While communicating with business
people, the language you use must be consistently appropriate in style and
tone.
The following are the basic features
of formal writing:
1. Write all verbs in full
Do not use contracted forms like
don’t or can’t. Do not use abbreviations such as info (for information) and
asap (for as soon as possible).
2. Limit the use of passive voice
However, there are some situations
where passive verb forms are preferred to active forms. For example, active
verb forms used with the first person singular are not considered appropriate
in formal or academic writing.
Write ‘A copy of the document will
be mailed to you as soon as possible’ instead of ‘I will mail you a copy of the
document asap.’
3. Watch your vocabulary
Certain words are considered
informal. Examples are: fix, begin, start, OK, thanks etc. Avoid them in formal
writing. Instead use words like repair (for fix), commence (for start/begin),
in order/all right (for OK) and thank you (for thanks).
4. Avoid informal intensifiers like
really and so
Instead use more sophisticated ones
such as extremely, highly, entirely etc.
5. Limit the use of phrasal verbs
As far as possible avoid using them.
But if that is not possible, limit their use. It is usually possible to express
the same idea using standard verb
forms.
6. Certain discourse markers are
considered informal
Avoid using them. For example, write
‘incidentally’ instead of ‘by the way.’
7. Do not leave out words
Ellipsis is
not acceptable in formal writing. Write ‘I hope to see you soon’ instead of
‘Hope to see you soon.’
© Joseph Baidoo
Joseph Baidoo
is a Ghanaian and is popularly known on social media as Misty Joe.
