TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TEACHERS’ COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCES

ESP-COMMUNICATION SKILLS

NOTES ON LETTER WRITING

There are numerous situations for which letters are produced. The following are some of the
many types of business letter with which all intending to join the industry should be familiar:

 Enquiry and reply to an inquiry

 Complaint and adjustment (reply to a complaint letter)
 Job application, offer and a reference letter
 Disciplinary and legal
 Circulars and sales letters, etc

Inquiry letter

The following is an example of a letter of inquiry:

SITUATION

You are the Human Resource Manager at Mutondo Electrical Company. You would like to up-
grade some of the company’s craftsmen and as a consequence, you are considering to sponsor
some of them to attend part-time course in the above course.

TASK

Write a letter of inquiry to the Human Resource Manager requesting him to send you full
details of the part-time courses being run and a syllabus of each individual component. Also
request for the commencement date of the courses. Invent the necessary details and use
today’s date.

Mutondo Electrical Company

Second Class Trading Centre
Plot No 14543
Newtown
LUANSHYA

Elec/12

23 August 2018

The Principal
Copperbelt Craft Training School
P O Box 15721
NDOLA

Dear Sir/Madam

TRAINING IN POWER ELECTRICAL

I understand your training institution conducts courses at craft level in the above field.

As we wish to upgrade some of our company’s crafts men, we are considering sponsoring them to
attend the course on part-time basis. Would you please send us full details of the part-time courses
including a syllabus of each individual component. Let us also know commencement dates of these
courses.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

E. Chiluya
Human Resource Manager

Reply to an inquiry

The Principal
Copperbelt Craft Training School
P O Box 12321
NDOLA

Train/1
25 August 2018

The Manager
Copperbelt Electrical Company
Second Class Trading Centre
Plot No. 14543
Newtown
LUANSHYA
Dear Sir/Madam

POWER ELECTRICAL TRAINING COURSE

We refer to your letter reference No. Elec/12 dated 23 August 2018 concerning the above subject.

We are happy to send you a prospectus containing all the programmes on offer on full time and part-
time basis. We have also enclosed a syllabus of each individual course. The cost of each course is
included at the bottom of each course. The commencement of these programmes is mid-year and
January the following year. Do not hesitate to get in touch if you need further clarification on any
programme.

We await your quick response.

Yours faithfully

David Mwaluleta
Human Resources Officer

SITUATION ONE

A letter of complaint

You are the Principal at Nkana College of Education based in Luanshya. You ordered 20 boxes of blue
pens for use by students during August Examinations. Instead of receiving 20 boxes, you only receive
10. You are inconvenienced because there are only two days left before the examinations.

TASK

Write a letter of complaint to Tubalange Stationery Shop. Invent the necessary details.

EXAMPLE 1

The Principal
Nkana College of Education
P O Box 62333
LUANSHYA

Exam/1

25 August 2018

The Sales Manager

Tubalange Stationery Shop
P O Box 72666
NDOLA

Dear Sir/Madam

UNDERSUPPLY OF PENS

We refer to your delivery note No. 16 dated 11 February 2017 which accompanied the consignment of
pens ordered from you.

Upon opening the package, it was discovered that only 10 boxes of blue pens were packed instead of 20.
You are fully aware that the pens were ordered for students’ use during February-March examinations.
Your inability to satisfy our order has put us in an awkward situation as we are unable to provide our
students with writing pens.

Will you look into this situation urgently and deliver to us the undersupplied pens by the quickest
means.

Your early attention to this matter will highly be appreciated.

Yours faithfully

James Lubasi
PRINCIPAL

EXAMPLE 2

A reply to an inquiry

SITUATION

You are the Sales Manager at Tubalange Stationery Shop. You receive a complaint fron Nkana College of
Education to the effect that they have received only 10 boxes of blue pens instead of 20 which were
ordered.

TASK
Write a letter to the Principal, Nkana College of Education explaining what led to the undersupply of
pens.

EXAMPLE 2

The Sales Manager

Tubalange Stationery Shop
P O Box 72666
NDOLA

Dear Sir/Madam
UNDERSUPPLY OF PENS

We refer to your letter reference No. Exam/1 dated 25 August 2018 concerning the above subject.

Upon receiving your letter, we instituted an investigation and discovered that the only boxes which were
available in our store at the time were only 10 and we packed them with a hope that when our
consignment comes in, we would quickly send the remaining 10. However, we are receiving a
consignment from our suppliers sometime today and immediately we receive the goods, we shall deliver
to you the balance this afternoon by our delivery van.

We are sorry for the inconvenience caused and we hope a similar situation will not repeat itself. We
promise you good business in future.

Yours faithfully

Cynthia Chella
SALES MANAGER