FUNCTION

Acknowledging Advising Advising (= informing) Agreeing to a request

SENTENCE PATTERN
We are pleased to acknowledge . . . We (would) advise you to . . . We are pleased to advise . . . We are willing to agree to . . . We are prepared to grant . . . We hope that you will feel able to agree . . . We must apologise for . . . Please accept our apologies for . . . We offer our sincere apologies . . . We can assure you that . . . We look forward to +ing We must point out that you have made an error in . . . . . . will be . . . if......... /If . . . will be

Requesting agreement Apologising

Assuring Closing a letter Complaining about errors

(Stating) conditions Confirming an agreement Congratulating (formal)

We are pleased to confirm . . . I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you . . . We cannot agree with . . . We are extremely sorry . . . feel unable . . . We are pleased to enclose/We enclose . . . We have no record/documents . . . According to our . . . the correct . . . We feel you may have overlooked . . . We would particularly like to draw your attention to . . . We hope you will be . . . We intend to . . . We need . . . . . . is urgently required . . . We must ask you . . . It is absolutely essential . . . We are offering . . ./We can offer . . . We are pleased to offer you . . . We should be extremely grateful if you would give us your opinion . . . In our opinion . . .

Disagreeing Expressing disappointment Enclosing I Stating error

Indicating (politely) the source of error Focusing attention Expressing hope Stating intention Expressing need

Expressing obligation

Offering Offering (formal) Requesting opinions

Giving opinions

FUNCTION
Ordering Describing payment methods Expressing strong probability Expressing purpose Giving reasons

SENTENCE PATTERN
We would like to place the following order. We will pay for the goods by . . . We expect them to . . . . . . so that . . ./. . . to . . ./. . . in order to. . . . . . therefore . . ./. . . so . . . ...as... . . . we warmly recommend . . . to you. . . . letter . . . inquiring about . . . We are unable to agree to (your request) I am sorry to inform you that on this occasion . . . We are extremely sorry to learn that . . . We regret . . . We would like to remind you . . . advertisement . . . letter . . . inquiry . . .

Recommending Referring Refusing a request Refusing an application Expressing regret Reminding (formal) Replying-to an advert -to a letter -to an inquiry Requesting action (polite) (very polite) (polite but firm) Requesting information

With reference to your

Would you please (send) . . . I should be grateful if you could . . . We should be obliged if you could . . . We would like to know whether . . . We are interested to know whether . . . . . . according to our records we have not received . . . Thank you for . . . I would like to take this opportunity to thank you . . . urgently/by return/without further delay.

Stating something has not been done

Thanking Thanking (formal)

Expressing urgency

Expressing willingness to provide extra information

Please do not hesitate to . . .