Professional Writing

Skills in English
 MODULE 1

Identifying Common
Errors in Writing and
Speaking English
Common errors identification in parts of
speech
Verb Tense
One type of error related to parts of speech is verb
tense. Verb tense is the form of a verb that shows
when an action happens. There are three verb tenses:
past, present, and future.
Eg: I am finish.
They are play.
 Pronoun Usage:
Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun.
Eg:
“John is playing with his toy,” instead “He is playing
with his toy.”

Eg: Me is going to school. X

I am going to school. ✔

Her and friends were present. x

She and her friends were present. ✔
Note:

If Singular Indefinite Pronouns that end with,' -

body', '- one, '-thing'; then the verb should be in
its singular form.

Eg: Everyone is playing football.

Nobody is going to fail in this exam.
In the case of Plural Indefinite Pronouns like, both,
few, fewer, many, others, several; the verb should be
plural.
Eg: Many people feel that the law should be changed.
Both are good students.

In the case of pronouns like All, any, more, most,

none, some, such; the verb can be plural or singular
depending on the context.
 Subject Verb Agreement (Concord Rule)
the subject and verb match in number. For
example, If the object is singular, the verbs must
also be singular.

-> Everyone are shouting. It should be 'is'

-> They plays. It should be: 'They play.'
Rule 1
The verb and subject must agree in number (singular
or plural)
This means that if the subject is singular, the verb
should be singular and if the subject is plural, the
verb should also be plural.
Examples:
1. He plays football. (SINGULAR)
2. They play football. (PLURAL)
Rule 2
The number of the subject (singular or plural) will not
change due to words/phrases in between the subject and
the verb.
Examples:
1. One of the glasses is empty. (Here, since the subject
is ‘one’, the verb should be ‘is’).
2. The bouquet of red roses smells so sweet. (Here,
since ‘bouquet’ is the subject and not ‘roses’, the
verb should be ‘smells’ and not ‘smell’).
Rule 3
Subjects that are joined by ‘and’ in a sentence, use a
plural verb.
Examples:
1. Radha and Meera are coming home.
2. Neither Akshay nor Rohit is coming home.
3. My dad or my mom is arriving today.
NOTE

The Secretary and Treasurer is going on vacation.

The Secretary and the Treasurer are going on
vacation.
Explanation:
The first sentence clearly mentions that the posts of
Secretary and Treasurer are handled by one Person.
The repetition of 'the' in the second sentence indicates that
the two posts are held by two different persons.
Rule 4 ( The Rule of Proximity)

The verb in a sentence containing ‘or’, ‘either/or’,

‘neither/nor’ agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to
it.
Examples:
1. Neither the shoes nor the bag matches the dress.
(Here, ‘bag’ is closest to the verb, hence ‘matches’)
2. Neither the bag nor the shoes match the dress.
(Here, ‘shoes’ is closest to the verb, hence ‘match’)
Rule 5
When the subject is followed by words such as ‘as well
as’, ‘along with’, ‘besides’, ‘not’ etc. ignore them and use
a singular verb if the subject is singular.
Examples:
1. Matt, as well as his dog, is expected shortly.
2. Rahul, along with his brother, was going to school.
Rule 6

In sentences that begin with ‘here’, ‘there’, the true

subject usually follows the verb.
Examples:
1. Here are the chocolates.
2. There is a big puddle on the road.
Rule 7

In sentences that include sums of money, periods of

time or distances etc. (as a unit), use singular verbs.
Examples:
500 rupees is a high price to pay.
62 years is the minimum age of retirement.
10 kilometres is too far to walk.
Rule 8
In the case of words such as ‘a lot of’, all’, ‘some’ etc. in a
sentence, pay attention to the noun after ‘of’. If the noun
after ‘of’ is singular then use a singular verb, if plural, use a
plural verb.
Examples:
All of the cake is gone.
All of the cakes are gone.
A lot of the cake is gone.
A lot of the cakes are gone.
Some of the cake is gone.
Some of the cakes are gone.
Rule 9
In the case of collective nouns such as ‘group,
‘population’, ‘family’ etc, in a sentence, the verb can
be singular or plural depending on their use in the
sentence.
Examples:
Most of my family is here OR are here.
Half of the population was against the bill OR were
against the bill.
Rule 10

Nouns (uncountable nouns) such as ‘mathematics’,

‘civics’, ‘news’ etc. while plural in form, are singular
in meaning and use singular verbs.
Examples:
Mathematics is very difficult for some people.
The news is very saddening.
Rule 11

In sentences that express a wish, request or

contrary to fact, the word ‘were’ is used instead of
‘was.
Examples:
I wish my sister were here.
Aditya requested that she raise her glass.
Use of verbs and phrasal verbs
Phrasal verb - when one or more preposition is
added to a verb.
Eg: look into, laugh at etc

He is get upping. X
He is getting up. ✔
1. Bear with
Be patient.
Please BEAR WITH me a moment while I finish this email.
2. Break off
End a relationship.
She BROKE OFF their engagement when she found out that he'd been
unfaithful.
3. Hold back from
Not allow yourself to do something.
I had to HOLD BACK FROM losing my temper with them.
4. Bottle away
Store up.
He kept his feelings BOTTLED AWAY.
5. Zone out
Dissociate yourself from a situation.
I put some ambient music on and ZONED OUT.
6. Wrap up
Cover in paper.
They WRAPPED UP the presents and then put a ribbon around them.
7. Go ahead
Proceed.
We now intend to GO AHEAD with the final stage of the project.
8. Pick out
Choose.
She PICKED OUT the foods she wanted to take and left the rest.
10. Look up
improve ; search for and find a piece of information in a
book or database.
Everything is finally LOOKING UP for Lucy.
11. Come out
emerge; become known.
She CAME OUT while she was at college and has been
living with her partner, Jane, for the last couple of years.
12. Get away
Escape
She went on vacation in the country in order to GET AWAY
from the city for a while.
 Auxiliary verbs and their forms
An auxiliary verb is a verb that is used as a helping
verb along with the main verb in a sentence to make it
more meaningful. It is used to alter the tense, mood or
voice of the sentence.

Eg: is, am, are, were, shall,did, do, Might, etc.

Everyone is going to the movie.
Someone among them was making noise.
Arjun and his friend are going to a movie.
 Modals
A modal verb (also called a modal auxiliary verb) is
used along with a main verb to express possibility,
ability, permission, or necessity.
A modal verb changes the other verb's meaning to
something different from a simple fact.
9 Modal Auxiliaries:
shall, should, can, could, will, would, may, must, might
The Sequence of Tenses and
Errors Identification in
Tenses
What Does the Sequence of Tenses Mean?
Tenses are verbs that describe the timing of an event,
action, or condition.
When a passage contains more than one verb in it, the
relationship between the tenses of the verbs is known
as the sequence of tenses.
Different types of sequences are available.
When all the verbs in a sentence show actions or
states that occur at or generally about the same time,
their tenses should be the same.
Rule 1:
If there is a use of Past Tense in the Principal
Clause, it must be followed by a Past Tense in the
Subordinate Clause.
Eg:
Rule 2:
A Present or Future Tense in the Principal Clause
might be followed by any tense required by the
sense to convey in the Subordinate Clause.
Eg:
 MODULE 2

Nature and Style of

Sensible Writing
 Importance of Reading

In order to be a 'good writer', an individual

must have a good reading habit.
Good readers are better communicators.
enhance your writing
A good reader will be able to sort out material
as critical, interesting, analytical etc.
 Different Styles of Writing

Writing is the practice of combining words to

form coherent thoughts.
it involves using clear and compelling
language
to convey ideas that deeply inform or inspire.
Depends on the purpose and your audience
Descriptive Style

Here, the author focuses on describing an event,

a character or a place in detail.
Sometimes, it is poetic in nature where the
author specifies an event, an object, or a thing
rather than merely giving information about an
event that has happened.
Usually, the description incorporates sensory
details.
Expository

The expository writing style is a subject-

oriented style.
A user manual falls aptly under the
instructional category
a memo issued to all employees outlining the
method of completing a certain task in the
future.
Narrative Style

Narrative writing style is a type of writing

wherein the writer narrates a story.
usually used in creaitive writing
It includes short stories, novels, novellas,
biographies, and poetry.
Persuasive Style

Persuasive writing is a form of nonfiction

writing that encourages careful word choice,
the development of logical arguments, and a
cohesive summary.
The persuasive style aims to persuade and
convince the readers.
Used by Marketing people and in business
Proposals
 Paragraph - Writing
A paragraph is a number of sentences grouped
together and relating to one topic; or, a group of
related sentences that develop a single point.
There is no rule for the length of the paragraph.
i.e., can be even a single sentence.
Division of para according to the changes of
ideas.
Good Para has a central idea to which the
sentences are related.
The "topic sentence" is the sentence in which
the main idea of the paragraph is stated.
Principles of Paragraphs in Documents
Unity - each para should deal with one idea or
theme only. It should be closely connected with
the main topic.
Order - there should be a logical sequence of
thought or development of the subject. Events
must be presented in the order of occurrence.
Variety- to avoid monotony, the para length
should be different lengths, of sentence
construction.
 Writing Introduction
the introduction states the intention
to convince your reader of its value.
It sets the tone for your paper
It identifies and limits your subject
the central claim about your subject, context
or rationale.
avoid cliches
 Writing Conclusion
the goal is to make your reader feel that the
argument has central ideas in focus and fully
achieved the goals you have set in the
introduction.
The reader should feel convinced by your
argument satisfied and create a sense of
discovery and prospect.
 Importance of Proper Punctuation
Punctuation is the use of symbols - to divide written
words into sentences and clauses.
Punctuation adds precision
to convey and clarify the meaning of written
language.
ignoring punctuation can create a confused reader or
even an accusation of plagiarism
Eg:
Ankita said, "The world is beautiful".
"Ankita" said the world " is beautiful".
 Precis writing
The most often written and required skill.
A précis is a kind of academic summary
or
The gist of the main theme of the passage is
expressed in as few words as possible.
Gives important points but no details.
It follows and maintains the author's view.
Features:
Use an appropriate Title
No more or less than is said in the original
Conciseness - must be put into as few words as
possible which is possible only if one has a
good vocabulary.
Keep facts in proportion as in the original
One-third of the length of the original in terms
of words.
 Misplaced Modifiers

Modifiers are words, phrases, and clauses that

affect and often enhance the meaning of a sentence.
Eg: On her way home, Jan found a gold man's watch.

On her way home, Jan found a man's gold watch.

1. My parents live_____ New Zealand now. (A) in (B) to (C) live (D) now
2. We slept _____ the open sky. (A) under (B) below (C) in (D) on
3. Our friends in the apartment ___ us are really noisy. (A) over (B)
below (C) above (D) inside
4. I am planning to meet all my friends during these holidays. (A) on
(B) within (C) during (D) over
5. I was waiting ___ the bus stop. (A) on (B) at (C) in (D) for
6. There are two students ________ the class. (A) next (B) in (C) on (D)
front
7. The oranges are not in the basket. They are _______ the table. (A) in
(B) between (C) on (D) next
 Contractions

A contraction is a word made by shortening and

combining two words. Words like can't (can + not),
don't (do + not), and I've (I + have) are all
contractions.
In formal writing, try to avoid contractions.
 Collocations
A collocation is two or more words that often go
together. These combinations just sound "right" to
native English speakers, who use them all the time.
On the other hand, other combinations may be
unnatural and just sound "wrong".
 Word Order
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete
thought and contains a subject and a predicate.
The most basic sentence structure consists of only one
clause.
However, many sentences have one main clause and one
or more subordinate clauses.
 The standard order of words in an English
sentence is subject + verb + object.
There are four types of sentence structure: -
1. simple- a simple sentence

2. compound - a sentence that connects two

independent clauses, typically with a coordinating
conjunction like and or but.
Eg: Joe waited for the train, but the train was late.
3. complex- A sentence made up of an independent clause
and one or more dependent clauses connected to it.
Eg: Because the soup was too cold, I warmed it in the
microwave.

4. compound-complex - A sentence comprised of at least

two independent clauses and one or more dependent
clauses.
Eg: Laura forgot her friend's birthday, so she sent her a
card when she finally remembered.
 Errors due to the
Confusion of words.
WHAT ARE CONFUSED DICTION ERRORS?

Confused diction errors result when a writer uses one

word in place of a word which resembles the correct
choice.
The solution is to verify the meaning of the words you
choose, especially when you are aware of similar words
which mean something quite different.
 Words Confused/Misused.
President, Precedent Forgot, left
Affect, effect Supposably
Emigrate vs Immigrate stay, live
device vs devise cousin
a line, align any one, anyone
allude, elude appraise, apprise
allusion, illusion
annual, annul
SOME OF THE MOST COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS:

A, An
An is used in place of “a” when it precedes a vowel sound,
not just a vowel.
Affect is a verb.
Effect is more commonly used as a noun, but when used as
a verb, means to achieve or realize.
Desert means to abandon. In some cases, it can be a noun.
Dessert is the sweet course at the end of the meal.
Farther is a physical distance.
Further is non-physical.

Forth means to go forward.

Fourth means after third.

Isle refers to an island.

An aisle is a passage between two rows.
 MODULE 3

Technical Reading and Writing

Practices
Introduction to Technical
Reports Writing
What is a REPORT?

A report is a formal communication written for a specific

purpose which includes a description, description of
procedures followed for the collection and analysis of
data, their significance, the conclusion drawn from them
and recommendations if required.
OR
A report is a document that presents relevant business
information in an organized and understandable format.
 Technical Report
A document that describes the progress, process, or
results of scientific or technical research.
-considered grey literature because they rarely undergo
comprehensive independent peer review before
publication.
Technical reports are a great source of technical or
scientific information.
It's a vital part of the research - should be written
according to established rules.
A report can be oral or written
Oral Reports - face-face communication
Written Reports- more accurate and permanent
The language of the report - clear readable, precise
and concrete.
The problem analysis should be impartial and
truthful.
Emotive language, symbols and figures of speech
have no place in a report.
Significance of Reports
Decision Making
Helps in the investigation of a problem
Survey of a situation and its analysis
Professional improvement and evaluation
Neutral presentation of facts
 Elements of a Report
Every report starts with a title page and a table of contents,
after which come the main sections–the summary,
introduction, discussion, and conclusion.

Summary

Help the readers to understand the purpose, key points,

a quick review and Conclusions.
Helps the readers to decide whether to continue reading
Introduction

It should describe the background and the

context of the research, problems or issues
related to the topic, objectives, purpose, and
limitations of the issue/s.
indicate the overall answer to the problem
explored in the report
Discussion:

Explanation of the ideas and the conclusion.

It should be presented logically
It'd be divided information into appropriate
headings for better understanding, if necessary.
Validate the points with proper evidence and try to
connect them with real-life scenarios.
Conclusion:

It should identify and interpret the major issues

and answer the issue or topic that is discussed.
be clean-cut and specific, be brief
It may include:
(i)Recommendations- to the future and should
be arranged in order of importance
(ii)References
Technical Report Elements
The title page
The introduction
The summary
Experimental details
Results and discussions
The body
Conclusion
The conclusion may include:
-Recommendations
-Reference
-Bibliography
-Acknowledgments
-Appendices
 Types of Reports.
Each report is aimed at a specific audience and
business purpose and it summarizes the
performance of different activities based on goals
and objectives.
Here are some of the types of reports
Informational Reports:

aims to give factual insights about a specific

topic.
they are only meant to inform but not propose
solutions or hypotheses.
helps in decision making
Eg: annual, monthly, or weekly reports.
Analytical Report:
a mix of useful information to facilitate the decision-
making process through a mix of qualitative and
quantitative insights as well as real-time and
historical data.
aims to provide recommendations about the next
steps and help with problem-solving.
build strategies based on analytical evidence
Also helps in predicting the business performance
Operational Reports:
track every pertinent detail of the company's
operational tasks, such as its production processes.
short-term reports as they aim to paint a picture of the
present
to spot any issues and define their solutions, or to
identify improvement opportunities to optimize their
operational efficiency.
used in manufacturing, logistics, and retail as they
help keep track of inventory, production, and costs,
among others.
Product Reports:
used to monitor several aspects related to product
performance and development.
to track which of their products or subscriptions are
selling the most within a given time period, calculate
inventories, or see what kind of product the client
values the most.
Another common use case of these reports is to
research the implementation of new products or
develop existing ones.
Industry Reports
provide an overview of a particular industry,
market, or sector with definitions, key trends,
leading companies, and industry size, among
others.
useful for businesses that want to enter a specific
industry and want to learn how competitive it is or
for companies who are looking to set performance
benchmarks based on average industry values.
Progress Reports
provide critical information about the status of a
project.
These reports can be produced on a daily, weekly,
or monthly basis by employees or managers.
to track performance and fine-tune tasks for better
development of the project.
often used as visual materials to support meetings
and discussions.
Internal Reports
any type of report that is used internally in a company.
to convey information between team members and
departments to keep communication flowing regarding
goals and business objectives.
useful communication tools to keep every relevant
person in the organization informed and engaged.
providing insights into the performance of different
departments and monitoring any changes or issues in
real-time.
External Reports
External reports are created with the aim of sharing
information with external stakeholders such as clients
or investors for budget or progress accountability as
well as to governmental bodies to stay compliant with
the law requirements.
Vertical & Lateral Reports
reporting type refers to the direction in which a
report travels.
A vertical report is meant to go upward or
downward the hierarchy, for example, a
management report.
a lateral report assists in organization and
communication between groups that are at the
same level of the hierarchy, such as the financial
and marketing departments.
Research Reports
one of the most vital reporting types for any modern
business is centred on research.
recorded data prepared by researchers or
statisticians after analyzing the information
gathered by conducting organized research using
qualitative methods.
A research report is a reliable source to recount
details about a conducted research.
Strategic Reports
Strategy is a vital component of every business, big
or small.
most universal of all the different types of business
reports imaginable.
helps to understand, meet, and exceed your most
pressing company goals consistently by serving up
top-level metrics on a variety of initiatives or
functions.
Introduction to Technical
Proposals Writing
 TECHNICAL PROPOSALS
a type of document that outlines the precise details of
a proposed product or service.
OR
a written document that presents a suggestion and
brings it forward for the consideration of others.
should be influential and easy to read and understand.
The purpose of a proposal can be different from one
another.
Types of Proposals
Internal Proposals
Internal proposals are written by and for someone
within the same organization.
both the writer and reader share the same workplace
context
these proposals usually address some way to improve
a work-related situation (productivity, efficiency,
profit, etc.).
External Proposals
External proposals are sent outside of the writer’s
organization to a separate entity (often to solicit
business, or to respond to another organization’s
request for proposals).
Since these are external documents, they are usually
formal in nature and may be introduced by a letter of
transmittal.
Solicited Proposals
If an organization identifies a situation it wants to
improve or a problem that it wants to solve. A
department or an organization may issue a request for
proposals (RFP), asking for proposals on how to address
the situation or issue.
The requesting department or organization will evaluate
proposals and choose the most convincing one, often
using a detailed scoring rubric or weighted objectives to
determine which proposal best responds to the request
and addresses the organization’s needs.
Unsolicited Proposals
Proposals that you have arranged and sent based on a need or
opportunity that you have discovered.
a spontaneous report that is unsolicitedly (voluntarily)
communicated by healthcare professionals, users, or
stakeholders to a company, regulatory authority, or other
organization.
Unsolicited reports do not derive from a study or any
organized data collection, which means that these reports are
not requested by anyone. i.e. your business has approached
an organization with the intent to provide a product or a
service.
 NOTE
The key difference between a report and a
proposal is that report is a short, concise, and
precise document with a specific purpose to be
presented to an audience,
whereas a proposal is a plan or an idea, especially
in written form, to be suggested for the
consideration of others.
Characteristics of Technical Proposals
A well-stated description of the problem, its causes and
consequences if it's unsolved.
A clearly stated solution and its implementation
Awareness of alternative solutions for the problem
An evaluation of the benefits of your proposal
positive effects of your proposal
Possible counterarguments to your proposal
A careful analysis of your audience- sensible writing
A reasonable, sensible tone, no emotive language