- •Introduction
- •1 Business letter writing
- •2The letter heading and the layout
- •2.1. The parts of the letter
- •2.2. Style of american firms
- •3. Structure and presentation
- •1. Read the following statements and decide which are true t and which are false
- •2. Put the verbs in brackets into either the present simple, (e.G. He works), or the present continuous, (e.G. He is working).
- •3. Put the following names and addresses in order.
- •5. Complete the following letter of enquiry with the correct prepositions.
- •Veto Sport ag
- •3.1. Content and Style
- •1. Read this letter from a computer company to a company trainer, and fill in the blanks with the correct verb taken from the list below.
- •2. Put the phrases below in the correct order to form a letter requesting information.
- •3. Rewrite the following request for payment in a more polite form.
- •4. Other methods of communication
- •4.1. Competition
- •Curriculum vitae
- •Interests/hobbies
- •4.2. Forms
- •4.4. Faxes
- •4.5. Notices
- •4.7. Memoranda
- •5 The enquiry
- •Requests for catalogues and price lists
- •General enquiries and replies
- •Enquiries cliches
- •Enquiries
- •1. Fill in the missing words:
- •3. Match these words from Exercise 2 with their definitions
- •4. Rewrite the following questions in a less direct form, beginning with the words given.
- •5. Make words from the jumbled letters and match them with the definitions in the sentences below.
- •6. John Phillips is telling his secretary what to write when she types out the day's letters. Change his instructions into an acceptable form for business correspondence.
- •7. Complete the following letter of enquiry with the correct prepositions.
- •8. Read this reply to a letter of enquiry. Underline the words in the letter which correspond to the words and phrases below.
- •Glaston potteries Ltd
- •Reply to an enquiries (offers)
- •Replies to enquiries cliches
- •Replies and quotations
- •1. Read the following reply to a letter of enquiry. Mr. Fest refers to specific questions asked by Mr Whang. Which of the items below did he request information about?
- •6. Invoices and adjustments
- •Inform the buyer of the amount due.
- •Invoice
- •Invoice
- •Debit and credit notes
- •Varying the terms of payment
- •Useful expressions
- •7. Letters requesting payment tone
- •Late payments
- •Collection letters
- •Second application letters
- •Third application letters
- •Final collection letters
- •Checklist
- •8. Complaints and adjustment
- •Complaints concerning goods
- •Complaints concerning delivery
- •Checklist
- •Useful expressions
- •Complaints and adjustments
- •In the following sentences, the word in italics is not very appropriate for formal correspondence. Choose a more suitable alternative from the list.
- •British Suppliers plc
- •9. Credit and status enquiries
- •Lending restrictions and bad trade
Lending restrictions and bad trade
Dear
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT FOR AUGUST 20—
We have just received your letter of 8 October requesting settlement of our outstanding balance of £1686.00.
We are sorry not to have been able to clear this balance with our usual promptness but the present depressed state of business and the current restrictions on bank lending have created difficulties for us. These difficulties are purely temporary as payments from customers are due to us early in the New Year on a number of recently completed contracts.
Our resources are quite sufficient to meet all our obligations, but as you will appreciate we have no wish to realise on our assets at the moment. We should therefore be grateful if you would grant us a 3 month extension of credit, when we will be able to settle your account in full.
Yours sincerely
Customer requests credit extension due to bankruptcy
Letter to supplier
Dear
Introduction gives We have received and checked your statement for the background details quarter ended 30 September and agree with the balance of
785.72 shown to be due.
History of prompt Until now we have had no difficulty in meeting our payment is explained commitments and have always settled our accounts with you and details of promptly. We could have done so at this time but for the current situation bankruptcy of an important customer whose affairs are not mentioned likely to be settled for some time.
Tactful request We should be most grateful if you would allow us to defer to defer payment payment of your present account to the end of next
month.
This would enable us to meet a temporarily difficult situation forced upon us by events that could not be foreseen.
Final assurance During the next few weeks we will be receiving payments of early settlement under a number of large contracts. If you grant our
Request we shall have no difficulty in settling with you in
full in due course.
If you wish to discuss this please do not hesitate to contact
me.
Yours sincerely
Request granted
Dear
Refer to customer's Thank you for your letter of 10 October requesting an letter and request extension of time for payment of the amount due on our 30
September statement.
State reason for In view of the promptness with which you have always agreeing to extension settled with us in the past, we are willing to grant this
extension in these special circumstances.
Give a final date Please let us have your cheque in full settlement by 30 for full settlement November.
Yours sincerely
Request refused
Dear
Refer to customer's I am sorry to learn from your letter of 10 October of the letter and request difficulty in which the bankruptcy of an important
customer has placed you
Tactful wording is I should like to say at once that we fully understand your necessary when a wish for an extension of time and would like to be able to request is refused help you. Unfortunately this is impossible because of
commitments which we must meet by the end of this month.
Explain regret at Your request is not at all unreasonable and if it had been requesting immediate possible we would have been pleased to grant it. In the payment circumstances, however, we must ask you to settle with
us on the terms of payment originally agreed.
Yours sincerely