Business Grammar and Punctuation
A Course Developed for the
Capital Area Chapter American Institute of Banking
and the
Central Penn Chapter Institute of Internal Auditors
Let’s begin...
Correctness:
Whether you are writing for business or personal purposes, you will inevitably be judged by the correctness of your grammar. Accurate communication projects the image of you as well as the image of your company. In today's competitive business environment, you will naturally want to create a positive image of you and your company from your customer's perspective.
Punctuation may be correct in several different ways; however, what is actually communicated may vary dramatically. Consider, for example, the following:
"The teacher," said the student, "is stupid."
The teacher said, "The student is stupid."
Normally we employ 50 odd workers.
Normally we employ 50-odd workers.
A clever dog knows it's master.
A clever dog knows its master.
The musical ended, happily.
The musical ended happily.
The meanings conveyed in each of these examples of the same words is dramatically different.
Corporate Culture:
An important concept to always keep in mind is the concept of "corporate culture." What exactly is a corporate culture? The corporate culture is the manner in which your company desires its image to be projected and includes written communication. You should realize that various styles of communication (and to a lesser extent punctuation) are acceptable. Your company may have a preference for a particular communication style. If a preference is communicated to you, it should be followed. This is part of your company's corporate culture.
Remember, your writing projects YOU!
Punctuation Standards:
In this course, we will introduce and cover standards for correctness for common punctuation marks.
Apostrophe:
company company's
employee employee's
companies companies'
employees employees'
has not hasn't
cannot can't
it is it's
Colon:
Statement of explanation: At this time the company was introducing an innovative marketing concept: It was attempting to send its products directly to consumers by means of published catalogs.
Enumeration: There are four classes of electricians working in this plant: apprentice electrician, journeyman electrician, electrician, and first-class electrician.
Formal quotation: President Smith had this to say about the new foreign policy: "Any such movement that fails to have the full support of both houses of Congress will also not receive my support."
Unacceptable:
Acceptable: Cities in which the new bank branches are located are New Cumberland, New Oxford, and Newville.
Acceptable: Cities in which the new bank branches are located are as follows: New Cumberland, New Oxford, and Newville.
Comma:
Only two of the components of the consumer price index declined, and these account for only ten percent of the total weight of the index.
New vehicle loans are increasing at record volumes, but used car vehicle loans are lagging far behind the record volume of last year.
Exceptions to this rule do occur, however, if the independent clauses are short or closely related.
We bought our house and the real estate market fell.
Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.
A good news article must cover fact with accuracy, sincerity, honesty, and conviction.
According to the latest consumer preference survey, the most popular vehicle colors for this year are blue and gray, maroon and black, champagne, and black.
Ben Goodyear has been a reliable, faithful, and efficient employee for over 25 years.
The salesman guaranteed that it was a good, clean car.
A big Dawson wrench proved to be best for the task. (Note that and does not fit between big and Dawson.
Restrictive: The customer service representative who cross-sells the most accounts will receive the bonus.
Nonrestrictive: Bill Smith, who was the school principal for over twenty years, retired and moved to Florida.
Restrictive: IBM is the company which contributes the most to the homeless in this market area.
Nonrestrictive: IBM, the company which contributes the most to the homeless in this market area, has won the admiration of the community.
Note that some modifiers can be either restrictive or nonrestrictive depending upon the meaning intended by the writer.
Restrictive: All of the cars which were damaged by hail were sold at the auction. (Implies that only a portion of the cars were damaged.)
Nonrestrictive: All of the cars, which were damaged by hail, were sold at the auction. (Implies that all of the cars were damaged.)
It is believed this policy will not work in the real world.
The City of Harrisburg, so the rumor goes, is plagued with crime.
Rumor has it that the City of Harrisburg is plagued with crime.
Deluxe, our check printers, is located in southeast Pennsylvania.
Hillary Clinton, a practicing attorney, is heading the committee on health reform.
Appositives that identify a noun very closely, however, are not set off by commas.
The word hors d’oeuvres is often misspelled.
Our next shipment will arrive on the steamship Alberta.
The city will, therefore, be forced to update its sprinkler system.
Included also in this group are introductory words including interactions (oh, alas) and responsive expressions (yes, no, surely, indeed, well, etc.). If these words are not closely connected with the sentence, they may be punctuated as a separate sentence.
Yes, the decision to increase the loan volume has been made.
Yes. I know that I have to have a written report for the meeting.
One unit: September 30 is our wedding anniversary.
One unit: The bank has one branch in Williamstown.
Two units: On October 29, 1929, the stock market fell.
Two units: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is the state capital.
Although it is economical, this deposit product does not have consumer appeal.
Since there was little activity in the drive-in facility, the bank replaced the drive-in with an automated teller machine.
Gerund phrase: After gaining the advantage, the team failed to continue on to victory.
Participle phrase: Realizing his mistake, the manager instructed all tellers to keep a record of all voided official checks.
Infinitive phrase: To increase our volume of consumer loans, we must first become more competitive with our interest rates.
Commas should only be used when required as in the aforementioned examples. Do not be tempted to insert a comma between the subject and verb.
The thought that he could win the employee incentive spurred him on. [No comma after incentive.]
An exception to the preceding standards is when a comma will help to clarify an expression.
Unclear: From the beginning inventory methods of Hill Company have been haphazard.
Clear: From the beginning, inventory methods of Hill Company have been haphazard.
Unclear: When eating your hands should be clean.
Clear: When eating, your hands should be clean.
Exclamation Mark:
We’ve won the award for the third year in a row!
No! It can’t be!
Hyphen:
mother-in-law, cure-all, twenty-one, ninety-five, long-term, 50-gallon drum, end-of-month, ex-officio, etc.
Parentheses:
Bill Clinton won the election (the margin was almost 75%), and immediately he initiated plans for Health Care Reform.
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan’s economic forecast for next year (FRB Bulletin, June 1994) already has many bank presidents nervous.
Period:
Ph.D., Co., Inc., a.m., A.D., etc.
Question mark:
What was the latest published consumer price index?
Will this sales campaign really improve profitability for the company?
Quotation mark:
"This new incentive program should really improve our sales efforts," said Mrs. McLaughlin.
If the quotation is broken by explanation or reference words, each part of the quotation is enclosed by quotation marks.
"Will you please be specific," he requested, "in making this recommendation for increased efficiency in the department."
Our supervisor said, "It has been a long time since I've heard any employee say, ‘Boss, I'm going to stay late and work today.’"
"If we are diligent," he said, "our efforts will not be in vain."
"Is there a quorum for a meeting?" she asked. The question mark belongs to the quoted passage.
Which of you said, "I will not work late again"? The question mark applies to the entire sentence.
The third chapter in our text Business Mathematics is entitled "Fractions in Business Applications."
Dr. Edison's most recent article, "Economic Indicators As a Means to Forecast the Birthrate," appears in the June issue of Banking.
Semicolon:
The vote was cast; he was no longer president.
I really liked him; he was a productive employee.
Independent clauses connected by a conjunctive adverb (such as however, therefore, nevertheless, then, moreover, besides) are also separated by a semicolon.
Cement blocks and bricks must be cut; however, cement can be poured into a mold.
Rural customers prefer more personal service; therefore, the local branch hired three more tellers.
The suggested retail price was $20.95; but we paid $15.00.
Carol Smith, our new assistant manager, earned three post graduate degrees from Dickinson College; but she still lacked basic banking knowledge and enrolled in the Principles of Banking class.
The following gains in loan volume were made during the first quarter: Paxtang office, $12,500,000; New Bloomfield office, $9,600,000; Camp Hill office, $8,900,000; and Hampden office, $8,400,000.
Grammar Standards:
The following review of standards for grammar is by no means complete. It is intended to be a summary of the more common errors encountered by business writers. Mastering these standards will help to ensure your success in effective business communication.
Adjective-adverb confusion:
She moved the boxes quickly. Quickly refers to how she moved the boxes - moved is a verb.
Her new car looked beautiful. Beautiful refers to the car - car is a noun.
The traffic crept slowly down the crowded street. Slowly refers to crept a verb.
Subject-verb agreement:
Expenditures are expected to decline.
Expenditures throughout the next month are expected to decline.
The manager was reprimanded for the poor customer service in general.
The manager, as well as all of the tellers, was reprimanded for the poor customer service in general.
Compound subjects (those singular subjects connected by and) require plural verbs.
Gail and Drew know the correct procedure for selling savings bonds.
The manager and the assistant manager, along with the head teller, leave the office daily by 4:30 p.m.
Either of these tellers is ready to service customers.
Nobody who leaves early makes a favorable impression on the manager.
None of the tellers know how to balance their drawers.
Since our system conversion, none of the managers have left the bank early.
Sentence Fragments:
Unacceptable: Believing that Rosemary really was not ill. Mr. Speck, our manager, drove past her home during lunch.
Acceptable: Believing that Rosemary really was not ill, Mr. Speck, our manager, drove past her home during lunch.
Unacceptable: She said that the savings bond was not yet six months old. And that she could not cash it.
Acceptable: She said that the savings bond was not yet six months old and that she could not cash it.
Pronouns:
Unclear. When the victim resisted, he told her to shut up. [Who told whom?]
Clear. When the victim resisted, the attacker told her to shut up.
Unacceptable: Taxes and insurance are usually required in escrow payments, and it should be calculated accurately. [It (singular) refers to taxes and insurance (plural).]
Acceptable: Taxes and insurance are usually required in escrow payments, and they should be calculated accurately.
I think that it will be he.
Although I can barely see, it appears to be she.
If the pronoun is the object of a preposition or of a verb, or if the pronoun is the subject of an infinitive, use the objective case (the objective case of the personal pronouns include me, you, him, her, it, us, them).
This issue is between you and her.
Because our manager praised Patrick and me, everyone else became envious.
The case of relative pronouns (who, whom) is determined by the use of the pronoun in the clause it introduces. To determine which case to use, substitute the personal pronoun (he or him) for the relative pronoun (who or whom). If the case is nominative (he), use who; and if the case is objective (him), use whom.
Benjamin is the manager whom you recommended. You recommended whom - you recommended him.
Sheila is the teller who won the incentive award. Who won the incentive award - she won the incentive award.
Parallelism:
Unacceptable: The bank’s objectives for this year are to match last year’s ROI, to match last year’s loan volume, and improving customer service.
Acceptable: The bank’s objectives for this year are to match last year’s ROI, to match last year’s loan volume, and to improve customer service.
Unacceptable: Writing copy may be a more valuable experience than to make advertising layouts.
Acceptable: Writing copy may be a more valuable experience than making advertising layouts.
Tense:
The tense of each verb and each verb form (e.g. infinitive or participle) should reflect the logical time of happening of the statement. If a particular place in time is to be communicated exactly, a careful selection of tense should be made.
Unacceptable: Philadelphia was not selected as the site of the annual convention because it was too far from the state capital. Philadelphia was too far - is it now closer?
Acceptable: Philadelphia was not selected as the site of the annual convention because it is too far from the state capital.
Unacceptable: My manager says to me, "Henry, did you remember to lock your teller drawer today?" Is your manager continuing to say this?
Acceptable: My manager said to me, "Henry, did you remember to lock your teller drawer today?"
These stock certificates are some of the oldest on record, having been issued circa 1900.
Being the top cross-seller on the staff, Madge won the incentive award.
Word use:
Misused words detract from written communication and should not be used. Correct word usage should be verified by referring to a dictionary. Although the possibilities of misused words are infinite, the following list contains a few common examples:
Don't use Use
and etc. etc.
different than different from
have got to must
in back of behind
inside of within
kind of confused somewhat confused
off of off
over with over
seldom ever seldom
try and come try to come
Number standards:
Quantities may be spelled out or they may be expressed in numerical form. The manner in which to express numbers is often confusing in business communication because the nature of business usually involves numerical references.
The auditor found nine outstanding items on the account reconcilement.
According to the purchasing agent, 28 checkbook cover styles are in stock.
Make an exception to this rule when a number begins a sentence.
Ninety-nine employees attended the annual kickoff event.
We managed to conduct three branch, two line-of-business, and thirteen departmental audits last month.
Loan volume increases over last year were 9 percent for consumer loans, 13 percent for commercial loans, and 25 percent for revolving credit loans.
Three branches have vault limits of $500,000, eleven have limits of $750,000, and fifteen have limits of $1,500,000.
July 14, 1994.
When dates appear alone or when they precede a month, the date may be spelled out or in numeric form according to the "rule of ten."
We have an audit scheduled for the 14th.
The annual election will be held on the fourth.
Spelling:
Whenever the writer of any communication - especially business communication - is unsure of the spelling of a word, reference should be made to a dictionary.
Plurals:
dog, cat, barn dogs, cats, barns
glass, punch, ax glasses, punches, axes
pony, monkey ponies, monkeys
Tips & Tricks (some helpful pointers):
Internally - yes
Externally - no
Speak slowly and clearly. Simplify your speech and prose - do not use slang or jargon. Raising your voice will not assist in making a non-English speaking person understand what you are saying.
library
February
picture
pitcher
data (pronounced: date a)
genuine
aluminum
proper names (verify in advance the correct pronunciation)
Active voice: The team made the decision to postpone the meeting. [The subject team does the acting].
Passive voice: The decision to postpone the meeting was made by the team. [The subject decision is acted upon].
1. Consider what you want to say.
2. Consider your audience (education, age, etc.).
3. Organize effectively.
M: Message - 1st sentence in each paragraph should catch interest.
A: Action - what action you want your reader to take?
D: Details - should be efficient (brief) but effective.
E: Evidence - attachments and enclosures (more specific details).
4. Ask: Have I said what I intended?
5. Clean up the "mud." Edit & proofread, proofread, proofread!
Read aloud to proofread.
Have someone else proofread.
Allow your prose to "sit" for awhile and proofread again later.
Proofread from hard copy rather than from a terminal screen.
DO NOT RELY ON A SPELL-CHECK COMPUTER SOFTWARE SYSTEM!
Parallelism Review
1. The company objectives are to match last year’s production, higher sales, and improving consumer relations.
2. The questionnaire asks for the following information: number of employees, what is our union status, and pay scale.
3. Sales goals should be finalized by December 1, by the department head, and continuing the current growth rate.
4. The textbook gives the following four examples: correct grammar usage, correct punctuation usage, tense, and style.
5. We should all try to learn as quickly as we can, be a good sport, and to play the game by the rules.
Punctuation and Grammar Review
Insert commas as necessary in the following:
1. Only two of the components of the index declined and these two account for only twelve percent of the total weight of the index.
2. New automobiles are moving at record volumes but used car sales are lagging well behind the record set two years ago.
3. Good copy must cover fact with accuracy sincerity honesty and conviction.
4. Miss Pratt has been a reliable faithful efficient employee for twenty years.
5. We guarantee that this is a good clean car.
6. A big Dawson wrench proved to be best for the task.
7. The salesman who works the most will get a bonus.
8. J. Ward and Company the firm which employs most of the handicapped in the area has gained the admiration of the community.
9. The Baron Corporation our machine parts supplier is negotiating a new contract.
10. Our next shipment will come on the steamship Alberta.
11. The company will however be forced to abandon the old pricing system.
12. December 20 is the date of our banquet.
13. January 10 1906 is the date the Johnson Company opened its doors.
14. Although it is durable this package does not have eye appeal.
15. Realizing his mistake the foreman instructed his workers to keep a record of all salvaged equipment.
16. When eating your hands should be clean.
Correct all punctuation and grammar errors in the following sentences:
1. An important fact about this typewriter is, that it has the patented "feather touch".
2. Goods received on Invoice 2741 are as follows: three dozen white shirts, size 15-33, four mens felt hats, size 7, and five dozen assorted ties.
3. James Silver president of the new union started the campaign for the retirement fund.
4. We do not expect to act on this matter however until we hear from you.
5. Shipments through September 20 1992 totaled 69,485 pounds an increase of 17 percent over the year ago total.
6. Brick is recommended as the building material but the board is giving serious consideration to a substitute.
7. Markdowns for the sale total $34,000 never before has the company done anything like this.
8. After a long experimentation a wear resistant run proof and beautiful stocking has been perfected.
9. Available in white green and blue this paint is sold by dealers all over the country.
10. George Steel who won the trip is our most energetic salesperson.
11. Good he replied. Sales are sure to increase.
12. Hogan's article Retirement? Never! printed in the current issue of Management, is really a part of his book A Report on Worker Security.
13. Formal announcement of our pre Easter sale will be made in thirty two days.
14. Each day we encounter new problems. Although they are solved easily.
15. A list of models sizes and prices of both competing lines are being sent to you.
16. The manager could not tolerate any employees failing to do his best.
17. A series of tests were completed only yesterday.
18. There should be no misunderstanding between you and I.
19. He run the accounting department for five years.
20. This report is considerable long.
21. Who did you interview for the position?
22. The report concluded that the natural resources of the Southwest is ideal for the chemical industry.
23. This applicant is six feet in height, twenty-eight years old, weighs 165 pounds, and has had eight years of experience.
24. While reading the report, a gust of wind came through the window blowing papers all over the room.
25. The sprinkler system has been checked on July 1 and September 3.
