我們學習過了第一個P——polite，這次來繼續學習第二個P——positive。
Being Courteous: How To Be Positive
To write courteous sentences, you need to be polite. You
also need to use the second "P" - be positive.
Once again, think of yourself as the reader (or
customer).
How would you feel if you got a letter that
said...
"You cannot withdraw the money
until your cheque has cleared."
This sentence is very negative, isn't it? It tells you
what you can't do.
"You can withdraw the money as
soon as your cheque has cleared."
You can make a sentence positive by stating what the
reader can do instead of what the reader cannot do.
SAY WHAT YOU CAN DO
You only have to change a few words to change a negative
sentence into a positive one.
You only need to say what the reader can do rather than
what the reader can't do. You can also be positive by saying what the company
can do rather than what it can't do.
Look at the two sentences below. Both sentences have the
same meaning. But one is positive and one is negative. Which sentence is
positive?
"Our office closes at 4:00
pm."
"Our office stays open until
4:00 pm."
The second sentence sounds much better, doesn't it? The
word "open" is positive, while "close" is negative.
There's another way to write
positively.
Think of yourself as a bank customer. You've just
received a letter inviting you to apply for a Classic Visa card. In the letter,
you read this sentence:
"You need an annual income of
HKD42,000 to apply for a credit card."
How do you feel?
The sentence is true, but it could be written in a more
positive way. So, try to revise the sentence. (Hint: You may want to begin the
sentence with "if".)
"If you have an annual income of
HKD42,000, you can apply for a credit card."
USE THE "IF-CONTRACT"
When you use the "if-contract", you state what you, your
company or the reader can do...IF the reader can meet a specific
condition.
The "if-contract" emphasises what is possible. It's a
much more positive way of expressing your ideas.
Look at two more sentences. Both have the same meaning,
but which one sounds more
positive?
"You must reply within five days
or we cannot process your application."
"If you apply within five days,
we can process your application."
Do you see how the "if-contract" makes a sentence more
positive?
Whenever you use the "if-contract",
you
l
begin with an
"IF" clause and
l
end with an
"action" clause (which states what you or your reader can do if the condition is
met).
You can practise writing positive sentences in the
exercise below.
Try revising the following sentences, which are not very
positive.
1) We cannot process your application until next month
unless you reply promptly.
2) You need a reference before you can open an account.
3) Settle payment immediately or you will be charged an
additional $15.
4) You must send the documents by Friday or we cannot
prepare a Letter of Credit.
5) Unless you have five years' experience in personal
finance, you cannot apply for the position.
Suggested revisions:
1) If you reply promptly, we can process your application
by the end of the month.
2) If you give us a reference, you can open an
account.
3) If you pay immediately, you will not incur any
additional charges.
4) If you send us the documents by Friday, we can prepare
a Letter of Credit.
5) If you have five years' experience in personal
finance, you can apply for the position.
NOTE: In all of these sentences, you can change the order
of the two clauses. eg"We can process your application by the end of the month
if you reply promptly."
下次我們將繼續學習第三個P——personal，不要錯過哦！
（來源：中國物流論壇 實習生江巍 英語點津 Annabel 編輯）
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