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engbites1English Bites! are practical, bite-sized tips to help you improve your English for work. Published twice a week, the articles include useful advice covering different aspects of business English including grammar, vocabulary, writing, speaking as well as fun topics. It'll take just a few minutes to read each tip. You can subscribe to English Bites! from the Newsletters link above. After that, you'll receive notifications of all new tips by email.

Avoid Texting Language in Business Writing

03 Mar 2024

textingThese days, we use our phones all the time for texting and messaging. You may even message your supervisors, coworkers and customers sometimes. You probably use texting language to do this.

While texting language is fine for messaging your friends and family, you should avoid using it in business. This is because texting language does not use standard English spelling and vocabulary, and it often uses abbreviations (short forms) of words and phrases.

For example, you might text something like this:

Pls B there B4 6 pm. TY.

Pls means “please,” means “be,” B4 means “before” and TY means “thank you.” Not everyone will understand this message. Even if your reader understands all the informal language and abbreviations, this message seems like you were being lazy or did not care about being mature and professional.

In business, always use standard English spelling and vocabulary that everyone can understand. Therefore, this message should be written as follows:

Please be there before 6 pm. Thank you.
 

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