BUSINESS ENGLISH

WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS

Useful phrases
Salutation
Dear Mr Brown
Dear Ms White
Dear Sir
Dear Sirs
Dear Madam
Dear Sir or Madam
Gentlemen

Starting
We are writing to inform you that ...
to confirm ...
to request ...
to enquire about ...
I am contacting you for the following
reason.
I recently read/heard about . . . and would
like to know . . .
a!ing seen your ad!ertisement in ... " I
would like to ...
I would be interested in
#obtaining/recei!ing$ ...
I recei!ed your address from ... and
would like to ...
I am writing to tell you about ...
Referring to
previous contact
%hank you for your letter of March &' ...
%hank you for contacting us.
In re(ly to your request ...
%hank you for your letter regarding ...
With reference to our tele(hone
con!ersation yesterday ...
)urther to our meeting last week ...
It was a (leasure meeting you in *ondon
last month.
I en+oyed ha!ing lunch with you last week in
%okyo.
I would +ust like to confirm the main (oints
we discussed on %uesday . . .
Making a request
We would a((reciate it if you would ...
I would be grateful if you could...
,ould you (lease send me . . .
,ould you (ossibly tell us/let us ha!e...
In addition" I would like to recei!e ...
It would be hel(ful if you could send us ...
I am interested in #obtaining/recei!ing...$
I would a((reciate your immediate attention
to this matter.
-lease let me know what action you
(ro(ose to take.
ffering help
We would be ha((y to ...
Would you like us to ...
We are quite willing to ...
.ur com(any would be (leased to ...

Giving goo!
ne"s
We are (leased to announce that ...
I am delighted to inform you that ...
/ou will be (leased to learn that ...
Giving #a! ne"s
We regret to inform you that ...
I0m afraid it would not be (ossible to ...
1nfortunately we cannot/we are unable
to ...
2fter careful consideration we ha!e decided
#not$ to ...
$o%plaining
I am writing to e3(ress my dissatisfaction
with ...
I am writing to com(lain about ...
-lease note that the goods we ordered on
#date$ ha!e not yet arri!ed.
We regret to inform you that our order n4555
is now considerably o!erdue.
I would like to query the transport charges
which seem unusually high.
&pologi'ing
We are sorry for the delay in re(lying ...
I regret any incon!enience caused
I would like to a(ologi6e for #the delay/the
incon!enience$ ...
.nce again" I a(ologise for any
incon!enience.
r!ers Thank you for your quotation of ...
We are (leased to (lace an order with your
com(any for ...
We would like to cancel our order n4...
-lease confirm recei(t of our order.
I am (leased to acknowledge recei(t of
your order n4...
/our order will be (rocessed as quickly as
(ossible.
It will take about #three$ weeks to (rocess
your order.
We can guarantee deli!ery before ...
1nfortunately these articles are no longer
a!ailable/are out of stock.
(rices
-lease send us your (rice list.
/ou will find enclosed our most recent
catalogue and (rice list.
-lease note that our (rices are sub+ect to
change without notice.
We ha!e (leasure in enclosing a detailed
quotation.
We can make you a firm offer of ...
Our terms of payment are as follows :


Referring to
pa)%ent
.ur records show that we ha!e not yet
recei!ed (ayment of ...
2ccording to our records ...
-lease send (ayment as soon as (ossible.
You will receive a credit note for the sum of ...
Enclosing
!ocu%ents
I am enclosing ...
-lease find enclosed ...
/ou will find enclosed ...
$losing re%arks
If we can be of any further assistance"
(lease let us know
If I can hel( in any way" (lease do not
hesitate to contact me
If you require more information ...
)or further details ...
%hank you for taking this into consideration
%hank you for your hel(.
We ho(e you are ha((y with this
arrangement.
We ho(e you can settle this matter to our
satisfaction.
Referring to
future #usiness
We look forward to a successful working
relationshi( in the future
We would be #!ery$ (leased to do business
with your com(any.
I would be ha((y to ha!e an o((ortunity to
work with your firm.
Referring to
future contact
I look forward to seeing you ne3t week
*ooking forward to hearing from you
7 7 to recei!ing your comments
I look forward to meeting you on the &'th
I would a((reciate a re(ly at your earliest
con!enience.

En!ing

Sincerely" *
/ours sincerely" * #for all customers/clients$
Sincerely yours" *

8egards" #for those you already know and
have a working relationship with$