Which of the following is NOT an appropriate characteristic of a good business letter:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Cluttered
Cluttered means crowded with unnecessary things, untidy and confusing. A cluttered business letter is full of needless details and poorly arranged, which makes it hard to follow. A good business letter is the opposite: brief, polite, clear and well organised.
Example: His desk was cluttered with old files and papers.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Concise — Incorrect. Concise means brief but complete; it is a quality of a good business letter, which says what is needed in few words.
Option 2: Courteous — Incorrect. Courteous means polite and respectful; a business letter should be courteous even when it complains.
Option 4: Clear — Incorrect. A good letter is clear, easy to understand, with no confusion about its purpose.