HANDOUT

Topic 3: Memo and Invitation

PREPARED BY
LUH NYOMAN CHANDRA HANDAYANI
POLITEKNIK NEGERI BALI
Nomor Topik : III
Judul : Memo and Invitation
Jam : 2/Minggu
Tujuan : Students are able to write memo and invitation
Deskripsi : The examples of memo and invitation are given,
Manfaat : By the end of the lesson, students should be able to write memo and
invitation

MEMORANDUM

Information in a company can be circulated by face to face conversations, staff announcements

at meetings, on the internal ‘phones, or through written internal circulars called memorandums,
or memos, for short. Many companies use different coloured paper for their memorandums to
show that the correspondence is internal.

A memo may or may not have the company’s heading on it, but it will always state who it is from
and who it is to, have a date on it, and sometimes a subject heading:

MEMORANDUM
From: Date: 20 July 200….
To:
Subject:

Memos are not letters, so there are no opening addresses/salutations such as “Dear Sir/Madam’,
‘Dear Mr./Miss’, etc. and there are no ‘complimentary closures’ e.g. ‘Yours Sincerely’, ‘Yours
Faithfully’.
Paragraphs are sometimes numbered as they deal with each point of a subject, particularly if the
memo is long- memorandums can be anything from two lines to a couple of pages depending on
their content.
The content of a memo should include:
1. ‘What’ Even if the memo has a title, the opening paragraph usually explain what
the memo is about:
- A fire drill will be held………..
- The company is introducing…….
2. ‘Who’ Although the memo is addressed to someone or a group, it should explain who
will be affected by the information:
- This will only affect staff…………
- It is important that all staff……..
3. ‘How’ It should also tell people how they will be affected:
- ……..lunch hours will be interrupted all week because of……..
- The new scheme will mean a change in………..
4. ‘When’ It might be necessary to tell those affected when a scheme/policy, operation,
or change will happen:
- As from the beginning of next year, the company will use ……….
- The new scheme will come into operation on Monday 1 May 200..

1
5. If information is not clear, or the memo is long, you think it might not be understood,
you should encourage the readers(s) to ask someone to explain:
- ……if you need ore details, ask your supervisor or manager.
- If the scheme causes any problems, please see your manager.

The example below is a very simple memo just to ask Mr. Camp to supply two more copies of
sales report.

MEMORANDUM

From: Sandra Vermon Date: 20 July 200….

To: David Camp
Subject: Sales Report

In future would you supply me with two extra copies of

sales report, making one original and four copies in all?

The example below is also a short memorandum simply reminding manager to check ‘security’.

THE ROYAL INSURANCE CO.LTD.

On Lok Yuen Bulding MEMORANDUM
25 Des Voeux Road To : All managers
Central From: Security Officer
Hongkong Subject: Security
Date: 20 July 200….

Would all managers please make sure that valuables and confidential
information are locked away at all times and that staff keep their
personal belongings with them. The police have informed us that
there has been an increase of 40 per cent in robberies in this area
Please inform all the staff in your departments.

P. Lau
Chief Security Officer

Exercise 1:
The following memo is to ‘juniors’ advising them of an educational scheme the company is
running with the local College of Further Education.
Answer the questions based on the memo below:
1. Can anyone take part in the ‘day-release’ scheme?
2. What should people do if they want to apply for the scheme?
3. When will the scheme come into operation?

2
 4. What short of help would the scheme offer people, if they take part in it?
5. Will salaries be affected?
6. Can any subject be studied under the scheme?
7. Who was the memo from?
8. What short of company was the memo circulated in?

MEMORANDUM
THE NATIONAL BANK PLC
Damansara Utama Tel: 89-53621
Petaling Jaya Telex: 78191035
Selangor Cable: NATBAN

To: All junior staff Subject: Education

From: B. Chu Date: 1 September 19….
Personal Manager

We have come to an agreement with the local college of further education for a part-
time release scheme for business studies.
1. The scheme will operate from 1st January 19…..
2. Half-day release will only be for approval courses of business studies for
recognized examinations.
3. The bank will pay for all fees and books on the courses, and any examination
fees.
4. All junior staff and trainees under the age of nineteen years old on that date will
be considered, and those selected will still be paid their full salary.
5. If you wish to apply this scheme, see the manager or supervisor of your
department within the next three weeks to discuss the details.

We hope everyone who is concerned will take this opportunity for further education,
which could help them in their career in banking and commerce.

David Chu
Personal Manager

Source: Basic Office p. 121

Exercise 2:
You are Edward Pearl, managing director of German Motor Manufacturing. Your company is
based in Indonesia. It is Jalan Jendral Sudirman 37 Jakarta Selatan. Phone number is 7588216. The
company has 8 divisions. Assign your secretary to write a memo to all of heads division. They
should attend the meeting that will be held next week.
They should also prepare everything about their report.

3
INVITATIONS
A. Sending an invitation
Study the example of invitation below then answer the questions:

THAI MOTOR CORPORATION

11 Thong Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Mr. C. Williams Our ref: WT/CM

Basil Williams PLC Your ref:
17 Shooters Walk
Derby DB6 2LD
ENGLAND 10 July 2008

Dear Mr. Williams

We are organizing a special reception and dinner for our overseas clients to mark the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of our company and we would very much
like you to attend. The dinner will be held at the Ashohi Club in Bangkok at 8.00 p.m.
for 8.30 p.m. on Monday, 10 November. Dress will be informal.

If you require hotel accommodation in Bangkok please send us a telex or letter and
we will make the appropriate reservations.

We very much hope that you will be able to attend our dinner and look forward to
meeting you on 10 November.

Yours sincerely

WAN TU
Managing Director

Questions:
1. Why is the dinner being held?
2. When will the dinner begin?
3. Has the Corporation reserved a hotel for Mr. Williams?

A more formal invitation might be printed on a card, as below:

The Directors of the

Thai Motor Company

request the company of

Mr. C. Williams

On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the company at the
Ashohi Club, Bangkok on Monday, 10 November 2008 at 8.00 p.m. for dinner at 8.30 p.m.

(Dress – Informal)

R.S.V.P. Wan Tu, Thai Motor Corporation,

11 Thong Road, Bangkok, Thailand

4
B. Refusing an invitation

This is a reply to the previous invitation.

Read the letter below then answer the questions:

1. Why is he unable to attend the anniversary dinner?
2. When does he hope to visit the company?

BASIL WILLIAS PLC 17 Shooters Walk, Derby DB6 2LD

Mr Wan Tu Our ref: CW/CH

Thai Motor Corporation Your ref:
11 Thong Road
Bangkok
THAILAND

Dear Mr Tu

Thank you very much for your invitation to the reception and
dinner marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of your company at
the Ashohi Club on 10 November.

Unfortunately, I have already agreed to speak at a conference in

Oslo on 10 November and therefore will be unable to attend your
dinner.

Please send my apologies to the Directors and tell them that I hope
to visit your company during a planned visit to Thailand in
February 2008.

Yours sincerely

C WILLIAMS
Managing Director

A very formal reply to the printed card would be:

“Mr Williams thanks the director of the Thai Motor Corporation for their kind
invitation to their twenty-fifth anniversary dinner at the Ashohi Club in Bangkok on 10
Noverber but regrets that he cannot attend due to a prior engagement in Norway on the same
day.

5
C. Accepting an invitation

This is a reply to the previous invitation too.

Read the letter below then answer the questions:

1. Does he intend to go to the dinner?
2. How many nights will he spend in Bangkok?

BASIL WILLIAS PLC 17 Shooters Walk, Derby DB6 2LD

Mr Wan Tu Our ref: CW/CH

Thai Motor Corporation Your ref:
11 Thong Road
Bangkok
THAILAND

Dear Mr Tu

Thank you very much for your invitation to the reception and
dinner marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of your company at
the Ashohi Club on 10 November.

I would be delighted to attend and would like you to reserve a

single room for me at the Bangkok Palace for the night of 10
November.

I look forward to meeting you on 10 November.

Yours sincerely

C WILLIAMS
Managing Director

A very formal reply to the printed card would be:

“ Mr. Williams thanks the Directors of the Thai Motor Corporation for their kind
invitation to their twenty-fifth anniversary dinner at the Ashohi Club in Bangkok on 10
November and will be delighted to attend”.

6
Exercises

1. Complete the following invitation. Mr Friend is being invited to a banquet to celebrate the
50th anniversary of the Indonesian Import Company. It is to be held at the International
Club of Jakarta at 8.15 p.m. (for 9.00 p.m.) on 10 September. Dress will be formal.

INDONESIAN IMPORT COMPANY

182 Serang Road, Jakarta, Indonesia

Mr A Friend Our ref: HT/hm

Woolcat Ltd. Your ref:
17 Beech Road
Woodstock
Oxfordshire, ENGLAND

Dear Mr Friend

We are organizing (1)………………………………………….

to celebrate (2)…………………………………………………...
And we would (3)………………………………………………..
The dinner will be held (4)………………………………………
At (5)…………………………….. Dress (6)……………………

If you require hotel accommodation in Jakarta please (7) ………

…………………………………………..

We very much hope you will be able to attend our dinner and (8)
…………………………………………………………….

Yours sincerely

H Tu
Managing Director

2. Rewrite the above invitation more formally.

3. Write an informal letter refusing the invitation letter. Mr. Friend is attending a board
meeting in London.
4. Write a formal refusal to the invitation (the invitation card)
5. Write an acceptance letter to the above letter.
6. Write a formal acceptance to the invitation (the card)

7
Language Focus
Memo

Would you supply us with………………….

Please prepare…………………..

Invitation

1. Inviting
a) Formal
(The Directors of……..) request the company of (Mr Williams) on the occasion of (the
twenty-fifth anniversary) at (the Ashohi) on (10 November) at (8.30 p.m.).

b) Less Formal
We are organizing ( a dinner to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of our company) and
would (very much) like you to attend.

2. Refusing an Invitation
a) Formal
(Mr Williams) thanks (the directors of Thai Ltd) but regrets that he cannot / is unable
to attend due to (a prior engagement).

b) Less Formal
Unfortunately I have already agreed (to speak at a conference in Oslo) and will
therefore be unable to attend (your dinner).

3. Accepting an Invitation
a) Formal
(Mr Williams) thanks (the Directors of Thai Ltd) for (their) kind invitation to (their
fifth anniversary of their company) and will be delighted/pleased to attend.

b) Less Formal
I would be delighted to attend (your party) on (10 November).

Kepustakaan:
1. A. Ashley, A Correspondence Workbook. Oxford University Press 1992
2. A. Ashley, Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, Oxford University Press
1984
3. A. Ashley, Basic Office English. Binarupa Aksara, 1996
4. Hariyanto, Sugeng. English Business Correspondence. Kanisius, 2006