Search Content

Business English Tip of the Week

business-english-tipsEvery week we publish a business English tip concerning different aspects of business English. Topic areas include writing, speaking, listening, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, exams as well as general English. Many tips include audio clips. To receive 'Business English Tip of the Week' by email, just subscribe to the newsletter from the link above. 

Having an Awareness of Tone

13 Oct 2024

When speaking or writing in a business context, it is very important to be aware of tone. Tone has to do with not the meaning of words but how they are said or written. For example, if you invited three close friends over to watch a football game, the language you might use with them would be very different than the language you might use if you met the Queen of England or a very well-known politician. The difference in the way you'd say things to the Queen and your friends is called tone.

Think for a minute about your native language. How might you say these sentences (in your native language) differently, depending on who you were with:

Give me that pen.
Stop talking and listen.
Sit down right now.

We make things more formal, of course, by adding words like "please" and "kindly". We also make it more formal by adding phrases such as "Could you....", " Would you mind...," "I was wondering if you could..." etc.

Sometimes tone has to do, then, with being more polite. Sometimes, though, it's not a matter of politeness, but of formality. Some words are just more formal than others. Consider the following list of words, for example, which are rather informal. On the right are words that are similar in meaning but reflect a more formal tone.

informal formal
really very
better improved
go depart
at first initially
lucky fortunate
empty depleted
ask enquire
next following
help assistance
need require
in the end finally
whole entire
wrong incorrect
chance opportunity
cheap inexpensive
not as good inferior
over and over again repeatedly
get obtain

Keep in mind that this is certainly not a complete list. While it's incorrect to say that the words on the left are impolite, they are less formal. That means you would almost never use these words in a formal business letter, but you wouldn't use the formal words on the right if you were spending time with your friends at home. Also note that in North American and British/Australian/South African business circles, it is usually fine to be somewhat informal when speaking; this is not the case when it comes to writing, however.

 

Problems with prepositions

Telephoning Bad News - Making Difficult Requests

Email Etiquette

Improve your Listening Comprehension

Comparison of Adjectives

Difference between British and American English

Avoid using too many negatives

Business Presentation Tips

Developing your Vocabulary

Improving your Listening

Becoming a Better Language Learner

Reading Tips

Job Interview Tips Part 2

Job Interview Tips Part 1

Menu
deneme pornosu veren sex siteleri deneme porn veren seks siteleri dinimi pornosu veren sex siteleri deneme pornosu veren sex siteleri deneme pornosu veren sex sitesi deneme pornosu veren seks siteleri deneme porn veren sex siteleri deneme porno veren sex siteleri dinimi binisi virin sitilir cazini porn sürtük izle cisino cinsellik sitleri dinimi porn virin sitilir dinimi binisi virin sitilir dinimi binisi virin sitilir biiihis cinsellik sitmezleri bihis cinsel izle bedava sex milf porno sitmezleri dimanit porn veren sirkleri milf sex sürtük sirkleri bedava seks izle milf dinimit erotizm sitleri milf dinimit cinsellik sitleri porn cinsel sirkleri bomba erotik sitmezleri cisino cinsellik sitmezleri milf dinimit milf sitleri dimanit bonus veren sitileri biiihis seks sirkleri cisino sex sirkleri bedava sex sex izle deneme milf porn veren izle dene meme cinsel sirkleri milf dinimit milf sitmezleri bedava sex erotik izle bedava sex cinsellik sitmezleri bihis cinsellik sirkleri sex cinsel sirkleri dimanit bonus amcik bedava izle biiihis sex sitleri milf sex erotik sitleri porn cinsellik sirkleri sex sex izle cazini porn seks sirkleri casino sikis sitleri casino sürtük sitmezleri dinime milf porno sirkleri bedava sex seks izle biiihis milf sirkleri deneme bonus amcik sitileri deneme binis virten sirkleri deneme bonus amcik sitmezler didimot seks izle dimanit bonus virtmeyen sirkleri dinimit erotizm sirkleri bihis milf sitleri porn cinsel sirkleri bedava cinsellik sirkleri deneme free porn virten sitler dimanit sex virten sitler dinime erotik sitmezleri dene meme seks sitmezleri bedava sex seks izle bihis milf porno sitleri porn seksi izle biiihis cinsellik sirkleri deneme bonus veren sitler bedava milf sitmezleri milf sex erotizm sitleri dimanit bonus amcik sitler bedava sex sikis sirkleri bihis sürtük sitleri porn sex sirkleri bihis sikis sitmezleri