Useful expressions

To give a professional image when you write to your customers and business partners try to remember the list of useful phrases. Read translate and use them in your own sample letters.

Salutation

Dear Mr Brown

Dear Ms White /Mrs/ Miss

Dear Sir

Dear Sirs

Dear Madam

Dear Sir or Madam

Gentlemen

Starting

We are writing to inform you that ...

to confirm ...

to request ...

to enquire about ...

I am contacting you for the following reason.

I recently read/heard about . . . and would like to know . . .

Having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like to ...

I would be interested in (obtaining/receiving) ...

I received your address from ... and would like to ...

I am writing to tell you about ...

Referring to previous contact

Thank you for your letter of March 15 ...

Thank you for contacting us.

In reply to your request ...

Thank you for your letter regarding ...

With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday ...

Further to our meeting last week ...

It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month.

I enjoyed having lunch with you last week in Tokyo.

I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed on Tuesday . . .

Making a request

We would appreciate it if you would ...

I would be grateful if you could...

Could you please send me . . .

Could you possibly tell us/let us have...

In addition, I would like to receive ...

It would be helpful if you could send us ...

I am interested in (obtaining/receiving...)

I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

Please let me know what action you propose to take.

Offering help

We would be happy to ...

Would you like us to ...

We are quite willing to ...

Our company would be pleased to ...

Giving good news

We are pleased to announce that ...

I am delighted to inform you that ...

You will be pleased to learn that ...

Giving bad news

We regret to inform you that ...

I'm afraid it would not be possible to ...

Unfortunately we cannot/we are unable to ...

After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ...

Complaining

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ...

I am writing to complain about ...

Please note that the goods we ordered on (date) have not yet arrived.

We regret to inform you that our order n°--- is now considerably overdue.

I would like to query the transport charges which seem unusually high.

Apologizing

We are sorry for the delay in replying ...

I regret any inconvenience caused

I would like to apologize for (the delay/the inconvenience) ...

Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience.

Orders

Thank you for your quotation of ...

We are pleased to place an order with your company for ...

We would like to cancel our order n°...

Please confirm receipt of our order.

I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your order n°...

Your order will be processed as quickly as possible.

It will take about (three) weeks to process your order.

We can guarantee delivery before ...

Unfortunately these articles are no longer available/are out of stock.

Prices

Please send us your price list.

You will find enclosed our most recent catalogue and price list.

Please note that our prices are subject to change without notice.

We have pleasure in enclosing a detailed quotation.

We can make you a firm offer of ...

Our terms of payment are as follows :

Referring to payment

Our records show that we have not yet received payment of ...

According to our records ...

Please send payment as soon as possible.

You will receive a credit note for the sum of ...

Enclosing documents

I am enclosing ...

Please find enclosed ...

You will find enclosed ...

Closing remarks

If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know

If I can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me

If you require more information ...

For further details ...

Thank you for taking this into consideration

Thank you for your help.

We hope you are happy with this arrangement.

We hope you can settle this matter to our satisfaction.

Referring to future business

We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future

We would be (very) pleased to do business with your company.

I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm.

Referring to future contact

I look forward to seeing you next week

Looking forward to hearing from you

" " to receiving your comments

I look forward to meeting you on the 15^th

I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience.

An early reply would be appreciated.

Ending business letters

Sincerely, Yours sincerely (for all customers/clients)

Sincerely yours, Regards, (for those you already know and/or with whom you already have a working relationship)

Yours faithfully /sincerely

Cordially

Best wishes

UNIT V

BUSINESS TRIP

Part I. TRAVELLING.

Task I. Read and translate the text:

Business Travelling

Business trips are just part of doing business. Trips can happen in or out of the country. And there are as many reasons to go on a business as there are places to go: to sign contracts, to discuss terms of delivery, payment or shipment, to have tests, to consult, to improve one’s professional skills, to provide support. Representatives of the companies involved usually make preliminary arrangements in order to meet. Whether a long-term or short-term trip, the itinerary must be carefully planned by the head of a department or another executive. After the trip, an employee is ordinarily expected to give a full financial accounting of the trip to his boss. These trips are important because they contribute to the expansion of a company’s business relationships and help that company succeed in the competitive world market.

Business today is international in character, and business people often have to travel. On a business trip people might meet colleagues and business partners for the first time. Often, colleagues from different countries experience cultural difficulties. Different cultures do things differently! It’s often useful when doing business in a foreign land, to get some advice from a special agency which consults on questions of international business. These days business trips are very important because face to face meetings are more valuable to profitable business than any other type of strategy.

Business people very often go from place to place or to several places especially to distant places to sell or buy and take orders for their companies. Nowadays people who go on business mostly travel by air, as it is the fastest means of travelling.

Travelling by train is slower than by plane, but it also has its advantages. You can see the country you are travelling through, and not only the clouds as when you are flying. Modern trains have very comfortable seats in all passenger carriages, and there are sleeping cars and dining-cars which make even the longest journey enjoyable.

Some people prefer to travel by ship when possible. There are large liners, holiday ships and river boats on board which you can visit different countries or parts of your own country. Ships are not so fast as train or planes, but a sea voyage or a river trip is a very pleasant way of spending a holiday.

Mane people like to travel by car. The advantages of this way of spending a holiday are that you can make your own time-table, you don’t have to buy a ticket, and you are not afraid you will miss your train. Besides, you can travel three or four hundred miles or only fifty or one hundred miles a day, just as you like. And then you can stop wherever you wish, where there is something interesting to see, at a good restaurant where you can enjoy a good meal, or at a hotel to spend the night. That is why travelling by car is popular for pleasure trips, while people usually take a train or plane when they are travelling on business.

Task II. Complete the sentences 1-10 using the correct words from box:

Advantages, booking-office, look out, plane, railway station, journey, to complete, business, car, sea voyage

1. Hundreds of people want to catch a train, a ship or a plain at a _____, a port or an airport.

2. _____ is the fastest way of traveling.

3. When you ring up the air-line _____, they will send your ticket to your home.

4. On board the plane you can sit and read, _____ of the window until you arrive at your destination.

5. There are some _____ traveling by train.

6. The sleeping cars make even the longest _____ enjoyable.

7. A _____ is a very pleasant way of spending a holiday.

8. Travelling by _____ you needn’t worry about time-table and you don’t have to buy a ticket.

9. People who go on _____ mostly travel by air, as it is fastest means of traveling.

10. Before the flights traveling must have enough time _____ the necessary airport formalities.

Task . Read the text. Tell whether each statement below is true (T) or false (F) according to what you have read in the text.