BUSINESS WRITING

& CORRESPONDENCE
A.YAHIAOUI
A5EW001
2020

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 COURSE STRUCTURE AND ASSESSMENT

Course description:
This course aims to introduce third-year students to the basics of business writing and correspondence and
develop their written communication skills while at the same time enlarging their knowledge of the
business world.
Course Syllabus & Contents

Introduction

1 Tips & General rules

Tips
Organising your writing
Punctuation
Numbers
Spelling
British/American English
Abbreviations
2 Text messages
3 Business Letters
4 Business Emails
5 Faxes
6 Memos
7 Minutes
8 Short reports
9 Press releases
10 Mission statements
11 Business Plans
12 Cover letters, Application forms & CVs

Annexes

Assessment (Evaluation):
Active and constructive participation in class business writing workshops 20 % (4/20)
Half term and end of semester written exams (DST) 80 % (16/20)

Attendance
Regular attendance is an obvious prerequisite. Exceptions to the attendance policy must be cleared with the lecturer,
preferably in advance and justified by an official document (doctor’s note/medical certificate, letter from your
employer etc.). Any student who misses more than two classes without justification will receive penalty points for
his/her participation and classroom assignments grade.

Course preparation
Timely reading and course preparation is critical for this class. As a result, students will have to complete one or
several assignments and do homework every week.

Classroom assignments participation

Class participation is a very valuable part of the learning experience in this course and your ability to participate in
class will be taken into consideration. Secondly, to ensure that everyone comes to class prepared, I will regularly ask
questions on the tasks assigned. Your ability to answer correctly will be part of your course preparation grade. I will
control students’ work either orally or by collecting a random selection of papers.

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Mobile phones and electronic devices policy
Students sometimes believe that electronic devices (laptops, notebooks, netbooks, tablets, smartphones or any other
handheld) are OK to use everywhere (including in class.)
But the latest research in psychology suggests that the use of electronic devices in class can lead to a distracting
learning environment and disturbs the process of teaching, learning and assessment. Research found that students
who used laptops in class for non-academic reasons had poorer class performance, as indicated by their final grade.
These students spent most of their in-class web time on social media, e-mail, and shopping websites. It also suggests
that writing notes out by hand is more effective than by computer.
SO:
ALL smartphones must be turned off or silenced and put away while students are in class. ...
Tablets or laptop computers can only be used to take notes, or for assignment-related research or any other academic
purposes related to the class. Not for shopping, chatting or emailing/texting your friends!
Abusing or violating this policy through inappropriate use will negatively impact and lower your participation grade.

You can reach/Email me at: abdelouahab.yahiaoui@sorbonne-nouvelle.fr

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES

The more you write in English, the easier it will be.
The more you read, the more you’ll learn.

The best way to improve your writing skills is to read (and write) in English. You can read textbooks, essays,
novels or at least the press (newspapers/magazines). Most British and American newspapers and
magazines have Internet sites with a wide range of material of which a big part is free.
British Press:
Major quality Newspapers: Magazines
www.thetimes.co.uk (The Times) www.economist.com (The Economist)
www.telegraph.co.uk/ (The Daily Telegraph) www.newstatesman.com (The New Statesman)
www.theguardian.com/uk (The Guardian) www.spectator.co.uk (The Spectator)
www.independent.co.uk (The Independent) www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/(Prospect magazine)
www.ft.com/home/europe (The Financial Times)

American Press:
Newspapers
www.nytimes.com/ (New York Times)
www.washingtonpost.com/ (Washington Post)
www.latimes.com/ (Los Angeles Times)
www.usatoday.com/ (USA Today)
http://international.nytimes.com/ (International New
York Times)
Magazines
www.businessweek.com/ (Businessweek)
http://hbr.org/ (Harvard Business Review)
www.forbes.com/ (Forbes)
www.newyorker.com (The New Yorker)
http://harpers.org/ (Harper’s magazine)
www.theatlantic.com (The Atlantic)
www.salon.com (Salon magazine)
www.thenation.com (The Nation)
www.motherjones.com (Mother Jones)
www.newsweek.com/ (Newsweek)
www.time.com/time (Time magazine)

Canada: http://www2.macleans.ca/ (Maclean’s magazine)

New Zealand: http://www.listener.co.nz/ (New Zealand Listener)

Grammar:
English Grammar in Use, CUP (Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced, the Bible of English grammar).
Business Grammar and Usage, Market Leader, Longman.
Essential Business Grammar and Practice, OUP.
Macmillan English Grammar in Context, Macmillan.
Grammaire explicative de l'anglais, Longman (une présentation/explication très claire de la grammaire anglaise et une
prise en compte des problèmes particuliers qui se posent aux étudiants francophones)
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Vocabulary:
English Vocabulary in Use, CUP (Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced)
Business Vocabulary in Use, CUP (Intermediate and Advanced)
Tests Your Business Vocabulary In Use, CUP.
Business English Language Practice - Grammar and Vocabulary, DELTA Publishing
Market Leader Business Grammar and Usage, Pearson/Longman
Dictionaries
Oxford English Dictionary (A very good monolingual dictionary)
Robert Et Collins Senior, Dictionnaire Français-Anglais / Anglais-Francais (A very good bilingual dictionary).
Business Dictionaries
Robert & Collins Business, Français-Anglais / English-French.
Harrap's Business Dictionnary, English-French/Français-Anglais.

Business writing guides:

FT Essential Guide to Business Writing, The Financial Times.
Ian Badger & Sue Pedley, Everyday Business Writing, Longman.
Business Writing Clear and Simple, Learning Express.
Marry Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 10th edition, CENGAGE Learning.
A Practical Guide to Business Writing, Wiley, 2013.

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 INTRODUCTION
GOOD WRITING IS GOOD BUSINESS
Business writing is one of the most common forms of communication. It is used by people every day to
communicate between colleagues in a work setting, apply for jobs, make formal requests, express opinions,
or make complaints. Despite the varied purposes, the many forms all share some common elements,
including a conversational but formal tone, a focused purpose, an appropriate format, strict attention to
the rules of grammar and punctuation, the inclusion of detailed information, clarity, and—as much as
possible—brevity. Business writing should be done with a focus on the purpose and the audience, keeping
in mind that clarity is the best way to ensure that a message is properly communicated.
If you pick up a selection of this week’s newspapers, it won’t take long before you come across an article
decrying the standard of young people’s written communication skills. Here’s a startling, and yet typical,
example from the Guardian: according to the UK Recruitment and Employment Commission, ‘graduates
are twice as likely to make mistakes as those who did not go to university’ in their CVs and letters of
application (Jones and Ashton). What kind of mistakes are they making? Mainly spelling errors or
grammatical ones, apparently! (See Guardian article at http://jobs.theguardian.com/article/spell-it-out/).
Learning to write well in a foreign language is one of the most difficult challenges facing the language
learner. Finding the right words, using an appropriate style, respecting conventional formats, and correct
spelling are just a few of the areas to consider.
Effective writing plays an increasingly important role in today's business world. A clear and concise style
ensures that essential information is both understood and acted upon.
Anyone who works for a company knows how important it is to have good writing skills. A good letter can
get you a job interview or win you a new client. An ability to write clear, concise memos and reports can
help you move up the ladder in your organization and win you a better job. On the other hand, poor writing
wastes time and costs money. As one consultant recently said, “Profits improve only when our
correspondence is read. No sale is made when a business letter ends up in the wastebasket.”
Writing is one aspect of education that is particularly well rewarded. A Fortune magazine article reported
this finding: “Among people with a two- or four-year college degree, those in the highest 20 percent in
writing ability earn, on average, more than three times what those with the worst writing skills make.” One
corporate president explained that many people climbing the corporate ladder are good. When he faced a
hard choice between candidates, he used writing ability as the deciding factor. He said that sometimes
writing is the only skill that separates a candidate from the competition.
This course is designed to help business students to become more familiar with the styles and techniques of
business writing. It contains samples/models of the most common types of business documents, such as
letters, emails, memos, minutes and reports, all with full explanations of usage, language style and layout.
Part of this course is also devoted to areas of business writing which relate to recruitment: letters of
application, CV writing and application forms. There is also advice on other areas, including abbreviations
and text messages, punctuation and how to avoid common mistakes.

Each section of this course is followed by writing practice exercises: Practice Makes Perfect. These activities
cover a wide range of business topics, issues and situations.

I hope that you find this course useful and that it will help you become more proficient in your business
writing.

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 1 TIPS & GENERAL RULES
What is Business Writing?
Brainstorm the reasons of writing in business world.
Divide into groups of two or three and make up a list of about 10 reasons of Business writing.

Difference between business writing and academic writing

Business communication differs from other school writing. Although both business communication and
other academic writing demand standard edited English, in other ways the two are very different.
Purpose
Audience
Information
Organization
Style
Visuals
Document Design

Criteria for Effective writing

Good business writing is clear, complete, and correct. It saves the reader time, and it builds goodwill.
Whether a message meets these five criteria depends on the interactions among the writer, the audience,
the purposes of the message, and the situation. No single set of words will work in all possible situations.

To understand business communication situations, ask the following questions:

• What’s at stake—to whom?
• Should you send a message?
• What channel should you use?
• What should you say?
• How should you say it?
Or use PAIBOC
Before you write or speak, you need to understand the situation. Ask yourself the following PAIBOC
questions Analysis.

Use the PAIBOC questions to analyze business communication problems:

P What are your purposes in writing or speaking?
A Who is (are) your audience(s)? How do members of your audience differ? What characteristics are
relevant to this particular message?
I What information must your message include?
B What reasons or reader benefits can you use to support your position?
O What objection(s) can you expect your reader(s) to have? What negative elements of your message must
you deemphasize or overcome?
C How will the context affect reader response? Think about your relationship to the reader, morale in the
organization, the economy, the time of year, and any special circumstances.

The SMART principle

Be:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed

And remember:
Writing costs money. Besides the cost of paper, computers, and software, there is the major expense:
employees’ time.
$21.15 a page—even more if it doesn’t work.
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Use these 12 tips to develop an effective business writing style:

1. Keep your purpose, readers and content in mind

2. Keep your sentences short
3. Use positive language
4. Use linking words
5. Use simple, familiar words
6. Use passive voice for specific reasons
7. Use bullet points and numbered lists correctly
8. Use tables and charts effectively
9. Use impersonal style when expressing opinions
10. Avoid outdated expressions
11. Avoid repetition
12. Avoid turning verbs into nouns

1. Keep Your Purpose, Readers and Content in Mind

Before you start writing your e-mail, memo or report, consider the following points and keep in mind the
PRC (Purpose, Reader, Content) Triangle.

Purpose: What is my purpose? Readers: Who are my readers?

To inform Supervisors
To request Assistants
To persuade Trainees
To suggest or recommend Technicians
To complain Managers
To explain Employees
To appreciate Others
Content
What information do my readers want?
Will my readers understand technical terms?
Would examples, details, or graphics help the readers
to understand better?

Remember: You should keep in mind the PRC Triangle when writing a memo, an e-mail or a report. This
shows that the purpose, reader and content of a report are all equally important but that each is influenced
by the others.

2. Keep Your Sentences Short

In business writing, the fewer words, the better. The following examples illustrate how to remove
unnecessary words that do not add meaning to a sentence.

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Remember:
Try to limit yourself to one idea per sentence.
Break down longer sentences into simpler, shorter sentences.

3. Use Positive Language:

In business writing it is important to use positive language in order to get the results you want. As you can
see in the examples below, the column on the right turns the negative words into positive words to obtain a
positive reader response.

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Remember:
Write with a positive attitude by paying attention to the words and expression you choose to get the results
you want.
Sentences should be positive unless there is a reason to stress the “not,” “no” or “never.”

4. Use Linking Words

Linking words help establish clear connections between ideas and ensure that sentences and paragraphs
flow together smoothly, making them easier to read.
The following table summarizes the most common group of linking words used in business writing:

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5. Use Simple, Familiar Words
We write to express, not to use every word in the dictionary. Avoid using big words to convey your meaning
clearly. For example, instead of “magnitude and configuration,” say “size and shape.”
Always try to use the simplest word possible.

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As you write, remember that the goal of business writing is to communicate with your readers, not to
impress them with your vocabulary.

Below are good examples of simple words to be used rather than difficult ones in order to convey your
message clearly to your readers.
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Remember: Avoid using difficult words when simple words will communicate your message.

6. Use the Passive Voice for Specific Reasons

The choice between using active or passive voice in business writing is a matter of style. Most books
recommend using active voice. However, there is an exception to this rule.
Sometimes passive voice can be useful in an effort to sound more diplomatic and when you do not want to
highlight the subject of the sentence.
When to Use the Passive Voice?
The passive voice is to be preferred in the following cases:
1. Use the passive voice when you do not want to identify who performed the action.
Examples:
 Smoking is prohibited.
 A new safety policy was introduced after the accident.
 The new offices were decorated last week.
 The error has been corrected.
 The centrifugal pump was installed on May 12, 20xx.
 Procedures have been written to ensure safety.
2. Use the passive voice to describe a mistake to avoid blaming anyone in particular.
Examples:
 Profits are down by 2%.
 The incident rate in ABC Field is increasing dramatically this year compared to last year.
 Computer sales dropped by 10 % during the summer.
 The monthly report was submitted late.
3. Use the passive voice when you don’t know who carried out the action.
Examples:
 Three computers were stolen from the training center.
 The training room was left unlocked.
 The briefcase was stolen at the airport terminal.
 The photocopier is broken.

7. Use Bullet Points and Numbered Lists Correctly

Since people have little time to read, set out important points in a numbered or bulleted list. This makes it
easier to scan so your readers get the meaning without reading every word.
When to Use Bulleted and Numbered Lists
Use numbered lists when working with instructions that are to be carried out in sequence. If the sequence
of items is not essential, use bullets.

Example 1: Using bulleted lists

We are still having problems with the five new computers we have purchased from XYZ Computer Company.
The problems we have been having include:
Two notebook computers won’t boot up.
One monitor continues to make a high-pitched, whining sound.
Two desktop computers became infected with viruses.

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Example 2: Using bulleted lists
I raised your difficulty about arriving for work on time. I pointed out that:
 your managers had done their best to take account of your travel problems; and
 you had agreed with them that Dubai was the most convenient place for you to work.
However, your initial improvement was short-lived. Over the past two months your punctuality has dropped
to a totally unacceptable level.

By using bulleted lists, you draw your reader’s attention to important items.

Example 3: Using numbered lists

To: Alice Jones
From: Lucy Andrews
Date: March 5. 20xx
Subject: Procedure for Handling Payroll Advances
There is a new procedure (to reflect updated policies) for obtaining payroll advances. Our employees will
find it an improvement on the old confusing procedure. The new procedure is as follows:
1. Obtain form for Payroll Advance from your supervisor.
2. Complete the form by filling in all the blanks in the Employee Section form.
3. Get approval from your immediate supervisor.
4. Pick up your check from the cashier’s office.

Example 4: Using numbered lists

To: All Employees Using XP 2000 Computers
From: Head of Information Technology
Date: March 5, 20xx
Subject: Computer Security Problem
Your cooperation is urgently needed to solve a serious computer security problem. To enable you to keep
your files and those of the entire company secure, please follow these two actions:
1. Keep your password private and do not share it with anyone.
2. Log on to the computer manually.
Your adherence to the above is much appreciated.

By using numbers, you are directing your reader to carry out instructions in sequence.

Put lists of items in parallel form: Use parallel form to improve the clarity of your writing. To make your
writing parallel, use the same grammatical form for all items in a list. In other words, match nouns with
nouns, verbs with verbs, and phrases with phrases.

Example: Parallel Form in Lists

Here are two versions of a passage. The first ignores the guidelines; the second follows them.

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Remember:
If the sequence matters, use a numbered list.
If the order does not matter, use a bulleted list.
Use parallel form to achieve balanced writing.

8. Use Tables and Charts Effectively

Tables, charts and other graphs are quick, effective ways for your reader to get information. People don’t
always read everything in a report, but they often look at the visuals.
In this section, we will concentrate on when to use tables and charts effectively to enhance your written
presentation and to draw your readers’ attention.

Tables
Use a table to present data and facts to improve clarity.
Example: Table 1: Overtime expenses for all departments

Charts: The following charts are commonly used in technical reports:

Line chart, Pie chart, Bar chart, Flow chart
Line Chart: Use a line chart to show trend data over extended time periods.
Figure 2: Example of line chart

Pie Chart: Use a pie chart to show percentage or distribution of a whole.

Figure 3: Example of pie chart

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Bar Chart: Use a bar chart to compare items with one another.
Figure 4: Example of bar chart

Flow Chart: Use a flow chart to show a series of steps from beginning to end (e.g. procedure or process).

Example of flow chart:

Figure 5 shows the major steps in the procedure for issuing a high voltage electrical certificate using flow
chart symbols.

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9. Use Impersonal Style When Expressing Opinions
Expressions like “I think” or “I feel” are rarely used in business reports because they are too personal.
Managers are not looking for your personal opinion and feeling; they are looking for professional opinions.

10. Avoid Outdated Expressions

Here are some classic examples of outdated expressions to be avoided in business writing. Use modern
language instead which is shorter and clearer.

Remember: Try to write in similar fashion to the way you speak in a business meeting. The clarity of your
writing will improve and you won’t sound boring.

11. Avoid Repetition

Repetition means saying the same thing twice. The following examples indicate that it is a good idea to edit
your writing to look for repetition and redundant words.
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12. Avoid Turning Verbs Into Nouns
Using the noun form of the verb takes more words than using a strong verb. For example, instead of saying
“make a decision” it is more effective to say “decide.”

In the following examples, notice how much more straightforward and easy to understand the sentences
are when presented with a strong verb form.

Remember: Rely on the verb to do the work.

Summary
These tips provide the basics of good business writing and will always keep your written communications
sharp and effective. To produce effective documents, please use these tips every time you write.
1. Keep your purpose, readers and content in mind 7. Use bullet points and numbered lists correctly
2. Keep your sentences short 8. Use tables and charts effectively
3. Use positive language 9. Use impersonal style when expressing opinions
4. Use linking words 10. Avoid outdated expressions
5. Use simple, familiar words 11. Avoid repetition
6. Use the passive voice for specific reasons 12. Avoid turning verbs into nouns
(Adapted from A Practical Guide to Business Writing)
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General rules

Before you write

Ask yourself the following questions.
• Who am I writing to? This will help you to determine the tone and degree of formality. When writing to
superiors or customers, the tone is more formal than with colleagues. However, business communication
should never be too informal and should always be polite and courteous.
• Why am I writing? It is a good idea to note down your main message / messages before starting. This will
help you to stay focused and also to determine which means of communication is most suitable for your
purpose, e.g. fax, letter, email.
• What does my correspondent know? Never assume the other person has all the background information
necessary to understand your message. Think about what details you need to put into your communication
to help them understand and act upon it.

When you write

Whether you are writing a full, formal report or a memo to your colleagues, it is generally agreed that the
following points should be respected.
• Be brief, clear and concise. Use simple words and phrases and keep sentences short. In other words, use
'plain English'.
Don't write: If there are any points on which you require explanation or further particulars, we shall be glad
to furnish such additional details as may be required by telephone.
Write: If you have any questions, please ring.
• Don't be over-technical or use slang or jargon. Your reader may not understand.
Don't write: In on a roll here. (Slang: On a roll: Performing well)
Write: The trip has been successful so far.
• Don't overuse people's first names. It is better to use them only in the opening.
Don't write: Dear John, ... so you see, John, — I'm sure you understand, John., ... etc.

Before you send

• Always read your business communication before you send it. It is a good idea to read it aloud to see if it
is communicative and easy to read.
• Ask yourself: Could the person reading this understand and act upon it from a single reading?
• Check spelling and grammar mistakes. Do not rely on spellcheck software, as it will not correct mistakes
like s in advise when used as a noun (advise is the verb, advice with a c is the noun), or words which are
spelt correctly but used inappropriately, such as form instead of from.

Organising Your Writing

From plan to paragraph

You should start by thinking about the message that you want to communicate. If you have a clear idea of
this, it will help to make your writing coherent.
Make notes of all of your ideas and then organise these into topic areas. Each topic area should consist of
one of your main ideas and may also include a number of secondary points that you can develop.
Draw up a plan for each topic area and start to think of the order in which you want to present them. The
order will depend on how the topic areas relate to each other and on how you wish to develop your
message.
Each topic area and any related secondary points will usually form a paragraph. Moving on to a new
paragraph shows your readers that you are focusing on a new topic area.
The paragraphs themselves can be organised in different ways: you may want to present the information
chronologically or you may prefer to present points in order of importance. Alternatively, you may wish to
balance negative and positive points or compare and contrast different ideas.

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First draft:
If you have prepared your plans well, the writing process should be relatively straightforward. You can now
give your full attention to the language that you are going to use. Prepare a first draft of the complete
document and then read through it to see which sections need to be improved or rewritten.

Final draft:
Before you present the final draft of your text, you should read it through several times, eliminating
repetitions and changing ambiguous phrasing. You can also make long sentences shorter or connect short
sentences together. When you are happy with the wording of your final document, you should do a final
check for any spelling and punctuation mistakes that you may have overlooked.
Compare the first and final drafts opposite. Notice how in the final draft, sentences and wordings have
been changed and linking expressions and paragraphs have been used.

Proofreading and Editing

After the initial draft of a document, proof- reading and editing are essential in providing an effective letter
or report.
Proofreading focuses on correcting errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and word
usage.
Editing allows the writer to review the document for clarity, focus, and smooth reading of the matter.

Useful phrases and notations

Linking expressions:
Using the right linking expressions will allow you to connect your sentences and your paragraphs together
smoothly and will show your reader how your message fits together.
Use linking expressions to
• show contrast: However... On the other hand ... whereas ... while … although ...
• give additional information: Moreover... In addition… Furthermore ...
• summarise: In conclusion … To conclude ... To sum up
• sequence: First ... Next… Lastly ... / Finally …
• show cause and effect: Consequently… As a result ... Therefore ... thus …. because of … due to ...
• give examples: for example ... for instance…
• make references: the former ... the latter... the one / the ones…

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Look at the notes below and write a first draft.

Notes
• Background: intro to Environmental Action Plan — reasons for Implementation (customers/
investors need more info, pressure from regulators & governments)
• Methods: Audit of products/processes- Recommendations — implementation
• Performance: Products complete, processes incomplete

Now compare the two drafts:

First draft
Our Environmental Action Plan was launched two years ago to respond to changes in our industry. More and
more customers wanted information about our products' environmental impact. The investment community
needed more information and tighter regulation and controls (eco labels) were being introduced in markets.
The plan was in three phases: the evaluation of our products and processes, recommendations for changes
and implementation. These are now complete for products, where we have improved sustainability by
eliminating some production materials. For processes, our goal to introduce guidelines and procedures for
the group's activities worldwide has not yet been achieved. But we have introduced standard supplier and
logistics management processes and made substantial savings. We are proud of what we have achieved and
hope to complete the plan next year. This will enhance our reputation as a business which can meet
environmental challenges.
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Final draft
Only two years ago we took the important decision to launch our Environmental Action Plan in order to
respond to important changes within our industry. Both our customers and the investment community were
requesting more information about the environmental impact of our products. Furthermore, governments
and regulators in our different markets were imposing 'eco labels' — new standards of environmental
conformity.
The plan was in three distinct phases: first, an audit of our products and processes, then recommendations
for change and finally implementation in our business operations. On the product side, this is now complete
and we have reduced the number of production materials, thus making our products more sustainable.
However, for business processes, we have not yet completed the introduction of group-wide policies
although we have successfully implemented standard supplier and logistics management processes and
made substantial savings.
We are extremely proud of what we have achieved in such a short time and we plan to continue
implementation of our Environmental Action Plan, thereby enhancing our reputation as a business that is
prepared to meet the environmental challenges of the future.

Read the two drafts again.

What do you notice?
What are the differences?
What kind of differences?
Which sentences and wordings have been changed?
Which linking expressions and paragraphs have been used?

Punctuation
Punctuation marks are the traffic signals, signs, and indications that allow us to navigate the written word.
They serve to warn us in advance when a transition is coming or the complete thought has come to an end.
A period indicates the thought is complete, while a comma signals that additional elements or modifiers are
coming. Correct signals will help your reader follow the thoughts through sentences and paragraphs, and
enable you to communicate with maximum efficiency while reducing the probability of error.
Using the correct punctuation is an essential part of making your writing clear to your readers. Very often
when sentences or texts are difficult to read or do not seem to make sense, it is because they contain errors
in punctuation. The following punctuation marks are used in English:
• --------- .
Rules:

Examples:

• --------- ,
Rules:

Examples:

• -------- ------- ?
Rules:

Examples:

• ----------- ------ !
Rules:

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Examples:
• ------ :
Rules:

Examples:

• -------------- ;
Rules:

Examples:

• ---------------- ’
Rules:

Examples:

• ----------- ---------- ‘ ’ OR “ ”
Rules:

Examples:

• ---------- ( ) OR [ ]
Rules:

Examples:

• ----------- -
Rules:

Examples:

• ---------- –
Rules:

Examples:

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Letter proofreading
Rewrite the letter with the correct punctuation and paragraphing

ms connie ebergen president smokehouse restaurants inc 56 stone street Nottingham Massachusetts
34321 dear ms ebergen congratulations i read of your recent appointment to president of smokehouse
restaurants inc in Novembers issue of national dining out newsalerts as specialists in the restaurant industry
naidu public relations inc provides a full range of marketing services for publicity we have great press
contacts locally and nationally to serve as an informal introduction to naidu public relations inc I have
enclosed our press kit it contains marketing articles we ve written for eating out often and restaurants of
the world aclient list my biography and other relevant materials we would truly welcome an opportunity to
meet with you and your marketing team at smokehouse restaurants inc to discuss how we might contribute
to your expansion plans I ll call your office next week to arrange an appointment at your convenience thank
you in advance for taking the time to review these materials ms ebergen I look forward to speaking with
you sincerely leo j naidu president

Numbers
Numbers, figures and quantities are at the heart of all business operations, and much of the work and time
of managers is devoted to calculating, measuring, analysing and presenting numerical data. Profit and
performance may be-the key indicators of how a business is performing but in the day-to-day running of a
business figures have to be entered, references established and records and statistics kept. This continuous
flow of numerical information is the lifeblood of the organisation. Knowing how to refer to numbers is
therefore an essential skill for the manager. The principal ways of doing this are listed below.

General.
Figures are usually written as words when they refer to small quantities. However, for larger amounts they
are presented in number form:
Fiat has had five chief executives in two years.
Summer Redstone is the 81-year-old who controls the firm with 71% of its voting stock.
0 is written as nought or zero (mathematics/ temperatures) or as nil (scores).
Numbers are not generally used in the plural form except to mean a lot of and they are then followed by of:
Product development cost four thousand euros.
Product development cost thousands of euros.
When using expressions of quantity as adjectives, use hyphens and use the singular form:
a three-million-dollar contract (a contract worth three million dollars)

Dealing with large numbers

Large numbers are generally presented in numerical form and not as words, unless the number is a 'round'
one:
5,361 five thousand
If an exact figure is not required, a number is often rounded up or down, and a word like roughly,
approximately, almost, nearly, about, around may be used with it:
2,464,981 = (around) two and a half million
Abbreviated forms are often used for millions but not generally for billions (except in charts, where the
abbreviations m and are systematically used):
The group Lost €1.9 billion last year and around €400m the year before.

Fractions and percentages

These can be written in numerical form or as complete words.
Fractions: (a) half, one half… a third, one third
Percentages: 50% fifty per cent … 33% thirty-three per cent

22
Decimals
Decimal points and denominators can vary depending on the country. In some countries, the decimal point
is represented by a comma and in others by a point. 19.312 would be interpreted as 'nineteen point three
one two’ in some countries (e, g. the UK, the USA) but in others (e..g. France, Germany) as 'nineteen
thousand three hundred and twelve'.
Ratios
These are usually written out in full:
The proposal was adopted by nine votes to two.

Spelling
Using correct spelling is a key consideration in all writing, and misspelling words reflects badly on the
author of a document, especially if it is for formal business purposes. Although word processors have built-
in spellcheckers which will help you to avoid most basic mistakes, there are also many mistakes that
spellcheck software will not identify. Some of the principal difficulties of English spelling are outlined below.

Double consonants
The final consonants of some verbs are doubled when -ing or -ed is added, but only if the verb has a single
short vowel preceding the final consonant. If it is more than one syllable, the stress is on the final syllable:
stop stopped, begin beginning, but: develop developing
Not doubling a consonant when necessary is confusing when two different words have similar spellings.
Sitting is the correct -ing form of sit but siting is the correct form of site, (If the consonant is not the last
letter of the verb, it is not doubled. But notice that the final 'e’ is dropped.)
notice noticeable
but: forgive forgivable

Double vowels
Some words have two different vowels one after the other. The most common examples are ie and ei. The
rule is that i comes before e when the sound of the word is 'ee’, but not when the two vowels come after
the consonant c:
Believe receive
As is often the case with English spelling, there are exceptions to the rule:
seize weird

Similar sounding words (homonyms)

Some words that have the same pronunciation have quite different spellings and meanings. If you include
the wrong word, even if it sounds right, you may in fact be using the wrong spelling:
air Beach
allowed Steal
ate Tail
board Leak
cent Week
fare Fair
feat Buy
genes Son
mail Hair
one Key
pair Through
there Piece
wait Tied
Night Not
Cereal Main
Waist weight
Hymn

23
Commonly confused words
It is also easy to confuse words that have only minor differences in spelling. Some of the most common are:
advice advise
ensure insure
envelop envelope
formally formerly
later latter
passed past
perspective prospective
precedence precedents
prescribe proscribe
principal principle
stationary stationery
practice practise (Make a full list!)

Practice makes perfect:

Practice 1: The sentences below contain ten words commonly misspelled in business communication.
Correctly spell the word in brackets. (Note: hyphens may or may not indicate missing letters.)
1. Your request is not (consist-nt) with company policy.
2. The meeting will be in our branch office near the (capit-1) building.
3. An (exten-ion) of benefits will be offered to all employees.
4. Compensation and benefits are (sep-rate) issues.
5. The new policy will (super-ede) the old one.
6. Please refer to the instructions on the (pre-ding) page.
7. The manager said that it (oc-ur-ed) to him that the employees needed more information about the
project.
8. What they (of-er-ed) was unacceptable.
9. How will the new plan (ben-fit) the organization?
10. Another study is an (un-ec-es-ary) way to spend money.

Practice 2: Correctly spell the words listed below.

1. cred-bility
2. extr-m-ly
3. occur-ed
4. expl-nation
5. pron-nciation
6. cat-gory
7. priv-l-ge
8. gasol-ne
9. super-ede (s or c?)
10. contr-versial

Practice 3: How are you on spelling rules? Here’s a quick review of four important ones. In the sentences
below, spell the bracketed word correctly if you can, and say which rule applies.
1. We hope to (rec-ve) the shipment this week.
2. The new tariff will hurt our (for-gn) competitors.
3. The (financ-r) was charged with tax evasion.
4. Nothing is sure but death and (tax-).
5. His skill in diplomacy makes friends out of (enem-s).
6. Are you (accus-ng) the Japanese of chip-dumping?
7. In my (judg-ent), profits will be up significantly in April.
8. Be sure to include a (sum-ry) at the end of your report.
9. Some companies have (benefit-d) from the drop in the dollar’s value.
10. Mr. Wombat has been (transfer-d) to Minot, N.D.
24
British/US English

Don’t assume that people from two countries who speak the same language speak it the same way. The
French spoken in Quebec and other parts of Canada is often noticeably different from the French spoken in
France. Similarly, it’s oft en said that the United States and the United Kingdom are two countries divided
by a common language.
Although English is the national language of both the United Kingdom and the United States, there are
significant differences in the way that the language is used in both countries. The differences concern not
only pronunciation but also grammar, vocabulary and spelling. When writing, it is therefore important to
know whether you are addressing an international audience or writing specifically for British or American
readers. The sections below provide examples of the main differences between British (UK) and American
(US) English.

Grammar
The main differences concern spoken rather than written English. In American English, it is more common
to use the past simple form of a verb where the present perfect form would be used in British English. This
is especially true with the adverbs just, yet and already.
Ms Dewer has just informed me that… (UK)
Ms Dewer just informed me that ... (US)
Prepositions
In British English, prepositions are normally included in situations where in American English they are often
dropped.
Judith is returning on Wednesday. (UK) Judith is returning Wednesday. (US)
A different preposition is used in some situations.
The head office is in Wall Street. (UK) The head office cm Wall Street. (US)
I often play golf at the weekend. (UK) I often play golf on the weekend. (US)
Jody is at school today. (UK) Jody is in school today. (US)
Letters
The format for letters is generally the same for both the UK and US. However, there are some differences
concerning the opening, where a comma or no punctuation is used in British English (Dear Mr Harding,) but
a colon is used in American English (Dear Mr Harding:).
US closings include Sincerely (yours), Respectfully, Cordially, Yours truly, Very truly yours, which are not
common in British letters.
Dates
Dates can be written with the number before or after the month; before (14 May) is more common in
British English and after (May 14) is more common in the US. When dates are written using only figures, the
order is always day/month/year in British English, but month/day/year in the US
10/06/06 10 June 2006 (UK)
6 October 2006 (US)
Numbers
In British English, and is used for numbers in the hundreds, but and is not usually included in American
English:
669 six hundred and sixty-nine (UK)
six hundred sixty-nine (US)
Quantities
British English tends to use metric units (e.g. metres) instead of or as well as imperial units (e.g. yards), but
in the US it is more common to use imperial units only.

Spelling
The major differences in spelling concern double consonants (less frequent in US English) and word endings.
Verbs that end in -ise in British English are usually spelt with -ize in US English. Some nouns that end in -re
in British English end in -er in US English. In US English, words often Finish in -or whereas in British English
they take -our.
25
UK US
Catalogue catalog
cheque check
colour color
dialled dialed
labelled labeled
manoeuvre maneuver
metre meter
programme program
sizeable sizable
Vocabulary: The following list shows where British and US English have a different word for the same thing.
General words
UK US
bill check
car park parking lot
clever smart
diary (appointments) calendar
flat apartment
from ... to ... through
full stop period
ground floor first floor
lawyer attorney
lend loan
lift elevator
motorway highway
neighbourhood district
ordinary regular
pavement sidewalk
petrol gas / gasoline
post mail
queue line
underground subway
upmarket upscale
work out figure out
Business terms
UK US
balance sheet statement of financial position
banknote bill
current account checking account
creditors payables
debtors receivables
depreciation amortization
estate agent realtor
land and buildings real estate
ordinary shares common stock
profit and loss account income statement
profit net income
provisions allowances
savings and loan association building society
shareholder stockholder
shares stocks
stocks inventories
turnover revenue
unit trust mutual fund
The past forms of some verbs are also different.
UK US
fitted fit
got gotten

26
Practice makes perfect: Fill in the following table.

27
 Abbreviations
Abbreviations are often used to refer to names and titles when their full forms are long or complicated.
They are also used for technical terms that are often referred to in a particular profession or industry. They
are pronounced giving the individual letters that make up the abbreviation and are sometimes preceded by
an article, e.g. The BBC, The EU.
In formal written texts abbreviations are often printed out in full, but in informal communication by email
and over the phone they are normally left in their short forms.
An acronym is a form of abbreviation where the individual letters form a word which can be pronounced,
e.g. Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation); SWOT, FAQ, ROM and PIN.

Common abbreviations used in business

Degrees & Job titles CMO:
GCSE: CFO:
A Levels: CIO:
BA: COO:
BS: Organisations
MA: EMU:
M.PHIL or MPHIL: EU:
PhD: IMF:
JD: IRS:
MBA: TUC:
PA: UN:
MD: WTO:
VP: IRS:
SVP: OECD:
EVP: UNESCO:
CEO: UNICEF:

Companies HR:
BA: IPO:
BMW: M&A:
IBM: MBA:
Business terms MBO:
AGM: P&L:
B2B: PLC:
B2C: R&D:
CRM: ROI:
CSR: SWOT:
EBIT: TQM:
FY: USP:
GDP: VAT:

Measurements qt:
ETA: Technology
GMT: CAD:
Kg: CAM:
Kph: FAQ:
Lb: HTML:
tsp or t: PDF:
tbs, tbsp or T: RAM:
c: ROM:
gal: WWW:
pt:

28
General AFAIK:
AOB: AFK:
ASAP: ANI:
ID: BRB:
IMO: CUL:
AAMOF: CWYL:
BFN : IIRC:
BTW: IQ:
IOW: LOL:
CUL8R: NP:
e.g.: ROFL:
PIN: TY:
ACE : WC:
AD:

Job titles
In business correspondence, it is important to Mr Davidson, Personnel Manager
put a job title after the name of the person you
are writing to. TO: Ms Jennifer Franks, Personal Assistant
If you do not know the person's name, you can
use their title to signal who you wish to contact, The Human Resources Manager 100 Fairview
addressing them as sir or madam after that. Dock Liverpool SYX 111

Common job titles and tasks/job descriptions

Chairman (of the board) or President:
Vice Chairman or Vice President:
Managing Director or CEO (Chief Executive Officer):
Finance Director or CFO (Chief Financial Officer):
Accountant:
Marketing Manager/Director:
Sales Manager/ Director:
Communications Manager/ Director or CCO (Chief Communications Officer):
Product Manager/ Director:
Legal Affairs Manager/Director:
IT (Information Technology) Manager / Director or CIO (Chief Information Officer):
Production Manager/Director:
COO (Chief Operating Officer):
Plant Manager/Director:
Supervisor:
Personnel Manager or Human Resources Manager/Director:
Research and Development Manager / Director:
Purchasing Manager / Director:
Facility Manager / Director:
PA (Personal Assistant):

Practice makes perfect: Abbreviations

Test your knowledge of business abbreviations and acronyms. Look at these abbreviations, then complete
the crossword grid on the next page with the words that are missing from their complete forms.

29
30
31
Avoiding errors

The following is a list of typical mistakes of syntax and grammar that you should look out for when checking
what you've written.

Common mistakes Corrected version

Nouns
They need more sellers
I am the responsible of Marketing.
One of the best product was....
Pronouns and gender
Write to the manager and see if he can help
who /which /whose
The manager which looks after this ... It is the
company who makes ... Who's fault was it?
Linking words
Neither the invoice or the order arrived. There is
no change despite of the new machine
i.e. and e.g.
Please cancel our last order, e.g. the one for 20
Cartier watches. We stock many brands, i.e.
Gucci, Dior, etc
Prepositions
I am interested by the problem
I've been waiting the order since two weeks
Articles
The children are most affected by the
advertising.
A document you requested has been sent.
I am accountant
Gerunds and infinitives
We succeeded to decide ...
We approve you to do it.
I would like to drive to the conference instead of
to fly

32
 2 TEXT MESSAGES

The popularity of mobile phones and instant messaging via phone and computer has led to a new form of
abbreviated writing, where words are shortened or even sometimes replaced by individual letters, symbols
or numbers. This means that fewer keystrokes are required when composing the message, and it also
makes it easier for a condensed message to fit on the limited screen space of a mobile phone. Telephone
text messages are usually limited in length to 160 characters, but on computer messages they can be of
unlimited length. Text messaging is a very informal way of communicating and is never used for official
communication.
Here are some simple guidelines for writing text messages in English. There are also several websites where
you can write a message that will be automatically transformed into a text message, e.g.
www.lingo2word.com
The most important rules to remember when abbreviating for a text message are the following. Words that
have the same sound as a letter of the alphabet or a number are represented by that letter or number:
U you R are 2 too / to 4 for 8 ate Y why
Words that correspond to a graphic symbol on a keyboard are represented by that symbol:
& and @ at # number + plus - minus
The per cent symbol (%) represents a double ‘O’: l%k look
Vowels that normally appear in the middle or at the end of words and syllables are removed:
KNO know CHK check
Upper case letters can represent both vowels and word endings: LYK like sndN sending
Standardised abbreviations are used for some words and phrases:
BCZ because AAR8 at any rate
LOL laugh out loud IDTS I don't think so
CWOT complete waste of time WUCIWUG what you see is what you get
BAU business as usual
By using the colon and bracket keys, graphic representations or `smileys' can be produced to show the
emotions of the writer: :-)  :-( 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

1- Write the following message in plain English:
- RU comN 2 Pat’s prsntation@ 3? Hope 2 CU there! :-) 
2- MATCH THE “TXT MSGS” or “lingo” TO plain English (THE REAL WORDS)
The shortcuts are usually based on how words sound.
j4u = tlkl8r =
cuz = ic =
cul8tr = l8 =
b4 = w4m =
cw2cu = rgds =
zzzzz = gr8t =
d8 =
3- Can you understand the text message below?
I cut dwn my hmwrk frm an hour 2 10 mins by UzN txtN abbrs
Practice 4: Reading
TEXT MESSAGING: Sending text messages to business contacts
Around the world, sending text messages from mobile phones is becoming the fastest-growing method of
electronic communication. It’s convenient and often easier than leaving a message if the person you are
trying to contact cannot answer the phone. Text messaging – or ‘texting’ – has also developed a new form
of English, full of abbreviated forms of words. However, there can be problems if you use this text language
in a work context.
In this extract from Better Business Writing, Ruth Lee talks about what to do – and what not to do – when
you text business contacts.
Before you read this extract Do you send text messages to colleagues or friends? If you do, what kind of
messages do you send? If you don’t, can you think of any problems you could have when writing a message
to send from a mobile phone?
33
I send text messages for work when I’m unable to attend a meeting or if I’m running late and I have to let
my colleagues know. I usually include information in the text message about the people attending the
meeting, the time of the meeting, any phone numbers that are required and so on. Of course, text messages
need to be kept short – and this can be very difficult because you need to choose the words you use
carefully. If you are writing to a new business contact you usually have to use proper business language but,
because there’s a limit to the number of characters you can use in a text, I find I usually abbreviate words.
It’s OK to do that but it’s difficult to find the right balance between being business-like and trying to keep the
message short.
1. When does Ruth send text messages?
2. Why should text messages be kept short?
3. What does Ruth think is difficult when sending a text to a business contact?
4. Look at these abbreviations. Can you identify the words they represent?
a) probs b) poss c) info d) CU
5 top tips for sending texts to business contacts
1. Identify the most important information in the message you want to send. What does the person who
receives the text really need to know? If you try to write too much, you may run out of space.
2. Identify words which you can abbreviate easily. But remember – if your abbreviations are unusual or
contain letters and numbers (e.g. ‘l8r’ for ‘later’) the recipient might not understand the message.
3. Avoid long introductions. Unlike emails, you don’t need to say ‘Dear…’. However, you could start with a
simple ‘Hello.’
4. Although this is a formal situation, you don’t need to use lots of formal language. Keep your message
brief.
5. End your message with your name, so that the recipient knows who has called!
Practice 5: Rewrite the text message
Look at the message below. Can you rewrite it as a text message?
Dear Ana
I’m sorry but I will be a little late for our meeting because my train has been delayed. There are severe problems on the
railway line. I think I can arrive at your office at approximately 2 o’clock this afternoon. I’m sorry for this inconvenience
and hope that this doesn’t cause you any problems. Please call me if you need to talk before our meeting.
With best wishes
Lisa
PRACTICE 6: Read text messages A and B. Then answer the questions that follow.

1. Who is the intended audience for text message A?

Friend Boss
What language clues helped you determine the audience?

2. Who is the intended audience for text message B?

Friend Boss
What language clues helped you determine the audience?
34
 3 BUSINESS LETTERS

Formal business correspondence is usually done by letter as this leaves a written record which can be kept
for reference, Business letters can be of different types with different purposes: to apply for a job, to inform
people of developments, to request action, to make an enquiry, to complain, etc. To write a -successful
business letter you need to use the right tone and to communicate your message to the reader using
straightforward language. The way a letter is written reveals a lot about the person who is writing it and it
also sends a message about the organisation that he or she is working for. It is, therefore, very important to
make sure that the information, layout, style and spelling are all correct before you send it.
35
Layout
When writing a business letter, you should follow the standard format. The sample letter below shows
where the following different components should appear on the page:
a letterhead/address (but not name) of writer
b name and address of recipient
c references
d date
e opening
f subject heading
g body of the letter
h closing
I signature
J name and job title
K enclosures

Language styles
Business letters are usually quite formal in style. A conversational style is therefore not appropriate and you
should avoid contractions, for example. Try to use verbs in the active and not in the passive form as this will
make your letter more dynamic. You should also avoid writing sentences that are too long and that include
complicated or unnecessary language. A straightforward letter will get your message across more
effectively than a long wordy one. There are certain conventions concerning the correct way to address
people and to close your letter.

Opening
Letters always start with Dear ... Followed by the correct form of address. If the letter is going to someone
whose name you do riot know, it starts with Dear Sir, or Dear Madam, or Dear Sir or Madam, ... But if you
do know the name, then you can begin with Dear Mr/ Ms Taylor, or Dear Greg Taylor, …

Closing
Letters are usually closed in standard ways. At the end of your letter you should include a short sentence
like I Look forward to hearing from you. Or Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need further
information. Below that, you should put a closing phrase:
Yours sincerely, (formal, for letters beginning Dear + name)
Yours faithfully, (formal, for letters beginning Dear Sir/Madam)
Yours truly,/Best regards,/Best wishes, (less formal)

Useful phrases
Following our recent telephone conversation ...
I am writing to you to confirm ...
Thank you for taking the time to ...
Regarding the question of I think you will agree that…
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
I am enclosing full contact details.
enc (shows that something is enclosed)
cc (copy sent to another person)
PS (for additional sentence(s) included after the signature)

36
Letter (of confirmation): Put the different components of the letter in the right order (a to k) and place.

HPSempra Systems Inc

Conway Industrial Estate
Hartlepool
HPL 7GN
United Kngdorn
(+44) 00723 91847
mark@sales/sempra.org

Jeanne Eckhart
Optecol
31 Rue Jules Welter
Sanem
L-4902
Luxembourg

21 May 20014
Our ref: T550.001

TS50 Delivery
Dear Ms Eckhart,
Following our recent telephone conversation, I am writing to you to confirm the arrangements for
the delivery of the T550 test simulator that you ordered through our Brussels office. As I mentioned,
a team of engineers from our UK and German offices will be attending the engineering trade show in
Hanover from 1-3 July. Our stand at the show will feature a number of new products and test
stations, including the first production model of the T50, which is being shipped over from the UK
especially for the event.
The show closes its doors on the evening of the third, and we will arrange for the simulator to be
dismantled and packed on to a flatbed truck for delivery to you directly. The transportation will be
handled by the same freight company that is looking after the logistics for the show, TransMax, and I
am enclosing full contact details with this letter. I have already spoken with their director, Mr
Wolfgang Hartung, and he is awaiting confirmation from your side before proceeding with the
delivery.
Jane Bradey, the sales engineer who will be in charge of our stand, will be available to travel to your
plant on the Thursday after the show, and she will provide assistance with the final installation and
configuration of the machine during the following two days.
I will not personally be present at the fair but Ms Bradley will be able to answer any queries you may
have. I know that this is an unusual delivery procedure but I think it is an interesting opportunity for
you to save the cost and time delay of normal delivery from the UK.
I look forward to doing business with you in the future and thank you again for placing one of the
first orders for the T850. I am sure it will give you complete satisfaction.
ENC
Mark Rathbone
Yours sincerely,
Mark Rathbone
Sales Manager
VAT Registration No. 49238756930-809 Registered offices: HPSempra House, Ludgate Drive, London W11 44SP

37
Other sample letters:
Letter of enquiry
Hoosley Brothers Ltd
42 The Quayside
Dublin 11
Tel 0035378992211
Fax 0035378993311

Hoosleys@office.com

The Export Sales Manager

WalesDepotPlus
2 Docklands Row
Cardiff
RC 8 JK

September 20th 20014

Dear Sir or Madam

We have been given your name by the Chamber of Commerce, as you are an exporter of high quality
office supplies. Hoosley Brothers Ltd is a relatively new company dedicated to supplying top of the
range stationery and office equipment to businesses throughout Ireland. We have been trading for
one year and, having successfully built up an impressive customer base, we are now ready to expand.

We are therefore looking for new, reliable sources of supplies. Any information you can send us on
your products, e.g. photos, catalogues, etc., would be greatly appreciated. We would also be grateful
if you could provide us with your prices in euros and send us details of your terms and conditions.
Yours faithfully
Tori Hoosley
John Hoosley
Purchasing Manager

Reply:
Dear Mr Hoosley,
Thank you for your enquiry of September 20th asking for information about our products. We are
very happy to enclose our latest brochure. I would like to draw your attention to our special rates
and easy terms of payments for all our new customers this year. I would also like to inform you that
it is possible to make purchases online from www.WalesDepotPlus.co.uk.
On behalf of all my team, I'd like to say that we are really looking forward to doing business with
Hoosley Brothers in what we hope will be the near future.
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Sally Thornton
Export Sales Manager
s.thornton@WalesDepotPlus.co.uk enc

38
Letters of complaint and apology
Dear Ms Lopez

As someone who has worked with your company for over five years, I was very disappointed when I
saw the fliers you produced for our latest campaign. As our written contract stipulated, we expected
full colour photos. Instead, we found that black and white photos had been included in the printed
leaflets. I think you will agree that this is an unsatisfactory situation.
We would like you to produce the fliers according to our specifications or provide us with a full
refund as quickly as possible.
I look forward to a satisfactory reply.
Yours sincerely Purina Keller
Donna Keller Managing Director

Apology

Dear Ms Keller
I was very sorry to read the letter sent yesterday dealing with the issue of unsatisfactory printed
publicity material. As someone who values your business, I have already begun to rectify the
problem.
We will produce full colour leaflets for the end of the week and hope that you will accept our
apologies. We will also deduct 20% for any inconvenience caused.
Thank you for your patience.
Yours sincerely
Fosetta Lopez
Rosetta Lopez Director of Customer Relations

Writing a letter of complaint

Many companies aim to give very good customer service. Sometimes, however, things go wrong and then
the ability to complain effectively is important. There are usually two reasons for writing a letter of
complaint about bad service.
You may want the company to do something about the problem – for example, you may want them to
refund your money. On the other hand, you may simply want them to know that you are not happy.
In this extract from Better Business Writing, businesswoman Ruth Lee talks about an occasion when she
had to write a letter of complaint.
Before you read the extract Think about a time when you had bad service. Did you complain about it?
What was the result? Now compare your experience with Ruth’s.
The last letter of complaint I wrote was about three months ago. My company uses a taxi company quite
regularly when people have to travel to the airport. On this occasion, I had booked a taxi about a week in
advance to take two members of staff to the airport because they had to fly to France for an important
meeting. However, when they came back from France, the two staff members told me that the taxi had
never arrived. In the end, one of the two men picked up his colleague in his own car and drove to the airport
himself. They almost missed the flight. So I wrote a two-page letter to the taxi company, pointing out how
much business my company gives them and telling them that we wanted some kind of compensation
otherwise we’d take our business elsewhere. The next day, I received a full apology, along with a substantial
amount credited to our taxi account to cover the next taxi journeys booked by my company.
1. In your own words, describe the problem which prompted Ruth to write to the taxi company.
2. What two things did the taxi company give to Ruth after they received her letter?
5 top tips for writing effective letters of complaint
1. Set a formal tone at the beginning of the letter. If you are writing to a company and don’t know the name
of the person who will deal with the complaint, begin the letter ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.
2. Tell the reader why you are writing. A good way to do this is to use the phrase ‘I am writing to complain
about…’.

39
3. Give a clear description of what happened to cause the complaint. It is important to make this as factual
as possible. A neutral or formal tone will make your complaint more believable.
4. Say what you want to happen as a result of your letter. Do you want a refund or a letter of apology? You
may simply want to tell the company how you feel. Phrases such as ‘As you can imagine, I am very
disappointed by this poor service. It is not what I expected from your company.’ Finish this section by telling
the person reading the letter that you expect a reply: ‘I look forward to receiving your reply.’
5. End on a formal note. If you started your letter ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, end it ‘Yours faithfully’ then sign your
name. This is normal for any formal letter.

Upgrade the letter

Look at the following letter. It was written by someone who is unhappy with the food and service they
received in a restaurant. However, there are some problems with the letter. Can you rewrite it to make it
an effective letter of complaint?

Dear Sammy’s Restaurant

I had dinner in your restaurant yesterday and it was terrible. The food was really awful and the waiters
were terrible. They didn’t help us at all. I want a refund.
Thanks
Roberto Darcy

Practice makes perfect

Practice 1 Beginning and Ending

Use these words to complete the gaps in the sentences. Then decide if they come from the beginning or
end of a letter: Information, enclose, possible, letter, advertisement, wishes, receiving, forward
1. I look .......... .............. to meeting you on the 19th.
2. Please get in touch with me as soon as ............ ................ if you require more informations about
the conference.
3. I am writing to you in response to your ........................... in the latest edition of Professional
Computer.
4. I would also like some more ........................... about your ScanFast hand-held scanner range, and
details of the types of discount you can offer for bulk orders.
5. Thank you for your .............................. of 12 July.
6. I look forward to ........................... an order from you soon.
7. Please pass on my very best .............................. to Stavros and Eleni when you see them.
8. I ...................... the latest edition of our household goods catalogue and an updated price list.

Now choose from the sentences above to complete the gaps in these letters:
1. Dear Mrs Delroy
........................................................................................................................................
You will note that our Tuffwash range (on pages 23-25) is now available in four colours. There has been
an excellent customer response to the new range.
........................................................................................................................................
Yours sincerely
Lois Trent
Sales Director

2. Dear Sir/Madam
........................................................................................................................................
I am particularly interested in your Modex 2 range of colour printers and would appreciate more
information about these.
........................................................................................................................................
Yours faithfully
JT Sherman
40
 Practice 2: Choose the correct word or partnership to complete each opening to a business letter. In
each case there is only one correct answer:
1. Thank you for your letter of March 24. I am ............................... hear that our new product has been
successful in your market.
a) please to b) pleased to c) pleased for d) pleasure in
2. I am writing ............................. your fax of November 12.
a) to reply to b) to answer for c) in reply to d) in answer for
3. Thank you for your letter of July 17 ............................. our recent meeting in Hamburg.
a) reflecting b) requiring c) concerning d) desiring
4. I am ............................. that you have experienced some problems with our office cleaning service.
a) delighted to know b) sorry to hear c) interested in knowing d) pleased to say
5. I have just ........................... your letter of March 11.
a) supplied b) received c) taken d) had
6. I am writing to ................................ of our invoice ref. no WLJ42/C which was sent to you on
February 12.
a) remember you b) recall you c) forget you d) remind you

7. We are writing to .............................. the terms agreed during our meeting of May 16.
a) confirm b) contain c) affirm d) concern
8. We are writing to you on ............................ of our customer Mr Spiros Roulis.
a) part b) behalf c) fact d)condition

Practice 3: Here are some letter endings. All of them contain words which are sometimes confused.
Choose the best word to complete each sentence:
1. If you require / enquire further information, please do not hesitate to be in touch.
2. . . . and I am pleased to include / enclose a copy of our new product catalogue.
3. Please complete the form and reply / return it to us as soon as possible.
4. I promise to give the matter my soonest / immediate attention.
5. I am afraid therefore that we cannot offer you a return / refund as the goods have already been
used.
6. Could you please pass on / pass of my very best regards to Mr Mayama?
7. I look forward to making / doing further business with you in the near future.
8. I look forward to knowing / meeting your colleague Mr Franks at the conference.
9. I hope that half past eleven in comfortable / convenient for you.
10. Let me desire / wish you the best of luck in your new post.

Practice 4: Referring
Here are some ways to introduce the subject of the letter.
 With reference to ...........................................................................
 Further to .......................................................................................
 I am writing in connection with ......................................................
How would you start a letter about each of the following?
a) an invoice (No. 678) for a fax machine
....................................................................................................................................................
b) a meeting you had with the addressee on Jan. 16th
....................................................................................................................................................
c) an advertisement in The Times newspaper
....................................................................................................................................................
d) an application for a post as secretary in your company
....................................................................................................................................................
e) a fax order for seven computers that you received today
....................................................................................................................................................

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Practice 5: Giving good/bad news
I am pleased tell
I am delighted to inform you that ........................
I am happy advise
(less formal)
I regret tell
to --- inform you that ......................…
I am sorry let you know

Complete these sentences using phrases for referring and giving good or bad news.
a) ........................................................................... your order for some whiteboards,
............................................................................... we have had to increase the price.
b) ........................................................................... your application for a post as secretary,
................................................................................ that we would like you to start work as soon as possible.

Practice 6: Choose the correct preposition to complete these partnerships:

1. a problem ........................................ delivery (on, at, with, by)
2. a delay ............................................ sending the goods (on, in, at, with)
3. a complaint ...................................... a service (on, about, in, at)
4. the solution ..................................... the problem (at, in, to, with)
5. two mistakes ................................... the invoice ( at, in, to, with)
6. an explanation ................................ the delay (at, in, with, for)
7. an apology ...................................... the mistake (at, in, with, for)
8. a letter ............................................. a missing consignment (about, for, at, in)
9. a fire ................................................ our main warehouse (about, for, with,in)
10. a breakdown .................................... the production line (for, on, at, to)

Practice 7: Use these word partnerships to complete the gaps in the extracts below:
1. I would also appreciate 5. launch date
2. the delay in payment 6. advance copy
3. full details 7. let me have
4. Please don't forget to 8. in the area of
A. Dear Customer
I am pleased to send you an .............................. of our latest catalogue which contains
................................ of the most up-to-date office and information technology equipment
on the market. Our «Fast Fax» range is now firmly established with our customers and is
available to you at a special discount.
B. I also have a lot of experience ................................. finance and accounting. Between 1988
and 1993 I worked in the auditing department of Schwartz and Kleinman.
C. Hi Teresa
This is just a short note to remind you about Monday's visit from Khalid Assad of the
Bahrain Investment Council. ............................ bring a comprenhensive list of our client
base in the area.
Tina
D. I would be grateful if you could send me your current corporate rates for single rooms with
bath. ............................... some more information about your business facilities as I shall be
in Brussels for two or three days.
E. Luigi
Thanks for leaving a copy of the Chankin Factory proposal on my desk. Unfortunately I can't
find page 2 (your analysis of construction costs) and I'd be grateful if you could
.................................. another copy as soon as possible.

42
 Tom
F. I apologise for ...................................... . We have had a number of problems in our accounts
department recently and this has meant delays in paying some suppliers. I hope to resolve
the problems before the end of the month.

Practice 8: Letters - Enquiries

If you receive any business letters in English, use them to learn more vocabulary. Note down any useful
words and phrases and then try to write similar letters of your own. In the same way, write your own letters
based on those that you find in this course.
Below you will see parts of three letters of enquiry. Put the correct word or phrase in each blank. Choose
from the following list. Use each item once only.

Advertisement, discount, latest catalogue, price list, advise, faithfully, model, price range, current issue,
forward, particularly, reference, Dear, information, payment, still available

A. 1……………... Sir
I have seen your 2. …………..in the 3……………………of Office Weekly and I am interested in your range of office
stationery.
Could you please send me your 4. ……………………and 5…………………….
I look 6…………… to hearing from you.
Yours 7…………………
B. With 8…………. to your advertisement in today's Times, could you please send me 9……….. about your
office furniture. I am 10…………….. interested in your adjustable typist's chairs.
C. Some time ago we purchased from you some JF72 solar-powered pocket calculators.
As this 11………… was so popular with our customers, we would like to know if it is 12……………. If so, would
you kindly 13…………………. us of your terms of 14………………., and any quantity 15…………… available. Could
you also include details of any new models in the same 16……………...

Practice 9: Letters - Answering enquiries

Below you will see parts of three letters answering an enquiry. Put the correct word or phrase in each
blank. Choose from the following list. Use each item once.
additional features, enclosed leaflet, further details, pleasure, competitive price, enquiring, hesitate,
range, date, enquiry, In addition, sincerely, doing business, full details, in production, supply

A. Dear Ms Prentice
Thank you for your 1………………. of 3rd May about our office stationery.
We have 2……………. in enclosing our latest catalogue and price list. We hope you will find it of Interest.
If you require any 3…………., please do not 4………….. to contact us.
Yours 5……………………..
B. Thank you for your letter of January 4th, asking about office furniture.
The enclosed catalogue contains 6…………………….. of our range. In most cases we are able to 7..………. you
with the goods you require within fourteen days.
We look forward to receiving an order from you.
C. Thank you for your letter of 1st June, 8…………. about the JP 172 pocket calculator.
This model is no longer 9……………. as it has been superseded by the JF73 solar-powered pocket calculator.
As you will see from the 10………………., the new model has several 11……….. at an extremely
12……………………..
We have also enclosed our latest catalogue giving details of the vast 13……………… of electronic goods we
supply.
We allow a discount of 30% on purchases of not less than 50 of the same model, and 35% on quantities of
not less than 100. 14…………. , we give a discount of 3% for payment within fourteen days from 15………... of
invoice.
We look forward to 16………………. with you in the near future.

43
Practice 10: Letters - Orders
Below you will see parts of four letters concerned with orders. Put the correct ward o phrase in each blank.
Choose from the following list. Use each item once only:
accept delivery, inconvenience, range, quotation, acknowledge, line, regret, stock (2), current issue, note,
reserve the right, supply, following, postage, resume, terms
A.
With reference to your advertisement in the 1…………… Office Monthly, I would like to order 2 Easifix Year
Planners. I enclose a cheque for £15 to include 2……………… and packing.
B.
Thank you for your 3………… of 5th July for your “Finesse" 4………… of dining room furniture. We find your
5……………. satisfactory and would like to order the 6……………. .
10 "Finesse" dining tables at £280 per item
40 "Finesse" dining chairs at £60 per item
We 7……… that you can supply these items within 30 days and we 8………. not to 9……….. after this time.
We should be obliged if you would 10………..receipt of this order.
C.
We thank you for your order of 11th May for 2 Easifix Yew Planners.
This 11………. has proved so popular that we 12………….to inform you that it is temporarily out of 13…………..
We hope to be able to 14…………. supplies within the next ten days.
We apologise for 15…………..this may cause.
D.
Thank you for your order of 12th July for 10 “Finesse” dining, tables end 60 "Finesse" dining chairs.
As we are in a position to 16………….. you with the above items from 17…………. we have arranged for them
to be delivered to you early next week.

Practice 11: Letters - Delayed orders

Below you will see parts of three letters concerned with a delay in fulfilling an order. Put the correct word
or phrase in each blank. Choose from the following list. Use each item once only.
apologise for, deter, mislaid, refund, dealing, further delay, obliged, regret the delay, deducted, issue,
passed, reply, dispatching, matter, promised delivery, set

Letter A:
On 8th October we sent you an order for a 1_________ of five computer programs which you had
advertised in the October 2__________ of “Computer World”.
Although your advertisement 3 __________ within 28 days, 6 weeks have now 4__________ and we have
still not received the programs. You must have received our order as the £70 we paid by cheque have been
5 _________from our bank account.
Would you please look into this 6 __________ for us and send our order without 7__________.
Letter B:
Two weeks ago we sent you a letter enquiring about our order of 8th October for five computer programs
which had not arrived.
We have received no 8 _________ to our letter and the programs have still not been delivered. We must
ask you, therefore, either to send the order immediately or to 9__________ our payment of £70.
We hope we shall not be _________ to take this matter any further.
Letter C:
Thank you for your letter of November 23rd. We 11________ in 12_________ your order for the five
computer programs.
Unfortunately, we had problems with our new computerised system for 13 ________ with orders and, as a
result, your order was 14 __________.
We have enclosed the five programs you ordered together with an extra disk which we hope will go some
way to making up for the delay.
Once again, we 15________ the inconvenience. We hope that it will not 16_________ you from doing
business with us in the future.
44
Practice 12: Letters – Sales
Below you will see extracts from three sales letters. Put the correct word or phrase in each blank. Choose
from the following list. Use each item once only.
colleagues featured complimentary copy recent publications
confident needs extensively trialled representatives
convenience recommend favourable response specially selected
eligible suitable further information subscription form
experience value highly popular terms of payment
A.
We have pleasure in enclosing a 1. . . . . . . . . . . . of one of our most 2. . . . . . . . . . . .,'Build Your Business
Vocabulary'.
You will note that the book has a similar format to our 3. . . . . . . . . . . . series, 'Build Your Vocabulary', but
concentrates on vocabulary useful to anyone who needs English in a business situation.
The exercises have been 4. . . . . . . . . . . . and have met with a 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . from both learners and
teachers. The book is 6. . . . . . . . . . . . for use in the classroom or by a learner of English working alone.
We feel sure that you will want to 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . this book to your colleagues
and students.
B.
We are a company with over 30 years 8. . . . . . . . . . . . in selling office equipment.
We have recently brought out a new range of equipment and furniture designed to meet the 9. . . . . . . . . . .
. of today's electronic office.
The new range is 10. . . . . . . . . . . . in our latest brochure which I have enclosed together with details of our
generous 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . If you require any 12. . . . . . . . . . . . ., simply telephone me and I will arrange
for one of our 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . to call on you.
C.
You have been 14. . . . . . . . . . . . by my company to receive a free copy of our latest publication 'Business
Dealings'.
We cannot of course send a free copy to everyone but we have chosen you because we 15. . . . . . . . . . . . your
opinion. We are 16. . . . . . . . . . . . that you will find it fascinating and want to show it to your 17. . . . . . . . . . .
'Business Dealings' is published monthly and we have enclosed a 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . for your 19. . . . . . . . . . . .
. Subscribe within the next three weeks and you will be 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . for a discount of twenty per cent.

Practice 13: Letters giving exhibition information

Below you will see an extract from a letter giving information about a business exhibition. Fill in each blank
by using a word or phrase from the list below. Use each item once only.
Emphasis, enclosed map, company details, complimentary tickets, enter, great pleasure, comprehensive
range, conveniently situated, field, look forward, ideal opportunity, in-depth discussion, speakers, up to
date, new feature, series of lectures
We have 1…………….. in enclosing two 2…………….. for this year's Business Scene Exhibition.
As your business grows, it t important to keep 3………….. with the latest developments. With over 400
exhibitors this year, the Exhibition is bigger and better than ever. This is the 4……….. to see a 5………… the
latest products, services and publications.
A 6…………. of the Exhibition this year is a 7…………………on international trade and Investment. Distinguished
8…………….... from around tine world will give their views on the changes taking place. Special 9…………... will
be given to the ever-increasing role of the new technologies, especially in the 10………………… of
international communications.
At the end of each lecture there will be opportunities for 11………………….of the issues raised.
As you will see from the 12………..., the Exhibition takes place at a venue 13…………….. only a few minutes'
walk from the station.
The Exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 1st , 2nd and 3rd May.
Simply 14………………… your names and 15…………….. on the badges provided and bring your tickets to the
business show of the year!
We 16…………. to seeing you there.
45
Practice 14: Letter from chairman
Complete the extract from a chairman's Letter to shareholders with verbs from the list:
Increased, added, implemented, issued, marked, named, remained, strengthened
This past year has been .............. 1 by many achievements that, as a result of the hard work and
dedication of our employees, led us to become a truly multi-dimensional company with expanded products
and services that provide new opportunities for continued growth.
Here are some details of our achievements:
Strategic acquisitions
We completed two strategic acquisitions that have significantly ……………..2 to our revenue opportunities.
We broadened our product offering.
Financial and operating performance
We……………….3 both operating profit and net income.
We ……………….4 our balance sheet.
We…………………..5 profitable while absorbing acquisition and integration costs.
Corporate communication and visibility
We ………………….6 a large number of press releases to provide key news on our progress.
We……………………..7 a more proactive investor communications strategy.
We were ………………………8 by Aubert & Stein as one of the 10 fastest growing technology companies in
the region.

Practice 15: Letters - Booking a hotel room

Below you will see parts of two letters concerned with booking hotel rooms for a company. Put the correct
word or phrase in each blank. Choose from the following list. Use each item once only.
available meet reasonable rates suitable
brochure pleasure require training sessions
full board provide requirements urge
hesitate quotation single without delay
A.
We intend to hold 1. . . . . . . . . . . . for our sales representatives at the end of May next year and are looking
for a hotel which provides 2. . . . . . . . . . . . facilities.
Our 3. . . . . . . . . . . . are as follows:
1 room for lectures capable of seating approximately 50 people
5 smaller rooms for seminars capable of seating 10-12 people
50-60 4. . . . . . . . . . . . rooms with bath
If you can 5. . . . . . . . . . . . these facilities, we would be pleased to receive your 6. . . . . . . . . . . . for 3 nights 7.
. . . . . . . . . . . starting with dinner on Tuesday and finishing with lunch on Friday.
We look forward to hearing from you.
B.
Thank you for your letter of 6 September, inquiring about our conference facilities.
I have enclosed our 8. . . . . . . . . . . . and price list.
As you will see, we should be able to 9. . . . . . . . . . . . your requirements at what we consider to be very 10. .
.......... .
At the moment our rooms are still 11. . . . . . . . . . . . for the end of May, but I would 12. . . . . . . . . . . . you to
make your reservation 13. . . . . . . . . . . . as this is a popular time of the year with many companies.
If you 14. . . . . . . . . . . . any further information, please do not 15. . . . . . . . . . . . to contact me.
I hope that we shall have the 16. . . . . . . . . . . . of welcoming you to our hotel.

Practice 16: Use the following words to complete the sentences from letters below.
delighted, inconvenience, afraid, insist, enclosed, attention, enquiry, regret , contact , grateful
We are ................................... to hear that the conference was successful.
Please find the ....................................... euro prices as requested.
I would be very ........................................ if you could contact me as soon as possible.

46
I am .................................................. the items you requested are temporarily out of stock.
We apologise for any ............................................... this may have caused.
Please mark the package for the ........................................... Jenny Fields.
We ............................................. to inform you that the vacancy has already been filled.
Please do not hesitate to ............................................ us if you have any further enquiries.
Thank you for your ................................................. of 10 September.
We ............................................ that you deal with this very urgent matter at once.

Practice 17:
A Put the sentences in this letter in the correct order.
Sigma
Office Solutions
21 Cranbrook Crescent
London EC2 SPE
17 May
Ms Elida Lonza
Purchasing Manager
Display Graphics International
Water Lane
Macclesfield, Cheshire
SK10 6YH

a) Dear Ms Lonza,
b) However, if you have already settled the invoice in the meantime, please disregard this reminder.
c In view of our good business relationship so far, we are disappointed in this delay as well as in not
receiving an explanation of why you have not cleared the balance.
d) Please find enclosed a copy of the invoice, together with a copy of our first reminder.
e) We also have to bring to your attention the fact that our first reminder, which we sent on 7 May,
has remained unanswered.
f) We are writing concerning invoice No. P5K/200 for £1,250, which should have been settled a
month ago.
g) We look forward to your payment.
h) We must now insist that you settle the account by 30 May at the latest.
Yours sincerely,
Ron Blackwell
Accountant
B Write a reply to the letter in the previous exercise. In your reply, make sure you:
• apologise for the delay
• provide an explanation for the delay
• give details of what you have done or intend to do
• give Sigma Office Solutions reassurances that such delays will not happen again.
DISPLA GRAPHICS
INTERNATIONAL
Water Lane . Macclesfield . Cheshire . SK I0 6YH

Sigma Office Solutions

FAQ Mr Ron Blackwell
21 Cranbrook Crescent
London ECG 5PE
19 May
Dear Mr Blackwell,

With reference …

47
Practice 18
1 Complete the letter using the words or phrases from the box below:
According to, and that, as, as a consequence, but also, however, not only, since, which, with whom

48
2 The underlined words and phrases in the letter are formal expressions. Match them with the following,
more informal meanings.
1 able
2 am very sorry
3 awkward problem
4 good for both of us
5 more
6 pay what you owe to
7 promised
8 quick
9 said
10 soon
11 unpaid
12 waiting for
3 Writing: Work in pairs.
a Study Astrid' s letter above again. In which paragraph does she:
1 state the reason for writing?
2 refer to a previous phone call?
3 outline Rajiv's excuses and promises?
4 explain how Rajiv has broken his promises?
5 explain the consequences for Prudhomme Ltd?
6 explain the consequences for Rajiv's company?
7 express the wish to continue working with Rajiv's company?
b Study the following writing task. Discuss which of the points in Exercise a you could make in this letter
and what details you will have to invent.
You work for a company which produces ready-prepared food for restaurants. On several occasions
recently, one of your main customers has been late in settling their account. This has caused your company
cashflow and other problems. Write a letter to the customer:
• complaining about the late payment
• explaining the consequences for your business
• saying what you will do if payment is not made.
c Make a brief plan for the letter in note form.
d Work alone and write the letter.

Practice 19
Making complaints
1 Jonathan Webb, Marketing Director of Executive Golfing Ltd, placed an order for an advertisement with
an agency. On 15 May he stated the following requirements to Rachel Levy at RL Media:
• Publication: Ambition magazine
• Last date for submission of text: 10 June
• Issue date: 27 June
• Position: as specified - no alternative position accepted
• Payment: on last day of month following publication
• Advertisement to be approved before publication
It is now 5 July. Jonathan Webb has just received a copy of the latest issue of Ambition magazine with the
advertisement in it. He has noticed that the advertisement did not appear as requested. Read the letter
that he sends to Rachel Levy, pointing out the mistakes and refusing to pay the agreed price. Choose the
appropriate expression for each space.

49
2 Reorder the following, so that they show the usual structure of a letter of complaint.
- Explain what went wrong or why you were dissatisfied.
- End with an appropriate comment.
- Mention the inconvenience caused.
- Begin by regretting the need to complain.
- Suggest how the matter can be put right or what your solution to the problem is.
Now look at Jonathan Webb's letter and check how he organises his ideas.
3 Study the expressions in the Useful language box, then choose one of the situations below and write a
letter of complaint.
Useful language
Opening the letter Explaining why you are dissatisfied
I am writing to complain about ... There seems to have been an error.
I am sorry to tell you that ... There appears to be a mistake / a misunderstanding.
I am writing with reference to ... Requesting action
I would be glad if you would look into the matter.
Suggesting action
The best solution would be to ...
I'd like to suggest that ...
50
a You recently saw a television commercial promoting a new computer game, Death Mission 2. It featured
scenes of extreme and graphic violence. It was shown at 6 o'clock in the evening and was aimed at children.
You think the game is unsuitable for children because it makes violence look attractive. Write to the
television company explaining why the commercial should not be shown.
b Write your own letter of complaint, for example, about a poor product or unsatisfactory service that you
have experienced.

Practice 20
Letter of invitation
Useful Language
Inviting Refusing an invitation
I would like to invite you to give a talk at our I am sorry to say that I can't accept your
annual dinner. invitation.
attend our conference. Unfortunately I have to be in Boston at that time.
visit our factory. Closing
Thanking and accepting I look forward to seeing you on 9 December.
Thank you for the invitation to attend your I'm sure it will be a very enjoyable day.
conference. I am very pleased to accept your Could you please confirm the arrangements by
invitation. The date you suggest is fine. fax / phone / e-mail.
1 When they were in New York, Don McGill and his wife jenny were entertained by Ingrid Driessen and
shown round the city. When Don returned to Australia, he e-mailed Ingrid to thank her for her hospitality.
Underline the words and phrases which he uses
a) to express his thanks and
b) to show that he and his wife really enjoyed the visit.

Practice 21
Replying to letters of complaint
1 Silvina Pietragalli recently flew home to Argentina. She had a very unpleasant flight and she wrote to
Alpha Airlines to complain about it.
These are the points she mentioned in her letter:
• a group of young people were behaving badly
• they were drinking alcohol and being very noisy
• they were moving around the plane disturbing other passengers

51
• passengers were unable to relax or sleep
• the cabin crew were unable to deal with the situation
• the situation not only unpleasant but dangerous
• Ms Pietragalli is unlikely to fly with Alpha Airlines again
The following reply was sent to Ms Pietragalli by Alpha's Customer Relations Manager. Complete the
letter with suitable words or phrases from the box.
Compensate, concerned, the difficulties you encountered, in the future, inconvenience, looked into, once
again, sincere apologies, to my attention, to offer you, unfortunately

2 Put the following points in order to show how Lisa Kaplan's letter is organised.
- describe what action has been taken
- offer some kind of compensation
- apologise
- refer to the letter received
- show understanding and sympathy
- apologise again
3 Write a suitable letter to deal with one of these situations. Invent an address for the people and
companies concerned. Use some of the expressions from the Useful language box.
52
a A customer complains that a machine made by your company has broken down several times.
b An official of a national Health Authority is angry because deliveries of drugs from your company arrived a
month late. The drugs were needed urgently.
c A company buyer refuses to accept a shipment of personalised pens sent by your company because the
company's name has been misspelt on each pen.
d An accounts manager writes to you about errors in a sales invoice you sent to them concerning the sale of
20 tables and chairs. They were billed for $40,800. The correct amount is $4,800.
Useful language
Showing understanding and sympathy Offering compensation
I am very sorry to hear that ... To compensate you for the inconvenience, we would
I am sorry that you were dissatisfied with ... like to offer you ...
Apologising Ending the letter
I would like to apologise for the inconvenience you Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.
suffered. Once again, my apologies for the inconvenience
the problems you experienced. caused.
Please accept our sincere apologies. We very much regret the embarrassment / annoyance
Indicating action you experienced.
I have looked into the matter. I very much hope that you will continue to use our
I have checked with the staff involved. company in the future.

Practice 22
1 Replying to Letters of enquiry
Complete the letter with the following phrases
Could you also provide, on behalf of, place a substantial order, please, the quality of your products

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2 The following letter is the reply which Collin Davis writes to Pedro Jiminez. There are a number of
mistakes in it- sometimes incorrect spelling, sometimes grammatical or usage mistakes. Find the mistakes
and write the correct word in the space on the right.

Practice 23
Replying to an order
Look at the Useful language in the box. Then read the letter and write a suitable reply using the guidelines
which follow it.

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Useful language
Beginning the letter
Thank you for your order of (date).
Prices
We can quote you a price of 150 Euros per unit CIF /
FOB I CF Hamburg.
Delivery
We can deliver by 5 June.
We can deliver within one month.
We can guarantee delivery within one week of receipt
of your order.
We can ship as soon as we receive your order.

Discounts
We can offer a discount of 5% on orders over £1,000.
Payment
We require payment by bank transfer.
We would like payment by letter of credit at sight / 30
days / 6o days.
We wish to be paid by bill of exchange.
Ending the letter
We hope you find our quotation satisfactory and look
forward to receiving your order.
Thank you once again for your enquiry.
If you need any further information, please contact us.

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Guidelines
1 Acknowledge the letter.
2 Thank them for their order.
3 Agree to the normal 10% discount.
4 Advise that design JC1 is out of stock because of great demand and will not be in stock until after
Christmas.
5 Offer a close substitute, JC9, which is a similar design although a different colour, with 5%
additional discount on that line.
6 Remind them that payment must be made in US dollars.
7 End on an optimistic note.

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YAHIAOUI©, Sorbonne Nouvelle.
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