What type of tone is used in most business communication achieved with plain language that isnt too stuffy or too laid back?

Being concise does not mean being rude. Your writing should be conversational and friendly yet professional

After you complete this chapter, you will be able to

• write using a professional, confident, and conversational tone
  • choose words with the correct formality (Smith, n.d.)
  • use contractions (PLAIN, 2011, p. 27)
  • use personal pronouns (PLAIN, 2011, p. 30)
  • chose positive or neutral phrasing (Meyer, 2017, p. 131)
  • stress reader benefits (GreggU, 2018; Meyer, 2017, p. 132-133; Smith, n.d.)
• Use inclusive language (Queen’s University, n.d., Inclusive Language)
  • Use person-centered language
  • Use accurate terms to refer to an individual’s race or ethnicity
  • Use gender-neutral terms and respect an individual’s gender identity

Tone refers to the level of formality or friendliness that a message has. Most business correspondence should be polite, professional, and conversational – not stiff and formal and certainly not rude or sloppy. The right tone is created by using the right words.

Choose the Right Words

Word choice is called “diction”.  The  words used when writing to a co-worker should be different from the words used when writing to your manager or a customer.  The table below provides words choices that reflect informal, semi-formal and formal language.  Understanding the audience will ensure your choice of words is always right for the situation.

Practice your writing using plain language. Rewrite the following sentences.

From “Unit 5: Analyzing Your Audience,” in J. Smith, Communication at Work, n.d., Kwantlen Polytechnic University (https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/communicationsatwork/) CC-BY 4.0.

Use Contractions and Personal Pronouns

Contractions are words that are joined with an apostrophe to “contract” or make the two words into one short word. Examples include can’t, doesn’t, don’t, hasn’t, it’s, she’s, won’t, etc.

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns: he, she, it, etc.  First-person pronouns used to refer to yourself include I, me, mine, my, we, and our. Second-person pronouns to refer to the person you are speaking to are you, your, and yours.

While the use of contractions and first- and second-person pronouns is often not acceptable in formal academic writing, business writing should be more personal and conversational. A good guideline is to “write as you talk”.

Use contractions wherever they sound natural and use first- and second-person pronouns (I, we, you) to speak directly to readers.

Compare these examples

Activity: Revising for Tone and Conciseness

How can Tyler revise this part of his message so that he uses more concise language and a more appropriate tone? What general advice would you give to Tyler?

Be Positive

Positive wording makes messages reader-friendly and inviting.

Unless you are issuing a warning meant to stop or deter certain actions, you should emphasize what the reader can do instead of what the reader can’t.

Also avoid harsh, negative-sounding words such as no, not, regret, mistake, oversight, overlook, negligence, neglect, unable, unfortunately, allege, careless, reject, deny, and fail(ure). Use phrasing that is factual and neutral.

Use dependent clauses and the passive voice to reduce negativity and depersonalize unfavourable facts.

Stress Reader Benefits and Relevance

Readers should easily see how information concerns them or how they stand to benefit. When readers feel that their opinions matter and have been taken into consideration, they are more likely to follow instructions and comply with requests.

Watch the following video on how to use the “you attitude” in your writing.

Click on each image to make them bigger if needed.

From “Unit 5: Analyzing your Audience” in J. Smith Communication at Work, n.d., Kwantlen Polytechnic University (https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/communicationsatwork/) CC-BY.

According to Queen’s University (n.d.), inclusive language respects and promotes all people as valued members of society. It uses vocabulary that avoids exclusion and stereotyping and is free from descriptors that portray individuals or groups of people as dependent, powerless, or less valued than others. It avoids all sexist, racist, or other discriminatory terminology.

• Use person-centered language
• Use accurate terms for Indigenous Peoples
• Use gender-neutral terms and respect an individual’s gender identity

Person-Centered Language

Put the person before any description about their abilities or disabilities, and avoid using terms like handicapped, crazy, or crippled.

Race and Ethnicity

Avoid identifying people by race, colour, or national origin, unless it is appropriate for context, and do not assume that a person’s appearance defines their nationality or cultural background.

Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, and races: Indigenous, Métis, Cree, Inuit, Arab, French-Canadian, Jew, Latin, Asian.

Black is acceptable in all references to people of African descent. In the United States, African-American is used; in Canada, Black-Canadian is most commonly used. African-Canadian is sometimes used. Note that black and white do not name races and are lowercase.

Indigenous People

There are three distinct groups of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: First Nations (status and non-status Indians), Inuit, and Métis. Confederation College sits on the lands of the Anishinaabe people of Fort William First Nation, who are signatory to the Robinson-Superior of 1850.

Where possible, avoid using the terms Aboriginals, Native People, or First Nations People, as they do not encompass the separate origins and identities of the various groups. The term Indigenous is now widely accepted to refer to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.

Gender

Use inclusive gender-neutral terms. Avoid using outdated terms that suggest a gender.

Also, pay attention to phrasing to avoid awkward pronoun constructions. Using a plural usually solves the issue of gendered pronouns.

Be aware that the gender identity of an individual may not conform to social expectations about gender based on anatomy and appearance, or to the gender assigned that individual at birth. Some individuals identify themselves as and that some individuals do not identify themselves as being male or female, man or woman.

Also, a person’s name does not always suggest what gender they identify with (for example, Pat, Sam, and Taylor are names that are common for both males and females).  Some email signatures indicate which pronoun (he, she, or they) a person prefers.

Where it is not clear what, if any, gendered pronouns or nouns may be appropriately used for an individual, ask that individual and respect the individual’s wishes or use the plural “they”. Most importantly, respect the preferences of the individuals or groups concerned.

❑    Have you used a conversational tone?

❑    Have you used positive or neutral language and stressed reader benefits?

❑    Have you use words and phrases with positive or neutral connotations?

❑    Have you stressed reader benefits?

❑    Have you used inclusive language?

a formally concluded and ratified agreement between nations.

Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth. Some transgender people who desire medical assistance to transition from one sex to another identify as transsexual. Transgender, often shortened as trans, is also an umbrella term; in addition to including people whose gender identity is the opposite of their assigned sex, it may also include people who are non-binary or genderqueer. Other definitions of transgender also include people who belong to a third gender, or else conceptualize transgender people as a third gender.