Business Letter Writing Strategies (plus Practice)

The second step is to learn the language of most important writer's intentions.

1. Beginning a letter

Here are some ways to being a request letter:

‘We are writing to enquire about …’

‘We are writing in connection with …’

‘We are interested in …and we like to know…’

If it is a response letter (you are answering a letter), you can start:

Thank you for your letter of (date) 'We have received your letter of (date)

concerning ...' asking if ... ' enquiring about ...' enclosing ...'

2. Ending a letter

Here are some ways to end a letter.

'I look forward to receiving your order/products/reply/etc.'

'Looking forward to hearing from you.'

If you gave some information in the letter, you can close:

'I hope that this information will help you.'

'Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.'

'Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further information.'

3. Giving good/bad news.

Here are some ways to give good/bad news:

Good news	I am	pleased delighted happy	to	tell inform advise	you that ...
Bad news	I	regret advice	to	tell inform advise	you that ...

4. Saying what you can and cannot do.

Here are some ways to do it:

We are able to ...

We have been forced to ...

We are unable to ...

5. Giving reasons.

Here are some ways to do it:

This is

owing to ... due to ... as a result of ... because of ...

Note: 'owing to' is normally only used for bad news. If you want to use the verb after these phrases, add the fact that...

e.g. This is due to the fact that the rouble has fallen.

6. Requesting action.

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

Please could you ... We would be grateful We would appreciate it

if you could .

If it is urgent, add:

as soon as possible without delay immediately

Note: "Please could you ..." – when asking for something usual, the most direct.

7. Apologising.

Here are some ways to do it:

We apologise for ...

We must apologise for ...

We are extremely sorry for ...

Usually, it is polite:

a) to give the reason for the problem

b) and then apologise again at the end of a letter:

'Please accept our apologies once again'.

'We hope that this has not caused you any inconvenience'.

'With apologies once again'.

Note: Use the "-ing" form (gerund) after these phrases.

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

A GERUND is a noun made from a verb by adding -ing:

doing, working, driving, etc.

AN INFINITIVE is the "to" form of a verb:

to do, to work, to drive, etc.

Certain verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives, but their meaning changes.

E.g.: I stopped writing the report (=I was writing the report, then I stopped).

I stopped to write the report (=I stopped what I was doing in order to write the report).

For your reference here is a list of some common verbs that can be followed by infinitives, but not gerunds:

DECIDE, WANT, PLAN, MANAGE, CHOOSE, OFFER, PROMISE, AGREE, CAN’T AFFORD, REFUSE, FAIL, LEARN

For you reference here is a list of some common verbs that can be followed by gerunds, but not infinitives:

FINISH, ENJOY, DISLIKE, AVOID, GIVE UP, DENY, SUGGEST, DELAY, PUT OFF, CARRY ON, KEEP ON, CAN’T HELP, RISK.

Gerunds follow prepositions in some common expressions:

E.g.: I'm thinking of visiting the UK next year.

You can also say "We are extremely sorry that ..."

E.g. We are extremely sorry that we lost your order.