Language development

Exercise 1. Types of letters

Match each statement(1-10) with the proper term.

Tells the addressee you want to quit your job Breaks news Formally confirms the adressee you have received his message First contact with a new employer ? Letter you send as an answer to his message Tells your potential client what your sales conditions are Tells your addressee when he/she can expect the goods You send these if your client doesn't pay Usually a sales letter and one or more folders, sent to many prospects at the same time Says you're sorry for what went wrong

acknowledgement price quotation enquiry complaint sales letter execution of order reply letter of application letterhead sample collection letters letter declining application letter of resignation announcement apology invoice mailing

Exercise 2. Letter Layout

Here are the beginnings and endings of three letters:

1

P. O. Box No. 82, New Place

Liverpool L69 3HS

8/9/98

The manager

Browne & Green Ltd.

5 High Street

Hereford HR1 2CD

Dear Sir

Yours faithfully

F. Waite (Miss)

Assistant manager, Claims

.

2

2 Elm Avenue

Southland

SS4 7BD

Dr D. Black, Principal

Globe School of Languages

66 Grimshaw Gardens

Folkestone

Kent CT20 2PY

3/8/94

Dear Dr Black,

Yours sincerely

John White

.

3

.

A Information

As you can see, even the beginnings and endings of the letters contain information about the following:

1. When the letter was written and sent.

2. Who wrote it.

3. Where they can be contacted.

4. Who the letter is written to.

5. Where they are.

Answer the following

a) Who lives at Churn Farm?

b) Where does John White live?

c) Who is the manager of Browne & Green's?

d) Where is the head office of Life Royal?

e) Who is in charge of the Globe School of Languages?

f) What is the job of F. Waite?

g) Does she know the person she is writing to?

h) Where is the Globe School?

i) Are all three letters business letters?

j) Which two writers know each other best?

B Formality

The three letters are not the same. They use different forms of greeting and different types of presentation. They are written with different degrees of formality, depending on how well the writers know each other.

Arrange the letters in order of formality:

a) Most formal (letter )

b) (letter )

c) Least formal (letter _)

Exercie 2. Envelope

Note that the envelope carries the receiver's address, as in the letter itself, written in the centre of the plain side. The sender's address may also be written on the envelope, in the corner or on the back, as long as the two are not confused.

+

or

Sign all three envelopes using the information from Exercise 1.

Exercise 3. Complete the following table using information from the three letters in Exercise 1.

TONE	SALUTATION	COMPLEMENTARY CLOSE
formal	a)	b)
semi-formal	c)	d)
personal	e)	Yours sincerely

Note: other closes for the personal letter: 'Love', 'Best wishes', 'Yours affectionately', 'Yours ever', etc.

Now correct the following:

a) Dear Bill.... Yours faithfully, Ben

b) Dear Mr. Willis…. Yours faithfully, John Laws

c) Dear Sir...... Yours, Albert Bridge

d) Dear Marge..... Yours faithfully, Jill

e) Dear Sir.... Yours sincerely, J.J. Kate

Exercise 4. Letter layouts

For A-C provide the following:

1. Date

2. Sender's address

3. Receiver's address

4. Salutation

5. Close

6. Signature

7. Addressed envelope.

Lay them out as shown above.

A

You are Ronald Wrigley of General Dealer's Ltd., Mill Lane, London EC1 2BF.You are writing to the Station Master at British Rail, Little Chippings, Buckinghamshire MK18 9OL. Use today's date.

B

You are Ben Beverly and you live at 29 Oak End Lane, Bradford BD5 4RG.You are writing to Miss Rosie Lee, The Nook Inn, Ingleton, Derby DE7 8ME. She is a very close friend.

C

You are Walter Wimborne of 149 Great North Road, Motherwell ML2 2Wa. You are writing to Arthur Pionter, who is the manager of Gerry's Building Supplies, Grimes Street, Gloucester GL2 6YH.

Exercise 5 Dear Sir or Madam?

If you are not sure whether the receiver is male or female, the salutation 'Dear Sir or Madam' is used. Consider the following table:

Dear Sir or Madam Dear Sir Dear Madam	Man or woman, name not known Man, name not known Woman, name not known
Dear Miss Smith Dear Mrs. Smith Dear Ms Smith	Alternative salutations for women. If not sure, use 'Ms'

Now chose the correct salutation and complimentary close for the following:

a) The Manager, Lady Fair Fashions Ltd.

b) The Secretary, Pitton Miner's Club.

c) Lobelia Jones, Gaunton Women's Guild

d) The Foreman, Brick's Construction Co.

e) Mrs. Lydia Lang, Cromby & Son Solicitors.

Exercise 6 Addresses

What does the letter address consist of?

1. The Public Relations Officer

2. Wrourhtown Manufacturing Ltd.

3. 28-34 Lord Street

4. Huddersfield

5. HD2 8UJ

A business address consists of at least five parts – six if you add the country at the end, although this is not necessary if you are writing from within Britain.

Put the parts of an address given below into the correct order:

the number and street

the postcode

the addressee

the town or city

the name of the company

Exercise 7. Reasons for writing

Why are you writing?

When you write first, you will probably use the first sentence of your letter to say why you are writing. There are several ways of doing this:

I am aiming to ask (a) .

confirm (b) .

complain (c) .

inform (d) .

thank (e) .

Here is a slightly more 'polite' formulation:

I would like to inquire (f) .

apply (g) .

request (h) .

invite (i) .

apologize (j) .

a) Which word comes next?

From the list below, choose the correct word to follow (a) - (j) opposite:

about that you for

b) For each of the ten verbs((a) -(j) opposite), choose a suitable complement from the following:

(a) for your position advised ...

(b) for your misunderstanding...

(c) you for the high equality of services...

(d) you that the arrangements have been made...

(e) you to visit our establishment...

(f) for some information on certain matters...

(g) the dates which we agreed...

(h) about the offer advertised ...

(i) about the low standard of services...

(j) your assistance in certain matters...

Exercise 8. 'On behalf of.'

If you are writing as a secretary or organiser, you may wish to write 'on behalf of' you members. Practice this opening by thinking of a name for each of the following:

On behalf of the Society

Club

Group

Organisation

Association

Institute

Exercise 9. Wanting to get a relpy

If you write first, you will probably expect some kind of reply to your letter. In that case, the closing sentence will be to that effect, e.g.:

I look forward to hearing from you.

If you expect more than a letter, for example a visit or extra information, what might you write in place of 'hearing'?

I look forward to (a) you next Thursday

(b) your brochure

(c) your factory

(e) your representative.

Unit 4 Cover(ing) Letters/Application Letters