HOW TO WRITE AN

INQUIRY LETTER
LESSON 3
What is an inquiry letter?

An inquiry letter asks for information about a product, service, or procedure. Businesses
frequently exchange such letters. As a customer, you too have occasion to ask in a letter about
a service or a special line of products, the price, the size, the color, delivery arrangements or
recent technological changes. The clearer your letter, the quicker and more helpful your
answers are likely to be.

Note that it follows these five rules for an effective inquiry letter:
 states exactly what information the writer wants
 indicates clearly why the writer requests the information
 keeps questions short and to the point
 specifies when the writer must have the information
 thanks the reader

Warm-up Email

From : jasmine.goodman@lowis.com
To : infor@anchorhotels.co.uk
Date : February 7
Subject: Event for Lowis Engineering

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to ask about conference facilities at your London hotel.

On May 3, Lowis Engineering is organizing an event for 500 major customers. We would like to
demonstrate some of our equipment and present information about our product to our quests. Please
let me know if your conference facilities are available on this date.

I would be grateful if you could send me information about the presentation equipment, room sizes
and catering facilities in your hotel. Please include a telephone number and a contact person I can
call to discuss details.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Jasmine Goodman
Lowis Engineering

DID YOU KNOW?

In American English, when you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, you begin an
UNDERSTANDING
email like this To Whom It May Concern and finish Best regards. In British English you begin Dear
Sir or Madam and end Yours faithfully, as above.

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Read the email again and choose the best answer A, B or C for each question.
1. Lowis Engineering is organizing a conference for:
a. Tourists in London
b. Company staff
c. People it does business with

2. May 3 is the date when:

a. Jasmine is writing the email
b. The conference will take place
c. The hotel says the conference can take place

3. Jasmine wants:
a. The name of somebody at the hotel
b. To visit the hotel
c. To check the costs

KEY PHRASES AND PARTS OF AN INQUIRY

A LETTER OF INQUIRY describes what the writer wants and why. The more unusual the
request, the more convincing the reason needs to be.

First Paragraph - should tell the reader what you want; e.g.

 Please send me... (for things that the organization offers to send)
 I would be grateful if you could tell me / We would like to... (for things that are not
normally offered)
 I am writing to enquire whether / I am writing to ask about... (to see if something is
possible)
 I would especially like to know / I would be grateful if you could... ( + a more detailed
request)
 Could you also / Please include... ( + an additional enquiry or request)

Second Paragraph - tells the reader why you are contacting his or her organization, and gives
further details of the enquiry.

There are two reasons why you may contact an organization:

1. you have contacted this organization before, and want to again.

2. you have not contacted this organization before, but you have heard about them. You
should describe from where, such as from an advert or a recommendation; e.g.
o I saw your advert in the HK Daily on Friday, 1 August 2008.
o Your company was recommended to me by Ms. Elsie Wong of Far Eastern
Logistics.

Final Paragraph - should contain a polite expression and/or an expression of thanks to the
reader. The degree of politeness (and therefore the length), depends on how unusual or difficult
your request is. Possible language includes:

 Thanks. (For a very informal and normal enquiry or request)

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  I look forward to hearing from you.
 I am looking forward to hearing from you.
 Thank you for your assistance.
 Thank you very much for your kind assistance.
 I appreciate that this is an unusual request, but I would be very grateful for any help you
could provide. I look forward to hearing from you.

If you think the reader might have further questions, you can suggest that he or she contact
you; e.g. 'If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

PRACTICE

Direction: Join the two parts of the sentences together.

1. Please let me know A. to ask you about your prices.

2. I would be grateful if B. like organize an event.
3. I am writing C. if you can meet me.
4. I look forward to D. a photograph of the facilities
5. We would E. meeting you soon
6. Please include F. you could organize a meeting

Put the words in the sentences into the correct order

1. your include address please number telephone and
______________________________________________________________________
2. like would to we to invite you presentation a
______________________________________________________________________
3. I be grateful could you if send brochure us would a
______________________________________________________________________
4. let me is know for this time you possible please if
______________________________________________________________________
5. I forward look to Tuesday seeing on you
______________________________________________________________________

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