line.

Structure of E-mail
E-mail structure includes the following:
Header
Structure of an e-mail header:
The heading segment of an e-mail includes the following elements:
Date: It is automatically inserted by the software programme.
From: It is sender’s e-mail address. IT is automatically inserted by the software programme.
To: It is receiver’s e-mail address. The receiver’s address is not like the letter. It is specific as
[email protected]
Subject: The Subject line summarises the topic of the e-mail in a few words. It includes clear
and complete information about the theme of the e-mail in phrase form.
CC: The CC line (carbon copy) may include the e-mail address of anyone who is to receive a
copy of the e-mail message. It is an optional line. The e-mail address(es) mentioned in the CC
line would be visible to other recipients in the To field.
BCC: The BCC line (blind carbon copy) may include the e-mail address of anyone who is to
receive a blind copy of the e-mail message. The e-mail address(es) mentioned in the BCC line
would not visible to other recipients in the To or CC fi elds. It is an optional line.

Salutation: (follow the style and conventions used in letters)

Body: (follow the style and conventions used in letters)
Closing; (follow the style and conventions used in letters)
Signature; (follow the style and conventions used in letters)

Note:

 When a person sends an e-mail message, the programme usually inserts him/her
(sender’s) name, return e-mail address (sender’s), and date automatically. Therefore, the
sender need not type his/her name, e-mail address, and date again. He/She just needs to
fill in the “To” field.
 In general, email messages follow the style and conventions used in letters or faxes. you
can use salutations and complimentary close.
 However, if you know the recipient well, or if you are exchanging a series of messages
with one person, you may dispense with the salutation and complimentary close.
 Do not confuse personal messages with business messages. In a business message, the
same rules of writing apply as for a Ietter: write clearly, carefully, and courteously;
consider audience, purpose, clarity, consistency, conciseness, and tone.
 Do not write words in capital letters in an email message. This can be seen as the
equivalent of shouting and therefore have a negative effect. If you want to stress a word,
put asterisks on each side of it, e.g.*urgent*
 In general, limit yourself to one topic per message. This helps to keep the message brief
and makes it easier for the recipient to answer, file, and retrieve it later.