Business English

Its? It's? Or Its'?

A friend of mine asked me to write about how to choose the correct form of its, and I am happy to comply. Those three little letters cause a lot of confusion, but once you master a couple of basic rules, the choice becomes simple. Here goes:

1. Its' is never correct. Your grammar and spellchecker should flag it for you. Always change it to one of the forms below.
2. It's is the contraction (abbreviated form) of "it is" and "it has." It's has no other meanings--only "it is" and "it has."
3. Its is the form to use in all other instances when you want a form of i-t-s but you are not sure which one. Its is a possessive form; that is, it shows ownership the same wayJavier's or Santosh's does.
   Example: The radio station has lost its license.

The tricky part of the its question is this: If we write "Javier's license" with an apostrophe, why do we write "its license" without an apostrophe?
Here is the explanation: Its is like hers, his, ours, theirs, and yours. These are all pronouns. Possessive pronouns do not have apostrophes. That is because their spelling already indicates a possessive. For example, the possessive form of she is hers. The possessive form of we is ours. Because we change the spelling, there is no need to add an apostrophe to show possession. Its follows that pattern.
Its used correctly:

• You can recognize Rene's music by its abrupt tempo changes.
• The golden retriever is known for its gentle personality.
• Golfing has lost its appeal for Gene because of his arthritis.

Test yourself. Decide which form is correct in these sentences.

1. Its / It's easy to get to the ballpark by car or bus.
2. This restaurant is known for its / it's emphasis on regional cooking.
3. Its / It's become very difficult to find parking near the library since it moved from its / it's Maple Street location.

Remember: When the word is a contraction of "it is" or "it has," the correct choice is it's. Otherwise, the correct choice is its.
Correct answers:

1. The word is a contraction in this sentence, so the correct form is it's.
2. The phrase "it is" doesn't make sense in this sentence, which needs a possessive form: its.
3. The sentence begins with a contraction of "it has" (it's) and then needs a possessive form (its).

I hope my explanation of its / it's works well for you. Just remember: Its' is never correct.
(Source - Business Writing Lyn - Net) 

By: OQSC Journal On 8:58 PM

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OQSC up coming RICS APC Classes - Winter Session 2013/14

As part of our never ending exercise of educating the Sri lanka Quantity Surveyors for excel in their carrier, we have scheduled the APC Discussions for winter session 2014 as follows.

January 31, 2014 

Open CPD Discussion 

Contract Practice in UAE 

Leader - Nishantha Fernando Bsc Hons (QS) MRICS, MAIQS, IQSSL  

Delays in Construction Projects 

Leader - S.P.A. Keerthirathne BSc(QS)Hons(UOMSL), MBA(USJ),AIQSSL, MRICS

February 7, 2014 

RICS Core Competency - Construction Technology & Environmental Studies (T013)

Presenter - Manju Sri Nandana BSc. (Hons),LLM Const Law & Arb (UK), FRICS,FAIQS,MCIArb (UK), MIE(SL), eNG. GCGI (UK)

Followed by Q&A session 

Leader - Kingsly Devendra Bsc, MRICS, MAIQS,   

February 14, 2014 

RICS Core Competency - Contract Administration  (T013)

Presenter - Sudath Abeydeera BSc Hons. (QS), MRICS 

Q&A - Leaders to be advised

February 21, 2014 

RICS Core Competency - Contract Practice  (T017)

Presenter - Chamil Rajapakshe BSc Hons (QS), MRICS 

Q&A session - to be advised 

February 28, 2014 

RICS Mandatory Competency - 

Communication & Team Work (M 004 & M 010) 

Presenter-  Nishantha Fernando Bsc Hons (QS) MRICS, MAIQS, IQSSL  

Conduct Rules, Ethics and Professional Practice (M 005) 

Co presenters - Nishantha Fernando & Saman Welagedara 

Q&A Session - to be advised 

March 7, 2014 

RICS Core Competency - Building Economics & Cost Planning  (T 022)

Presenter - Wasantha Senevirathne BSc Hons, MRICS, MAIQS, ACIArb. 

Q&A session - to be advised 

March 14, 2014 

RICS Core Competency -(T074)Quantitification & Costing of construction works 

Presenter - Piyal Rathnayaka  BSc Hons (QS), MRICS, IQSSL 

Q&A session - to be advised 

March 21, 2014 

RICS Mandatory Competency - Data Management (M 007 )& Client Care (M 003) 

Presenter-  Nishantha Fernando Bsc Hons (QS) MRICS, MAIQS, IQSSL  

RICS Mandatory Competency - M 002 - Business Planning 

Presenter - Saman Welagedara BSc Hons (QS), MRICS  

Q&A session - to be advised 

March 28, 2014 

RICS Mandatory Competency - Conflict Avoidance, Management & Dispute Resolution Procedures (M 006)  

Presenter - Dayanath Mallawa Bsc Hons. (QS), MRICS, MAIQS, MCIArb. 

Q&A session - to be advised 

Mock Interviews 

April 4, 2014 

(Full Day) 

April 11, 2014 

(Full Day) 

April 18, 2014 

(Full Day) 

We will be discussing around 500 questions in Q&A sessions.

Each candidates will be provided at least 3 mock interviews 

Our mentors are ready for one to one sessions, group discussions, critical analysis reviews, presentation 

supports during this period, upon request. 

Please send e mail - apeqspanthiya@gmail.com

Any kind of inquiry on the CPD sessions or other services, please be do not hesitate to contact 

the organizers as mentioned in the contact section.

We wish all the potential candidates a great success in RICS APC Interviews !

By: OQSC Journal On 8:32 PM

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66 Independence Day Ceremony 2014

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RICS new rules of measurement (NRM) 2013

RICS new rules of measurement (NRM) 2013

The RICS new rules of measurement (NRM) is a suite of documents issued by the RICS Quantity Surveying and Construction Professional Group to provide a standard set of measurement rules that are understandable by anyone involved in a construction project. Although principally based on UK practice, the need for a coordinated set of rules and underlying philosophy behind NRM has worldwide application.

The NRM suite comprises 3 volumes.

NRM 1: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works

NRM 1 provides guidance on the quantification of building works for the purpose of preparing cost estimates and cost plans. Direction is also given on quantifying other construction project costs which are not reflected in the measurable building work items: preliminaries, overheads and profit, project team and design team fees, risk allowances, inflation, and other development and project costs.

NRM 1 enables more effective and accurate cost advice to be given to clients and other project team members, and facilitates better cost control.

Although written primarily for the preparation of order of cost estimates and cost plans, the rules will be invaluable when preparing approximate estimates.

The rules can also be used as a basis for capturing historical cost data in the form required for order of cost estimates and elemental cost plans, thereby completing the ‘cost management cycle’.

The first edition, NRM: Order of cost estimating and elemental cost planning, published in February 2009, but several factors prompted a second edition. The opportunity was also taken to simplify and augment certain aspects of the rules. The main changes are:

• the title has changed to the RICS new rules of measurement: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works to distinguish between capital building works and building maintenance works;
• some revisions have been made to the logic and arrangement of the group elements, elements and sub-elements.

The second edition became operative on 1 January 2013.

NRM 2: Detailed measurement for building works

NRM 2 provides guidance on the detailed measurement and description of building works for the purpose of obtaining a tender price. The rules address all aspects of bill of quantities (BQ) production, including setting out the information required from the employer and other construction consultants to enable a BQ to be prepared, as well as dealing with the quantification of non-measurable work items, contractor designed works and risks. Guidance is also provided on the content, structure and format of BQ, as well as the benefits and uses of BQ.

While written mainly for the preparation of bill of quantities, quantified schedules of works and quantified work schedules, the rules will be invaluable when designing and developing standard or bespoke schedules of rates.

The rules provide guidance to all those involved in the preparation of BQs, as well as those who wish to be better informed about the purpose, use and benefits of BQs.

The first edition of NRM 2 became operative on 1 January 2013 and replaces the Standard Method of Measurement for Building Works (SMM), its latest version being SMM7.

NRM 3: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for building maintenance works

NRM 3 will provide guidance on the quantification and description of maintenance works for preparing initial order of cost estimates during the preparation stages of a building project, cost plans during the design development and pre-construction stages, and detailed, asset-specific cost plans during the pre-construction phases of a building project, and guidance on the procurement and cost control of maintenance works.

The rules will follow the same framework and premise as NRM 1. They will also give direction on how to quantify and measure other items associated with maintenance works, but which are not reflected in the measurable maintenance work items.

NRM 3 is currently under development.

(Source - Isurv.com)

(Provided by Viewer)

You can Download the Files from our Publication section.

http://oqsc-journal.blogspot.ae/p/knowladge.html

By: OQSC Journal On 9:46 PM

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