Question 1

"The majority of our customers are satisfied with our products." This sentence uses abstract words.

Accepted Answer

"Majority" and "satisfied" are abstract words as they cannot be physically seen or touched.

Question 2

"The project uses state-of-the-art technologies." This sentence uses a cliche.

Accepted Answer

"State-of-the-art" is a commonly used phrase that has become a cliche in many contexts.

Question 3

To communicate clearly, you must use words that your readers are familiar with.

Accepted Answer

Using familiar words helps ensure that the reader understands the message being communicated.

Question 4

This example illustrates faulty parallelism.
Jake is good at creating and delivering presentations.

Accepted Answer

The sentence "Jake is good at creating and delivering presentations" is correctly parallel, as both "creating" and "delivering" are gerunds and are in the same grammatical form.

Question 5

Because the center parts of a message receive major attention, this part carries more emphasis than the other parts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Because the center parts of a message...

Question 6

The we-viewpoint is more effective in building goodwill than the you-viewpoint.

Accepted Answer

The you-viewpoint is generally more effective in building goodwill as it focuses on the reader's needs and interests, making them feel valued and understood.

Question 7

The word "complement" refers to words of praise.

Accepted Answer

The word "complement" refers to something that enhances or completes something else, not necessarily words of praise. It can also refer to a matching set or combination.

Question 8

Redundancies usually increase the effectiveness of business messages.

Accepted Answer

Redundancies can make a message confusing and less efficient by repeating information or using unnecessary words. It's important to convey your message clearly and concisely without including unnecessary redundancies.

Question 9

"The students of the seventh grade scored well in their math test." This is an example of a discriminatory sentence.

Accepted Answer

This sentence is not discriminatory as it makes a factual statement about the performance of a specific group of students in a particular subject.

Question 10

The use of rubber stamps in business messages signals that you have quit thinking about the reader's actual situation.

Accepted Answer

The use of rubber stamps indicates a lack of individualized communication and consideration for the recipient's needs and circumstances. It suggests a generic, automated approach to communication rather than a thoughtful, personalized one.

Question 11

The following sentence has one independent clause and one dependent clause:
Since the question was tough, I had trouble answering it.

Accepted Answer

"Since the question was tough" is the dependent clause and "I had trouble answering it" is the independent clause.

Question 12

"We take pride in our work." This sentence uses a slang word.

Accepted Answer

This sentence does not use any slang words.

Question 13

Overuse of the verb "to be" and passive voice can sap the energy from your sentences.

Accepted Answer

Overusing the verb "to be" and passive voice can make your sentences sound dull and lacking in energy. It is better to use more active verbs and sentence structures to make your writing more engaging.

Question 14

You must be honest about your feelings and blame the reader when resolving a problem concerning him or her.

Accepted Answer

Blaming the reader when resolving a problem is not a productive or respectful approach. It is important to express your feelings clearly and honestly, but blame should not be assigned. Instead, focus on finding a solution together.

Question 15

The following sentence contains surplus words:
He was angry at everyone he came in contact with.

Accepted Answer

"He was angry at everyone" is enough to convey the intended meaning without the unnecessary addition of "he came in contact with."

Question 16

The following sentence has a dangling/misplaced modifier:
Believing home prices would fall, people were asked not to invest in real estate.

Accepted Answer

The modifier "believing home prices would fall" is misplaced because it is unclear who holds this belief. The sentence suggests that "people" hold this belief, but it is actually the speaker or some other unnamed authority who holds the belief and is asking people not to invest in real estate.

Question 17

It is mandatory for every paragraph in a business report to have a topic sentence.

Accepted Answer

While it's good practice for paragraphs in business reports to have clear topic sentences for readability and organization, it's not a strict rule or mandatory for every paragraph. Some paragraphs may serve as transitions or follow-ups that don't start with a distinct topic sentence.

Question 18

Since positive words are the most effective for achieving desired effects, negative words should not be used in business messages.

Accepted Answer

Negative words can be necessary in business messages to convey urgency, address issues, or set clear boundaries, though they should be used judiciously.

Question 19

A see-saw sentence is one that goes back and forth between two points.

Accepted Answer

A see-saw sentence typically presents two contrasting ideas in a back-and-forth manner, much like a see-saw moving up and down.

Question 20

The use of specialized language can signal to other specialists that you are qualified to communicate on their level.

Accepted Answer

Using specialized language can demonstrate expertise and knowledge in a particular field, which can help establish credibility and facilitate effective communication with other specialists.

Quiz 4: Using an Appropriate Style