Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
in terms of structure
and use. You see that there is now a modern style of writing suitable for today's business people.
The lesson also allows you to develop some of your existing knowledge of writing business letters.
How many different kinds of business correspondence can you think of? Make a list. Here are a couple of ideas to start with:
• letter
• notes / post-it notes
Which of the different kinds of business correspondence from the last activity would you choose for the following? The first one has
been done for you.
Choose from
this list:
date
signature
sender's name
company logo
l look forward...
sender's title
indication of an attachment
subject heading
Yours ...
Now decide whether the following statements are true or false when writing a business letter. Look at the example letter in the
feedback from the previous activity if you need some help with this activity.
True / False?
1. It is normal to write Mr John Tan in the first line of the receiver’s address, and underneath to
write Dear Mr Tan without the initial.
3. In a modern business letters Dear Mrs Lee and Yours sincerely are followed by a comma.
4. Even if you know the person’s name, you don’t have to use it, you can still use Dear
Sir/Madam.
9. Enc is used when you are sending something in addition to the letter e.g. a cheque.
10. In modern business documents punctuation is not used in the receiver’s address.
11. You should always, when possible, copy someone else’s letter or memo. It will save you
time!
How you address somebody is also important. Look at the letters below to different people and decide what is the correct way to
start the letter. The first one has been done for you as an example.
Company
Dear Sir or Madam
Man (name unknown)
Man
Unmarried woman
Married couple
Unmarried couple
Friend / acquaintance
Dear John
Here are three different business writing tasks: a letter, a fax and an e-mail. They are all written by the same person, Andrew
McDonald, but there is a different reason for writing each one.
A letter
I am writing to ask if you would be able to present the CCB Design Awards for Innovation at this year's conference. We would
be delighted to have such a successful designer as our guest of honour.
The conference takes place on October 14 and 15 at the Riverside Conference Centre. We would very much like you to be part
of the awards ceremony which starts at 10.00 am on the second day.
It would be much appreciated if you could confirm your availability as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to contact me, or my
colleague Sara Hewson, if you require further details.
Yours sincerely
Andrew McDonald
CCB Conference organiser
A fax
CCB are considering booking the Hotel Cosmopolitan for participants attending the annual conference at the Riverside
Conference Centre. Details as follows:
• No of Rooms 150
Best regards
Andrew McDonald
CCB Conference organiser
An e-mail
1. Who is 'Chris'?
4. Who is 'Andy'?
Now you are going to write three types of business correspondence: a letter, a fax and an e-mail. The subject is the same for all
three but the layout and style will be different. Look back at the information and examples in this lesson to help you.
Use the following information: You are organising the annual conference for your company. The conference will take place at the
Hotel Intercontinental on 27 September 2004. You need somebody as guest speaker, you need to book the hotel conference room
and you need your colleague, Vinay Dudakia, to register the 250 participants.
Invite Ms Jo Smith to be the guest speaker. Say why you think she would be suitable, and ask if she is available. Make sure she
knows when and where the conference will be.
You are considering the Hotel Intercontinental as a place to hold your annual conference. Write them a fax requesting a quotation.
Think about what information they need to give you a quote (Do you want the hotel to provide lunch and coffee?). Also ask what
conference facilities they have.
Tell Vinay Dudakia to register the participants on their arrival at the conference. Each participant should also receive a name badge.
Attach a list of the participants for him.
Although there are some suggested answers to these tasks in the feedback keep your writing as you are going to look at them in
the following lessons.
In this lesson you have:
looked at the structure (layout and letter writing conventions) for a modern business letter
identified different letter types and considered their appropriacy for different tasks
had model texts for letters, faxes and e-mails
written three forms of correspondence (which you will keep for future lessons)
The next e-m@il lesson looks at writing styles - tone (formal and informal) and writing clearly.
• fax
• e-mail
• e-mail attachment (EA)
• memo
• reports
• in-house forms
• minutes of a meeting
However, in future e-m@il lessons you will consider whether or not this is appropriate.
Many of the answers to this activity can be found in the letter above in the previous activity. Look at it first before reading the
answers below.
True / False?
1. It is normal to write Mr John Tan in the first line of the receiver’s address, and underneath to
true
write Dear Mr Tan without the initial.
3. In a modern business letters Dear Mrs Lee and Yours sincerely are followed by a comma. false
4. Even if you know the person’s name, you don’t have to use it, you can still use Dear false, use the name if you
Sir/Madam. know it
6. Short, simple sentences are better than long complex ones. true
8. Bullets and numbers can’t be used in letters, as they’re too informal. false
9. Enc is used when you are sending something in addition to the letter e.g. a cheque. true
10. In modern business documents punctuation is not used in the receiver’s address. true
11. You should always, when possible, copy someone else’s letter or memo. It will save you
false
time!
The use of Dear Sir or Dear Madam is less popular now. It is much better to use the name of the person you are writing to. If you do
not know the name try and find out before writing, perhaps by telephoning the company if this is possible. You may find being
friendlier means your letter or e-mail will be replied to more quickly!
How you address somebody is also important. Look at the letters below to different people and decide what is the correct way to
start the letter. The first one has been done for you as an example.
Man (name unknown) Dear Sir The rest is the same as British English
Note the modern use of 'Ms' which is becoming increasingly popular. Also never write Dear Sir if you are unsure if the addressee is
a man or a woman - a woman could be very offended!
Differences Similarities
• Letters are usually written to just one • E-mails can be used to do everything a
person letter or a fax does. How this is done makes
the difference (and this is looked at in more
• E-mails can be sent to many people, and detail in lesson 3)
both internally and externally at the same
time
A letter
1. What is the purpose of the letter? To ask Mr Conran to present awards at an annual
conference
2. Which day is Mr Conran asked to attend the conference? October 15
3. Who should Mr Conran contact if he needs more information? Sara Hewson or Andrew McDonald
4. Who does Andrew McDonald work for? CCB
5. How many nights are the participants staying at the hotel? One
An e-mail
3. What does Chris have to do? To check if any of the participants have any special dietary requirements
I am writing to invite you to be the BWE guest speaker at our annual conference. Your expertise and professionalism in our field of
work makes you an ideal choice.
The conference takes place on September 27 at the Hotel Intercontinental. We would very much like you to be part of the opening
ceremony which starts at 9.00 am.
If you could let me know as soon as possible whether you can come or not that would be much appreciated. You can contact me, or
my colleague Vinay Dudakia, for further details.
Yours sincerely
Susan Cain
BWE Conference organiser
A fax (10 mins, 70 words)
BWE are considering holding their annual conference at the Hotel Intercontinental. Details as follows:
I would be very grateful if you could give me a quotation based on the above. Could you also tell me what facilities you provide
(microphones, overhead projector, white board etc).
Best regards
Susan Cain
looked at the structure (layout and letter writing conventions) for a modern business letter
identified different letter types and considered their appropriacy for different tasks
had model texts for letters, faxes and e-mails
written three forms of correspondence (which you will keep for future lessons)
In this lesson you look at different types of styles of writing in terms of tone (being formal, neutral or informal). You may be surprised
to find out that nowadays letters are less than formal than in the past, and that a friendly but business-like tone is more important.
In the previous lesson you wrote a letter and a fax. You need both of these for this lesson.
Look at the letter you wrote to Ms Smith asking her to be the guest speaker, and your e-mail to Vinay Dudakia. Is there any
difference in the style of writing? Is one more formal than the other? Or are they both formal?
Are they very different in style to the suggested answers? Or did you use the examples to help you?
Here are six different types of correspondence. Read each one and decide why each one has been written. Choose from the list of
reasons below.
Read the six types of correspondence again and decide which of the above is
• very informal (the two people know each other very well)
• very formal (it is written to an individual the writer does not know)
• neutral (the two people are work colleagues)
• informal (it is written as if the writer knows who they are writing to)
• formal (it is written to an individual the writer knows but not very well)
• very formal (the two people know each other well)
Anita Keedwell, a training officer in Sri Lanka, wants to arrange a course on negotiations. She is writing to a lecturer at Trentville
University who is not an English teacher but who has had a great deal of experience in training. She would like him to help her.
Read the two correspondence below (A is an e-mail and B is a letter) and answer the following questions.
1. Which message is written to somebody the writer knows well, and has an informal tone?
2. Which message is written to a stranger, and has a very formal tone?
3. Which message is more personal?
4. Which message uses standard phrases?
5. Which message uses the passive (the meeting was arranged by Tim) and which uses the active (Tim arranged the
meeting?
6. Which message uses contractions? (I'm, we're, I've and not I am, we are, I have)
7. Which message does not have complete sentences? (See you soon and not I'll see you soon)
8. Which message uses a lot of exclamation marks? (!!!!)
9. Which message uses less phrasal verbs? (take off, sit down, hurry up)
10. Which message uses the first person singular more? (I)
It is important to know when to write formally, neutrally or informally to somebody. If the tone is too formal, especially if the reader is
somebody you have met, the writer can seem unfriendly.
Match the two parts of the sentences to make important statements about business writing. One has been done for you.
Mary McCartney works for an international publishing company (Blackbird Books) which have their headquarters in Liverpool. She
works in the sales department of a branch in Delhi. Last week Mary McCartney went to Liverpool for a conference. During the
conference she met the director, Paul Harrison, of her department for the first time. Now back in Delhi she has written him an e-
mail.
Read the e-mail: what are her two reasons for writing?
Read the e-mail again. Do you think the tone is a) formal, b) neutral or c) informal?
Formal Neutral
Dear Mr Harrison Dear Paul
It was a great pleasure
I trust you have fully recovered
I am writing to thank you
These will be very useful indeed
If you are ever in Delhi please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Yours sincerely
The following e-mail is to your boss. However, as you have worked with your boss for a number of years now it is far too formal.
Rewrite the same e-mail but use a more neutral tone. Decide which information can be omitted. Your boss is called Sarah
Wellington.
Look at the letters you wrote for homework again. The e-mail to Vinay Dudakia needs an informal tone as he is a work colleague
you know well. There are examples of informal correspondence in activities 2 and 4. Look at these again and, if necessary, rewrite
the e-mail.
The letter to Ms Jo Smith needs a more formal tone as she is somebody you do not know. There are examples of formal
correspondence in Activities 2, 4, 6 and 9. Look at these again and, if necessary, rewrite the letter.
Remember that when writing to people you know it is better to use a neutral tone
rather then a formal tone even if they are more important than you.
identified the different tones found in correspondence (formal, neutral and informal)
identified the reason for writing different correspondence
looked at how the style of writing changes the tone
rewritten a formal e-mail so that it sounds more neutral
Keep the letters you wrote in the last lesson to look at while you answer the other activity questions.
In the last lesson we recommended keeping a selection of business letters. Look at these while you are doing the course, but
remember - they are not always a good example!
• very informal (the two people know each other very well) D
• very formal (it is written to an individual the writer does not know) C
• neutral (the two people are work colleagues) A
• informal (it is written as if the writer knows who they are writing to) F
• formal (it is written to an individual the writer knows but not very well) E
• very formal (the two people know each other well) B
1 Which message is written to somebody the writer knows well, and has an informal tone? A
2 Which message is written to a stranger, and has a very formal tone? B
3 Which message is more personal? A
4 Which message uses standard phrases? B
5 Which message uses the passive B and which uses the active? A
6 Which message uses contractions? A
7 Which message does not have complete sentences? A
8 Which message uses a lot of exclamation marks? A
9 Which message uses less phrasal verbs? B
10 Which message uses the first person singular more? A
Formal letters
use standard business expressions (I am enquiring if it would be possible...)
are written to people the writer does not know
do not have a personal tone
Neutral letters
can be written to your boss, work colleagues and external clients
can be written to people the writer knows a little
can have a personal tone
Informal letters
can be written to friends and work colleagues you know well
have a personal tone
are written in a conversational style
do not always have complete sentences
It is too formal: they have met and spent some time together. Although he is her boss she needs to write using a more neutral tone.
This will make the e-mail friendlier.
Formal Neutral
Dear Mr Harrison Dear Paul
It was a great pleasure It was very nice
I trust you have fully recovered I hope you're feeling better
I am writing to thank you Many thanks
These will be very useful indeed These will really be useful
If you are ever in Delhi please do not hesitate to If you come to Delhi please let me know
contact me.
Yours sincerely Best wishes
The next e-m@il lesson looks at the etiquette behind writing e-mails.
People have been writing business letters for a very long time so the style of writing them has developed slowly. Writing e-mails is
relatively new. However, their use as a form of business correspondence is increasing at great speed. They are also written and sent
much faster too.
We do not say e-letter, or e-note or e-message. All correspondence sent electronically has the same name and therefore the
differences in style has become less clear. Because of this there is a less accepted convention about how business e-mails should be
written. This lesson looks at guidelines for the etiquette of writing e-mails.
The first activities ask you to think about how you send and receive e-mails now.
It would be very useful to have Lesson 2 with you while doing this lesson.
How many e-mails do you send a day? How many do you receive? What percentage of your e-mails are purely business transactions,
and what percentage are quick messages to colleagues or friends?
When you receive e-mails can you tell immediately if they are business letters? When you write an e-mails do you think about a
different style depending on who you are writing to, or do write the same to everybody? (Think about writing styles from Lesson 2).
Finally, do you read all the e-mails you receive? What percentage do you delete without reading? How often do you check your e-
mails? Do you read e-mails faster than you would a conventional letter arriving in an envelope? Do you sometimes receive e-mails
that you don’t need? Do you send e-mails to the person sitting next to you?
What do the following mean?
1. cc 6. Forward
2. bcc 7. Insert a file
3. Format – plain text / html 8. Signature
4. A draft 9. Abbreviations
5. Threads 10. Emoticons
The e-mail above did not have a clear subject heading. Look at the following headings and decide which one is best and why:
Visitor tomorrow
Regional Director visit 12/12/03
Mr Ahmed is visiting
What subject heading could you give for the following e-mails?
2. You’re e-mailing a client with product information after they telephoned you with an enquiry.
4. Communal e-mail about an in-house customer care training course next week.
Look at the following two e-mails and compare the language and layout. Which one is better for a business e-mail following a first
telephone conversation?
Try and identify the differences between
10. Do you think it is possible, after you have developed an “e-mail relationship” with a client, that abbreviations can be used?
Look at the following suggestions about using e-mails for business writing. Which ones are good advice, and which ones are bad
advice?
1. All e-mails look the same so the subject heading should be clear.
2. E-mails are normally read quickly and need to be easily understood. It is important that the first paragraph includes any action
that is requested.
3. If an e-mail is too long it may not all be read. Remember the four Ss when writing an e-mail: keep it Short, Simple and
Straightforward, and Spell correctly.
4. Only include one subject in each e-mail. A new subject needs a new e-mail with a new subject heading.
5. People often reply very quickly to e-mails and this means that the message is not always clear. Make sure your e-mails are as
long as possible.
6. Before you press “reply to all” make sure that everyone needs to see your reply. Copying unnecessary mail to colleagues can
add to e-mail overload.
7. Some internal message systems show the first line of a message on the screen before it is opened so imagine how this will read.
8. Don’t use emoticons. Many people don’t like them, and some people don’t understand them.
9. Avoid using abbreviations unless you are sure that your reader will understand them.
10. Don’t type words IN CAPITAL LETTERS – this looks like you are shouting.
11. If somebody hasn’t replied immediately to an e-mail, don’t resend the message. They may be away from the office or busy, and
will feel that you are bothering them.
12. If your message is very urgent, follow it up with a phone call, or consider phoning rather than e-mailing.
13. The law regarding e-mailing is still unclear. It is safest to treat an e-mail, even one sent on an internal system, like any other
form of published material.
14. Don’t use ‘bcc’ – many companies disapprove, and it can cause problems.
Turn off you “you have mail” function so that you don’t stop what you are doing to read it.
Frank Sony has replied to Peter Philips about the delivery of the computers. However, the e-mail that needs to be improved. Look at
all the advice and examples of good practice, including the examples in the answer key, and re-write the message.
Used well, e-mail can boost productivity and save time. However, because it is so easy and quick to do many business people now
spend too much time writing, sending, checking for and reading messages.
This answer depends on you. Make sure that the e-mails you send are relevant. Don’t send too many e-mails to colleagues or
friends as this can take up too much of your, and their, time. Many companies say that their systems crash due to e-mail overload.
It is difficult to recognize business e-mail. How to write and send one is looked at in this lesson, but you should not write in the same
way to a business contact as you would to a colleague or friend.
It is a good idea to set aside certain times during the day to check your e-mail. Some computer systems tell you when have a new
e-mail - why not turn this off?!
Think about other people’s time too – do you really need to send so many messages? Sometimes speaking to someone is better.
1. cc (carbon copy) You can send a copy of the message to someone else.
2. bcc (blind carbon copy) You can send a copy of the message
to someone else without the receiver knowing. Be careful, many companies do not allow their employees to
use this feature.
3. Format plain text the text looks like a typewriter: This is plain text.
(hypertext markup language) allows you to change the typeface style on a web page
html
(including e-mail)
4. A draft The computer can save a copy that you can send later.
5. Threads This is a way of linking several, connected e-mails. When the person replies to your e-mail by clicking
‘reply’ instead of
creating a new message the original subject line is kept so it is
easier to follow the thread of a discussion.
6. Forward You can send a message you have received to someone else.
8. Signature This is the ‘letterhead’ of your e-mail. It should include your name, title, e-mail address, company name,
phone and fax numbers and website address.
3. They can be, but is this appropriate when writing to your boss?
5. No. If you are using your employer’s equipment they have a right to read your e-mails. Even if you delete a message a
computer expert will be able to find it
Here is a good example of the same e-mail. It is also written in html format and not plain text.
Regional Director visit 12/12/0 is the best. It clearly states who is coming and when.
Remember: the first one may seem friendlier but which one would you prefer to receive?
1. I don’t know what the answer is at the moment. I’ll tell you as soon as possible.
3. By the way, I’m going away on holiday next week so see you when I get back.
All the suggestions are good except no 5; e-mails should not be as long as possible! Keep e-mails short but make sure that it is not
a one-line response that makes no sense.
Report writing may seem very difficult to do. However, if the report is well organised and if it is clear why each paragraph has been
written then it is possible to write a concise, structured report. This lesson provides steps toward effective report writing.
Can you think of a report that impressed you? What did you like about it? Was it the structure of the report? Was it well researched?
Was there a clear recommendation?
There are different reasons for writing a report. Here are the three main reasons. Match the reasons for the report with their name.
3 The research report c To tell colleagues what took place at a conference, meeting or visit
Before writing a report it helps to ask the following questions. Try and answer them and then add another question to each of the
reports.
The debriefing report
3 Do I need to make recommendations? (For example recommending that your organisation should have a stand at a
conference)
4 ___________________________________________________________
Information-only reports
3 ___________________________________________________________
5 ___________________________________________________________
You may give both opinions and facts in a report. However, it is important when writing a report that the readers know when you are
giving an opinion, or stating a fact.
1 Look at the following information you have about attendance at a supervisors’ course. Decide if the information is fact or opinion.
The first one has been done for you.
Information fact opinion
1. Poor attendance at supervisors' course
2. Course not interesting or relevant
3. Course badly time-tabled
4. College too far from the factory
5. Supervisors not good enough for the course
The company certainly has a problem with staff attendance at special training courses. This is particularly true for the
supervisors' afternoon college courses. I think there are a number of reasons for this situation.
First of all, I have the feeling that the course is not made interesting or relevant for our staff. Secondly, the timing of the course
on Friday afternoons is not suitable because the trainees are tired at the end of the week. A further point is the distance of the
college from the factory. It is nearly one hour's journey. And finally, it is my view that many of the supervisors attending these
courses are not suitable for them. The work is too hard for them.
2 Look at the phrases in bold. These make it clear that the information is the opinion of the writer. What other phrases can you use
to show you are giving an opinion and not stating a fact?
Your boss wants to introduce a dress code. She has asked you to write a short report about they style of clothes employees usually
wear to work. Use the information below. Make sure you make it clear when you are giving your opinion or stating a fact. Use the
example above to help you.
When writing a report it is important that you recognise the difference between facts and opinions. Which of the statements below
are facts, and which are opinions?
Which of the statements above would be best to support the argument that smoking is harmful to health?
Look at these three statements (a), (b) and (c). Which one does not support the main idea?
The answer is (c). Both (a) and (b) support the main idea, and (b) provides additional support to make the argument stronger. It
reinforces (a). You can show this by using:
• Furthermore
• In addition
• Besides
• Moreover
It is good to get your company’s name in the papers because it is a cheap and effective form of advertising. Furthermore
journalists are always looking for interesting stories.
In a report there is often a section with recommendations based on the information in the report.
• It is recommended that management reconsider the working hours of all employees and draw up a proposal for an
alternative.
• All sections should state the minimum level of cover needed and establish a system for the organisation of leave.
1 Look at this report written by a visiting director to a company. It makes recommendations for future staff training. What are the
phrases for making recommendations?
In the light of poor performance of certain members of staff, this report proposes several courses of action.
It is recommended that all managers attend a series of workshops that should focus on managerial skills, presentation skills and
teamwork. They urgently need to be made aware of what is expected of staff at their level.
Certain members of staff in particular, Mr. Bolt and Mr. Chubb, need to be informed by their line managers that their conduct
towards female staff is totally unacceptable. It might be advisable to draw up an improvement plan and place it on file for future
reference.
Ms. Latch should receive some additional responsibilities and be promoted in the near future.
1 This report examines whether there is a need for the company to have a dress code. There has never been a dress code
before, and at the moment employees are able to wear whatever they like to work. However, there is a clause in all contracts
which states that employees “should dress smartly.”
2 In my opinion most employees dress very badly. For example some employees wear jeans to work, especially the younger
members of staff. Sometimes the jeans are neither new nor clean. There are also very few men who wear ties, in fact only the
senior members of the finance department wear ties. An increasing number of employees wear t-shirts. Moreover it is my view
that some of the women in the summer look unprofessional when they wear sandals.
3 It is important to wear smart clothes to work because it gives a good impression to customers. In addition it shows that
employees are professional. Wearing casual clothes suggests that we are also casual about our work, which is certainly not the
case.
4 This report therefore proposes that a clear dress code needs to be introduced with effective guidelines for employees to
follow. It is recommended that all men wear ties although not necessarily suits. The report proposes women should wear shoes
all year round. The wearing of jeans and t-shirts should be prohibited for both men and women with the exception of the
dispatch department.
2 There are four paragraphs. Read through the report again, why has each paragraph been written?
Your company is considering banning smoking in all the offices. You have been asked to write a report into the smoking habits of
employees in the company. You must also recommend whether a ban is necessary or not.
Write a short report and use the information in the table below to help you.
Information fact opinion
1. Employees can smoke where they like at work
2. Smoking is harmful to health
3. Most employees who smoke want to stop
4. Employees who don’t smoke are unhappy
5. Smokers would be willing to go outside the building
to have a cigarette.
The next e-m@il lesson looks at the most common reasons for business writing and it gives advice on how to write them.
Make a note of what you liked about reports you may have read, or keep copies for future reference. Good reports have a clear
objective; the lay-out is simple and straightforward; and there are planned paragraphs which are easy to read.
Name of report Reason for writing
2 Information-only reports a
Information-only reports
1 Memos and budget reports fall into this category, make sure they only include appropriate information.
2 This depends on the report of course. The answer will usually be obvious: by department, product type, size, geographical area
etc.
3 Another question could be: What is the easiest way to present this information?
I have the feeling that* the course is not made interesting or relevant
It is my view** that many of the supervisors attending these courses are not suitable for them
2
Personally, I think/believe…
In my opinion…
To my mind…
b) Ten times as many smokers get lung cancer as non-smokers. relevant fact
c) People smoke much more when they are worried. fact (but not relevant)
d) There is a link between lung cancer and cigarette smoking. fact (but too general)
Which of the statements above would be best to support the argument that smoking is harmful to health?
This report recommends that all sections state the minimum level of cover needed and establish a system for the organisation of
leave.
This report suggests that all sections state the minimum level of cover needed and establish a system for the organisation of
leave.
I suggest that all sections state the minimum level of cover needed and establish a system for the organisation of leave.
One possible course of action could be for all sections to state the minimum level of cover needed and establish a system for the
organization of leave.
1
The overall purpose of the report is to decide whether a dress code is necessary, and to recommend that one is needed.
2
Paragraph 1 introduces the reason for the report.
Paragraph 2 provides facts and opinions about the clothes employees wear to work.
Paragraph 3 gives a reason for wearing smart clothes to work.
Paragraph 4 makes recommendations for a dress code and gives some suggestions.
The next e-m@il lesson looks at the most common reasons for business writing and it gives advice on how to write them.
There are many different reasons for writing a letter, e-mail or fax. You may want to write an e-mail to everyone in your new job to
introduce yourself, or you may receive a fax from a hotel confirming a reservation. These messages have different functions: to
introduce, or to confirm. This lesson looks at the most common reasons for business writing and it gives advice on how to write
these.
this lesson only looks at the content of the communication. Have a copy of lesson 1 and 2 with you to remind yourself of the layout
for different types of business correspondence.
The introduction mentions an e-mail for introduction and a fax for confirmation. What other functions can you think of?
2 Mr Donaldson works for a company that has many problems. Productivity has fallen and it is not making any money. Nobody is
happy in the company. He has written to a Feng Shui consultancy company called Wind and Water. Read his message. What is the
function?
3 What four things does Mr Donaldson want Wind and Water to do?
I am writing to enquire if it would be possible for you to have a look at a plan of our office and redesign it according to Feng Shui
principles. This is in order to improve our company’s present difficulties.
We would be most grateful if you could let us have an estimate for this service. In addition, please could you tell us when would
be a suitable date for a consultation.
Yours faithfully
Dan Donaldson
You are going to spend a few days in Delhi on company business. You are interested in staying at the Palace Hotel. Write a fax to
the hotel. Include the following information:
When relying to an enquiry you must make sure that you answer all the enquiries exactly. A good method is to go through the
original letter (e-mail or fax), and make a list of all the enquiries / key words. Then to answer the enquiries. Here is an example:
The list of enquiries to Palace Hotel looks And the answers from the Palace Hotel looks like this:
like this:
Now look at how the answers have been included in this reply.
Dear Mr Hewson
Thank you for your fax requesting information about the Palace Hotel in Delhi.
The room rates for a double room are $140 per night. I am afraid that this rate does not include breakfast. However, we are
pleased to inform you that we have full room service or you may visit any of our three excellent restaurants in the hotel.
I can confirm that we have a large outdoor swimming pool and gym facilities. These are available free of charge to all guests. In
addition you may settle your account by cash or credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
Finally, we are happy to offer you late checkout until 3pm for an extra charge of £15. If you would like to arrange this service,
please inform the reception on arrival.
If there is anything else you require, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to receiving your booking.
Yours sincerely
Tapash Roy
Manager Customer Service
Now do the same. First, your name is Dora Lewis and you work for Air Fresh International. You have received this enquiry from
ETG Services.
ETG Services needs to replace its air-conditioners. I am writing to enquire about the cost of your model 2V3, and if there is any
discount for bulk purchase. Could you also let us know the estimated delivery time, and if there is a guarantee with the
equipment. If so, how long does it last?
Patricia Butler
ETG Services
2 Now fill in this table. The first one has been done for you. Decide the answers yourself.
1 cost 1 $1,200
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
3 First look at the table in the answer key to check. Now write a reply to the enquiry. Don’t forget to thank Ms Butler for her enquiry.
Look at the example to Mr Hewson above to help you
We have just received delivery of order no. 2601 placed with you on 16 February. We regret to say, however, that the goods
delivered do not meet our requirements.
The quality of the goods appears to be far below that of the samples which were sent earlier and are therefore not acceptable.
Furthermore, as you can see in the copy of the invoice we enclose, we requested 1,500 shirts but have only received 1,400 of
those.
We have received many requests from our regular customers for these shirts but have been unable to fulfil the orders and have
lost considerable revenue as a result. We therefore hope you will let us know by March 20 what action you can take to help us
solve this present difficulty. If we do not hear from you by that date we will regretfully be forced to cancel the order and ask for
compensation.
Yours sincerely
Winston Bevan
2 Read the message again. What is the tone? What is the main aim of each paragraph?
1 In the first paragraph it is a good idea to start by giving your reader the background – details about the event that has caused you
to complain:
• I spent three nights, 2 – 4 March, at your hotel. The room number was 310.
• I wanted to buy some equipment in your electrical department yesterday, 18 March, 2004.
2 The second paragraph should explain the exact problem or complaint you are writing about:
• On my third night, there was so much noise from a party being held in room 314 that I could not get to sleep.
• I am sorry to tell you that the members of staff on duty were very unhelpful and could not give me any details about the CD player
I was interested in buying.
You should then give the details of any action that you took to try and solve the problem:
• I complained to your staff on night duty but they were unable to persuade the guests to keep quiet.
• I asked to see the department manager but was told that he was not on duty.
3 The last paragraph is important because it can be used for two purposes.
a) to save face of the organisation to which you are complaining by paying a compliment.
• I had thoroughly enjoyed my stay up until then, but this incident rather spoilt my visit.
• I was surprised by this lack of politeness, as I had been very impressed by the helpfulness of staff in other departments.
Your name is Mr Martin Black and you work for a shoe shop. You are not happy about a delivery you received and you want to
complain. Write to the company Instep using these notes. The manager’s name is Mr Gordon Richards.
Paragraph one includes details about the event that has caused you to complain:
• 24 March received order PB327, 3 dozen pairs of sports shoes
We all make mistakes. It is important to be able to apologise sincerely, it has a positive effect on the people you work with or do
business with.
1 Ms Jones has received an apology from the hotel she was staying at. Read it and say what the main aim of each paragraph is.
Dear Ms Jones
Thank you for your letter dated 5 March complaining about the noise while you were staying at our hotel.
We are very sorry that you were unable to sleep because of the loud music from a nearby room. This was because of a small
party the occupants were having to celebrate a 21st birthday.
Please accept this voucher for two free dinners at our hotel restaurant which you may use anytime during the next 6 months.
We apologise for any inconvenience that this has caused you and assure you it will not be repeated. As a valued customer we
look forward to you staying with us again in the future.
2 What words or phrases are used for the function of apologising?
You are Mr Gordon Richards, the manager of Instep. You have received the e-mail from Mr Martin Black complaining about the
sports shoes he received. Write a reply to apologise. Look at the example above to help you.
• looked at layout and identified a modern style of writing for today’s business person
• understood that being polite and neutral is more appropriate than being formal
• been given guidelines on writing business e-mails
• identified what makes an effective report, and
• been given advice on writing for different functions.
These reasons for writing are different from Lesson 3 on e-mailing which looked at the more day-to-day correspondence with
colleagues and clients you know.
1 Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese study. It analyses how a building and environment interact with the occupants and gives
recommendations how to improve this relationship. Some people think Feng Shui can bring good luck.
5 I am writing to enquire if
We would be most grateful if you could
please could you
I am writing to ask if you could check my salary payment for this month.
I would also like to know how many of you are thinking of taking leave soon.
1
ETG want to buy some air-conditioners and need some information
2
List of enquiries: Answers: (these are suggestions)
1 cost 1 $1,200
4 guarantee 4 Yes
3
This is a good example:
Note the phrases: I am pleased to inform you (that)… / I can confirm (that)…
Other phrases can include: I can tell you (that)…/ I can let you know (that)…
2. The tone is firm but polite. Mr Bevan is not rude at all. (We regret to say…)
Paragraph 1: reason for writing and introduction to the problem
Paragraph 2: details of the problem
Paragraph 3: closing down and request for action
the message should be polite and have clear paragraphs whether you are writing a letter, e-mail or fax. The content is the same
even if the type of correspondence is different. Never forget how the reader will feel reading the complaint. Perhaps ask someone
else to read the message before sending it.
1
Paragraph 1 acknowledges the letter of complaint
Paragraph 2 apologises and offers an explanation
Paragraph 3 a solution
Paragraph 4 closes the letter / e-mail / fax and gives an assurance that the mistake will not happen again
2
Thank you for your letter / e-mail / fax dated …
We are very sorry that …This was because of …
Please accept …
We apologise for any inconvenience that this has caused you and assure you it will not be repeated.
3
Other phrases for apologising include:
We regret that you had a problem while staying at our hotel.
We apologise for the late delivery of the books you ordered.
Notice the subject heading. This can be used to identify the complaint:
• Faulty Computer
• Incorrect Invoice, no 2610
• Poor Room Service
look at lesson 3, there is more advice on subject headings for e-mails here.
• looked at layout and identified a modern style of writing for today’s business person
• understood that being polite and neutral is more appropriate than being formal
• been given guidelines on writing business e-mails
• identified what makes an effective report, and
• been given advice on writing for different functions.