Business English Guffey Chapter 5

She (a) write, (b) writes e-mails, tweets, and texts every day.

(b) writes

An investor said that someone stole a coin collection from a safe in his home office, which was valued at $50,000.

An investor said that someone stole a coin collection valued at $50,000 from a safe in his home office.

lay vs. lie examples of lie

These two verbs are confusing because the past tense of lie is spelled in the same way that the present tense of lay is spelled. *Lie* is intransitive- it requires NO direct object to complete the meaning I lie down for a nap every afternoon. (Present tense. Note that down is not a direct object.) "Lie down," Samantha told her dog. (Commands are given in the present tense.) Yesterday I lay down for a nap. (Past tense) Tomorrow I will lie down for a nap after lunch. (Future tense) Those reports have lain on his desk for some time. (Past participle) The contract is lying on the desk. (Present participle

infinitive

When the present form of a verb is preceded by the word *to*, the most basic verb form results: the infinitive. Try to call (not try and call) when you arrive. Be sure to (not be sure and) speak softly when you use your smartphone in public.

Verbs in the present tense

express current or habitual action. Present-tense verbs may also be used in constructions showing future action. We celebrate employees' birthdays once a month. (Current or habitual action) Shana travels to Miami next week. (Future action)

Verbs in the past tense

show action that has been completed. Regular verbs form the past tense with the addition of d or ed. Two CPAs audited our firm last month. The report focused on changes in our department.

Rebecca wishes that she (a) was, (b) were qualified for the position

were When a statement that is doubtful or contrary to fact is introduced by *if, as if, or wish*, use the subjunctive form *were* rather than the indicative form was

Choose the answer that indicates the primary tense (present, past, future) that is shown in parentheses after the sentence. The proposed driverless car (a) worried, (b) worries, (c) will worry many lawmakers and insurance firms. (present tense)

worries

At the beginning of the meal, all those present (a) layed, (b) laid their smartphones on the table and promised not to use them.

laid

In fact, they had (a) laid, (b) lain there for more than a week.

lain

The documents have been (a) lying, (b) laying untouched on her desk for some time.

lying

Our supervisor told us that we (a) can, (b) may leave early this afternoon.

may

A court reporter must (a) sit, (b) set near the judge and witnesses during proceedings

sit

Will Smith felt (a) bad, (b) badly that he was paid more than his female costar.

(a) bad,

Choose the correct answer A (a) transitive, (b) intransitive verb requires a noun or pronoun to complete its meaning.

(a) transitive,

My friend and I (a) hurryed, (b) hurried to our appointment.

(b) hurried

A verb that does not require an object to complete its action is (a) transitive, (b) intransitive, (c) subjunctive

(b) intransitive

In the following sentence, the verb phrase is (a) active, (b) passive. Bitcoin use in Bali is being investigated by Bank Indonesia

(b) passive. is being

In the following sentence, the verb phrase is (a) active, (b) passive. Twenty U.S. cities were chosen as finalists for Amazon.com's second headquarters.

(b) passive. were chosen

If I (a) was, (b) were in charge, I would have acted more quickly

(b) were When a statement that is doubtful or contrary to fact is introduced by *if, as if, or wish*, use the subjunctive form *were* rather than the indicative form was

Have you been (a) sitting, (b) setting goals for your future?

setting

What (a) is, (b) was the name of Apple's previous CEO?

(a) is his name hasn't changed

The (a) principle, (b) principal reason for the Apple investigation was to determine whether the company paid appropriate taxes

(b) principal

misplaced verbal modifier.

A verbal phrase that is not placed logically Illogical: The missing purchase orders were found by his assistant lying in the top desk drawer. Logical: His assistant found the missing purchase orders lying in the top desk drawer.

In the following sentence, the verb is (a) active, (b) passive. Amazon.com chose 20 U.S. cities as finalists for its second headquarters

(a) active,

The (a) active voice, (b) passive voice is called the voice of business.

(a) active voice,

(a) Being as, (b) Because we're friends, we text and tweet each day.

Because

The manager questioned (a) Colin's, (b) Colin traveling first class

Colin's Make any noun or pronoun modifying a gerund possessive.

Rewrite the following sentences changing their passive-voice verbs to active voice. Approximately 400 million text messages are sent every day by Filipinos, making the Philippines the texting capital of the world.

Filipinos send 400 million text messages every day, making the Philippines the texting capital of the world.

Practice in No Red Ink Classcode: freezing rabbit 34 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/862 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/866 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/872 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/876 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/888 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/890 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/909 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/915 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/929 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/930 https://www.noredink.com/learn/learning_paths/931

Grammar Flip Business English

whenever your subject is singular (unless the singular subject is I or you), add an s to the present-tense form of the verb. Add es if the verb ends in s, sh, ch, x, or z.

I work for a large corporation. She works for a large corporation. I teach English. He teaches English.

sit vs set examples of sit

I sit in the front row in class. (Present tense) They sat in the theater through the closing credits. (Past tense) Kris and Mike will sit in the back row for the presentation. (Future tense) They had sat in the waiting room for two hours before the doctor was able to see them. (Past participle) Brad was sitting in the conference room when we arrived. (Present participle

Which is more logical? a. Logging onto Facebook, I saw her status update immediately. b. Logging onto Facebook, her status update appeared immediately

Logging onto Facebook, I saw her status update immediately. After reading an introductory verbal phrase, ask the question Who? The answer to that question must immediately follow the introductory phrase.

What verb tense is used to express "timeless" facts,

Present-tense verbs are used to express "timeless" facts, even if these verbs occur in sentences with other past-tense verbs. What *is* (not was) the name of the customer who called yesterday? (The customer's name is the same today as it was yesterday) Emily Gross's maiden name *is* (not was) Adams. (Emily's maiden name is always the same, even if she is married.) What did you say his duties *are* (not were)? (Use the present-tense are if he continues to perform these duties.

Preposition list

Prepositions Aboard, About, Above, Across, After, Against, Along, Among, Around, As, At, Before, Behind, below, beneath, beside, besides, between, beyond, but, by, concerning, considering, despite, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, opposite, out, outside, over, past, pending, per, regarding, since, through, throughout, to, toward, towards, under, underneath, until, up, upon, with, within, without

Rewrite the sentence keeping the same introductory phrase, but be sure it is followed by a word it can logically modify. You may need to add a subject. Selected as Employee of the Year, the CEO presented an award to Cecile Chang.

Selected as Employee of the Year, Cecile Chang was presented an award by the CEO.

past tense vs past participle

The past participle is identical to past tense for regular verbs (ex: baked, baked) but differs for irregular verbs past tense: verb stands alone. The dog *bit* the chicken. She drank her lemonade. past participle verbs use "to be" or "to do" linking verbs before them The chicken *was bitten* by the dog. She *had drunk* the lemonade too fast.

Is it correct to say, I messaged you or I texted you? Are these real verbs?

The practice is called verbing (she blogged her way through Europe, he cornered the market, we tabled the motion, she calendared the date). New uses of words usually become legitimate when the words fill a need and are immediately accepted.

(a) active or (b) passive voice Our company monitors the online activity of all its employees.

active

(a) active or (b) passive voice Researchers revealed their findings indicating that workplace stress lowers workplace productivity.

active

Rising stocks (a) affect, (b) effect a market; when stocks are increasing, it is a bull market.

affect

Which is more logical? a. Driving to the office, an accident occurred. b. Driving to the office, we saw an accident.

b. Driving to the office, we saw an accident. The other is not clear is the speaker had an accident

I move that Jackson (a) is, (b) be, (c) was appointed chair of the Ethics Committee.

be When a meeting motion is stated, a subjunctive verb form should be used in the that clause that follows the motion.

Our company requires that all visitors (a) be given, (b) are given identification passes.

be given When a *that* clause follows a verb expressing a command, recommendation, request, suggestion, or requirement, use the subjunctive form of the verb to be.

(a) Be sure to (b) Be sure and let us know what time you'll arrive.

be sure to

You definitely (a) may, (b) can succeed in that field.

can

When stocks are falling, the (a) effect, (b) affect is a bear, or downward, market

effect

verb moods

enable a speaker or writer to express an attitude toward a subject

To celebrate the opening of their boutique, owners offered a (a) gift, (b) free gift of designer fragrance.

gift

(a) active or (b) passive voice The media has been criticized for publishing biased news stories

has been criticized

Jeremy's promotion depends on (a) him, (b) his making a good impression with management

his a pronoun or noun before a gerund is always possessive

Please (a) lay, (b) lie the foundation for your presentation in your introduction.

lay

Kesha had to (a) lay, (b) lie down until the dizziness passed.

lie

(a) active or (b) passive voice This year's profit projections were questioned by our CPA

passive were questioned

(a) active or (b) passive voice The online activity of all employees is monitored by our company.

passive voice is monitored

On (a) principle, (b) principal, Trevor protested a parking ticket he considered unfair

principle

Members of the student club decided to (a) raise, (b) rise funds for Habitat for Humanity

rise

Stocks have (a) rose, (b) risen, (c) raised to record highs in the past year

risen

lay vs lie rule

the rule is that lay requires a direct object, whereas lie does not. (e.g. "you lay the pencil on the desk" "you lie on the bed"

sit vs set rule

the rule is that set requires a direct object, whereas sit does not. (e.g. "you set the pencil on the desk" "you sit on the bed"

Verbals

words that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Three kinds of verbals are: gerunds (verbal nouns), infinitives, participles (verbal adjectives

Your colleagues would appreciate (a) your, (b) you not parking in our reserved parking spaces.

your

3 kinds of verb moods

1. Indicative mood: Expresses a fact (We need the contract). 2. Imperative mood: Expresses a command (Send the contract immediately). 3. Subjunctive mood: Expresses a doubt, a conjecture, or a suggestion (If the contract were here, we could begin)

English verbs change form to indicate four ideas:

1. Number (singular or plural) 2. Person (first, second, or third) 3. Voice (active or passive) 4. Tense (time—when the action occurred

verb present participle

formed by adding *ing* to the present tense of a regular or irregular verb. The present participle must be preceded by one or more helping verbs, which are usually forms of the verb to be such as: am, is, are, was, were, be, and been. Olivia is preparing dinner. I am developing a new plan.

complement

A noun, pronoun, or adjective that completes the meaning of the sentence by renaming or describing the subject

Transitive verbs fall into two categories of voices. What are they?

Active Voice and Passive voice

examples of active vs passive voice

Active Voice: Technicians *scan* our network for viruses. (The doer of the action is clearly identified.) Passive Voice: Our network *is scanned* for viruses by technicians. (The doer of the action is subordinated to a prepositional phrase, by technicians. emphasis is on the action of scanning rather than the doer of the action.) Active Voice: The accountant *made* three errors in the report. (The doer of the action is named.) Passive Voice: Three errors *were made* in the report. (The doer is unnamed. When the doer is unimportant or when tact is necessary, the passive voice may be us

affect vs effect

Affect is usually used as a verb (try replacing with a different verb to see if it works) The sun affected his skin (the sun damaged his skin). Effect is usually used as a noun (try replacing effect with *result* The sunburn was an effect of her lack of sunscreen. RARELY effect can be a verb "to make happen" She effected her test score by studying hard. and affect can be a noun "an emotional look" A sad affect may be a symptom of depression.

Linking verbs list and Verbs that can ACT like a linking verb

Am, is, are, being, been, and be do, does, did, Have, has, had, shall, should was, were, will, would, Verbs that ACT like linking verb but aren't always: feels, appears, tastes, seems, sounds, looks, smells

Are passive-voice verbs totally forbidden in business and professional writing?

Because they hide the subject and diffuse attention, passive-voice verbs are useful in sensitive messages where indirect language can develop an impersonal, inconspicuous tone. For example, when a lower-level employee must write a persuasive and somewhat negative message to a manager, passive-voice verbs are quite useful.

Being that / Being as vs. because

Being that / Being as are wordy and awkward, just use one word, because

Verbs of senses

Call them the FATS verbs: feel, appear, taste, and seem

subjunctive Mood

Careful speakers and writers use the subjunctive mood in clauses that express a doubt, a conjecture, or a suggestion. Some of those clauses begin with if and wish.

Rewrite these sentences so that the verbal phrases are close to the words they can logically modify. Here are some tips for protecting your identity from our insurance company.

Here are some tips from our insurance company for protecting your identity.

Rewrite the sentence keeping the same introductory phrase, but be sure it is followed by a word it can logically modify. You may need to add a subject. In an effort to explain my absence, an e-mail message was sent to my supervisor.

In an effort to explain my absence, I sent an e-mail message to my supervisor.

quick technique to identify passive voice

In the passive voice, verbs always require a helping verb, such as is, are, was, were, being, or been.

Irregular Verbs past and past participle examples page 148

Irregular verbs form the past tense by varying the root vowel and, most commonly, adding *en* to the past participle. drive=drove hang = hung (object) or hanged (person)

dog training: "SIT! LAY DOWN! STAY! teach your dog these commands, and both your lives will be happier." What's wrong here?

Lay is past tense. To teach the dog proper grammar be sure to say "LIE DOWN" I think the author needs to lie down, she is picking some dumb points to emphasize.

sit vs set examples of set

Letty usually sets her coffee mug there. (Present tense. Sets what?) The movers set the printer on your desk yesterday. (Past tense. Set what?) Our CEO's actions will set the tone for the meeting. (Future tense. Will set what?) CEO Harding had set the deadline before conferring with his employees. (Past participle. Had set what?) Our professor is setting a strict deadline for submitting our final projects (Present participle. Is setting what?)

difference between helping verb and linking verb

Linking verbs do not show action. They link the subject of the verb to an adjective or a noun that describes it. Sentence with action verb: John hired a new assistant. Sentences with linking verbs: Lisa *was* a student. The course *seems* interesting. Sue *is* cute. Helping verbs (or auxiliary verbs) always come before the main verb in a sentence. They assist the main verb by showing time, conditions, necessity or possibility. John *is* doing the assignment. (time-present) John *has* completed the assignment. (time-past) The group *could* meet at the library. (possibility) Lisa *must* complete the application. (necessity) If he *could* type, he *would* write the next great novel. (possibility) You *may* go to the movie. (possibility) She *can* play golf extremely well. (condition) *Do* you think he cares?

Rules for using gerunds

Make any noun or pronoun modifying a gerund possessive Amelia resented his calling during lunch. (The gerund calling requires the possessive pronoun his, not the object pronoun him.) The manager appreciated your working late. (The gerund working requires the possessive pronoun your.)

Rewrite the following sentences changing their passive-voice verbs to active voice. A digital pill that can tell doctors whether a patient has taken his or her medicine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The Food and Drug Administration approved a digital pill that can tell doctors whether a patient has taken his or her medicine.

principle vs principal

Principal may be used as a noun meaning "chief" or "head person." or it may be used as an adjective to mean "chief" or "main." The word principle means a "law" or "rule." A principle rule of life is "treat others as you wish to be treated". Perhaps it is easiest to remember principle = rule. All other uses require principal: the principal of the school, the principal of the loan, the principal reason.

rise vs. raise

Rise- when the object is lifting itself. Raise- when the object is being risen by another force.

Verbs that change spelling based on tense

Spelling verbs ending in y (hurry, hurries, hurried) Spelling verbs ending in c (picnic, picnicked, picnicking) Spelling verbs for which the final consonant is doubled when the verb is in the past tense (dropped, occurred)

I learned that the verb set requires an object. If that is true, how can we say that the sun sets in the west

The verb set has some standardized uses that do not require an object. Some concretes set quickly. The verb sit also has some exceptions that require direct objects Sit yourself down. The waiter sat us at Table 1.

how to remember lie vs lay, sit vs. set, raise vs. rise

To help you remember that these verbs are intransitive, look at the second letter of each: lie, sit, rise. Associate *i* with intransitive intransive= NO Direct Object transitive = Direct Object

passive voice.

When the action in a verb is directed toward the subject can be used to avoid mentioning the performer of the action or to place less emphasis on the doer of the action sometimes called the voice of tact passive: Three errors were identified.

Verbs that can ACT like a linking verb

Verbs that ACT like linking verb but aren't always feels, appears, tastes, seems, sounds, looks, smells Madison *feels* bad that her smartphone rang in the meeting. (Bad is an adjective complement following the linking verb feels. An adjective—not the adverb badly—is needed here to describe the senses.) Jay *looks* good in his interview suit. (Good is an adjective complement following the linking verb looks.)

Subjunctive Mood *Motions*

When a meeting motion is stated, a subjunctive verb form should be used in the that clause that follows the motion. Manuel moved that a vote be (not is) taken. Sierra seconded the motion that the meeting be (not is) adjourned

Subjunctive Mood *If and wish Clauses*

When a statement that is doubtful or contrary to fact is introduced by *if, as if, or wish*, use the subjunctive form *were* rather than the indicative form was Miranda acts as if she *were* the boss. (Miranda is not the boss; use the subjunctive mood.) if it is doubtful use *were* if it is possible but unknown use *was* If I *were* you, I would tell her. (I will never be you) If the verb in the if clause is "to be," use "were," even if the subject of the clause is a third person singular subject (i.e., he, she, it). See the examples below for an illustration of this exception: If I were a rich man, I would make more donations. If he were here right now, he would help us. Remember, though, that this exception applies only to unreal conditionals—that is, situations that do not reflect reality. (Hint: unreal conditionals often contain words like "would" or "ought to.") When you're talking about a possibility that did happen or might be true, use "was" and "were" as you normally would. If I was rude to you, I apologize.

Subjunctive Mood *That Clauses*

When a that clause follows a verb expressing a command, recommendation, request, suggestion, or requirement, use the subjunctive form of the verb to be. The CEO required that all board members be (not are) present at the meeting. Our manager recommends that all reports be (not are) proofread twice

split infinitives

When any word appears between to and the verb (for example, to carefully prepare), an infinitive is said to be split. Today most authorities agree that infinitives may be split if necessary for clarity and effect. Avoid, however, split infinitives that result in awkward sentences.

active voice

When the verb expresses an action directed by the subject toward the object of the verb Verbs in the active voice are direct and forceful and clearly identify the doer of the action. business and professional communications should use the active voice; it is called the voice of business. active: Angela identified three errors.

dangling modifiers.

Words/phrases that modify a word not clearly stated in a sentence Ex. Crawling on the wall, the cat was startled by a giant spider. (incorrect) Crawling on the wall, a giant spider startled the cat. (correct)

a word ending in *ing* is a gerund if it follows one of these verbs

admit, advise, avoid, be used to, can't help, can't stand, consider, deny, discuss, dislike, end up, enjoy, feel like, finish, forget, get used to, give up, go on, have difficulty, have problems, have trouble, imagine, it's no use, it's worthwhile, keep, look forward to, mention, mind, miss, recommend, remember, quit, spend time, stop, suggest, understand, waste time, work at

Which is more logical? a. As a valued customer, we are sending you this information. b. As a valued customer, you are receiving this information.

b. As a valued customer, you are receiving this information. After reading an introductory verbal phrase, ask the question Who? The answer to that question must immediately follow the introductory phrase.

Which sentence avoids a split infinitive? a. He has to, as soon as he graduates, find a full-time job. b. He has to find a full-time job as soon as he graduates.

b. He has to find a full-time job as soon as he graduates.

(a) Because, (b) Being that employers value communication skills, I plan to take a business communications class.

because never use *being that* or *being as*

intransitive verb

book def: An action verb that does not require an object to complete its action *intransitive verbs are usually followed by prepositional phrases (in our department, of opening)* Meaghan *worked* in our department last summer. (The intransitive verb worked requires no object to complete its action.) Stan *dreams* of opening his own business. (The intransitive verb dreams requires no object to complete its action.)

transitive verb

book definition: A verb expressing an action directed toward a person or thing an action verb that direct action towards a person or thing *A noun or pronoun usually directly follows a transitive verb*. Candidates *submitted their résumés*. (The transitive verb submitted transfers action from the subject to the object résumés. Candidates submitted what?) Yesterday the president *hired Anna*. (The transitive verb hired transfers action from the subject to the object Anna. The president hired whom?)

Define Verb

express an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. Alexa *interviews* all qualified job applicants. (Action) Our spring break *begins* this Friday. (Occurrence) Jared *is* the new product manager. (State of being)

lay vs lie examples of lay

lay is transitive and must have a direct object to complete its meaning Did you lay your smartphone on the conference table? (Present tense. Lay what?) Lay the report over there. (Command in the present tense. Lay what?) He laid the handouts on the conference table. (Past tense. Laid what?) We will lay new tile in the reception area. (Future tense. Will lay what?) He has laid bricks all his life. (Past participle. Has laid what?) The contractor is laying new flooring in the kitchen. (Present participle. Is laying what?

Choose the answer that indicates the primary tense (present, past, future) that is shown in parentheses after the sentence. A dental clinic (a) opened, (b) opens, (c) will open in our local supermarket. (past tense)

opened

What are the principle parts of verbs

present, past, future, present participle, and past participle.

I received a magazine advertisement recently that promised me a *free gift* and a *15 percent off discount* if I subscribed. What's wrong with this wording

redundancies The word gift suggests free; therefore, to say free gift is like saying I am studying English English. It would be better to say special gift. In the same way, 15 percent off discount repeats itself. Omit off.

verb past participle

regular verb is formed by adding a *d* or *ed* to the present tense of the verb. must combine with one or more helping verbs, which are often forms of the verb to have (has, had, have). Mark has researched the company. I have interviewed at two stores. avoid awkward phrasing: Ava's having been promoted to office manager was cause for celebration. Being as you live nearby, should we carpool?

Verbs in the future tense

show actions that are expected to occur at a later time. Traditionally, the helping verbs shall and will have been joined with principal verbs to express future tense. In business and professional writing today, however, the verb *will* is generally used as the helper to express future tense. Researchers will study the effects of cell phone use on brain cells. You will receive the contract before June 5.

When do you use may and when do you use can?

the verb may is used in asking or granting permission (yes, you may use that desk). Can is used to suggest ability (you can succeed in business).

Verbs that express action may be divided into two categories:

transitive and intransitive.

We hope you will (a) try and, (b) try to understand our position on the issue.

try to *Try to* is standard usage and appropriate for all levels of formality in both speech and writing. Avoid *try and*

gerunds (verbal nouns)

verb form ending in *ing* that is used as a noun. Gerunds often describe activities. Marketing our products through social media is necessary. (The gerund *Marketing* is used as the subject of this sentence.) Travis insisted on revealing the code. (The gerund *revealing* is used as the object of the preposition on. Tip 1: you almost always find a gerund after a preposition. Tip 2: When you are talking about an activity, you usually use a gerund.

Helping verbs

verbs that are added to main verbs, which can be action or linking, to form verb phrases. To be (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) To have (have, had, has) To do (do, did, does) These function ONLY as helping verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should will, would,) these express necessity or possibility. Helping verbs provide shades of meaning: I *may* marry you soon. I *must* marry you soon. I *should* marry you soon. I *can* marry you soon. I *will* marry you soon.

Linking verbs

verbs that connect or link the subject to words that rename or describe the subject. Mohamed is the new researcher. (Researcher is a noun complement that completes the meaning of the sentence by renaming Mohamed.) The caller was she. (She is a pronoun complement that completes the meaning of caller.) The product launch was successful. (Successful is an adjective complement that completes the meaning of launch.)

If Tanya Patrick (a) was, (b) were, (c) be in the office that day, I did not see her.

were When a statement that is doubtful or contrary to fact is introduced by *if, as if, or wish*, use the subjunctive form *were* rather than the indicative form was

Choose the answer that indicates the primary tense (present, past, future) that is shown in parentheses after the sentence. Our supervisor (a) copied, (b) copies, (c) will copy us on every e-mail message related to the pending merger. (future tense)

will copy

We appreciate (a) you, (b) your working last weekend

your Make any noun or pronoun modifying a gerund possessive.

Our goal is to provide exceptional service without (a) you, (b) your having to ask for it.

your pronoun before a "ing" verb usually signals a gerund and a pronoun or noun before a gerund is always possessive