HKDSE中,考生可能在paper 2 Writing 及paper 3 Listening and Integrated Skills中需要寫商業信件(business correspondences)。因此,考生除了要掌握不同商業信件(例如letters、email、memo等)的基本結構外,亦應懂得現代商業信件對詞彙運用的要求。
簡明扼要 用現代語
考生最常犯的錯誤就是運用太冗長和過分formal的表述。例如,他們常常用passive voice(被動式)和名詞去表達他們的意見,認為這樣做才可算得上是formal。
事實剛好相反,contemporary (當代)business writing主張簡單化。道理很簡單,在商業機構分秒必爭,倘若文章冗長、複雜難明,沒有人願意多花時間去理解它。因此考生應避免以下列舉的「問題」表述。
以下是部分應減少使用的結構:
1. Passive voice(被動式)
The shipment has been sent to you. (√)
Our company has sent you the goods. (√)
*Use active voice.
2. Long lead-ins(長的引導語)
This email serves to inform you that we will meet this Thursday. (√
We will meet this Thursday. (√)
*Delete the long lead-in.
3. Outdated expressions(過時表述)
Pursuant to your request...( √)
At your request...(√)
*Use modern expressions.
4. Redundant expressions(冗長)
Support from the management is necessarily requisite. (√)
Support from the management is necessary/ Support from the management is requisite. (√)
*Delete the redundant or repeated words.
■Dr. A. Chan,哲學博士,哲學碩士,英語講師。熟悉公開考試之出題模式與評分準則,任教英語。
Practice
Revise the following statement so that it is easily understandable to the readers.
You are hereby informed that any new proposal should be submitted on or before March 17.
Answers
Please submit your proposal by March 17.
隔星期三見報
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