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Draft correspondence without changing commitments
Improve a message’s tone without adding a commitment.
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Draft correspondence without changing commitments
Improve a message’s tone without adding a commitment.
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Source-based teaching example · Fictional data · Reviewed 2026-10-03. Microsoft Mark · locally synthesized. On a small screen, use fullscreen for diagram details or read the transcript.
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0:00 · What you will learn
Improve a message’s tone without adding a commitment.
What appears on screen
Improve a message’s tone without adding a commitment.
0:05 · The idea
Keep promises, conditions and unknowns intact when rewriting. A friendlier sentence can still change the obligation. Compare the new wording with the original note.
What appears on screen
Keep promises, conditions and unknowns intact when rewriting. A friendlier sentence can still change the obligation. Compare the new wording with the original note.
0:19 · One useful term
Conditional commitment. A possible action that depends on a stated condition.
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A possible action that depends on a stated condition.
0:27 · A worked example
The note says a prototype may be delivered by 4 September if the test environment is ready. Readiness is unknown. “We guarantee delivery” removes the condition and adds a promise.
What appears on screen
The note says a prototype may be delivered by 4 September if the test environment is ready. Readiness is unknown. “We guarantee delivery” removes the condition and adds a promise.
0:42 · Your turn to think
Can you remove the readiness condition just to make the email sound confident? Pause and decide before continuing.
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Can you remove the readiness condition just to make the email sound confident? Pause the video if you need more time.
1:00 · Why this answer works
No. Keep the possible date conditional and request confirmation without inventing a new promised action.
What appears on screen
No. Keep the possible date conditional and request confirmation without inventing a new promised action.
1:09 · Check 1
Preserve conditions and requested dates.
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Preserve conditions and requested dates.
1:15 · Check 2
Do not invent owners or confirmations.
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Do not invent owners or confirmations.
1:20 · Check 3
Check obligations after editing tone.
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Check obligations after editing tone.
1:26 · Now try a different case
Open the lesson and try its different practice case. Use every check in the full task. Watching alone does not mark the lesson complete.
What appears on screen
Open the lesson Try the new case Check and revise The full task and its requirements are in the linked lesson.
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