Vocabulary for Writing Business 

Letters

This sheet focuses on core vocabulary and phrases used when writing business letters or e-mails in
English. This business writing reference can be used in English for specific purposes classes as a
starting point for students who need to use English on an everyday basis for written business
communications. Teachers are often not equipped with the exact English terminology required in very
specific trade sectors. For this reason, core vocabulary sheets go a long way in helping teachers
provide adequate materials for students with English for Specific Purposes needs.

to act on behalf of  to be late  to have the power to hereby 

to agree with  to be overrun with orders  in case of need 
always at your service  to be prepared to - to be willing to in compliance with -
as agreed  before the date we agreed upon  accordingly 
as far as I'm concerned  Best regards  in due time - in due course 
as far as the payment is body of the letter  in good condition 
concerned  circular letter  in our favour 
as follows  claim - letter of complaint  in partial payment 
as per invoice  to come to a decision  in reply to your letter 
as per to the conditions  to come to an agreement - to reach in the absence of 
as per your request  an agreement  to inform in due time 
as requested  complimentary close  inside address 
as soon as possible  to cope with the competition  to let someone know in
at your convenience  correspond to the sample  advance 
at your earliest convenience to correspond with  letter opening - beginning of
at your expense  covering letter  the letter 
awaiting your reply  due to oversight  letterheading - heading 
to be able to to be authorised enclosure - attachment  to look forward to looking
to to be characterised by  to fix an appointment  forward to an early reply 
to be confident in  following your instructions  looking forward to hearing from
to be delighted to to be held from order receipt  you 
responsible for  further to our letter - following our to make the goods available 
to be in arrears with letter  to meet a demand 
payments  goods listed below  to meet customer's
to be in difficulty  greeting  requirements 
to be interested in  half-price  to meet the demand 
on arrival of the goods  to have the pleasure to to stop Messrs 
on behalf of  negotiations  to notify in advance about 
on condition that - provided to submit a sample  on advanced payment 
that  to suit the quality - to meet the we have received 
on delivery  quality  we hope we'll receive the goods
on receipt of the order  to take into consideration  soon 
on short notice  the aim of this letter  we look forward to your kind
on written request  the following items  reply 
order to be confirmed  the goods are available in our we must apologise for 
our best attention  warehouse  we remain - our kindest
our offer is still open  the goods are not similar to regards 
outside address  sample  we sent you 
to pay the maximum attentionthe goods are sold out  we thank you in advance 
to the matter  the goods arrived in good we wish to inform you that 
payable in advance  conditions  we would appreciate it if you
please allow us  the letter remained unanswered  could answer 
please send us  the matter in reference  we would appreciate your reply 
please send us your the meeting was cancelled  with no obligation - without
instructions  to our mutual benefit  commitment 
prices are increasing  to the kind attention of  with reference to - in reference
to reach the destination  under separate cover  to with the compliments of 
to refer to to return a letter to up to an amount of  with the utmost care 
the sender  utmost care  with two weeks' notice 
to sell at the best  we acknowledge receipt of  within the end of the month 
to send under separate cover  we apologize again for  within which 
sender address  we apologize for  without delay 
short term  we apologize for the delay  without notice 
similar to sample - up to we apologize for the mistake  would you please let us have 
sample  we are sorry to have to we are would you please let us know
sorry to inform you  you ordered 
you requested 
you sent us 
Yours faithfully (GB) - Yours
truly (GB)