W5D3 Business Style - Politeness

AGENDA:
finish Positive Emphasis sentences from last class
Polite Writing
Business Style Review
Practice Letter (Concise, Polite, and Positive)
Business Style Task
POSITIVE EMPHASIS (contd)
students were to do the rest of the sentences for homework
students read out sentences teacher writes them on the board and corrects
POLITE WRITING
Handout students do sentences - 1st look at sentences ASK what is
the most important information the facts that need to be communicated
2nd ASK how can you communicate that information in a polite way
take-up sentences explain why sentences are impolite
Anger showing strong negative emotions in your writing
Sarcasm saying the opposite of what you mean to be funny or rude
Condescending speaking as if you are better than the other person
Presumptuous going beyond the limits of what is proper or accepted in a
situation
Dont be too polite be confident but not boastful
BUSINESS STYLE REVIEW
Handout Conciseness, positivity, politeness
read through with class to remind them of what they learned this week
PRACTICE LETTER (Concise, Polite, and Positive)
do depending on time
students are too rewrite the letter to make it more concise, polite, and
positive
BUSINESS STYLE TASK
Handout give students assignment read through and make sure they
understand

W5D3 Business Style - Politeness

TEACHING POINTS (from textbook chapter)

POSITIVITY:
emphasize what the reader can do rather than what he or she cant (NO NOTS)
avoid negative wording for positive or neutral ideas (NO NOTS)
be careful of word choice, e.g. unfortunately, allege, claim, reject, deny, mistake,
regret, unable, deny, fail(ure) can start a conflict
use dependent clauses and passive voice when giving bad news
READER BENEFITS:
YOU-ATTITUDE present your information from readers point of view use 2 nd
person pronouns (you, your, yourself) instead of 1 st person (I, m y, we, us, our)
e.g. we give our customers 5% off their first purchase -> You get 5% off your
first purchase. (Dont use with negative info)
Emphasize reader benefits put good stuff first eg. please fill out our survey
to receive a free gift -> To receive a free gift, please fill out our survey.