English Grammar

Business Writing Tips

All business material should be written in a professional way which means that it should be clear, concise, and formal. Avoid technical jargon that only industry insiders will understand. Also avoid buzzwords. So what exactly is meant by clear and concise business writing? Well, clear and concise means that you should avoid:

Vague or ambiguous statements

While writing business documents you should avoid vague and ambiguous statements that the reader may not be able to understand or interpret.
Jokes, anecdotes and clichés

Jokes and cliches are fine in informal pieces of writing. But in business writing these are totally out of place and should be avoided.

Unsubstantiated facts

Avoid including unsubstantiated facts in a business letter or document as these may affect the credibility of the writer and the organization.

Slang or offensive language

These are strict no-no in a piece of business writing.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling errors

This rule is applicable to all forms of writing, but in the case of business writing it is particularly true. Spelling and grammatical errors will make you look unprofessional. Worse still,they will cause confusion and waste precious time and resources.

Using the Passive Voice

Good business writing doesn’t permit the use of excessive passive verbs. The passive voice is used in situations where you don’t want to attribute the action to a particular person or group. As a general rule, you should use few passive verbs in your writing. That said, passive constructions are quite appropriate in situations where the reader doesn’t need to know who performed the action.

Business emails

Nowadays much of the business writing is in the form of emails. Business emails are usually simple and straightforward. However, even in short emails you should include a clear subject line. Start the email with the name of the person you are writing to. Sign off with an appropriate closing formula such as ‘Best regards’ or ‘Kind regards’ and your name. In more formal emails sign off with “Yours sincerely”