In this guide
What you will be able to do
- Decide who needs to make which decision
- Read an annotated fictional report
- Edit for evidence and action
Decide who needs to make which decision
To write a business report in English, begin with its purpose and audience. A manager deciding whether to continue a pilot needs a recommendation, evidence and limitations. They do not need every detail in the order you discovered it.
A short report can use five headings: purpose, findings, interpretation, recommendation and next steps. Keep observations separate from explanations. State where figures came from and avoid treating a small, informal sample as proof of a general result.
Read an annotated fictional report
Purpose: assess whether to extend the appointment-reminder pilot. Findings: during the four-week pilot, eight of eighty appointments were missed, compared with twelve of eighty in the preceding period. Staff recorded two complaints about reminder timing.
Interpretation: missed appointments were lower during the pilot, but the comparison uses different weeks and does not control for changes in patients or scheduling. The result is encouraging rather than conclusive. Recommendation: extend the pilot for four weeks and test a revised reminder time.
Next steps: the operations lead will confirm the revised schedule by Friday. The administrator will record missed appointments and complaints each week. The team will review the results at the end of the extension. These figures are invented for language practice and are not research findings.
| Editing choice | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Eight of eighty, rather than “many fewer” | Gives the denominator needed to interpret the number. |
| “Lower during” rather than “reduced by the reminders” | Avoids claiming an untested cause. |
| Named role and review date | Turns a recommendation into an accountable action. |
Edit for evidence and action
Rewrite: “The new system was very successful and everyone liked it, so we should use it everywhere.” First ask what successful means, who was asked and whether there were exceptions. If that information is missing, say so rather than inventing it.
A more defensible version is: “The pilot met the response-time target. We have not yet collected feedback from all users. I recommend collecting that feedback before deciding on wider use.” For your own report, underline every claim and identify the observation supporting it. Then ask a colleague to find the proposed action in thirty seconds.
Continue with guided practice
Would feedback help you apply this skill?
Compare your learning goals with the CVAF syllabus, live practice and assessment. Ask about placement and suitability before choosing a programme.
Useful answers
Frequently asked questions
Does every short report need an executive summary?
No. For a very short report, a clear opening recommendation may be sufficient. Follow your organisation’s required format and the reader’s decision needs.
Sources, scope and accuracy
Original Cambridge Veritas learning guide. Cases and figures are fictional practice examples. Activities are self-study aids, not validated proficiency assessments. Cambridge Veritas offers CVAF; consult the course page for current programme details.
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