1. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE 2
Based on
Littlejohn, A.: Company to Company, CUP, 2005.

2. OPENING (revision) a) In a reply:
Thank you for your letter ( , enquiry, order, …) of 25 May.
b)We are writing to ...
...inform you that
...enquire about...
... remind you that ...

3. REFERRING (opening)
Dear Ms Jackson
..., we are writing ...
We are writing IN CONNECTION WITH your delivery of 15 May 2008.
WITH REGARD TO your delivery, ...
WITH REFERENCE TO your enquiry of 3 May 2008, we would like to inform you that ...
FURTHER TO our phone conversation of 24 April, we ...

4. Types of letters good news bad news requesting action complaints
apology
orders, job applications, ...

5. GOOD NEWS We are HAPPY to inform you that... PLEASED DELIGHTED
... you have been shortlisted for interview for the position of ...
...we ARE ABLE TO deliver ...

6. BAD NEWS (+reason) We are SORRY to inform you that ..
We REGRET to inform you that ...
... we ARE UNABLE TO deliver ...
... we HAVE BEEN FORCED TO increase our prices.
This is DUE TO unforeseen circumstances.
OWING TO ...
AS A RESULT OF ...
BECAUSE OF ...

7. Good news (CC:p.29)
your application for a post as secretary, that we would like you to start work as soon as possible.
our telephone conversation last week, that your car is now ready for you to collect.

8. Good news (CC:p.29)
With reference to your application for a post as secretary, we are happy to inform you that we would like you to start work as soon as possible.
With regard to our telephone conversation last week, we are pleased to inform you that your car is now ready for you to collect.

9. Bad news (e.g.)
We ... to inform you that we ... to cancel the meeting scheduled for 27 May. This is .... to staff illness.

10. Bad news (e.g.)
We regret to inform you that we have been forced to cancel the meeting scheduled for 27 May. This is due to staff illness

11. E.g. We REGRET TO inform you that the Credit Committee decided not to grant you a loan of €300,000 you requested. This is DUE TO to the insufficient collateral you have provided.(This is DUE TO THE FACT THAT you have not provided sufficient collateral for the loan.)
Ex.
not able to deliver the goods on time /a breakdown in one of the production systems

12. Good news/bad news and giving reasons (cause-effect)
Also use the following expressions:
We have been forced to..., We are unable to..., We are able to... / This is due to (the fact that)...
delay the delivery of the goods – strike by airline pilots
cut all salaries by 10% - fall in sales
increase all salaries by 10% - rise in sales

13. Good news/bad news and giving reasons (cause-effect)
With regard to your order of March 25, we regret to inform you that we are unable to deliver the goods on time. This is due to a strike by airline pilots.
We are sorry to inform you that we have been forced to cut all salaries by 10%. This is as a result of a fall in sales of 12% in the last quarter.
We regret to inform you that tomorrow’s meeting has been cancelled. This is due to the fact that a lot of staff have been ill
We are delighted to inform you that we have decided to increase all salaries by 10%. This is due to a rise in our sales last year.

14. REQUESTING ACTION PLEASE COULD YOU...
We WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF you could ...
We WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF you could ...
Ex. You have moved your office and you want the post office to forward your letters to your new address.

15. Requesting action CC: 5.2., p.50
Please / arrange / for ten o’clock / could / an appointment / you
we / send / asap / would / if you / the goods / be grateful / could
appreciate / arrange / would / for ten o’clock / could /it / an appointment / if/ you /We

16. COMPLAINTS complain (v.), complaint (n.)
A mild complaint (pg.1)
UNFORTUNATELY, the invoice you sent us is higher than we agreed.
I AM AFRAID that the invoice you sent me…
 It SEEMS to me that…
It APPEARS that …

17. Complaints (continued)
Reminder / making a point (pg.2)
I should like to remind you that…
I would like to draw your attention to (the fact that)…
I would like to point out that …
 Requesting action (pg.3)
We would be grateful if you correct the invoiced amount so as to keep to our agreement.

18. Strong complaint (CC: p.42)
What is the plan for this letter (p.42)?
1. referring, 2. reminding, 3. request for action, 4. warning (threat)
Unless ...
Write sentences starting with unless in the following cases:
a company that has not paid your bill
an employee who always comes late for work

19. APOLOGISING apologise (v.) apology (n.sg.), apologies (n.pl.)
We APOLOGISE FOR losing your order.
We are EXTREMELY SORRY FOR losing  your order.
(We are extremely sorry that we have lost your order.)

20. Apologies (ending) With apologies once again.
Please accept our apologies once again.
We hope that this has not caused you any inconvenience.
Sample letter (extra sheet)

21. Apologising – write a reply
“...Payment on the above order is now overdue...” (letter of 3 April 2008)

22. Letter-writing (cc: ex.3.9, p.33)
You are the sub-manager of a bank. There has been a change in government regulations. Interest rates have increased to 12% for deposits and 14% for loans. Write a letter to
customers who have deposit accounts with you (good news)
customers who have a loan from you (bad news)