Virtual Job Tryout Written Communication Exercises 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer emails complaining their order arrived damaged. Which opening best acknowledges the issue?
- I'm sorry to hear your order arrived in poor condition. (Correct answer)
- We received your complaint about order damage.
- Your email has been forwarded to our shipping department.
- Damage during shipping is sometimes unavoidable.
Correct answer: I'm sorry to hear your order arrived in poor condition.
Empathetic language that directly acknowledges the customer's experience sets a positive tone for resolution.
Question 2: When writing an escalation email to your manager, what should you include first?
- A summary of the problem and its current impact (Correct answer)
- A detailed history of every step taken since the issue began
- Your personal opinion about who is responsible
- A list of potential solutions without describing the problem
Correct answer: A summary of the problem and its current impact
Leading with a concise problem summary and its impact lets the reader immediately understand why the escalation is urgent.
Question 3: Which sentence uses the most appropriate tone for a professional business email?
- Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the attached report. (Correct answer)
- Hit me up if you got questions about the report I sent.
- Kindly revert with your queries pertaining to the submitted documentation.
- Questions? Just ask!!!
Correct answer: Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the attached report.
The correct option is clear, polite, and professional without being overly formal or informal.
Question 4: You need to decline a vendor's proposal. Which approach is most appropriate?
- Thank them for their time, clearly state the decision, and briefly explain the reason. (Correct answer)
- Ignore the proposal and hope the vendor stops following up.
- Tell them their proposal was not competitive without offering any explanation.
- Forward the email to a colleague to respond on your behalf.
Correct answer: Thank them for their time, clearly state the decision, and briefly explain the reason.
A respectful, clear decline that acknowledges the vendor's effort maintains professionalism and business relationships.
Question 5: Which subject line best reflects the content of a meeting summary email?
- Meeting Summary – Q3 Budget Review – August 15 (Correct answer)
- FYI
- As discussed
- Important!!!
Correct answer: Meeting Summary – Q3 Budget Review – August 15
A specific subject line including the meeting topic and date helps recipients quickly identify and file the message.
Question 6: A colleague asks you to proofread their customer-facing report. You notice several passive voice constructions that reduce clarity. What is the best advice?
- Suggest rewriting passive constructions as active voice where possible to improve readability. (Correct answer)
- Leave the passive voice because it sounds more formal and professional.
- Rewrite the entire report yourself without consulting the colleague.
- Tell the colleague the report is fine to avoid conflict.
Correct answer: Suggest rewriting passive constructions as active voice where possible to improve readability.
Active voice typically makes writing clearer and more direct, which is important in customer-facing documents.
Question 7: Which best describes the purpose of a 'call to action' at the end of a professional email?
- To clearly state what you need the recipient to do next and by when (Correct answer)
- To summarize everything mentioned earlier in the email
- To thank the recipient for their time
- To list all parties who were copied on the email
Correct answer: To clearly state what you need the recipient to do next and by when
A call to action specifies the desired next step and any deadline, guiding the recipient toward a concrete response.
Virtual Job Tryout Written Communication Exercises 2
A customer emails complaining their order arrived damaged.
Which opening best acknowledges the issue?