Commercial English

When the words Commercial English are used many people imagine that a special kind of English is being referred to. It is commonly thought that the English used in the trading world is in some ways different from the English used in everyday life or, say, in literature. This view is not correct. Commercial English is English prose composition and as such the usual rules of grammar will apply to it.

Commercial English must be accurate and precise. Its purpose is that of carrying on a business. The student of commerce will, therefore, have to use the English language correctly and accurately. He must be familiar with correct English usage.

While speaking to a friend you may say, "I have a lot of money". An expression like this would, however, find no space in business letters. It is colloquial, vague, and undignified. In a business letter, the sentence would be reconstructed as-" I have enough money to cover the transaction." To take another example, you might inform your companion, while walking down a street. "This is my house." In a business letter, this statement would be considered inaccurate as it does not indicate clearly whether you own the house, whether you have rented it, or are staying in it as a guest. From this, it may be concluded that in everyday life we use words and phrases casually, carelessly, and often inaccurately while in Commercial English we need to use language precisely and accurately.

There is also a difference in the prose used in literature and in business communication. In literature, style plays a very important part and the reader derives pleasure from the style and presentation. Commercial English style is important only in so far as it makes the meaning clear or adds to the sense of an argument.