Business Writing Skills Test (UK Version)
Which
of the following is not a complete sentence?
a. He
ran.
b. Sold
one case of plastic straws today.
c. They
decided yesterday.
d. I
am.
Which
of the following should not be included in the heading segment of a memo?
a. Subject
line
b. Recipient's
full name and title
c. Summary
of action required
d. Full
date
When
sending an e-mail to a group of people on a mailing list, what should you
avoid?
a. Long
sentences
b. Discussion
of personal issues
c. Attachments
d. Addressing
anyone by name
Which
of the following sentences has errors in punctuation?
a. We're
expected to bring hotdogs, buns, and beverages to the company picnic;
otherwise, we won't be allowed to enter.
b. Our
staff are required to do three things: come in on time, meet every deadline,
and check all work for accuracy.
c. None
of the employees wanted to leave early, in fact they all wanted to stay late,
and finish the job.
What
is the main reason that e-mails should be sent in text format?
a. Text
format is easier and faster to use.
b. Text
format looks more professional.
c. Some
people dislike html formats.
d. Different
e-mail programs may "read" html-formatted messages differently.
Which
of the following statements regarding e-mail subject lines is false?
a. Subject
lines should be brief.
b. Subject
lines should pertain to the body of the e-mail.
c. Subject
lines should be complete sentences.
d. Subject
lines should give a clue as to the contents of the message.
What
is the primary purpose of a cover letter?
a. To
explain why you are leaving your current job
b. To
introduce you and your CV to a potential employer
c. To
demonstrate your grammar and punctuation skills
d. To
list your relevant experience
Which
of the following is not typically included in the work experience section of a
CV/resume?
a. Names
of the companies you worked for
b. Positions
you held
c. Reasons
you left a position
d. Duties
you performed
Which
list below best represents the types of information potential employers look
for or expect to find on a CV/resume?
a. Educational
background, salary requirements, computer literacy
b. Work
experience, disabilities, organizational skills
c. Communication
skills, educational background, phone number
d. Related
experience, references, marital status
It
is always better to write in your natural voice than to use overly formal
language.
a. False
b. True
A
CV/resume should never exceed one page in length.
a. True
b. False
Which
of the following is considered plagiarism?
a. You
receive an interesting idea or lead from a colleague via e-mail, then forward
it to everyone on your address list.
b. You
appropriate passages, ideas, or information from another source for use in your
own writing without citing the source.
c. You
write a report specifically for your company's use, then later publish it under
your own name outside the organization and without permission.
d. You
use the general ideas of another author without quoting verbatim, but you do
cite the author.
What
should every business e-mail include?
a. Date
b. List
of recipients
c. Salutation
d. Signature
How
does a memo rank in terms of formality of writing style?
a. MEMOSare
the least formal of all business writing.
b. MEMOSshould
be more formal than a business letter.
c. MEMOS
are less formal than a business letter but more formal than an e-mail.
When
it comes to word choice in business writing, which of the following statements
is true?
a. The
use of industry-specific jargon and acronyms make documents easier to read and
should be used liberally.
b. The
use of phrases like "I feel" and "We believe" inspire
confidence in the reader.
c. Short,
simple words should be replaced by longer, more formal words to give the document
an air of professionalism.
d. a
and c
e. None
of the above
Which
of the following best represents a useful e-mail subject line?
a. Need
info by end of week
b. URGENT:
Sales reports due April 4
c. Question
about meeting
d. RE:
URGENT
What
is it understood to mean when an e-mail is written entirely in capital letters?
a. The
message is urgent.
b. Nothing—using
all caps is a common e-mail practice.
c. The
writer is shouting.
d. The
message may be forwarded to your mailing list.
The
use of contractions, which add a friendly tone to e-mails, is perfectly
acceptable in business e-mails.
a. True
b. False
An
important goal of any business writing is to demonstrate expertise or
achievements in a memorable way. One effective method of doing that is the PAR
method, which stands for:
a. Problem-action-results
b. Problem-activity-re-do
c. Participation-achieves-results
d. Problems-about-results
What
is the primary goal of a business memo?
a. To
communicate company information or objectives to a select group of employees
b. To
communicate policy changes to clients or suppliers
c. To
communicate sensitive information on a company-wide basis
What
information should be included in the dateline of a press release?
a. Date
of distribution and name of city of the company or individual
b. Date
when press release was written
c. Date
of distribution and name of writer
d. Date
and full name of news outlet the release was sent to
Choose
the phrase that best completes the following sentence.
When
writing the first of what may become a series of complaint letters to a
particular company, it is best to avoid _______________.
a. listing
supporting details for your claim
b. conveying
a sense of anger and frustration
c. suggesting
how you'd like to be compensated
d. including
contact information
Which
of the following formatting devices should not be used in a business memo?
a. Block-style
paragraphs
b. Section
headings
c. Double
spacing
d. Bulleted
lists
E-mails
are considered legal documents and are generally admissible as evidence.
a. True
b. False
Which
of the following is a good example of eliminating wordiness in business
writing?
a. For
the simple reason that = because
b. In
the event that employees are unable to utilise = If employees cannot use
c. Within
a relatively short period of time = soon
d. At
this juncture in time = currently
e. All
of the above are good examples of eliminating wordiness.
f. None
of the above—it is imperative that business documents utilise verbose
terminology.
Which
of the following fall under the category of "business communication"?
a. Elevator
speeches
b. Advertising
c. Product
testimonials
d. CVs
and cover letters
e. All
of the above
f. b
and c
Which
of the following statements about replying to business e-mails is true?
a. It
is good practice to respond to e-mails within a reasonable time frame.
b. In
the case of ongoing or established correspondence, it may be acceptable to omit
the salutation.
c. It
is acceptable to delete older messages from the bottom of your e-mails in order
to control message size and to keep your messages looking clean.
d. It
is acceptable to embed your response in the sender's message, as long as you
alert the sender at the top of the e-mail.
e. All
of the above
f. None
of the above
A
mailing list for e-mail is almost always preferable to sending a separate
e-mail to each person.
a. True
b. False
Which
of the following statements about the executive summary of a business report is
false?
a. The
executive summary should be written in non-technical language.
b. The
executive summary provides an overview of findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
c. The
executive summary includes new information not presented in the report.
d. The
executive summary is written after the report has been completed.
You
should read your finished writing project aloud at least once before publishing
or distributing it.
a. True
b. False
As a
general rule, all verbs in a particular document should be written in the
_________ tense.
a. Same
b. Present
c. Past
d. Future
Which
of the following information should not be included in the opening paragraph of
a business memo?
a. Details
about key findings or recommendations
b. An
overview of the problem the memo addresses
c. The
purpose of the memo
d. A
mention of the action taken or requested
Choose
the phrase that best completes the following sentence.
The
opening segment of most types of effective business letters should build reader
interest, explain the purpose for writing, and ______________ .
a. provide
a list of recommendations
b. request
a specific action
c. provide
an overview of the document's contents
Which
of the following information should not be included in the closing section of a
cover letter?
a. Your
signature
b. Highlights
of your CV
c. A
reminder of why you are a good match for the company
d. A
request for an interview
Business
MEMOS should always include a greeting and be signed by the writer.
a. True
b. False
A
professional CV/resume should always include which of the following?
a. List
of references
b. Weaknesses
c. Salary
history
d. Political
affiliation
e. None
of the above
Which
of the following phrases best represents concise business writing?
a. The
question as to whether he will succeed is
b. The
fact that he had not succeeded is
c. His
failure is
d. That
he is a man who failed is
Run-on
sentences and fragments are acceptable in memos, e-mails, and other internal
business communication.
a. True
b. False
Fundraising
letters should always include a specific date by which you want the recipient
to take action.
a. True
b. False
In
which kind of business letter is it most appropriate to include a catchy
headline?
a. Fundraising
letter
b. Letter
of complaint
c. Sales
letter
d. "Seal
a deal" letter