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Business Skills - The Essentials Courses

Course Objective To help you to Understand the importance of Business Skills at the workplace. Reflect on your Business skills and understand where you stand Work on the building blocks of Business skills Prepare yourself for your learning program at TCS. Your Course materials include a few online sessions, exercises and selected online resources for theory and practice. The content focuses primarily on the four primary areas of communication namely - listening, speaking, reading and writing, and some handy tips on corporate etiquette.

Course Content 1.

The Grammar Clinic I.

The Grammar Clinic-Part_1

i. ii.

II.

Subject Verb agreement

iii.

Prepositions

iv.

Articles

The Grammar Clinic-Part_2

i. III.

Parts of speech – a quick peek

Tenses – Present, Past and Future

The Grammar Clinic-Part_3

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i. 2.

How do you say it? i.

3.

ii.

ii. iii.

Effective Reading Skills

Speaking versus writing Spices of writing Characteristics of Writing

Corporate Etiquette- Handy tips i. ii.

7.

Non Verbal Communication

How well do you write? i.

6.

Effective Listening Skills

How good are your reading skills? i.

5.

How do you say it?

Beyond words i.

4.

Sentence Linkers and Indianisms

Grooming tips Manners Matter

iii.

Performance boosters

iv.

Elements of Change

Conclusion and References i.

Conclusion

ii.

References

Courses

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Afraid you are not perfect? That's alright. It’s never too late to start. Let us start with your first lesson, the Parts of Speech in English..

Parts of Speech I’m sure you already know that words are divided into various parts of speech according to the work they do in a sentence. The following are the various parts of speech: Parts of speech:

Description:

Example:

Nouns

Names of persons, objects and things.

Lion, India

Pronouns

Words used instead of a noun.

I, We, You, She, He, It

Adjectives

Words that qualify a noun.

John is a good boy.

Verbs

Words that describe an action or state.

They are talking. He is hungry.

Adverbs

Words that qualify a verb.

She sings sweetly.

Prepositions

Words placed before a noun or pronoun to mark its relation to another word.

We looked at the sky.

Conjunctions

Joining words.

Rama and Krishna are good boys.

Interjections

Words that express strong feeling or excitement.

Alas! My best friend is dead. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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The various parts of speech of a language are its building blocks. Most of us don’t realize this, but it is the unconscious awareness of the parts of speech, that helps us to construct effective and correct sentences. The Parts of speech form the foundation of a language.

Quiz

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Let us now move on to Basic Sentence Patterns in English

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Look at the table below. Formula 1

S+V

2 S+V+O

Sentence Pattern

Example

Subject + Verb

The plane took off Jim came

Subject + Verb + Object

Peter ate an apple. I love my job.

3 S+V+Adv Subject + Verb + Adverb

Jessica is sitting on a chair. I am here.

4 S+V+Adj Subject + Verb + Adjective

The book is expensive. Rita is funny.

5 S+V+N

The lady is an Indian Mr Patel is an engineer.

Subject + Verb + Noun

Well. What do you observe? You are right. Every sentence has a subject and a verb. Your sentence must always have a Subject and a Verb. The verb must always relate to the subject it refers to. Words or phrases that come in between the subject and the verb do not influence the verb in any manner. It is important to identify the right subject! This now brings us to the next point of discussion – Subject-Verb Agreement. We’ve just learned that the verb must always relate to the subject it refers to. This means the subject and the verb need to agree with each other in terms of number.

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Subject Verb Agreement Look at the following sentences. Can you identify any errors? Janaki don’t look happy. Michael sing well. These shoes doesn’t fit me. I doesn’t drive. Everyone are here.

Well, what do you think? I’m sure you have identified the errors. Why don’t you check the answers yourself?

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We mentioned a little while ago that any sentence would have a subject and a verb. But these two need to agree with each other. This is what we mean by “subject - verb agreement”. The errors we noticed in the sentences above exist because the subject and verb do not agree with each other. Let’s take a look at this in detail.

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Subject Verb Agreement- The Rules A singular subject takes a singular verb. A plural subject takes a plural verb.

For example: The apple is green. (Third person singular) Apples are good for health. (Third person plural) The verb takes an‘s’ in the third person singular

For example: The boy sings very well. Mary likes ice cream. Indefinite pronouns such as everyone and everybody feel plural to some writers, but they are always singular — and take a singular verb.

For example: Everyone associated with this project is proud to be here. Everybody wants to go to the beach. Don’t be confused by phrases that come between the subject pronoun and its verb — phrases that may contain plural words.

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One of the boxes is open. The price of the books is very high. Priya, who played the role of the teacher in the drama, is the best actor. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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With fractional expressions (fractions or decimal equivalents), the verb will be determined by what is being measured: is it COUNTABLE or not.

For example: Two-fifths of the grain is ruined. One-half of the employees were happy to know about the celebrations. Of all the gifts we have counted so far, fifty are wrapped. Phrases such as together with, along with, and as well as seem to join subjects, but they do not work the same as and. They are not conjunctions.

For example: A majority of the student body is in favor of asking the Dean to stay another year. Some of the equipment in the store, as well as some pieces of furniture was ruined in the flood. The third year students, together with their teacher, are going to the science exhibition. When either and neither appear as the subject alone, they are singular. This is true even though the subject seems to be two things.

For example: Neither of these tables appears to be suitable. The travel agent will lend me a train ticket or a flight ticket. Either is fine with me. https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part1/Grammar _Clinic_Part_1_9.html

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When either and neither act as correlative conjunctions, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the number (singular or plural form) of the verb.

For example: Neither the professor nor the assistants are at fault. Either the assistants or the professor has to be responsible for the year-end festival. When an expletive construction (there is, there are, here is, etc.) begins a sentence, the subject (which determines the number of the verb) comes after the verb.

For example: There are several reasons for the breakout of the epidemic. Here is the list of things you need to buy for your class project. Certain words like trousers, stairs, premises, police, staff etc, are always considered plural and take a plural verb.

For example: The police have issued a warrant for Chopra’s arrest. The premises are located away from the city. Certain words like bacon and eggs, fish and chips, research and development are considered singular as they have a close association.

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Research and development is an integral part of this organisation. Bread and butter is my favourite breakfast. Learning and sharing is one of TCS’ values. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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The rules of grammar may seem easy when you read through them. However it is only through constant practice that you can master them. Try out the quiz given below and let’s see if we have been able to take care of that hairline fracture. Also, at the end of our trip through Grammar Clinic, you will be given a list of websites that will help you learn more about grammar. Go through them as well and help yourself improve on the foundation of your language!

Quiz

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Prepositions

A preposition is a word or phrase used with a noun, pronoun or noun equivalent to show its relation to some other word or phrase in the sentence. It usually indicates the logical, spatial or temporal relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence. Prepositions are generally of three types: I.

Prepositions of Time

II.

Prepositions of Place

III.

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Prepositions of Time: They indicate if something is at a given point in time or over a period of time. Prepositions

In

On

At

Use

Examples

Months, year

In June, in 1998

Seasons

In summer, in winter

Parts of the day

In the morning

Duration of the day

In an hour’s time

Days of the week

On Tuesday

Date

On the 6th of June

Special holidays

On Christmas day

Special parts of a day

On the morning of May 12th

Part of the day

At night

Time of the day

At 4pm

Celebrations

At Diwali, at Easter

Fixed phrases

At the same time

Examples: He started before midnight. This will be finished in an hour’s time. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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There are two more prepositions that you would find useful – FOR and SINCE.

point of time

FOR is used with a period of time while SINCE is used with a

.

Quiz

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Quiz Let’s check your general understanding of the prepositions For and Since.

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So.. did you learn something about For and Since? Yes… For is used with a period of time and Since is used with a point of time!

Prepositions of Place to another.

They indicate where indicate how one thing is situated in relation

At

In

On

At the bus stop

In the car

On the bus

At home

In the living room

On the sofa

At work

In the cafeteria

On the train

At school

In a helicopter

On a plane

At university

In a boat

On a ship

At college

In the library

On a motorbike

At the top

In the newspaper

On a horse

At the bottom

In the sky

On the radio/tv

At the reception

In Kailas street

On MG road

At, In and On are the most commonly used prepositions of place. We usually use:

At for a Point of time In for an Enclosed space On for a Surface Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Quiz Match the picture to the correct text with the correct prepositions.

A.

John is at the Café. He is sitting on the chair with a briefcase in his hand. His cup of coffee is on the table. There is a camera next to it. Jane’s travel bag is under the table. She is standing beside the door. Her glass of juice is on the table. There is a straw in her glass. The sign board on the door says the café is open.

B.

John is at the Café. He is sitting in the chair with a briefcase inside his hand. His cup of coffee is at the table. There is a camera besides to it. Jane’s travel bag is on the table. She is standing at the door. Her glass of juice is in the table. There is a straw at her glass. The sign board in the door says the café is open.

C.

John is at the Café. He is sitting at the chair with a briefcase in his hand. His cup of coffee is in the table. There is a camera besides it. Jane’s travel bag is at the table. She is standing on the door. Her glass of juice is at the top of the table. There is a straw inside of her glass. The sign board

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between the door says the café is open.

Check your Answer here.

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Prepositions of Movement They indicate how one thing is moving in relation to another. Common prepositions of movement are: Onto, into, across, under, through, away from, towards, over, along, past, off, around Example: He ran across the road. The ball went through the window. Look at the pictures below. Which prepositions would you use to describe these pictures?

Check your Answer here.

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Tired already? Confused? Well yes it can be. I’m sure you have guessed two things by now : One, there are many types of prepositions and Two, the same word can be used for various things. In addition to prepositions, you also have ‘Prepositional Phrases’. Now it would be unfair if we told you everything about prepositions and what prepositional phrases are. So here’s some home work for you. Read up further on prepositions and prepositional phrases. You have plenty of material online. Or I’m sure there is a grammar book you can get hold of from somewhere. The only way to master these little words that make such a huge impact is using them. Keep practicing. Your final assessment will test your knowledge on other prepositions as well!

Articles

Articles are a set of function words, which contribute greatly to meaning. There are three articles in English namely -The, a, an The is referred to as the Definite Article while A and An are called Indefinite Article.

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The Definite Article is used : Before nouns which denote unique things or persons: the sun, the earth, the equator, the universe, the stars. Before a Noun to Denote a Class: The tiger is a ferocious animal. The airplane is the fastest means of travel. Before the names of mountain ranges and island groups: The Himalayas, the Alps, the West Indies, the South Sea Islands. Before the names of rivers, canals, straits, seas, oceans, and gulfs: the Nile, the Suez Canal, the Gibralter, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf. Before the names of newspapers, holy books, old epic poems and reference books: the Statesman, the Bible, the Mahabharata, The Encyclopedia. Before government departments, banks, establishments: The Department of Revenue, the Canara Bank. Before the adjectives in the Superlative Degree: Raju is the tallest boy in the class. Before adjectives to represent a class: The rich, the poor, the oppressed, the downtrodden. Before words like ultimate, next, last, first, second: The second one from the left is my cousin.. Note: THE is not used: https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part1/Grammar _Clinic_Part_1_24.html

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1 : before the name of a single island, mountain, peak or hill : Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Everest 2 : before the names of countries and places : India, China, New Zealand Exceptions : the Sudan, the Punjab, the Netherlands. (Before Proper Nouns for specific reference) : The India of today is not the India under the British rule. Kalidasa is known as the Shakespeare of India.

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The Definite Article is not used : Before Proper Nouns: Raju, Anne, Rahim. (Not The Raju, The Anne, The Rahim) Before names of substances, if they are used in a general sense: Gold is a precious metal. (Not the gold) Bread is available here. (Not the bread) Before the names of meals, games, languages and festivals: Breakfast will be ready at 8 O’clock. Christmas falls on 25th December Note 1: When the reference is to a particular kind of substance THE is used: 1 : The gold mined in India is of a good quality. 2 :The bread we produce is sweet. Note 2: When the metal is specified THE is used: 1 :The dinner they had hosted was well attended. Okay. So now you know where the ‘THE’ is to be and not to be used. Let’s take a quick look at the other two articles – The Indefinite articles A and An.

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The indefinite Article A is used: Before a word beginning with a consonantal sound: A word beginning with a consonant has a consonantal sound. There are some exceptions. “Exceptions again?” Yes. You are probably wondering why there are so many of them. Exceptions are common in English and that is what lends the language its beauty. i.

A European

ii.

A one rupee note

iii.

A unit

iv.

A university

v.

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The indefinite Article An is used: Before words beginning with a vowel sound or a word with silent h: i.

An elephant

ii.

An army

iii.

An hour

iv.

An honor

A/An may be used in the sense of one: i.

There is a bird in the cage.

ii.

I will be back in an hour.

A/An is used in the sense of every: i.

He gets Rs. 3000/- a month.

ii.

The car is going at fifty miles an hour.

Note: An has to be used before abbrevations pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning: i.

An MLA (/em/LA)

ii.

An MP (em/P)

iii.

An MA (em/A)

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Quiz I. Let’s check our understanding, shall we?

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Time and Tense

There are 12 tenses in English. If you know how to use it and where to use it, a major step to attaining English fluency is accomplished! Take a look at the table in the next page.

A quick look! Simple

Continuous

Perfect

Perfect Continuous

Present Continuous tense eg: is speaking

Present Perfect tense eg: has spoken

Present Perfect Continuous tense eg:has been speaking

Past

Simple Past tense eg: spoke

Past Continuous tense eg: was speaking

Past Perfect tense eg: had spoken

Past Perfect Continuous tense eg: had been speaking

Future

Simple Future tense eg: will speak

Future Continuous tense eg: will be speaking

Future Perfect tense eg: will have spoken

Future Perfect Continuous tense eg: will have been speaking

Simple Present Present tense eg: speak

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Present Tense

When do we use Simple Present Tense? To Talk about general facts / universal truths Examples: She lives in Mumbai. I come from Kerala. The earth revolves round the sun. To talk about habits / routine activities

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Examples: I go to college at 8:30 AM every day. I love reading fiction. She goes for her dance classes on Fridays. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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To narrate stories, movies, and in sports commentaries Example: The story opens in Delhi during the second world war. Amir, the main character is found injured. He tries to stand but is unable to. Roger, his friend helps him up. To talk about future schedules and arrangements Examples: The movie starts at 2:00 PM. The bus to Banglore starts at 8:00 PM. His exam finishes at 12:00 PM. Form Affirmative – subject + base form verb (+s/es) eg: I dream He dreams Negative – subject + aux verb ‘do’ (do/does) + not + base form verb eg: I do not play golf. He does not play golf. Interrogative – Aux verb ‘do’ (do/does) + subject + base form verb eg: Do they live in China? Does he live in China? Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Okay! Xray time! Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences. 1.

He play cricket with his friends every day.

2.

Where works your wife?

3.

She no like idli and sambar.

4.

They goes to the movie every Saturday.

5.

You lives in Bangalore?

6.

Why you no go to office?

Check your answers here.

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Present Continuous Tense

When do we use Present Continuous Tense? To talk about an action that is in progress at the time of speaking. Example: I’m sorry I can’t come, I’m watching a movie. To talk about a temporary action that is not necessarily in progress at the time of speaking. Example: Ankit: What are you reading these days? Neha: I am reading 'The Founatinhead'. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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To emphasize very frequent actions (‘always’ is used frequently). Example: He is always playing Cricket with his friends. To describe developing situations. Example: It’s going to rain. Form present simple tense of ‘be’ + present participle of the main verb (verb + ‘ing’ – drawing) Affirmative – subject + aux verb + ‘be’ + verb + ing eg: He is painting. Negative – subject + aux verb ‘be’ + not + verb + ing eg: I am not writing. Interrogative – aux verb ‘be’ + subject + verb + ing eg: Are they listening? Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Exceptions – Stative verbs Stative verbs are non action verbs and therefore not usually used in the continuous tense. These are formed using the simple present tense. Stative verbs can be classified into the following categories : Verbs of the senses

– see, hear

Verbs expressing feelings and emotions

– like, love, hate

Verbs of mental activity

– remember

Verbs of possession

– own

Okay! Xray time! Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences. 1.

He is having three sisters.

2.

I am understanding you.

3.

She is having a headache.

4.

They are living here for last 3 years.

5.

I am believing in God.

Check your answers here.

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Present PerfectTense

When do we use Present Perfect Tense? The present perfect always has a connection with “now”. The event/action in the past has an influence/result now. Examples: 'Where’s your pen?’ ‘I don’t know. I’ve misplaced it’. ( I don’t have it now). He told me where it is but I’ve forgotten it . (I can’t remember it now). ‘Is Meera here?’ ‘No she has gone to visit her friends’. (She is not here now). ‘Have you seen my book?’ ‘I can’t find it?’ (do you know where it is now). Course Contents | Prev : Next

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When we talk about completed actions without a time reference. Examples: I have completed my work. We have been to China. When we talk about actions/states that began in the past and are still continuing at the time of speaking. Examples: We have lived here since 1990 (still live here). I have practised for two hours. When we describe actions in the past with results in the present . Examples: Oh I’m sorry! I have spilt coffee on the floor. Can I borrow your pen? I have lost mine. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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To provide new information or to talk about a recent happening. Examples: Ouch! I’ve hurt my knee! The road is closed. There’s been an accident. The police have arrested two people in connection with the recent riots. (news item) Form Affirmative (sub+aux verb “have”+past participle) eg: I have completed the work. I have written the letter. Negative (sub+aux verb“have”+not+past participle) eg: I haven’t completed the work. I haven’t written the letter. Interrogative(aux verb“have”+sub+past participle) eg: Have you completed the work?. Have you written the letter?

The rule with for or since In a sentence we use for to denote period of time. eg: I have been waiting for four hours. She has been sick for three days. In a sentence we use since to denote point of time. eg: I have been waiting since 4.00 pm. She has been sick since Monday.

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Present Perfect Continuous Tense When do we use Present Perfect Continuous tense?

To talk about an activity that has recently stopped or just stopped or is still going on.

Examples: I have been studying Hindi for two years. (he’s still studying it) We have been watching television. (we still are) I am tired because I have been driving. (I am tired now) It is wet outside because it has been raining .( It started raining two hours ago and it just stopped) Form Affirmative (sub+ aux.verb ”have” +been + verb + ing) eg: I have been reading. Negative (sub+ aux.verb ”have” + not +been + verb + ing) eg: I have not been reading. Interrogative (aux.verb ”have” + sub + been + verb + ing) https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part2/Grammar _Clinic_Part_2_14.html

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Past Tense When do we use Past Tense? The Past tense is used for actions complete in the past at a definite time.

Examples: I finished my homework an hour ago. I ate sandwich for breakfast. For a habitual action in the past. Example: When I was in college, I played football. When the action took place at a definite time, even though the time is not mentioned. Example: She was 30 minutes late for her meeting. For narratives – narrating stories, past events. Example: https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part2/Grammar _Clinic_Part_2_15.html

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Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest. Very soon, she came upon a house. She knocked at the door. No one answered. So Goldilocks walked right in. At the dinner table, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the first bowl. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Regular verb and Irregular verb How a sentence is formed in the past tense, depends on whether the verb is a regular verb or an irregular verb. Regular verbs are those whose past tense and past participles are formed by adding an -ed to the end of the verb. eg: plan-planned, roll-rolled , derive – derived Irregular verbs do not have set patterns to form past tense and past participle eg: eat-eaten , feel-felt , sell-sold Form Regular verbs (‘ed/d’ is added to the base form of the verb). Affirmative (Subject + verb + ‘ed/d’ + …..) eg: I finished my homework an hour ago. Negative (Subject + didn’t + verb + …..) eg: I didn’t finish my homework. Interrogative (Did + subject + base form verb) eg: Did you finish your homework? Irregular verbs. Affirmative (Subject + past tense + ....) eg: I saw him yesterday. Negative (subject + didn’t + base form verb + ….) eg:I didn’t see him yesterday. Interrogative (Did + subject + base form verb) eg: Did you see him yesterday? https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part2/Grammar _Clinic_Part_2_16.html

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Past Continuous Tense

When do we use Past Continuous Tense? For actions that were going on at a particular time in the past. Examples: It was raining when I went for a walk this morning. At eight, she was having her breakfast. For actions that were going on when another action was going on at the same time. Example: She was doing her home work while her sister was reading a book. For interrupted past actions. Example: While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly shut down . To express intention, as with the verbs “going to”, “intending to” etc. Example: https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part2/Grammar _Clinic_Part_2_17.html

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She was planning to go to the circus, but she changed her mind. Form Affirmative (subject + was/were + verb + ing) eg: She was writing a letter last night, when the phone rang. Negative (subject + was/were + not + verb + ing) eg: I was not talking during the exam. Interrogative (was/were + subject + verb + ing) eg: Were you talking during the exam? Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Past Perfect Tense

When do we use Past Perfect Tense? Past perfect is the past viewed from another past viewpoint. Example: Meera went to the zoo last week. Parna went to the zoo too but they didn’t see each other. Meera left by 11:00 am and Parna arrived at 11:15 am. When Parna reached the zoo, Meera wasn’t there. She had left. More Examples. When I reached the station the train had left. He was late to office because his car had broken down. He failed in the exam because he had not prepared. Form Affirmative (sub+ had + past participle of verb) eg: I had slept by then. Negative (sub+ had + not + past participle of verb) eg: I had not slept by then. Interrogative (had + sub + been + verb + ing) eg: Had I slept by then? Course Contents | Prev : Next https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part2/Grammar _Clinic_Part_2_18.html

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Past Perfect Continuous Tense When do we use Past Perfect Continuous Tense? To talk about actions or situations that had been happening for a period before something else happened. Eg.1: Finally the bus came. I had been waiting for 30 minutes. (before the bus came)

Eg.2: The team had been playing for about an hour when it started to rain. The game was stopped.

Form Affirmative (sub+ had + been + verb + https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Grammar Clinic/Grammar Clinic Part2/Grammar _Clinic_Part_2_19.html

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ing) eg: I had been sleeping. Negative (sub+ had + not +been + verb + ing) eg: I had not been sleeping. Interrogative (had + sub + been + verb + ing) eg: Had I been sleeping? Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Future Tense

The simple future tense has two different forms of usage: 1.

‘will’

2.

‘be going to’. (present continuous used to indicate the future)

These two forms are often used interchangeably.

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When do we use Simple Future Tense? The verb ‘will’ is most frequently used for information and predictions. Future facts and prediction. Examples: Winter will start by November. It will rain tomorrow. Making promises Example: I will file your tax returns by Wednesday. Assumptions/speculations Example: That will be the milkman at the door. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Threats Example: You better fill in the time sheets on time, else you’ll get into trouble. Form Affirmative (Subject + shall/will + verb) eg: I will complete my assignment tonight. Interrogative (Did + subject + base form verb) eg: You will not go out with your friends this evening. Interrogative (Shall/Will + subject + verb) eg: Shall we go out?.

The present continuous tense can also be used to indicate planned actions in the future. eg: I am going to complete my assignment tonight.

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Future Continuous Tense

When do we use Future Continuous Tense? For polite enquiries to find out about other people’s plans, but without any intention to influence their decision Example: Will you be coming to dinner tonight? To indicate that something will be in progress at a particular moment in the future Example: They will be shopping at the mall at 4pm tomorrow. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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To refer to future events which are fixed or decided. Example: The cricket team will be playing at the stadium tomorrow. To predict the present moment – to say what we think might be happening now Example: Jane will be having her lunch right now. Form Affirmative (Subject + will + be + verb + ing) eg: I will be playing tennis at this time tomorrow. Negative (Subject + will + not + be + verb + ing) eg: I will not be playing tennis at this time tomorrow. Interrogative ( Will + subject + be + verb + ing) eg: Will I be playing tennis at this time tomorrow? Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Future perfect When do we use Future Perfect? The future perfect tense is used to indicate that an action will have been completed by a particular point in the future. Form Affirmative (Subject + will + have + past participle) eg: They will have studied for 10 hours continuously by 1pm this afternoon. Negative (Subject + will + not + have + past participle) eg: The horses will not have had enough rest by this evening. Interrogative (Will + subject + have + past participle) eg: Will you have practised your piano notes well for your exam tomorrow?

Future perfect continuous

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When do we use Future perfect continuous? The future perfect continuous tense is used to indicate how long an action will have been in progress by a certain time in the future. Form Affirmative (Subject + will + have + been + verb + ing) eg: I will have been traveling by car for 8 hours by this time tomorrow. Negative (Subject + will + not + have + been + verb + ing) eg: They will not have been studying for long by the time you arrive. Interrogative (Will + subject + have + been + verb + ing) eg: Will he have been waiting for long.

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Sentence Connectors sentences.

When we begin to learn to language, we start with very basic

Example: Tokyo is a very exciting city. Tokyo is very expensive. As we learn more words and start making complex sentences, it’s imperative for us to use sentence connectors to make sophisticated sentences. Example: Despite the fact that Tokyo is very expensive, it is also very exciting. Sentence Connectors can be referred as 'glue' that make different parts of the text stick together. They also indicate a change in the mood of the idea or the sentence. Sentence connectors ensure logical connectivity between sentences and paragraphs. But at the same time, overuse of discourse markers would make a text sound too heavy or artificial. Sentence connectors are generally used at the start of a phrase or clause. Different types of sentence connectors are used to indicate the relationship between sentences. The following table illustrates the usage of them in varying context.

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Type of relationship

Sentence connectors

Position within clause/sentence

Adding something

Moreover; In addition; Additionally; Further; Further to this; Also; Besides; What is more.

Initial position

Making a contrast between two separate things, people, ideas, etc.

However; On the other hand; In contrast; Yet.

Initial position

Making an Although; Even though; Despite the Initial position unexpected contrast fact that; In spite of the fact that; Starts a second/ (concession) Regardless of the fact that. subordinate clause Saying why something is the case

Because; Since; As; Insofar as.

Initial position Starts a second/subordinate clause

Saying what the result of something is

Therefore; Consequently; In consequence; As a result; Accordingly; Hence; Thus; For this reason; Because of this.

Initial position

Expressing a condition

If; In the event of; As long as...; So long as...; Provided that...; Assuming that...; Given that....

Initial position Starts a second/ subordinate clause

Making what you say stronger

On the contrary; As a matter of fact; In fact; Indeed.

Initial position

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Let us look at some examples for each of the Categories of Relationship. Adding Something We can’t meet her today as she is out of office. Moreover, we don’t have a prior appointment. Making a Contrast Tom is a good drummer. In Contrary he fears making a speech in front of the audience. In spite of all his failures, Ken has turned out successful. Saying why something is the case Veena doesn’t eat Prawns, because she is allergic to sea food. Saying what the result of something is show.

My car ran out of petrol on the way. Consequently I got late to the

Expressing a Condition power.

As long as the wind mills are up and running, we will get enough

Making what you say stronger As long as Beck is reckless in driving, In fact she had met with 3 accidents last year.

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Quiz

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Indian English or Indianisms Indianisms refer to the grammatical mistakes in English that are very common in India. They are words, phrases or expressions which are a part of colloquially spoken English in India. It is very important for us to understand these errors to avoid ambiguity in communication. Let’s look at the following conversation between two colleagues at the work place to understand it better: John

: Good Morning Perry! When is our client meeting scheduled?

Perry : Good Morning John. Oh! I just received a note from Gary that the meeting has been preponed. John

: Oh I see! Are we going to discuss about the same agenda that was

planned? Perry

: Gary told me that he would send us the updated agenda soon.

John

: Let’s do one thing, why don't we get into a call with Gary

Perry

: I have already left him a message. He has to revert back.

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The highlighted phrases in the above conversation indicate Indianism. Here are a few more examples of Indian English.

Me and my friend.

Please have little patience.

She is here only.

He did it itself.

She herself did the work.

I will return it back

Please revert back.

She had an operation three years back.

Please stay online for a moment while.....

I did not took it.

I did not knew it.

I am loving it.

You are going. Is it?

The food is bad it seems.

This job is more easier than that.

I have a terrific headache.

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Identify the phrases/words in below sentences which are commonly used in Indian English 1.

You’re looking healthier these days. Have you been gymming?

2.

So, what’s today’s program.

3.

She’s really taking a lot of tension from work.

4.

You always see women wearing slippers in the market.

5.

"Do you know who am I?"

6.

"My brother is bigger than me":

7.

"He said me to do this":

8.

"I am having a headache":

9.

Please do the Needful.

Check your answers here.

Conclusion What we’ve discussed is just a little compared to the vast ocean this topic is. Ensure that whenever you communicate, you convey the intended idea. Use sentence connectors to connect your ideas appropriately. Get into a little research on these topics yourself and your learning will be immense! Happy Learning!

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Pronunciation- How do you say it?

Don't we get impressed by people who speak English really well? That's why we also need to speak as well as they do. To be a good speaker, it is important that we speak the language in a way which is understood by the native speaker as well as people like us (who use it as a second language). How would you feel if you are listening to someone talking and you can't make head or tail of it? However, you can understand from which part of India that person is without even asking. Sometimes, sounds from our mother-tongue may influence the sounds in English and sound funny. A mispronounced word could also result in a misinterpretation.

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Look at the following example:

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How about this one?

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People gather the meaning of what you are saying from the pronunciation of the words employed. Let us look at the characteristics of pronunciation in English: English is not a phonetic language. This means that some words can have the same spelling but different pronunciation. Practise what you hear, not what you see. For example : Lead kindly light. Lead is used to make pencils. Tips: Do not confuse pronunciation of words with their spelling! For example, "science" and "signs", although spelled differently, are pronounced the same. Even though there are 26 letters in the language, there are 44 sounds (also called Phonemes). The link given helps us understand what these sounds are: Link here

Quiz Time: Let’s start a quiz on English pronunciations. Click here to start the quiz.

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Now that we have gone through the basic sounds, let us look at what makes a syllable to form a word. A syllable is a cluster of consonant and vowel phonemes. Syllables can have one or more sounds. E.g: Inn: inn, Doctor: doc-tor, Assimilation: A-ssim-il-a-tion It’s time for self evaluation. Try splitting the following words into syllables: Well

Pineapple

Birthday

Basket

Pick

Because

Amazing

Trapped

Bought

Evolution

Muscle

Egoistic

Double

Gather

Flower

Terrible

Mango

Wonderful

Bottle

Forsake

Cupboard

January

Carpenter

Position

Check your Answers here.

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Proper pronunciation alone does not lead to effective communication. In addition to listening for specific sounds, listen to pauses, intonation and patterns of emphasis/stress. This can be just as important as the pronunciation of sounds. Word Stress: In English, we do not say each syllable with the same emphasis or strength. In one word, we accentuate ONE syllable. We say one syllable very loudly (big, strong, important) and all the other syllables very quietly. Eg: GENtle, COURteous, eduCAtion, SCIence, AusTRAlia Sentence Stress: It is the accent on certain words within a sentence. In English, all the words in a sentence need not be stressed or accentuated. Words that are stressed are generally the Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives and Adverbs. Words that are not stressed are words such as the prepositions, conjunctions, articles, pronouns etc. Sentence stress is important because it affects meaning. Sometimes the meaning of a sentence changes based on the stressed placed on different words. Look at the example below: Eg : Where are you going? (refers to the place) Where are you going? (refers to the person) Where are you going? (refers to the act)

Quiz Time: 1 . Try splitting the following words into syllables: Wallet

Mirror

Ear

Watched

Advantages

Ambition

Government

Calculator

Environment

Rocket

Technology

Degree

Unit

Tourist

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Check your Answers here.

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2. Mark the stressed words in the following sentences: Ram organized a photographic exhibition. They are going to buy a car. Please be calm and check again. What on earth are you doing? The effort you put into work depends on how well organized you are. Check your Answers here.

Intonation: Patterns of pitch variation constitute intonation. In English, it serves a grammatical function and an attitudinal function. The listener can make out whether the sentence is a statement or question, a command or a request. With the help of intonation one can also make out the attitude or mood of the speaker – whether the speaker is bored, annoyed, interested in the subject of conversation, sarcastic, etc. Example : wonderful How would you say the following words if you were excited, bored, annoyed: fantastic

really

super

amazing

incredible

marvelous

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Quiz

Here are some links to help you out: Speaking: Pronunciation: Phonetics, British English file Speaking Pronunciation Phonetics (North American English) file Speaking: Pronunciation: Phonetics, British English file http://www.rong-chang.com http://www.englishclub.com http://www.englishmedialab.com http://www.soundsofenglish.org http://esl.about.com

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God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we can hear twice as much as we say! Course Contents | Prev : Next

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T HE WI SE OWL A wise o ld o wl Sat in an o ak. The m o re he saw, The less he spo ke The less he spo ke, The m o re he heard. Why c an't we be like That wise o ld bird?

Effective communication plays an important role in our day to day life. The success of our communication is dependent on our ability to effectively convey our thoughts, ideas, and emotions. In this process, believe it or not, active listening plays an important role in improving our relationships with those around us and reducing arguments and misunderstandings. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Quiz Let us listen to a conversation between two friends:

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Let us think of situations in real life where you have felt that people are not listening to you. Did it not create various emotions such as confusion, worry and frustration in you? Don’t you think every time you choose not to listen you are creating a similar situation for the speaker?

In our day to day life we come across many situations where ineffective listening leads to misunderstanding between individuals. This can happen because we are busy trying to frame our response to the other person or, our own subconscious thought process is interfering with our listening process.

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For example, while asking for direction in a new locality, you would listen very keenly because you do not want to lose your way in a strange place. However, there are also situations in which we may not listen actively. A case in point is, while dancing to your favorite song, you are more focused to the tune and rhythm of the music than to the actual lyrics. With this we can come to a very obvious conclusion:

"Hearing is a physical ability while listening is a skill!"

We listen more when we: Want to obtain information

Need to understand

Want to learn

Choose to listen

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Barriers to effective listening Reflecting on the activity that you did earlier, it is clear that various factors affect listening. It could be internal or external. By internal factors it could mean aspects such as the mindset of the listener, assumptions and prejudices/bias, physical wellbeing etc. External factors could be the noise level in the surrounding, the environment, physical barriers etc.

Quiz

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Caselet

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How to listen well? Now that we have understood the barriers to listening and why should we still listen, let us get to know how to listen.

Create genuine interest. Get involved in what is being said and connect with the speaker. Maintain eye contact and lean towards the speaker. It shows your interest and attention towards what the speaker is saying.

Interact with the speaker. Consider each point (pay attention to) that is being delivered. Good listeners tune out distractions and focus on the speaker and the message. Occasionally nod your head to indicate that you are listening. Maintain eye contact with the listener. Lean forward in your chair. You could also turn in your chair to focus on the speaker and avoid any disturbances.

Consider it a learning opportunity. Every interaction with any speaker is an opportunity for you to learn. Creative people are always on the lookout for new information. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Stay free from prejudices and assumptions. It is important to keep an open mind and listen without filters. Filters tend to obscure messages. Prejudices and assumptions influence our willingness and ability to hear. Be objective in your approach and look beyond your barriers of listening. Wait till you have listened to the whole message.

Participate in the communication process. Communication is a two way process which needs the active participation of both the speaker and the listener. A good listener gets the best out of the speaker. Get beyond the manner of delivery to the underlying message. Do not judge the message by the style of delivery.

Carry a good posture. Posture conveys a great deal about the attitude of the listener. Avoid restless, distracted movements. Sit in a comfortable position.

Empathize! Try to look at things from the speaker's perspective by keeping an open mind to what is being said. Hold back any judgments, jumping to conclusions, the urge to speak or the “I know all this” attitude. You will be amazed at how you understand the speaker once you stop criticizing!

Be receptive to non-verbal cues. Do not limit your listening to verbal cues alone but, listen to nonverbal cues as well. This would include being sensitive to the https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/Listening skills/listening13.html

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non-verbal cues such as body language, gesture, expressions, tone of voice etc. This would help you to interpret the message more effectively. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Benefits of good listening skills

Having spoken this long about listening, let us understand what the benefits of listening are, or in other words, why we listen should. Listening helps to: Ensure proper understanding - the listener is attuned to both the verbal and non-verbal cues of the speaker. Reduce misunderstanding - when the listener takes a conscious decision to avoid distraction, prejudices and bias, there is more transparency and effectiveness in the message that is conveyed. Improve relationship - an attentive listener is able to create a good rapport with the speaker. This can be done by having a keen interest in what is being said and mirroring a positive body language.

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Quiz time!! A. Now to check how much we learnt, let us listen to a video and attempt a questionnaire: Click this link and listen to the video.

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Conclusion

Developing good listening skills takes time and effort. We have to make a conscious effort to overcome our barriers and filters while listening. While listening, we need to listen with the intention to understand, reflect on both the message and the non verbal cues and paraphrase to ensure understanding.

Did you know that we actually spend a lot of time listening? Out of the total time we spend communicating, statistics say we spend 9% of the time writing, 16 % of the time reading, 30% of the time speaking and 45% of the time Listening!! That’s all the more reason why we need to pay attention to and work on our listening skills. So that’s all on listening for now. I hope whatever we have discussed has been useful and will improve your listening skills! Thank you!

Suggested References: http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictations-short.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/ http://www.esl-lab.com/ http://englishteststore.net/index.php?option=com_content Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Introduction: Nonverbal communication Have you ever been in situations where you felt that people whom you are interacting with are not paying attention even though they nod their head and makes eye contact? It could be because they shift their posture often or fidget with their hands. It could also be because they constantly blink their eyes. In these situations the speaker receives mixed signals from the audience. This primarily happens through the non verbal cues such as eye contact,posture, gestures, facial expressions etc. In our day to day interaction with people around us, we tend to rely a lot on non verbal communication. In fact researches show that 93% of the communication that happens between individuals is through non verbal communication.

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Nonverbal communication is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless (mostly visual) cues between people. Messages can be communicated in a variety of ways,for example by gestures, , touch, facial expressions, eye contact,posture,body language etc which are all considered as channels of nonverbal communication. While interacting with others, we are continuously giving and receiving wordless signals. All our nonverbal behaviors—the gestures we make, the way we sit, our rate of speech, audibility level, eye contact we make etc send strong messages. Communication does not stop when we stop speaking. Even when you're silent, you're still communicating non verbally. We never realize this but the way we look at someone, the way we nod, listen and respond, the expressions on our face, the way we walk and even the way we breathe can tell the other person whether we are paying attention or not. Nonverbal signals complement the words you’re saying. Imagine someone with a very sad/plain face telling you that you did a good job. Would you believe him or her? What would your response be? Wouldn’t you feel confused and wonder if the person “means” what he or she just said? On a day that didn’t turn out to be a great one, haven’t people come up to you and asked you if you were fine? You perhaps never said anything and wonder how they guessed! Well, your body language did that.

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There are various channels of nonverbal communication. Awareness of the impact of these channels is an important step towards becoming a skillful communicator.

Facial expressions

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We convey a lot of emotions and thoughts through our facial expressions. In fact the face is considered as the index of the mind. The facial expressions for fear, surprise, anger, happiness etc. are universal. A considerable amount of nonverbal communication happens through facial expressions. It can display quite openly both intentional and unintentional thoughts, emotions and attitudes. In order to have a pleasant expression, Practice smiling. At the same time you could also avoid:

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Body Language Consider how your perceptions of people are affected by the way they sit, walk, stand up, or hold their head. Words apart, there are certain gestures, subtle movements, expressions that indicate that there is something underlying to what a person is conveying or trying to convey. My friends around seem excited to learn more. Let’s take a closer look at:

Postures

Gestures

Eye contact

Voice

Space

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Posture The posture you maintain mainly two things about you: Says how you feel, Reveals your Confidence level. Posture is broadly divided into two types: Open posture and closed posture. Characteristics of Open or positive body language:

Characteristics of Negative or closed body language:

Relaxed posture

Body tense

Arms relaxed

Arms folded in front

Good eye contact

Hand on face

Nodding agreement

Fidgeting

Taking notes

Arms behind head, leaning back

Smiling/adding humour

Yawning

Leaning forward

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Gestures A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages. It can be used either in place of speech or to support and emphasize verbal communication. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body. Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection. The meaning of gestures can differ across cultures and it is important to avoid misinterpretation.

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Just as we have gestures that are positive, there are a few gestures, we may want to avoid.Gestures that can be avoided include:

Pointing finger

Fist raising

Hands on Hips

Hands in pockets

Crossed arms

Did you know that you can actually use gestures to your advantage? The following tips would help you project a positive body language. Use your palms and open them out to your audience when gesturing Move your arm and hand as a single unit Keep your hands and gestures above your waist while gesturing Practice these regularly and you will soon find them come to you naturally. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Eye contact The way you look at someone can communicate many things, including interest, hostility, or attraction. It can also tell us if someone is saying the truth or is lying. Eye contact is important to maintain the flow of conversation and to understand the response of the other person. Eye contact is one of the most powerful nonverbal tools that can be used to gain attention. This cue has the ability to regulate a conversation and signal the listener to attentively listen to the conversation. This kind of communication occurs during 10-30% of the conversation. A haphazard pattern in eye contact can result in the breakdown of conversation. Remember maintaining Eye Contact does not mean staring or glaring.

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Eye contact Advantages of maintaining good eye contact Interpreted as honesty Creates a good impression Develops trust Improves credibility Reduces the physical distance in half Connects the speaker with the listener. Enables one to analyze the listener’s response Provides the speaker with a valuable feedback.

Space Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person was standing too close and invading your space? Personal space is the region surrounding people which they regard as psychologically theirs. The need for physical space is dependent on the context,closeness of relationship and it varies from culture to culture. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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What you need to keep in mind is this: Respect people’s personal spaces Read their body language to understand if you have encroached into their personal space.

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Voice While speaking “how” we speak is as important as “what” we speak. When we speak, other people “read” our voices in addition to listening to our words. This includes your pace, how loud you speak, your tone and modulation and sounds that convey understanding, such as “ahh” and “uh-huh.”

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Voice Well, we could say that Vishal is excited, because he was eager to present his innovative project. Hence in his eagerness to share his findings, his speech rate began to increase and he also began to speak loudly. What we need to remember here is that a fast pace and a high pitch or very loud voice, can very often make one sound rude. There is a high probability that Vishal could have sounded dominating or aggressive in the given circumstances. A person’s vocal tone is a key communication clue. Taken by itself it might mean nothing or even be misleading (as in Vishal’s case) but combined with the rest of the communication cues, you can put together a very accurate picture of not only what the speaker is saying but also the speaker’s intention. So point to remember - no matter how excited you may be, watch your voice, your tone and how loud you are. This would ensure you communicate what you want to say effectively with the desired impact

Tips on Nonverbal Communication Pay Attention to Nonverbal Signals: While speaking to others, pay attention to non verbal cues such as as eye contact, gestures, posture, body movements, and tone of voice. All these signals convey important information which may not at times be conveyed through words. Make sure your body language complements what you are saying: If your body language does not complement what is being said, your listener tends to read the non verbal cues more than the spoken word. Use the right tone: https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/NVC/NVC14.html

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Your tone of voice can convey a wealth of information, ranging from happiness to anxiety and excitement. Pay attention to how your tone of voice affects how others respond to you and try using tone of voice to emphasize ideas that you want to communicate.

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Use Good Eye Contact: While eye contact is an important part of communication, you need to take care that you do not stare at the other person. Ask Questions about Nonverbal Signals If you are confused about another person's nonverbal signals, you could ask for clarification. A good idea is to rephrase or paraphrase. Look at Signals as a Group A single gesture may or may not convey a certain message. However, the key to accurately reading nonverbal behavior is to look for groups of signals that reinforce a common point. Consider Context While communicating with others, you need to consider the situation and the context in which the communication occurs. You need to pay attention to your non verbal cues such that it is complements your verbal message.

Conclusion Non verbal communication plays an integral role in effective communication. It is very important to support and complement our verbal messages with non verbal communication. Sending out mixed signals lead to distrust and confusion between individuals. There it is important that we develop and use non verbal communication to convey the right message as well as learn to interpret more clearly what someone else is really saying.

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The Purpose of Reading : Before you start reading , you need to ask yourself why you're reading it. Are you reading with a purpose, or for pleasure? The way you read,your level of interest and concentration, change with the purpose. Decide on the right resource : You need to make sure that the resource you have chosen is ideal for your need and gives you the required information. Practise Active Reading : While studying a document with the intention to understand it in detail,it is good to take notes and underline key points.This would be very helpful to review and recollect key points.

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Four Types of Effective Reading Skills Skimming: While skimming through a text or a document you focus only on the main idea or the gist of the text.It is not necessary to read and understand each word. Eg. Newspaper (get to know the main news of the day) Magazines (check out the content)

Scanning: While scanning a text or a document your focus is to find a particular piece of information.It is not necessary to read and understand each word. Eg. A programme chart , Schedule , Telephone Directory

Extensive Reading: In extensive reading, you read the content to have a general understanding and overview of the document/text. Eg. A text book , A report

Intensive reading: In intensive reading,you read the text or document with a lot of attention to detail so that you do not miss out on specific and important facts/information. Eg. An account statement , A contract

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Activity Read through the content and answer the questions that follow: Click here to read your content

References http://www.englishforeveryone.org/Topics/ReadingComprehension.htm http://esl.about.com/od/englishreadingskills/a/readingskills.htm

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Speaking Vs. Writing

About the quote, when Yoda said this he was talking to someone else about something else but this statement is very relevant to what we are going to discuss now- how do we write? I have always wished that writing in English would be as simple as mathematics. Now when I say mathematics, I do not mean trigonometry or any of the other “English meets Number” kind of math. I refer to the basics, two times two is four; there is no other answer. But writing in English is not like this at all. You can put two words together or four or eight- there is no guarantee that the meaning is conveyed. In comparison, speaking is a breeze; we can be reasonably sure that the message is conveyed. Why... you ask? That’s the difference between speaking and writing.

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The first difference is the most obvious one; no gold stars for guessing it. For speaking, we use our voice and for writing, we use pen and paper. “Elementary”1 is what the great Sherlock Holmes would say to that. Now let us move on to the more complicated differences. You see, when it comes to speaking the greatest advantage that we can have is our presence. We would be available to clarify any doubts that the listener may have. This also gives us the added advantage of para- language2. Para- language refers to the facial expressions and the tone of speech. As a result, the listener has more factors to take into account when deciphering3 the message. This can, to an extent, ensure understanding of the message. On the other hand, as a writer, we would only have letters on the keyboard and a hope and a prayer that the reader would understand what we write. Words used: 1 . Elementary - Of or related to the most basic aspects of a subject. 2 . Para- language - Refers to the facial expressions and the tone of speech. 3 . Decipher - Convert into understandable language. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Another advantage we have with speaking is the possibility of fine tuning. Since the listener would be in front of us, we can get immediate feedback based on which we would be able to change the style of our presentation. However, we cannot fine tune when we write. All we can do is to wait until we get a response from the reader as to whether the message was clear or not. If the reader is across the globe or may be the galaxy, this might take a while. Consequently1, we would face a lot of uncertainty.

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Let me give you an example. To: [email protected] (someone in US) Dear John, Could you please send me the document? Thanks and regards, Jane Doe India 'Could you send me the document?'- Let me tell you, the Da Vinci code would be much easier to decipher than this email. The mail is incompletewhat document was Jane referring to? John would obviously respond to the mail asking for more details. And by the time Jane sees the response, a whole day would have passed without any action. See, we are a multinational company and we would have to correspond1 with people in different parts of the world. What happened to Jane as a writer must not happen to us. We have to work keeping in mind the possibility of delays and let that caution us. Words used: 1 . Correspond - to communicate with someone by letter or email. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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In the last two sections we managed to establish that speaking is better than writing. However, in one aspect writing scores higher than speaking and that is legality1. Anything in writing can be used as proof in the court of law. However, it is not so in the case of speaking. This is because spoken words can be subject to different interpretations based on the listener; therefore it cannot be taken as conclusive evidence2.

Does that make sense? You must have seen those movies where the bad guy is in court and he denies being in the hotel where he committed a crime. Then the hero lawyer would burst into a speech about the higher power and God's fingerprint and then he would whip out3 a receipt for a chicken biriyani that the villain had in the same hotel before committing the crime. A written document, in this case a printed document brought him to justice. Same is the case with any company. Everything is documented to ensure that information is solid and cannot be contested. Words used: 1 . Legality - the quality of having legal force or effectiveness. 2 . Conclusive evidence - evidence that cannot be questioned. 3 . Whip out - to pull something out (out of place). Course Contents | Prev : Next

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“We've never even owned a notebook when we were in college and now you expect us to start writing down everything that happens?” This is what you are thinking, right? Don't deny it; I know, I have looked into your souls… fine, maybe I didn't look into your soul. But I can imagine why this thought would cross your mind- documentation is, for lack of a better word, boring. But I have a counter for that too. “Everything intelligent is so boring.” - Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina Feel like beating all the writing skills out of me? Regardless, I will make my point. Documentation is boring because it is the intelligent thing to do. All points discussed and decisions taken during meetings or discussions should be captured and consolidated. These points later become minutes of meeting, status reports and the like. Such documents are proof that everyone is informed about their responsibilities and be accountable for the same. Also, please refer to the section on Note Taking.

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Tips for taking down notes effectively 1.

Do not aim to note down everything - A mistake many of us make while note taking is to attempt to take down everything that is being said. This approach is incorrect as we would be more focused on what is being said than what the actual message is. Therefore, we should listen and aim at taking down only the gist.

2.

Organize your notes - Write correct headings and highlight them. Have a separate notebook for every module.

3.

Space out your notes - Ensure that your notes are not jumbled or look scribbled. Put the required space between words and points.

After reading all of this, you are probably thinking that speaking is easier than writing and you are probably right. But don’t get the wrong idea. Writing is just as important as speaking. We should work on improving both at the same time and not focus on one and ignore the other. Writing is tough as we have to take into consideration a lot of factors like who we are writing to, what to write and how to write. Even then we might miss out on certain things. We have this module on writing skills to give you some tips on how to write better. Susan will be introducing you to the Spices of Writing in the next section. Have fun while learning more about writing and to quote Master Yoda again,

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Spices of Writing

1.

When we speak, we can use our body language and tone of voice also to convey our message. However, these facilities are absent in writing.

2.

While speaking we have the option of fine tuning according to feedback from audience whereas while writing, this is not possible.

3.

Written documents can be used as conclusive evidence in the court of law but spoken words cannot be used like so.

If you are unclear about any of above mentioned points, I would suggest that you go through Speaking Vs Writing again.

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Alright then, let’s get this show on the road. You must be wondering about the topic- Spices of Writing. Well, I thought I’d take a leaf out of Aryan’s book and start with a quote. So, I looked and looked and then looked some more and I found this... “Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.”

This is a quote by William Cowper, an English poet and hymnodist. In this quote, he has referred to variety as “the spice of life”. He is right, more right than a tick mark. What would happen if there was only one of everything? Wouldn’t too much of the same thing bore you? That’s why we seek variety; it adds spice to life. But why do we need variety in writing? Is it just for the spice? No, it has a much bigger role to play. Variety creates different sources of information written in the appropriate style to convey the message. We cannot teach moral science without a story. We cannot learn the basics of physics from a scientist's doctoral thesis. We cannot express ourselves through a robotics project report. Writing will help, whatever be the purpose. But for each prupose, there is a different style. Read on to know more.

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Spice 1: Creative Writing “Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a tiny kingdom. This kingdom was ruled by a kind and generous king who was loved by all. His subjects served him faithfully, the fairies blessed him abundantly. However, all his happiness was about to be shattered by the Ice Witch. The Ice Witch lived in the most dangerous, darkest and coldest part of the kingdom; a place simply called the Gray. She was jealous of the attention that the king got from his subjects, so her evil mind decided to ruin the king. She cursed him …” The excerpt that you just read is something that I came up with right now. But my creative juices ran out before I could complete the story. Anyway, this is an example for creative writing. The style of writing deviates from the normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature. It is usually characterized by the use of imaginary characters, dragons and the like. The poems and plays that we studied in school, the scripts for the movies we watch are all examples of creative writing. Creative writing is any kind of fiction.

Spice 2: Informative Writing/Media Writing This one is fairly simple. Any writing that gives us complete information about something in an unbiased way is informative or media writing. The articles that we read in the newspaper and magazines are all types of media writing. Media writing generally follows the inverted pyramid style of writing. The order of information would be an elaboration of the headline first, pertinent details next and conclusion or any other background information. The article would also be objective and direct. The pyramid style is not always followed though. The editorials or features that we have read would deviate from this style. They would sometimes be in the writer’s point of view. The tone of writing would also be different- content could have excerpts of the writer’s interaction with different people making it more personal. https://aspire.tcs.com/aspire/courses/business_skills/How do we write it/2 Spices of Writing/Spices_of _Writing_3.html

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Informative or media writing gives us information about something in an unbaised manner. It generally follows the inverted pyramid style, that is, most important information first and other information last.

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Spice 3: Persuasive Writing The following is an excerpt from a speech made by Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister. “What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’” Mr. Winston Churchill is very well known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. This speech was made four days after Paris fell into Nazi hands and the day after the French requested an armistice. The British were now alone in the fight against the Nazi war machine and Churchill tried to bring hope in one of Britain’s darkest hours through “The Finest Hour” speech. And it certainly did bring about a lot of difference. This speech is an example for persuasive writing. Persuasive writing is often characterised by an attempt to change attitudes or motivate people to action. Other examples are the advertising campaigns, social, political or artistic criticism etc. The goal of persuasive writing is to change attitudes or motivate someone to do something.

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Spice 4: Expressive Writing Expressive writing allows the writer to express their personal feelings through their writing. The most popular form of expressive writing is, or rather used to be, diary entries. The ways of our world has changed so much that expressing your feelings in public is, now “hip”. This has made blogs more popular. Travelogues and personal journals are other examples of expressive writing.

Spice 5: Exploratory Writing This kind of writing exposes “a topic analytically and objectively, like technical writing, the goal of exploratory writing is to explain or reveal knowledge, but exploratory writing does not necessarily expect a response or action from the reader. Examples for this type of writing are white papers, marketing analysis, feasibility studies etc.

Spice 6: Business and Technical Writing These two types of writing are similar and different. Their similarities should not extend beyond the fact that they have specific formats and they are used for within companies. Business writing emerged in response to the specific needs of those involved in business-related enterprises and from the daily need for clear communication both inside and outside of corporations. Exmaples include status reports, minutes of meeting, emails etc. Technical writing emerged in response to technology, most specifically in the need to communicate or describe that technology to an often less than sophisticated audience. These documents are meant a specific audience. Examples of technical writing are Software Requirement Specifications (SRS), System Design Document (SDD) etc.

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Conclusion This module was a bit too much theory for you, wasn't it? Even so, I hope you have understood the different types of writing. We should be aware of the various types so that we know what is the most appropriate style of writing for any given context or we should know what is the right spice to make the dish yummy. Well, that is all from me now. You are in for a surprise in the next module - Characteristics of Writing.

Quiz

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Characteristics of Writing

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again.

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1.

Creative Writing is any kind of fiction.

2.

Informative or Media Writing gives us information about something in an unbiased manner. It generally follows the inverted pyramid style, that is, most important information first and other information last.

3.

Persuasive Writing is meant to change attitude or motivate someone to do something.

4.

Expressive Writing is used to express someone's feelings or experiences.

5.

Exploratory Writing is to explore and analyze a topic and thereby, gain more knowledge.

6.

Business Writing is used for day to day communication within enterprises.

7.

Technical Writing is to explain technology to the less experienced readers. In case you have any doubts, please go through Spices of Writing

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As usual, let us start with a quote.

they will read it; appreciate it; remember it; and, above all, guided by its light.”

“Put it to them briefly, so clearly, so they will picturesquely, so they will accurately, so they will be

This quote sums up the essence of effective writing and I came up with it.... Alright, alright. It wasn't me but it could have been me. Anyway, this quote is by Joseph Pulitzer the father of the famed Pulitzer Prizes, a US award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. Aryan and I’ll be using this quote to explain the characteristics of writing. Now let’s get started.

"Briefly, so they will read it" The information should be communicated without verbiage or excessive use of words. No one likes to read an email that resembles Les Miserables. However, this does not mean we compromise on the completeness of the information or on the tone. I can explain it better with an example. This is part of a mail sent from a customer to a mobile company's customer care: 'I bought a phone from you and it is not working.'

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This is clearly a complaint, but about what? And don't say "a phone that's not working". Any ideas? The writer wants to report a concern and he or she is not clear enough- complete information is not available. Also, the tone is very accusatory. The writer should have included the model name of the phone, the date of purchase and the receipt number. He or she should then clearly mention what the problem was. E.g.: "The phone gets switched off on its own" or "I cannot make any calls even if I get a strong network signal". The writer should then request for help from the reader.

Can you make this concise? Find where you can break a sentence and start a new one. The Ice Queen was so angry at the King for banishing her from the kingdom that she swore vengence and started to plot against the King and seeked the help of bandits from the neighbouring kingdoms who told her that the best way to get back at the King was through his only daughter and that she should curse the princess to feel the pain of all those who are in pain and torment which will in turn, cause the princess to go mad and run away from her home and that will bring the King a lot of sorrow for he loved his daughter more than anything else and if something should ever happen to her, then he would break and become easy target for the Ice Queen and she can launch her attack on his kingdom and destroy him forever. Solution

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"Clearly, so they will appreciate it" Anything we write, be it a report or an email, clarity of expression is important. Clarity can be achieved by using simple words, short sentences and small paragraphs. You must not write in a way that would send people running in the opposite direction looking for dictionaries. The purpose of the write- up is lost if the reader does not understand the message. An example: Sesquipedalian- The hulking, malevolent wolf attempted to consume the diminutive Red Riding Hood who was rescued by a hunter who despatched the wolf. Simple- The big, bad wolf tried to eat the little Red Riding Hood. But she was rescued by a hunter who killed the wolf. The sentence is from the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. The complicated sentence or sesquipedalian is the result of the judicious application of a Thesauraus on the key words in the sentence. I should stop using big words now. My point is, knowing complicated words and knowing to phrase complex sentences is good but we should know where to use it. In a corporate context, simplicity is the best policy.

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Well, that’s all from me. Aryan will now explain the last two points1.

"Picturesquely, so they will remember it"

2.

"Accurately, so they will be guided by its light”

"Hey everyone. I will now continue from where Susan left off."

Picturesquely, so they will remember it When Joseph Pulitzer said this part, he was referring to the imagery in writing. However, in corporates, we do not need so much imagery in writing. But we do need it just enough to get a clear picture about what should be done. In order to achieve this, the sentences should be coherent, that is, there should be a logical flow to the information. Also, the reader should be given all the required information or at least, the sources from which they can collect that information. This would make the information accessible to the reader.

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Quiz

Source: http://www.netplaces.com/fairy-tales/princesses-andprinces/cinderella.htm Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Accurately, so they will be guided by its light Earlier on when we discussed the differences between speaking and writing, I wrote that writing scores when it comes to the legality. Hence, we should be very careful about the contents of our write- up. In case we include statistics in our write- up, it should be up to date and accurate so that the reader can be benefited by the information. Another factor that can make the write- up confusing would be the grammar and choice of words. You might have heard from people that grammar doesn't matter much in the corporate. That's wrong; one slight mistake can change the meaning. Don't believe me? Take a look at the following example. The sun rises in the East. The sun is rising in the East. The first sentence states that the sun rising in the East is a regular thing; a universal fact. However, the second sentence suggests that the sun is currently, rising in the East. Did you understand the difference? Why don't you give it a try? The company is paying everyone a bonus of Rs 1500 at the end of the quarter. The company pays everyone a bonus of Rs 1500 at the end of the quarter. The company paid everyone a bonus of Rs 1500 at the end of the quarter. The company has been paying everyone a bonus of Rs 1500 at the end of the quarter.

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Quiz

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Conclusion

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Corporate Etiquette

The quote above should give you a hint about an organization's expectations from you as an employee. Now, many of you would be excited about joining the corporate but at the same time, many would be anxious too. Through this module, we will be giving you some tips on grooming, basic manners, performance boosters and the various elements of change. Grooming tips- Dress Up or Dress Down

Manners Matter

Performance Boosters

Elements of Change

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Dress up or Dress down

There are many ways to kill someone's hopes and dreams but to do so with a bright, neon coloured shirt on a Monday morning at work? That's plain cruel. Inhuman. Okay, I made a bad joke. But I am right about the shirt. Imagine someone wearing a neon green colored shirt walking to the canteen, in the sun. That stuff could blind you or probably act as a beacon and bring aliens to our planet! Just joking. I’m sure we have all witnessed a situation such as the above or we’ve even worn something really bright and wild on some days. Sometimes people do it intentionally. But most of the times, people don’t know; are not aware of the fact that dressing to work is very different from an occasion outside of work – our free time at home, a visit to a friend’s place, at a party, at the beach etc. Dress code for Men Dress code for Women Course Contents | Prev : Next

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For Men Dress Code

Yes

No

Hair

Well combed. In case of difficult hair, use gel and comb. Slightly spiked also allowed. In case of long hair, tie into a ponytail.

Rock star spikes or Mohawks or any other funky hairstyle.

Shirts

Formals (Monday to Thursday) - Well ironed; full sleeved shirts teamed up with dark colour trousers. Business Casuals (Friday) Collared T- shirts or half sleeved shirts. Blue or black jeans. Well fitting clothes.

Formal (Monday to Thursday) Half sleeved, short shirts with bright colours. Avoid big checked shirts. Business Casuals (Friday) - Round necked or V- necked T- shirts. Scuffed or torn jeans. Baggy or body hugging clothes.

Tie

Single coloured, striped or self print ties. Compulsory on Wednesday. Tie should reach the belt buckle.

Novelty or conversational ties. E.g.: ties with comic book or cartoon characters.

Leather belts- dark brown or black colour with a reasonably sized belt buckle.

Fibre belt with big, fancy belt buckles. No belt.

Belt

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Socks

Should be worn with shoes. Colour of the socks should be the same as that of the trousers.

White socks as it is considered to be sportswear. You may wear these during Fit4Life.

Shoes

Formals - Black or dark brown coloured shoes. Should be the same colour as the belt. Business Casuals- Sneakers or sports shoes. Moccasins and suede shoes.

Cowboy boots. And no white shoes.

Accessories

Jewellery should be used in moderation. Body piercing other than ears should be covered or removed. Tattoos, if at all, should be covered at all times.

Flashy, dangling earrings, a number of rings on hands and nose rings.

Facial hair

Clean shaved. Well maintained beard.

I- forgot- to- shave look.

Essence

Use a mild cologne, deodorant or body spray.

Tear gas type cologne.

Shower twice everyday. Brush your teeth twice everyday.

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For Women Dress Code

Yes

Hair

Well combed and tied up into a ponytail or bun. If you are leaving it open, it should be well maintained.

Unkempt hair.

Outfits

Formals (Monday to Thursday) Salwar suit preferably cotton materials. Kurta should be knee length with or without slit. In case there is slit, it should mid thigh high. Leggings can be worn if the appropriate kurta length is ensured. Western formals- Formal shirts teamed up with trousers or skirts. Skirts should be below knee length worn with stockings. Business casuals- Collared T- shirts and jeans. Sleeveless kurta. Sneakers and sports shoes.

Short kurta, very high slits. Skin coloured leggings. Tight fitting clothes. Heavily embroidered salwar suits. Spaghetti sleeved tops.

Shoes

Formal shoes with or without heels or sandals.

Stilettos and flip flops.

Jewellery should moderation.

Flashy, dangling earrings and countless number of rings.

Accessories

Make up

No

be

used

in

None or light make up .

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Essence

Multiple perfumes at a time.

Use a mild perfume. Shower twice everyday. Brush your teeth twice everyday.

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Manners Matter No Cuts, No Buts, No Coconuts Get it? I’ll give you a clue; it's about standing in line or in a queue. Nothing? Allow me to explain. “No cuts” means do not cut into a queue; “No buts” means no excuses for cutting into queue. “No coconuts” is just a funky rhyme to wind up the pearl of wisdom. In simple terms- maintain a queue or stand in line; it is a mark of discipline. When is cutting the line okay? It is never okay to do that but if you are standing alone in the line and you want to leave it for a moment, you could ask the person behind to hold your spot and then you can cut into the queue when you get back. Something else that we forget when we get impatient in a queue is personal space. Do not crowd the person in front of you; be at a respectable distance from them. You should pay attention and ensure that you move along when it is you turn. A fact about queue is that some queue move along faster than others, so it would not be beneficial to switch queue. Also, if you are not sure how the queue is working, ask the person who seems to be standing at the end of the line. Being in a queue is annoying; believe me. But it can be a pleasant experience if you want it to be.

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Cell phone etiquette Don’t you just hate it when someone’s phone goes off when the police is about to reveal who the murderer is? I am talking about when you are at the movies, of course. But etiquette applies to any public place and that would include the workplace. When at the workplace, ensure that your phones are either on vibrate mode or at a very low tone so no one is bothered by the ringing. This is especially the case during meetings. When you attend calls ensure that you are not too loud. Also, do not take calls in the restroom as that is intrusive to your co- workers’ privacy. You should use your phone only for important calls and for emergencies. So, you could tell your family and friends that the best time to call you would be before or after office hours.

Punctuality

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According to this quote by Louis XVIII of France, punctuality is the highest form of politeness. I agree. Being punctual is being respectful of others and their time. This helps to create a good impression about you. If you are late for a meeting, you are essentially saying that “my work is more important than your time”. This is not the right message to convey. In addition to that, punctuality shows that you value yourself. If you don’t value yourself or you think that nothing you do will make any difference, only then would you risk looking unprofessional by not appearing for a meeting on time. Punctuality shows that you are in control of your life. It tells people that you are someone who can be relied upon because you will be where you promised to be, no matter what. Punctuality is about integrity. You can build trust only by fulfilling your commitment on time. Someone who is always late, even by five minutes, cannot be entrusted with anything. Being on time may seem like the easiest thing to do but it is not. It takes a lot of planning and prioritizing to ensure that you are both mentally and physically where you are supposed to be. You should be someone who decides what each minute is for; not the other way around.

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Being Organized Have you ever looked at a desk and wondered whether evolution happened there? Have you ever looked into your resume folder and found a medical prescription? Have you ever looked in your bag and wondered if there was a nuclear explosion in there? If your answer to these questions is yes, then it means you should read this article. Being organized is about valuing yourself. If you do not care how people see you, then carry on the way you are. But mind you, you might not always create a good impression. On the other hand, an organized person, would be able to do so. How? Read on. 1.

You could be more focused and productive- If you can get rid of all the clutter around you, you will be able to see the big picture clearly. That vision is very important to ensure that you achieve your goals efficiently.

2.

You could manage your time and efforts better- If you are well organized, you would know what to do with your time and how to optimally use your energy. This will help you regulate your stress levels and in turn, achieve balance in life.

3.

You could be more creative- An uncluttered surrounding is important for a clear mind. This clarity would help you to explore areas or interests that you would not have thought of. This will make you more enthusiastic and energetic and everyone knows that’s where creativity comes from- calm and passionate mind. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Performance Boosters To Ask or Not to Ask Big question, isn’t it? I would go with do it. The first five seconds would be awkward but then it pays; we get what we want- clarity. Asking questions is not easy for everyone but researching and questioning what we learn is a habit we should develop. Questioning could also put you in a good light. It is a mark of confidence and intelligence. All the greats always questioned everything that happened around them. They are also not afraid to admit that they do not know something. Another advantage of asking questions is that it will challenge our preconceptions about topics. We can get more information and avoid making assumptions about anything. I think a quote by Leo Babauta, simplicity blogger and author, would sum up the importance of asking questions -

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Be Proactive

Creating our own perspectives is always the best way to go. The most obvious advantage of doing that is predictability. We can foresee the outcome of every action we take. That, in turn, allows us to prevent any potential problems. Proactive people would be able to plan better for the future. They would be able to take timely and effective action and ensure that all work progresses according to the plan. about.

Being proactive takes grit and confidence and that’s what being a TCSer is

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Elements of Change

When you join the corporate straight out of college, it will definitely be a shocking change for you. And I do mean shocking. You will be asked to work with people you are not familiar with; you might be asked to work in regions that are very different from your hometown; you will be exposed to a culture that is the exact opposite of your culture. It could be any of this but whatever it is, it is a learning experience. I will give you some tips through this article on how better you can adapt to the different environment in the corporate. 1.

You should behave in a socially acceptable manner. You may come from a society that accepts that men and women can spend time together or “party” after dark. But if the society you move for work prohibits that, then we shouldn’t challenge it.

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2.

You should be sensitive to the work environment . The way you are at home would not be acceptable at work. You wouldn’t know what is acceptable and what is not, initially. That is okay; get regular feedback from your supervisor and adapt accordingly.

3.

You should respect your colleagues. You should be openminded and not judgmental. Get to know a person before you make assumptions about them. First impressions need not always be right. Do not discriminate based on caste, race, nationality, preferences etc. Also, do not participate in gossip. Be cordial to everyone around you.

4.

You must learn to control your emotions. Being too emotional may not be well received in the corporate. You should remain calm and composed at all times.

5.

You should never tease or make fun of anyone at the workplace.

6.

You should never eavesdrop or overhear anyone else’s conversation. It is rude, unprofessional and disrespecting someone’s personal boundaries.

7.

You should also avoid criticizing others. You may give people feedback but it should not sound like you are patronizing them or treating them like they do not know any better.

8.

You should always speak the corporate language- English. We would be working with people from different parts of the country and sometimes, the world. The only language we have in common would be English. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Quick Tips Dressing to work is about being neat, elegant and presentable. Elegant isn’t necessarily wild. In fact it is more of simplicity and grace. A few things we need to always keep in mind are: What you wear reflects your attitude : Dress for the work you do. What you wear needs to reflect your confidence; must help you feel confident. What you wear should reflect the professional you aim to be. What you wear speaks for you : Your clothes reflect what you think about yourself and how you would like others to see you; they speak for you. People are constantly creating an impression about you based on what you wear. What you wear should be comfortable for you while at work : you would be spending most of your day in them. If they are not comfortable, not only would you be straining yourself all day, but also letting it affect your productivity. What you wear should never distract : if you are ever in doubt about what to wear, just follow the rules and what is generally accepted. What you wear isn’t about being the most expensive : investing in a few good pieces is always a great idea. It would be an investment for long. But that doesn’t mean you forget how much you can afford. Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Conclusion

Negative, isn't it? There is no inner meaning or hidden positiveness. What Oscar Wilde meant by this quote was that he had a lot of opportunities but he was not prepared. Based on everything you just read, you've probably got the idea that I want you to be somebody you are not. But I do not want that. Actually, I do but not in a sellyour-soul kind of way. All I want is for you to tweak yourselves in a way that changes your attitude and makes you more malleable. Every point discussed here will help you to know where to tweak and how to tweak. Still don't buy it? Fine, hear from one of the greatest writers on etiquette- Emily Post.

Understand who you are. Set yourselves on the path to realizing your potential.

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Case study

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Conclusion

Business skills or for your easy reference Soft skills is a vast area. These are skills that can be learned only through constant practice. At first they may seem as something that can wait and be worked on later. But don’t be fooled. Soft skills are hard and they require a lot of time and effort. Prepare yourselves and ensure you have done your homework for your Learning program at TCS by practicing what we went through. This would help you draw maximum benefit of the program once you join. It is said that change is the only permanent thing and things are changing very fact in the competitive world today. Going through the ASPIRE content matters a lot and will speak a lot about you once you join us. Before I say my final goodbye, given below are some links you may use for your reference and further preparation. Information and knowledge is in plenty. It is up to you to make use of it. Please do let us know how you liked the content and if you have any suggestions, you are more than welcome to write to us. So All the best and see you soon!!

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References: Module : The Grammar Clinic The basics of grammar Tenses – Present, Past and Future: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html Overall Tense Reviews: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs29practicetest.htm http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs30finaltest.htm Subject Verb agreement: http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/sub-verb.htm Exercises: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/exercisesub-verb.htm http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/agreement_sv_ex1.htm Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Articles: http://esl.about.com/cs/beginner/f/f_athe.htm Exercises: http://www.englischhilfen.de/en/exercises_list/artikel.htm Word order: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/word-order http://esl.about.com/od/grammarintermediate/a/a_adjoradv.htm Exercise: http://a4esl.org/q/h/lb/psnv.html http://www.englishtest.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ar003/esltest.php http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/wordorder/exercises?09 http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/wordorder/exercises?10 http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/wordorder/exercises?11 Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Sentence Linkers: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/transitions.htm Pronouns: http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/pronoun.asp http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/whoVwhom.asp Exercise: http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/pronouns.html Reference: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/indexexercises.htm#Usage Exercises http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm#

Module : How do you say it? The basics of Pronunciation The Sounds of English, Features of English http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/ Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Module : Beyond words The basics of Listening Listening Comprehension: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/ http://www.esl-lab.com/traffic/trafficrd1.htm http://www.esl-lab.com/tlog/logrd1.htm Good Listening - simple steps: http://www.skillsyouneed.co.uk/IPS/Listening_Skills.html http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm http://esl.about.com/od/englishlistening/a/listen_tips_2.htm Non Verbal Communication http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq6_nonverbal_communication.htm http://psychology.about.com/od/nonverbalcommunication/a/nonverbaltypes.htm Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Module : How good are your reading skills? The Basics of Reading skills Effective Reading Skills: http://esl.about.com/od/englishreadingskills/a/rtp_list.htm http://esl.about.com/od/englishreadingskills/a/readingskills.htmReading comprehension Exercises: http://www.englishclub.com/reading/environment/pollution.htm http://www.englishclub.com/health/trans-fats.htm http://esl.about.com/od/intermediatereading/a/d_hsystem.htm http://esl.about.com/od/businessenglishdialogues/a/b_bizj.htm http://esl.about.com/od/intermediatereading/a/d_report.htm Course Contents | Prev : Next

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Business Skills - The Essentials

Conclusion and References

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Module : How well do you write? The basics of writing skills Speaking versus writing: http://www.englishclub.com/esl-articles/200108.htm http://aboutyourenglish.com/writingvsspeaking2.html Different types of writing: http://aboutyourenglish.com/StartWriting2.html#kindsofwriting ABCs of Writing: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/1/ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/4/ http://ec.hku.hk/epc/letters/ http://ec.hku.hk/epc/reports/ http://ec.hku.hk/epc/email/ Course Contents | Prev : Next

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