The purpose of including both personal and impersonal language in a bad-news message is to
A) separate readers from bad news and associate them with good news.
B) associate readers with good news and separate them from bad news.
C) avoid assuming any responsibility for the situation.
D) provide a smooth transition from opening to buffer to closing.
E) imply that the effect will be routine and therefore minimal.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Including both personal and impersonal language helps to soften the blow of bad news by associating the reader with positive elements (personal) while also making the situation seem routine and less personal (impersonal). This approach can help to reduce the negative impact of the bad news on the reader.

The Purpose of Including Both Personal and Impersonal Language in a Bad-News