SBI PO Descriptive Test Reference Guide

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SBI PO Descriptive Test

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riends, the Descriptive Test is very crucial for SBI PO Exam. It is of 50marks. You should qualify in this test by securing passing marks (around 20 to 23). So here we are giving you the detailed study material of SBI PO Descriptive Test.

This material not only helps you to get the clear idea on the concepts but also helps you write on your own. We tried our best to make this pdf file simple and precise. We hope this will help you in your preparation. Before going into details, lets have a look at some important points you should keep in mind while writing Descriptive Test. Important points to keep in mind Don't use difficult terminology unless and until you know the proper meaning and

usage of the term. Don’t use chatting language (dis, dat, tuk, plz, c u etc.,). Check your spellings and grammar. Spend some time on reading what you have written. Make sure each sentence has a subject. Make sure your subjects and verbs agree with each other. Check the verb tenses of each sentence. Make sure that each sentence makes sense. Don’t disclose your address and other contact details. You can write some random

details or simply put (xxxxx) Take care of your handwriting. It doesn’t have to be beautiful, but it should be

readable at least. Be concise and keep to the point, but don't leave out any important information. According to the SBI PO 2014 notification, The Descriptive Test consists of the following topics,

Précis Writing Letter Writing Essay Writing Comprehension

Now let’s see the topic wise study material and tips.

Précis Writing Introduction : Origin of the word Précis : The word “précis” (not Précis, but we actually got used to type it in this way.. so no issues....you should pronounce it as pray-see) is cognate to the word “précise” coming

F



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from a Latin word meaning “to cut.” It has been variously referred to as abbreviation’, ‘subtraction’, ‘abstract’, ‘summary’, and ‘condensation’. A précis, then, is a cut version of the original, retaining the main ideas and omitting all or most of the examples and secondary ideas. What is Précis Writing ? Précis writing shortcut tips as we discussed in the above paragraph we can simply say, A précis is a Short Summary. It is not a paraphrase, which merely says in different and simpler words exactly what the passage being paraphrased has to say. A paraphrase may be as long as the passage itself whereas a précis rarely is more than one-third the length of the original selection and may be only one-fourth as long (for bank exams' descriptive section, its advisable to limit your précis to the 1/3rd of the given paragraph. A précis gives only the "heart" of a passage. It omits repetition and such details as examples, illustrations and adjectives unless they are of unusual importance. A précis is written entirely in the words of the person writing it, not in the words of the original selection. Avoid the temptation of lifting long phrases and whole sentences from the original. It wont help you. And in fact it may lessen your good impression and may lead to less score in the exam. As we've already mentioned above, a précis is written from the point of the author whose work is being summarized. Don't begin with such expressions as "The paragraph means" or "The author says".. etc... Just begin as though you were summarizing your own writing. Now let’s see some important tips on “How to write good precise for SBI PO Exams”. In writing a précis just proceed as follows :

Read Carefully, sentence by sentence, the passage to be summarized. Try to grasp the writer's main point. Spotting the topic sentence will help. As you read, take brief notes to be used in your writing.

When you have finally decided what the author's main point is, write it out in your own words. Do not use the wording of the original except for certain key words which you may find indispensable. If you cant translate the idea into your own language, you do not understand them very well. Be especially careful not to rely too much on the topic sentence. Do not add add any ideas or opinions of your own.

Revise your writing until you are sure that you have given an accurate summary. Usually you will find your précis is too long, if it is more than one-third the length

of the original. Continue your revision until you have reduced the précis to the proper length. In this careful revision lies the principal value of the précis as a composition exercise.

A précis should reduce the lenght of the original passage by at least two - thirds.



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Every important idea must be retained, preferably in the order in which it appears in the original.

Unimportant points, including details, illustrations and anecdotes, should be discarded.

A first draft of the précis should be written, then checked to see that it contains the main ideas of the passage.

Although you should be as brief as possible, guard against being so condensed that you obscure the point of passage.

Try to capture the tone or feeling of the original, particularly if it is deliberately humorous ironic or biased.

Check the draft for expression errors, repetition or vague phrasing; then write a smoother final version.

Important Techniques to Compress the Given Data for Précis Writing A good précis is without all superfluities. This is not quite easy to achieve and requires a lot of patience, hard work and practice. Certain devices, like one word substitution, help to reduce words in a précis and assists in compressing it. Something a single word is sufficient fro many. Hence the more one-words you know, the better for you. This requires vocabulary development which extensive reading and god dictionaries and other sources can provide. For clear understanding, have a look at the following examples.

One who is not professional – Amateur An assembly of hearers – Audience A battle or match in which neither party wins – Drawn Fit to be eaten – Edible That which cannot be conquered - Invincible

Sentences can be compressed in two ways

1. by removing redundancies and ornamental expressions, and 2. by combining a number of sentences into one sentence.

Examples :

When sorrows come, they do not come alone but in battalions o you can compress the above sentence and simplify it as Misfortunes

never come alone The thunder-storm continued unabated and did not cease until after it was dawn

o you can compress the above sentence and simplify it as The thunder-storm continued till dawn

I was standing at the gate. it was the time of sunset. At that time a carriage drew up. The carriage contained a gentleman. The gentleman was middle aged.

o You can compress the above sentence and simplify it as While I was standing at the gate at sunset, a carriage containing a middle-aged gentleman drew up.



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A paragraph consists of a number of sentences dealing with a single topic or idea. It has thus a unity of purpose and is quite easy to summarize. The first sentence generally states the theme. Each sentence develops the subject in a logical manner. All sentences which elaborate or explain the main idea are omitted while writing a précis. We deal only with the crux of the paragraph. Now let's have a look at a sample précis. Trees give shade for the benefit of others, and while they themselves stand in the sun and endure the scorching heat, they produce the fruit of which others profit. The character of good men is like that of trees. What is the use of this perishable body if no use is made of it for the benefit of mankind ? Sandalwood, the more it is rubbed, the more scent does it yield. Sugarcane, the more it is peeled and cut up into pieces, the more juice does it produce. The men who are noble at heart do not lose their qualities even in losing their lives. What matters whether men praise them or not? What difference does it make whether they die at this moment or whether lives are prolonged? Happen what may, those who is unprofitable to a man who does not live for others. To live for the mere sake of living one's life is to live the life or dog and crows. Those who lay down their lives for the sake of others will assuredly dwell forever in a world of bliss. Now they will ask you to make a précis out of the above paragraph and put a suitable title for it. Make it the habit of reading twice before going to write précis. First read little slowly because you are new to this para. Later read lil faster and try to pick important points mentioned in the paragraph. What will be the suitable title for our précis ? Life of trees? Smell of Sandal wood? Death of good men? or Juice of Sugar Cane? See, don't confuse with the lines. Try to pick the soul of the paragraph. About what they are talking of. Now just think of a suitable name for the above para . Appropriate title would be : Good Men Live for Others And now you should write précis... Remember all the points we've discussed in our earlier précis writing tips. Just pick important points from the given para and write them on your own. All the best. Précis (The final Answer) : The character of good men is like that of trees. They live for others and do not lose their qualities even in losing their lives. They always follow the right path. Praise is immaterial to them. To live for one's own sake is to lead the life of beasts. Only those who lay down their lives for others will live forever in a world of bliss.



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Summary : Important Rules of Précis writing for SBI PO

1. Read the given passage carefully and understand it thoroughly. 2. Underline or jot down all the essential ideas in the passage. This requires the skill

of understanding what is essential and what is inessential. Details, elaborations, explanations, repetitions and such inessential items should be excluded. Only the essential points should be jotted down.

3. Find out the central idea of the passage and use it as the title of the précis. The title should not be long. A sentence should never be used as a title. The title of a précis must be always a phrase. If suitable, a single word may be used as a title. It is essential that you should give a title to the précis.

4. Using the essential idea which you have underlined or jotted down, write out a rough draft.

5. Observe the following principles while writing the précis. a. Never repeat any idea in the summary. b. Do not add any new idea to the summary. c. Do not omit any essential idea. d. See that there is logicality in your summary. e. There should be continuity of thought in your summary. f. Your summary must have unity. That means, it must have completeness. g. Whatever may be the number of paragraphs in the given passage, your

précis must comprise only one paragraph. h. Do not reproduce sentences from the original passage. You must write

your précis in your own English. 6. Your précis must be one-third of the given passage. This is the normal limit. 7. Your précis must be written in simple, effective and idiomatic English. 8. Your précis must be free from errors of grammar, spelling, structure, usage etc. 9. If the passage is in the first person, you may retain the first person if do not know

who the author of the passage is. If you know who the author is, you can use the third person in your précis.

10. The direct speech found in the précis may be retained if it conduces to brevity; if not put it in indirect speech.

11. Do not add any critical comments to your précis. 12. If there is a phrase or a sentence which can be replaced by a single word, use that

word in the place of the phrase or the sentence. The most important thing is that your précis must be a summary of the original passage written in your own words. Use the proper punctuation marks wherever necessary. Write out a fair draft of the précis, after you are satisfied that the rough draft is correct in every aspect. The précis must retain the tone and the spirit of the original passage.



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Reading Comprehension

How to Get Good Marks in Reading Comprehension ? Now a days, almost every competitive exam asking reading comprehension questions. In these type of questions, they will give you a passage / comprehension and will ask you to read that and answer the questions followed by that passage. Actually this Reading Comprehension section is designed to test the ability of the student to read a passage and understand its contents and his ability to draw inferences on the basis of what is read. In simple words, the student's ability to grasp the contents of the passage in a relatively short span of time is what is being tested. The Student is expected to read the given passage, understand its contents well and answer the questions given at the end of the passage. All this to be completed in the limited time that is given. There are two important skills you should develop to do well in reading comprehension. Those are,

1. Reading Rate 2. Understanding of the Passage

Lets have a look at each of them individually to get a clear understanding, before we get into the techniques of attempting Reading Comprehension. The reading skill can’t be evaluated on a number of words per minute scale, but reading rate can definitely be measured. A person who can read faster can answer more number of questions in the given time than a person with slower reading speed, Other things remaining the same. It is this reading rate or your speed of reading that you have to aim at improving. There is no overnight solution to this. Constant and extensive reading will improve your reading rate. Check your reading speed today (take any passage, count the number of words, clock the time taken by you to read it and calculate the speed in words per minute) and keep a record of it. Then, keep checking your speed regularly and tabulate the same. Check whether your speed has increased over time with practice. However, do not become complacent if your speed has increased. This brings us to the second point.. i.e., understanding of the passage. A person may be able to read the passage much faster than others but if he is not able to answer the questions pertaining to the passage, then the speed is of no use at all. it is very essential to grasp the meaning of the passage while reading. While you are reading, you should constantly think, evaluate, reason out, judge and co relate with what has already been read. A good vocabulary would enable you understand the nuances and grasp the meaning of various issues discussed in the passage. While an attempt can be made at pointing out various categories of questions that may be asked and give a variety of tips, you will basically have to draw on the resources built by wide and extensive reading and rely on your own vocabulary. No training will possible regarding understanding and



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analyzing the problem. However, we are going to take you through an extensive set of tests followed by this article to ensure that you get thorough practice in Comprehension Reading. In addition to good vocabulary, also needed is the ability to zero in on the central theme of the passage. This can be developed with extensive reading practice as well as proper concentration at the time of reading the passage. You should also consciously develop the habit of correlating each new sentence read with the part of the passage already read and mentally form a linkage of all ideas expressed in the passage while simultaneously weeding out redundant statements. The passage given in competitive exams (especially for bank exams) do not conform to any standards as regards the subject matter or the length of the passage. While the subjects covered can be as wide ranging as Economy, Sciences (like Botony, Zoology, Chemistry, Physics, Astornomy), Social Sciences (like Pshycology, History, Politics, Sociology), Humanities (like Literature, Art, Music) or Current Topics (Social, Political, Economical), the student is not expected to have any prior knowledge of the topics given. The passages will sometimes be very complex in nature while others will be simple in nature and easy to understand. The questions themselves can pertain either to parts directly contained in the passage or related to implications and inferences. Sometimes you may be asked to comment on the tone of the passage or to choose a title for the passage or to identify the main idea in the passage but you are hardly ever asked for your opinion on the passage.

Important Tips for Reading Comprehension What to read first? The given Passage or Questions? There are people belonging to both schools of thought. But it is preferable to read the passage first to get a grasp of the broad ideas the author is trying to communicate and then take up the questions one by one. In the process of going through the passage initially, underline key words and phrases as well as some important points in the passage (for online exam you can’t mark anything so better keep important words in your mind instead of writing anywhere). Then, when you go through each question, get back to the relevant portion of the passage, read it more thoroughly this time and then answer the question. As mentioned in our previous post, the following are the major categories of questions that are asked :

1. Main idea of the passage / title for the passage 2. Specific details basically reproducing what is given in the passage 3. Drawing inferences / implications



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4. Determining the meaning of words / phrases as used in the passage or by the author

5. Application of the ideas expressed in the passage to other situations Where you have to choose a title for the passage or identify the main them of the passage, check the opening and closing sentences of each paragraph particularly the opening sentence of the first paragraph and the last sentence of the last paragraph. At the same time, be wary about too specific or too broad choices in the multiple choices given. We are planning to give you a number of practice tests on Reading Comprehension as this is one of the crucial area of Competitive Exams. We hope these tests may enable you to get sufficient practice in this important area. Please remember that in this area, unlike in other areas like Maths or Reasoning where you will be able to assess for yourself how much of new knowledge you have added on and how much of improvement in speed you have achieved, there will not be such clear indicators. However, performance in reading comprehension will improve only with practice and that requires a lot of effort and determination on your part. In addition to the online tests you take from this blog, you will have to put in at least 45 minutes of reading practice per day to improve your reading speed and comprehension. You need to take up serious reading material for practice - News Papers Editorials, editorials in general magazines like India Today or Business Magazines like Business India or other articles in such magazines, general books on a wide variety of subjects like Psychology, Sociology, Technology, etc. For each article or part of a book that you are reading , go through the process of reading, writing down from memory a few important points from what you have just read and then checking back with the text whether any important points got left out. This exercise done regularly over a period of time will certainly help you improve your reading speed as well as your ability to understand and retain what you read. But, as already mentioned, only regular practice can help you in this regard. All The Best... That's all for now friends. In our next post we shall discuss some more practical techniques to improve your reading speed. Happy reading :)

Essay Writing Choosing the topic: you will be given 3 or more topics and you have to chose one among them. If you observe the previous questions of SBI PO Descriptive test, then you will notice that, One of them will be related to Economy / Financial issues or something very close to it which we can attempt only if we have proper idea / knowledge on it. The second one will be related to social causes like Dowry, Unemployment, Women empowerment e.t.c. The



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third one will be very very general topic like role of youth in politics, impacts of globalization or urbanization e.t.c (no need to be in the same order). Important points to Note :

Personally we suggest you NOT TO chose the topic which involves numbers, dates, bunch of technical details and names in it, unless and until you have good command over them.

Introduction and Conclusion : These are the very important parts of any essay. You can get full marks if you can properly manage these two parts of your essay. Your introduction should be to the point and should not more than three lines. Starting introduction with a related quote is always a plus point. It not only makes your essay bit lengthier but also gives a good impression about your essay writing skills. And conclusion must be very clear, précise and it must be related to what you have stated in the whole essay.

Make few questions on your topic (based on the topic) like it’s history / present usage / causes / reasons / advantages / disadvantages / analysis of the issue on society point of view / your perception on it etc.

Your body of essay should be minimum 2 paragraphs, 3 is preferable. Pick a key term and define it. Often, definitions are combined with classification

or other forms of organization in the essay. You need to give a careful definition of the key term before going on to discuss different types or examples.

There are 3 parts in an Essay. Those are,

1. Introduction : 2. Supporting Paragraphs : 3. Summary Paragraph :

Introduction

What is an introduction paragraph? The introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of your essay. What does it do? It introduces the main idea of your essay. A good opening paragraph captures the interest of your reader and tells why your topic is important. How do I write it ?

1. Write the thesis statement. The main idea of the essay is stated in a single sentence called the thesis statement. You must limit your entire essay to the topic you have introduced in your thesis statement.

2. Provide some background information about your topic. You can use interesting facts, quotations, or definitions of important terms you will use later in the essay.

Example: Hockey has been a part of life in Canada for over 120 years. It has evolved into an extremely popular sport watched and played by millions of Canadians. The game has gone through several changes since hockey was first played in Canada.



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Supporting Paragraphs What are supporting paragraphs? Supporting paragraphs make up the main body of your essay. What do they do? They develop the main idea of your essay. How do I write them?

1. List the points that develop the main idea of your essay. 2. Place each supporting point in its own paragraph. 3. Develop each supporting point with facts, details, and examples.

To connect your supporting paragraphs, you should use special transition words. Transition words link your paragraphs together and make your essay easier to read. Use them at the beginning and end of your paragraphs. Examples of transition words that can help you to link your paragraphs together:

For listing different points o First o Second o Third

For counter examples o However o Even though o On the other hand o Nevertheless

For additional ideas o Another o In addition to o Related to o Furthermore o Also

To show cause and effect o Therefore o Thus o As a result of o Consequently

Like all good paragraphs, each supporting paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a summary sentence.

Summary Paragraph What is a summary paragraph? The summary paragraph comes at the end of your essay after you have finished developing your ideas. The summary paragraph is often called a "conclusion."



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What does it do? It summarizes or restates the main idea of the essay. You want to leave the reader with a sense that your essay is complete. How do I write one?

1. Restate the strongest points of your essay that support your main idea. 2. Conclude your essay by restating the main idea in different words. 3. Give your personal opinion or suggest a plan for action.

Example : Overall, the changes that occurred in hockey have helped to improve the game. Hockey is faster and more exciting as a result of changes in the past 120 years. For these reasons, modern hockey is a better game than hockey in the 1890s. Now having outlined your ideas as mentioned in above, you are now well equipped for writing the essay. You have to execute your plan through paragraphs. Each paragraph normally deals with one key point and the supporting information or ideas as pointed out earlier. As long as you observe this principle, your sentences will be automatically linked to each other. A few paragraphs and an appropriate introduction and conclusion make a good essay. Lets see some classic examples now… a. Paragraph Writing : Each paragraph will have a beginning, a middle and an end. Generally you should begin a paragraph with a topic sentence. Supporting information or ideas can be given in the succeeding sentences either in a parallel manner or linked to each other in a chained manner. Read the following Paragraphs

1. 'Road accidents are common in India. Recently, 50 people were killed in an accident on Pune - Bangalore highway. Last year a bus collided into a truck taking the life of 30 passengers. In 1996 a bus carrying 60 passengers plunged into a river leaving nobody alive. Thus, road accidents are fatal'. Look at the arrangement of sentences. The main idea or key point is stated in the first sentence. The remaining sentences give an example each illustrating the topic. Though the examples are not related to each other, they are linked in a parallel manner to the topic sentence.

2. Road accidents are common in India. Indian Roads are mostly responsible for accidents. Accidents take place due to bad roads and reckless driving. Drivers are normally less paid and some have bad habits. Drinking is one of the major causes of accidents. Whatever the reasons, road accidents are fatal.

Look at the last and the first words of each sentence in this paragraph. The repetition of words helps establish a link between the sentences. It also indicates that the same idea is continued or extended in the succeeding sentence. This kind of linkage is called chaining.



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b. Introduction and Conclusion : Introduction is one of the most challenging sections to write. It has to catch the attention of the reader, establish a relationship with him / her, introduce the topic, set the tone and, by doing that, control the reader's expectations. Let us consider a few examples. The essay entitled 'An Ascendancy of Man' written by Paul R. Ehrlich begins with the following sentence : "The most starting terrestrial event in the two-billion year history of life on the earth has been the rise of the species 'homo sapiens' to its present position of global pre-eminence...' Jane Austen begins her books Pride and Prejudice with the following sentence : "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in a possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". Both the introductions not only catch the attention of readers, but also state the topic. Apart from being statements of irrefutable facts, they are put in carefully selected words Each one of these beginnings very effectively indicates what is going to follow. Concluding an essay is equally challenging. It has to appropriately summarize the essay or highlight the main points. At the same time it is advisable to make the conclusion interesting. An essay can also be concluded with a moral or a striking contrast with something that has gone before in the essay. Look at some examples given below.

1. The essay 'All About a Dog' by A. G. Gardiner portrays the character of an ill-mannered bus conductor, Being a witness to his rude behavior, the author gives him a piece of advice, and the essay is concluded as follows " "He took it very well, and when I got off the bus he said 'Good night' quite amiably".

2. Violet Markham in ' Women in Our Changing Society' writes about the emancipation of women and mentions, in this connection, different milestones / landmarks in history. She sums up this essay as follows : 'One after another the barriers about her had fallen. Today she is a free agent as never before'.

Both these conclusions adequately summarize the essays. In almost a scientific manner, a cause and effect relationship is established. We seen the conclusion as a natural outcome of whatever happened before.

Letter Writing People have been writing letters for centuries. Before the telephone and the Internet, sending a letter (by messenger, and later by post) was the only way to communicate with someone who was geographically distant. Even with all our modern technology, letters haven’t become obsolete. Most of us will write many letters during our business life : perhaps including a covering letter to accompany our resume, a letter to be sent to customers of the bank (being a manager), or a thank you letter after an interview or other opportunity.



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You will get one question on letter writing in SBI PO Descriptive test. So now, we will take you through the formats and common types of letters that you’re likely to encounter in the exam.

Formal and Informal Letters Formats The letters can be broadly classified into two types. Those are

1. Formal Letters (Business Letters) and 2. Informal Letters (Personal Letters).

Personal / Informal Letters An informal / personal letter has six parts, besides the address on the envelope. These six parts are :

1. The address of the sender 2. The date 3. The salutation or greeting 4. The body of the letter (communication) 5. The subscription or complimentary close 6. The signature

Here is the format of a letter

1) The address of the sender 2) Date

3) The salutation 4) The body of the letter

5) The subscription 6) The signature

Now let us discuss these parts one by one 1. The address of the sender : As shown in the format, this is to be written on the top right-hand corner of the page. The punctuation mark (i.e., the comma) is essential at the end of each line. At the end of the last line of the address, put a full stop. For example :

Gr8AmbitionZ South Ambazari Road,

Nagpur - 44 00 22 2. The date : The date is written just below the sender's address :



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Example :

Gr8AmbitionZ South Ambazari Road,

Nagpur - 44 00 22 * 5th June 2014

Put a full stop after writing the date. There are two important ways of writing the date. June 5, 2014 and 5th June, 2014. 3. The salutation : This will depend on the relation in which you stand to the person to whom you are writing. When writing to a friend, address him / her by name : e.g : Dear Shivani If you are writing to the members of your family, you can write : Dear Dad, Dear Mumma, etc.. The position of the salutation or the greeting is at the left-hand of the first page, on the next line after the date. 4. The body of the letter : This being the most important part of the letter, must be simple and pleasant to read. The tone of the letter must be personal, you should write as you would speak to the person. Let us discuss some important aspects of letter-writing :

To mark the changes of subject matter, divide your letter into paragraphs. Say directly and clearly whatever you want to say. Use short and simple

sentences. Put down your ideas in logical order. Write in a clean, neat and tidy writing, (legible) as your correspondent must

understand what you want to say. Be careful of your punctuation, as incorrect punctuation marks may change the

whole meaning of a sentence. 5. The subscription : The subscription or complimentary close must be written below the last words of the letter, and to the right-hand side of the page. The most common form of closing the letter to both friends and relatives is : (use any of the following)



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Yours affectionately,

Ever sincerely, Yours,

Love, The common form of closing a letter to friends is :

Yours sincerely, Your sincere friend,

To parent is :

Your loving son / daughter, Use a comma after the subscription. Note that there is no apostrophe in yours. 6. The Signature : This must come below the subscription and more to the right : For example

Yours faithfully, Note that the first letter of the first word of the address, salutation, body of the letter, subscription and signature must begin with capital. The address on the envelope though exactly not a part of the letter, is also to be written neatly. Write it in the centre, towards the lower-half of the envelope. The first must give the name of your correspondent, then begins the address. Write the pin code number. The titles "Mr", "Mrs", and "Miss" are to be used before the names.

Formal or Business Letter Format A business letter differs from the personal letter in two ways. Firstly in form, and secondly in the language. A business letter is written for a specific purpose. It's aim is to transact some particular business. Hence you have to be very precise and to the point in writing a business letter. A business letter has 7 parts. Those are

1. Sender's address. 2. The date. 3. The inside address. 4. The salutation.



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5. The body of the letter. 6. The subscription. 7. The signature.

1. The Sender's address : This part corresponds to the sender's address in a personal letter. 2. The date : It is to be written in the same order as the personal letter; below the sender's address. 3. The inside address : This is an addition. The position of the address is on the left, two or three lines below the line of the date. Example :

Sender's address, Date :

To The Administrator, Gr8AmbitionZ, South Ambazari road, Nagpur - 44 00 22. 4. Salutation : It should be written off the next line after the side address is completed : The Administrator, Gr8AmbitionZ, South Ambazari road, Nagpur - 44 00 22. Sir, Put a comma after Sir, (salutation). If the letter is addressed to a woman, the form is : Madam, - (Never write Dear madam) If you know the person to whom you write the letter, then use, Dear Mr. Reddy, or Dear Mrs. Sharma, The title Mr., Mrs., or Miss, is placed before the name only.



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5. The body of the letter : This is unlike the personal letter. Make your letter clear, to the point and courteous. Do not write any unnecessary and unwanted details. It must also be complete. All the information that is required must be given. 6. The subscription : The most common forms are :

Yours faithfully, Yours truly,

If you have used a personal name in the salutation, the form of the subscription should be :

Yours sincerely, 7. The Signature : In a formal letter, sign your name in full - not just the initials. Below the signature. Write the date. Below it, write the name of the sender into brackets in capital letters. If necessary, write the position of the sender. For example,

Yours faithfully, (Shivani Sharma)

Asstt. Manager, SBI

Till now we’ve discussed about various letter formats. Now let’s see the types of letters along with some useful writing tips. We shall start with business letters first, then mention some tips for personal letters too.

Business Letter writing Tips

The standard format of a business letter varies from country to country, and standards often aren’t set in stone. No need to be too humble in writing any of these letters. Avoid the terms like “Respected sir” and “yours obediently” as they teach us in our school days, no matter how respectful you are towards the receiver. Just use the terms “Dear Sir” and “yours truly / yours sincerely / yours faithfully”. Job Applications When writing a letter as part of a job application, remember that it will give the employer their first impression of you. Always :

Ensure that you have provided all the information requested. Your qualification should be similar to the job requirement. Even if you are an

engineering graduate, you should mention your qualification as MBBS if you are asked to write a job application for the post of junior surgeon. Imagine how awkward it will be, if you mention your qualification as M.Tech from NIT Nagpur for the above post??? ;)

Mention any enclosures (usually your resume and perhaps an application form) in a separate paragraph.



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Address the letter to “Mr Sharma” or “Mrs Rao”, rather than using their first name. Later you can add the details of their organization.

Here’s an example of the start of an application letter: Dear Mr Sharma: Application for the Junior Manager Role, ref: 123A I am writing to apply for the position of Junior Manager, as advertised on your website. Please find my resume enclosed. I believe that I would be an ideal fit for this role, as I meet all of the requirements on the job specification. In particular, my spoken communication skills are outstanding (as you can see from my resume, I captained the debating team at my college). Business Thank You Letters In a business context, thank you letters are often appropriate and expected. When you got a job offer via email, it is considered polite to send a thank you. You might also send a thank you letter when someone has given you their time and advice. In general, you should:

Make it very clear that you’re writing to thank the recipient. Mention a specific detail of how they helped you. Express your gratitude for the time or effort they spent. Don’t over react like those T.V. serial actors. Don’t put emotional lines like “your

letter made me cry” or “you are going to feed my entire family” etc.. Some times they may ask you to write a thank you letter to seek another help. In those type of cases, you can follow the below pattern… Thank you for giving me your time on Friday 18th, when you kindly showed me around the factory. It was fascinating to see how the widgets are manufactured, and I now feel confident that I want to pursue a career in the widget manufacturing field. I’ve attached my resume and wonder if you’d be kind enough to keep it on file, in case any future positions arise that I might be suitable for? Letters of Complaint If you have received poor service or have been dissatisfied with a product, you can write to the company involved to make a complaint. To get the result you want, such as a refund or proper service

Let them know exactly what you’re complaining about, without using emotional or abusive language. No need to show your anger. Don’t ever react in typical Indian style (like Kuttey, Kameney.. mein tera khoon peejaunga). No matter how serious the issue is… you should start your letter with “Dear Sir / Madam”



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Explain clearly who you are in relation to the company / organization (eg. “I am an XYZ customer”).

Give specific location, time and date if appropriate. Make it clear what you would like them to do in response.

You might also want to include a warning, such as “If this is not resolved, I will be forced to take my business elsewhere.” Throughout your letter of complaint, your tone should be polite but assertive. Don’t make ridiculous threats or demand an unreasonable compensation – but also don’t be afraid to tell them about the inconvenience or financial loss that you’ve suffered. Use the example below as a model: I recently ordered several party platters of food from your store in Bandra, including one platter of seafood. The food was delivered two hours late, and the seafood platter was missing. I had to spend Rs.4000/- to purchase extra food at short notice for my party. This was very inconvenient, as I had to drive to the store when I had planned to be with my guests. I have never used your party platter service in the past, and regret to say that I very much doubt I will be doing so again unless you can assure me that this was an isolated incident. Although I was not charged for the seafood platter, I would be grateful for compensation in view of the inconvenience – and cost – of buying replacement food at such short notice.

Personal Letter writing Tips

A thoughtful letter from a friend can brighten anyone’s day. Here are a couple of types of personal letter that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with: Letter of Condolence A letter of condolence or letter of sympathy is one which you send to someone who has been bereaved. Some tips to bear in mind are:

Acknowledge the loss – don’t gloss over it. Express your sympathy. Offer a brief anecdote or recollection of the deceased, mentioning the role s/he

played in your life. Mention that your thoughts (and, if appropriate for you and the recipient, your

prayers) are with the bereaved and their family. Note that if you’re writing to someone elderly, use the words like “I pray to god” or “treat me as your own son/ daughter” etc. All letters of condolence will be unique, but you might like to use this example as a general guide:



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I was so sorry to hear that Neelima had passed away. My sympathies are with you at this time: I know it must be very difficult for you. Neelima was so good to me when I first came to Chennai – I remember how she welcomed me into your place and made me feel completely at home. I’ll miss her very much. My thoughts and prayers are with you, and with Suman and Radha.. Personal Thank You Letters When someone has given you a gift or done you a particular favor, it’s polite to send them a thank you note or letter. Thank you letters are required is in response to wedding gifts. As well as saying “thank you” for the gift, it’s often nice to acknowledge the particular role that a person played in your wedding (or any other occasion according to the given details)– even if that’s just saying “We were so pleased that you could come and be with us on the day.” Other times when you could send a thank you letter include:

For birthday and Christmas gifts. When you’ve stayed as a house guest somewhere (this is sometimes called a

“bread-and-butter letter”). After someone has treated you to a meal, a theater trip, a vacation or similar. To your parents, grandparents or other relatives who have helped you out with a

big purchase or a college degree.

Your thank you letter doesn’t need to be long. In many cases, a few lines is plenty: Thank you for the gorgeous sweater – just the thing for the cold Canadian winter! I’ll be thinking of you every time I wrap myself up in it. We’re going to be traveling over Christmas, but hope to pop down and see everyone during the new year. Thanks again! Tip : As you may not get enough points for these type of letters, you can expand the letter by stating that you are sending so and so gift as a note of thank you. You can describe the gift and tell them why you are sending that. People are always delighted and touched by being thanked in this way. Some Important Points to note :

Always proofread your letter after writing it, check for sentence structure, grammar, spelling mistakes...

Keep the recipient in mind, change the writing style according to them. Don't use abbreviated dates, e.g. use June 5, 2014 or 5th June 2014, but not

06/05/2014. Be respectful when you write, even if you are writing a letter of complaint. Don’t

use slang words. ------------------- ***-------------------

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Documents

SBI PO Descriptive Test Reference Guide