Commercial Correspondence

BUILD UP YOUR VOCABULARY

I. Put the verb in brackets into correct form
Starting a letter
• Thank you for your letter of 28th January, in which you
(1) . . . have
. . . . . enquired
. . . . . . . . . . (enquire) about our insurance rates.
• I am writing to apply for the post of economist as (2) . . . . . advertising .............
(advertise) in the Financial Times of 16th November.
• With reference to our telephone call this morning, I am writing to confirm
the schedule of meetings we (3) . arranged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (arrange) for you
during your visit.
• We are a manufacturer of equipment for fish farms (4) . . . . .based .............
(base) in Helensburgh, Scotland, and would like some information on your
range of machines for moulding plastics.
Bad news
• We regret to inform you that the goods (5) . . . . delayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (delay)
owing to the air-traffic controllers' strike.
• I am sorry to inform you that we are unable to offer you the position of
economist which you (6) . . . . .have . . . . . applied
. . . . . . . . (apply) for.
• I am afraid that we are unable to grant you the 10 percent discount you
(7) . .have
. . . . . requested
. . . . . . . . . . . . (request).
Enclosures
• Please (8) . . . . . . find. . . . . . . . . . . . (find) enclosed/ attached a copy of the
following documents:
• I (9) . . . . .will
. . . .enclose
. . . . . . . . . (enclose) our latest catalogue.
Good news
• We are writing (10) . . . . .to . . inform
. . . . . . . . . . . (inform) you that your order
no. 234 for 15 laptop computers has been dispatched.
• We are pleased to announce that our prices (11) . . .will . . . .cut
...........
(cut) by 10 percent
• I am writing to invite you to our conference which
(12) . . . . .held
. . . . . . . . . . . . . (hold) at the Grand Hotel on 21st April,
Brighton.
Requests
• Could you please let us know whether these items
(13) . . . . . are
. . . . . . . . . . . . . (be) still available?
• I would be grateful if you (14) . . . . send . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (send) me your latest
catalogue and price list.
• I would appreciate it if you (15) . . . . .recommend . . . . . . . . . . . . . (recommend) a
good hotel for my stay.

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Complaints
• I am writing (16) . . . . to . . .complain
. . . . . . . . . . . (complain) about the delay in our
st
order of 1 May.
• I regret (17) . . . . . saying
. . . . . . . . . . . . . (say) that the delivery did not arrive in
perfect condition.
• We are not satisfied with the way your company (18) . . . .acted ..............
(act) in this matter.
Apologies
• Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this
(19) . . . .causing
. . . . . . . . . . (cause) you.
• I am very sorry aboutthe delay in (20) . . . .delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (deliver)
your order. This was caused by a shortage of components from our
suppliers.
• We regret that this mistake was the result of the person who normally
(21) . . . . . . handle
. . . . . . . . . . . . (handle) your transactions (22) while
are
we . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (be) on holiday.

Your answers:
1. 12.
2. 13.
3. 14.
4. 15.
5. 16.
6. 17.
7. 18.
8. 19.
9. 20.
10. 21.
11. 22.

II. Complete each of the gaps (1-13) with a word from the box
advance advise arrangements convenient
discount disregard
forward . further. hesitate. hope. quote
reference suits
Orders
• We can (1) . . . . .advise
. . . . . . . . . . . . . you a unit price of €7.29 for orders of 50
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 Commercial Correspondence

units or more.
• We can offer you a (2) . . . . .discount . . . . . . . . . . . . . of three per cent for orders over
€1,000.
Payment reminders
• With (3) . . . . . . . . .reference
. . . . . . . . . to our invoice no. 247 for €557, we would like
to (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . you that we still have not received your remittance
for this amount.
• If your payment has already been made, please (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . this
letter.
Appointments
• We will be in Munich next week and (6) . . hope . . . . . . . . . . . that we can meet.
• I will be free on Monday. Please let me know if this (7) . . . . .convinient ...........
you.
• Please let me know if this would be (8) . . . . .disregard ..............
• I will call you next week to confirm our (9) . . . .arrangement ...............
Concluding
• If you have any (10) . . .further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . questions, please do not (11) .
hesitate
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to contact us.
• Thank you in (12) . . . . . . . . . .suits . . . . . . . . for your help.
• I look (13) . . . . . . forward. . . . . . . . . . . . to hearing from you.

Your answers:
1. 8.
2. 9.
3. 10.
4. 11.
5. 12.
6. 13.
7.
III. English - Vietnamese Translation

Dear Mr Jarry

We are a chain of retail stores and are looking for an efficient security system.
You were recommended to us by our associates, DMS (Wholesalers) Ltd, for
whom you recently installed the Secure 18 alarm system.

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 Commercial Correspondence

We need a system which would give us comprehensive protection against robbery

and shoplifting throughout all departments, and the Secure 15 featured in your
current catalogue would appear to suit us. However, it would be helpful if one of
your representatives could visit us so that we can discuss details of the available
systems.

Initially we would test the system we select in our main branch, and, if it proves
satisfactory, install it throughout our other branches. Our choice would, of
course, be influenced by a competitive quotation and full guarantees for
maintenance and service.

Please reply as soon as possible as we would like to make a decision within the
next few months.

Yours sincerely

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

IV. Vietnamese - English Translation

1. Chúng tôi hân hạnh thông báo với quý ngài rằng những tài liệu chào hàng đó
đã được gửi đi ngày hôm qua cho quý ngài bằng đường thư riêng.

2. Theo yêu cầu, chúng tôi đã gửi bằng bưu kiện những mẫu hàng này để quý ngài
có thể kiểm tra chất lượng của chúng.

3. Chúng tôi xin gửi kèm tờ quảng cáo và bảng giá mới nhất cho mặt hàng A1 và
A2 của chúng tôi.

4. Xin quý ngài hãy xem thư báo giá gửi kèm theo đây, báo theo giá CIF cảng Sài
Gòn.

5. Chúng tôi mong sớm nhận được đặt hàng chính thức của quý ngài và hy vọng
quý ngài sẽ không để lỡ cơ hội tuyệt vời này.