BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
PART I. 10 STEPS TO GOOD BUSINESS WRITING
If you follow these rules, you will become a better business writer.
1. Remember your ABC
Good written communication results when you say exactly what you want to say
using an appropriate tone. Your message must meet these essential specifications:
1. Accurate
2. Brief
3. Clear
Check facts carefully
Include all relevant details
Proofread thoroughly
Keep sentences short
Use simple expressions
Use non-technical language
Use plain, simple English
Write in an easy, natural style
Avoid formality or familiarity
2. Be courteous and considerate.
Courtesy means showing consideration for your correspondent and being
empathetic – that means showing respect for your reader’s feelings. Courtesy also
means:
 Reply promptly to all communications – answer on the same day if possible.
 Understand and respect the recipient’s point of view.
 If you feel some comments are unfair, be tactful and try not to cause offence.
 Resist the temptation to reply to an offensive letter in a similar tone. Instead,
answer courteously and do not lower your dignity.
3. Use appropriate tone.
The tone of your message reflects the spirit in which you put your message across.
Even when writing a complaint or replying to one, your message can be conveyed in a
way so as not to be rude or cause offence.
Instead of
We
cannot
do
anything
about
your problem.
Your television’s guarantee is up, so you
will have to pay for it to be
fixed.
Say
Unfortunately, we are unable to help you
on this occasion.
Your television’s guarantee has ended, so
unfortunately you must bear the cost of
any repairs.
Here are some expressions to avoid in your business writing:
 Your failure to reply …
 You did not see …
 We must insist …
 You should not expect to …
 Your refusal to co-operate …
1




You have ignored …
This is not our fault …
I can assure you …
You failed to …
4. Write naturally and sincerely
Try to show a genuine interest in your reader and his/her problems. Write naturally, as
if you are having a conversation.
Instead of
Say
I should be grateful if you would be good Please let me know
enough to advise us
Please favor us with a prompt reply
I hope to receive a prompt reply
We do not anticipate any increase in We do not expect prices to rise
prices
Please revert to us soonest
I hope to hear from you soon
5. Remember the KISS principle
Business people today have many documents to read. A message that is direct and
straight to the point will be appreciated. As you work on developing your writing
ability, you should constantly practise your KISSing skills. KISS stands for:
Keep
It
Short and
Simple
KISS also means using one word instead of long phrases where appropriate:
I should be glad if you would
→ please
in spite of the fact that
→
despite
with regard to
→
about
at the present moment in time →
now
conduct an investigation
→
investigate
in view of the fact that
→
as … because
in the event that
→
if
in the very near future
→
soon
at a later date
→
later
we would like to ask you to
→
please
Below you will find the results of research into the degree of understanding of
sentences of different lengths. Take a look at these figures:
Number of words in the sentence
Percentage of people who will
understand on the first reading
7-10 words
95%
15-20 words
75%
27 words or more
4%
2
6. Use modern terminology
Old-fashioned phrases add nothing to your meaning. Such unnecessary long
phrases are likely to give a poor impression.
Instead of
Say
Enclosed herewith you will find…
I enclose
Please be reminded
Please remember
We are in receipt of your letter of 12 June Thank you for your letter of 12 June
7. Include essential details
If the recipient of your message must ask a question, or if something is unclear,
then something has been omitted from your message. Do not leave anything to chance.
Include all essential information.
Instead of
My flight arrives at 3.30 on Wednesday.
Say
My flight BA 121 from London
Heathrow
should
arrive
at
Singapore
Changi
Airport
at
15.30 on Wednesday 12 June.
Mr. John Matthews, our Sales
Manager, will contact you soon.
Our Sales Manager will contact you soon.
8. Be consistent
Consistency is not only important in
important within the message itself.
Instead of
The people attending will be John Wilson,
G. Turner, Mandy Harrison and Bob from
Sales.
the way your message is presented, it is
Say
The people attending the next committee
meeting will be John Wilson, Gloria
Turner,
Mandy
Harrison
and
Bob Turner.
I confirm my reservation of a single room
on
16
July
and
a
double room on 17 October.
I confirm my reservation of a single room
On 16/7 and a double room on 17 Oct.
9. Use active not passive voice.
‘Voice’ is a grammatical term that refers to whether the subject of the sentence is
acting or receiving the action. Active Voice makes your writing more interesting, more
lively and more … active!
Passive voice creates a distance between the writer and the reader. Our writing
today, however, should show responsibility, and it should be more personal and natural,
more focused. Remember the golden rule ‘If you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it!’
Instead of
Say
The new system was developed by our Our staff developed the new system.
staff.
The investigation has been concluded Our client has concluded the investigation
by our client, and the paperwork has and signed the paperwork.
been signed.
3
However, there are some cases when passive voice would be more appropriate.
 When you want to place the focus on the action, not the agent.
Example: The noise was heard all over the island
 When you want to hide something or when tact is important.
Example: An unfortunate mistake was made.
 It may be better to make a noun the subject of the sentence, thus giving it extra
emphasis.
Example: It would be better to say:
Our restaurant has been recommended by all the leading hotels in Singapore.
This emphasizes ‘our restaurant’ rather than:
All the leading hotels in Singapore recommend our service.
10. Compose CLEAR communications
Finally, when writing any message ask yourself whether it meets these CLEAR
objectives. Your message should be:
Clear
Remember to use straightforward language that your reader
can understand, written in a friendly, natural, conversational
style.
Logical
Structure your message logically. Start with an introduction,
develop your points logically in the central section, and come
to a natural conclusion in which you state the action you
need from the reader. A simple one-line closing is usually all
that is necessary to finish the message.
Empathetic
Put yourself in your reader’s place and ask yourself how the
reader will feel when he/she reads your message.
Correct unclear sentences before you send the message.
Accurate
Make sure all the relevant details are included – times, dates,
names, facts, and figures.
Right
Proofread carefully to make sure everything is 100% right
before you send the message.
PART II. THE STRUCTURE OF A BUSINESS LETTER
Most business letters, regardless of their purpose, have the following basic parts:
1. Heading or Letterhead
In most cases, the heading of a letter is the printed letterhead on the company
stationery giving the company name, address, phone number(s), and perhaps the name
of an officer or correspondent.
If the stationery you are using does not have a printed letterhead, type the
company name, address, and phone number in the upper right-hand corner of the paper
about one and one-half inches from the top and flush with the right margin.
4
Institute of Secretaries
Wilson House, West Street, London SW1 2AR
Telephone 020 8987 2432
Fax 020 8987 2556
2. Reference
The reference includes initials of the writer and the typist. If you type your own
letters, omit the reference initials.
3. Date
The date should always be shown in full. Abbreviations may be used for Jan. Feb.
Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. but do not write the month in figures. In the UK, it is usual to
show the date in the order day/month/year (12th November, 20…). American style is to
show the date in the order month/day/year (November 12, 20….).
4. Inside Address
The inside address is typed below the dateline. It contains the name, title,
company division or department (if any), mailing address, and zip code of the receiver.
American Style
British Style
Mr. Alfred McKenna, Treasurer
Finance and Accounting Department
Warren, Hanson & Associates
459 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Messrs Black & Sons,
159 Knightsbridge,
London SWL 87C
5. Reference Lines
In some cases you will want to call special attention to the subject of the letter or
single out a particular person to whom the letter is addressed in a company. You would
use a reference line for this purpose.
The reference “Personal and Confidential” is typed in initial capitals and
underscored before the inside address as follows:
Personal and Confidential
…
Other reference lines “Attention” and “Subject” are typed below the inside
address. They are followed by a colon and are not underscored.
…
Subject: Delivery of furniture
…
Attention: Reena Culver, Data Processor
6. Salutation
After the inside address or reference line, the salutation is typed two lines down,
flush with the left margin.
Formal or Routine
British
Dear Sir, Dear Sirs,
Dear Madame, Mesdames,
5
American
Dear Sir: Gentlemen:
Dear Mr. Brown:
Informal
Personal
Dear Miss Smith:
Dear Mrs. Brown:
Dear Mr. Brown:
Dear Miss Roberts:
Dear Mr. Brown,
My dear Mr. Brown,
Dear George,
Dear Mr. Brown,
Dear Miss Smith,
Dear Mr. Brown,
My dear Brown,
Dear Jim,
If you do not know the receiver, use a title or some general greeting for the salutation:
To Our Friends at Royal:
Dear Manager:
Dear Executive:
Dear Members:
To the Sales Staff:
7. Body of the letter
The body of the business letter begins two lines down from the salutation. The
first paragraph starts with a capital letter. The body can be typed in block style with no
paragraph indentations or semi block style in which the paragraphs are indented
(напечатаны с отступом). Paragraphs are typed single-space with double spaces
between them.
It is best, even for a short letter, to divide the body into at least two or three
paragraphs. This step makes your text easier to read and presents your message more
clearly.
8. Complimentary Close
The complimentary close is typed one double space after the body of the letter. It
can be centered on the page or set flush with the left or right margin.
British
Formal or Routine
Yours faithfully,
Informal
Yours sincerely,
Yours truly,
Yours sincerely,
Sincerely,
With best wishes,
Yours,
Personal
American
Very truly yours,
Sincerely yours,
Yours very truly
Sincerely yours,
Cordially yours,
Sincerely yours,
With kind regards,
With best regards,
Sincerely,
Yours,
9. Signature
The writer signs his or her name in ink in the space between the complimentary
close and the typed name. Signature is followed by the writer’s position or status in the
company.
6
10. Enclosure (if any)
Type “Enc” or “Encs” at the foot of the letter, leaving one clear line space after
the sender’s designation. This is the most common form of indicating enclosures.
VOCABULARY NOTES
заглавие письма
канцелярская бумага
быть на одном уровне
поле; край
ссылка; справка
машинистка
пропускать; упускать
внутренний адрес
адрес получателя
начальные заглавные буквы
подчёркивать
двоеточие
приветствие
основная часть письма
делать абзац, отступ
заключительное предложение письма
подпись
приложение (к письму)
heading (letterhead) n stationery n to flush with v margin n reference n typist n to omit v inside address n mailing address n initial capitals n to underscore v colon n salutation n body of the letter phr to indent v complimentary close n signature n enclosure n 1. Layout: British Style
1 Printed letterhead →
2 Reference→
RELIANCE HOLDINGS FINANCE GROUP
88 Martins Lane London EC2V
Telephone 01-588-3782
HCD/RP
14th November 2110
3 Date →
4 Inside address→
5 Reference Lines→
6 Salutation →
7 Body of the
letter →
Messrs Watson & Bruce
Hardware Dealers
14 Castle Road
Edinburgh
Attention: Mr. P. James
Dear Sirs,
Thank you for your letter of 11th November, asking for an
up-to date list of addresses of our branches.
We have pleasure in enclosing this brochure, showing
the location of all our branches and agencies at home
and abroad.
7
8 Complimentary close →
Yours faithfully,
9 Signature followed by writer’s
name and status in company →
10 Enclosure
(if any) →
S.S. Carson
Group Organization
RELIANCE HOLDINGS
Enc.
2. Layout: American Style
TOWER
TSB STATE
BANK
P.O. Box 2369
1314 North 38th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66110
1-3100
January 31, 2012
Mr. George M. Cooper
2954 Wyandotte Lane
Greensleaves, Wyoming 90786
Dear Mr. Cooper:
Welcome to Tower State Bank Land!
We are pleased to learn that you have moved into the area served by
Wyandotte County’s newest bank. We cordially invite you to do your
banking business here.
Checking and savings accounts, loans for all purposes, and complete
banking services are available to you at our convenient location.
Our drive-in banking windows are open Monday through Thursday until
5:30 p.m., Friday 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lobby hours are 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 3:30
p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Plan to come in for our “eager to please” bank service.
Yours very truly,
Arthur J. Green
President
8
EXERCISE
Put the parts of the letter given below in the correct order.
Mrs. Sally Yap
Credit Control Manager
Electrical Supplies Lt
29-31 Broad Street
Birmingham
B1 2HE
Gordon Wood
Manager
4 February 200--Dear Mrs. Yap,
G WOOD & SONS
36 Castle street, Bristol BS1 2BQ
Telephone 01 17 954967
Enc
Yours sincerely
We have received your statement of account dated 31 January 200—showing a balance
due of £803.31.
From the total amount due on the statement I have deducted the allowable cash discount
of 2½% and enclose a cheque for £783.23 in full settlement.
PART III. LETTERS ON BUSINESS SITUATIONS
1. Inquiry (письмо-запрос)
An inquiry is sent when a businessman wants some information, especially about
- the supply of goods
- availability of goods
- leaflets or catalogues
- delivery times and deadlines
- quotation or prices
- method of transport
- samples
- terms and discounts
If a prospective customer approaches suppliers for the first time, it is useful to tell
them something about his own business, the kind of goods he needs and for what
purpose they are required. In the case of customers of long standing or repeat orders,
the inquiry may be very short.
9
Example. An inquiry letter: export inquiry
An export agent writes to a manufacturer.
WORLDWIDE DEALERS Ltd.
Connaught Centre
Hong Kong
The Victoria Cycle Works
P. O. Box 9271
Melbourne
June 14, 2011
Dear Sirs,
Our business agents in India have asked us for quotations for 10,000
bicycles, to be exported to Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Nepal.
Please let us know what quantities you are able to deliver at regular
intervals, quoting your best terms f.o.b. Brisbane. We shall handle export
formalities, but would ask you to calculate container transport to Brisbane
for onward shipment.
Yours faithfully,
P. King
Asst. Export Manager
Inquiries: Useful Language
 We have heard of your products.
 Please send us prices and samples of…
 Would you please let us have a firm offer for… / your current catalogue
showing…
 Would you kindly quote your best prices and terms of payment for …
 We are interested in importing …
 If your prices are competitive / If the quality of the goods comes up to our
expectations / If the samples meet with our customers’ approval we can probably
let you have regular orders.
 Thank you in advance for any information you can give us.
 Payment will be made by cheque / bank transfer
inquiry n quotation n terms n discount n delivery n deadline n onward shipment n -
VOCABULARY NOTES
письмо-запрос
расценка; цена; котировка; курс
условия (оплаты)
скидка
доставка
предельный, крайний срок
продвижение отгрузки; партии товара
10
2. Quotation, offer (письмо-предложение)
Quotation – 1) курс, расценка, цена; 2) предложение, оферта.
The quotation in reply to an inquiry may contain the prices and other information
asked for. The sales-conscious businessman, however, will take the opportunity to
stimulate the correspondent’s interest in his goods or services by including a sales
message and the assurance that the customer will receive personal attention.
Offers are sent without a preceding inquiry when a supplier wants to draw the
attention of customers and new customers to a special product or range of goods. A
firm offer is subject to certain conditions, a deadline for the receipt of orders, or a
special price for certain quantities.
Making an offer the writer should: (a) arouse interest in first paragraph; (b) create
a desire for the product or service; (c) point out the benefits; (d) stress quality and
special features; (e) persuade the reader to take appropriate action.
Example: Offering Accommodation
ATLANTIC HOTEL
10 Gresham St.
London W 1
Mr. B. Brown
J1 Kebun Karet 54
Jakarta
Indonesia
12th May, 20 ----
Dear Mr. Brown,
Thank you for your letter of 1st May asking for hotel accommodation in May or June.
We were pleased to hear that you wish to stay at the Atlantic Hotel again during your
forthcoming visit to London. Our terms are as follows:
Bed and
Room and
Breakfast
full board
Up to two nights
per person, single room
£5.00
£7.50
2 persons, double room
£8.00
£12.00
Three nights or more
per person, single room
2 persons, double room
£4.50
£7.50
£7.00
£11.50
Accommodation is still available for June, but we are almost booked up for May. We
have several double rooms free from 23rd May onwards. Would you therefore let us
know your wishes as soon as possible, so that we can reserve the room(s) you need.
We look forward to the pleasure of seeing you here again soon.
Yours sincerely,
Reception Desk
11
Quotations and Offers: Useful Language
 Thank you for your inquiry about your interest in…
 We are pleased to submit our lowest prices / to enclose our latest price list / for
the goods you inquired about.
 We can make you a firm offer for …
 Please let us have your order as soon as possible, since suppliers are limited.
 Kindly remember: this offer expires on September 30th.
 For a quantity of 60 or more, we can allow you a special discount of 20% on the
prices quoted.
 The quantity discounts vary according to the size of the order.
 We hope you will take full advantage of this exceptional offer
Terms of Payment
cash in advance
cash with order (c.w.o.)
cash on delivery (c.o.d.)
Payment quarterly / monthly /
at sight.
We can allow you three months’
credit for future orders.
quotation n offer n payment n accommodation n -
Delivery
c.i.f. / CIF (cost, insurance, freight)
f.o.b. / FOB (free on board)
f.a.s. / FAS (free alongside ship)
f.o.r. / FOR (free on rail)
Freight and insurance to be paid by
buyer / by you.
Delivery is not included in the price.
VOCABULARY NOTES
предложение, оферта
письмо-предложение
оплата, платёж
размещение, жильё
3. Order (письмо-заказ)
Most companies have official printed order forms. Smaller companies may not
have printed forms but instead place orders in the form of a letter. When sending an
order by letter, always ensure accuracy and clarity by including:
(a) an accurate and full description of goods required
(b) catalogue numbers
(c) quantities
(d) prices
(e) delivery requirements (place, date, mode of transport, etc) and
(f) terms of payment agreed in preliminary negotiations.
Example. Making a hotel reservation
Aztec Press
Adolfo Prieto 936
Col. del Valle
Mexico 12. D.F.
12
The Manager
Atlantic Hotel
London W 1
13 May 20----
Dear Sir,
Six members of our staff will be coming to London on business from 28 th May to 1st
June. Would you therefore please reserve the following accommodation for five
nights:
2 single rooms
for bed and
2 double rooms
breakfast
As my wife will be joining me in London on Saturday, 2 nd June, I will need 1 double
room with bed and breakfast for this date. Please bill this accommodation to me at
my private address as above.
Although the group will arrive in London by rail at 10.13 a.m., we have meetings
until the late afternoon and will probably check in at about 7 p.m.
Please confirm this booking
Yours faithfully
Philip Cooper
Orders: Useful Language
 Please supply / send us the undermentioned goods.
 We can accept your offer on these terms and are pleased to place an order for …
 As the goods are urgently required, we would be grateful for delivery by …
 Please confirm that you can supply this quantity by the required date.
 If any items are out of stock, please submit a quotation for a substitute.
order n preliminary adj negotiations n receipt n consignment n acknowledgment n to bill v to check in v to confirm v booking n -
VOCABULARY NOTES
письмо-заказ
предварительный
переговоры
расписка; квитанция
груз; партия товаров
уведомление; подтверждение (заказа)
выписать счёт
регистрироваться в гостинице
подтверждать
предварительный заказ, бронь
4. A Memo Letter (cлужебная записка)
A memo is a written message from one person to another (or several people)
within the same organization.
13
Memos (or memoranda) serve several purposes:
 to provide information
 to request information
 to inform of actions, decisions
 to request actions, decisions
Memos are used only inside the company. They should include the following
headings: To / From / Date / Subject. They should be short and contain only useful
information. Points should be arranged in logical order. In longer memos different
points are usually numbered. Memo style is formal or neutral. You can put your initials
or a signature at the end of the memo.
Organizing Memos
1. TO:
4. SUBJECT:
2. FROM:
5. THE BODY OF THE MEMO:
3. DATE:
6. SIGNATURE:
Example. A memo letter
MEMO
To:
Charles Stancombe
CFO
From:
Maria Castellano
Human Resources
Date:
15 July 20 -- --
Subject: Appointment
Commercial Manager, France
I have interviewed three candidates for this position and
recommend the appointment of Tim Skooba.
My reasons are as follows:
1. He has the required qualifications.
2. He has a lot of experience with the products we sell in
the French market.
3. He speaks French fluently.
4. His removal expenses will be minimal as he has no
family at present.
If you approve our recommendation, I will prepare the
contract for signature. Please let me know your decision as
soon as possible.
M.C.
cc:
Thierry Baptiste
CEO
14
How can you make your memo work for you?
1. Tell readers only what they need to know.
2. Tell them what the information means.
3. Tell readers what action is needed and when it should be taken.
4. The style of most memos should approach that of natural conversation.
5. In memos, you will be able to use technical language more than in general
business correspondence.
6. Take into consideration the reader’s personality and surroundings.
memo (memorandum) n support staff n a year-end bonus phr -
VOCABULARY NOTES
служебная докладная записка
работники вспомогательных служб
премия в конце года
5. Notice and agenda (Служебная записка с повесткой дня)
The notice and agenda are usually combined in one document. The portion at the
top is known as the notice – this gives details of the type, place, day, date, and time of
the meeting. The agenda is the list of topics to be discussed at the meeting.
Example. Notice including agenda
Company’s name →
TURNER COMMUNICATIONS
Title of meeting →
OPERATING MEETING
The monthly Operations Meeting will be held in the
Conference Room at 10:00 on Monday 14 July 20--AGENDA
1. Apologies for absence
Operating ordinary
business →
2. Minutes of last meeting
3. Matters arising from the minutes
3.1. New brochure (Suzanne Sutcliffe)
3.2. Annual Dinner and Dance (Mandy Lim)
Special business (note
full names in brackets) → 4. New branches (Suzanne Sutcliffe)
5. Far East Trip (Sally Turner)
6. European Telecommunications Conference (John
Stevens)
7. 5th Anniversary Celebrations (Suzanne Sutcliffe)
Final ordinary business → 8. Any other business
9. Date of next meeting
15
Minutes are a written record of what took place at a meeting. An accurate written
record is essential not only for those who attend the meeting but also for those who
were absent. Minutes should be written in the past tense using third person and
reported speech.
VOCABULARY NOTES
notice nизвещение, уведомление
agenda n повестка дня
minutes n протокол
6. R sum (CV), application / employment letter (резюме, заявление о приёме на
работу)
When a company needs to recruit or employ new people, it may decide to
advertise the job or position in the appointments section of a newspaper (as shown
above). People who are interested can then apply for the job by sending a letter of
application or covering letter (US cover letter) and a curriculum vitae or CV (US
r sum ) containing details of their education and experience.
Some applicants write a long letter containing lots of information about education,
qualifications, and experience – this is not advisable as the information is not easy to
locate and it can sound rather boastful.
Preferably you should write a short letter applying for the post and stating that
your curriculum vitae (or rеsumе) is enclosed.
Example 1. Application letter
17 Princes St.
Edinburgh
August 3, 20 - Sales Recruitment and Training Manager
W. & T. Avery Limited
21 Conduit St.
London W.I.
Dear Sirs,
In reply to your advertisement in today’s “Daily Telegraph”, I am interested in
becoming a Sales Manager for your company.
As you can see from the enclosed curriculum vitae, I have selling experience in
pharmaceuticals and cosmetics – a very competitive field. However, I would like to
change to industrial products since I believe they offer a greater potential. Your six
months’ training scheme should certainly help me to devote the best of my ability to
your company, particularly since my educational qualifications are higher than those
you require.
My present position is subject to one month’s notice, after which I would be able to
train in London and, if necessary, relocate to any part of the country.
As you request in your advertisement, I shall telephone you shortly to make an
16
appointment for a personal meeting. Meanwhile I thank you for considering my
application.
Yours faithfully,
Peter S. Ryder
Enc. Curriculum vitae
A rеsumе is a written summary of your personal, educational, and professional
achievements. The information you want to present in your rеsumе should be written in
the following order: (1) personal details, (2) education, (3) professional experience, (4)
skills or special qualifications, (5) interests, (6) references. It should be displayed
attractively so that all the information can be seen at a glance. It should not extend to
more than 2 pages. Wherever possible, the information should be categorized under
headings and columns.
The rеsumе should be printed or photocopied on good bond paper. If you are
applying for a job in a bank, insurance office, or other conservative institution, use a
white or off-white bond and a conservative format. But if you are interested in a more
creative organization such as an advertising agency or graphic arts company, you may
want to be more innovative and use tinted paper and a more experimental format.
Example 2. Curriculum vitae (rеsumе)
CURRICULUM VITAE
Name
Address
Peter S. Ryder
17 Princes St.
Edinburgh
Phone
020 8529 3456
E-male
peter.ryder@ caledonia.net
Nationality
British
Date of Birth
22/2/79
Marital Status
Single
Education/Qualifications
1996–2001
Dundee University
Honors Degree:
Chemistry
1986–1996
Bell Comprehensive School, Brighton
Work Experience:
September 2001 –
June 2002
10 months working Personnel Department of the
Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik in Saarbrücken, Germany
July 2002 –
May 2009
Sales assistant with Newton Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Windmill Estate, Solihull, Birmingham
Special Qualifications
Have attended an evening course in Marketing at R.S.A., intermediate level, and shall
sit for this examination next month. Computer literate; experience of computing MS
Office (Word, Excel).
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Languages
English – very good
German – very good
Music; Languages; Chemistry; Golf; Swimming.
Interests
References
1. Herbert Davis, Professor of Chemistry, Dundee University
2. Linda Foster, Sports Editor, The Birmingham Tribune
Application Letters and R sum s: Useful Language
 I wish to apply for the post … advertised in the … on … .
 With reference to your advertisement in “The Times” of Friday, January 4th, I
would like to apply for the position of … in your company.
 I recently heard from … that there is a vacancy in your accounts department.
 I am used to working on my own.
 I would like the opportunity to work on my own initiative and to take on a
certain amount of responsibility.
 During training for my present job I took courses in marketing and sales
promotion.
 Since my present position offers little prospect for advancement, I would prefer
to be employed in an expanding organization such as yours.
 I look forward to hearing from you and to being granted the opportunity of an
interview.
 I hope you will consider my application favorably and grant me an interview.
 I look forward to the opportunity of attending an interview when I can provide
further details.
VOCABULARY NOTES
letter of application n rеsumе n
curriculum vitae (Br.En.)
recruitment n bond paper n -
off-white adj tinted paper n -
письмо-заявление о приёме на работу
резюме
найм на работу
прочная бумага высокого качества,
используемая для определённых
канцелярских назначений
грязно-белый
бумага различной тонировки
7. Report (отчёт)
Many different types of report are used in business – some are quite short and
informal, while others are fairly lengthy and formal. The ultimate purpose of any report
is to provide the foundation for decisions to be made and action taken.
Some reports contain no more than a simple statement recording an event, a visit or
some circumstances, with a note of action taken. Other reports include detailed
explanations of facts, conclusions, and perhaps recommendations for action.
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Long reports
1) Title or title page
2) (Contents list)
3) Introduction
4) Summary and conclusions
5) Recommendations
6) Discussion
7) (Appendix)
Short reports
1) Title
2) Introduction
3) Discussion
4) Summary and conclusions
5) Recommendations
6) (Appendix)
8. E-mail (электронное письмо)
Electronic mail is possibly the greatest invention of our lifetime. It has a
phenomenal effect on the way we communicate.
In personal relationships the conventions of behavior are called etiquette. In email we have netiquette – a set of rules for e-mail that have evolved from experience.
Here are some top tips for better netiquette:
 Never think you’re talking to a computer! There’s a real live person at the other
end. Remember that when you consider the wording, style, and tone of your message
 Ensure you follow the rules of good writing. Just as a business letter is an
ambassador for your company, so is your e-mail. Write your messages with care,
considering all the rules of modern business writing.
 Take off the caps lock. DON’T SHOUT! Even though you want to get noticed,
please do not use capitals in e-mail messages. And also never resort to excessive
punctuation *@ !!**?!!!!
 Informality is OK in e-mails. Replace formal salutations like “Dear Leslie” with
“Hi Leslie” or even just “Leslie”. Similarly, replace “Yours sincerely” with “Best
wishes” or some other informal closing.
 Send a cc to those who need to know, not to everyone you know. Do you really
need to send all those cc, bcc, and fwd copies? This results in overflowing inboxes and
a lot of time wasted.
 Enumerate with numbers and bullets (символ; маркер абзаца). Present your
messages attractively. Use numbers, bullets or sub-headings if possible – this will add
clarity to your message.
 Question your subject heading. People are most likely to read important-looking
e-mails first. Give your messages a clear and specific subject heading. Readers with
huge inboxes will not open your “Urgent” or “Inquiry”. Compose a SMART subject
line:
Specific
Meaningful
Appropriate
Relevant
Thoughtful
 Use short sentences and short paragraphs. The shorter your messages, the more
likely it is that they will be read and understood. But do not make them so short that
they are abrupt or unclear. Use full sentences and explain clearly. Remember to
paragraph just the same as in other business documents.
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 Take a pride in your finished message. Make sure your message is accurate, brief
and clear as well as attractively presented. In this way it will be understood and will
achieve the desired results. Ensure everything is right before you click “send”. You
cannot call an e-mail back for second thoughts!
PART IV. EXERCISES
Read the extracts of business letters given below. Identify the type of business
correspondence that each extract belongs to.
1. (a) Inquiry letter (b) Offer letter (c) Order (d) Letter of complaint
I have been a customer of Robinsons for the last 10 years and have always been very
happy with the service. However when I visited the Ladies’ Department around noon
on Monday 12 June one of your assistants, Sandra Wong, was very unprofessional.
When I asked her for help, she ignored me and continued talking to her colleague.
This is not the sort of service that I expect from your staff, and I hope you will
investigate this matter.
2. (a) Application letter (b) Offer letter (c) Job advertisement (d) R sum
Financial Controller / Chief Accountant
Key Qualifications:
 Comfortable with both Russian and GAAP accounting.
 Will be responsible for implementing financial control systems, preparing
financial reports, accounting and fax filing.
 Two years experience as either deputy accountant or chief accountant with a
Western company.
All candidates will possess:
 higher education
 excellent written and spoken English
 computer literacy including knowledge of
Microsoft Word and Excel
3. (a) Advice of dispatch (b) Memo letter (c) Order (d) Application letter
To:
Departmental Heads
From:
Steven Broom, PR Director
Date:
2 July 20---Subject: New company logo
As you know, the Public Relations Department has been looking into ways to make
our company logo more attractive and easily recognizable by customers. Could you
please take the following actions in your departments:
1. Encourage staff to share their personal vision of a new logo, which will be used on
all our products.
2. Ask staff to put their drawings or descriptions in the box placed in the lobby
downstairs.
3. --------
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4. (a) Offer letter (b) Job advertisement (c) Application letter (d) R sum
Dear Sir,
For the past 8 years I have been a Statistician in the Research Unit of Baron &
Smallwood Ltd, Glasgow. I am now looking for a change of employment which
would widen my experience and at the same time improve my prospects. It has
occurred to me that a large and well-known organization such as yours might be able
to use my services.
At the University of London I specialized in merchandising and advertising and was
awarded a PhD degree for my thesis on…………..
5. (a) Job advertisement (b) Application letter (c) R sum (d) Fax message
Marital Status
Single
Education
2006-2007
2002-2006
1955-2002
Work Experience
September 2004June 2005
University of Bristol: MSc in Management
King’s College, London: BA (hons.) Russian and German
Burford Community College, Oxford Rd, Burford, Oxon.
10 months working in Personnel Department of the MaxPlanck-Institut für Informatik in Saarbrücken, Germany
6. (a) Offer letter (b) Inquire letter (c) Order (d) Complaint
Dear Sir / Madam
I have a large hardware store in Southampton and am interested in the electric heaters
you are advertising in the West Country Gazette.
Please send me your illustrated catalogue and a price list.
Yours faithfully
7. (a) Application letter (b) Inquiry letter (c) Report (d) Offer letter
Dear Sir:
We would like to send our best wishes for the success of your new shop specializing
in the sale of toys. Your stock will not be complete without the mechanical toys for
which we have a national reputation.
We are sole importers of VALIFACT toys and, as you will see from the enclosed
price list, our terms are very generous. We hope that these terms will encourage you
to place an order with us and feel sure you would be well satisfied with your first
transaction.
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