delkorangl

Thank you for your letter dated 13 May concerning your order for five of our drills.

We must apologise for the delay in shipping this order. This was due to unforeseen circumstances. However, your order is being dealt with and will be sent without further delay.

With apologies once again,

Yours sincerely

Erik Stenlund

Erik Stenlund

Export Manager

in your favour in your name, payable to you

a letter of credit (l/c) a bank paper that quarantees payment unforeseen circumstances an unexpected situation (This phrase is often

used when you do not want to give the real reason.)

► 1 What does Construcciones Jimenez want Haga Verktyg to do? 2 How exactly does Haga Verktyp apologise?

3 Why hasn’t Haga Verktyp sent the goods?

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4.2 Requesting action

Here are some ways to ask people to do something for you.

Note: ‘Please could you ...’ is the most direct. You can use this when you are asking for something usual.

►1 These requests are all mixed up. In each sentence put the words and phrases in the correct order.

a)please / arrange / for ten o’clock / could / an appointment / you

b)we / send us / as soon as possible / would / if you / the goods / be grateful / could

c)we / without delay / appreciate it / you could / pay our bill / would / if

d)confirm / please / you / are the same / could / your prices / that

e)we / exactly when / appreciate it / if you / would / could / tell us / you will arrive

2 What would you write in the following situations?

a)You have seen an advertisement in the newspaper for a post as office manager. You want an application form.

b)The photocopier in your office has broken down. You want to have it repaired quickly.

c)You have moved your office and you want the post office to forward your letters to your new address.

d)You want the telephone company to put another telephone in your office. You need it urgently.

e)You have written to a company and you want them to reply quickly.

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4.3 Apologising

We must apologise for ...

We apologise for ...

We are extremely sorry for...

Notes: – Use the ‘-ing’ form after these phrases.

e.g. We are extremely sorry for losing your order.

– You can also say ‘We are extremely sorry that...’ e.g. We are extremely sorry that we lost your order.

Usually, it is polite to give the reason for the problem and then apologise again at the end of a letter. (See Erik Stenlund’s letter, 4.1.)

Please accept our apologies once again.

We hope that this has not caused you any inconvenience.

With apologies once again.

►You have been passed these letters. What would you write in reply? (Apologise and give a reason.)

18 North Avenue

Elmira

22-10-10

Dear Sir

I am writing in connection with your advertisement in the Daily Observer newspaper for a post as shop assistant.

Please could you send me the application forms.

Yours faithfully

Mrs. R. Smith

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4.4 Construcciones Jimenez writes to Haga Verktyg again

Construcciones Jimenez wanted some more information from Haga Verktyg so they wrote again.

► What exactly did Mr. Muñoz want to know?

CONSTRUCCIONES JIMENEZ

Order 2886

We have received your letter of 18 May 2009, concerning the above order for 5 Kraftborr drills.

We were pleased to hear that you will ship the drills immediately. We would appreciate it, however, if you could give us some further details about the delivery of the goods. In particular, we would like to know the name of the ship that you are using, the departure date from Sweden and the expected arrival date in Spain.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Jose Muñoz

Jose Muñoz

Manager

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4.5 Requesting information

If you want specific information, say:

In particular, + one of the phrases from the box.

►What would you write in these situations?

a)You wrote a letter to someone and they haven’t replied. You want to know if they received the letter.

b)A businessman is going to your country. He wants you to get a visa for him. You need all the details, about his passport (his nationality, date of birth, where his passport was issued, and when it expires).

c)You want to know about the same businessman’s flight (flight number, date and time of arrival).

4.6 Letter practice

Last month, you replied to an advertisement in the newspaper and you received this letter back.

date as postmark

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your recent letter, concerning the post as Sales Supervisor at Excel Industries.

I am pleased to enclose the application forms that you requested. I would be grateful if you could complete them and return them to me as soon as possible.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully

P Wang

P Wang (Mr)

Personnel Dept.

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You have been ill so you could not reply immediately. You want some more information about the post (holidays, working hours and starting salary). Write a letter saying about these things. Follow this plan:

–thank Mr. Wang for his letter

–apologise for not replying before now

–say why you did not reply

–ask for further details

–ask, in particular, about holidays, etc.

–close the letter

4.7 Telexes

Three weeks later, Construcciones Jimenez had still not received a reply from Hagu Verktyg so they sent them a telex. They received the reply shown.

► 1 What do the abbreviated words mean?

2 Why can Haga Verktyg not supply the drills?

0835 JUN 23

564 HGV

456 CJS

ATTN: ERIK STENLUND, HAGA VERKTYG

RQST DESPATCH 5 KRAFTBORR ASAP. LC

EXPIRES END JUNE. THK U.

J MUNOZ MANAGER

CONSTRUCCIONES JIMENEZ

456 CJS

564 HGV

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What telexes would you send in the following situations?

a)You have seen an advertisement in the newspaper for some agricultural equipment. You would like a copy of the company’s catalogue and a price list.

b)You are the manager of a company that makes engines. You have received an order by telex, dated 16th June, for a CH6 motor. Unfortunately, your company has stopped producing this motor.

c)You have ordered six Peach computers from a company but now you have to cancel the order. You will also send them a letter.

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UNIT 5 Complaints and their Adjustment

5A Study section: making a mild complaint, making a point, warning, making a strong complaint

5.1 Intercity Bank writes to complain

Intercity Bank ordered some office furniture from Jakarta Furnishings. The filing cabinets did not arrive so Mr. Long wrote to complain. He received a reply from Mr. Basuki. As you read the letters, try to find the answers to the questions below the letters.

INTERCITY BANK Plc

58 Jalan Thamrin • Jakarta • Indonesia

Telephone 376018 • Telex 6756

Order 2789

I am writing in connection with your letter of 24 February concerning the above order for some office furniture.

Unfortunately, we have not yet received the filing cabinets which were a part of this order. We would be grateful if you could deliver these as soon as possible or refund our money.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Long

Mr. Peter Long

Manager

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