Prepared by Vijay Kumar S

Assistant Professor, SKHP GFGC, HULUKOTI.

Mr. Lokesh Hegde (Notes on Commercial Writing)

UNIT- II Listening and Speaking Skills

PUBLIC SPEECH

What is Public Speaking?

Public speaking is the process of communicating ideas, thoughts, and opinions to a group of people in a
structured and deliberate manner. It involves conveying messages, persuading audiences, and building
connections through verbal and non-verbal communication.

How to Organize a Public Speech?

1. Define Your Purpose: Identify the reason for your speech, your target audience, and the key message you want
to convey.

2. Research Your Topic: Gather credible sources, statistics, and examples to support your arguments.

3. Create an Outline: Structure your speech with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Organize your ideas
logically and chronologically.

4. Develop Your Introduction: Craft a hook to grab the audience’s attention, introduce yourself, and preview your
main points.

5. Write Your Body: Expand on your main points, using evidence, examples, and storytelling techniques to engage
your audience.

6. Conclude Your Speech: Summarize your key points, reiterate your main message, and leave a lasting impression
on your audience.

7. Practice and Rehearse: Rehearse your speech several times, considering factors like tone, pace, body language,
and eye contact.

8. Prepare Visual Aids: Use slides, videos, or props to support your message, illustrate key points, and enhance
audience engagement.

9. Deliver Your Speech: Take a deep breath, relax, and deliver your speech with conviction, enthusiasm, and
passion!

Important things to keep in mind while delivering a speech:

1. Know Your Audience: Understand their interests, needs, and expectations.

2. Use Storytelling Techniques: Share personal anecdotes, examples, or metaphors to make your message more
relatable and memorable.

3. Make Eye Contact: Engage with your audience by maintaining eye contact, varying your tone, and using body
language.
4. Use Confident Body Language: Stand up straight, use gestures, and avoid fidgeting.

5. Handle Nervousness: Take deep breaths, focus on your message, and remember that it’s normal to feel
nervous.

Qualities of a good speaker

Students are advised to expand the following points in your own language.

* self-confidence

 Sound knowledge of the topic

 Command over the language

 Good voice

 A sense of humour

 A sense of time

 Presence of mind

 Humility and good manners

While delivering his speech, he makes sure that his body language – posture and gesture are appropriate.
Standing straight with a smile, greeting the audience, introducing himself to the audience etc, are a preface to his
actual deliberation. Summing up of the speech highlighting the main points, inviting questions from the audience
and thanking the listeners form the final part of the presentation.

Body language and voice The speaker stands where he is visible to everyone in the audience. He maintains
eye-contact with the audience during his speech. He does not read from the notes but speaks to his listeners. He
modulates his voice to suit the occasion (size of the audience) – not too loud but loud enough for everyone to
hear. He maintains a steady pace (not rushing through but at a moderate pace) and sticks to the time-frame.

BODY LANGUAGE

Body language refers to the non-verbal cues and physical expressions that convey emotions, intentions, and
messages. Here are some key aspects of body language:

Make eye contact

• Making positive eye contact is one of the best job interview strategies to follow. Eye contact is one of the
strongest forms of nonverbal communication. A person’s qualities and personality can be detected simply based
on eye contact. Making direct eye contact communicates confidence and high self-esteem, two key qualities
employers look for in candidates.

• Just as eye contact speaks volumes about you, so does your body language. Proper body language conveys
confidence and high self-esteem. During the interview, things like sitting up straight with your chest out and
keeping a pleasant demeanour on your face will project confidence.

Positive Body Language

1. Maintaining eye contact: Shows confidence and sincerity.

2. Smiling: Conveys friendliness and approachability.

3. Relaxed posture: Indicates comfort and confidence.

4. Open and expansive gestures: Suggests enthusiasm and energy.

5. Leaning forward: Shows interest and engagement.

Importance of Body Language

1. Communication: Body language can convey messages more effectively than verbal communication.

2. Relationship-building: Positive body language can help build trust and rapport.

3. Self-confidence: Practicing positive body language can boost self-confidence.

4. Career success: Effective body language can contribute to professional success.

Inconsistent body language- Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict
it. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel that you’re being
dishonest. For example, you can’t say “yes” while shaking your head no.

USE OF CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS

The use of charts and diagrams is a powerful way to visualize and communicate information, making it easier to
understand and retain. Here are some key aspects of using charts and diagrams:

Types of Charts and Diagrams

1. Bar charts: Compare categorical data across different groups.

2. Pie charts: Show how different categories contribute to a whole.

3. Line graphs: Illustrate trends and patterns over time.

4. Flowcharts: Diagrammatically represent a process or system.

5. Mind maps: Visually organize and connect ideas.

Benefits of Charts and Diagrams

1. Simplify complex information: Break down intricate data into easily understandable visuals.

2. Enhance comprehension: Visual representations facilitate better retention and recall.

3. Facilitate comparison: Charts and diagrams enable quick comparisons between different data points.

4. Support decision-making: Visual data helps identify trends, patterns, and correlations.
5. Engage audiences: Charts and diagrams add visual interest to presentations and reports.

AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS

Introduction: Audiovisual aids refer to the tools, materials, and equipment used to enhance the learning and
communication experience by combining auditory and visual elements. These aids support and reinforce
information by integrating sound, images, and text, creating a multi-sensory learning environment. From
slideshows and videos to interactive presentations and digital media, audiovisual aids play a crucial role in various
educational settings, business presentations, and entertainment industries. Engaging multiple senses
simultaneously captivates audiences, improves understanding, and leaves a lasting impact on the recipients. With
their ability to convey complex concepts, stimulate interest, and enhance communication, audiovisual aids have
become indispensable tools in today’s dynamic and visually-driven world.

Audio-visual aids can be used in a variety of subjects and grade levels. Some common examples of audio-visual
aids include:

 Charts and graphs

 Maps and globes

 Models and dioramas

 Videos and films

 Computer software

 Interactive whiteboards

 Smartboards

Audio-Visual aids combine both sound and visual elements to offer a more interactive and engaging
learning or presentation experience. These are powerful tools because they cater to both auditory and visual
learners, offering a multisensory approach. Examples include:

Videos (Educational Films, Documentaries): Combine moving images with sound to explain concepts in detail,
provide demonstrations, or tell stories.

Television and Streaming Services: Deliver educational content, news, or entertainment that can be highly
informative and interactive.

Webinars and Online Lectures: Offer live or recorded sessions where speakers use audio and visual components
(like slides and videos) to convey information to a remote audience.

Interactive Whiteboards: Modern tools allow teachers or presenters to write, draw, and interact with digital
elements on a screen while explaining with audio.

Animations: Used in educational content or presentations to simplify complex ideas by making them dynamic and
engaging.

Each type of audio-visual aid serves a distinct purpose, and the choice of aid depends on the context, audience,
and learning goals. While audio aids are great for auditory learning, visual aids help break down complex concepts
visually. Audio-visual aids combine the best, making learning more interactive and comprehensive.

Objectives of Audio Visual Aids

 Enhancing Understanding of Complex Concepts: One of the main objectives of AV aids is to make complex
information easier to comprehend. By combining both auditory and visual components, difficult topics can be
broken down into more digestible parts. For example, a scientific concept or historical event can be more easily
understood through videos, animations, or diagrams.

 Increasing Engagement and Interest: Audio-visual aids are designed to capture the attention of learners or
audiences by making content more engaging. Using visuals, sound, and interactive elements prevents monotony
and helps maintain interest in the subject matter. This objective is particularly important in classrooms, where
student engagement is critical to learning outcomes.

 Catering to Different Learning Styles: Not all individuals learn the same way. Some are auditory learners, while
others are visual or kinesthetic learners. Audio-visual aids aim to address these varying learning styles by
providing multisensory experiences. By combining sound, images, and interactive elements, AV aids ensure that a
broader range of learners can grasp the material effectively.

 Improving Retention and Recall: Research shows that people remember information better when it is presented
through auditory and visual channels. The objective of AV aids is to improve retention by reinforcing content
through multiple senses. For instance, when learners see and hear a concept explained through a video, they are
more likely to remember it later.

 Promoting Active Learning: Audio-visual aids encourage active participation rather than passive information
consumption. Interactive whiteboards, simulations, and educational software promote involvement in the
learning process. This leads to a deeper understanding of the subject and helps learners apply knowledge
practically.

 Saving Time and Effort: AV aids also aim to save time and effort for both educators and learners. They can
deliver large amounts of information quickly, making teaching and learning more efficient. For example, a video
can explain in minutes what might take hours to cover in a textbook.

UNIT- III Writing Skills

A. Descriptive Writing

The main purpose of this type of writing is to describe. It focuses on describing a character, a place, an event, an
object or an action. There is a very slight difference between expository and descriptive writing styles. The
descriptive style is more detailed, personal and subjective.

Highlights

 It uses figures of speech

 The writer makes the readers feel, hear, and visualize the situation the way he wants

 It describes places, people, events, situation, or locations in a highly – detailed manner

Areas of Usage

 Poetry

 Novels

 Diaries Writing
  Plays

 Journals Writing

Sample

A grand exhibition was held in the town. The first impression on entering the ground was of walking in some
fairyland. The vast space was decorated with so many colourful lights. The stalls, there, were like small shops and
they had all the needful items. All types of amusements could be seen there. The children were enjoying the ride
on merry – go – round, the giant wheel, railway train and other. The excitement and joy could be seen easily.

In the above sample, the writer wants to describe his visit to the exhibition. It is a descriptive style of writing.

B. Narrative Writing

The main purpose of this type of writing is to tell or narrate a story. The writer creates different characters and
tells you what happens to them. The writer uses first person narration. Narrative writing is mostly personal,
imaginative, and self-expressing.

Highlights

 The inclusion of dialogues

 Use of metaphor, imaginative language, and figure of speech

 Addition of emotional words

 Have a beginning, intervals, and endings

Areas of Usage

 Novels

 Short stories

 Poetry

 Fairy Tales

 Autobiographies

 Anecdotes

 Screen scripts

 Play

 Legends

 Songs

Sample

It was a hot, sunny day. I finally visited Disneyland. It was a dreamland. I always wanted to visit there. Being there
it was like dream come true experience. On entering, the very first thing that I said, “Oh wow! What a wonderful
place!” People were walking and enjoying their time with all the Disney characters. Children over there were so
happy and excited. I think it is a must visit place for everyone.

Here the writer is sharing his or her personal experience and emotions. It is a narrative style of writing.

LETTER WRITING

Letter Writing Format

Letter Writing has been deemed as one of the most useful forms of communication and is used for various
reasons. There are various kinds of letters, each of which has its own form and style. Here are the general
guidelines for letter writing:

 Sender’s address: To start, write the sender’s complete address in the upper left-hand corner, including
your entire name, street address, city, state, and pin code.

 Dateline: The Date should be specified by skipping a line.

 Recipient’s address: Place the recipient’s entire address after skipping a line. The firm name, the
recipient’s name and title, and the postal address must all be included in a letter.

 Greeting/Salutation: To put the welcome, skip one more line. This is called a salutation. In a formal letter,
you should write “Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. Last Name:” After the greeting, the colon mark should be used in
informal letters, whereas informal ones demand a comma.

 Body of letter: After skipping a line you should start the body of the letter. Separate your thoughts into
different paragraphs in the body of your letter so that your letter writing is presentable. Leave a blank line
between paragraphs

 Subscription: To incorporate a subscription, skip one of your final lines. “Sincerely,” “Yours faithfully,”
“Regards,” or something similar can be used as a closure. Whether the letter is official or casual, a comma
should always follow the word or phrase you choose to close it.

 Signature text: After Skip three lines (where your handwritten signature will be inserted) and input your
entire name. On the next line of a formal letter, you should also add your job title.

Different Types of Letters

Letters can vary widely based on their purpose and audience. Some of them are Formal letters, Informal letters,
Semi-Formal letters, Official letters, and Academic letters. Each type of letter follows specific conventions and
formats suited to its purpose and audience. Here we have discussed the two main type of them.

Formal Letters- Also known as Business Letters, include Letters of Application, Letters to Higher Authorities, and
Letters to Newspapers.

Informal Letters- Also known as Social Letters, include Friendly Letters and Notes of Invitations.
Tips to Remember for Letter Writing

Good Letter writing must ensure that you pass the right information to people. For every letter, the method
changes. But there are a few things you must remember while letter writing-

 Purpose: Be clear about the purpose of your letter. Is it formal or informal? Id it for business, personal, or
official communication.

 Format: For Formal letters, follow a standard format that includes your address, date, recipient’s address,
salutation, body, closing, and signature. Whereas Informal letters can be more relaxed but should still be
organized.

 Salutation: Use appropriate salutations based on the relationship with the recipient [e.g., “Dear Mr.
Smith,” “Hi John,”].

 Tone and Language: Match the tone to the purpose of the letter. Keep it professional for business
communication and more personal for friends or family.

 Body: Start with a brief intro explaining the reason for writing. Provide details in a logical sequence. Keep
paragraphs short and focused on a single idea. Conclude with a summary or a call to action, if appropriate.

 Closing: Use an appropriate closing based on the formality of the letter [e.g., “Sincerely,” “Best regards,”
“Yours truely”].

A. Letter of Enquiry

A Letter of Enquiry is a formal letter sent to gather information or clarify details about a product, service, or
opportunity. Here’s a general outline:

Structure of a Letter of Enquiry

1. Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and state the purpose of the letter.

2. Specific Questions or Requests: Clearly outline the information you need, asking specific questions or
requesting details.

3. Additional Context (optional): Provide any relevant background information or context that might help the
recipient understand your enquiry.

4. Call to Action: Politely request a response, specifying any deadlines or preferred communication methods.

5. Closing: End with a professional closing, such as a thank you note and your signature.
Here’s an example of a Letter of Enquiry:

From,

Rajesh Kumar

123, MG Road

Bangalore, Karnataka 560001

98801 23456

February 10, 2023

To,

Mr. Ramesh Shenoy

Sales Manager

ABC Electronics

456, Indiranagar

Bangalore, Karnataka 560038

Dear Mr. Shenoy,

I am writing to enquire about the availability and pricing of the new LED television models. Our company is
interested in purchasing a bulk order for our office premises.

Could you please provide me with the following information:

- Available models and their features

- Pricing for each model

- Any discounts available for bulk orders

- Delivery and installation details

I would appreciate it if you could also clarify the warranty and after-sales service provided by your company.

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Rajesh Kumar

B. Letter of Complaint
A Letter of Complaint is a formal letter expressing dissatisfaction or frustration with a product, service, or
situation. Here’s a general outline:

Structure of a Letter of Complaint

1. Introduction: Clearly state the purpose of the letter and the issue you’re complaining about.

2. Description of the Problem: Provide specific details about the problem, including dates, times, and any relevant
context.

3. Expected Resolution: Specify what you hope to achieve or what resolution you expect.

4. Call to Action: Request a response or action from the recipient.

5. Closing: End with a professional closing and your signature.

Example of a Letter of Complaint

From,

Rajesh Kumar

123, MG Road

Bangalore, Karnataka 560001

98801 23456

February 10, 2023

To,

Mr. Ramesh Shenoy

Customer Service Manager

ABC Electronics

456, Indiranagar

Bangalore, Karnataka 560038

Dear Mr. Shenoy,

I am writing to express my disappointment with the defective LED television I purchased from your store
on January 20, 2023. Despite reporting the issue to your customer service team, the problem persists, and I have
not received a satisfactory response.

The television’s screen is faulty, and it frequently shuts down. I have attached a copy of the receipt and a
photograph of the defective screen for your reference.

I request that you take immediate action to replace the defective television or provide a full refund. I
would appreciate a response regarding the actions you will take to resolve this issue.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Rajesh Kumar

C. Promotion Letters

A Promotion Letter is a formal document that highlights an employee’s achievements and potential,
recommending them for a higher position or role within the organization. Here’s a general outline:

Structure of a Promotion Letter

1. Introduction: Begin by stating the purpose of the letter and the employee’s name.

2. Summary of Achievements: Highlight the employee’s key accomplishments, skills, and contributions to the
organization.

3. Reasons for Promotion: Explain why the employee deserves a promotion, citing specific examples and
successes.

4. New Role and Responsibilities: Describe the new position or role, outlining the responsibilities and
expectations.

5. Confidence in the Employee: Express confidence in the employee’s ability to excel in the new role.

6. Call to Action: Request that the employee be considered for the promotion.

7. Closing: End with a professional closing and signature.

Here’s an example of a Promotion Letter:

February 20, 2023

To,

Ms. Nalini Sharma

Head of Human Resources

ABC Corporation

Bangalore, Karnataka

Dear Ms. Sharma,

 I am writing to wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Rajesh Kumar for promotion to Senior Software Engineer.
I have had the pleasure of working with Rajesh for over three years, and I can confidently attest to his exceptional
technical skills, leadership abilities, and dedication to our organization.

Rajesh has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance, delivering high-quality results and taking
on additional responsibilities to support our team. His achievements include:

- Successfully leading a team of developers to deliver a critical project ahead of schedule

- Mentoring junior engineers and providing guidance on best practices

I strongly recommend that Rajesh be considered for this promotion. If you require any additional
information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Mr. Suresh Babu

Software Engineering Manager

ABC Corporation

D. JOB APPLICATION AND RESUME WRITING

Example of a job application letter and a resume:

Job Application Letter

February 20, 2023

Ms. Nalini Sharma

HR Manager

ABC Corporation

Bangalore, Karnataka

Dear Ms. Sharma,

I am writing to apply for the Junior Assistant position at ABC Corporation, as advertised on your website. I
have recently completed my 12th standard in Commerce stream and am eager to start my career. During my
academic tenure, I developed strong communication and organizational skills. I was also an active member of the
school debate team and participated in various extracurricular activities.

I am excited about the opportunity to work with ABC Corporation and contribute to the team’s success.
Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely,

Rahul Kumar

Resume

Name - Rahul Kumar

Contact Information:

- Email: mailto:[email protected]

- Phone: 98801 23456

- Address: 123, MG Road, Bangalore, Karnataka 560001

Education:

- 12th Standard, Commerce Stream, XYZ School (2022)

- Subjects: Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics, English, Mathematics

- Percentage: 75%

- 10th Standard, XYZ School (2020)

- Subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science

- Percentage: 80%

Skills:

- Communication and interpersonal skills

- Basic computer knowledge (MS Office, Internet)

- Organizational and time management skills

- Teamwork and collaboration

- Adaptability and flexibility

Achievements:

- Participated in the school debate competition (2020)

- Active member of the school cultural team (2019-2022)

- Volunteered for a school-organized community service event (2021)

Hobbies:

- Reading fiction and non-fiction books

- Playing cricket and basketball

- Listening to music and playing the guitar

- Traveling and exploring new places

- Photography