Quick Get Well
Choose a reply · Understand the tone
Writing to a colleague you barely know
Practise warmth that fits a new working relationship.
The situation
A colleague has told the department they are unwell. You have met twice and are adding a short note to their card. You do not share personal jokes, and you know nothing more about their illness.
Why the wording matters
Read the choices in context.
A simple wish can carry warmth. Save personal jokes and intimate language for relationships where that tone is already welcome.
Option 1
Some close colleagues enjoy this joke. Here, you do not know whether it would land well, and calling illness a break may feel dismissive.
Option 2
This could be sincere between close friends. In this scenario, it suggests a personal bond you have not established.
Option 3 — best fit here
This offers care without assuming closeness or knowing the outcome. Your department helps the recipient place your name.
Choose a kind tone you can mean, with enough context for them to recognize you.
Sources and how this exercise was written
The sources below help identify the communication task. The scenario, choices, and example messages were written for this exercise; they are not quotations or endorsements by the sources.
- Hallmark: writing a get-well card
General guidance on matching a message to its recipient; this exercise is our application.