Formal Writing at

Intermediate Level
PHRASE BANK
 PHRASE BANK

PHRASE BANK

salutation

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith

Dear Dora
Dear Sir/Madam
Dear participants,
Dear all,
To whom it may concern:
Hi Russell (informal)
Tom, (informal)

address format

John Smith
ABC Associates
76 Lincoln Road
Springfield, IL 62701

place and date format

Budapest, 10th August 2018

Budapest, 10 August 2018
Bratislava, August 10th 2018

beginning

Thank you for your email of…

Further to our phone conversation…
With reference to you letter of…
Thanks for your email of 5th May regarding… (informal)
Re your email, (informal)

reason for writing

I am writing in connection with…

In reply to your email…
I am writing with regard to…
I am writing to notify you that…
I am writing to inform you about…
I’m writing about… (informal)

conclusion

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information/assistance.
Should you need any further information about …, do not hesitate to contact us.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
If I can be of further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me.
I look forward to your advice on this matter.
If you have any questions or require any documentation, please contact me on… (phone
number).
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closing/ending

I am looking forward to hearing from/seeing you.

Best wishes
Best regards
Regards
Give my regards to…
All the best
See you soon (informal)
Yours sincerely (if you know the name of the person)
Yours faithfully (if you do not know the name of the person)

making a request

I would be grateful if you could…

I wonder if you could…
Do you think you could…
I was wondering if you could…
I would appreciate it if you could…
Would you be able to…?
Can/Could you…?
I request that you…

promising action

I will investigate/look into the matter.

I will contact you again shortly.
I will get back to you as soon as possible on the issue.
I will contact you in the next couple of days.

enclosure/attachment

Please find a copy of … attached/enclosed.

I am sending you … as a Word document/pdf file.
Please find attached my report.
I have attached some information/a list/a brochure about…
Attached you will find a copy of…

apology

I would like to apologize for the delay.

I apologize for not replying sooner.
Sorry, I forgot to send the attachment.

giving information/news

I am writing to inform you about…

We are able to confirm that…
I am delighted to inform you that…
We regret to inform you that…
We regret to advise you that…
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requesting information

I would like to enquire about…

Could you give me some information about…?
I would appreciate it if you could provide me with some information about…

offer

Would you like me to…?

Let me know if you would like me to…
Shall I…? (informal)
If you need anything, let me know. I’m more than happy to help.

asking for suggestions

What do you think we should do?

How do you think we should handle the issue?
What do you suggest we do?

making suggestions

Why don’t we…?

How about…?
Perhaps we should…
Perhaps you could…
I suggest you…(+infinitive V)
Don’t you think we should…?
What about if we…?

reminder

We note that you have not…

We note from our records that…
We kindly remind you that…
We would like to remind you that…

making an appointment

I am writing to make an appointment…

What time would be convenient for you?
I am writing to arrange a meeting.
Would you be able to make next Friday?
How about Thursday the 20th?
I am afraid I cannot make next Wednesday.
Are you free sometime next week?
Would Monday suit you?
I think Wednesday sounds great.
What about Tuesday instead?
I am writing to confirm our appointment on 1st August.
I will email you tomorrow to confirm the details.
Monday is fine. (informal)
Sorry, I have already made an arrangement for that day.
I am afraid I will not be able to attend the meeting next Monday
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Shall we say 10 am?

I’m afraid I’m tied up/busy all day on Thursday. (informal)
I’ll get back to you later to confirm it.
I look forward to seeing you then.

cancelling a meeting

I am writing to inform you that today’s meeting has been cancelled.

I wonder if we could move it to…?
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

invitation

On behalf of… it is my pleasure to extend the invitation to…

We would like to invite you to attend our event…
I am writing to invite you to…
On behalf of … I would like to invite you to…
On behalf of our management we take immense pleasure in inviting your to attend…
The event/meeting will be held at 9am on 13th October.
As one of our esteemed business partners, it would be an honor to have your presence on this
occasion.
I hope that you will be able to confirm your attendance to this invitation.
We look forward to your presence at this celebration.
Please confirm your presence at the event by 3rd September.

turning down an invitation

Thank you for the kind invitation, however, unfortunately, I have another appointment at the
time.
I would love to be there, but unfortunately, something urgent has come up.
Sorry again I can’t come. Have a great time! (informal)

accepting an invitation

Thank you for the kind invitation. I would love to attend.

I would be delighted to attend the event. I am sure it will be very useful.

reporting

As requested at… meeting, here is my report.

The report aims to examine…
I have divided the report into four sections.
The findings show that…
As you can see in section 3,…
The survey found that…
The graph shows that…
Based on the findings, I would like to suggest that…
It is predicted that…
In order to…
For the reasons given above, it is recommended that…
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
 PHRASE BANK

making a complaint

I am writing to complain about the quality of a product I ordered from your website.
I am writing to express my strong dissatisfaction with a product I purchased at your store on 5th
July.
I am writing in connection with my order PS456 which I received this morning.
I am writing in connection with attitude of a member of your staff.
I am writing to draw your attention to a problem in your customer service department.
I am writing to complain about the poor service at your restaurant.
The leaflets have arrived, but I am afraid we only received 50 instead of 500.

requesting action

I would like an immediate replacement/full refund.

I insist on a full refund, otherwise I will be forced to take the matter further.
Unless…, I will have no choice but to…
I would like you to investigate /look into the matter as soon as possible.
I hope you will deal with this matter promptly as it has caused me great inconvenience.
I would appreciate it if you could look into this matter as soon as possible.

diplomatic language

To be honest
Perhaps we should
Could you possibly…
Actually,
Unfortunately, I’m unable to…
I’m afraid there seems to/might be a…
Wouldn’t it be a better idea to
I’m not sure it’s a good idea.
It sounds like a good idea, but I do not think it would work in practice.
Would you like me to
That might be an issue, I’m afraid.
Do you mind if I…?
a slight delay
a few small problems
not very high/good
a bit low
quite high
that won’t give us much time
quite late

saying thank you

I really/greatly appreciate your help…

Thank you for your assistance…
Thank you very much for the wonderful present.
Thank you again for the opportunity.
I greatly appreciate your…
Your assistance has been invaluable to me.
Thanks again for the brilliant surprise, and give my regards to the whole team.
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Thank you for your cooperation.

responding to news

I was delighted to hear…

Congratulations on your promotion.
Well done!
I was sorry to hear about…
I was really sorry to hear that…
Get better soon.
I wish you a speedy recovery.
If there is anything I can do, let me know.

job application

With reference to your advertisement on (website)/in (newspaper), I would like to apply for…
I am writing to express my interest in applying for the … position.
I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company.
I have attached my CV as…
Please find my CV attached as a … document.
I am sure that my experience and skill set wold make me a great candidate for this position.
Please give me a call to schedule an interview at your convenience.
I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this application.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
I am very pleased to accept the position of…

linking words

however
furthermore
actually
apparently
for instance
as a result
obviously
in fact
in addition
as a consequence
moreover
on the one hand
on the other hand
regarding
in general
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VOCABULARY

adjourn a meeting - to temporarily end something such as a meeting or a trial

affect - to change or influence something.

agree to do sg - to say that you will do something that someone else wants or suggests

allocate - to officially give something to someone, or to decide that something can be used for
a specific purpose

announce - to make a public or official statement, especially about a plan, decision, or something that
has happened

apologize for sg - to tell someone that you are sorry for doing something wrong or
for causing a problem

apparently – it seems that

apply for - to make an official request for a job or a place in a college or university

appoint - to choose someone to do a particular job or have a particular position

appreciate - to be grateful for something

approx.. – about, approximately

as a consequence - used for saying that one thing is the result of another

ASAP – as soon as possible

ask – enquire

ask for – request

assertive - behaving in a confident way in which you are quick to express your opinions and feelings

assistance – help

asylum - the right to stay in a country, given by a government to protect someone who
has escaped from war or political trouble in their own country

attachment - a computer file that you send with an email

attention to detail - accuracy when completing a task

attitude – manner

avoid - to try not to go near someone or something

because of – due to

body - the main part of a book or document, not including the introduction, notes,
or appendices (=parts added at the end)

book – reserve

bossy - someone who is bossy keeps telling other people what to do, in a way that annoys them
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BTW – By the way

bulletin – a regular newsletter or report issued by an organization

cancel a meeting - to say that a meeting that has been arranged will not now happen

capitalize - to write something using capital letters

CEO – Chief Executive Officer, the most senior manager in a company who has more authority than
anyone else and is responsible for its success

concerning - about a particular subject

conclude - to decide that something is true after looking at all the evidence you have

consideration - careful thought before making a decision or judgment about something

contract – a written or spoken agreement concerning employment, sales, or other issues intended to
be enforceable by law

correspondence - the process of writing and receiving letters

CV - curriculum vitae: a document giving details of your qualifications and the jobs you have had in
the past that you send to someone when you are applying for a job. The American word is résumé

deliver – take something to a place

deny - to say that something is not true or does not exist

destroy - to damage something so severely that it no longer exists or can never return to
its normal state

dissatisfaction – discontent

distribute –to share something with others

divide into - to separate something into smaller parts

double park - to park your car parallel to another car that is already parked at the side of the road

e.g. – for example

emphasize - to give particular importance or attention to something

enclose - to send something such as a document with a letter. If you send a document with
an email message, you attach it

entitled to – eligible for

entrepreneur - someone who uses money to start businesses and make business deals

establish - to start an organization or company

esteemed - admired and respected

experience - knowledge and skill that is gained through time spent doing a job or activity
(uncountable)

expertise - special skill or knowledge that you get from experience, training, or study
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explain - to give a reason for something that happens, especially when this is not easy to understand

express an interest – to show that you are interested in something

figures – an official number, calculations that you do using numbers

form - an official document that has spaces where you can put in information

fortunately – luckily

furious – very angry

FYI – For your information

get – receive

get in touch with – contact

give – provide

grant - to allow someone to have or do what they want

headquarters - the place where a company or organization has its main offices: can be followed by
a singular or plural verb

hierarchy - a series of things arranged according to their importance

hinder - to stop someone or something from making progress

i.e. – in other words

ID number - Unique identification number assigned to an individual or account to differentiate it from

the others.

immense – extremely large, huge

impose - to introduce something such as a new law or new system, and force people to accept it

inconvenience – discomfort

indicate - show

indicate - show

instant message – a message via the Internet that appears on the recipient’s screen as soon as it is
transmitted

instead - used for saying that one person, thing, or action replaces another

invest time - to put one's time into a project

job advert - an announcement in a newspaper, on the internet, etc. about a job that people can apply
for

lead to - to begin a process that causes something to happen

look forward to - to feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen

make a complaint – to say that you are not satisfied with something in a
written or spoken statement in which someone
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make a request – ask somebody to do something for you

make a suggestion - offer an idea or plan for someone to consider

make an appointment – to make an arrangement to see someone at a particular time, especially for
a business meeting or to get a professional service

matter – issue

meet a deadline – to finish something by a specific time or date that you agreed on

memo – memorandum, a usually brief communication written for interoffice circulation

merge - if two organizations merge, or if you merge them, they combine to form
one bigger organization

minutes – a summarized record of the proceedings at a meeting

more – further

new business - issues that have not been previously discussed or acted upon

news release – an official statement that gives information to newspapers, magazines, television news
programs, and radio stations

notice – a written or printed announcement

notify - to inform someone officially about something

obviously - in a way that is clear for almost anyone to see or understand

offer - to let someone know that you are willing to do something for them

old business - anything previously discussed in a business meeting

overbearing – an
overbearing person always tries to control other people’s behaviourand ignores their opinions and feel
ings

owing to – because of

P.O. – Purchase Order

pass around – pass/hand over to other people

pay a fine - a punishment in which a person is ordered to pay a sum of money because they have done
something illegal or broken a rule

point out – indicate

pressure - a worried feeling that you get when you have to deal with
a difficult or complicated situation

prevalent - very common in a particular place or among a particular group

pristine condition– in a very clean, tidy, or new form

promise - to tell someone that you will definitely do something

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proof-reading - to read something written or printed and mark any mistakes so that they can
be corrected

provide assistance – give help

PS – postscript

purchase – buy

purpose – aim, goal

put somebody at (their) ease - to make someone who is nervous feel more relaxed

qualifications - something such as a degree or a diploma that you get when

you successfully finish a course of study

questionnaire - a set of questions that a lot of people are asked as a way of getting information about
what people think or do generally

reach an agreement - to come to an agreement with someone

receipt - a document that you get from someone showing that you have given them money or goods

receive compensation - get money because something bad has happened to you

recipient – someone who gets a letter or an email

recommend - to advise someone that they should do something

record - information kept about something that has happened

reference – a statement from someone who knows you or has worked with you that gives information
about you. You often need to provide a reference when you apply for a new job.

refund – compensation

regret - to feel sorry or sad that something has happened

reject - to disagree with an idea, argument, or suggestion

replace – change

report – an account of a particular matter, especially in the form of an official document, after a
thorough investigation or consideration by an appointed person or body

result in - to cause something, or to produce something

résumé - a document used by a person to present their backgrounds and skills

RSVP – Please respond

rude – impolite

salutation - a word or phrase that is used for saying hello to someone

schedule an interview - to plan an interview

sender – someone who sends a letter or email

senior - with a high rank or position

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sign-in sheet - an official list to write your name on when you arrive at a place

since - used when explaining why someone does something or why a situation exists

skill set - the combination of different skills that someone has and can use in a particular job

slight - small

stapler - a small object used for fastening pieces of paper with a staple

subject line - the place in an email where you can type what the email is about

suggest - to offer an idea or a plan for someone to consider

summary - a short account of something that gives only the most important information and not all
the details

table - to formally suggest that a particular subject is discussed

tell – inform

THX – Thanks

treatment – handling

unscramble - to change a signal or message that has been sent in code into a form that you
can understand

urgently – promptly

vast majority –most of the people or things in a group

verify - to check or say that something is true or correct