Active Sentences, Powerful Action Verbs, and Dependent Clauses in Business Communications
Written for my final assessment for my “business communication” course in University of British Columbia -- Published by The Writing Cooperative international community, Orlando, Florida, United States
Writing artistically, for getting succeeded in reaching a specific financial goal, relies on several important communication skills. These skills are including an appropriate use of active sentences, powerful action verbs, and using dependent clauses objectively. These skills, along several other skills, help everyone to make better communications in business.
1. Active Sentences
In active sentences the subject performs the action. But in passive sentences the subject receives the action. A sentence can either be an active sentence or a passive sentence. In business affairs usage of passive sentences is not reasonable wherever an active voice works. Look at the examples below.
Active sentence: We make the most comfortable cars.
Passive sentence: The most comfortable cars are being made by us.
George Orwell, the famous author of Animal Farm and 1984, advocates active sentences.
“Never use the passive where you can use the active” — from Politics and the English Language, by George Orwell
Active sentences are simple, clear, and easier to understand than the passive ones. Therefore they would have higher impacts on the audience. However sometimes passive sentences are appropriate for being used in a sentence. For example whenever people want to emphasis on an action rather than the actor or whenever people want to create an authoritative tone they use passives. The writer can also use passives to keep the subject and focus consistent throughout a passage, or be tactful not naming the actor, or describing a condition in which the actor is unknown or unimportant. Look at the sentences below.
Emphasis on the action: The book was written.
Authoritative tone: Visitors are not allowed after 10:00 p.m.
2. Powerful Action Verbs
Action verbs are verbs describing an action. In business communications people should deal with some action verbs regularly. And the main task of the writer is to artistically select the most appropriate and the most powerful ones. The writer’s main purpose of using “powerful” action verbs is to create a sense of collaboration and make affection on the audience. Look at the sentences below.
Sentence with a state verb: I know software.
Sentence with a powerful action verb: I develop software.
The action verb shows people what the subject of a sentence can do. In the sentence above, develop is an action verb. The action verbs are mostly used in job applicants’ work resumes to increase the chance of getting succeeded.
Here it is a few examples of the most important action verbs:
For communication skills: Addressed, corresponded, persuaded, publicized, and reconciled.
For organizational skills: Catalogued, executed, monitored, and operated.
For management skills: Consolidated, appointed, delegated, and established.
3. Using Dependent Clauses Objectively
Dependent clauses (for business communications) usually depict the key points of a specific communication. Dependent clauses make your writing more objective. Dependent clauses in business communication are usually sentences without performatives. For a business communication a person can either write a complete sentence or a dependent clause. Most sentences are complete but, on special occasions, dependent clauses make one succeeded in better communicating achieved skills. It helps individuals showing their abilities, or demonstrating achievements affectionately. Look at the examples below.
Complete sentence with a weak action verb: We (have) made the most comfortable cars of the last decade.
Complete sentence with a powerful action verb: We (have) designed the most comfortable cars of the last decade.
Objective, dependent clause, with a powerful action verb: Designed the most comfortable cars of the last decade.
These type of dependent clauses outline the most important potentials of an organization. Inside an appropriate column the writer can list and exhibit the companies key points using these objective, dependent clauses.
Through using a well-structured combination of active sentences, action verbs, and using dependent clauses objectively people can highly improve their communications.
