Cambodian Mekong University

MN217 – Business Communication

Worksheet: Chapter 04 Revising Business Messages 1. Vigorous writing is concise. Concise means that the writing: a. contains no flabby phrases. b. is free of errors in grammar and punctuation. c. has been revised to include examples and research. d. avoids zigzag writing. 2. Which of the following is true about writing and revising business documents? a. Rarely is the first version satisfactory, but the second version is usually excellent. b. Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try. c. If the second version has no errors in spelling and punctuation, it is satisfactory. d. The real work of revision should happen in the writing stage as you select words and form sentences. 3. Brandon has completed the first and second phases of the writing process and has a rough draft of his quarterly report completed. He is ready for the third phase of the writing process, which is: a. revision. b. publication. c. second drafting. d. sprint writing. 4. Words such as definitely, quite, extremely, rather, and actually are: a. adjectives that add a welcome degree of emotion to your writing. b. adjectives that may be omitted because they are imprecise. c. adverbs that may be eliminated to strengthen business writing. d. adverbs that streamline your writing. 5. Flabby phrases (a writing fault) include: a. phrases that can be reduced to a single word. b. paragraphs that combine two transitional styles. c. prepositional phrases that function as adverbs. d. zigzag sentences and faulty parallelism. 6. Which of the following phrases avoids outdated expressions and uses more modern phrasing? a. Enclosed please find b. Thanking you in advance

By: NOU Pharath (Mr.)

Page | 1

Cambodian Mekong University

MN217 – Business Communication

c. I trust that d. At your request 7. Which of the following is accurate about long lead-ins? a. You should use long lead-ins to make the tone of your message more businesslike. b. Long lead-ins can be used to clarify your message by making it more concrete. c. Avoid long lead-ins because they delay the reader from reaching the meaning of the sentence. d. Eliminate long lead-ins because they are unnecessary intensifiers that create redundant expressions. 8. It was our business manager who gave us information about the loss of franchise outlets along the Gulf Coast after the hurricane is an example of a sentence with: a. concise wording. b. fillers. c. needless adverbs. d. outdated expressions. 9. Which of the following sentences contains a redundant expression? a. Your participation in the survey assists in creating products that meet your needs. b. This brief survey asks you only about your use of the product, and we keep no personal information on respondents. c. Honest responses from consumers who regularly buy and use the product provide the most reliable information. d. Your opinions are absolutely essential to product development. 10. Which of the following is true about the use of jargon in business writing? a. Jargon is the specialized terminology of a specific profession and can be used if you are writing for that profession. b. Jargon, another name for outdated expressions, must be avoided in business writing. c. Adding jargon to your business document will improve the precision and clarity of most messages. d. Creating up-to-date, fresh images is made simpler by the use of jargon. 11. Clichés should be avoided in business writing because they: a. are dull and sometimes ambiguous. b. have become exhausted by overuse. c. may cause comprehension problems for people new to our culture. d. all choices are reasons to avoid the use of clichés.

By: NOU Pharath (Mr.)

Page | 2

Cambodian Mekong University

MN217 – Business Communication

12. Which of the following is most concrete? a. Of the survey replies received, 38 percent were from two-parent households. b. The shipping department has to move a lot of inventory. c. A motor vehicle in our parking lot has its lights on. d. You will appreciate the many fine features on our new product. 13. Which of the following is the best tip for proofreading documents? a. Run your computer’s grammar checker to eliminate all grammar errors. b. Proofread each section as you complete it. c. Proofread your document once it is in its final form. d. Proofread for spelling using your spell checker, but don’t waste time on small concerns such as the difference between affect and effect. 14. For complex documents, it’s best to proofread: a. from a printed copy only. b. on the computer screen only. c. as you compose the document. d. either on the screen or from a printed copy using the method you prefer. 15. Business writers who need to improve their writing skills should pay most attention to: a. collecting adequate information for the profiled audience. b. revising and proofreading their messages. c. developing documents that have businesslike layouts and formatting. d. refining their ability to empathize with the audience. 16. One reason concise messages are essential in business is that they save money by saving time. a. True b. False 17. This message is to let you know that should probably be eliminated from a sentence because it represents a long lead-in. a. True b. False 18. Definitely is an example of a vivid adjective. a. True b. False 19. It is better to use the phrase in a careful manner than the single word carefully when you need to explain how an action is to be completed. a. True b. False By: NOU Pharath (Mr.)

Page | 3

Cambodian Mekong University

MN217 – Business Communication

20. One way to improve the vigor and readability of a message is to avoid the monotony of repetitious use of words by substituting appropriate synonyms and pronouns. a. True b. False 21. Although scientists and the medical field use jargon, most other fields do not have terminology specific to the field. a. True b. False 22. Converting a verb into a noun creates stronger, more professional business writing (e.g. made a decision instead of decided). a. True b. False 23. Most sophisticated word processing software includes technology to identify significant problems including spelling errors, typographical mistakes, word use problems, and punctuation problems. a. True b. False 24. When writers check their business reports for page balance, they are engaged in verifying the format, which is part of the revising phase of the writing process. a. True b. False 25. You are likely to become a stronger proofreader of complex documents if you criticize yourself each time you find an error. a. True b. False

By: NOU Pharath (Mr.)

Page | 4