PASS

 Cambridge  BEC  –  Useful  Phrases    

 
W  R  I  T  I  N  G   In  addition,…  |  Adding  to  that,…  
Making  arrangements   •Contrasting  ideas  
• Suggesting  times  and  dates   However,…  
How  about  |  What  about  the  following  week  |   Although,…  
..a  few  weeks  later?   Despite  |  In  spite  of…  
Would  the  week  of…work  for  everyone?   (…)  W/while…  |  …whereas…  
Shall  we  say  February  8?   • Making  comparisons  
I  suggest  we…   Both  |  Neither…  
Let’s…   Like  |  Unlike…  
Why  don’t  we…?   • Linking  cause  and  effect  
I  think  we  should/could…   because  of  |  as  a  result  of  |  due  to  |  owing  to…  
Couldn’t  we…?   This  means…  
If  we…,  we  should/could…   …leads  to…  |  …results  in…  
• Asking  for  suggestions    
When  would  suit  you  |  your  team  (best)?    
Did  you  have  a  time  |  place  in  mind?   Expressing  hindsight  
What  (time/date)  would  you  suggest?       We  can  talk  about  hypothetical    
• Saying  we  are  unavailable       situations  in  the  past  in  the  following  
I’m  afraid  he’s/she’s  (etc.)  busy  then.       ways:  
Sorry,  but  I  can’t  make  it  then.       With  hindsight,  we  should/could  have…  
• Using  the  present  continuous  for  talking       What  we  should/could  have  done  is…  
about  fixed  arrangements       If  we  had…,  we  would  not  have…  
They’re  working  on  another  project…    
   
Letters  of  invitation   S  P  E  A  K  I  N  G  
• Inviting/Offering   Leaving  voicemail  messages  
We  would  like  to  invite  you…   • Prepare  the  listener  fort  the  message  
We  should  be  very  pleased  if  you  could…   This  is  *name    from  *company  xy  
We  would  be  delighted  if  you  could…   It’s  9.30  on  Wedensday  morning.  
• Thanking   I’m  ringin  about  the  sales  report  
Thank  you  (very  much)  for  your  (kind)   • Make  requests  simple  and  polite  
invitation  to…   Could  you  send  me  the  report,  please?  
• Accepting   Could  you  please  call  me  back?  
I  would  be  very  pleased  to…   • Give  clear  contact  information  
I  would  be  delighted  to…   I’m  in  Helsinki  until  Friday.  
• Declining   My  Telefone  number  is  .......  
Unfortunately,  due  to…,  I  am  unable  to…    
I  am  afraid  I  will  not  be  able  to  accept  your   Taking  messages  
kind  invitation  for…because…   • Offering  help  
  I’m  sorry,  she’s  not  here/in  today.  Can  I  help  
Describing  duties  and  responsibilities   you?  
    My  job  is  to…   I’m  afraid  he’s  visiting  a  customer.  Can  I  take  
    I’m  responsible  for…   a  message?  
    My  job  involves…   • Asking  for  information  
    In  this/my  job  you  have  to…   Could  you  ask  who’s  calling,  please?  
  Could  you  give  me  your  (mobile)  number,  
Writing  a  report   please?  
• Introduction   • Checking  information  
The  aim/purpose  of  this  report  is  to…   Could  you  spell  that,  please?  
This  report  aims  to…   So,  that’s  27  November?  
This  report  sets  out  to…   • Promising  action  
• Findings   I’ll  give  her  the  message  as  soon  as  possible  /  
It  was  found  that…   as  soon  as  she  gets  back.  
…clearly  show(s)  that…   I’ll  ask  him  to  call  you  as  soon  as  possible.  
• Conclusion(s)  
It  was  decided/agreed/felt  that…  
No  conclusions  were  reached  regarding  the…  
In  conclusion,…  
On  balance,…  
 
 
• Recommendations  (for  proposals)  
We  would  recommend  that…  
It  is  suggested/recommended/proposed  
that…  
• Adding  ideas  
Furthermore,…  |  Moreover,…