- •Business Letter Writing Strategies (plus Practice)
- •1. Beginning a letter
- •‘We are writing in connection with …’
- •2. Ending a letter
- •3. Giving good/bad news.
- •4. Saying what you can and cannot do.
- •5. Giving reasons.
- •6. Requesting action.
- •7. Apologising.
- •8. Making a mild complaint.
- •9. Making a strong complaint.
- •10. Making a letter more personal.
- •Ideas in writing can be connected in three different ways:
- •Practice
- •1. Group the following expressions according to the part of the letter they mark – opening, body of the letter, closing:
- •2. Fill in the table with the appropriate expressions given below:
- •3. Group the following expressions into two columns according to the information they present – positive or negative :
- •4. Match the expressions in English with their Russian equivalents:
- •5. Give English equivalents instead of the Russian word combinations in brackets:
- •6. Match the phrases with the intentions they express:
- •7. Here are some ways to begin a request letter:
- •8. You can start a response letter:
- •10. Here are some ways to give good/bad news:
- •11. Here are some ways to say what you can and cannot do
- •12. Fill in the gaps in these openings with a suitable phrase to make a letter more personal.
- •13. Use appropriate phrases to start the sentences for them to make sense.
- •14. These requests are all mixed up. In each sentence put the words and phrases in the correct order.
- •15. Make up correct sentences of the phrases given below, make all necessary changes. Translate the sentences into Russian.
- •16. Fill in the blanks with the prepositions where necessary. Translate the sentences into Russian.
- •17. Join the two parts of these sentences so that they make good sense:
- •18. Underline the correct word in each bracket.
- •19. Use the gerund instead the verbs in brackets and fill in prepositions where necessary.
- •20. Make the given business letter correct: open the brackets and put the verbs into a correct tense from.
5. Give English equivalents instead of the Russian word combinations in brackets:
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(В ответ на) your letter of 2nd May this year we would like to inform you that the date of negotiations you offer is acceptable.
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(Рады) to tell you that we have reserved the accommodation as you have requested.
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(По Вашей просьбе) we are sending you the details of the alternations in engine model TX-34.
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(Ссылаясь на) your letter I would like to inform you that I have to postpone my visit to Moscow due to personal circumstances.
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(В дополнение к) our letter of 3 April we are sending you a copy of registration form.
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With reference to the (запрос от) 4 July we would like to inform you that the delivery schedule is being considered by our Forwarding Agent.
6. Match the phrases with the intentions they express:
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1.We are glad to inform you… 2. We thank you for your letter of… 3. We regret to inform you… 4. Please accept our apologies for… 5. Referring to your letter… 6. We confirm our consent to the alternations… 7. We would ask (request) you to…
8. May I wish you success in… 9. We are ready to accept your offer… 10. We are interested in… 11. I am writing to complain about… 12. We are pleased with the terms of payment… |
А. Выражение извинения Б. Выражение благодарности В. Выражение удовлетворенности Г. Выражение сожаления Д. Ссылка на предыдущую переписку Е. Выражение просьбы
Ж. Подтверждение предыдущей договоренности З. Сообщение хороших новостей И. Выражение заинтересованности К. Поздравление Л. Жалоба М. Выражение готовности к действию |
7. Here are some ways to begin a request letter:
We are writing to enquire about…
We are writing in connection with…
We are interested in… and we like to know…
How would you start these letters?
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You want to know the prices of some filing cabinets.
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You saw an advertisement in a newspaper and you want further information.
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You want to know if the company you are writing to organizes business tours to America.
8. You can start a response letter:
Thank you for your letter of (date) concerning/asking if…
We have received your letter of (date) enquiring about/enclosing…
How would you start your reply in these situations?
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A company wrote to you on 19 June. They wanted to know if you sell fax-machines.
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A woman wrote to you on 20 April. She wanted employment with your company. She also sent her curriculum vitae.
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A company sent you a telex on 8 September. They wanted to know if you were going to the marketing conference in Moscow.
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A lady telephoned you this morning. She wanted to know if her credit No. 1567 had arrived.
10. 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/advise to tell/inform/advise you that…
Complete these sentences using phrases for giving good/bad news:
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_______________________ your order for some photocopiers, _____________________ we had to increase the price.
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________________________ your application for a post as an accountant, _________________________ that we would like you to start work as soon as possible.
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__________________________ your application for a post as a receptionist. _________________________ you were not successful.
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________________________ our telephone conversation this morning. ______________________ that your car is not ready for you to collect.