Which of the following is an example of a concise sentence?
A. “This is to inform you that as of next Tuesday we plan to start carrying your products in our store.”
B. “It is our pleasure to inform you that on Tuesday, we will start the process of selling your items to our customers.”
C. “It is our intention to stock your items and make them available in our stores for our customers Tuesday.”
D. “We will begin selling your items in our store next Tuesday.”
E. “We intend to start making arrangements for the sale of your items on Tuesday.”
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is D. “We will begin selling your items in our store next Tuesday.”
Explanation:
Conciseness in writing refers to expressing ideas in as few words as necessary, without sacrificing clarity or essential details. It avoids unnecessary words, redundancies, and excessive detail while retaining meaning.
Let’s analyze each option:
- A. “This is to inform you that as of next Tuesday we plan to start carrying your products in our store.”
This sentence is wordy and includes unnecessary phrases like “This is to inform you” and “we plan to start.” The phrase “as of next Tuesday” is also not essential and could be simplified to just “next Tuesday.” Overall, this sentence could be more concise. - B. “It is our pleasure to inform you that on Tuesday, we will start the process of selling your items to our customers.”
This sentence is overly formal and uses more words than necessary, such as “It is our pleasure to inform you” and “start the process of selling.” The expression “start the process” could be simplified to just “begin selling.” - C. “It is our intention to stock your items and make them available in our stores for our customers Tuesday.”
Although the sentence conveys the meaning, it is somewhat verbose. Phrases like “It is our intention” and “make them available in our stores” can be shortened. The word “Tuesday” would also be better placed earlier for clarity. This makes the sentence less direct and concise than necessary. - D. “We will begin selling your items in our store next Tuesday.”
This is the most concise option. It communicates the essential information clearly and without extra words. The sentence avoids unnecessary details and uses direct, straightforward language. - E. “We intend to start making arrangements for the sale of your items on Tuesday.”
This sentence is wordy due to the phrase “intend to start making arrangements” and “for the sale of your items.” A simpler phrasing, like the one in option D, would be more effective.
In summary, option D is the most concise because it uses the fewest words to convey the necessary information clearly and directly.