Q&A Hero

Q: Headings have only one function, which is to break up long blocks of type.

Q: Items in a list do not need to have parallel construction.

Q: To create a list, you can use numbers, letters, or bullets (graphic elements) to separate the items.

Q: It is inappropriate to use lists in formal business writing.

Q: Although you should vary the length of paragraphs in your business messages, in general you should strive for short paragraphs.

Q: Skilled business writers keep all their sentences as short as possible.

Q: Although readability formulas are easy to apply, they ignore some factors that contribute to reading ease.

Q: You should strive for a sixth-grade reading level for most business messages.

Q: The middle section of a message has the greatest impact on the audience.

Q: At the beginning of the revision process, you should evaluate the content of your message, then review the effectiveness of its organization.

Q: With more complex messages, it is a good idea to set aside a first draft for a day or two before beginning the revision process.

Q: The best approach to completing your business message is to focus on the details first before addressing the document as a whole.

Q: With practice, most writers can create first drafts that do not need to be revised.

Q: After you have completed the first draft of your business message, the next step is to make a final, quick pass through it to check for typos and spelling errors.

Q: If you're sending extremely large files, you should A) use overnight delivery to send a hard copy rather than sending them electronically. B) consider using a file compression utility, as long as your recipients have the ability to expand the file. C) always send them as MS Word attachments. D) send them through the mail to avoid excessive costs.

Q: Which of the following techniques can help you proofread more effectively? A) Read each page backward, from the bottom to the top. B) Proofread the document as soon as you complete the draft. C) To ensure consistency, proofread long documents from beginning to end without stopping. D) Always proofread using your monitor (rather than printing out a hard copy of the document).

Q: Multimedia documents A) are generally too expensive to produce to be useful in business. B) require highly technical training in order to create. C) convey information more slowly than traditional documents. D) can allow recipients to personalize the communication process to their own needs.

Q: When selecting typefaces for most business documents, you should A) generally avoid using more than two typefaces on a page. B) make generous use of such styles as all caps, underlines, and boldface. C) choose a nice sans serif face for your main body text. D) use a large type size (at least 14 points) for your basic text if you need to fill up space.

Q: Serif typefaces are generally preferable to sans serif fonts for A) display treatments. B) headings and captions. C) regular paragraph text. D) none of the above.

Q: Which type sizes are best for a business document? A) 10 point text and 10 point headings B) 12 point text and 16 point headings C) 12 point text and 24 point headings D) 18 point text and 36 point headings

Q: Centered margins A) make the document easier to read. B) create a cleaner look because of increased white space along the right margin. C) are best for headings and tables. D) help get audience members' attention, even before they start to read.

Q: Justified type is type that is A) set flush or "lined up" on the right. B) centered. C) set flush left and ragged on the right. D) set flush right and ragged on the left.

Q: Using white space in a document A) is considered "cheating." B) is only an option when you can't use color. C) makes your document look unappealing. D) provides contrast.

Q: For effective document design, you should A) fit as much material as possible on each page. B) use a mix of several typefaces and type sizes and include a variety of decorative touches to make the pages look more interesting. C) balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space. D) do all of the above.

Q: Which of the following is not a subjective choice in designing business documents? A) Restraint B) Balance C) Detail D) Consistency

Q: In revising an important report, you want to make sure all numbers are written with numerals rather than being spelled out. Which of the following tools can help with this task? A) Spell checker B) Style checker C) Thesaurus D) Link checker

Q: A computer thesaurus A) catches punctuation as well as grammar errors. B) highlights phrases in passive voice. C) suggests correct spelling. D) can help you find just the right word for a given situation.

Q: A spell checker A) cannot automatically correct misspelled words as you type. B) highlights words it doesn't recognize. C) suggests synonyms. D) has eliminated the need for proofreading.

Q: The "replace all" feature in word-processing programs A) tracks down words or phrases and automatically changes them all. B) can save you time when revising messages. C) must be used with care, since it can make undesirable changes. D) is characterized by all of the above.

Q: Starting a sentence with "It is" or "There are" is A) usually a sign that the sentence could be shorter and more active. B) perfectly acceptable, and you need not try to rewrite the sentence. C) a sign that you are using active voice. D) a sign that you are using passive voice.

Q: "Visible to the eye" is an example of A) a clich. B) redundancy. C) the passive voice. D) obsolete language.

Q: Which of the following sentences is the most concisely worded? A) The project manager is in charge of furnishing specifications until such time as the project gets underway. B) All specifications should be provided by the project manager prior to the start of a project. C) Project managers have the capability of changing specifications before the official start date. D) The project manager must give the engineers the revised specifications before the project starts.

Q: "The above-mentioned book" is an example of A) a redundancy. B) a strung-out sentence. C) an indefinite pronoun starter. D) an awkward reference.

Q: Which of the following sentences contains a camouflaged verb? A) Some do; others don't. B) She is a marketing manager but also serves as ad manager. C) The recommendation of the committee is to proceed as planned. D) He slowly, deliberately added the numbers.

Q: "Environmental impact consultant study results" is an example of A) redundancy. B) a dangling modifier. C) a dependent clause. D) a long noun sequence.

Q: What is wrong with the following sentence? "Having stalled for two days, the assignment was now late." A) It lacks parallelism. B) It contains a dangling modifier. C) It contains an awkward pointer. D) Nothingit is grammatically correct as written.

Q: What is wrong with the following sentence? "To waste time and missing deadlines are bad habits." A) Similar ideas are not parallel. B) It contains a dangling modifier. C) It contains a split infinitive. D) Nothingit is grammatically correct as written.

Q: Which of the following is an example of a hedging sentence? A) The employee's performance appears to be less than satisfactory. B) The deadline is next Tuesday. C) The financial statement needs to have two sections. D) None of the above are hedging.

Q: "If the figures are in by the end of the month we will hopefully be able to begin planning for the upcoming year's budget, but if they are not then the planning process will most definitely have to wait until later" is an example of A) a comma splice. B) an overly long sentence. C) an indefinite pronoun starter. D) an awkward pointer.

Q: Informative headings and subheadings A) simply identify topics covered in the document. B) guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered. C) are easier to write than descriptive headings. D) are less helpful to readers than descriptive headings.

Q: When creating a list for a business document A) always use bullets, rather than numbers or letters. B) keep in mind that the items need not be parallel. C) be sure to introduce it clearly. D) any text in the list should be typed in all caps.

Q: When it comes to paragraph length A) use long paragraphs with detailed information for direct-mail letters. B) use long paragraphs if you want your document to look more inviting. C) keep all paragraphs to fewer than 60 words. D) use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally, for emphasis.

Q: Skilled business writers A) use long sentences to emphasize important information. B) keep their sentences to an average length of 40 words or fewer. C) vary the length of their sentences. D) do all of the above.

Q: Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your document? A) Using lists and bullets instead of narrative B) Keeping all sentences the same length C) Including headings and subheadings D) Using shorter paragraphs

Q: For general business messages, your writing should be geared to readers at the A) first- to fourth-grade level. B) fifth- to sixth-grade level. C) eighth- to eleventh-grade level. D) twelfth- to fourteenth-grade level.

Q: When evaluating the work of others, you should A) make sure you understand the writer's intent before you begin suggesting or making changes. B) talk with the writer about his or her intent only after you suggest changes, since this is a good way to test the effectiveness of the document. C) avoid talking with the writer about the document, since other readers may not have that opportunity. D) compare the other person's writing style with your own, and if yours is better, rewrite the document in your own style.

Q: When reviewing your document for content, you should be concerned with A) grammar and usage. B) punctuation and spelling. C) the accuracy and relevance of the information. D) style and tone.

Q: When revising a document, you should A) first read through it to evaluate its overall effectiveness. B) first look carefully for grammatical errors. C) try to accomplish all revision tasks in one pass, in order to finish quickly. D) pay closest attention to the document's spelling.

Q: The main tasks in completing a business message consist of all except A) proofreading. B) revising. C) forecasting. D) producing.

Q: To emphasize a dependent clause, it is better to place it at the end of a sentence rather than in the middle.

Q: Skilled business writers avoid complex sentences altogether.

Q: "If we can't meet the deadline, our losses will be significant" is a compound sentence.

Q: "The startup costs on this project increased considerably" is a simple sentence.

Q: "Our clients have become more knowledgeable, and we need to accommodate them" is a complex sentence.

Q: A compound sentence is one that contains one main thought (independent clause) and one or more subordinate thoughts (dependent clauses).

Q: The amount of jargon you use in a message should reflect your audience's level of familiarity with your topic.

Q: Clichs are a valuable tool in business writing, as readers find such words and phrases to be comfortable and familiar.

Q: Abstract words should be completely avoided in business writing.

Q: Abstract words are direct and can be easily visualized.

Q: Honor and progress are concrete words.

Q: In business communication, it is best to use words that are low in connotative meaning.

Q: Connotative meanings are the literal or dictionary meanings of words.

Q: The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.

Q: The rules of grammar and usage do not change over time.

Q: When composing a draft, you should never skip to another section of the document until you've finished the current one.

Q: You should strive to use the passive voice as much as possible in business writing.

Q: "The evaluator noted several shortcomings" is written in the active voice.

Q: Plain language is a style of writing used primarily for communicating to those who do not have a college degree.

Q: Enlivening business messages with humor will always please your readers, especially if they don't know you very well.

Q: Good business letters use language that is as formal as possible and use proven terminology such as "please be advised that" and "attached please find."

Q: A conversational tone is not appropriate for most business messages.

Q: Bragging about your company's accomplishments can be offensive to readers.

Q: Being too modest can reduce your credibility with your audience.

Q: Using the word "young" to describe an employee can have negative implications.

Q: You should always avoid using euphemisms, because they are inherently dishonest.

Q: When delivering negative news, it is misleading to emphasize any positive aspects of the situation.

Q: In general, the word "you" should be avoided when you are assigning responsibility for a mistake or problem.

Q: Adopting a "you" attitude in business writing is simply a matter of using the pronoun "you" as much as possible.

Q: Which type of software feature inserts a ready-made block of text when you type the first few characters? A) Machine translation B) Mail merge C) Autocompletion D) Autocorrection

Q: A) boilerplate. B) pull quote. C) template. D) style sheet. Answer: B