Here is some of the language typical of business letters

1 Opening and closing greetings:

a) If you don’t have a contact name:

Dear Sir or Madam

Yours faithfully

b) If you know the name of the person:

Dear Mr. Jones

Dear Mrs.(Miss, Ms) Jones

Yours sincerely

c) If you know the person as a friend or a close business colleague:

Dear James

Best wishes/regards.

 

2 Stating the reference at the beginning of the letter.

You can start with either:

Subject _________

or expressions like:

With reference to ______________

I thank you for your letter of 1 July

Further to our telephone conversation, ___________

 

3 Requesting.

I would be grateful if you could __________

I would appreciate it if you could _________

Could you please ______?

 

4 Explaining the reason for writing.

I am writing to inform / apply / request etc. ________

 

5 Thanking.

Thank you for _____________

We were very pleased to ____________

 

6 Enclosing documents.

Where other documents are included with the letter, you can say:

Please find enclosed / attached _________

 

7 Apologizing.

I regret that

I am afraid that

 

8 Expressing urgency.

________ at your earliest convenience

________ without delay

________ as soon as possible

 

9 Confirming.

I am pleased to confirm that ______

I confirm that __________

 

10 Ending the letter.

I look forward to seeing / meeting you ______

Finally, I would like to thank / remind you _______

 

Exercise 1 Read the letters and put questions to them.

Here are two short letters. The first is an example of what is called a letter of introduction. Mr.McPherson ought to have written to Mr. Grant to introduce his friend George Duncan. If he had written this letter (but he did not) Mr. Grant, and Elizabeth, his wife, would have known all about him. Mr. Duncan should also have written to ask for an appointment as he was only going to be in London for such a short time. Arriving, as he did, without much warning, he risked finding Mr. Grant away or too busy to see him.

 

47, Douglas Street,

GLASGOW

17^th July, 2002

Dear Mr. Grant

 

A good friend of mine, George Duncan, is shortly coming to London and would very much like to meet you and see over your factory.

 

Mr. Duncan is the Managing Director of G.P.Duncan and Go Ltd., manufactures of artificial fertilizers.

 

His company is building a new office block and he is interested in obtaining quotations for the cost of furnishing these new offices, so his visit may be of value to you.

 

With best wishes to you and your wife,

 

Yours ever,

 

Jock McPherson

Hector Grant, Esq.,

 

Managing Director,

Harper and Grant Ltd.,

Great West Road,

London, W.25.

 

G.P.DUNCAN & CO. LTD.

Telephone: GLASGOW CENTRAL 918721

Cathaway Road

Telex: GW 900

GLASGOW

Telegrams: FERTGLAS

 

Hector Grant, Esq.,

Managing Director,

Harper and Grant Ltd.,

Great West Road,

London, W.25.

17^th July, 2002

Dear Mr. Grant,

 

Mr. Jock McPherson, whom we both know, has written to tell you about my forthcoming visit to London. I should very much like to meet you and see over your factory if that could be arranged. I hope to be in London on July 27^th and 28^th, and I should be grateful if you could let me know the day and time which would suit you best, as I can then go ahead and fit in my other appointments.

 

Looking forward to the pleasure of meeting you,

 

Yours sincerely,

 

George Duncan

 

Managing Director

G.P.DUNCAN & CO LTD.

 

 

Exercise 2 Choose the most appropriate explanation:

manufacturer a) person who, firm which produces things

b) book etc. as first written out or typed

c) companion, fellow workman

 

to obtain a) get

b) have lent or granted to oneself

c) take place, happen

cost a) price paid for a thing

b) procession

c) power or authority to direct, order or restrain

to hope a) respect highly, feel honour for, confer honour on

b) expect and desire

c) jump on one foot

appointment a) judgment, valuation

b) enthusiasm

c) arrangement to meet

 

Exercise 3 Give your agreement or challenge the following statements:

a) Mr. Duncan is the Marketing Director of G.P.Duncan and Co. Ltd., manufactures of artificial fertilizers.

b) He is interested in obtaining a loan for furnishing these new offices.

c) Mr. Jock McPherson wrote to Mr. Grant about Mr. Duncan’s forthcoming visit to Liverpool.

d) Mr. Duncan would be grateful if Mr. Grant could let him know the day and time of the appointment which would suit Mr. Duncan best.

 

Exercise 4 Fill in the blanks using the words and phrases given below in brackets:

(to be of value, forthcoming, very much like, to be interested, to fit in)

1 A good friend of mine, George Duncan, would... to meet you and see over your factory. 2 He... in obtaining quotations for the cost of furnishing these new offices. 3 His visit may... to you. 4 I can then go ahead and... my other appointments. 5 Mr. Jock McPherson has written to tell you about my... visit to London.

Exercise 5 Arrange the given words and phrases in order to make up sentences:

1 the Managing Director, artificial, of G.P.Duncan and Co. Ltd., is, manufacturers of, Mr. Duncan, fertilizers.

2 obtaining, these, furnishing, new, quotations, for, officers, the cost of, is interested, he, in.

 

3 very, to meet, your like, I, much, if you, over, arranged, that, could, should, be, see, factory, and.

4 grateful, the, day, would, be let, and, which, could, time, suit, I, best, grateful, me, you, if, know, you.

 

Exercise 6 Arrange the given sentences in order to make a letter:

1 Yours faithfully,

S. Johnson

Marketing Manager

2 Dear Sirs,

3 We should be obliged if you would kindly indicate whether you wish to wait or order an alternative model.

4 Messers Feltham and Reed,

210-214 Nelson Road,

Warrington,

Lancs.

5 We look forward to hearing from you.

6 With reference to your order number 1048, dated 30^th May, we regret that item 2-MAYFAIR dining-room suite in walnut – will not be available until September.

7 18^th June 2002

Exercise 7 Fill in the gaps with the following words: fall, cons, loss, reduce, weaknesses, peripheral, lay off.

1 We have to debate the pros and ___ of this project before we go ahead with it. 2 Let's look at the strengths and ___ of each application in turn and then we'll draw up a shortlist. 3 We expect a rise in sales next year followed by a steady ___ for two years after that. 4 It's simple: we have to increase our prices and ___ our costs. 5 You can see the general position if you look at the profit and ___ account in front of you. 6 We need to concentrate on our core business and sell off our ___ business. 7 It's easier to hire people when times are good than to ___ them when times are hard.

 

Exercise 8 Finish the following letter:

14^th June 2002

The Secretary,

Modern Homes Exhibition,

Exhibition Centre,

Manchester, M C1 3 BE

 

Dear Sir,

 

As we are particularly interested in having a stand at next year Modern House Exhibition, we should be grateful if you would kindly send us a copy of the prospectus as soon as it is available.