CONCRETENESS

 Communicating concretely means being:

• Specific
• Definite
• Vivid
BENEFITS OF CONCRETENESS
• Receivers know what is required
• Message is interpreted the way sender intended
• Message is interesting, vivid and dynamic
GUIDELINES FOR CONCRETENESS
 Specific Facts and Figures
Action in verbs
Vivid , image-building words
EXAMPLES
• “Student GMAT scores are higher”
• “In 2012 the GMAT scores averaged 600; by 2013 they had risen to
650”

• “She’s a brain”
- “ Her grade – point average in 2014 was 3.9 on a 4 point scale.”
OPINION WORDS
• Some of the general words are opinion words
- Higher
- A Few
- Slightly
Action in verbs
“ The tests were administered by the professors.”

“ The professors administered the tests.”

Action in verbs
“ Grades of students will be sent to you by school.”

“The school will send grades of their students.”

Action in verbs
“ The function of this office is the collection of payments
and the compilation of statements.”

“This office collects payments and compiles statements.”

Action in verbs
“The proposal has a requirement for …..”

“The proposal requires…”

Vivid – Image building Words
“ This is a long letter”
“ This letter is three times longer than you said.”

“Some women were stopped in their promotions.”

“ Some women faced glass ceilings in their company.”
CLARITY
• Precise, concrete and familiar words
• Effective sentences and paragraphs
FAMILIAR WORDS
• Words that are unpretentious
• Words that are familiar to the audience

EXAMPLE
After Subsequent
Home Domicile
Pay Remuneration
EXAMPLE OF CLARITY
Unclear: After our perusal of pertinent data the conclusion
is that a lucrative market exists for the property.

Clear: The data we studied show that your property is

profitable and in high demand.
 CONSTRUCTING EFFECTIVE
SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS
• LENGTH
• Short Sentences are preferred. Keep a sentence between 3 to 30
words. Sentences over 40 words should be revised.

UNITY
• Express one idea or related ideas in one sentence
• “ I like Jim, and the Eiffel Tower”

COHERENCE
• Words are correctly arranged so that meaning is clear.
Examples given in next slide.
COHERENCE
• “His report was about managers, broken down by age and
gender” – Unclear

• “His report focused on age and gender of managers” -

Clear
COHERENCE
• “ Being an excellent lawyer. I am sure you can help us.”-
Unclear

• “ As you are an excellent lawyer, I am sure you can help

us.”- Clear
COURTESY
• Awareness of other’s feelings
• Sincere ‘you’ attitude
• Politeness
• Grows out of respect and concern for others
COURTESY
• Tactful, thoughtful and appreciative
• Expressions that show respect
• Non discriminatory expressions
TACTFUL
• “ I rewrote that letter three times; the point was not clear.”
• “ I am sorry the point was not clear; here is another
version.”
SHOW RESPECT
• Omit Irritating Expressions
• I am sure you must realize
• You claim that
• You should know

• Omit Questionable Humour

Nondiscriminatory language
• “ Anyone who comes to class late will have his grade
reduced.”
• “ Students who come late to class will have their grades
reduced.”
Non-discriminatory language
• The best man for this position
• “The best person for this position”

• Man –Made: constructed, manufactured

• Manpower-employees, workforce
CORRECTNESS
Correctness does not only mean that the letter should be
correct in grammar and mechanics of writing, it means the
writer should

• Use the right level of language

• Check Accuracy of facts, figures and words
CORRECTNESS
• More Formal, Conversational and Sub standard
Participate Join
Ascertain Find out
Deem Think
CORRECTNESS
• Figures and Facts
• Check accuracy
• Verify statistical data
• Double check totals
WORDS THAT CONFUSE
• Anxious, Eager
• Between, Among
• Accept, Except
• Eminent, imminent
 Revise the following Sentences
• This jewelry is inexpensive. (Make it concrete)
• Looking back the cat was following us. (Revise for clarity)
• Web based customer service will produce the effect of
reduction in overall costs (make it concise)
• It was not only poor planning in the collection department
but they also seemed to have no idea of the way to write
a courteous letter to customers. (make it clear and more
coherent)
• All the salespeople were given training in writing letters ,
in using the telephone and how to keep all various
products classified ( make clear and coherent)