Escuela de Idiomas

Escuela: Escuela de Idiomas

Canal: Ingls

Ttulo: Effective Business Writing

Guide

Autor: Interlang
E FFECTIVE
B USINESS

WRITING GUIDE

ms valor en el aprendizaje

Tel: + 34 91 515 84 22
administracion@interlang.es

interlang.es
 INDEX

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1
BUSINESS WRITING TIPS .................................................................................. 2
GETTING ORGANISED ...................................................................................... 3
PUNCTUATION ............................................................................................... 5
BUSINESS ENGLISH......................................................................................... 6
COMMERCIAL LETTER WRITING ........................................................................... 6
THE SALES LETTER ......................................................................................... 9
EMAIL WRITING ............................................................................................. 12
THE LANGUAGE OF FORMAL DOCUMENTS ................................................................ 14
CONTRACTS .................................................................................................. 16
MEMOS ....................................................................................................... 19
MINUTES ..................................................................................................... 20
REPORTS ..................................................................................................... 23
PRACTICE .................................................................................................... 25
ANSWER KEY............................................................................................... 39
 INTRODUCTION

Learning to write well in a foreign language is a real challenge. Finding the right words, using

the appropriate style, respecting conventional formats, correct spelling and punctuation are

just a few of the considerations.

Effective writing plays an increasingly important role in todays business world a clear and

concise style will ensure that essential information is both understood and acted upon.

This Effective Business Writing Guide is designed to help you become more familiar with the

styles and techniques of business writing and the practice exercises are designed to get you

thinking and help you to learn and incorporate new words and expressions into your business

writing.

The guide contains examples of the most common types of written business communication:

letters, emails, contracts, memos, minutes and reports.

We hope that you will find this guide useful and that it will help you to express yourself more

clearly and more concisely in your business writing.

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 BUSINESS WRITING TIPS

Before you start writing its always a good idea to ask yourself the following questions:

Who am I writing to? This will help you choose the right tone and level of
formality obviously when writing an email to a colleague you will use more informal
language than when writing a letter to a client. At the same time business
communication should never be too informal and always remember to be polite and
courteous.

Why am I writing? Its very important to consider the reason why youre writing
this will help you to remain focused and get your main message right.

What does my correspondent know? Think about what information you will need
to include to help the reader understand and if necessary act never assume they
already have all the background information to understand your message.

Learn from what you receive. If you receive any business letters or emails in
English use them to learn useful expressions note them down to include in your
business correspondence.

When you start writing make sure to be brief, clear and concise. Use simple words and
phrases and keep sentences short this style of writing is called Plain English it is plain
and simple and so easy for the receiver to understand.

After you finish writing read what youve written before you send it is the message
clear? Are there any mistakes you need to correct? Remember to use the spell-check
software, though this wont detect all mistakes.

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 GETTING ORGANISED

Start by thinking about the message you want to communicate once this is clear you
can start organising.

Make notes of the ideas you want to convey and organise them into topic areas and
then into the order you want to present them in the most important points
normally coming first.

Each topic area and any related secondary points could take the form of a paragraph
different paragraphs thereby signalling different topic areas.

Organise the order of the text depending on whether you want to present the
information chronologically, in order of importance, pros and then cons or compare
and contrast different ideas.

If you have planned sufficiently, taking all the above points into account, you are
ready to draft the text. Once written, read this first draft to see if you can improve
on it.

Before sending the final draft read through it again in order to eliminate repetition,
change ambiguous wording and make long complicated sentences shorter and
clearer. Also keep an eye out for any mistakes you may have missed in the first read
through.

At this stage you may like to improve the style of your writing by using linking
phrases to make your message flow smoothly. Have a look at a few such expressions
in the box below:

Linkers
However
Contrast On the other hand
whereas
although
Moreover
Give additional information
In addition
First.
Sequence Next
Lastly / finally.
Consequently
Cause and Effect As a result of
Due to
Exemplify For example
In conclusion
Summarise To conclude
To sum up

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 PUNCTUATION

It is very important to use the correct punctuation in order to make your message clear
here is a list of the main punctuation marks and how they are used.

The apostrophe shows that something belongs to or is

Apostrophe closely associated with a person, group of people or things.

Brackets / parentheses (US) are used to present additional

Brackets () information.

The colon indicates that what follows is an illustration of

Colon : what has been referred to before or can be used to
introduce lists.

The comma helps the reader pause at the right point in a

sentence and avoids confusing the meaning within a
Comma , sentence. Commas are also used when a clause is placed in
the middle of a sentence.

The dash introduces explanations and comments connected

Dash to what precedes.

The exclamation mark gives extra emphasis to a sentence

Exclamation mark ! and shows surprise or shock. This never appears at the
beginning of a sentence.

Full stop The full stop (period US) marks the end of a sentence and is
. also used after some abbreviations and numbers in lists.

Hyphens are used to connect two words when they are used
Hyphen - as a compound noun.

Inverted commas or quotation marks are used to say

Inverted commas exactly what someone said.

The question mark is used at the end of direct questions and

Question mark ? not at the end of indirect questions. This never appears at
the beginning of a sentence.

The semi-colon indicates a pause longer than a comma and

Semi-colon ; shorter than a full stop.

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH

Business English can be very formal or semi-formal. This is true of both written and spoken
language. It depends who you are speaking or writing to and for what reason. If you are
writing a contract your language will be very formal. The language of a letter or email will
probably be more informal.

Business language can be direct and to the point. At times, however, you may want to be
careful to avoid upsetting a good customer. This is when it is important to use tactful
English.

COMMERCIAL LETTER WRITING

In commercial correspondence these are some of the aspects involved in making a business
letter effective:

Suitability of register (formality of the language) to subject

matter and circumstances.

Friendliness and warmth of tone.

Selection of content and choice of wording to suit The

receivers probable vocabulary level if non-native, knowledge of
the subject matter and technical jargon, etc.

Psychological factors tact, courtesy, special care when

conveying unwelcome information.

Freshness of language avoid overusing clichs and commercial

jargon. No wasted words, conciseness.

Correct layout where the different parts of the letter appear on

the page.

In summary, a style that is simple, clear and easily understood.

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 STANDARD LETTER LAYOUT

Sacyr SA
P Castellana 83-85
A Madrid 28046,
Spain.
Tel: 00-34-91-5999666

Barry Crowder
Managing Director
Go-Fast Wind Turbines
B
121 Bath Road,
Slough, SL3 5HQ
United Kingdom

C 3rd February 200_

D Dear Barry,

E Ref: Confirmation of contract

I am delighted to be able to inform you that your company has been selected
from all the contenders in the recent tender to build the turbines for our Cornish
windfarm project.

I would like to organise a meeting as soon as possible here in our offices in

F
Madrid in order to discuss the timescale for the project, sign contracts etc.

Again I would like to congratulate both you and your entire team and look
forward to hearing from you soon so we can get the ball moving.

G Yours sincerely,

H Francisco Garca Prez

I UK Windfarms Director

A Letterhead of your company

B Name and address of who youre writing to
C Date
D Opening
E Reference
F Body of letter
G Closing
H Name of sender
I Job title

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 LANGUAGE STYLE

Business letters are usually quite formal so avoid a conversational style and contractions
(Im etc.). Avoid writing very long sentences with complicated or unnecessary language. A
straightforward letter will get your message across more effectively than a long wordy one.

There are conventions with regard to the correct way to address people and close the letter:

OPENING Letters always start with Dear. followed by the correct form of
address. If you are writing to someone whose name you dont
know then use Dear Sir, or Dear Madam, or Dear Sir or
Madam,... If you know then name then start with Dear Mr / Ms
Jones, or Dear Gregory Jones,

CLOSING SENTENCE Letters are usually closed in standard ways. At the end of the letter
it is normal to include a short sentence such as I look forward to
hearing from you. or Please do not hesitate to contact me
should you require further information.

CLOSING PHRASE Finally you need to include a closing phrase below which you sign
Yours sincerely, (for letters beginning Dear + name) / Yours
faithfully, (for letters beginning Dear Sir / Madam) Yours truly, /
Best regards, / Kind regards slightly less formal.

USEFUL PHRASES TO INCLUDE

With reference to your previous letter / letter of the 21st January, ..

It was very kind of you to agree to..

As I mentioned in my last letter to you.

Thank you for taking the time to.

Regarding the question of..

I will arrange for the minutes / report / latest brochure / latest pricelist to be
sent to you.

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 THE SALES LETTER

The work of creating an effective sales letter begins in the head, not on paper. The writer
first decides to concentrate on you, the reader, rather than I.

In the following example, notice how the focus of the sales concept changes:

Focus on I:

The new Golf features a four-cylinder engine, revolutionary new

suspension, and tinted windows.

Focus on You:

The new Golf features a four cylinder engine to save you money, a
revolutionary new suspension to take the bumps away, and tinted
windows for glare-free driving.

In the you example, the writer has used the readers needs (for economy, comfort and
security) to sell the product. The product is not just good, the writer seems to say to the
reader Its good for you.

For audiences that must be made aware of a need, begin the sales letter with a vivid
description of the need your product or service fulfils. Lets say, for example, that you want
to market a product called Handi-File, an organizer for household and business receipts. A
letter describing the need before announcing the product is mentioned.

Notice in the following letter the writer creates the need for Handi-File by reminding the
reader of important government regulations. The writer lists the advantages of Handi-File
to the reader and concludes with an action the reader can take.

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 UNDERWOOD OFFICE SUPPLY
1948 W. Sixth Street Spokane, WA 89283 (894) 493-8924

August 18, 2015

Mr. Thomas Barth

Manager
Comfort Retirement Home
35 Bedford Place
Spokane, WA 89283

Dear Mr. Barth,

As manager of Comfort Retirement Home, you are probably aware that tax records must be
retained for three years, as required by federal law.

Maintaining organized records suddenly gets easy with Handi-File, a bookkeepers dream
come true.

Handi-File lets you:

File documents by subject, author and date simultaneously.
Call up just the file you want by using Dial-a-File.
Preserve your files through fire and flood.

Frankly, were excited about the product and want you to see what the excitements
about. The Handi-File display van will visit your area on August 25-27.

Call 4987765 for your personal appointment with a Handi-File representative. The van will
pull up to the curb in front of the Comfort Retirement Home. You can take as much or as
little time as you wish to see the Handi-Files on display inside.

Youll be glad you called for a visit from Handi-File, Mr. Barth. Wont you do it today?

Sincerely,

Mildred T. Reynolds
Mildred T. Reynolds
Manager

MTR/oie
Enclosure: Handi-File: The Filing Revolution

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 DEVELOPING THE SALES LETTER

Once you have analyzed the needs of the reader and determined how much or how little to
assume, you can begin a step-by-step planning process for each part of the sales letter. One
easy to remember pattern for the sales letter follows the letters S-A-L-E-S.

Spark the imagination and curiosity of the reader.

Ideas: Suggest in the 1st sentence that you can do something unique for the
reader; drop an impressive name, if appropriate, and then associate the reader
with that name; mention local people, places and events, if possible; empathize.

Announce the product or service.

Ideas: be frank and specific. First advertise your product/service- only then can
you afford to go on to such matters as the history of the company, your
expertise, etc. Use an honest, assertive tone.

List the advantages to the client.

Ideas: major points can often be set out as a list.

Express appreciation and goodwill.

Ideas: Thank reader for considering your ideas. Begin by saying: We appreciate
your interest.../ We will be most pleased...

Specify exactly what the client should do and when.

Ideas: be careful not to impose subtle and not-so-subtle threats, such as Your
life depends on your tyres... Instead, define an easy and appealing path of
action for your reader.

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 EMAIL WRITING

Email is the most commonly used form of written business communication in the
international business world often replacing the phone call. It is used extensively both within
companies and in external communication some would say that it is in fact overused.
Nevertheless, its here to stay as its a fast and cheap method of communicating with
customers and suppliers both nationally and internationally.

Because of the brevity and rapidity of emails, its important to check that all the information
has been given and that the formality and tone are right.

LANGUAGE STYLE

As emails are often shorter than other forms of written communication, the language must
be simple and concise. The tone for emails to superiors or people outside your company
must be formal but in-house emails to colleagues can be semi-formal.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Opening and closing Hello / Hi are fine for semi-formal emails and Regards /
Kind regards / Best regards are often used to close. For formal emails open and
close like formal letters Dear Sir / Madam Yours faithfully; Dear Mr X / Ms
X Yours sincerely

Exchanging information Are you going to Wednesdays planning meeting? /

Could you email me the sales figures for last year? / Im attaching the estimate of
costs / Heres our latest brochure as requested / Please note that todays class has
been cancelled due to a shortage of rooms / Just to let you know, everybody has
confirmed their attendance.

Replying to emails Thanks for your email / I received/got your email thanks /
Sorry I didnt get back to you yesterday but / Thanks for the report Ill read it and
get back to you.

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 SAMPLE EMAILS

Formal

Dear Mr Bannister,

Thank you for your earlier email. I have checked with our production department
and they assure me your order left our warehouse yesterday and should be with
you by tomorrow afternoon. Do please let me know if there is any delay.

I am attaching a copy of the invoice for this despatch as requested.

Yours sincerely,
Sarah Barker
Customer Service Department

Semi-formal

Hi Team,
Id just like to congratulate you on the success of the recent tradefair we took part
in well done to one and all! As soon as I have data on the sales leads
generated Ill let you all know.
Once again thanks for all your hard work.
Regards,
Simon.

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 THE LANGUAGE OF FORMAL DOCUMENTS

FORMALITY

Formality is one of the main characteristics of business and legal documents such as
contracts.

This formality can be seen in such things as:

The use of full verbs - no short forms of auxiliaries. (I have and not Ive)

A limited use of phrasal verbs: (accept instead of take up) However, there are certain
expressions that will be found: (set up, lay down).

The use of 3rd person verbs, and a very limited use of second person. (the licensee
hereby undertakes to...)

Little ellipsis of words: that is usually included: It seems to be the case that
acceptance was made.

The use of negation tends to use the form: no rather than not any. (There was no
notification of acceptance rather than There wasnt any notification of acceptance.

Longer word length.

The use of prepositions, prepositional phrases and prepositional verbs: (in accordance
with, by virtue of)

Lack of certain elements common in speech, such as: possibility modals (It might be
all right) words like: almost, something like...

IMPERSONALITY

The use of it and a passive verb (It was agreed that...)

The use of abstract nouns instead of personal subject and verb (Acceptance of an offer
must be notified)

The use of class nouns rather than names: (hereinafter called the Company)

CERTAINTY AND PRECISE LANGUAGE

The use of common words with uncommon meanings: party, action...

Specialised vocabulary

Formal words: prior, subsequent...

The use of restricting and amplifying. And no more, including but not limited to..

Words like such persons, the said company.

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 FORMAL AND INFORMAL LANGUAGE

Look at the chart below and try to think what the missing words could be before checking the
answers - you would be more likely to use the formal language in official documents and
contracts and the informal language in routine business correspondence.

Formal Informal

Accordingly So

Get

Apparent

Help

Commence

Think

Talk to, meet

Discontinue

Cheaper

Try

Wrong, false

Formulate

Implement

Because

More than

Start

Need

Get

Remuneration

Say

Supplementary

End

Use
Answers
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 CONTRACTS

Below are some notes on an agreement between the Company of Professional Congress
Organizers (C.P.C.O), specialists in organizing congresses, and the Confederation of
International Industries (C.I.I.), who are planning to hold a congress.

Fill in each blank with an appropriate verb. If you cannot come up with an appropriate verb,
check the options and choose one of the verbs from the list.

Contract Notes
Terms of agreement between C.P.C.O. and C.I.I.
Regarding The Industry Congress 2008

C.P.C.O. shall
1 act as a consultant and make necessary arrangements for the conference.
2 __________ in planning meetings.
3 __________ the organizational and administrative work.
4 __________, immediately before and during the conference, a special office and
secretariat.

C.I.I. shall
5 __________ responsible for the professional, technical and scientific content of
the programme.
6 __________ a scientific secretariat.

C.P.C.O agrees to
7 __________ a budget.
8 __________ fees.
9 __________ a final account of all receipts and expenditure.

C.I.I. agrees to
10 __________ an advance cash flow to the conference account until receipt of
fees or other income.
11 __________ overall financial responsibility for the conference.
12 __________ C.P.C.O. to act on their behalf

Verbs for contract notes

1. act / present / be 7. purchase / trade / draw up
2. participate / invest / address 8. call / demonstrate / collect
3. require / undertake / meet 9. sell / produce / let
4. invite / set up / deliver 10. count / maintain / solve
5. be / pay / earn 11. manufacture / accept / train
6. compete / provide / fax 12. authorize / distribute / receive
Answers
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 Look at this extract from an electricity company Rothwell Complete the Supply Contract
Proposal by filling in the missing words.

Description of the Proposal

In accordance with the regulations in ________________ on the date shown.

Minimum Requirements

The customer ____________ have the appropriate authorisation to operate in the

liberalised market.

Duration of the Contract

From the agreed ______________ date until 31.12.2015, with a negotiable

_______________ for an additional 2 years.

Complements for Consumption

Complements by volume
The price shown is the ____________ of consider____ consumption and maximum
power levels.

Complements by load curve

If any significant changes _____________ take place in this profile, its repercussions
would be analysed and these ____________ have to be renegotiated.

Complements by Power
The price offered evaluates the supply at the limits of the rated power contracted.
Complements for an _____________ of power will have an effect as established in
the legislation in ______________.

Additional Services Included

Rothwell will ___________________ the following actions.

Answers
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 MEMOS

Memos are widely used within organisations to inform, remind etc. They are circulated and
may also be displayed on notice boards. They typically focus on a specific topic such as:

Conveying information eg. reporting back the minutes of a meeting or summaries

of brainstorming sessions.
Requesting information eg. asking employees to submit requests for English
classes.
Giving instructions eg telling employees to clock in and out to smoke.
Recommending options informing employees of decisions taken to solve a specific
problem and recommending how employees can help to implement these decisions.

LANGUAGE STYLE

The opening should be direct and to the point without the need to write Dear Sir etc. Start by
briefly introducing the main points which can be laid out as bullet points. The tone should be
neutral and the language simple sentences should be short and clear try not to sound too
bossy. Memos are often concluded with some sort of request for action.

LAYOUT

SACYR
MEMO
Date: 14th November, 2015
To: All language students
From: Sam Rutherford, Training Department
Subject: Attendance etc.

I would like to remind all language students of the importance of the following points:

Punctuality please arrive on time for all classes.

Attendance in order to make satisfactory progress the minimum attendance required is
80% of the programmed hours.
Self study it is essential that you devote some personal time to studying the language.

I trust that if you comply with the above points you shall all make excellent progress.

S.R.

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 MINUTES

At many business meetings someone is asked to take the minutes. This person notes down
all the important points made at the meeting and later writes up a summary of what was
said and agreed to circulate to the participants. A series of action points can be added to
make sure that things actually get done.

LANGUAGE STYLE

The style of minutes is quite formal sentences need to be short, clear and concise so they
are easy to read. Just summarise the most important points not every single thing that
was said. Any lengthy speeches should be summed up you can use bullet points for clarity.
If the minutes become too long the danger is that people wont read them properly or at all.

USEFUL LANGUAGE

Listing the participants Use Present: followed by a list of the people who attended.

Summarising the chairpersons introduction Mr X opened the meeting with the

following points on the agenda to be addressed.

Summarising a decision Ms X was the first to speak and put forward the following
ideas. / Mr Y expressed his approval and added / Mr Z
disagreed and made the point that.. / Mrs X expressed
disapproval/concern and insisted that.. / Mr Y accepted
that.but defended his position on.However, he
conceded that. / Everybody agreed on

Action points and deadlines The following action points were decided on. / Mr Y
will look into / research / draw up a list / find out / study /
calculate / by the end of next week and get back to us. /
Ms X will speak to. before the.. / Mr Z will attend the
next meeting with.. / Mrs X will get back to. / Mr Y will
send a report to..within the next few days.

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 EXAMPLE

Minutes of the Review and Monthly Planning Production Meeting

Tuesday 3rd May 2015

Present: Mr Turner, Managing Director (Chairperson); Ms Pinkerton, Production manager; Mr Norman, Assistant
Production Manager; Ms Small, Chief Administrator.

Mr Turner opened the meeting by congratulating the Production Department for meeting the output targets while at
the same time getting a very large exceptional order out to a new client. He then announced that:
Based on the new customers satisfaction the order had been renewed for a further 9 months.
He had every confidence in the ability of both the production department and the rest of the company to
successfully meet such exceptional needs again in the future.

Ms Pinkerton responded by saying that this would only be possible on a regular basis if staffing levels in the
production department were increased.

Mr Turner replied by saying that there were no plans at present to recruit more staff.

Mr Norman argued that the staff had only agreed to work so hard as they were told that this was a one-off order and
being an exception would not be repeated let alone on a regular basis.

Ms Small then put forward the following points to support this argument:
Effects of such a maintained pace could lead to increased levels of absenteeism and general dissatisfaction.
This could in turn lead to industrial relations problems and possible industrial action.
Overall quality may suffer.

Mr Turner disagreed with the above but did express concern about the possible fall in quality standards. He asked to
be provided with the following by next months meeting:
Present working methods
Output per hour per worker
Performance rate per machine
Costs of machine replacement

Mr Turner stated that this information would enable them to consider the option of investing in new machinery.

The following action points were decided upon:

Ms Small to contact three machine suppliers and request prices.
Mr Norman to prepare a report on worker efficiency.
Ms Pinkerton to advise workers and union representatives of these developments.

Next meeting: Wednesday 4th June

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 REPORTS

Reports are used to communicate information to people either within or outside the
organisation. They should provide an overview which can be read and assimilated quickly.
The most common types of short reports are project and progress reports, business
proposals, studies and summaries of research or results. They should be easily structured so
the reader can quickly find the relevant information. They may also include graphic
information.

LANGUAGE STYLES

Reports require the use of a formal writing style avoid the use of contracted forms such as
Itll use full forms It will. Use simple, concise language so that the reader can easily
assimilate the message.

USEFUL LANGUAGE

Connect sentences using linking phrases in order to:

Showing contrast However, this does not indicate that..

On the other hand, it is true that.

While these results would appear to

Showing cause and effect This has been mainly due to.

Consequently, additional data was obtained.

As a result of this, it has been impossible to..

Continuing with the next point Moreover/Furthermore, in this particular

case..

In addition to this, the survey

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 Example

Preliminary report on cost cutting at Multibrands

Summary
The Strategic Cost Steering Group was asked to review the companys current operating costs and to outline
suggestions following the Management Advisory Boards decision to examine the feasibility of obtaining a 15%
reduction in total spend for the coming fiscal year. The following report presents our findings and outlines several
policy recommendations.

Introduction
The four areas that the group was asked to examine were the following:
Product development
Brand consolidation
Quality control and pricing
Personnel retention and hiring

Product development
After consultation with managers from the Marketing, Sales and R&D departments, it became clear that freezing
product development is not a viable option...
The only changes proposed would be a reduction in the lead time through the introduction of a new software
system and merging the two design centres into one operational unit.

Brand Consolidation
A detailed audit of the companys brand portfolio was carried out..
We propose that both these brands are eliminated as they are now in the declining phase of their product life
cycles.

Quality control and pricing

The information from production units and after-sales service shows that there was a slight deterioration in overall
quality standards during the previous year. Since much of our production..
The senior managers who provided input for our study all agreed that greater emphasis should be placed instead
on adding value to our products and on differentiating them from their cheaper, lower quality rivals. There are
therefore no significant cost savings to be made in this area.

Personnel retention and Hiring

The HR department provided a detailed breakdown of all our personnel costs and supplied projections to show
the effects of.
Further savings from the adoption of a more equitable performance related compensation scheme would provide
an additional 5.7M

Conclusion
It seems that the most significant savings that can be made are in the areas of HR, product development and
brand consolidation. These savings alone would amount to.. We would therefore recommend that an
additional report be prepared to cover savings in these three areas.

John Harman
Strategic Cost Steering Group
Multibrands
27th August 2015

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 PRACTICE

In this section you have the chance to practise using commercial written English words and
expressions. Try to attempt the exercises first before looking at the answers to check if you
were right.

A. BEING TACTFUL

Its very important to be tactful when writing so you dont upset or offend the person youre
writing to. How would you re-write the following sentences in more tactful English? Check the
suggested answers afterwards.

1. Your order is going to be two weeks late.

We regret that there ______________________________________________________

2. Your invoice is wrong.

There seems ____________________________________________________________

3. We want you to answer this letter immediately.

We would ______________________________________________________________

4. We cant tell you about delivery because we dont know ourselves.

We are not yet ___________________________________________________________

5. Weve got none in stock.

We are _________________________________________________________________

6. Please dont go to another supplier.

We trust that you will _____________________________________________________

Answers
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 B. WORD PARTNERSHIPS

Try to think which of these word partnerships go in which gaps in the extracts
below before checking the answers:
1. I would also appreciate 5. launch date
2. the delay in payment 6. advance copy
3. full details 7. let me have
4. Please dont forget to 8. in the area of

A. Dear Customer,
I am pleased to send you an of our latest catalogue which
contains of the most up-to-date office and information technology equipment
on the market.

B. I also have a lot of experience finance and accounting. Between 1998 and
2013 I worked in the auditing department of a major bank.

C. Hi Julie,
This is just a short note to remind you about Mondays visit from Khalid Assad of the Bahrain
Investment Council. bring a comprehensive list of our client base in the area.
Thanks,
Pam.

D. I would be grateful if you could send me your current corporate rates for single rooms
with en-suite bathroom. some more information about your business facilities
as I shall be in Edinburgh for two or three days.

E. Helen,
Thanks for leaving a copy of the Glasgow ring-road proposal on my desk. Unfortunately I
cant find page 3 (your analysis of construction costs) and Id be grateful if you could
another copy as soon as possible.
Tom.

F. I apologise for ................... We have had a number of problems in our accounts

department recently and this has meant delays in paying some suppliers. I hope to resolve
the problems before the end of the month.

G. Dear Felix,
Sorry, there was a mistake in the email I sent you yesterday. The proposedfor the
new night-storage heater is now March 16th and not February 16th as I told you yesterday.
Im afraid that there have been one or two technical problems with the main control panel.
Hope this doesnt cause you too many problems.
Janet.

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 Answers
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 B. WORD PARTNERSHIP Replies

The sentences below come from the replies to the extracts in the previous exercise.
Match one to each extract and then check the answers:

1. Although we understand the reasons for the delay, we must insist on prompt payment in
future.

2. Dont worry. Ill be there on Monday at 2.20. Do you want me to invite Dan as well or
shall I come alone?

3. Thanks for telling me about the change of date. Im sure it wont cause too many
problems. I hope the new product will be ready in time for the Warsaw Industrial Fair in
the second week of April.

4. Interviews will be held at our Frith Street office on March 15th at 10.30. All candidates
should bring copies of degrees and diplomas.

5. Sorry about the missing page. Id left it lying next to the photocopier. Heres another
copy. I hope it makes things much clearer.

6. I attach an order for 3 HAL FastTrack laser printers and an HRL FastScan scanner.

7. I am sorry to inform you that we have no single rooms available on the dates you specify
as there is an Industrial Tradefair in the city that week.

Answers
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 B. WORD PARTNERSHIP Verbs

Match the verbs to the noun phrases to make word partnerships before looking at the
answers:
Verbs Noun Phrases
enclose a 15% discount off list price
correct a distribution problem
negotiate a credit account
open a copy of latest catalogue
resolve a couple of mistakes
Answers

C. COMMON SENTENCES

When you have completed the following, you will have 7 standard common sentences.

1. We assure you that your order will be.. within 24 hours of..

2. We would be if you could let us have a copy of your invoice no

1066.

3. We. for any inconvenience which may have been caused as

a. of our oversight.

4. May I say how.. we are at the prospect of our future .................

5. I am a little worried that we. do not to have

received the order we placed on January 24th.

6. We agree to your ...................... and look forward to receiving a copy of the

agreement by return.

7. I look .......... to hearing ............... you as soon as possible.

Answers

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 D. PREPOSITIONS (1)

Complete the following sentences by joining up the two parts with the correct
preposition. The first one has been done as an example. Then check the answers.

Preposition
for / to / of
/ on

Id be grateful if you could send

to the invitation they sent.
them a reply...

relocating an office is that

The main advantage...
overheads can be reduced.

Everyone in the bank received an

the office Christmas party.
invitation.

your phone call this morning.

I am writing with reference.

The insurance company paid for

the stock in the f ire.
the damage.

He was criticised by the his unhelpful attitude towards

manager.. the customers.

The union leaders wanted to hear

the closure of the factory.
about the reasons..

The price of computers has gone silicon chips.

up because of a shortage ..

I am enclosing a cheque.. the work you have completed.

The Personnel Manager submitted childcare facilities in the

the report.. company.

Answers
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 D. PREPOSITIONS (2)

Complete the following sentences about an internal transfer with the correct prepositions.

Preposition

a vacancy in the Publicity

Madeleine has applied
Department.

In her last job, she looked orders and phone enquiries.

something that is a bit more

Now she is looking
challenging.

the vacancy from a friend in the

She heard
department.

She is a reliable worker who can

to do a good job.
be depended

Could you let me know what you

her?
think

I would like to talk you about her application.

her soon and tell her what we

I think we should write
have decided.

Answers

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 E. FORMALITY

Change the following sentences into a more acceptable form for business letters. Then check
the answers.

1. I cant come to the reception because Ill be on holiday next week.

I regret that

2. Its such a shame that your brother is dead. Im really sorry.

I was

3. So youve been elected Chairman of the company! Well done!

I would

4. Mr Norman wants to drop in and see you next week about a contract, OK?

Mr Norman would

5. I cant see you next Friday for our appointment after all.

I am sorry to tell

6. Can you come to our Sales Conference on 17th March?

We would like

7. Thanks for helping me when I was in Hamburg last week.

I would

8. Itll be good to see you on Friday.

I look

Answers

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 F. LETTERS

ENQUIRIES

Below you will see parts of three letters of enquiry. Choose the correct word or phrase for
each blank from the following list. Use each item once only.

Advertisement discount latest catalogue price list

advise faithfully model price range
current issue forward particularly reference
Dear information payment still available

A.
Sir,

I have seen your in the. of Office Weekly and am interested in your range of
office stationery.

Could you please send me yourand? I look .. to hearing from you.

Yours.

B.
With. to your advertisement in todays Times, could you please send me.
about your office furniture? I am.. . . . . . interested in your adjustable office chairs.

C.
Some time ago we purchased from you some JF72 solar-powered pocket calculators.

As this. was so popular with our customers, we would like to know if it is.

If so, would you kindlyus of your terms ofand any quantity.

available. Could you also include details of any new models in the same?

Answers
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 ANSWERING ENQUIRIES

Below you will see parts of three letters answering an enquiry. Put the correct word or
phrase in each blank. Choose from the following list. Use each item once only.

additional features enclosed leaflet further details pleasure

competitive price enquiring hesitate range
date enquiry In addition sincerely
doing business full details in production supply

A.
Dear Ms Prentice,

Thank you for yourof 3rd May about our office stationery. We have in
enclosing our latest catalogue and price We hope you will find it of interest.

If you require any , please do not to contact us.

Yours.

B.
Thank you for your letter of January 4th, asking about office furniture. The enclosed
catalogue contains of our range. In most cases we are able to you with the
goods you require within fourteen days. We look forward to receiving an order from you.

C.
Thank you for your letter of 1st June, about the JF72 pocket calculator.

This model is no longer as it has been superseded by the JF73 solar-powered pocket
calculator. As you will see from the the new model has severalat an
extremely .

We have also enclosed our latest catalogue giving details of the vast of electronic goods
we supply.

We allow a discount of 30% on purchases of not less than 50 of the same model, and 38%
on quantities of not less than 100. , we give a discount of 3% for payment within
fourteen days fromof invoice.

We look forward to with you in the near future.

Answers

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 SALES

Below you will see extracts from three sales letters. Put the correct word or phrase in each
blank. Choose from the following list. Use each item once only
colleagues featured complimentary copy recent publications
confident needs extensively trialled representatives
convenience recommend favourable response specially selected
eligible suitable further information subscription form
experience value highly popular terms of payment

A.
We have pleasure in enclosing a of one of our most Build Your Business
Vocabulary.

You will note that the book has a similar format to our series, Build Your Vocabulary,
but concentrates on vocabulary useful to anyone who needs English in a business situation.

The exercises have been and have met with a from both learners and
teachers. The book is for use in the classroom or by a learner of English working
alone.

We feel sure that you will want to this book to your colleagues and students.

B.
We are a company with over 30 years in selling office equipment. We have
recently brought out a new range of equipment and furniture designed to meet the
of todays electronic office.

This new range is in our latest brochure which I have enclosed together with details of
our generous.

If you require any, simply telephone me and I will arrange for one of our
to call on you.

C.
You have been by my company to receive a free copy of our latest publication
Business Dealings.

We cannot of course send a free copy to everyone but we have chosen you because
we your opinion. We are that you will find it fascinating and want to
show it to your. Business Dealings is published monthly and we have enclosed a
for your . Subscribe within the next three weeks and you will be
for a discount of twenty per cent.
Answers
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 G. TRANSLATIONS

Below you will find commonly used expressions in Spanish for different types of written
correspondence.

1. DEMANDAS DE INFORMACIN / ENQUIRIES

Demanda inicial: Frases iniciales First Enquiries: Opening sentences

Estamos considerando la posibilidad de We are considering buying / purchasing /

comprar / adquirir / instalar installing

Solicitamos el envo inmediato de We require for immediate delivery

Somos (tipo de empresa) y estamos We are (describe company) and are looking
buscando un proveedor de for a supplier of

Les rogamos que nos enven detalles de Please could you send us details ofas
anunciado/a/s en advertised in

Somos (tipo de empresa) y estamos We are (describe company) and are

interesados en adquirir / comprar interested in purchasing / buying...

Agradeceramos nos enviaran su catlogo y Please could you send us your current
lista de precios vigentes. price-list and catalogue.

2. RECOMENDACIONES / MENTIONING CONTACT

Su nombre nos fue dado por We were given your name by

Vd./Vds./Su compaa nos fue You were recommended to us by

recomendada por

Sus productos/servicios nos han sido Our associates in speak highly of

recomendados por nuestros asociados your products / services.
en

Su empresa nos ha sido recomendada Your firm has been recommended to us

por by

Nos informa (nombre)que Vds. pueden We understand from that you can
suministrarnos supply

Visitamos su stand en la feria / We visited your stand at the Fair /

exposicin Exhibition

Vimos su anuncio en We have seen your advertisement in

Desearamos recibir detalles sobre Please forward details of as advertised

anunciado en in

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 3. DEMANDAS DE INFORMACIN SOBRE CONDICIONES / ASKING ABOUT
CONDITIONS
Demandas de informacin sobre
condiciones
Les agradeceramos nos enven sus precios
de
nos informen si pueden proveer
nos enven una cotizacin para
Rrogamos nos enven ms detalles acerca
de su lista de precios actualizada / su
catlogo de exportaciones / una lista de
mercancas / cantidades
que puedan ser suministradas de
existencias.
entregadas inmediatamente.
expedidas inmediatamente.
Les agradeceramos nos informaran si
hacen descuentos comerciales o por pronto
pago.
Les agradeceramos que nos informaran
qu descuentos ofrecen por grandes
pedidos.
Tambin agradeceramos ms detalles
sobre costes de embalaje y entrega, as
como de condiciones de pago y descuentos.
La entrega inmediata es fundamental por lo
que necesitamos que nos confirmen que se
pueden ajustar a las fechas de envo.
Les agradeceramos nos remitieran
cualquier otra informacin referente a
que Vds posean.
Podemos proporcionarles las referencias
comerciales de costumbre.
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Asking about Conditions
Will you please let us know your prices
for /
whether you could supply
Please give us a quotation for
Please send us further details of your
current price-list / your export catalogue /
quantities required / details of goods which
can be
/ supplied from stock
/ delivered immediately
/ shipped immediately
Could you let us know what you allow for
cash or trade discounts?
We should appreciate it if you could let us
know what discounts you offer for large
orders.
Would you also forward details of packing
and delivery charges as well as terms of
payment and discounts?
Prompt delivery is essential and we would
need your assurance that you could meet
all delivery dates.
We should be grateful if you would forward
any further information you may be able to
give us about
We can supply the usual trade references.
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 4. RESPUESTAS A DEMANDAS DE INFORMACIN / REPLIES TO ENQUIRIES

Le agradecemos su carta del 9 de julio de Thank you for your enquiry of 9th July 2015
2015 en la que nos pide informacin in which you asked about
sobre

Les agradecemos su demanda de Thank you for your enquiry of 9th July 2015
informacin con fecha 9 de julio de 2015 about
sobre

Adjuntamos una copia de nuestro ltimo Enclosed is a copy of our latest catalogue /
catlogo / nuestra lista de precios vigentes. current price-list.

Adjuntamos muestras de varios modelos / Enclosed are samples of various patterns /

varias calidades, as como la lista de qualities together with our price list.
precios.

Con referencia a su llamada telefnica de With reference to your telephone enquiry

hoy, podemos ofrecerle lo siguiente, a los today, we can offer you the following at the
precios dados prices stated:

5. FRASES PERSUASIVAS / PERSUADING

Cuando Vd. haya visto nuestro producto, Once you have seen our product, we are
estamos seguros que lo considerar la confident that you will find it to be the best
mejor oferta del mercado. value on the market.

Este producto no le defraudar; You will not be disappointed in this product

demostramos nuestra confianza en l con and our confidence in it supported by a
una garanta de tres aos. three-year guarantee.

El descuento ser vlido nicamente para The discount on offer can be allowed only
pedidos recibidos antes del (fecha). on orders placed before (date).

Nuestros productos son de la ms alta We can offer you goods of the very highest
calidad, pero en el caso de no quedar quality and if you find them unsatisfactory
plenamente satisfechos, pueden devolverlos in any way, you can return them to us
sin ninguna obligacin. without obligation.

Esperamos que aprovechen nuestra We hope you will take full advantage of our
excepcional oferta. exceptional offer.

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 6. RESPUESTAS POSITIVAS / POSITIVE ANSWERS

Nos complace enviar la cotizacin We have pleasure in submitting the

siguiente: following quotation.

Nuestros plazos de pago son netos; pago a Our terms are net, payment due within 28
los 28 das de la fecha de la factura. days from the date of invoice.

Podemos suministrar el material en We can supply from stock and can meet
existencia y podemos cumplir con la fecha your delivery date.
de entrega.

Ofrecemos una amplia variedad dea We can offer a large variety of at

precios muy interesantes. attractive prices.

Podemos ofrecer facilidades de pago de We can quote advantageous terms

for

Podemos suministrar cualquier cantidad de We can supply any quantity of our products
nuestros productos sin demora. without delay.

Para pedidos de o superiores, For orders of and more we allow a

ofrecemos un descuento especial del%. special discount of %

Podemos suministrar de nuestras We can deliver the quantities mentioned in

existencias las cantidades mencionadas en your enquiry from stock days from
su demanda dentro de un plazo de das receipt of the order.
a partir de la fecha de llegada del pedido.

Nuestras condiciones de pago habituales Our usual terms are bank draft against pro-
son: letra bancaria contra factura pro- forma invoice / documents against
forma / documentos contra letra de crdito irrevocable letter of credit.
irrevocable.

% de descuento por pago a 28 das. % discount for payments within 28 days.

% de descuento sobre el precio neto para % discount on net prices for orders
pedidos superiores a over

Podemos ofrecer precio, bruto, con entrega We can quote you a gross price, inclusive of
incluida. delivery.

Todos los precios son FAB (a bordo del All list-prices are quoted FOB (Free on
buque) y estn sujetos a un % de Board) and are subject to discount paid by
descuento comercial si el pago se efecta letter of credit.
mediante letra de crdito.

Rogamos tengan en cuenta que estos Please note that these prices will be held
precios estarn vigentes durante das. En for days. If an order is not received
caso de no recibir el pedido dentro de ese within that time the prices quoted are
perodo, les precios podrn variar. subject to change.

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 7. RESPUESTAS NEGATIVAS / NEGATIVE ANSWERS
Lamentamos no poder suministrar ya el
producto requerido. Les sugerimos que se
dirijan a [nombre de otra empresa].
Debido a una demanda insuficiente, hemos
dejado de fabricar el que a Vds. les
interesa; sin embargo podramos
suministrarles un producto similar cuyas
caractersticas les adjuntamos.
El producto que Vds. piden lo fabricamos
nosotros pero nuestros representantes se
encargan de su venta. Les rogamos que se
dirijan a [nombre y direccin], que
estar a su completa disposicin.
8. FRASES FINALES / CLOSING THE LETTER
Si necesita ms informacin, haga el favor
de comunicrnoslo. Esperando sus prontas
noticias, le saluda atentamente.
A la espera de sus noticias, le saluda
atentamente.
Contando con que nuestra oferta les
interesar, quedamos a la espera de sus
instrucciones.
Asegurndoles que su pedido recibir
atencin inmediata, quedamos a la espera
de su pronta respuesta.
Como nuestros precios son muy
competitivos, es probable que suban en los
prximos tres meses. Por lo tanto les
aconsejamos hacer su pedido lo antes
posible.
Les recomendamos que enven su pedido lo
antes posible, ya que las existencias son
limitadas.
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We regret we no longer supply this product
and suggest you try [the name of another
company].
Owing to insufficient demand, we no longer
produce the you are interested in;
however, we can supply a similar type and
details of these are enclosed.
The product you enquired about is
manufactured by us but can only be
supplied through one of our agents. Please
contact [name and address of agent] who
will be pleased to deal with your enquiry.
If there is any further information you
require, please dont hesitate to contact us.
Meanwhile we look forward to hearing from
you soon.
We hope we have the pleasure of receiving
your order for the above and look forward
to hearing from you.
We are sure our offer will interest you and
look forward to receiving your order.
We hope to hear from you soon and can
assure you that your order will be dealt
with promptly.
As you can see, our prices are extremely
competitive and, as they are likely to
increase within the next three months, we
advise you to place your order as soon as
possible.
We recommend that your order is
forwarded as soon as possible since
supplies are limited.
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 9. EJEMPLOS DE CORRESPONDENCIA / SAMPLE CORRESPONDENCE
Often short enquiries are emailed or made by phone. The following are examples of letters or
emails which can be used as models:
Estimados seores:
Recientemente visit su stand en la Feria
Interstoffe y obtuve su catlogo y lista de
precios. Nos interesara saber si Vds. haran
un descuento del 5% por pago contra
entrega.
Nuestro representante, el Sr. Ruiz, se
pondr en contacto con Vds. antes de fin de
mes para discutir las condiciones.
Atentamente
Estimado Sr. Tanner:
Nuestro mutuo amigo Alan Walters me ha
informado que Vd. est interesado en este
mercado para la venta de sus mquinas.
Le agradecera que me enve sus folletos y
lista de precios. Srvase calcular los precios
en documentos a 30 das C.S.F. (costo,
seguro, flete), e incluir mi comisin del 7%.
Atentamente
Carta de respuesta a una demanda de
informacin, dando cotizaciones:
Muy Sr. nuestro:
Le agradecemos su inters por nuestros
productos y nos complace enviarle la
siguiente cotizacin:
Adjuntamos folletos informativos. Cobramos
los precios vigentes el da de embarque.
A la espera de sus gratas rdenes, le saluda
atentamente.
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Dear Sir,
I visited your stand at the recent Interstoffe
Fair. We have a copy of your catalogue and
price-list.
Would you let us know if you would change
your terms to cash on arrival with a 5%
discount?
Our agent Mr Ruiz, will contact you to
discuss terms before the end of the month.
Yours faithfully,
Dear Mr Tanner,
From our mutual friend, Alan Walters, I
understand you are interested in selling your
machines in this market.
Please let me have your price-lists and
literature.
Prices should be calculated for D/A 30 days,
CIF and include my commission of 7%.
Yours sincerely
Letter giving a quotation in reply to an
enquiry:
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your enquiry. We have
pleasure in quoting you the following:
Relevant information sheets are enclosed.
All prices charged are those ruling on the
date of despatch.
We look forward to receiving your order.
Yours faithfully,
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 F. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

Here are some written assignments for you to try why not write them and if you have
English class get your teacher to correct them?

1.- REPORT

You have received the following memo from your human resources department:

Dear Course Participant,

Re: English seminar course

You recently took part in an English language seminar course which dealt with the
language of written correspondence. I would be very interested to hear from you by
way of an in-depth report as to how you feel this course has benefitted your
English and the company.

Please submit this report to me at your earliest convenience.

Kind regards,

Barry Crowder
Sacyr Training Manager

2.- LETTER

Write a letter to the managing director of the Sacyr local office in London inviting him to
come and visit your offices and facilities here in Spain. Explain a possible itinerary and how
you feel that such a visit could benefit both your companies.

3.- LOGO

Imagine that Sacyr has decided to change its logo to take the company into this new global
phase. You have been asked to design two suggested logos and submit them to the board of
directors together with your recommendations as to why they would be suitable.

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 Back to Index

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 ANSWER KEY

ANSWERS TO 9.- THE LANGUAGE OF FORMAL DOCUMENTS: Formal and

Informal Language

Formal Informal
Accordingly So
Obtain Get
Apparent Seem
Assistance Help
Commence Start
Consider Think
Converse Talk to
Discontinue Stop doing
More economical Cheaper
Attempt Try
Erroneous Wrong, false
Formulate To come up with
Implement To bring in
Due to Because
In addition to More than
Commence Start
Require Need
Obtain Get
Remuneration Pay
Indicate Say
Supplementary Extra
Terminate End
Utilise Use
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ANSWERS TO 10.- CONTRACTS: Contract Notes

1. act 7. draw up
2. participate 8. collect
3. undertake 9. produce
4. set up 10. maintain
5. be 11. accept
6. provide 12. authorize
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 ANSWERS TO 10.- CONTRACTS: Supply Contract Proposal

Description of the Proposal

In accordance with the regulations in force on the date shown.

Minimum Requirements

The customer must have the appropriate authorisation to operate in the liberalised
market.

Duration of the Contract

From the agreed commencement date until 31.12.2015, with a negotiable extension
for an additional 2 years.

Complements for Consumption

Complements by volume
The price shown is the result of considering consumption and maximum power levels.

Complements by load curve

If any significant changes should take place in this profile, its repercussions would be
analysed and these would have to be renegotiated.

Complements by Power
The price offered evaluates the supply at the limits of the rated power contracted.
Complements for an increase of power will have an effect as established in the
legislation in force at the time.

Additional Services Included

Iberdrola will undertake the following actions.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: BEING TACTFUL

1. Your order is going to be two weeks late.

We regret that there will be a 2 week delay to your order.

2. Your invoice is wrong.

There seems to be a mistake in your invoice.

3. We want you to answer this letter immediately.

We would appreciate your answering this letter at your earliest convenience.

4. We cant tell you about delivery because we dont know ourselves.

We are not yet able to give you delivery details.

5. Weve got none in stock.

We are afraid to have to inform you that we have none in stock at the moment.

6. Please dont go to another supplier.

We trust that you will continue to use our services.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: WORD PARTNERSHIPS

A. Dear Customer,
I am pleased to send you an advance copy of our latest catalogue which contains full
details of the most up-to-date office and information technology equipment on the market.

B. I also have a lot of experience in the area of finance and accounting. Between 1998 and
2006 I worked in the auditing department of a major bank.

C. Hi Julie,
This is just a short note to remind you about Mondays visit from Khalid Assad of the Bahrain
Investment Council. Please dont forget to bring a comprehensive list of our client base in
the area.
Thanks,
Pam.

D. I would be grateful if you could send me your current corporate rates for single rooms
with en-suite bathroom. I would also appreciate some more information about your
business facilities as I shall be in Edinburgh for two or three days.

E. Helen,
Thanks for leaving a copy of the Glasgow power station proposal on my desk. Unfortunately I
cant find page 3 (your analysis of construction costs) and Id be grateful if you could let me
have another copy as soon as possible.
Tom.

F. I apologise for the delay in payment. We have had a number of problems in our
accounts department recently and this has meant delays in paying some suppliers. I hope to
resolve the problems before the end of the month.

G. Dear Felix,
Sorry, there was a mistake in the email I sent you yesterday. The proposed launch date for
the new night-storage heater is now March 16th and not February 16th as I told you
yesterday. Im afraid that there have been one or two technical problems with the main
control panel.
Hope this doesnt cause you too many problems.
Janet.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: WORD PARTNERSHIPS - REPLIES

1 F 2 C 3 G 4 B 5 E 6 A 7 D

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ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: WORD PARTNERSHIPS - VERBS

enclose a copy of latest catalogue

correct a couple of mistakes
negotiate a 15% discount off list price
open a credit account
resolve a distribution problem

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ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: COMMON SENTENCES

1. We assure you that your order will be despatched within 24 hours of receipt.

2. We would be grateful if you could let us have a copy of your invoice no 1066.

3. We apologise for any inconvenience which may have been caused as a result of our
oversight.

4. May I say how excited we are at the prospect of our future collaboration.

5. I am a little worried that we still do not appear to have received the order we placed on
January 24th.

6. We agree to your terms and conditions and look forward to receiving a copy of the
agreement by return.

7. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: PREPOSITIONS (1)
Preposition
for / to / of /
on

Id be grateful if you could send to the invitation they sent.

them a reply...
The main advantage... of relocating an office is that
overheads can be reduced.
Everyone in the bank received an to the office Christmas party.
invitation..
I am writing with reference. to your phone call this morning.

The insurance company paid for to the stock in the fire.

the damage.
He was criticised by the for his unhelpful attitude towards
manager.. the customers.

The union leaders wanted to hear for the closure of the factory.
about the reasons..
The price of computers has gone of silicon chips.
up because of a shortage ..

I am enclosing a cheque.. for the work you have completed.

The Personnel Manager submitted on childcare facilities in the
the report.. company.

Back to exercise

ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: PREPOSITIONS (2)

Preposition
a vacancy in the Publicity
Madeleine has applied for
Department.
In her last job, she looked after orders and phone enquiries.
something that is a bit more
Now she is looking for
challenging.
the vacancy from a friend in the
She heard about
department.
She is a reliable worker who can
on to do a good job.
be depended
Could you let me know what you
of her?
think
I would like to talk to you about her application.
her soon and tell her what we
I think we should write to
have decided.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: FORMALITY

Suggested Answers

1. I cant come to the reception because Ill be on holiday next week.

I regret that I shall be unable to attend the reception due to personal commitments.
2. Its such a shame that your brother is dead. Im really sorry.
I was most sorry to hear about the death of your brother. I offer you my sincere
condolences.
3. So youve been elected Chairman of the company! Well done!
I would like to congratulate you on your recent appointment to the position of Chairman.
4. Mr Norman wants to drop in and see you next week about a contract, OK?
Mr Norman would like to arrange to meet you next week to discuss a contract.
5. I cant see you next Friday for our appointment after all.
I am sorry to telI you that I wont be able to make our appointment next Friday.
6. Can you come to our Sales Conference on 18th March?
We would like to invite you to attend our Sales Conference on 18th March.
7. Thanks for helping me when I was in Hamburg last week.
I would like to thank you for your help in Hamburg last week.
8. Itll be good to see you on Friday.
I look forward to seeing you on Friday.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: LETTERS - ENQUIRIES

A.
Dear Sir,
I have seen your advertisement in the current issue of Office Weekly and am interested
in your range of office stationery.
Could you please send me your latest catalogue and price list? I look forward to hearing
from you.
Yours faithfully

B.
With reference to your advertisement in todays Times, could you please send me
information about your office furniture. I am particularly interested in your adjustable
office chairs.

C.
Some time ago we purchased from you some JF72 solar-powered pocket calculators.
As this model was so popular with our customers, we would like to
know if it is still available.
If so, would you kindly advise us of your terms of payment and any quantity discount
available? Could you also include details of any new models in the same price range?

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: LETTERS ANSWERING ENQUIRIES

A.
Dear Ms Prentice,
Thank you for your enquiry of 3rd May about our office stationery. We have pleasure in
enclosing our latest catalogue and price range. We hope you will find it of interest.
If you require any further details, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely

B.
Thank you for your letter of January 4th, asking about office furniture. The enclosed
catalogue contains full details of our range. In most cases we are able to supply you with
the goods you require within fourteen days. We look forward to receiving an order from you.

C.
Thank you for your letter of 1st June, enquiring about the JF72 pocket calculator.
This model is no longer in production as it bas been superseded by the JF73 solar-powered
pocket calculator. As you will see from the enclosed leaflet the new model has several
additional features at an extremely competitive price.
We have also enclosed our latest catalogue giving details of the vast range of electronic
goods we supply.
We allow a discount of 30% on purchases of not less than 50 of the same model, and 38%
on quantities of not less than 100. In addition, we give a discount of 3% for payment within
fourteen days from date of invoice.
We look forward to doing business with you in the near future.

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 ANSWERS TO 14.- PRACTICE: LETTERS SALES

A.
We have pleasure in enclosing a complimentary copy of one of our most recent
publications Build Your Business Vocabulary.
You will note that the book has a similar format to our highly popular series, Build Your
Vocabulary, but concentrates on vocabulary useful to anyone who needs English in a
business situation.
The exercises have been extensively trialled and have met with a favourable response
from both learners and teachers. The book is suitable for use in the classroom or by a
learner of English working alone.
We feel sure that you will want to recommend this book to your colleagues and students.

B.
We are a company with over 30 years experience in selling office equipment. We have
recently brought out a new range of equipment and furniture designed to meet the needs of
todays electronic office.
This new range is featured in our latest brochure which I have enclosed together with
details of our generous terms of payment.
If you require any further information, simply telephone me and I will arrange for one of
our representatives to call on you.

C.
You have been specially selected by my company to receive a free copy of our latest
publication Business Dealings.
We cannot of course send a free copy to everyone but we have chosen you because we
value your opinion. We are confident that you will find it fascinating and want to show it to
your colleagues. Business Dealings is published monthly and we have enclosed a
complimentary copy for your convenience. Subscribe within the next three weeks and
you will be eligible for a discount of twenty per cent.

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