© Philip Stokes 2009 http://philipstokesel.blogspot.

com

HOW TO WRITE

BUSINESS
LETTERS
IN ENGLISH

PHILIP STOKES
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1.1 Read letters A and B and answer the questions:

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing in connection with the Brainiak X-plus computer I bought

from your shop last week.

Unfortunately, when I got the computer home there was no mouse or

keyboard in the box.

I telephoned your store immediately and was told to make a

complaint in writing and to enclose a copy of my receipt.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully

Jack Smith

1.1a Match the underlined expressions from A to the following meanings

and functions:

i. ………………………..……………………………
means ‘to send with’
ii………………………………….…………………
means ‘concerning’ or ‘about’
iii……………………………………………………
is used to show that you want a reply
iv…………………………………………….............
is used to close the letter
v…..……………………………….…………………
is used when you do not know the recipient’s name

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Dear Mr Smith

Thank you for your letter of 14 February concerning the computer you
bought from our shop.

Please accept my apologies for the missing components. I would like

to assure you that we make every effort to ensure this sort of thing
does not occur.

I am sending you a replacement mouse and keyboard this morning. I

also enclose with this letter a 10% discount coupon which can be
redeemed against your next purchase at our store.

Please accept my apologies once again.

Yours sincerely

Ms Amanda Howard

1.1b Match the underlined expressions from B to the following meanings

and functions:

vi……………………………………………...
means ‘about’ or ‘in connection with’
vii……………………………………………...
means ‘exchanged’ or ‘cashed in’
viii……………………………………………...
is used when you know the recipient’s name
ix ……………………………………………...
is used to convince somebody of your sincerity
x……………………………………………..
is used to close a letter when you know the recipient’s name

Assure / Ensure
To assure means to promise that...
“I can assure you that it is true!”
To ensure means to make certain...
“We ensure all our staff are well trained by sending them
on a 6-week training course.”

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1.2 Opening a Letter:

When writing to a company use – Dear Sir or Madam

When writing to a man use – Dear Mr (+surname)

e.g. Dear Mr Brown

When writing to a married woman use – Dear Mrs (+surname)

e.g. Dear Mrs Lee

For an unmarried woman use – Dear Miss (+surname)

e.g. Dear Miss Croft

If you are not sure whether a woman is

married or not use – Dear Ms (+surname)
e.g. Dear Ms Taylor

In informal letters, where you know the recipient quite well, you may open
with their first name:

e.g. Dear John

! Never open a letter with Mr, Mrs or Ms and a person’s first name
e.g. Dear Mr John

1.2a Closing a Letter:

When you open with

Dear Sir or Madam close with Yours faithfully

When you open with

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms close with Your sincerely

When you open with

Dear (first name) close with Regards

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1.2b Complete the gaps with a correct opening or closing:

Opening Closing

Dear Mrs Steele …………………………………….

Dear ………………………………. Regards

Dear Sir or Madam ……………………………………

……….…Mr Greene …………………………………….

Dear Ms Woodes ……………………………………

1.3 Beginning the message:

I am writing in connection with…

when this is the first letter between you and the recipient

Further to my telephone call on [+date]

Further to my previous letter of/dated [+date]
Further to my email of [+date]

when you have already contacted the recipient about the matter

Thank you for your letter of [+date] concerning…

With reference to your letter of [+ date]

when you are replying to a message from the recipient

1.3a Ending the message:

I look forward to hearing from you

when you want or expect a reply

If I can be of any further help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

when you do not want or expect a reply, but are willing to help if
necessary

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1.3b Complete the gaps with an expression from above (make up dates
where necessary):

i.
Dear Mr Brown
……………………………………………………………..….this morning in which
you asked us to send you a replacement battery, I would be grateful if you
could send us further details about the make and model of your mobile
phone.

……………………………………………………………………….

Yours ……………………….

Alan Bell

ii.
Dear ………………………………
………………………………………………………………… the poor flight I
experienced from Singapore to Hong Kong. The flight was very
uncomfortable and the food was awful. I expect a full refund on my ticket.

…………………..……………………………………………………………………

Yours faithfully

John Moho

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iii.
Dear Mr Moho

……………………………………………………………………………………
your experience flying from Singapore to Hong Kong. As your travel agent we
are not in a position to offer compensation. However, we suggest you contact
the airline directly.

…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………….…………..……

Yours sincerely

Melissa Turvy (Ms)

Refund / Compensation
A refund is the return of money paid for goods or services that
were not up to standard. A refund can be part or full – either
some or all of the money you paid. Compensation is money,
services or goods given to you by a company when you have
suffered from using their products or services. Compensation
can be less than, equivalent to or more than the price you
paid, depending on how much you suffered.

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1.4 On Christmas Eve, you bought a brand new Sulfa Diamond Swiss
Watch, costing £999 from a branch of All About Watches in Bright City’s
Stella Plaza. Now you find that the watch does not keep accurate time – it
loses almost ten minutes a day.

Complete the letter below complaining to All About Watches. Before you
start, review the language and structures you have learned in 1.1 to 1.3,
and think about what you want the shop to do. What would be reasonable
in a situation like this?

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23 The Glades
Bright City
All About Watches 4
BC3 9RS
Unit 12
6
Stella Plaza Tel: 05-319-7564
Bright City 6

BC1 4QR

2
2 January ______

Dear _________________ 3

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.

Unfortunately, ______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

I must insist, therefore, that _________________________________________.

__________________________________________________________.

___________________

Jay Fox

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1.4a Letter Formatting

Look again at the letter 1.4. Which items below can be matched with a
number?

Recipient’s address ____ Recipient’s name _____

Sender’s address ____ Sender’s name _____
Recipient’s telephone number ____ Sender’s signature _____
Sender’s telephone number ____ Date the letter was written _____

Notice that:
• the recipient’s address goes on the left side of the letter, and is a little
lower down the page than the sender’s address, which goes on the right
side and closer to the top.

• we do not include the recipient’s telephone number in the recipient’s

address. This is because the telephone number is not necessary in order
to deliver the letter to the correct place

• we do not include the sender’s name above the sender’s address. Instead,
it should appear at the bottom, printed clearly, after the sender’s signature.

• the sender’s signature MUST include a surname.

IMPORTANT - the recipient’s address can often be used by your computer’s

software to produce envelopes or labels. Therefore, the recipient’s address in
your letter should appear exactly as you want it to appear on the envelope or
package.

You should include all the information you have that will help to deliver the
letter efficiently. If you know the name of the person that you are writing to,
their job title, position and/or company name, all this information should be
included in the recipient’s address.

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1.4b Paragraph Functions:

Look at the paragraphs in your letter on page 4. Notice that each paragraph
has a different function. The message has four paragraphs, starting with “I am
writing in connection with…”

Draw lines to match the functions with the paragraph:

First Paragraph making the complaint

Second Paragraph making a demand
Third Paragraph asking for a reply
Fourth Paragraph stating the topic

A letter of complaint will usually follow this pattern. Additional paragraphs

could be included to give more details about the problem, or to make the
complaint stronger (see 1.11).

Notice the key expressions:

Unfortunately, (used when you want to complain)

I must insist, (used when you want to make a demand)

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1.5 You are now ready to write your first FULL letter. On a separate piece
of paper, write a letter of complaint using the details that follow. Use the
letter on page 4 as a guide, and be sure to include all the necessary
addresses, dates, and proper opening and closing.

You ordered 5 DVD movies from an online retailer, FilmClipz, to the

value of £99.99. You gave them your credit card details and were told
shipping would take three to five days. It is now ten days since you
placed your order, but no DVDs have arrived. You have emailed
FilmClipz twice, but you have received no reply. This morning you
checked with your bank and found that your credit card was billed for
£99.99 on the same day that you placed the order.

From the website you learn the Customer Services Manager is a

woman named Claire Troy. Write to her to complain. Think about what
you want FilmClipz to do, and include that information in your letter.

Here are the addresses you will need to write the letter. Use today’s
date.

The company address is: FilmClipz, Cheapside, Golden City, GL7 9EX

You live at: 35 Pleasant Crescent, Niceton, Bright City, BC7 5AD

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1.6 Responding to Customer Complaints:

Read again Jay Fox’s letter from 1.4. Now study the reply below:

Dear Mr Fox

With reference to your letter of 2 January concerning the problems with your new
Sulfa Diamond Swiss watch.

I would like to apologise for the problems you have experienced. All the watches we
sell have the highest reputation for accuracy and reliability. Consequently, we take
this kind of complaint very seriously.

We have contacted the manufacturer on your behalf. They assure us that because of
the sophisticated electronic technology used in the watch, the problem you report
cannot be a result of a fault in the watch itself. Therefore, I am unable to offer you the
refund requested in your letter.

However, the source of the problem is almost certainly the battery, and I am delighted
to inform you that we will replace this free of charge. Please bring the watch into our
shop at your convenience. The replacement procedure will only take a few minutes.

Once again, please accept my apologies, and we look forward to your continued
custom.

Yours sincerely

1.6a Match the underlined expressions from 1.6 to the following

meanings and functions:

i……………………………………………...means ‘anytime you like’

ii……………………………………………...means ‘about’ or ‘concerning’
iii…………………………………………...means ‘we hope you will do business
with us again in the future’
iv……………………………………………...is used to say that you are sorry
v……………………………………………...is used to say what you can do
vi……………………………………………...is used to say what you cannot do
vii……………………………………………...is used to repeat an apology

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