Simple Business English Is Easier to Understand
Brevity is always a plus in English so make your sentences as simple as possible.
- Use short sentences. Long sentences can be confusing.
- Avoid empty words, such as “actual facts, free gifts or circle around”. Say “facts, gifts and circle”.
- Turn information in brackets into separate sentences and link them with connectors. See this example:
“Mary (our ex-manager and an expert in marketing) would have never rejected that offer”. It’s clearer if we say “Our ex-manager Mary would have never rejected that offer because she’s an expert in marketing”.
- Learn the vocabulary you need to avoid long explanations. Pay special attention to technical expressions you use often.
- Avoid complicated phrases. Don’t say “The reason Ms Kenny dismissed Evelyn from her job was due to the fact that Evelyn almost never arrived on time”. Say “Ms Kenny dismissed Evelyn because she was often late”.
Read Andrew D. Miles’s books on how to improve your business English here: www.andymiles.com