Business Communication Quiz! Trivia Test

The correct answer is "repeats meaning unnecessarily." This means that a redundancy is an expression that unnecessarily repeats the same meaning or information. Redundancies can occur when words or phrases are used together that convey the same idea, making them unnecessary and potentially confusing for the reader or listener.

The best example of business writing is "Please remind your employees of the dangers of sharing passwords." This option is the most concise and direct, effectively conveying the message without unnecessary complexity or wordiness. It uses clear and straightforward language to communicate the desired action to the employees.

This answer explains that readability formulas are based on word and sentence length, but they do not always accurately measure meaningfulness. This implies that while these formulas may provide some information about the complexity of a text, they may not fully capture its overall clarity or comprehensibility.

During the revising phase of the writing process, Clare will spend the most time making sure her message is very clear. This is because revising involves reviewing and reworking the content of the writing to improve clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. Clare will focus on refining her message, clarifying any confusing or ambiguous points, and ensuring that her ideas are expressed in a clear and concise manner.

The correct answer is "Place the files on the desk over there." This sentence does not contain any opening fillers such as "There is" or "It is." Opening fillers are words or phrases that do not add any meaningful content to a sentence and can be eliminated without changing the overall meaning. In this case, the other three sentences contain opening fillers ("There is a reason," "It is an important part," "There are additional suggestions"), while the correct answer does not.

Sam agreed with Sara's idea is free of clichés, compound prepositions, and wordiness. It is a concise and straightforward sentence that conveys the information without unnecessary repetition or excessive words.

The correct answer is for graphic highlighting. This means that bold, italics, and underlining can be used to emphasize certain words or phrases in order to make them stand out visually. This can be helpful in drawing attention to important information or making key points more noticeable to the reader.

In phase 3 of the 3x3 writing process, the writer revises the message to improve content and sentence structure. This involves reviewing the content of the draft, making necessary changes to improve clarity and effectiveness, and ensuring that the sentences are well-structured and coherent. This step focuses on refining the message and making it more polished before moving on to the final draft.

The goal of business writing is to communicate clearly and effectively. Using words that will impress the reader may lead to confusion or misunderstanding. It is important to keep the writing simple and conversational to ensure that the message is easily understood by the intended audience.

Bullets, enumerated lists, headings, boldface, and italics help writers to improve comprehension. These formatting techniques make information easier to read and understand by organizing it into clear and distinct sections. Bullets and lists break down complex ideas into smaller, digestible points, while headings provide a clear structure and guide the reader through the content. Boldface and italics draw attention to important words or phrases, emphasizing their significance. Overall, these formatting tools enhance comprehension by making the text more visually appealing and accessible to readers.

The correct answer is "I know" because it is a first-person construction where the speaker is referring to themselves. The other options are not first-person constructions as they refer to other people or a general group of people.

When proofreading a document, it is important to be concerned with spelling, grammar, and punctuation to ensure that the text is free from errors. Additionally, the format of the document should be checked to ensure consistency and readability. Names and numbers should also be reviewed for accuracy and correct formatting. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the above" as all these aspects need to be considered during the proofreading process.

Proofreading from a printed copy is the safest way to proofread routine documents because it allows for a more thorough review. When proofreading on a computer screen, it is easier to miss errors due to the small font size or the tendency to skim over the text. In WYSIWYG mode, the document may appear differently on the screen than it will when printed, leading to potential formatting or layout errors being overlooked. While running a spelling check can catch some errors, it may not catch all grammatical or formatting mistakes. Therefore, proofreading from a printed copy ensures a more careful and accurate review of the document.

A readability formula is a measure used to calculate the difficulty of your writing. It helps determine how easy or difficult it is for readers to understand your text. By analyzing factors such as sentence length, word complexity, and vocabulary, a readability formula can provide an objective assessment of the readability level of a piece of writing. This can be useful for authors, editors, and educators in tailoring their writing to the appropriate audience and ensuring clarity and comprehension.

The best way to evaluate a finished written message is through feedback. Feedback from others can provide valuable insights on the clarity, effectiveness, and impact of the message. It allows for a fresh perspective and helps identify any areas that may need improvement. While determining readability level, using grammar/style checker programs, and eliminating wordy phrases are also important, they cannot replace the value of feedback in assessing the overall quality of the message.

The answer "Please tell your employees about the company’s new e-mail guidelines" is the best example of business writing because it is concise, clear, and direct. It uses simple language and avoids unnecessary jargon or formalities. The message is conveyed effectively without any ambiguity or confusion.

The sentence is discussing two messages that are "exactly identical," which is redundant because "exactly" already implies that they are identical. Therefore, eliminating the redundancy would make the sentence more effective.

The phrase "essential items" is free of redundancies because the word "essential" already implies that the items are necessary or important. Therefore, there is no need to include the word "necessary" or any other redundant words.

Trite expressions refer to business expressions that have been used repeatedly over the years and have lost their originality. These phrases are considered cliché and lack creativity or freshness.

The sentence suffers from nonparallel construction. This means that the items in the list (scheduling appointments, answering the phone, and writing reports) are not presented in a consistent grammatical form. The first two items are presented as gerunds (verb forms used as nouns), while the last item is presented as a verb. To make the sentence parallel, all items should be presented in the same form, such as using gerunds for all three items.

The sentence "I am ready and willing to offer you a discount on future purchases" contains the word "and," which is a compound preposition. However, removing the compound preposition does not make the sentence more concise. The sentence does not contain any trite expressions or opening fillers. The only unnecessary element in the sentence is the redundancy of using both "ready" and "willing" to convey the same meaning. Therefore, the correct answer is redundancy.

The given examples, "Pursuant to your request, as per your telephone call, and thanking you in advance," are trite expressions because they are overused and lack originality. These phrases are often used as empty formalities and can be seen as insincere or unnecessary.

The given answer represents the BEST business writing because it is clear, concise, and provides specific information. It effectively communicates the departure and arrival times of the plane, which is important information for business purposes. The other options either contain unnecessary phrases or lack specific details that would be needed in a business context.

Most readability formulas measure the readability of a text by considering the number of long words and the length of sentences. These two factors are important indicators of how difficult a text is to understand. Long words can be challenging for readers, especially if they are not familiar with the vocabulary used. Similarly, long sentences can make it harder for readers to follow the flow of the text and comprehend its meaning. Therefore, by considering both the number of long words and sentence length, readability formulas can provide a more comprehensive assessment of the text's readability.

The sentence suggests that using an outside company for payroll has an advantage. The phrase "There is" at the beginning of the sentence is unnecessary and can be eliminated to make the sentence more concise. Therefore, the correct answer is "opening filler."

The given options are commonly used in professional communication, but they may not necessarily be considered "businesslike" or effective. "Enclosed please find" is a formal phrase used when sending documents, but it can be wordy and outdated. "Thank you in advance" assumes the recipient will do something for you, which may not always be appropriate. "Please do not hesitate to" is a polite way to encourage someone to ask for help, but it can also be seen as generic and insincere. Therefore, none of the above options can be considered as an example of an effective, businesslike expression.

The correct answer is "President Lee’s objectives are to make the stock profitable, to operate efficiently, and to improve employee relations." This sentence is parallel because all three objectives are listed in the same grammatical form, using the infinitive verb form "to" followed by the action verb.

Letters, memos, and e-mail messages typically use conversational language because these forms of communication are meant to be more informal and personal. Using conversational language helps to establish a friendly and approachable tone, making it easier for the recipient to understand and respond to the message. Additionally, conversational language allows for more flexibility in expressing thoughts and ideas, making the communication more engaging and relatable.

The correct answer is the last sentence: "To prepare your own tax return, you may either pick up a tax preparation paperback or purchase a software program for your computer." This sentence is parallel because it follows the same structure, using the verb "pick up" and "purchase" in parallel to describe the two options for preparing a tax return.

The third phase of the writing process is the revising phase, where a writer should spend a significant amount of time. This phase involves reviewing and making changes to the initial draft of the message, ensuring clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. It is important for writers to revise their work to improve the overall quality and impact of their message. The other statements are not accurate as not only expert writers expect perfection on the first try, and revising should not be limited to the end of the writing process.

THERE ARE and IT IS are examples of opening fillers. Opening fillers are words or phrases used to fill pauses or gaps in conversation, often at the beginning of a sentence. They serve to give the speaker time to think or to signal that they are about to start speaking. In this case, THERE ARE and IT IS are commonly used at the beginning of sentences to introduce a topic or provide background information.

The best writing in this case is "to construct the building" because it is the most concise and direct way of expressing the action. The other options are wordier and less clear.

The sentence "Please find enclosed an application for credit" could be made more concise by eliminating a trite expression. A trite expression is a phrase or saying that has become overused and lacks originality or impact. In this case, the phrase "Please find enclosed" is a common and unnecessary way to indicate that something is included with the letter. Removing this trite expression would make the sentence more concise and direct.

The incorrect statement is "Graphic highlighting can be used to reduce redundancies." This statement is incorrect because graphic highlighting is not used to reduce redundancies. Instead, it is used to draw attention to important information and improve comprehension.

The best example of business writing among the given options is "Send me your comments about the new procedure." This option is concise and clear, focusing on the specific task of requesting feedback on a new procedure. The other options either contain informal language ("kick back for the weekend") or use unnecessary phrases ("subsequent to our meeting," "the aforementioned fee waiver"), which can make the message less effective in a business context.

This sentence is free of wordy or trite phrases as it is concise and straightforward in conveying the message.

The Gunning Fog Index is a measure used to determine the readability of a piece of writing. It calculates the number of years of education required to understand the text. Therefore, it is not a grammar checker, spelling checker, or the KISS formula, but rather a tool that helps assess the ease of understanding a written text.

The correct answer is "Although Chinese is the language spoken by the largest number of native speakers in the world, English is considered the language of international business." This sentence does not contain any wordy or trite phrases. It is concise and straightforward in conveying the information.

The given options are all examples of redundancies, which means they contain unnecessary repetition or duplication of words. "BASIC FUNDAMENTALS" is redundant because fundamentals are already basic by nature. "FIRST AND FOREMOST" is redundant because both words mean the same thing. "MOST UNIQUE" is redundant because something cannot be more unique than being one of a kind. Therefore, the correct answer is redundancies.

This answer is the best business writing because it is clear, concise, and directly states the reason for postponing the meeting. It avoids unnecessary information and gets straight to the point.

The sentence "Dan conducted a feasibility study for the company" represents the BEST business writing because it is clear, concise, and provides specific information about a business activity. It uses active voice and provides a specific action that was taken by an individual. The other options are either vague or use passive voice, which can make the writing less effective.

When proofreading documents, it is important to concentrate specifically on individual words. This is because errors in individual words can significantly impact the meaning and clarity of the document. Proofreading for individual words ensures that spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors are caught and corrected, resulting in a more polished and professional final product.

The given statement is incorrect because it suggests that a printed copy of a long, complex document needs to be proofread at least once to catch errors in grammar and spelling. However, proofreading can be done on both printed and digital copies of a document, and the number of times it needs to be done may vary depending on the individual and the nature of the document.

When proofreading a document, it is important to do so continuously while the document is being written. This means that as the document is being written, the proofreader should be actively checking for spelling and typographical errors. Relying solely on the spell checker may not catch all errors, so it is necessary to proofread continuously to ensure the document is error-free. Making sure introductory clauses are followed by commas is also important, but it is not the main focus of proofreading. Therefore, the correct answer is to proofread continuously while the document is being written.