Business Communications 6.8 Using Passives and Impersonal Constructions to Impro
ID: 423130 • Letter: B
Question
Business Communications
6.8 Using Passives and Impersonal Constructions to Improve You-Attitude
Revise each of these sentences to improve you-attitude, first using a paaive verb, then using an imersonal construction (one in which things, not people, do the action). Are both revisions equally good? Why or why not?
1. You did not park your car in the appropriate lot.
2. You did not turn in the correct receipts for reimbursement?
3. Because of your error, you cost this company $14,000 in extra charges.
4. You did not provide a portfolio showing relevant work samples for this job.
5. You did not submit your weekly report on time to your supervisor.
Explanation / Answer
Passive Verb Revision- The car was not parked in the appropriate lot. (by whom)
Impersonal Construction Revision- The car is incorrectly parked (Thing is car).
Passive Verb Revision- The correct receipts were not turned in for reimbursement (by whom).
Impersonal Construction Revision- The receipts were incorrect. (thing is receipts).
Passive Verb Revision- There is an additional cost of $14,000 for the company for the error. (by whom)
Impersonal Construction Revision- There is a $14,000 additional cost for the error for the company. (Cost is thing).
Passive Verb Revision- The portfolio showing relevant work samples for this job was not provided. (by whom)
Passive Verb Revision- The weekly report was not submitted on time to the supervisor. (By whom).
Impersonal Construction Revision- The weekly report was late. (Thing is weekly report).
Passive verb revision is better than impersonal construction revision because it does not have a personal note in the sentence. In business communication, it is pertinent that the statements are personal and clear. These factors are missing in impersonal construction revision. Since all the five statements are negative statements, the You-Attitude is not stressed in these statements.
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