Unit 3 - Skills of written EnglishNote-MakingNote-making is a more intellectual task than note-taking as it involves selecting, analyzing and summarizing what you hear or read. It also involves being able to strike a balance between listening / reading actively and making a record of it. Note-making is therefore an active approach to study as it:

Forces you to think, because you have to make decisions about what to write

Helps you to pay attention to what you are reading, or listening to

Assists your understanding of new material if the notes are organized in your own way and in your own words

Helps you to concentrate Helps you to remember more information Makes it easier to distinguish between important issues and

detail Provides a permanent record. Facilitates learning; lectures or books can become clearer

later upon reflection and reviewing of your notes. The note-making process Once you have taken down notes in lectures, the learning process is not complete. The next step is the note-making process. Reviewing lecture notesYour lecture notes form the basis of your final consolidated notes and your entire examination preparation is based on these. The following should be done on a daily basis:

1. Read through your lecture notes. 2. Underline headings and subheadings. 3. Correct spelling mistakes and rewrite illegible portions. 4. Fill in any gaps. 5. Underline or highlight important sentences or paragraphs. 6. Make sure you understand the concepts. 7. If you use the Cornell system, fill in the key words in the

left-hand column. Integrating lecture notes and readings

1. The main aim is to integrate your lecture notes with readingfrom articles, prescribed and recommended books or tutorials.

2. It is best to use your lecture notes as the basis of your

integration and not rewrite these unless your handwriting isextremely poor.

3. Mind-map summaries can be made to give you an overall picture of the topic.

The use of cohesive devices

Coherence refers to the linking of ideas in a logical sequence or order.  Cohesion refers to the organization of sentences and ideas in your essay working together as a whole within their paragraphs.  They hold together by cohesive devices (transitional words and expressions). This makes it very easy for the reader to follow your presentation of  information in the essay. They don’t get lost or confused. Did you write in clear paragraphs that are organized around central ideas? It’s like listening to a story that’s smooth and easy to follow.

Here are some useful transitional/linking words and phrases to use to show the different relationships between your ideas and sentences:

ADDITION: also, again, in addition, additionally, furthermore, further, moreover, as well as, what’s more, besides this/that,

CONTRAST (show two things are different): on the other hand, however, despite this, conversely, in contrast, on the contrary, although, while, though, compared with, in comparison with, rather, whereas, but, instead of, in spite of, still, nevertheless, regardless, otherwise

COMPARE (show two things are similar/alike): likewise, similarly,also, in th1e same way, in comparison to

SEQUENCE: first, second (etc.), to begin with, initially, at first, then, next, from there, and then, following this, finally,lastly

EXAMPLES: for example, for instance, a good example of this is, such as, to illustrate, in particular, particularly, namely, specifically

CONSEQUENCE: therefore, as a result, thus, so, consequently, admittedly, so that, depending on

EMPHASIS/CERTAINTY: indeed, certainly, in fact, of course, undoubtedly, plainly, obviously

CONDITION: if. . . then, unless, whether, provided that,

SUMMARY: in summary, in conclusion, overall, in short,  in brief,to sum up, in other words, all in all, to put it differently, to summarize, on the whole,

REASON: because, since, as, so, due to, owing to, the reason why

CONCESSION (accepting/acknowledging something is true): granted, naturally, of course

This is not a complete list and of course, many words can link ideas in different ways depending on how they are used.

*NOTE: It’s important to not overuse so many linking words in your essays because it makes it even more difficult to read, rather than making it smooth and easy to read. So choose a few carefully when you write and make sure you don’t overuse these phrases.

Correspondence : L etters to Class teacher, Principal, Industry

The Principal

Jai Narain Public School

Jhansi

7 September 20XX:

Sir,

Sub: Permission for Late Arrival

You will be pleased to know that i have been selected by M.P. state to represent the state at the forthcoming National AthleticMeet at Delhi in the first week of October.

The pre-competition Athletic coaching camp is being held from lOth September to 24

September 20XX. This fortnight long camp will begin at 6.00 a.m. and continue till 9.00 a.m. and then from 4pm to 7pm I do not want to neglect my studies altogether. But circumstances constrain me. Much though I wish to reach the school in time, I fear I may be late by an hour.

Keeping in view the circumstances detailed above,request you to grant me permission to attend the school one hour late for a fortnight. The grace shown by you will keep me tension-free.

I hope you will grant my request.

Yours faithfully,

Lalith

BHM-Ist year

Writing bio-data, applications,

A biography is basically a summary of yourself, your career and your accomplishments. Authors may add their biography to their written work, such as a book or an article, for example, or you may want to provide a short bio when applying for a particular position. Writing your bio is fairly simple, but it should be tailored to its purpose. An architect would emphasize their architectural achievements, whereas a chef would outline their culinary training and experience.

Instructions1 Write your first and last name and then state your current position, if you are applying for a job. Name the company, organization or agency where you are presently employed. Cite your

current position title. If the company you work for is not well known, you could add a sentence or two describing the area of business, research and development, or what services it provides to private or public sectors.2 Summarize your educational background. If you are social worker, for example, and you are applying for a counseling position, thenput what university you graduated from and what year and that your coursework included counseling courses and psychology courses. You need to demonstrate that you are trained and qualified for the position you are applying for.3 Describe your main responsibilities at your current job and any other work experience that would be relevant to the job you are trying to get. A chef, for example, might write about how they have developed restaurant menus, supervised other cooks, and managedfood and liquor purchases. Mirror the experience that the prospective employer is looking for with your work experience.4 List any skills that match the skills that the employer is seeking. If you are applying for a management position, for example, you want to highlight management skills such as

organizational, communication, interpersonal and problem-solving

skills. Give an example or two from your work history to demonstrate how you used your management skills specifically toaccomplish a company goal or objective.5 Mention any associations you belong to such as professional organizations. Describe any outstanding accomplishments. If youdo volunteer work and it relates to the job you are applying for, add that to your bio.

Samples of bio datasMANDEEP KAUR

Sterling apartments, Flat 601, Pappanna Street, St. Marks Road, Bangalore, INDIA. PIN Code: 560025Mobile: +91-96 39 13 74 78 | E-Mail: mandeep.jaswal04@gmail.com

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

A multifaceted, solutions-focused and customer & associate-oriented Hospitality Professional offering operational managementexperience in Front Office Operations and a demonstrated trackrecord of commitment to guest satisfaction and organizationalrequirements. Recognized as a performer able to successfully andefficiently manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously,resolve issues, and consistently meet established goals andexceed key performance objectives. Direct and decisive leader,convincing motivator, and effective trainer dedicated tocontinuous improvements in quality, productivity, efficiency, andcustomer service through a team which is motivated and focused. Awell developed interpersonal, organizational, time, relationshipmanagement, and problem-solving skills. Proficient in application

of Opera Property Management System and Microsoft Office Package.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Team Player Problem ResolutionGuest Service Support

Cost Containment Talent DevelopmentStaffin & Scheduling

Purchasing / Inventory Control Quality AssuranceTraining

EDUCATION

Bachelors in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from theInstitute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology,Lucknow (June 2007 to June 2008)Three year degree programme offered by the Indira GandhiNational Open University, New Delhi. The course coversclassroom sessions and practical training sessions in FrontOffice Operations, Housekeeping Operations, Food andBeverage Service Operations and Food Production. Classroomsessions were provided on Engineering Services, Food Safety& Nutrition and Accounts Management. The course alsomandates a six month Industrial Exposure Training which wascompleted at The Trident, Gurgaon in 2008.

Supervisory Developement Programme, The Oberoi Centre ofLearning and Development, New Delhi (Sep 2012 to Nov 2012) The Supervisor Development Programme is an 3 month programmespecializing in the core frontline disciplines of HotelOperations. The programme was completed after an assessmentby a panel of Corporate Heads for related departmentfollowed by a personal interview by the General Manager ofThe Oberoi, Bangalore.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Manager – Reception Services, ITC Gardenia (May 2014 to July 2014)

Facilitate the Team at the Front Desk by creating an atmosphere of empowerment and reliability.

Attain and maintain a WOW Ratio of 94% for Timeliness and Accuracy of check-in and check-out.

Ensuring that Loyalty Programme Benefits aretangibilised to guests by the team through constanttraining and development.

Identify guests arriving on various promotionalpackages and ensure that all entitlements and benefitsare identified and team members are clearly briefedabout the same.

Mentoring an identified individual to take on the roleof Manager – Reception Services.

Review of guest history for next day arrivals with theUnit Rooms Controller to ensure that guest history isactualized and room allocations are completed to ensuremaximum guest delight.

Review of next day departures and billing to ensurethat the departures for the following day do not createany accounting complexities for the Front Desk Teamwhich could potentially lead to negative moments oftruth.

Ensure maximum customization of guest experience at theFront Desk to facilitate a seamless check-in, check-outand transaction experience for the guest.

Guest Service Supervisor, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore (July2013 to April 2014)

Responsible for the following Departments: At Your Service (Telephone Department), Business Centre, Concierge and Guest Services.

Manage the Transportation Department with an opening Fleet of seven premium vehicles and ten town cars.

Managing the Parking System of the hotel ensuring retrieval of cars within 10minutes of request.

Ensuring that the Ladies and Gentlemen deliver the ‘Three Steps of Service’ at moment of truth.

Recruitment, rostering, performance enhancement and appraisal of Ladies and Gentlemen periodically.

Front Office Supervisor, The Oberoi, Bangalore(August 2010 to July 2013)

Training new employees as being their buddy. Sole in charge for Guest Supplies budgeting &

monitoring expenses of Front Office Handling telephone operations Handling various vendors and issuing of work orders &

checking for job completion. Instrumental in streamlining front desk operations Certified industrial trainee from Trident Hotel,

Gurgaon Handling of day to day front desk operations such as

room reservations, checking of group blocks and rooms, handling of guest complaints, checking in a guest, cashiers, concierge.

Co-ordinate actively in team building activities. Review monthly departmental expenses. Handle reservations and executive center in the hotel. Conducting trainings for team. Conducting team activities Meeting guests upon arrival and departure Responding to guest queries and requirements through

Email Distribution of information to various departments of

the hotel Responsible for coordinating room booking for groups. Ensuring proper updating of guest profiles and well

trained in profile management. Preparing check lists for executive center and

reservations. Handling all areas efficiently to anticipate guests

needs.

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Certified Industrial Trainee from Trident Gurgaon with

an excellent grade.Hotel Certified Supervisor from The Oberoi Centre of Learning

and Development. Learning coach of front office Instrumental in formulating standard operating

procedures for Front Desk Instrumental in formulating a manual of all the front

desk operations Awarded Bachelors degree in first division Control of wastage and thereby limiting cost within the

budget.

PERSONAL DETAILS

Age: 24Language Skills: Fluent in both written and spoken

English and HindiHobbies & Interests: Painting, Swimming & CyclingDate of Birth: 04.06.1990

Marital Status: SingleNationality: IndianReligious Affiliation: SikhPassport Number: J8598481Date of Issue: 14/10/2011Date of Expiry: 13/10/2021Place of Issue: Dehradun, India

Mandeep KaurHaldwani – 263139

Dated: October 7, 2014

Mandeep Kaur

Flat No 203, Mittal Tower Apartments, F - Wing, M.G. Road, Bangalore- 560001, India.

Ph No: +91-7411242183, Email: mandeep.jaswal04 @gmail.com

I am writing to express my interest in securing the position of FrontOffice Executive with your organization. I am currently employed asSupervisor – Front Office with The Oberoi group of Hotels and Resorts,a world class hotel chain that manages some of the world’s best hotelsand has redefined the paradigm of luxury and excellence in serviceamongst leisure hotels across the world.

I have earned a certificate in Supervisory Development Programme as aSupervisor from The Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development (OCLD),considered to be one of the finest Hotel Schools in Asia. I come to youwith a profound understanding of hotel operations. As a highlight of myexperience I have been employed in from August 2010 and have beentrained intensely in all departments of a hotel for three years in twodifferent hotels, which includes a world class resort and one leadingBusiness hotel. I have completed my 3 year Bachelors Program in HotelManagement from Institute of Hotel Management, Lucknow.

At present I am employed at The Oberoi, Bangalore and was instrumentalin upselling rooms at front desk. I am also well trained in all theareas of front office and at present handling guest relations and dutymanager’s role of my department.

I would appreciate to meet and discuss with you the possibility ofjoining your organization. I thank you for your consideration ofreviewing my credentials. Please find enclosed my Resume for yourreview.

I look forward to hear from you.

Regards

Mandeep Kaur

Front Office Supervisor

The Oberoi, Bangalore

PROFILE:

Name Mandeep KaurDesignation Front Office SupervisorCurrent Employer The Oberoi , BangaloreGender FemaleDate of Birth 04.06.1990Marital Status Single

Home AddressFlat No 203, Mittal Towers Apartments,

    F - Wing, M.G Road,    Bangalore, KarnatakaNationality IndianReligious Affiliation SikhPassport Number J8598481Date of Issue 14/10/2011Date of Expiry 13/10/2021Place of Issue Dehradun, India

COMMUNICATION DETAILS:

Cellular Number +91- 7411242183Office +91- 080- 25585858Email mann_mahi2000@yahoo.com

CAREER OBJECTIVE:

I chose to embark on a career in hospitality for fulfilling mydesire to take an active pin the expansion of Tourism Industry,the organization for which I would be working and simultaneously

for my personal growth and learning.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

DesignationFront Office SupervisorOrganizationThe Oberoi, Bangalore – A 160 Room Business HotelPeriodAugust 2010 – PresentResponsibilitiesTraining new employees as being their buddy.Sole in charge for Guest Supplies budgeting & monitoring expenses of Front OfficeHandling telephone operationsHandling various vendors and issuing of work orders & checking for job completion.Instrumental in streamlining front desk operationsCertified industrial trainee from Trident Hotel, GurgaonHandling of day to day front desk operations such as room reservations, checking of group blocks and rooms, handling of guest complaints, checking in a guest, cashiers, concierge.Co-ordinate actively in team building activities.Review monthly departmental expenses.Handle reservations and executive centre in the hotel.Conducting trainings for team.Conducting team activitiesMeeting guests upon arrival and departureResponding to guest queries and requirements through EmailDistribution of information to various departments of the hotelResponsible for co-ordinating room booking for groups.Ensuring proper updating of guest profiles and well trained in profile management.Preparing check lists for executive centre and reservations.Handling all areas efficiently to anticipate guests needs.

EDUCATION & TRAINING:

Training Component – Industrial Training Stage

Period June 2008 - October 2008

HotelThe Trident, Gurgaon - A 136 room Business Hotel

Training Areas

HousekeepingFront OfficeF&B ProductionFood & Production

 Training Component – Supervisor Development Programe Period September 2012 – November 2012

HotelThe Oberoi, Bangalore – A 160 room Business Hotel

Training Areas

HousekeepingFront OfficeFood and Beverage ProductionSpaEngineeringAccountsSafety and Security

Institution Institute of Hotel Management, LucknowDegree Graduation DegreePeriod 2007 – 2010

Areas of Study

Front OfficeFood &BeverageFood ProductionEngineeringFacility PlanningHousekeepingInformation TechnologyFood safety & Hygiene

Institution Queens Senior Secondary High SchoolStandard 12th Grade

Areas of StudyBiology, Chemistry, Physics, Chemistry, English & Physical Edu.

Institution Queens Senior Secondary High SchoolStandard 7-10th Grade

Areas of StudyScience, Maths, English, Hindi & Social Studies

Institution Army Public School, HyderabadStandard 1st – 7th Grade

Areas of StudySciences, Mathematics, English, Hindi and Crafts

PERSONAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCE:

Computer skills and competenceExcellent use of Opera PMS programme "V 4.0.04.01 and version 5.01”Excellent use of Microsoft Windows and Office programme: Excel, Word, Power point, OutlookGood user of MICROSExcellent user of OASISExcellent user in InternetFax Machine and all equipments of business centreTelephone SystemsOrganizational skills and competenceBelief in Mission, Vision and philosophy of the organisationBelief in cultivation of smileConstancy of purposeFocus on creating a learning organizationStrong commitment towards values of the organization Belief in leading by example. Lead more and manage lessAbility to under promise and over deliverInstrumental in designing training programme and standard operating proceduresLeadership and Team Spirit. Ability to appreciate Emotional QuotientInstrumental in engineering a daily quality audit processFocus on team developmentFocus on exceeding guest satisfaction through consistencySocial skills and competenceAbility to establish and sustain strong and long term relationships with guestsExcellent personal motivationPersuasive interpersonal skillsAggressive listening skillsExcellent ability to work in high pressure situations for long durations of timeExcellent communication skills and mannerismsGood Analytical and soft skills

ACHIEVEMENTS & RECOGNITION:

Certified Industrial Trainee from Trident Gurgaon with an excellent grade.Certified Supervisor from The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development.Instrumental in formulating standard operating procedures for Front DeskInstrumental in formulating a manual of all the front desk operationsAwarded Bachelors degree in first division

Successful completion of fire fighting training programmeControl of wastage and thereby limiting cost within the budget.

INTEREST:

Listening to music Cooking Dance Swimming

DECLARATION:

I hereby declare that the above-mentioned information is correct up to my knowledge

Date :- 04th February 2013

Place :- Bangalore

( MANDEEP KAUR)

C omplaint writting

Example lettersFortune Goods317 Orchard RoadSingapore

11 November 2014 

Attn: Mr David Choi Sales Manager Everlong Batteries171 Choi Hung Road Hung Hom

Hong Kong

Dear Mr Choi

Re. Order No. 768197

I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been supplied correctly.

On 4 November 2014 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super long-life batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only 1,200 batteries.

This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make someemergency purchases to fulfil our commitments to all our customers. This caused us considerable inconvenience.

I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately andto ensure that such errors do not happen again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.

I look forward to hearing from you by return.

Yours sincerely

     J. WongJ. Wong Purchasing Officer

Flat 303 Lucky Mansions 856 Cheung Sha Wan Road Cheung Sha Wan Kowloon

10 November 2014

The Administrative Officer Exhibition Services

Exhibitions International 33 Kadoorie AvenueKowloon

Dear Sir/Madam

I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2014 at the Fortune Hotel from 31 October - 3 November and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organisational problems. I explain each of the problems below.

Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to registerin this way, the computer would not accept my application. I eventuallysucceeded in registering by faxing you.

Secondly, the exhibition was held at one of Hong Kong's most prestigious hotels, but frankly the venue was better suited to a medium-sized business conference than to a large exhibition open by registration to the public. The lack of space led to serious overcrowding in the venue, particularly at peak visiting times (i.e. lunch times and early evening). On one or two occasions I was also seriously concerned about the physical safety of attendees.

The final point I want to make concerns product information. It is veryenjoyable to see and test a range of excellent sound systems, but it isalso important to be able to take away leaflets on interesting products, so that more research can be done before deciding which system to buy. However, by the time I attended the exhibition all the leaflets had been taken.

Could I please ask you to look into these matters - not only on my behalf but also on behalf of other attendees, and in fact on behalf of your company, too.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Michael Leung

Precis writing

PRECIS WRITINGA Précis is a summary. Précis-Writing is a very useful exercise. Most of us read carelessly. Writing précis gives training in careful reading. Précis-writing is regarded as a very important kind of composition because it develops one's capacity to discriminate between the essential and the non-essential.

A Précis is a shortening, in your own words, of a text of writtenwork. You are to describe as accurately and briefly as possible the substance or main ideas contained in a text.

Do's and Don'ts of Précis Writing

1. Start your précis by creating context (setting) and stating the main idea of the piece. Then you should begin presenting the method that the author used to defend this thesis.

2. Always state the name of the article/document, the authorand the source (is it from a magazine, book, encyclopedia, etc.)

3. Do not use the words "in this article." 4. When writing about history, use the past tense.

5. Do not use abbreviations or contractions.

6. When looking at primary sources, you should make note of the origin, purpose, value, and limitations of the document.(See website on Evaluation of sources)

7. Count your "ands."8. Avoid words like big, good, bad, little, and a lot. Also,do not use the phrase "throughout history." This is cliché.

9. Titles of texts should be put in italics OR underlined.

10. RUN A SPELL CHECK!!!

Before writing all these first count the total number of allthe words in that paragraph and divide it by 3Example:150 words150/3=50so we have to finish the précis within 50 words