Which of the following identifies the specific purpose of a message?

A) To inform the audience
B) To define why you are writing
C) To persuade the audience to act
D) To foster collaboration
E) To initiate a conversation

Answer: B
Explanation: B) All business messages have a general purpose: to inform, to persuade, to collaborate, or to initiate a conversation. A specific purpose goes one step further and identifies exactly why you are writing, for example to inform or persuade the audience on a specific topic.