Category: writing
Why do Indians find business English so hard to master?
Many Indians in the corporate sector find it challenging to communicate effectively in English.
They find it difficult to write emails that are clear, concise, and grammatically accurate.
And when they speak, there are many Indianisms and pronunciation errors. This would not be much of a problem if we were communicating amongst ourselves. If someone in the Gurgaon office is on a video call with someone in the Chennai office, the two people will, by and large, understand each other.
The issue arises when we communicate with someone from outside the country. An American colleague may not be used to our Indianisms (for example: do the needful). Or a foreign client may find it difficult to understand certain words that an Indian speaker pronounces.
But why do Indians find it so hard to improve their English language skills?
After all, whether you live in Mumbai or Bangalore, your world is saturated with English. Newspapers are in English. Shop signs are in English. Billboards are in English. At work, practically all formal communication is done in this language. At home, we have easy access to American/British serials, movies, and songs.
And yet, even after all of this exposure, communicating in the language is a struggle for many.
There are many reasons why Indian adults find English difficult. We’ll consider two of them.
Two reasons why Indians find it difficult
Overestimation of language skills
Many times, people think that their English skills are quite good. They are unable to critically assess their own language competency. This is more common than you think.
To make matters worse, everyone around them may be making the same grammatical and pronunciation errors. This makes it even more difficult to evaluate oneself!
Click here to learn more about what your language level really is.
Not aware of the need to learn how to learn
Let’s face it, as adult Indians, we are not the best of learners.
At school and college we memorised facts and figures. The only time I studied at university, was one month before the final exam. That is not learning!
True learning is all about being genuinely curious. It’s about self-reflection. It’s about recognizing one’s own interests, strengths, and weaknesses.
It has been my experience that adult Indians are reluctant independent learners. They want everything given to them. They want the trainer to ask the question and provide the answer. In short, they don’t want to mull over things. They do not want to discover the language for themselves.
This impatient attitude makes it difficult to learn something as varied and dynamic as a language.
What can be done? (I hear you ask.)
I am sorry, but there is no magic pill.
My advice on language learning
Be an active learner
Pay attention to words and expressions that are used, both spoken and written. The other day, I heard a person on a business channel use the idiom–on the anvil. I wasn’t 100% sure of its meaning, so I googled it.
If you ever come across an unfamiliar word or expression, do not ignore it. Jot it down, or immediately find out what it means.
I have been conducting workshops on communication skills for many years. One recurrent theme that keeps coming up is that participants say that they do not have enough vocabulary to express themselves. I understand, but there is no easy way out. I’ve read that one has to come across a word up to twenty-one times, before one can use it appropriately and naturally.
The only way to improve your vocabulary is to expose yourself to diverse language.
Read articles on politics, culture, climate change, and more. Watch different kinds of documentaries. By doing this, you will come across a variety of new words, collocations, and idioms.
When you come across new vocabulary, make a mental note. If you are not sure of its meaning, try to guess it from its context. Pay attention to how it is pronounced.
Do not be a passive consumer of content. Be an active, alert, and curious learner.
Do not use big words to show off
Make sure that you truly know the meaning of the word or expression you use.
Words are used in specific contexts. There can be nuances in meaning and connotation. If you are not 100% sure of the meaning of the last word in the previous sentence, please look it up 🙂
Do think that just because you have read a book such as Word Power Made Easy, your range of vocabulary has dramatically improved. I’m not against that particular book. I enjoyed reading it. However, it can only introduce you to new words. It cannot immediately improve your vocabulary. That will take time.
Remember, you need to encounter a word twenty-one times before you can use it effectively.
Beware: if you use words straight from a list, you may be using them incorrectly.
This is going to take time
Be realistic. You are not going to see a dramatic improvement in your language skills in two weeks’ time. It is a process.
Keep your eyes and ears open to language.
When you receive an email, spend a minute or two analyzing it. Is the message clear? Are there any words that are unfamiliar? Is the tone appropriate? Has the person used some grammar which you are unfamiliar with?
Is there anything you can learn from the email?
If you want to improve your speaking skills, compare your pronunciation with that of a news anchor. Watch NDTV and WION. You can also watch international channels such as CNN, BBC, and Aljazeera. Compare. Self-reflect.
Start observing yourself: what you say and how you say it. Some of your errors may be fossilized, so you will have to pay extra attention to them.
Become your own language coach. If you are unsure of the meaning or pronunciation of a word, find out at Cambridge Dictionary.
Before making a presentation, practise at least three times. Record yourself on your mobile phone. When listening to yourself, be critical. For example, are you speaking too fast? (Many Indians have a bullet-train rate of speech.)
When working on your language skills, take it slow. You do not have to immediately use an expression you have come across in the company newsletter. Take your time. Let it sink in.
Have fun
You learn better when you are having fun.
Watch Hollywood movies. Read comics. Listen to music while travelling to work. The more you immerse yourself in the language, the more comfortable you’ll be in it. It’s as simple as that.
I have noticed that people speak Hinglish with colleagues and switch to English with the boss. That’s okay.
I’m not asking you to speak in English all the time. I believe that it’s an asset that there are so many languages in India. But, I do urge you to get closer to the English language.
If you can, try karaoke, especially the old songs from the 50s and 60s. They tend to be slower, and the lyrics are often grammatically correct! Here is a song I discovered the other day:
Don’t be shy. You may not be able to sing outside, but you can always sing at home 🙂
I’m really serious about the fun part. It makes a big difference.
Make a plan
Are you serious about improving your English?
Don’t take it casually. Act strategically by setting precise, realistic goals. Think about what you want to achieve in the next four weeks. In the next four months. In the next year.
For example, to improve your vocabulary, learn three new words or phrases a week. Try to use them in your everyday conversation. Make them your own.
Be consistent. Be systematic. And you will notice a difference in your English skills.
Guaranteed!
Here are three excellent websites for improving your English.
3 or 4 common punctuation errors
For some reason, I’m a fan of punctuation marks. And to my dismay, I find that they are misused many a times in business writing.
Misused punctuation marks
1. Semicolon
The semicolon is used to divide two sentences that are in some way related to each other. The key word is ‘sentence’. There has to be a sentence on both sides of a semicolon. Here are two examples:
I enjoy punctuation; the semicolon is my favourite mark. (correct usage)
I enjoy punctuation; the semicolon. (incorrect usage)
When you use a semicolon, think about whether it divides two sentences or not. What is a sentence? I hear you ask. A sentence is a group of words that:
a. has a subject and a verb;
b. makes complete sense on its own.
2. Exclamation marks!
Note that I used just one exclamation mark for the sub-heading. One exclamation mark is more than enough.
Do not write: !!!
Of course, in informal communication, you can use a series of exclamation marks. On WhatsApp, you can type: I passed the test!!! But, even here, the value of your exclamation marks starts to fall if you use too many of them.
Using too many exclamation marks dilutes the impact of your message. From now on, be mindful when using these marks.
Why do women use exclamation marks three times as much than men? Find out.
3. The use of the dash and colon
There are many uses of these punctuation marks, but I have one particular use in mind. When introducing a list, many people in India start with :–
That is redundant, and a bit heavy.
Either go with the colon (:), or go with the dash (–). Why go with both? That makes your writing unnecessarily heavy.
And that’s a wrap
When writing, be aware how you use these marks.
Read this post on how to use other punctuation marks.
Have you ever asked yourself: when should I use a semicolon?
When it comes to punctuation, keep it light.
Just like in design: less is more.
Image credit: Grok
3 tips to improve your email writing
Many people find it difficult to write effective business emails. I see two reasons for this. The first is that they are not approaching the act of writing in a methodical manner. To put it bluntly, they do not give much thought to writing an email. They write it and then press the send button. The second reason is that they do not have the language to convey what they want to say.
In this post, we’ll be tackling the first reason: that is how to approach the act of writing an email. Here are my suggestions:
1. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
Who are you writing this email to? Do you need to be formal or informal? How much background information should you include? Do you need to CC anyone else?
To answer all these questions. Think of a pair of shoes, that are not yours. And then, put your feet into them. Warning: it may hurt you!
If the email is for close colleagues, then you can be informal or semi-formal. If it is destined for the CEO, then perhaps you should be more towards the formal side of the scale.
If you are writing an email to colleagues who are working on the same project, then you may not need to give too much background information. However, if you are sending an email to a vendor, then you may need to give lots of background information.
2. Write short sentences
After delivering email writing workshops for many years, this has been my number one learning. Write short sentences. Write short sentences. Write short sentences. Yes, I really cannot emphasize it enough! If you are not confident of your grammar, this piece of advice really helps. I have seen long sentences winding their way through an email. And the longer they wind, the greater the chance that they will contain grammatical errors.
Try counting the words in your sentences. You should be able to manage with seven to twelve words per sentence. Try it. You’ll thank me later 🙂
3. Think before you hit that send button
Once it’s gone, it’s gone. There have been many embarrassing situations. For instance, a message CCed to everyone, when that was not the plan. Or, someone sent a message in a fit of anger to her boss. And then minutes later, the sender regrets the language she used. Or… Well, there are so many scenarios. You may have your own example.
I know that many people cannot resist pressing that send button. After pressing it, the email has left your screen. Thank god… But, remember, it will soon show up on someone else’s screen. So ask yourself these questions. Have I edited the message? Are there any grammatical errors? Have I explained myself clearly? Is the message polite? (For polite language, you can read my post on 7 tips to soften your language . )
Keep these 3 points in mind, and your email writing skills will improve. I promise it will. (See how effective a four-word sentence is.)
7 tips to soften your language
In informal language, especially with friends, you can say just about anything. And you don’t necessarily have to be polite.
This is not the case when using language at the workplace. Here the language needs to be controlled, structured, and polite.
Do you ask yourself these questions:
How can I soften my English?
How can I soften my words?
How can I be polite and soft spoken?
If your answer to these questions is yes, then you are in the right place.
Let’s look at seven words or phrases that can soften your language.
Tips to soften my English
1.Say thank you
Use this phrase as often as possible. Don’t worry, the universe is not running out of thank you’s.
When you receive an email or WhatsApp message from a colleague, respond with:
Thanks, Janet!
Or, if it has to be more formal:
Thank you for sending the updated address.
If you are corresponding with someone outside your office, use ‘thank you’ as a form of acknowledgment.
Instead of writing:
This is to acknowledge the receipt of your application dated 12.02.25.
you could write:
Thank you for sending your application on 12.02.25.
Doesn’t that sound better? To me, it sounds friendly, clear, and professional.
2. Say please
Pulease… Is used by teenagers often. And they are right in using it.
Just like thank you, please should be used often. Use please with everyone: to your superiors as well as subordinates. Especially with those who report to you….
Compare these two lines:
Make sure the annual reports are printed by 2 pm.
Please make sure the annual reports are printed by 2 pm.
Do you see how the word please softens the sentence? It makes it sound less like a command. The person reading this message would respond positively to it.
3. Ask for permission using: can, could, and may
The most informal way to ask for permission is can.
Can I use the conference room for twenty minutes?
At work, if you wish to be more formal, use could.
Could I use the conference room for twenty minutes?
If you are in a formal situation, go for: may.
May I use the conference room for twenty minutes?
4. Give permission using can or may
When giving permission, say:
yes, you can
or
yes, you may.
May is more polite than can.
Don’t say: yes, you could. That may cause some confusion in the mind of the listener. Well, could I, or couldn’t I?
5. Use would
Would is an excellent word to use to soften your language.
Would you agree?
That’s softer than: Do you agree?
Here are some expressions with would:
Would you mind if we start early tomorrow?
Would you like to read the summary first?
I would suggest we consider other options.
6. Know when to use shall
This is a polite verb to use.
For example:
Shall we review the feedback?
Shall we start the meeting?
In fact, the term ‘shall we’ can be used at the start of almost any activity:
Shall we start the presentation? Shall we finalize the date? Shall we break for lunch? Shall we…
When starting an activity (meeting, presentation), it’s a good idea to use: we. It’s a nice way to make everyone feel included.
7. Use let’ s a lot
In a more informal setting, say with colleagues you know well, you can use let’s instead of shall.
Let’s start the interview.
Let’s listen to Nalini’s update.
Let’s order a cake!
Instead of saying: Now, I would like to invite X to inaugurate the conference.
You could say: Now, let us invite X to inaugurate the conference.
In the second sentence, we replaced the pronoun ‘I’ with ‘us’.
That sounds softer. And more inclusive.
I used ‘let us’ because it sounds more formal. In everyday interactions at work, use let’s.
Being polite is important.
It creates a positive atmosphere at work. It shows that you value your colleagues, clients, and vendors.
When you are polite, you conduct yourself in a more professional manner.
Could being polite become contagious? I certainly hope so.
For more on being polite, watch this BBC Learning English video.
Do you want to be more effective when intervening in meetings? Read this post on how to interrupt in a meeting.
Will vs. Would
Here we look at when to use will and would.
After reading this post, I’m sure you’ll agree that ‘will you marry me?’ is a better option than ‘would you marry me?’.
Use of will
We use will to talk about the future.
For example: “Natasha will complete editing the report by this evening.”
We use will when we decide to do something at the moment of speaking:
“Don’t worry. I will help you with the accounts.”
Use of would
There are many ways to use would.
We use it:
to talk about the past, in the same way we use ‘used to’.
When I was in Mumbai, I would jog everyday in the morning.
When Shazia was here, we would review the sales figures every Monday.
to ask a polite question.
“Would you like to meet the duty manager?”
to make a polite request.
“Would you mind if we leave early?”
to make a polite recommendation.
“I would suggest that we wait till tomorrow.”
to talk about something conditional.
“If I were you, I would hire both of them.”
“I would attend the conference, if I could find the time.”
“I would have sent you the file, if you had asked me.”
with indirect speech.
“He said that Anjali would meet us tomorrow morning at the hotel.”
In indirect speech, we are reporting what someone else said. In this case, we use would and not will. We should not say: “He said that Anjali will meet us…”
When to use will instead of would
There are situations when using would could cause some confusion.
Let’s look at these two sentences:
I would send you the finalised contract.
I will send you the finalised contract.
The first sentence sounds tentative. I may or may not send the contract. The unsaid meaning could be: If certain conditions are met, I would send it.
While the second sentence is more certain.
It is more reassuring: yes, I will send it.
Having said that, do keep in mind that the use of would and will can be more nuanced.
For example, if you want to be polite and are sure that there will be no confusion in the mind of the reader, you can write: I would send you the finalised contract. However, if you feel that there could be room for misinterpretation, then go for: I will send you the finalised contract.
And now you know why the question is: will you marry me.
Would you agree?
Since vs. for
At times, I have heard: “I’ve been working here from 2015.”
Actually it should be: “I’ve been working here since 2015.”
Or one can say: “I’ve been working here for two years.”
Here is how since and for are used:
since + point in time (since 1906)
for + period of time (for 10 years)
We do use from with time expressions, but in a different sense. Here are some examples:
The conference starts from tomorrow.
The shop is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
And yes, by now you know why the ad is correct: Trusted since 1906.
In fact, from now on, you know the difference between since and for.
3 common errors in business email writing
You need to be professional in your communication. It is important not to make errors while writing business emails. If you do make them, it will reflect negatively on you. Make sure that you are not making these errors:
3 common errors in business email writing
Here are three common errors that many people make:
1. This email is with regards to your visit.
It should read: … with regard to your visit.
We use the word ‘regards’ when we say: “Send him my regards!”
Or, when we sign off on an email:
Regards,
Payal
2. I am looking forward to meeting you.
The phrase, looking forward to, is informal. We use it when communicating with friends. For example: I’m looking forward to meeting your cousin.
If you wish to have a more formal tone, then write:
I look forward to meeting you.
Note that it should not read: I look forward to meet you.
The verb should always end in -ing. For example:
I look forward to receiving the book.
I look forward to speaking with you.
In this structure, instead of a verb (speaking, receiving), we can use a noun.
For example:
I look forward to your reply.
I look forward to the presentation.
3. For any clarification, contact me.
This is informal, and it is okay among friends / colleagues (who are friends).
If you wish the tone to be more formal, write:
If you need any clarification, do not hesitate to contact me.
If you need any clarification, please call me at 86393389.
If you need any clarification, please send an email to Tony at: abc@xyz.com
Do not write: If you need any clarification, please contact the undersigned.
In this case, we normally treat clarification as an uncountable noun, so do not add an ‘s’ at the end.
This sounds like a lot of work. The reader will first have to find who this mysterious ‘undersigned’ is.
Remember, in general, try to keep your business communication simple and straightforward.
For more in-depth information on the topic, read how to improve your email writing skills.
When to use a semicolon
When do I use a semicolon?
This is an excellent question. Using semicolons can be tricky.
Before I answer that question, let’s take a step back. We have to revise what an independent clause is.
An independent clause:
- has a subject and a verb;
- makes complete sense on its own.
Here is an example of an independent clause:
Amir made the presentation.
This is an independent clause. There is a subject (Amir) and verb (made). And it makes sense on its own.
Have you noticed that an independent clause is a simple sentence? Yes, it is!
Is this an independent clause?
Although we finished the report.
This is not an independent clause. Yes, there is a subject (we) and a verb (finished). However, it just does not make any sense on its own!
It’s a dependent clause. There needs to be more information for it to be complete in meaning. So, it is not an independent clause.
Now that independent clauses are out of the way, let’s focus on semicolons.
Two common uses of the semicolon
We use a semicolon to connect two independent clauses
Amir made the presentation; the client decided to accept our proposal.
Here, we have two independent clauses joined by a semicolon.
Do you like the look and feel of this sentence? If you do, then use a semicolon in your next email.
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
Although we finished the report; I was unable to upload the file.
No, it isn’t. ‘Although we finished the report’ is a dependent clause. As you now know, a semicolon joins two independent clauses.
In case you are wondering about that sentence–the semicolon needs to be replaced with a comma.
A semicolon joins two simple sentences that are closely related in meaning.
Using a semicolon to divide a list
This is a list of speakers for the panel discussion: Ms. X, CEO of Kaboo; Dr. L, Professor of Semicolons at University of Row; Mr. O, COO of Bow Wow.
Now imagine we replace all semicolons with commas.
This is a list of speakers for the panel discussion: Ms. X, CEO of Kaboo, Dr. L, Professor of Semicolons at University of Row, Mr. O, COO of Bow Wow.
Are you as confused as I am? I certainly hope so…
I don’t know whether the CEO of Kaboo is Ms. X or Dr. L or whether the CEO of Kaboo is another person altogether!
We could spend a whole day trying to figure out who is who. Thankfully, with semicolons, the list becomes crystal clear.
Do you have to make such complicated lists? If so, think semicolon.
To conclude…
Some people find semicolons to be pretentious. I find them to be elegant. It’s satisfying to see a dot hover over a comma.
In terms of meaning in the world of punctuation, a semicolon is somewhere midway between a comma and a full stop.
Here is a detailed post on the use of semicolons.
If you find them attractive, use them in your writing. The world would be a better place with more semicolons.
Make sure you are not making these common errors in punctuation.
amalfabian 