LESSON 4: Business Writing

Useful phrases

Emails and letters

Starting
Dear Sir or Madam
Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss Brown
Hi
Hello

Ending
Yours faithfully (after Dear Sir or Madam)
Yours sincerely (after Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss)
Best regards / Kind regards
All the best
Bye for now

Giving reason for writing

I am writing with regard to / about …
I’m writing to request / inform / enquire / complain about / apply for …
Just a quick email to ask …
I’m writing on behalf of …

Referring to previous contact Further to our previous meeting …

With reference to your letter dated 15/6/13 …
Following your letter …
About your email …

Sending an attachment or enclosure

I am attaching / enclosing …
Please find attached / enclosed …
As you will see from the attachment / enclosure … Here is …

Offering more information or help

Please feel free to contact me if you would like any further information.
Email me / Give me a call if you want any more information.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further assistance.

Referring to future contact

I look forward to hearing from you.
We look forward to working with you in the future.
See you soon.

Introducing good news

I am delighted to …
I’m happy to … / I’m pleased to …
Fortunately … / Luckily …

Introducing bad news

We regret to inform you that … Unfortunately … / Sadly …

I’m afraid (that) … / I’m sorry, but … / I regret that …

Requesting
I’d be grateful if you would send …
Could you possibly send …?
Can you send …?
Please send …

Thanking
I would like to thank you for …
I appreciate your assistance with this.

I’m grateful for …

thank you for … / thanks for …

Apologising

My apologies. / Sorry. / I’m sorry that … Please accept my apology / I sincerely regret …

Inviting / accepting / declining

Would you like to … ? / Do you want to … ? That would be great. / I’d love to. / That sounds
great.
I’m sorry, but I’m busy. / I’m afraid I can’t.

Arranging
Can you meet at (time) on (day)?
What day suits you?
Tuesday would suit me.
Tuesday is good for me.
Look forward to seeing you there.
See you next week.

Checking and clarifying

I’m writing to check / confirm that … I don’t understand what you mean …
Do you mean … ? / Are you saying that … ?

Reports and memos

Introducing
The purpose of this report is to …
This report compares …
Here is a report on …

Structure and signposting

The report is divided into three sections.
Here are my findings.
This diagram shows …
Please refer to table 3.1.
As this chart shows …
The following points should be noted.

Comparing
It’s similar to …
It’s different to …
It’s better than …

On the one hand … but on the other … X is … However, Y is …

the top / leading / highest / major / most important

Reporting what was said

Mr X said / asked / claimed / explained / pointed out / reported / suggested / told …
It was agreed / announced / concluded / decided / proposed / requested that …
The chairperson summed the meeting up …

Linking words

Addition: in addition / also / furthermore / as well as / on top of / moreover

Conditions: provided that / as long as / so long as / on condition that / in case
Contrast: however / in contrast / in spite of / although / even though
Give reasons: because / in order to / so that / so as to
Result and consequence: as a result / due to / so / owing to / consequently
Sequencing: firstly / secondly / next / then / finally

Reporting figures and trends

approximately / about / nearly / just over / just under

increase / go up / rise / grow / climb / jump / rocket decrease / go down / fall / slump
level out / remain steady / peak / reach a high slightly / steadily / sharply / significantly / suddenly

Reporting and summarising results

every / all / each

many / a lot of / a large amount several / a reasonable amount
not many / not a lot of / a few / a small amount none / not any / neither … nor

Concluding and recommending

in conclusion … / to sum up …
it can be concluded that / it was found that … overall … / in general
it is recommended that … / it is worth noting that …
I’d suggest / recommend
we should …

Business Letters English lesson

What will I learn from the English lesson business English lesson?

During this lesson you will learn on business letters and what other kinds of business correspondence
you can use.

What are business letters?

Business letters are written standard paper that allows you to communicate between, people or from
businesses. To send a business letter you usually send using the post box, Post Office or sometimes
by courier. Business letters are considered to be "snail-mail" which means very slow compared to
email which is faster almost instant letter.

Types of business letters

 memo
 fax
 email

Who writes Business Letters?

Almost all people will have at sometime written an a business letter even without knowing it. Some
people in business have to write many letters each day while others only have to write a few letters
over the whole if there career. Business people will have to read many letters every working day.
Letters are written by a person or group are known as the sender to a person or group, which in
business are known as the recipient.
Examples of senders and recipients:
 Business to business
 A business to a consumer
 A person sending a job applicant «» company
  Citizen to a government official
 employer to another employee
 staff member to another staff member

Why write Business Letters?

There are a lot of reasons that you might have to write business letters or for another
correspondence.
 to persuade someone
 to inform someone or a group
 to request something from someone or a group
 to express thanks to someone or a group
 to remind someone or a group
 to recommend something
 to apologize to someone or a group
 to congratulate someone or a group
 to reject a proposal or offer from someone or a group
 to introduce a new person or new policy to someone or a group
 to invite or welcome someone or a group
 to follow up from an enquery or request
 to formalize decisions to someone or a group
CV - curriculum vitae resume English lesson

How to write a CV and resume

During this lesson you will learn how to write your own CV and resume. The last part of the lesson is
an example CV – resume to help you create your own.

What does CV mean?

CV is shortened from curriculum vitae.
What is the difference from a CV and a resume?

Nothing, resume is American English (AmE)

Writing a CV (curriculum vitae) step by step

Objective
When you apply for a job give a brief description of the job you are applying for or the sort of jobs you
are going to be applying for.
Experience
In this part list all the experience that you have since leaving school to present. I if you have just left
school list part time jobs or any experience that is relevant to the job you are applying for
Education
List your schools, colleges and universities that you have attended.
Interest
If you have any interest or hobbies list them. Don't list things such as going out with friends or going to
parties. Going to the gym, cycling running ext. Show that you are keen on keeping fit.

Sample Resume / CV

Steven Gerard

Seeking an International School position in English where my extensive teaching experience

Objective
can be used to the full
Experience 1999-present Ribblesdale High School Manchester, UK

English Teacher

 Increased grades to an average of 76%.

 Introduced online learning to help students learn at home as well.

 Increased the grade results from 59% to 64%.

Teaching assistant

 Helped prepare lessons plans with the teacher.

 Helped students prepare for the end of year exams.

 Developed 'E-learning website' training course.

Education 1992-96 Lancaster University Lancaster, UK

 Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE)

 Captain of University football Club

1988-92 St Peter's high School Blackburn, UK

 3 GCE 'A' Levels

 President of English club

Interests Football, rugby, drama, computers

27 Richmond Terrace, Blackburn, Lancashire, UK

Tel: +44 121 333 456
Email: learningEnglish@easypacelearning.com

Example of a CV
The example also shows selected experience and awards, both these are optional and can be added
if you feel they will help you with the job you are applying for.
Please be aware CV and resumes can be very different, but try to keep to one page and don't add
anything that doesn't need to be added.

CV's with many pages can be over looked try and keep your CV - resume to one page two if needed
Content and Style
A business letter is more formal than a personal letter. It should have a margin of at least one inch on
all four edges. It is always written on 8½"x11" (or metric equivalent) unlined stationery. There are six
parts to a business letter:

1. The Heading. This contains the return address (usually two or three lines) with the date on the last
line.
Sometimes it may be necessary to include a line after the address and before the date for a phone
number, fax number, E-mail address, or something similar.
Often a line is skipped between the address and date. That should always be done if the heading is
next to the left margin.
It is not necessary to type the return address if you are using stationery with the return address
already imprinted. Always include the date.

2. The Inside Address. This is the address you are sending your letter to. Make it as complete as
possible. Include titles and names if you know them.
This is always on the left margin. If an 8½" x 11" paper is folded in thirds to fit in a standard 9"
business envelope, the inside address can appear through the window in the envelope.
An inside address also helps the recipient route the letter properly and can help should the envelope
be damaged and the address become unreadable.
Skip a line after the heading before the inside address. Skip another line after the inside address
before the greeting.

3. The Greeting. Also called the salutation. The greeting in a business letter is always formal. It
normally begins with the word "Dear" and always includes the person's last name.
It normally has a title. Use a first name only if the title is unclear--for example, you are writing to
someone named "Leslie," but do not know whether the person is male or female. For more on the
form of titles, see Titles with Names.
The greeting in a business letter always ends in a colon. (You know you are in trouble if you get a
letter from a boyfriend or girlfriend and the greeting ends in a colon--it is not going to be friendly.)

4. The Body. The body is written as text. A business letter is never hand written. Depending on the
letter style you choose, paragraphs may be indented. Regardless of format, skip a line between
paragraphs.
Skip a line between the greeting and the body. Skip a line between the body and the close.

5. The Complimentary Close. This short, polite closing ends with a comma. It is either at the left
margin or its left edge is in the center, depending on the Business Letter Style that you use. It begins
at the same column the heading does.
The block style is becoming more widely used because there is no indenting to bother with in the
whole letter.

6. The Signature Line. Skip two lines (unless you have unusually wide or narrow lines) and type out
the name to be signed. This customarily includes a middle initial, but does not have to. Women may
indicate how they wish to be addressed by placing Miss, Mrs., Ms. or similar title in parentheses
before their name.

The signature line may include a second line for a title, if appropriate. The term "By direction" in the
second line means that a superior is authorizing the signer.

The signature should start directly above the first letter of the signature line in the space between the
close and the signature line. Use blue or black ink.
Business letters should not contain postscripts.
Business Letter Styles
The following pictures show what a one-page business letter should look like. There are three
accepted styles. The horizontal lines represent lines of type. Click your mouse pointer on any part of
the picture for a description and example of that part.

Modified Block Style

Block Style
Semiblock Style
The example of the letter (block style):

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Contact Name
Title
Company Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Contact Person:

I'm writing to express my interest in the Web Content Specialist position listed on Monster.com. I have
experience building large, consumer-focused health-based content sites. While much of my
experience has been in the business world, I understand the social value of the non-profit sector and
my business experience will be an asset to your organization.

My responsibilities included the development and management of the site's editorial voice and style,
the editorial calendar, and the daily content programming and production of the web site. I worked
closely with health care professionals and medical editors to help them provide the best possible
information to a consumer audience of patients. In addition, I helped physicians learn to utilize their
medical content to write user-friendly, readily comprehensible text.

Experience has taught me how to build strong relationships with all departments at an organization. I
have the ability to work within a team as well as cross-team. I can work with web engineers to resolve
technical issues and implement technical enhancements, work with the development department to
implement design and functional enhancements, and monitor site statistics and conduct search
engine optimization.

Thank you for your consideration.

Signature

FirstName LastName
The expressions for cover letter salutation and closing:
Cover Letter Salutation Examples
 Dear Mr. Jones
 Dear Ms. Jones
 Dear Jane Doe
 Dear Dr. Haven
Follow the salutation with a colon or comma, a space, and then start the first paragraph of your letter.
For example:

Dear Mr. Smith:

Cover Letter Closing Examples
 Sincerely
 Sincerely yours
 Regards
 Best regards
 Kind regards
 Yours truly
 Most sincerely
 Respectfully
 Respectfully yours
 Thank you
 Thank you for your consideration

Follow the closing with a comma, a space, and then your name and your contact information, if you're
sending an email message. For example:

Best regards,
Your Name
Your LinkedIn Profile URL
Your Email Address
Your Phone Number

Inquires
An inquiry letter, also known as a prospecting letter or letter of interest, is sent to companies that may
be hiring, but, haven't advertised job openings.
Inquiry letters can be send via mail or email. However, sometimes a mailed written letter can make
more of an impression than an email message which may not be opened.
Inquiry letters should contain information on why the company interests you and why your skills and
experience would be an asset to the company. Also provide information on how you will follow-up and
your contact information
Sample Cover Letter - Inquiry Letter Asking About Possible Job Openings at a Company

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email Address
Date
Contact Name

Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Contact,

For the past ten years I have followed your career through news events, interviews and web research.
Your dedication to the Fourth Estate and your understanding of the important role journalists play in
today's fast-paced information highway, coupled with your belief in the power of the press is
exemplary.

I have had the privilege of honing my journalistic abilities on three widely different publications. When
I left college, I immediately went to work for the typical small town newspaper and learned all aspects
of getting the paper to the people in a timely manner. I then moved to regional manager for a media
corporation composed of small to mid-size newspapers in the Midwest. In my current position, I am
Chief Correspondent for one of the largest newspapers in the southwest.

I would like an opportunity to visit with you to get your insight and suggestions on where my skills and
abilities would be of the greatest value to the ABD Company, and to inquire about possible job
openings with the company.

I will call your office to set a convenient time. I do look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,
Your Name

Sample Complaint Letter to Send to a Business

REPORTING YOUR COMPLAINT TO A BUSINESS
When you are trying to resolve a complaint against a company, the first step should always be to
discuss your concerns with a representative of the business. Try to speak with the manager or owner,
and follow up by sending a certified letter confirming all the details of your conversation. Request a
return postal receipt so that you will have proof of the letter’s delivery; and keep records of all
communications between yourself and the business, including phone calls, letters, faxes or e-mails.
Below you will find an example of a letter you can use to send to the business. If you are following up
on a previous conversation, be sure to restate any assurances that were made to you at that time.

[Your address]
[Your city, state, zip code]

[Today’s date]

[Name of contact person (if available)]

[Title (if available)]
[Company name]
[Consumer Complaint Division (if there is no contact person)]
[Street address]
[City, state, zip code]

Re: [Account number or other reference to your complaint]

Dear [Contact Person]:

This letter is to [notify you {or} follow up on our conversation of {date}] about a problem I am having
with the [name of product or service performed] that I [bought, leased, rented or had repaired] at your
[name of location] location on [date].
I am dissatisfied with your [service or product] because [describe problem]. I have already attempted
to resolve this problem by [describe attempts and actions taken]. I have enclosed copies of my
records. [Include copies of receipts, canceled checks, contracts, and other relevant documents]

Unfortunately, the problem remains unresolved. I am hereby requesting that you: [List specific
actions you want (such as: refund, exchange or repair the item)]
1) …………………..

2) …………………..

3) …………………..

Please contact me within [number of days] days to confirm that you will honor my request. I have
prepared a complaint for submission to the proper agencies for investigation. I will not file the
complaint if you resolve the problem within this time period I have indicated.

Thank you for your anticipated assistance in resolving my problem. Please contact me at [telephone
number and/or e-mail address] if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

Enclosure(s): [List attached document copies]

cc: [Name(s) of anyone to whom you are sending a copy of this letter]

Another example

Your Address
Your City, State, ZIP Code
(Your email address, if sending via email)
Date

Name of Contact Person (if available)

Title (if available)
Company Name
Consumer Complaint Division (if you have no specific contact)
Street Address
City, State, ZIP Code

Dear Contact Person or Organization Name):

Re: (account number, if applicable)

On (date), I (bought, leased, rented, or had repaired) a (name of the product, with serial or model
number, or service performed) at (location and other important details of the transaction).

Unfortunately, your (product or service) has not performed well (or the service was
inadequate) because (state the problem). I am disappointed because (explain the problem: for
example, the product does not work properly; the service was not performed correctly; I was billed the
wrong amount; something was not disclosed clearly or was misrepresented; etc.).

To resolve the problem, I would appreciate your (state the specific action you want: money refunded,
charge card credit, repair, exchange, etc.). Enclosed are copies (do not send originals) of my
records (include receipts, guarantees, warranties, canceled checks, contracts, model and serial
numbers, and any other documents).

I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my problem and will wait until (set a time limit) before
seeking help from a consumer protection agency or the Better Business Bureau. Please contact me
at the above address or by phone at (home and/or office numbers with area code).

Sincerely,

Your name

Enclosure(s)

Replies and Quotations

Reply Letters

A reply letter is usually a response to the communication that you have received from a person or
business. When replying to a letter or inquiry from clients, associates, customers or colleagues, it is
important that it is in a formal format. Written communication may very well be the first and possibly
only correspondence between you and the original sender and this makes a good impression crucial.

A reply letter should begin by making reference to the original letter received. It should utilize an
opening line, such as "In reference to your letter of (date)" or "Thank you for your letter/email of
(date)." It should then mention key points discussed in letter received. This helps to remind the
recipient you understood his or her message and understand his or her position. Never use first
names unless you are friends or colleagues and your first name was used in the original letter. Then
address the question, inquiry or complaint that was in the received letter. If you are unable to answer
the question, then direct the person to someone who does have the answers. Offer your assistance to
get the situation resolved as quickly as possible.

Content of replies:
Acknowledging receipt of an enquiry/request
- Thank you for your letter of … regarding / concerning / in connection with …
- I refer to your enquiry about / relating to …
- I have received your letter of … requesting information about …

Explaining action taken as a consequence of the enquiry

- I have (reviewed our available stock) …
- We held a meeting on 21 January to discuss possible solutions.
- I have checked/looked into/investigated (the possible approaches) …

Making suggestions / justifying recommendations / pointing out pros and cons / hedging
- The best choice would be … since …
- I highly recommend … as / due to the fact that …
- … would probably be more suitable because …
- … seems to suit you better although …
- Perhaps you should choose … even though …
- I suggest that you (should) choose …
- I recommend this item since …
- In view of the fact that …, I would strongly recommend … as …

Apologising and rejecting proposals

- While I appreciate your firm’s need for this information, I regret that …
- It will not be possible to … for legal reasons. We are bound to …
- Your proposal is of interest to us, and we have had consultations about it.
- However, we feel that it will not be in our interests to … for reasons of (privacy).
- We are concerned that …

Stipulating action requested or to be taken

- We shall arrange for … by …at the latest.
- I shall see to it that …
- Our company will arrange for …

Establishing goodwill and suggesting contact

- I hope this suggestion/information will be useful to you.
- I hope this information will prove useful to you.
- I hope that this information will help you to make decisions on your order.
- I look forward to hearing from you.
- I look forward to receiving your confirmation of …
- I look forward to doing business with your company in the future …
- Please feel free to contact me again if you have any further queries on …
- Do contact me on 27615432 if you need further information.
- Please do not hesitate to contact me on 27615432 if I can be of further assistance.

Example letters

NOVELTY SAFETY Everlong Batteries ]

EQUIPMENT LTD 171, Choi Hung Road
14th Floor Shun Koo Building Hung Hom, Hong Kong
Aberdeen Hong Kong Tel/Fax 2235 2449
12 Mar 2012
Attn: Mr Tim Lee 12 Mar 2012
Manager
 Sun Lee Consultancy Ltd
198 Fa Yuen Street
Mongkok
Kowloon
Dear Mr Lee
Enquiry regarding fire
extinguishers
Thank you for your enquiry
regarding our newly released
range of fire extinguishers.
You will see from the
enclosed catalogue that the
range has been extended to
include some highly efficient
portable extinguishers for use
on construction sites.
We are offering to our
existing customers a 15%
discount on orders of
extinguishers from this new
range.
We look forward to your
increased order at this
discount rate.
Yours sincerely
Silvia Choi
Silvia Choi
Merchandising Manager
Enc. 1
Letter of Quotation
A letter of quotation is a letter requesting a price quote on a specific product or
service. For example, if you wanted to get your air conditioning system replaced, you
would write a letter of quotation to a ventilation company explaining your situation and
requesting a quote to complete the job.
Tips for writing a letter of quotation
Be specific: include as many details as possible; the more information included; the
more accurate a quote you will receive
Sample letter of quotation
Mr J Wong
Purchasing Officer
Fortune Goods
317 Orchard Road
Singapore
Dear Mr Wong
Enquiry about Batteries
Thank you for your letter
of Thursday, 8 March 2012
regarding making copies of
the sample battery you sent
us.
I have investigated the
situation and found that your
specifications are exactly the
same as the design of a
proprietary camera battery
manufactured by a large
Japanese electronics
company.
We feel that it would not be in
our interests to supply this
type of battery.
However, I would like to thank
you for considering our
company as your supplier.
I look forward to doing
business with your company
in the future
Yours sincerely
David Choi
David Choi
Distributions Manager
Kay Ventilation
4496 Lochmere Lane
Groton, CT 06340

Dear Kay Ventilation,

I am writing this letter for a price quote on replacing my central air conditioning
system in my home.

My house is 4500 square feet, and used two individual central air conditioning units.
There is about 6000 feet of ventilation piping that needs to be replaced, as well as
two compressor units and 6 control panels. I wish to source my own compressor
units, but you will be responsible for all the ventilation and control panels.

Please provide me with pricing information and how long it would take to complete
this job for me. I am looking for someone to complete this in less than a week, so
please account for that in your price quote.

Kindest Regards
Bob Grenier

Orders
Order Letter

An order letter, also known as a PO or purchase order letter, begins the paper trail of a specific
purchase. The objective of an order letter is to provide the vendor with detailed instructions for fulfilling
an order. With our all-in-one business writing software you get a variety of order letters to help you
find the perfect words to say, plus practical writing guidelines and tips provided. Order letters are very
important in any business. Writing order letters are both a Science and an Art. There are obviously
many different ways to write order letters, but the ideal approach for your case depends on condition
and situation.

Selecting the best words is very important in writing an effective order letter. With our business writing
tool Treasures Dictionary you can easily find best words for enriching your writings and make your
order letter effective.

Using our business writing tool advanced grammar and spelling check help you to eliminate grammar
and spelling errors in your order letters.
Always remember order letter is not the place to try out fancy fonts or experimental writing styles. As
when writing order letters make sure double check your order letter for finding and correcting
grammar and spelling mistakes. So remember to proofread your Order letter

Mr. Joey Yasuke

#415 Greenhills Street
San Fernando, Pampanga

Dear Mr. Yasuke:

Will you kindly send me two of the portable lunch boxes – order number 2b36 – as advertised in Daily
Inquirer of yesterday, August 5. Please charge this purchase to my account.
I shall especially appreciate your usual prompt delivery, as I plan to give one of the lunch boxes to my
daughter, who is leaving on a vacation within three days. One is to be delivered to me at my address,
above, and the other to 124 Meadow Street, San Juan, Pampanga.

Very truly yours,

Abelina dela Cruz

July 28, 2008

Jade Diamond Company
Roxas Boulevard
Pasay City

Madam:
A newcomer to the hobby of gem making, I was attracted to your advertisement, in the current issue
of the Magazine of Jewelry Making, of a trim saw, especially in view of the reasonable price given.
Specifically, I would like to know.

1. How thick a rock will the saw cut?

2. How long can one expect a diamond blade to last?
3. What kinds of coolants do you recommend?

I would be most appreciative if you could find the time to answer my questions. I expect that I shall be
sending you an order soon.

Sincerely yours,
Carla Estrada

Payments
Letter of Payment

A letter of payment is a letter that accompanies a payment for a product or service previously
acquired. For example, if your business bought 30 new computers, and the payment was due on
November 30th, you would send a check or other form of payment, along with a formal letter of
payment, to the business or individual you bought them from. The letter of payment specifies whom
the payment is from and what the payment is for.
Tips for writing a letter of payment
 Make sure you state explicitly what the payment is for
 Make sure you include the transaction information in your letter to make it easier for the
recipient to process.

Sample letter of payment

Garrison Computers
1998 Hill Haven Drive
Fort Hood, TX 76541

Dear Garrison Computers,

Enclosed you will find a check for the sum of $15,000. This payment is for the 30 computer
workstations Home Computing Inc. received on November 1st, 2009, transaction #456533. This
amount should be enough to pay all outstanding accounts Home Computing Inc. has with Garrison
Computers.

We thank you for your great service, and if we ever need any more computers, Garrison Computers is
the first place we will order from.

Sincerely,
Home Computing Inc.