Page 128 - How to write effective business English your guide to excellent professional communication by Fiona Talbot

Punctuation and grammar tips 117

Examples of incorrect usage would be:

You have got the right files, isn’t it?
He is wrong, doesn’t he?

These kind of things are dealt with in your department, isn’t it?
Correct versions of these would be:

You have got the right files, haven’t you?
He is wrong, isn’t he?
These kinds of things are dealt with in your department, aren’t
they?

Tips to help you:

● ● Try balancing the same verb (including whether it is singular or
plural) on either side of the sentence.

● ● Then use a negative in the end questioning part of the sentence.

Open and closed questions

When you write English across cultures, do be aware that closed
questions typically lead to a yes/no/factual answer.
Examples are:

Please can you complete this report by month end?
Is the presentation ready?
If you are dealing with a reserved culture, it could be a better idea
to use an open question, such as:

Please could you give an indication of when you can complete
this?

What do you think?
The recipient then has to give a fuller and more informative answer.