The document provides an overview of a course on English grammar for effective business writing taught by Dr. Pimsiri Taylor. It includes her qualifications and experience, as well as an outline of the course content which covers topics such as verb tenses, sentence structures, active and passive voice, and revising writing. Sample activities are also provided to help participants practice different grammar structures.

1. English Grammar
for Effective
Business Writing
By Dr. Pimsiri Taylor

2. Instructor Profile
Dr. Pimsiri Taylor
Lecturer
The Language Institute Thammasat University
Qualifications
- Doctor of Education, The University of Nottingham
- Masters of Arts, King’s College London, University of London
- Bachelors of Arts, English, Chulalongkorn University
Professional Experience
- Curriculum developer, English language instructor/ consultant at The Continuing
Education Center, Chulalongkorn University
- Lecturer at Srinakarinwirot University, Bangkok University, Silpakorn University
- Corporate trainer/ Speaker at various organizations such as Michelin, PTT, Panasonic,
Toyota, Bridgestone, Chevron, DTAC, Bangchak, etc.

3. Course content
Day 1 Day 2
• Self assessment/ Needs analysis
• Introduction to English grammar for effective
business writing
• Verb tenses and implications in
communication
• Sentence structures
• Various types of sentences for different
purposes – simple, compound, complex,
compound-complex
• Active and passive voice and implications in
written communication
• Nouns vs Gerunds
• Adjectives and adverbs – adding more details
to your message, creating impact
• Final quiz

4. Pre-Test - Tell us about you!
• You have to write 5 sentences to tell us about you.
• Omit the name as your colleagues will try to guess who
you are!
Your hometown your first-ever job eating out
Your favourite sport holidays your previous job
Your hobbies a thing you really like

6. Introduction to English
Grammar for Effective
Business Writing

7. What is effective writing?
‘Through the communication method of writing, readers get ‘exactly the
same message’ as the writers want to send.’
• To inform
• To inquire
• To instruct
• To persuade
• To ask for help
What makes effective writing?
1) Think and plan before you write e.g. audience, purpose, content
2) Pay attention to the language you use e.g. grammar, vocabulary
3) Revise and edit
4) Always double-check before you finish

8. Introduction to Effective writing
What makes effective writing?
1)Think and plan before you write
Audience
‘age, relationship, education, knowledge and understanding’
These factors will indicate the formality of the language, vocabulary, grammar,
sentence structures, length of the sentence.

9. Introduction to Effective writing
What makes effective writing?
1)Think and plan before you write
Audience (example)
A member of staff writing to the boss (in a report) explaining a case of damage claim
‘Clarity, Brevity, Simplicity’!
A) Because there was
insufficient evidence of
carrier responsibility, the
carrier refused the damage
claim that was filed by the
customer only three days
after the shipment arrived.
B) The shipment arrived.
Three days later the
customer filed a damage.
There was no evidence of
carrier fault. The carrier
refused a claim.
C) The customer filed a
damage claim three days
after the shipment arrived.
The carrier refused that
claim because there was no
evidence of carrier fault
complex too simple appropriate balance

10. Introduction to Effective writing
What makes effective writing?
2)Pay attention to the language you use
Grammar and Vocabulary
- Using a Dictionary (for exact meanings and parts of speech) or
Thesaurus (for synonyms/antonyms)
e.g. We are all difference/ different.

11. Why is grammar important?
• Clarity of the message
• Formal/ informal language
• Tone of the message
• Achieve the objective/aim of the message
• Convey professionalism and positive corporate image
Now, let’s start!

12. Sentence structures
who (does) what where when how
subject verb (+object) adverb(place) adverb(time) adverb
The sales team
discussed
the problem
at the weekly
meeting
yesterday
afternoon
in order to
find the best
solution.

13. Sentence structures

14. Sentence structures
Activity: Pair work
• Write a sentence based on the sentence structure above. (5 parts)
• Submit these pieces.
• All the pieces will be mixed. Then randomly pick 5 pieces to create a new sentence.
who (does) what where when how

15. Simple sentences
S + V
S + V + O
S + V + C
( + adv)
Write 3 simple
sentences related to
work.
• What did you do
yesterday?
• What happened
yesterday?
• What is your plan for
tomorrow?
Simple sentences
S + V
S + V + O
S + V + C
( + adv)
Compound-
FANBOYS!!
Language
Focus:
Sentence
Structures Complex
(other
conjunctions)
The accounting department
will conduct a detailed audit.

16. Coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences
• F
• A
• N
• B
• O
• Y
• S
or
nd
or
ut
r
et
o
The accounting department
will conduct a detailed audit.
FANBOYS
+ a simple sentence.

17. Coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences
• F
• A
• N
• B
• O
• Y
• S
or
nd
or
ut
r
et
o
The accounting department
will conduct a detailed audit.
NOR
+ a simple sentence IN the
form of QUESTION

19. Simple sentences
S + V
S + V + O
S + V + C
( + adv)
Write 3 simple
sentences related to
work.
• What did you do
yesterday?
• What happened
yesterday?
• What is your plan for
tomorrow?
Simple sentences
S + V
S + V + O
S + V + C
( + adv)
Compound-
FANBOYS!!
Language
Focus:
Sentence
Structures Complex
(other
conjunctions)
The accounting department
will conduct a detailed audit.

20. Subordinating conjunctions used in complex sentences
1) time before, after, as, while, when, whenever, until, since,
once, as soon as, by the time, etc.
2) reason because, as, since, etc.
3) condition if, unless, provided that, etc.
4) concession/ contrast although, even though, while, whereas, etc.
The accounting department will conduct a detailed audit
tomorrow so we must be ready for it.
The accounting department will conduct a detailed audit
tomorrow after we finish our morning meeting.
After we finish our morning meeting, the accounting
department will conduct a detailed audit tomorrow.

21. Read an excerpt from a report. Fill in the blanks
with appropriate conjunctions.
1

22. Read an excerpt from a report. Fill in the blanks
with appropriate conjunctions.
2
3
4
5

23. Write complex sentences based on the given situations
• You need to state that you cannot attend the weekly meeting
(main/independent) and you must provide reasons why you cannot
attend a meeting (supporting/dependent).
• You want to provide information to the team that the team must
following these steps in registration: 1) ask for approval from the line
manager 2) check the availability of seats. Emphasise the importance of
getting the approval from the boss.
• You are writing to your customer saying that you cannot give the 10%
discount. The condition of giving 10% discount will be on the amount of
customer spending, which is 50,000 THB and above.

24. What about these sentences?
1) Although it will be costly at first, expansion into global markets
is necessary and the firm will investigate this option.
2) Employees will be moved to the fifth floor and they will share
workspace because their regular office is under renovation.
Compound-complex sentences

25. CONSIDERATION FOR YOUR READER
✦ Use a variety of sentences: simple, compound, complex, compound-complex.
✦ Vary the length of sentences.
✦ Use long sentences to keep related information together.
✦ Use short sentences for emphasis and to provide relief for the reader.
✦ Use short sentences to highlight a key point.
✦ Introduce your paragraph with a strong topic sentence.
✦ Be clear, concise, and grammatically correct.