Language Refresher

Bold Messaging
Key Messages
Objectives:

- To understand the conditions that render sentence

composition incomplete, and know when to avoid them.
- To learn about the proper order and usage of adjectives in a
sentence.
- To gain a better grasp of proper punctuation in order to
render clarity in information.
- To learn and apply the concept of Customer Service “NO”as
a way to create superior customer experience.
Sentence Fragments
When does a sentence
become fragmented?
COMPLETE SENTENCE VS. SENTENCE FRAGMENT

(1) While the trumpets blared. Sentence Fragment

(2) Get out! Complete Sentence

(3) Give it more time. Complete Sentence

(4) The circus clowns under Sentence Fragment

the big top.
(5) Ran across the street and up Sentence Fragment
a tall, newly blooming tree.
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
It's a phrase or clause written as a sentence but
lacking an element, as a subject or verb, that
would enable it to function as an independent
sentence in normative written English.

http://ww2.odu.edu/al/wts/sentfrag.htm
SENTENCE FRAGMENT
 It fails to be a sentence in the
sense that it cannot stand by
itself.

 It does not contain even one

independent clause.

http://ww2.odu.edu/al/wts/sentfrag.htm
SENTENCE
A sentence is the largest grammatical unit in language.

It communicates a complete thought—an assertion, question,

command, or exclamation.
BASIC PARTS OF A SENTENCE
(1) Subject – it generally assumes the first part of a
sentence which is then followed by a predicate.

The subject is the noun(s) or pronoun(s) that either

performs the action that the verb describes, or simply
indicates the main idea of the sentence.

Example:
Tomas studied all night.
subject verb *adverb

Studying math gives me a headache.

subject verb *direct *object
object complement
BASIC PARTS OF A SENTENCE
(2) Predicate – is the part of the sentence that asserts
something about the subject.

It contains the verb and the completer (whatever other

information is needed to make the sentence a complete
thought).

Example:
Tomas studied all night.
subject predicate

Studying math gives me a headache.

subject predicate
IDENTIFYING AND REVISING SENTENCE
FRAGMENTS
(1) Find the verb.

(2) Find the subject.

(3) Make sure the sentence is not a

subordinate clause.
IDENTIFYING AND REVISING SENTENCE
FRAGMENTS
(1) Find the verb.
If you do not have one, then your sentence is actually a sentence
fragment.

Fragment: Students in purple boots and green mittens.

Ask yourself, "Where's the verb? Can I circle it?"

Revised: Students in purple boots and green mittens walk through a

terrible storm.

The verb in the sentence is "walk."

IDENTIFYING AND REVISING SENTENCE
FRAGMENTS
(2) Find the subject.

Once you've located the verb, look for the subject in your sentence.
If you do not have a subject, then your sentence is actually a
sentence fragment.

Fragment: Ran across the street and up a tall, newly blooming tree.
Ask yourself, "Who or what performs the action?"

Revised: The kitten ran across the street and up a tall, newly blooming
tree.
The subject of this sentence is "kitten."

Remember: There is a type of sentence where "you" is understood

to be the subject:
(You) Pick up the dirty laundry off the floor.
IDENTIFYING AND REVISING SENTENCE
FRAGMENTS
In most cases, Imperative statement expresses
command where “you” is understood to be the subject.

 (You) keep quiet.

 (You) go! / stay.

 (You) come
here.
 (You) get out of the way.
 (You) please pass the salt.
IDENTIFYING AND REVISING SENTENCE
FRAGMENTS
(3) Make sure the sentence is not a
subordinate clause.
Fragment: When the girl ran across the street
The subordinating conjunction (when) leads us to ask, "What
happened when the girl ran across the street?"

Revised: When the girl ran across the street, she was nearly struck by a
car.

Fragment: The girl who ate all the cake.

In this case, the relative pronoun (who) leads us to ask, "What

happened to the girl who ate all the cake?"

Revised: The girl who ate all the cake has icing on her chin.
What is a subordinate clause?
It is a clause (with a subject and a verb) introduced by a
subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.
Example:

When the girl ran across the street.

Subordinating Subject Verb
Conjunction

The girl who ate all the cake.

Subject Relative Verb
Pronoun
What must we remember about a
subordinate clause?

 A subordinate clause is a sentence fragment.

 Subordinate clauses should not be used as
complete sentences.
 Subordinate clauses should be joined with
complete sentences.

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Common Mistake(s)

Fragment:
“For you to be assisted with your promo code.”
Revised:
You may call our Customer Service department,
for further assistance in relation to your query
(about promo codes).
ROYAL ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

Did you know why we say “the shiny new red car” and not
“the red new shiny car”?

 It’s because there is a special order for adjectives.

 Native English speakers know it instinctively because they

learn it when they learn to make their first sentences.

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ROYAL ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

Adjectives fall into categories, and the categories are spoken

in this order:

1. Determiner (articles and other limiters: the, your ,an)

2. Observation or opinion (a genuine diamond, an interesting

book, an expensive watch)
3. Size and Shape (tiny, fat, square)

4. Age (young, old, new)

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ROYAL ORDER OF ADJECTIVES
(CONT'D)

5. Color (blue, sea-green)

6. Origin (American, Chinese)

7. Material (describing what something is made of: silk,

copper, wooden)
8. Qualifier (final adjective, often an integral part of the
noun: vacation resort, wedding dress, race
car)
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Royal Order of Adjectives
Exercise I
1. A Italian/sports/fantastic car.

A fantastic Italian sports car.

2. A French/nice/old teacher.

A nice old French teacher.

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Royal Order of Adjectives
Exercise I

3. A alarm/red/small clock.

A small red alarm clock.

4. A cotton/pretty/yellow dress.

A pretty yellow cotton dress.

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 Communication Style
Good grammar is critical to establish agent credibility.

“Did you entered your phone number?” Did you enter your phone number?

“If you order the item you choice, you If you order the item today, you
will able to receive it July 23, 2013.” will receive it by July 23, 2013.

“Okay, a moment let me check.” Okay, please give a moment.

5 KEY ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL
COMMUNICATION

(1) Brevity and staying on point

 Limit number of words per sentence to reduce confusion,
and directly respond to prior customer question.

“I see here that the pair costs $149.98, so if

you order another pair, it will be another
$149.98.”

The pair costs $149.98.

5 Key Elements for Successful Communication

(2) Grammar, spelling and sentence structure

 Use most grammatical rules, including capitalization and
punctuation.

“For me to proceed, Let me verify the account first. I want to

ensure the security of the account.”

“You mean you wanted to canceled  your order you just

made?”
5 Key Elements for Successful Communication

(2) Grammar, spelling and sentence structure

 Spell accurately to support credibility of
agent.
“Is this the item that you have ordered the Beaumont 17 pc
Quenn bedroom set?”

“We can charge the wholle amount to your

account.”

“Do you want to order using your account with

Fringerhut, right?”
5 Key Elements for Successful Communication

(2) Grammar, spelling and sentence structure

 Put critical content at the beginning of responses.

 Put formal responses in complete sentences, while

less formal responses can be sentence fragments.

“There were two sets

of orders made with I understand that
the same item, would you would like to
you like me to cancel cancel a duplicate
the second set?” order.
5 Key Elements for Successful Communication

(3) Voice and tone

 Conform to the personality of the site (e.g., informative,

professional, innovative).

 Tone should express the mood or feeling of the voice

(e.g., friendly, upbeat, conversational).
5 Key Elements for Successful Communication

(4) Terminology

 Use language that has mass

appeal.
 Avoid slang, clichés and other references that are
specific to a region.
 Avoid unnecessary use of technical terms that may require
readers to slow down to understand meaning.
5 Key Elements for Successful Communication

(5) Personalization
 Use customer name and other customer-provided
information to personalize responses.
10 GRAMMAR RULES FOR MESSAGING AGENTS

Grammar and Punctuation

Rule #1: Use periods at the end of complete sentences, and question
marks after direct questions.

 Using good grammar and punctuation helps agents communicate

effectively and helps keep responses brief and on point.

 The best way for agents to adhere to these rules is to

include only one or two ideas per response.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Grammar and Punctuation

Rule #2: Minimize use of sentence fragments and do not use run-on
sentences.

 Trying to put too much information into one response encourages agents
to create run-on sentences and to ignore punctuation.
 Agents that muddled responses with poor grammar
and punctuation impact the velocity of Messaging.

 Messaging users want instant gratification, so agents should put

the most important content at the beginning of responses.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Run-on sentence
 It's occurs when two independent clauses run together
without proper punctuation (e.g., coma, period, or semi-
colon) or appropriate conjunction (e.g., while, however,
because, for, etc.

Incorrect: Raffi sings upbeat children's songs he is an excellent musician.

Correct: Raffi sings upbeat children's songs; he is an excellent musician.

10 Grammar Rules for Messaging
Agents
The following example illustrates the use of good grammar and punctuation to
keep the Messaging conversation brief and on point:
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging
Agents
The following example illustrates run-on statements:

“Ok, with your permission but by the way let me verify the last 4
digit numbers of your Social Security Numbers?”

“A wise man makes his own decisions an ignorant man follows

public opinion.”

“Adam is a sweet boy he really loves animals.”

10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Numbers and Currency

Rule #3: When writing large numbers, use a comma for the
thousandths place, e.g., #,###.

Rule #4: When writing currency, use a dollar sign, decimals and a
comma for thousandths place, e.g., $#,###.##.
HERE IS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO CHEW ON...
 Traditionally numbers one through nine are spelled out; above nine,
numerals are used.

 In lists where multiple numbers are used, agents should follow this rule if all
of the numbers are within the same category, such as “one, two or three
items” or “10, 11 or 12 items.”
 In lists such as “the items are available in groups of 5, 10 or 20,” agents
should use numerals.

 When writing measurements, agents should always use numerals (e.g., “3.28
ft Power Cord”).
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents
The following response, from the same Messaging session, is an excellent
example of summarizing a complicated order using numbers:

 One should strive for clarity of information and consistency.

 If using numerals helps customers find the information they most care
about, then should use them.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Spelling and Capitalization

Rule #5: Watch the built-in spell checker and fix spelling mistakes.

 Accurate spelling and capitalization ensures clarity of the

information and helps maintain credibility with the customer.

 Agents should pay attention to spelling as they are typing and correct
errors as they go.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Spelling and Capitalization – Reminders!

 While agents should leverage built-in spell checkers, it is important to

remember that spell checkers don’t check for context and meaning.

 A correctly spelled word misused in a sentence can cause the

same amount of confusion as a misspelled word.

“Is this the item that you have ordered the Beaumont 17 pc
Quenn bedroom set?”

“We can charge the wholle amount to your account.”

10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Spelling and Capitalization

Rule #6: Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper nouns, and the
first word of a salutation/closing.

 Agents should take the time to capitalize the first word of a sentence,
proper nouns, and the first word of a salutation/closing.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Capitalization Rules

(1) Capitalize a proper noun.

Example:
Golden Gate Bridge

(2) Capitalize a person's title when it precedes the name. Do not capitalize
when the title is acting as a description following the name.

Examples:
Chairperson Petrov
Ms. Petrov, the chairperson of the company, will address us at noon.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Capitalization Rules

(3) Capitalize any title when used as a direct

address.

Example:
Will you take my temperature, Doctor?

(4) Do not capitalize names of seasons.

Example:
I love autumn colors and spring flowers.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Capitalization Rules

(5) Capitalize the first word of a salutation and

the first word of a complimentary close.

Examples:
Dear Ms. Mohamed:
My dear Mr. Sanchez:
Very truly yours,

(6) Capitalize words derived from proper nouns.

Example:
I must take English and math.
English is capitalized because it comes from the proper noun
England, but math does not come from Mathland.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Spelling and Capitalization

The example below illustrates the lack of proper capitalization:
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Commas

Rule #7: Use commas to separate words and word groups with a series
of three or more if necessary to clarify meaning.

My $10 million estate is to be split among my husband, daughter,

son, and nephew.

He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Commas

Rule #8: Use a comma plus a simple conjunction (and, but, for, nor,
yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses.

I have painted the entire house, but he is still working on sanding the
doors. I paint and he writes.

They say women are from Venus, yet Mars already has
Martians, so why do they need men too?

I went to the store, and I bought eggs.

10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Commas
 Agents should use their judgment to decide whether a series of words
needs a comma. Speed and efficiency might dictate omitting commas for
short series of words.

For example, “cable, laptop and mouse” doesn’t need a comma before
the and because the list is short and the meaning is clear. However, if
the agent is writing a more complex list, then commas are necessary to
improve readability and clarify meaning.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents
Commas
 Here are examples from two different agents from the same company
describing the same feature. One keeps the content concise, using a
short string of words that does not require a comma before the and for
clarity.

Agent A: You might be interested to extend the warranty of your system to

further secure your computer. We also have the accidental damage
protection which would cover drops, spills and other possible physical
damages. Would you like to check our current promotions on it?

Agent B : You still have an option to extend it so that you can get assistance with
future technical concerns and to cover for future repair and replacement. You also
have an option to get accidental damage protection which covers repair and
replacement for various accidental damage. This includes: liquid spilled on or in unit,
drops, falls, and other collisions, electrical surge, damaged or broken LCD due to a drop
or fall, and accidental breakage (multiple pieces). The resolution that we will give you
will be a free repair or free replacement for the parts or the computer itself.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Voice and Tone

Rule #9: Use active voice.

 People often have difficulty defining active versus passive voice.

 Although passive voice isn’t wrong, it’s not the best way to phrase
your thoughts.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Voice and Tone

Active Voice vs Passive Voice

 In an active sentence, the subject is doing the action.

e.g. I love you.

e.g. The dog is barking at the boy.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Voice and Tone

Active Voice vs Passive Voice

In passive voice, the target of the action gets promoted to the subject
position.

e.g. I love you. e.g. You are loved (by me).

e.g. The dog is barking at the boy. e.g. The boy is being barked at
( by the dog).
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Voice and Tone

 In general, using active voice is more direct and conveys agent
confidence to address a customer’s issues.
Compare this excerpt of a real-life agent/customer dialog to the rewritten
dialog below it:
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Voice and Tone

Rule #10: Maintain corporate identity while avoiding slang and overly
technical terms.

 Agents should draw on corporate identity and customer

expectations to shape the voice and tone of their responses.
 Agents should refrain from using their personal communication
style.
 Agents should avoid slang, clichés and other references that are
specific to a region.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Cliche
– Is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become
overused to the point of losing its original meaning, or effect, and even, to
the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it
was considered meaningful or novel.
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents
List of Common Cliches
“I know where you're coming from...”
“A man after my own heart.”
“It's no-brainer.”
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet...”
“Don't worry, you're in good hands...”
“A stone's throw away”
“Life's like a box of chocolate, you'll never know
what you gonna get...”
“For evil to triumph, it is sufficient that good men
shall do nothing.”
10 Grammar Rules for Messaging Agents

Voice and Tone – Reminders!

 Words like “cool” and “awesome” may work for casual conversations, but
aren’t suitable in professional dialogs.

 We recommend that agents use humor sparingly because it is easily

misinterpreted in an online setting, where vocal tones and facial
expressions aren’t available to clarify meaning.

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Questions?