CLBPT Writing for Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are writing a complaint letter to a company about a defective product. Which opening sentence is most appropriate?
- I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a product I recently purchased from your company. (Correct answer)
- Your product is broken and I want my money back immediately.
- I bought something from you and it doesn't work so I'm very angry.
- This letter is about how terrible your products are.
Correct answer: I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a product I recently purchased from your company.
A formal complaint letter should open with a clear, polite statement of purpose without aggressive language.
Question 2: Which sentence uses the correct punctuation for a list within a sentence?
- Please bring the following items: a pen, a notebook, and your ID. (Correct answer)
- Please bring the following items, a pen a notebook and your ID.
- Please bring the following items; a pen, a notebook, and your ID.
- Please bring the following items — a pen a notebook and your ID.
Correct answer: Please bring the following items: a pen, a notebook, and your ID.
A colon is used to introduce a list within a sentence, and commas separate the list items.
Question 3: In a workplace memo, what is the purpose of the 'RE:' line?
- To state the subject or topic of the memo (Correct answer)
- To list all recipients of the memo
- To indicate who wrote the memo
- To show the date the memo was sent
Correct answer: To state the subject or topic of the memo
'RE:' stands for 'regarding' and identifies the memo's topic so readers can quickly understand its purpose.
Question 4: Which revision best improves this sentence for clarity? Original: 'The meeting that we had yesterday about the project that is new was long.'
- Yesterday's meeting about the new project was long. (Correct answer)
- The meeting we had, yesterday, about the project, that is new, was long.
- Yesterday we had a meeting and it was about a new project and it was long.
- A long meeting happened yesterday about a project that is new.
Correct answer: Yesterday's meeting about the new project was long.
Eliminating redundant relative clauses and using possessives makes the sentence concise and clear.
Question 5: When writing a professional email, where should the call to action typically appear?
- Near the end of the email, before the closing (Correct answer)
- In the subject line only
- At the very beginning of the email
- It should appear in every paragraph
Correct answer: Near the end of the email, before the closing
A call to action near the end tells the reader what to do next after they have understood the context.
Question 6: Which word correctly completes this sentence? 'The committee has not yet made _______ decision.'
- its (Correct answer)
- it's
- their
- there
Correct answer: its
'Its' is the possessive pronoun for 'committee,' while 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is.'
Question 7: You need to write instructions for a new employee on how to log into the company system. Which writing style is most appropriate?
- Numbered steps in the second person (e.g., 'Click the login button') (Correct answer)
- A narrative paragraph describing what employees generally do
- A bulleted list of general tips without specific steps
- A formal essay explaining the importance of system security
Correct answer: Numbered steps in the second person (e.g., 'Click the login button')
Step-by-step numbered instructions in the second person are clearest for procedural writing meant to guide action.
CLBPT Writing for Communication 2
You are writing a complaint letter to a company about a defective product.
Which opening sentence is most appropriate?