Reviewer for BRW

Active and Passive Voice

Voice refers to the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. There
are two main types of voice: Active Voice and Passive Voice.
Active Voice
In active voice, the subject performs the action described by the verb. The subject is
the doer of the action. The verb is in the active form.
Examples:
The dog bites the man. (Here, "dog" is the subject performing the action of biting.)
The teacher is teaching the students. (Here, "teacher" is the subject performing the
action of teaching.)
Passive Voice
In passive voice, the subject receives the action described by the verb.
The subject is the receiver of the action.
The verb is in the passive form, which is formed using the verb "to be" (in the correct
tense) + past participle of the main verb.
Examples:
The man is bitten by the dog. (Here, "man" is the subject receiving the action of being
bitten.)
The students are being taught by the teacher. (Here, "students" is the subject receiving
the action of being taught.)
Key differences:
Focus: Active voice focuses on the doer of the action, while passive voice focuses on
the receiver of the action.
Verb form: Active voice uses the active form of the verb, while passive voice uses the
passive form (verb "to be" + past participle).
Word order: The word order may change when converting from active to passive
voice.
Camouflage verbs in writing refer to verbs that blend in with the surrounding context,
making it difficult to identify the main action or point of the sentence. These verbs are
often weak or vague, failing to provide a clear understanding of what is happening in
the sentence.
Examples of camouflage verbs include:
To be (is, are, am, etc.),To have,To do,To make ,To get
These verbs can make sentences seem ambiguous or unclear. To avoid using
camouflage verbs, it's essential to use more descriptive and specific verbs that convey
the intended meaning.
For instance:
Instead of saying "The new policy is effective," say "The new policy improves
employee productivity."
Instead of saying "The company will make a statement," say "The company will
announce its quarterly earnings."
Revising-is a process of improving a piece of writing by reviewing and making
changes to its content, structure and style. it involves more than just correcting errors,
it's about strengthening the overall message and clarity of the text.
Drafting-is the stage in the writing process where you begin turning your ideas into
complete sentences and paragraphs. The goal is to get your ideas down on paper
without worrying about the grammar
Readable formatting-makes messages clear and easy to follow:
Clarity – Main points stand out.
Comprehension – Ideas are easy to grasp.
Engagement – Keeps readers interested.
Professionalism – Shows effort and credibility.
Adaptation-involves adjusting your message's tone and style, like
shifting from a formal presentation to an informal chat with friends.
Parts of sentence
Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea the sentence is about.
Predicate: The part of the sentence that tells us something about the subject. It
contains the verb.
Within these two main parts, you can further identify:
Verb: The action or state of being related to the subject.
Object: The person or thing affected by the action of the verb. There are direct objects
(receiving the action directly) and indirect objects (receiving the direct object).
Complement: A word or phrase that completes the meaning of the sentence, often
following linking verbs.
Modifiers (adjectives, adverbs): Words or phrases that describe or modify other parts
of the sentence.
Example: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
Subject: "The quick brown fox"
Modifiers: "quick" and "brown" modifying "fox"
Predicate: "jumps over the lazy dog"
Verb: "jumps"
Object (prepositional object in this case): "the lazy dog"
Modifier: "lazy" modifying "dog"
Parts of paragraph
topic sentence – introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
supporting sentences – explain or give examples related to the topic.
details/evidence – facts, reasons, examples, or explanations.
concluding sentence – summarizes or links to the next paragraph
transitions – words or phrases that connect ideas smoothly (e.g., however, in addition,
on the other hand)
An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a
sentence.
It has a subject and a verb and makes full sense on its own.
A dependent clause has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought
and cannot stand alone.
Parallelism in sentence unity refers to the use of similar grammatical structures to
express related ideas.
Paraphrasing is the act of restating information, ideas, or passages from a source using
your own words while maintaining the original meaning.
Selecting words for precise meanings
1. Be Clear
2. Be Specific
3. Consider the Tone
4. Avoid Ambiguity
5. Use strong action
6. Know your audience
Using respectful and inclusive language helps create a more welcoming
environment for everyone.
Some tips to avoid stereotypes:
Use person-first language (e.g., "person with a disability" instead of "disabled
person")
Avoid assumptions based on appearance or identity
Be mindful of cultural differences and nuances
Use inclusive language in writing and speech
Some words and phrases to avoid include:
Racial slurs or derogatory terms
Stereotypical phrases like "that's so gay" or "he's really smart for someone from..."
Nationality-based insults or assumptions (e.g., "all Americans are...")
Using "they" as a derogatory term for someone who's LGBTQ+
Ghetto- It unfairly associates a race with poverty
Chinky eyes- It's offensive and reduces a race to a physical traits
Terrorist-Labeling someone as violent based on religion or nationality
Indian- Seeing all Indians are dirty
Effective business writing- is crucial for communication, collaboration, and building
relationships.
Fundamentals of Effective business writing:
Clear purpose: Define the purpose of your writing before you start.
Know your audience: Understand who your readers are, what they need to know
Concise language: Use simple, straightforward language to convey your message.
Organized structure: Use a logical structure; introduction, body, and conclusion.
Active voice: Use active voice to make your writing more engaging and easier to
read.
Proper grammar and punctuation: Ensure error-free writing to maintain credibility.
Tone and style: Adapt your tone and style to your audience and purpose.
Use of examples and anecdotes: Use relevant examples to illustrate points
Editing and proofreading: Review and edit your work carefully before sharing
Roles of communication in Business
1 Exchanging information
keep updated.
getting the right thing done in the right way.
2 Goal achievement
working group of people
synchronization of goals
3 Decision making
collect information and formulate strategy
communicate decision to others for implementation
4 Marketing businesses-communicating the right message to the right audience
through communication,sell the products or reach audience in an effective way
Categories of business communication
I- internal communication
classified as upward, downward, or horizontal.
occurs within an organization and includes information sharing:
a. encouraging collaboration and cooperation,
b. aligning employees with managerial objectives
1. Upward Communication
transmitted from employees to the managerial or executive level
a. product or service performance,
b. feedback,
c. and workflow recommendations
2. downward communication
transmitting information from the management to the employees.
a. policies,
b. procedures,
c. standards,
d. and assessments employed in an organization
3. Lateral Communication
known as cross-bottom-up communication, occurs within the same organizational
tier.
a. Coordinate activities in implementing organizational goals,
b. Share information,
c. Enhance teamwork.
II. External Communication
It involves organization and people or entities outside the organization, in this case,
customers, the supply chain, shareholders, and the public.
Letters are formal or informal written messages exchanged between individuals or
organizations. They're often used for personal or professional purposes, such as:
Business communication
Job applications
Personal correspondence
Memoranda (memos) are brief documents used for internal communication within an
organization. They're typically used to:
Share information
Make announcements
Request actions
Effective emails typically have these key traits:
Clear subject line: Concise and relevant to the content.
Focused purpose: Clearly states the email's intent.
Concise content: Straightforward and to the point.
Proper formatting: Easy to read with headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs.
Professional tone: Adapted to the audience and purpose.
Relevant details: Includes necessary information without overwhelming.
Call-to-action: Specifies what action the recipient should take.
Inappropriate use of emails can include:
Sending spam or unsolicited messages
Sharing confidential or sensitive information without permission
Using company email for personal or unauthorized purposes
Sending emails with harassment, bullying, or discriminatory content
Impersonating others or using fake email account