商英君常常在后台收到疑问:想要进修职场英语,有什么样的学习材料?
 
对于这样的朋友,小编我总是推荐看BEC教材,或者去做几套真题。
 
这是因为BEC考试盛行多年,总结出的实用规则和技巧,确实是职场人必备的知识储备。
 
今天,我们就借着BEC考试写作模块,一方面可以给即将考BEC的考友们做个写作思路梳理,同时可看看工作中,商务写作有哪些注意点。
 
01 商务信函种类、各类型写作套路
 
国外曾出版过一本经典商务写作指导热门书,叫Powerful Business Writing
 
 
里面总结过职场写作涉及到的7种文书类型,分别是:
 
Information or acceptance 提供信息、表示接受
Sales or persuasion 销售、说服对方
Request 请求
Complain 抱怨
Rejection 拒绝
Collection 征收
Goodwill 示好
 
这本书讲,别看有7种,但是不管是写那种商务信函,都遵循 BME三模块
即:B 开头(Beginning),M 中间(Middle),E 结尾(End)。
 
但由于撰写的目的不同,往BME三部分里填充的内容并不一样,比如:
 
1. Information or acceptance 提供信息、表示接受
B: 引入话题
M: 讨论或解释
E: 表达你希望对方采取的行动
 
2. Sales or persuasion 销售、说服对方
B: 通过提出一个理念或提供一项产品服务来吸引对方注意
M: 使用一系列事实,晓之以理、动之以情
E: 呼吁对方

3. Request 请求
B: 说明你的需求
M: 描述你需求的原因
E: 请求帮助并表示感谢
 
4. Complain 抱怨
B: 说明问题出处
M: 提供充足的细节,以便对方帮助
E: 表达你希望对方采取的行动
 
5. Rejection 拒绝
B:对对方表示同情,拉近关系
M:将拒绝委婉提出,并且放在中间。说明拒绝的原因时也要给对方留情面
E:强调对于该局面的积极面
 
6. Collection 征收
B: 有礼貌地表达,提供对方未付款的信息
M: 有礼貌地要求对方及时付款
E: 表达如果付款不能及时到账时你将采取的行动,并随信附送回信信封
 
7. Goodwill 示好
B: 表达感谢、赞美、祝贺、同情,或者邀请
M: 提供非正式的较私人的信息
E: 以热情的方式结尾
 
也就是说不管是BEC考试,还是日常商务写作中,基本上都逃不过这7种类型。写作的时候,只要根据类型,套用以上模板就可以了。
 
02 商务写作常用连接词
 
 
大逻辑清楚了,接下来是信函中的小逻辑。
 
连接词是信函中不可或缺的成分,也是意思过渡、转折的“润滑剂”。
 
在小编我上学的时候,外教曾说:外国人看中国人写英文文章,判断这个人写作逻辑是否严谨,关键就是连接词用得是否恰当。
 
下面就给大家介绍一些常用连接词。

 
当然啦,不仅局限于单词,很多句子和短语也可以作为连接过渡使用,比如:
 
That brings us to the next step, which is …
正好这是我们下面要说的,就是……
 
Now that we’ve settled that problem, let’s look at …
这个问题已经解决了,下面我们来看看……
 
Unfortunately, in this case, we won’t be able to …
不好意思,在这个方案里,我们不能……
 
In addition to budget constraints, there’s another matter we have to discuss.
除了预算限制,我们还要讨论另外一个问题,
 
This relates directly to the question I put to you before…
这正好和我之前提到的一个问题相关
 
That brings me to the end of my presentation. I've talked about…
以上就是我想讲的,我们谈论了……
 
Well, that's about it for now. We've covered…
以上就是全部了,我们说了……
 
Perhaps I can rephrase that.
也许我可以再解释下,是这样……
 
Put another way, this means…
换种说法,这意味着……
 
03 商务写作7C原则
 
 
在国外,商务写作有一个必须遵循的原则,简称为7C原则。即:Completeness, Conciseness, Correctness, Concreteness, Clarify, Courtesy, Consideration
 
#1 Completeness 完整度
 
Any business communications should be complete and should convey all the facts needed by a given audience. Complete communication saves costs as no backtracking need occur. It also helps in decision making since the intended audience gets all of the information required.
商务沟通信息必须是完整的,将全部事实,传达给既定受众。完整的信息能节省成本,因为可以让受众不需要再回溯。而且,因为目标受众已获得所需的所有信息,这对于决策也有很大帮助。
 
完整包括所有有关“who、what、where、when、why、how等信息。
 
比如写一封order的时候,我们应该考虑货物是什么,什么时候需要,货物由谁运输然后谁接收,最后以什么样的付款方式。
 
#2 Conciseness 简洁度
 
Communications should be concise. Needless words can muddy the message, and a concise message is more comprehensible to the audience.
商务沟通应该简明扼要。不必要的话会让混淆视听,简明扼要的消息对观众来说更容易理解。
 
简洁指在不违背其他C原则的前提下尽量使用最少的的词汇来表达自己的意思。
 
简洁的反面就是Wordiness(冗长),一般有三种情况:
 
A. Circumlocution(委婉迂回)使用过长的表达
B. Vague qualifiers(模糊修饰语)使用没有意义形容词和副词
C. Padding(补白)表达没有意义,只是填补空缺
 
做个小练习--如何长话短说?

1. I have caused enquiries to be made with a view to establishing the reasons for our inability to supply your order.
2. That is really productive meeting.
 
答案

1. I have enquired into the reason why we can’t supply your order.
2. That is a productive meeting.
 
如何做到简洁?
 
1. 一个词替代词组
In the near future--soon;
will you be kind enough to--please
 
2. 避免一些which/that 从句
The receipt that is enclosed documents(V.) your purchase.
改为:The enclosed receipt documents your purchase.
 
3. 同一句话避免使用相同的词汇
Please quote your best price for your best quality.
改为:Please quote your lowest price for your best quality.
 
4. 避免无意义的表达
Please be advised that your admission statement was received.
改为:Your admission statement was received.
 
5. 避免不必要的介词短语
The issue of most relevance is teamwork.
改为:The most relevant issue is teamwork.
 
6. 控制被动语态的使用
The total balance due(总额) will be found on page 2 of this report.
改为:The balance due is on page 2 of this report.
改为:You will see the balance due on page 2.
 
#3 Correctness 正确性
Correctness means the message has been crafted using proper punctuation, spelling and grammar. A letter with incorrect usage puts you in an obviously bad light.
正确性意味着使用正确的标点符号、拼写正确,没有语法错误。如果一封商务信函错误连篇,写信的人给人留下的印象会非常不好。
 
做个小练习--修改句子问题

1.  Well chosen words are likely to be short and natural words.
2. The principals of effective letters and memorandums are similiar.
3. An efficient and concerned personal department builds employee morale.
4. The box, together with the baskets, were sent to the shipping room.
5. Jim and Paul are good friends of Mary and I.
6. In countries where two or more languages co-exist confusion often arises.
 
答案

1. Well-chosen words are likely to be short and natural words.
2. The principles of effective letters and memorandums are similar.
3. An efficient and concerned Personnel Department builds employee morale.
4. The box, together with the baskets, was sent to the shipping room.
5. Jim and Paul are good friends of Mary and me.
6. In countries where two or more languages co-exist, confusion often arises.

# 4 Concreteness 具体性
 
Lack of concreteness is perhaps the biggest mistake business communicators make. Communication that is particular rather than general strengthens confidence in the audience. Concrete communication is supported with facts and figures, and the message is typically not misinterpreted.
缺乏具体性是商务沟通的大忌。具体的,而非笼统的信息能让受众加强信心。具体的信息应该包括事实和数据,而且不会让人读了之后产生误解。
 
所谓具体,就是尽量使用明确、具体的词汇。
 
这样你的信函将更为专业、准确、有趣并且有力。举个例子:
 

#5 Clarify 清晰度
 
Clarity puts the emphasis on a specific message rather than on too many messages at once. This lets the audience assimilate information without having to decipher a garbled message. Clarity is especially useful in instructing employees about complicated new processes or procedures.
所谓清楚,就是要求一次把一个问题讲透,而不是什么都讲。这样受众能够更好消化信息,而不是在冗杂的信息中来回摸索。在教员工复杂的新流程或程序时,沟通的清晰度尤其重要。
 
商务写作,在于“在正确的场合使用正确的词汇”,具体而言:
 
1  使用短小、熟悉并且在会话中经常使用的词汇,然后将其有效地组句成段。
2  一句话不要讲述过多的思想,一句话最多讲一个点。
3  每句话不超过17-20个词。
4  如果情况允许,可以使用一些直观辅助,像举个例子、做个图表等等。
 
现在,试试将下面意义相同的词汇配对。
 
 
#6 Courtesy 礼貌性
 
Courtesy in an interchange means both the sender and receiver of the message are polite at all costs and the viewpoints and feelings of both are taken into consideration. Business people need to be courteous even in the face of disagreements, as disagreements will not be resolved in a contentious atmosphere.
在商务沟通中,消息发送发和接收方都应该秉承礼貌的原则,考虑对方的观点和感受。即使面对分歧,生意人也需要保持礼节,毕竟在争议对抗的环境中,问题是没法解决的。
 
如何体现:
 
及时回信
避免使用冒犯的语言(例如带有歧视的语言)
脾气温和
多为对方考虑
体现对方能获得的益处
强调积极怡人的信息
诚实完整
 
#7 Consideration 体贴
 
Consideration means respecting your business audience and putting yourself in their shoes. A message delivered in an empathetic fashion will usually stimulate a positive response. Talking down to subordinates shows a lack of consideration.
体贴意味着尊重你的商业伙伴,并为他们设身处地考虑。饱含同理心的信息往往能得到正向的回复。用高人一等的语气和下属讲话,就是缺乏同理心的表现。
 
04 BEC考试常用写作句式
 
1.The purpose of this report is to.../The report aims to...
2.As regards to.../The key findings are summerised bellow...
3.I recommend to.../It was concluded that...
4.It can be seen from the chart that significantly...-er...than...
5.According to the graph, we see a different trend emerging.
6.The number of... increased/dropped by %.
7.The graph shows the percentage of...
8.We can see that... swell during the... hours, peaking at...
……
……
 
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