Lesson 7 GE 4 Purposive Communication
Lesson 7 GE 4 Purposive Communication
Making Inquiries
What to achieve?
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
provide information accurately; and
write effective letters of inquiry.
What to ponder?
A. Indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. Check the
box to indicate your answer.
Agree Disagree
1. I have effective techniques in seeking for information online.
2. I can easily ask for information from anyone.
3. I can easily start a conversation with other people.
4. I feel that people easily comprehend what I say.
5. I am confident I can write a formal inquiry letter.
6. I avoid writing letters as much as I can.
7. I would rather call people than write them.
8. You need not observe the writing conventions in writing e-
mails.
9. English is the best language for interviews.
10. Emails are informal.
11. Abbreviations are encouraged in emails.
B. Find someone in class who can provide or who can help you find information about the
following:
1. The number of children born last year
2. The number of people who died because of covid 19
3. The country that recorded the highest number of deaths during the covid 19 pandemic
4. The most in demand work abroad
5. The most expensive course in universities
6. The ten highest paying jobs in the world
7. The most popular Korean drama in the year 2020
8. Five jobs you can apply for after finishing your course
9. List of Barangays in the municipality of Nabunturan
10. Municipalities in the province of Davao de Oro
What to learn?
Inquiry Letter is written when a person needs more information about products,
services, internships, scholarships or job vacancies offered by companies, associations or
individuals. Often, this is sent when a person has specific questions that are not addressed by
the general information available provided by brochures, websites, advertisements, classified
ads, etc.
1
An inquiry may also be in the form of telephone, email or personal interview. Depending
on the immediacy and specificity of the need, one of these modes may prove more responsive
to your need. Interview and letter requires the following:
2
Emails
More frequently used now in inquiry are emails. Emails gained popularity because of
speed and convenience.
Generally, email messages are less formal than letters, although there are still
expectations for appropriate and effective email and communication. The formality is
determined by the sender’s familiarity and relationship to the receiver, the classification and
objective of the message to be sent, and other factors that shape the context of communication.
In academic emails, it is more appropriate to sound formal and professional. In other
informal contexts, abbreviations (e.g. tnx & gbu) and emoticons may be effective. In academic
and other more formal emails, correctness and other qualities that apply to business letters
should be observed.
Below is the list of all parts of an email. The style may vary depending on the system you use.
From: Name of person sending the email
Sent: Date and Time
To: Name of a person receiving the email
CC: Other person receiving the message
BCC: Other person receiving the email without the other recipient knowing
Subject: Content (title) of the email
Attachment: Document sent separately, not included in the email (but attached)
Salutation: Greeting or opening
Body of the email: message
Closing: ending
Name/signature of the sender: name and title (below the name of the sender, company
and address, telephone number, URL or website address and social media link may be
included)
3
Interview is a special type of purposive communication. Interviews are classified into
different types according to purpose, but basic to all types of interview is to obtain desired
information. It requires real time for both the interviewee and interviewer. Whatever your specific
purpose is, it is always advantageous to consider the following tips in conducting an interview.
What to do?
Write an email regarding an inquiry asking for more details about the public service
announcement below and send it to your teacher’s email.
Print a copy of the same email on a short bond paper and submit it to your teacher.
4
What to think about? Answer the question below.
Do I find the lesson relevant to my future career? Why or why not? _______________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.