Sample business letter in english. Sample letter in English: structure, expressions and examples of letters
Correspondence is a long-standing method of communication, which even now, in the age of modern technology, does not lose its relevance.
Agree that letters written by hand and sent by mail have their own special magic?
In England, a good tradition of exchanging letters has been preserved to this day. It can be congratulations on important events in life, invitations to a meeting or just a letter of gratitude. There are no hard and fast rules on how to write such letters. But still, there is certain etiquette which should be observed when writing personal letters.
In this article, you will learn the rules for writing and formatting informal letters on English language. Get acquainted with the structure and types of letters in English, as well as find live examples and templates with translation.
Types of informal letters
Among personal letters, there are several main types, or rather, the reasons for writing them:
- Congratulations on your wedding day, birthday, birth of a child, graduation from the university, etc.
- Invitation to a wedding, housewarming or other celebration
- Thank you for an invitation, favor or good advice
- Rejecting an invitation
- Apology or condolence
Letter structure
The structure of a personal letter is simple and consists of several main parts:
Appeal
You can address the addressee by last name or first name if you are in a close relationship with him. The choice of address depends only on the degree of your acquaintance with the addressee and can be anything. The most common options:
- (My) dear... - (My) dear ...
- (My) dearest ... - (My) dear ... / (My) dearest
- Dear Mr. Brown - Dear Mr. Brown
- Dear Kate - Dear Kate
A comma or exclamation point is placed after the appeal, and the letter itself continues with a new paragraph.
On a note: Appeals Dear sir / Dear madam are used only in formal or business letters, and also when we do not know the name of the person to whom we are writing.
Remember that, unlike the Russian language, in formal letters it is considered bad form to put an exclamation point after the address. So, a note to a friend might start with "Dear John!..", but in a wedding invitation, it's better to write "Dear John,.."
opening phrase
This is a short sentence after the appeal, in which you need to indicate the main purpose of the letter or the reason why you are writing to the addressee.
The introductory phrase can be gratitude for an invitation to a holiday, a request for a meeting, and so on. With this phrase, we indicate our intentions regarding the recipient of the letter.
Main part
A few paragraphs in which you can reveal the purpose of the letter in more detail. They are free-form and may contain clarifications, the time and place of the meeting, or other important information.
On a note: In official correspondence, it is not advisable to use abbreviations of auxiliary verbs, such as don "t, it" s, etc. Use the full form: do not / it is, etc. The same rule applies to invitations to events, congratulations, and other types of formal letters. If you are writing to a close friend or loved one, abbreviations are quite acceptable.
Conclusion
One or two sentences summarizing the letter. In conclusion, you can express your intention to continue the correspondence or ask the addressee for an answer if you are sending an invitation to a meeting or event.
farewell and signature
Similar to the appeal, the signature and the final phrase are best chosen based on the degree of closeness of the relationship with the recipient. The most common and universal phrases:
- Love / With love / With all my love / Lovingly yours / Lovingly / All my love - With love (Loving you, your loving)
- Yours ever / Ever yours / Always yours - Always yours (your)
- Sincerely yours / Yours sincerely / Sincerely / Yours - Sincerely yours
- Faithfully yours / Faithfully - Regards
- Best wishes / With best wishes / (Best) regards - With best wishes
- Cordially yours / yours cordially - Cordially yours
- Devotedly yours / Truly yours / Yours truly - Devoted to you
- Your very sincere friend - Your sincere friend
- Lots of love / kisses - With love / Kisses
After any phrase, a comma is placed, and then the sender's name from a new line.
Rules for writing letters in English and postal etiquette
- Be polite and not overly emotional
Whether you're writing to a friend in London or responding to an invitation to a party, be nice and friendly. Even if you refuse a request to the addressee, do it politely. Also, do not put a lot of exclamation points and smileys in emails.
- Communicate the purpose of the letter from the beginning and write coherently
Briefly express the main idea and purpose of the letter in the first lines - this will help the recipient better understand what you want from him. In addition, you should not “jump” from thought to thought and write incoherently. Think over the text of the letter in advance and disclose the main ideas briefly and one after another.
- Break your letter into paragraphs and don't overuse long sentences
Large text is much easier to read when it is broken into short passages with the main ideas. Do not overload the letter with long and complex sentences - it is better to break such phrases into several parts. The meaning will not suffer from this, but the structure of the letter will improve significantly.
- Write Properly
Phrases for personal letters for all occasions (in English with translation)
Thanks in response to the last letter and continuation of the correspondence:
Thank you so much for your warm letter… - Thank you so much for your warm letter…
Many thanks for your kind and warm letter - Thank you very much for your kind and warm letter...
I received your letter yesterday ... - Yesterday I received your letter ...
I was delighted to receive your letter - I was glad to receive your letter
I appreciate your kind words - I appreciate your kind words
It was nice to have a letter from you after so long and to hear that… - It was nice to get a letter from you after such a long time and hear that...
I have just received your letter and… - I just received your letter and...
This morning, to my great astonishment, I received a letter from you - This morning, to my great surprise, I received a letter from you
So much has happened since I wrote you - So much has happened since I wrote to you
What a long time it has been since we last met! How long has it been since we last met!
It’s been a long time since I heard from you and I am anxious to know how you are getting on - It’s been a long time since I heard anything from you, and I really want to know how you are doing
As soon as I heard ... - As soon as I heard ...
How are you these days? - How are you doing now?
You will be wondering why it has taken me so long to reply… - You will ask why I took so long to answer...
Now that I am finally able to sit down and write you again… - Now that I can finally sit down and write you again…
By now everyone in the world except me seems to have written to congratulate you, but I have been… - It seems that everyone in the world, except me, has already written to you and congratulated you, but I was…
I have delayed answering this letter because… - I was late answering this letter because...
I am so pleased that you ... - I'm so glad that you ...
I am writing you ... - I am writing to you ...
I have not heard from you… - I haven't heard from you...
How nice to hear that you… - How nice to hear that you...
Gratitude for a gift or meeting:
This is just a brief note to thank you for… - This is just a short note to thank you for...
I don "t know quite how to thank you for ... - I don't even know how to thank you for ...
I am sincerely grateful to you for ... - I am sincerely grateful to you for ...
How very kind of you to remember my birthday and what a lovely present! "How nice of you to remember my birthday, and what a lovely gift!"
Now that I am back home I want to write straightaway and thank you for… - Now that I have returned home, I want to immediately write and thank you for…
I regret very much that I did not have an opportunity to thank you personally for…
What exciting / wonderful / thrilling / happy news! - What exciting / wonderful / exciting / joyful news!
What a pleasant surprise! - What a pleasant surprise! / What a pleasant surprise!
Ask for a favor:
I should be grateful if you would ... - I would be grateful to you if you ...
I want to ask you for a very great favor - I want to ask you for a very big favor
Could you do me a favor? - Could you do me a favor?
I hope you will forgive me for troubling you, but it has occurred to me that you are the only person who may be able to help me help me
Please forgive me for troubling you but I would be very grateful if you would help me in a very delicate matter - Please forgive me for bothering you, but I would be very grateful if you could help me in a very delicate matter
Apologies and condolences:
I am terribly sorry that I could not meet you as planned I was sorry to learn that…
Please accept my deepest / sincere condolences - Please accept my deepest / sincere condolences
There are no words that can express my great / deep sorrow about...
I was extremely / terribly sorry to hear of…
We were very sorry to hear about your loss - We were very sorry to hear about your loss
I feel I must write to tell you how very sorry I am… - I consider it my duty to write to you how sorry I am…
Letter to a stranger or pen pal:
You don "t know me so let me introduce myself - You don't know me, so let me introduce myself
I obtained your name and address from… - I got your name and address from...
I am writing because as I understand you would like to have a pen friend in my country - I am writing because, as I understand it, you would like to have a pen friend in my country.
Phrases to complete the letter:
Please write soon - Please write as soon as possible
I am looking forward very much to hearing from you - I look forward to hearing from you
You have no idea how much I am looking forward to hear anything from you - You have no idea how much I want to hear anything from you
I hope to have a letter from you before long - I hope to receive a letter from you soon
I would be delighted to hear about you - I would be glad to hear something about you
I would appreciate an early reply - I would appreciate an early reply
Please write and tell me all the news of… - Please write to me and tell me all the news about…
I am looking forward to seeing you and will keep all my news until then - I really want to see you and therefore I will not talk about any news until the meeting
Please write to me before long if you have time - Please write to me soon if you have time
I enclose a stamped, addressed envelope for your reply - I enclose an envelope with an address and a stamp for your reply
Wishes and expressions of love:
All the best! - All the best!
Best of luck to you! - Good luck!
With all good wishes! - With best wishes!
With best wishes from all of us on… - Best wishes from all of us on the occasion of…
Take care of yourself - Take care of yourself
Give my love to… - Give my heartfelt greetings...
I will love you forever - I will always love you
Kiss the children for me - Kiss the children for me
My thoughts are always with you - My thoughts are always with you
All your old friends send their love - All your old friends send their heartfelt greetings
I want you to know I am thinking of you - I want you to know what I think of you
Apologies and Requests:
Please forgive me for troubling you this way - I'm sorry to bother you this way
I do hope you will accept my heartfelt apologies - I hope you accept my sincere apologies
Edward joins me in apologizing for troubling you and we both send you our best wishes
Forgive me for having to write such a letter, but, believe me, I have no alternative - Sorry I had to write such a letter, but believe me, I have no choice
Please forgive me, but my decision is quite irrevocable - Please excuse me, but my decision is completely final
While I greatly regret the inconvenience, I am sure you will understand it was due to circumstances quite beyond my control - I apologize for causing you concern and I hope you understand that circumstances were stronger than me
If you do not reply within two weeks, I will have to change my mind and… - If you do not reply within two weeks, I will be forced to change my mind and…
Let me know what you decide - Let me know what you decide
I am sorry to bother you with this, but I don "t know what to do - I'm sorry to bother you with this, but I don't know what to do.
I don "t know what I would do without you - I don't know what I would do without you
You know you can always count on me - You know that you can always count on me
Please let me know what I can do to help - Please let me know how I can help
Please call on me if there is anything I can do to help
Love letter: how to write about your love
Do you want to confess your love? We know how difficult it is sometimes to express the depth of your feelings on paper, but there are some beautiful phrases that will help you write a romantic letter:
I "m yours - I'm yours (your)
I adore you - I adore you
There is no other like you - There is no more like you
You complete me - You complete me
I love you from the bottom of my heart - I love you from the bottom of my heart
I yearn for you - I miss you
I "m under your spell - I'm fascinated by you
You "ve put a spell on me - You bewitched me
I was smitten with you - You smitten with you
You make me feel young again - You make me feel young again
With you, forever won "t be too long - With you, eternity will not be too long
If you need to hear why I love you, I can go on all night - If you need to hear why I love you, I can talk all night
I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I "m with you - I love you not only for who you are, but for who I am next to you
I love you more and more every day - Every day I love you more and more
I cherish you above anything else in my life - I cherish you the most in my life
I'm more in love with you today than I was yesterday - I'm in love with you today more than yesterday
Examples and samples of letters in English with translation *
Invitation letter:
Dear Kate and Nick,
We are looking forward very much to your visit to our country this summer. We are expecting you at the beginning of July and are hoping that you may stay until the end of the month or longer.
We consider it a privilege for us to receive you as guests in our house. We are very grateful indeed to you for consenting to come and stay with us. We are looking forward to offering you hospitality in return for the hospitality you have kindly given us on many occasions.
We want you to understand that we will see to all your needs while you are with us and to any expenses that may arise.
yours sincerely,
Dear Kate and Nick!
We look forward to welcoming you this summer. We are waiting for you at the beginning of July and hope that you will stay with us until the end of the month or longer.
It is a great honor for us to host you at home. We are very glad that you agreed to come and stay with us. We want to return you the same hospitality that you have kindly shown us more than once.
You should be aware that we will provide you with everything you need during your stay with us, including financial costs that may arise.
Sincerely yours,
John and Mary
Answer to the invitation:
Dear John!
It is very kind of you and your wife to offer to invite us to stay. I hope we won't cause you too much trouble. London is a city I have heard so much about, and I am delighted at the chance to see it.
Once more lots of thanks. See you in July!
yours cordially,
Dear John and Mary!
It was very kind of you and your wife to invite us to visit. I hope we don't cause you too much trouble. London is a city that I've heard a lot about and I'm glad to be able to see it.
Thank you very much again. See you in July!
Yours cordially,
Thank you letter for a good time
Dear Mark,
Now that I am back in Moscow, I feel that I must write to thank you most warmly for all your kindness and hospitality shown to me in Dallas. It was a great pleasure to meet such nice people as you and your wife.
I hope that before long I shall be receiving you in Moscow.
Let me thank you once again.
yours sincerely,
Dear Mark!
Now that I'm back in Moscow, I feel I must write to you to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your kindness and hospitality shown to me in Dallas. It was very nice to meet such nice people as you and your wife.
I hope that soon I will be able to host you in Moscow.
Let me thank you again.
Sincerely yours,
A letter to a friend:
Dear Edward,
I shall be in London for a couple of days next month, and I was wondering if we could meet together. We haven't seen each other for ages and I am very anxious to hear how things are with you.
What about Monday, April 7? If this would suit you I suggest we meet at the entrance to my hotel, which is "Armour Inn", at 12.30.
Please let me know if this is convenient for you.
Dear Edward!
I'm going to London for a couple of days next month and thought we might meet. We haven't seen each other for ages, and I'm very worried about how things are going for you.
How about Monday, April 7th? If it suits you, then I suggest meeting at the entrance to my hotel.
"Armor Inn" at 12.30.
Please let me know if this option suits you.
Your Lucy.
Dear Charles,
It was good of you to think of writing to me, and I appreciate it very much.
I am indeed keeping well and enjoying comparative leisure. I try to divide my time about equally between reading and recreation.
The weather here in St. Petersburg has been rather changeable lately. In the morning the sun shines warmly, but by noon the sky clouds over and it usually starts to rain. Sometimes a storm blows up, but it never lasts very long.
It must be very hot now in Europe, so take care of yourself.
Dear Charles!
What a fine fellow you are for writing to me, I am very grateful to you.
I feel good and enjoy relative idleness. I try to do the same and read and have fun.
The weather here in St. Petersburg has been constantly changing lately. The mornings are warm and the sun is shining, but by noon the sky is overcast and it usually starts to rain. Sometimes there are thunderstorms, but they pass quickly.
It must be very hot in Europe right now, so take care of yourself.
Best wishes.
Your friend,
Congratulations:
Dear Mabel and Kevin,
Best wishes for a merry Christmas! I wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
yours sincerely,
Dear Mabel and Kevin!
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas! I wish you happiness and health in the New Year.
Yours sincerely,
Dear Isabel,
It seems only yesterday that you told me that you were engaged, and now you are married! I haven't met George, but from your letters I know that both of you will be happy.
Congratulations to George and my best wishes to the two of you for a filled marriage with all the good things in life.
Dear Isabelle!
It seems like yesterday you told me about your engagement, and now you are already married! I don't know George, but I understand from your letters that both of you will be happy.
Congratulate George for me, I wish you all the best in your married life.
With tenderness,
Apologies:
Dear Leonard,
I must apologize for not writing sooner. I have been kept busy lately preparing for my exams. The last of my exams was successful yesterday, and now I am comparatively free again. I will try to keep in closer touch with my friends, and with you in particular.
Dear Leonard!
I'm sorry I didn't write to you earlier. Recently, I have been busy preparing for exams. Yesterday I successfully passed the last exam and now I am relatively free. I will try to communicate more often with friends and with you in particular.
Your Lana
Dear Frank,
My behavior at your house was deplorable. I can assure you that it will not happen again. I was wrong. I have no excuses.
I am very sorry.
yours sincerely,
Dear Frank!
My behavior in your house was bad. I can assure you that this will not happen again. I was wrong. I have no excuses.
I beg you to forgive me.
Sincerely yours,
Requests:
Dear Henry,
How are you these days? I haven't heard from you for ages. I am writing to you because I really need your help. I am thinking of coming to Britain this summer to improve my English, and I would like to stay for about two months. Naturally I can "t afford a two months" holiday, and I am wondering if you know of any jobs I could apply for.
I am sorry to bother you with this. I have no idea where to make inquiries myself. It would be a great help if you could put me in touch with a firm or agency that I could write to.
Dear Henry!
How are you? Haven't heard from you in ages. I am writing to you because I really need your help.
I'm thinking about going to the UK this summer to improve my English and would like to live there for a couple of months. Naturally, I can't afford a two-month vacation, and I'm wondering if you have any idea of a place where I could work.
I'm sorry to bother you, but I myself have absolutely no idea where to turn to. It would help me a lot if you could put me in touch with a firm or agency that I could write to.
Your friend,
Condolences:
Dear Mr. hailey,
We are deeply saddened by the news of your father "s death. He was one of the best men, a fine citizen, a loyal friend, and a hearty companion. We all knew him well and loved him like a brother. Our family mourns with you.
yours sincerely,
Dear Mr Hailey!
We are deeply saddened by the news of your father's death. He was a good man, an excellent citizen, a true friend and a sensitive comrade. We all knew him well and loved him like a brother. Our family mourns with you.
Yours sincerely,
John Lewis
Now you know how to write a personal letter in English for any occasion. Practice more and you'll be fine!
yours sincerely,
*From L.P. Stupina "Letters in English for all occasions"
With the advent of e-mail, paper letters seem to have lost popularity. However, it is impossible to do without them at all - until it becomes necessary to write a cover letter for your resume, establish contact with a potential partner, or, for example, file a complaint with a bank.
In any of these cases, it is important that your letter has the desired effect on the addressee. To do this, the letter must be:
- properly formatted
- short and meaningful
- written to the point
- well-written
- polite, even if it's a complaint or complaint
If you are replying to a letter, pay attention to how the letter is framed and what expressions it uses. In turn, try to match the given level both in the selection of verbal formulations and in the design standards.
Structure of a business letter
In English, there are a number of rules that you should follow when writing a business letter. General advice: Try to write simply, clearly and concisely.
Address
The sender's address (without a name) is usually written in the upper right corner.
E-mail and phone number do not need to be indicated here, but this is allowed.
The recipient's address is located on the left, below the sender's address.
date
The date can be placed left or right below or above the recipient's address.
also quite flexible. For example, "April 7, 2016" can be written as April 7, 2016 or 07/04/16
. But do not forget that in the US and the UK, dates are written differently (in the US, the month is written first, then the date: April 7, 2016). To avoid confusion, the name of the month is recommended to be written in cursive.
Appeal
- If you don't know the recipient's name, use the address Dear Sir or Madame. But if there is such an opportunity, try to find out the name of the addressee: it is much more likely that your letter will be noticed.
- If you know the name of the addressee, use the appropriate form of address and last name. For example, Dear Mr Johnson- if the letter is addressed to a man; Dear Mrs Johnson- a married woman; Dear Miss Johnson- unmarried.
- Recently, many consider it incorrect to emphasize the marital status of a woman. If you're writing to a woman and you don't know how she prefers to be addressed, it's best to use the neutral form. Ms: Dear Ms Johnson
- If the recipient has an academic title, use it: Dear Dr. Huxley; Dear Prof. Atkinson.
Pay attention to punctuation: in modern British English, a period is not put after the forms Mr / Mrs / Ms, and a comma is placed at the end of the treatment:
Dear Mr Smith,
In American English, Mr/Mrs/Ms is followed by a period and a colon at the end of the treatment:
Dear Mr. Stevens:
Be sure to spell the recipient's name correctly. Nothing spoils the impression like mistakes or typos in the name.
Completion of the letter:
- If you do not know the recipient's name, complete the letter with the phrase Yours faithfully.
- If you know the name, it is customary to end the letter with the phrase Yours sincerely.
- Your signature.
Leave a line for painting, below print your first and last name. In parentheses, you can indicate which treatment you prefer:
Olga Smirnova (Ms)
- The first paragraph should be short and reflect the purpose of the letter - a request, a complaint, a suggestion, etc.
- The middle paragraphs contain information that explains the purpose of the letter. It is customary to write business letters in English briefly, so try to state the facts with restraint and substance, avoiding unnecessary details.
- The last paragraph should indicate what actions you expect from the recipient - return the money for the goods, provide information, etc.
Business writing style
In a business letter, it is important to use the right style and tone of language. Therefore, you should avoid:
- colloquial expressions, slang and jargon
- abbreviations (I "m; it" s; don "t, etc., use full forms)
- emotionally colored words - terrible (terrible), rubbish (nonsense), etc.
Always maintain a polite and respectful tone, even when writing a complaint or grievance. In English, the modal verbs would, could, and should are often used to formalize speech. For example, instead of "Please send me ..." ("Please send me ..."), you can write: "I would be grateful if you could send me ..." ("I would be grateful to you if could you send me...").
Try not to use (they are more typical for conversational style). Instead of go on (continue) it is better to write continue, instead of turn down (refuse, reject) - decline or refuse.
Avoid cumbersome constructions and words whose meaning you are not sure. Try to write in clear phrases that do not allow for double interpretation.
10 most common mistakes in business emails
This Pure English video from Espresso English lists ten common mistakes people make when writing business letters and suggests how to fix them.
Hello dear friends! IN business letter it is important to use the correct style and tone of language. Therefore, you should avoid:
- colloquial expressions, slang and jargon
- abbreviations (I'm; it's; don't, etc., use full forms)
- emotionally colored words - terrible (terrible), rubbish (nonsense), etc.
The structure of the letter in English:
- Sender's address
- Date (date)
- Recipient's address (inside address)
- Salutation
- Introduction (opening sentence)
- Body text (body of the letter)
- Closing sentence
- Final polite phrase (complimentary close)
- Sender's signature (signature)
- Application (enclosure)
business letter example
Standard expressions in business correspondence
| 1. Handling | |
| Dear Sirs, Dear Sir or Madam | (if you don't know the recipient's name) |
| Dear Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms | (if you know the name of the addressee; in the event that you do not know the marital status of the woman, you should write Ms, a gross mistake is to use the phrase “Mrs or Miss”) |
| Dear Frank, | (Referring to a familiar person) |
| 2. Introduction, previous communication. | |
| Thank you for your e-mail of (date)… | Thank you for your letter of (date) |
| Further to your last e-mail… | In response to your letter... |
| I apologize for not getting in contact with you before now… | I'm sorry I haven't written to you yet... |
| Thank you for your letter of the 5th of March. | Thank you for your letter of 5 March |
| With reference to your letter of 23rd March | Concerning your letter of 23 March |
| With reference to your advertisement in «The Times» | Regarding your advertising in the Times |
| 3. Indicate the reasons for writing the letter | |
| I am writing to ask about | I am writing to you to find out... |
| I am writing to apologise for | I am writing to you to apologize for… |
| I am writing to confirm | I am writing to you to confirm... |
| I am writing in connection with | I am writing to you in connection with... |
| We would like to point out that… | We would like to draw your attention to… |
| 4. Request | |
| Could you perhaps… | Could you… |
| I would be grateful if you could … | I would be grateful if you... |
| I would like to receive | I would like to get…… |
| Please could you send me… | Could you send me... |
| 5. Agreement with terms. | |
| I would be delighted to… | I would be glad … |
| I would be happy to | I would be happy… |
| I would be glad to | I would be glad… |
| 6. Breaking Bad News | |
| … | Unfortunately… |
| I am afraid that … | I'm afraid that… |
| I am sorry to inform you that | It's hard for me to tell you, but... |
| 7. Appendix to the letter of additional materials | |
| We are pleased to enclose … | We are happy to invest… |
| Attached you will find … | In the attached file you will find... |
| We enclose… | We are applying… |
| Please find attached (for e-mails) | You will find the attached file... |
| 8. Expressing gratitude for the interest shown. | |
| Thank you for your letter of | thanks for your letter |
| Thank you for enquiring | Thank you for your interest… |
| We would like to thank you for your letter of … | We would like to thank you for… |
| 9. Transition to another topic. | |
| We would also like to inform you… | We would also like to inform you about… |
| Regarding your question about … | Regarding your question about... |
| In answer to your question (enquiry) about … | In response to your question about... |
| I also wonder if… | I'm also interested in... |
| 10. Additional questions. | |
| I am a little unsure about… | I'm a little unsure about... |
| I do not fully understand what… | I didn't fully understand... |
| Could you possibly explain… | Could you please explain... |
| 11. Transfer of information | |
| I'm writing to let you know that… | I am writing to inform about... |
| We are able to confirm to you… | We can confirm... |
| I am delighted to tell you that… | We are pleased to announce… |
| We regret to inform you that… | Unfortunately, we have to inform you about… |
| 12. Offering your help | |
| Would you like me to…? | Can I (make)…? |
| If you wish, I would be happy to… | If you like, I'd be happy to... |
| Let me know whether you would like me to… | Let me know if you need my help. |
| 13. Appointment reminder or waiting for a response | |
| I look ahead to … | I am looking forward, |
| hearing from you soon | when can I hear you again |
| meeting you next Tuesday | meeting you next Tuesday |
| seeing you next Thursday | meeting you on Thursday |
| 14. Signature | |
| kind regards, | Sincerely… |
| yours faithfully, | Sincerely yours (if you don't know the person's name) |
| yours sincerely, | (if you know the name) |
How to respond to complaints
English for Business_1
- Could you bear with me for 10 minutes while I get to the bottom of what went
wrong here? - I'm terribly sorry for the problems you're experiencing.
- I can imagine that was terrible.
- I propose that we offer you some sort of compensation.
- I'll make sure that it gets done by the end of the week.
- That must have been dreadful.
- Could you tell me exactly what happened?
- I do apologize for our part in this.
Now you answer
English for Business-2
1 And I had to wait for over an hour at the airport before the taxi came to pick me up.
…
2 The whole conference was a farce! Delegates were wandering from room to
room and nobody knew where they should be or what was happening. What went wrong?
…
3 And it was all your company's fault.
…
4 So what are you going to do about it?
…
Do You Speak English? — Big Train — BBC comedy
How do you feel when you open your mailbox to check your mail and find a letter from a colleague in English? For most people, this causes panic. Not many people know how to correctly compose letters in English. If there is someone who knows and speaks English at hand, then you can entrust him to read the letter and prepare a response. But how much can you pay others for what you can learn to do yourself?
Business writing is certainly a difficult skill, but there is nothing you can't master. And we will be happy to help you with this. So, today our article is about business emails in English.
First of all, let's get acquainted with the key vocabulary on this topic:
- Sender ["sendə] (from the word send- send) - the sender of the letter. You can identify the sender by the word from (from) in the header of the letter.
- Receiver (from the word receive- receive) - the recipient of the letter. In the header of the letter, it is indicated by the preposition to. The words addressee [ˌædre"siː] and recipient are also used.
- Subject ["sʌbʤekt] - the subject of the letter.
- Signature ["sɪgnəʧə] - sender's signature.
- Importance option [ɪm "pɔːt (ə) n (t) s] - a note about the importance of writing.
- Attachment [ə "tæʧmənt] - attachment (text files, images attached to the letter).
- SS (carbon copy) - a copy of the letter. When the sender sends a letter to several recipients and you see who else has a copy sent to.
- BCC (blind carbon copy) - invisible copy, "blind copy". When a letter is sent to several recipients, but the names of other recipients of the letter are hidden from you.
Any letter, especially a business one, should begin with a greeting.
In English, the role of a greeting is played by the word Dear, but in this context it is translated not as "dear", but as "respected":
Dear Mr Smith,
Dear Sally,
In the event that you are writing a letter to an addressee who is unknown to you, then begin your letter like this:
Dear Sir or Madam,
If your letter is intended for a group of people, then you can start it like this:
Dear all,
dear team,
Dear colleagues,
After the appeal, a comma is placed and the letter continues to be written from a new line with a capital letter.
Now, looking ahead a little, I would like to say a few words about how to end a letter. Oddly enough, the end of the letter may depend on the greeting you used at the beginning. If you are addressing a person by name at the beginning of the letter, then at the end you should write Yours sincerely, ... (Sincerely, ...). If you write Dear Sir or Madam in your greeting, then the ending will be Yours faithfully, ... (Sincerely, ...). Of course, there are other options for ending the letter, but about them later.
Initially, when establishing contacts with clients and colleagues, you should adhere to the formal style of correspondence, so in this article we will focus on formal expressions and phrases that will be useful to you when writing business letters. To remember the difference between formal and informal writing style in English, we recommend that you re-read.
How to start a letter? If you are writing first, or there has not yet been a preliminary contact between you and the addressee, you need to explain the reason for the letter (purpose):
We wish to inform you of (our new discounts). - We would like to inform you (about our new discounts).
I am writing in reply to (your advertisement). - I am writing in response (to your ad).
I am writing concerning (your latest statement). - I am writing in connection with (your last statement).
I am writing with regard to (the latest news). - I am writing in connection with (the latest news).
I am writing to remind you about (the meeting next Monday). - I am writing to remind you of (a meeting next Monday).
I am contacting you in connection with (the increased popularity of your new product). - I am writing to you in connection (with the increased popularity of your new product).
Using these phrases, you can easily explain the reason why you are contacting a person.
If you are familiar with the addressee, met with him, called up, corresponded, then at the beginning of the letter it is worth mentioning the previous contact (letter, message, meeting, phone call):
With reference to (your recent letter) I want to know .... - Referring to your recent letter, I would like to know...
In reply to (your e-mail), I am sending you information. - In response to your letter, I send you information.
I refer to (your last phone call). - I refer to our recent telephone conversation.
We understood from your letter that (you are going to organize a trade fair). - As we understood from your letter, (you are going to organize an exhibition-sale).
We were glad to receive your (invitation). - We are glad to receive (an invitation from you).
Further to our (e-mail from 1st May), I would like to (send you the agenda). - In addition to (our letter of the first of May), I would like to (send you a program of work).
I would like to apologize for (the delay in delivery). - I would like to apologize for the delay in delivery.
I am writing to you in response to (your inquiry). - I am writing in response (to your request).
If you are writing not on behalf of yourself, but on behalf of someone or on behalf of the team, use the phrase On behalf of... :
I am writing on behalf of the association of shareholders. - I am writing to you on behalf of the shareholders' association.
On behalf of Mr Black, I will take part in our annual conference. - On behalf of Mr. Black, I would like to invite you to take part in our annual conference.
After the greeting and the goal are written, you need to go directly to the main part ( body, main part ). Depending on the purpose of your letter, the structure and choice of means of writing its main part will differ. The following functions of business emails are distinguished:
- Inviting - an invitation
- Apologizing - an apology
- Informing - informing
- Requesting/ Inquiry - request
- Complaining - complaint
- Thanking - gratitude and others
Each type of writing has its own structure, special vocabulary and set of phrases. On the pages of our site, we will consider the features of compiling and writing each of the above types of business letters, so stay tuned!
Don't forget to divide the body of the letter into paragraphs using markers:
Firstly, ... - First of all, ...
First of all, ... - First of all, ...
Secondly, ... - Secondly, ...
Thirdly,... - Thirdly, ...
Finally, ... - In conclusion, ...
When the main part is written, all you have to do is write the final part (closing ). It depends to some extent on the body and on the purpose of your letter. It usually once again thanks for the information, invitation, help:
Thank you again for the invitation, I am pleased to be invited to the ceremony. - Thank you again for the invitation, I'm glad you invited me to no ceremony.
I appreciate your help. - I appreciate your help.
I am grateful for your assistance in the project. - I am grateful for your help in the project.
You can express your desire and willingness to provide additional information, assistance, advice:
Please, contact me if you need further information. - Please contact me if you need further information.
Feel free to contact me if you need my help. - Feel free to contact me if you need help.
You can count on me when you need a consultation. You can count on me if you need advice.
They often refer to a future contact and express wishes for a speedy response:
I am looking forward to your reply. - I'll wait for your answer.
Please deal with this issue urgently. I expect information from you tomorrow. - Please deal with this matter urgently. I expect information from you tomorrow.
If you send something as an attachment, then add a couple of words about it:
See files attached to this message. - Look at the attachments.
I attach the copy of the contract for your consideration. - I am attaching a copy of the contract for your consideration.
You can find the pictures in the attached files. - You will find photos in the attachment.
Finally, they express certain hopes (for cooperation, for mutual assistance, for the usefulness of the information provided):
I hope the information was helpful for you. - I hope the information was useful to you.
I hope our response has answered your enquiry. - I hope our answer clarified your question.
And the last part of your letter is the closing phrase. As mentioned earlier, her choice may depend on the welcome phrase. If your letter is very formal, then when you address by name, then write Yours sincerely, and if you do not know the addressee's name, then - Yours faithfully.
But there are a number of phrases, a medium level of formality, with which business letters end:
best wishes,
best regards,
kind regards,
Sincerely,
many thanks,
All the best
After the final phrase, a comma is placed, and the name of the author of the letter is indicated on the next line.
Sometimes (especially at the stage of establishing contact), the position and place of work, as well as contact details (postal address, phone number, e-mail address) are indicated below:
best regards,
Maria Ray
administrative officer
UNFT
tel.+112233445566
[email protected]
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Despite the fact that instant messengers have entered our lives as a matter of course and you can send a message to your loved ones at any time, there are cases when we write letters not for work, but to friends and acquaintances. In this case, the tone of the letter will be light and casual, we can use abbreviations, emoticons and abbreviations.
That is, the style of such emails will be informal and we will write informal letter in English.
Now let's see what distinguishes informal writing from formal?
1. Not always full sentences- not always complete sentences
Been there 2! Instead of I have been there too.
2. Contractions- abbreviations
I've seen ppl like these before- instead of - I have seen people like these before
3. Abbreviations- abbreviations
Omg! U can "t b 4 real!- which means: Oh my god! You can't be talking for real!
Perhaps this is a list of the most popular abbreviations that can be seen in messages and letters:
- ASAP- as soon as possible
- AFAIK- as far as i know
- AKA- also known as
- B4- before
- btw- by the way
- BK- because
- IDK- I don't know
- IMO- In my opinion
- EOD- end of day
- lol- laughing out loud
- omg- oh my god
- TTYL- talk to you later
- HAND- have a nice day
- TNX- thanks
- FYI- for your information
- PS- postscript
- Y/N-yes or no
At this link abbreviations.com - you will find many more abbreviations for different areas of life and you can decipher any incomprehensible one by typing it into the search bar on the site.
- Lack of transition words- use of transitive words like however, moreover, nevetheless we reserve for formal emails, in informal their use is optional.
- More like text- email is more like a text message.
- Lack of punctuation- less punctuation.
Unlike formal writing, where every comma is important, in informal writing, you don't have to re-read the spelling rules before sending the letter.
- Informal greetings and sign-offs- informal greetings and farewells.
Hey you, what's up! Cya Greetings! Replace Dear, …..best regards, Sincerely…
To understand more about the difference between formal and informal emails, watch this video:
Although an informal letter resembles a larger text message, it must nevertheless have a certain structure, namely Subject line, greeting, intro, body, ending, sign-off. Consider below what each of these parts consists of.
Subject Line - message header
The subject of an informal letter to friends or relatives should be of interest, for example:
- To all beer party this weekend! - Everyone everyone! Beer party this weekend!
- Happy holidays guys! - Happy holidays guys!
- Waiting for your reply asap, plz! - Looking forward to your reply as soon as possible!
greeting - greeting
- Dear Mary- dear mary
- Hello Mary/Hi Mary/Hi there Mary! - hello mary
- Morning/Afternoon/Evening Tim,- good morning, good afternoon, good evening Tim
- hello again Tim- Hello again Tim!
- Hey hey hey!- Hello Hello hello!
- What's up, buddy!- How are you dude!
- Salut, cutie!- Hello cutie!
- Cheers to my oldie! Salute, old man!
intro
- How are you?/How’s it going?/How are you doing?/How are things?- How are you?
- How have the family been?/I hope you are well.- How is the family? Hope everyone is doing well
- It's great to hear from you- Glad to hear from you.
- Sorry, I got lost for ages, but…- I'm sorry, I'm completely lost.
- Long time, no see!- Long time no see!
- Just a quick question about….- A little question about...
Body - the body of the message
In this part, we describe the reason why we write. It can be 1-2 sentences, or it can be a serious outpouring of the soul. In any case, below you will find phrases that you can use in the body of your message.
- As for….- concerning
- I need to know exactly, tell me i need to know exactly tell me
- Did you heart about?- Have you heard about...
- I was so surprised to hear that... I was surprised to hear that...
- Listen, did I tell you about …? You'll never believe what...- Listen, I told you about... You will never believe that....
- Did you know that…?- you knew that...
- I’m / We’re having a party on Friday 19th and I / we hope you’ll be able to come.- we will have a party on the 19th on Friday and we hope you can come
- I'm writing to ask for your help / you (if you could do me) a favour. I'm writing to ask if you could do me a favor.
- I wonder if / I was wondering if you could help me / do me a favour.- Could you do me a favor.
- I hope you don't mind me asking but could you (possibly) …? I hope you don't mind, I would like to ask you if you could...
- I'd be very / really / terribly grateful if you could …- I'll be terribly grateful if you ....
- If you like, we can…- If you want we can...
- Do visit ... / Don't forget to ... - do not forget ...
Ending the email - end the email
- I should get going /Well, it's time to go well/ I have to go now- Well, I have to go.
- Time to round up- time to wrap up
- Take care of yourself Take care
- Make sure you write soon- be sure to sign up soon
- Write soon!- write faster
- Always happy to hear from you!- always glad to hear from you!
- Keep me updated/informed- keep me posted
Sign-off - farewell
- love,- with love...
- lots of love,- with much love...
- All my love- with all love
- take care- Take care...
- best- best wishes
- Regards- short for best regards- "with best wishes", approximately our "be by"
- thanx,- Thank you
- Rgds,- if you are too lazy to write, the word regards turns into this abbreviation
- Cheers,- we use this word when we raise a toast at the table or say goodbye informally, such as "salute"
- Bye for now- bye bye
- See you soon- see you later
Consider an example of an informal letter - you are writing to a friend because you will be in her city and want to stay with her for the night:
- subject line: Quick question.
- Hello: Hey Jane!
- intro: How are you? Hope everything is fine and you’re happy at your new working place:) Myself I’ve been so busy lately, I realize I urgently need a break...which is a reason why I"m writing…
- body: So, I "m planning to be in your town next week on Friday and was wondering if its possible to stay at your place overnight/ I would be extremely grateful and guarantee you a nice company and some red wine, I"m going to bring specially for yours
- ending: Looking forward to hear from ya!
- Sign off: Stay cool!
kisses
Tay
And one more example, this time we write not to peers, but to someone older, for example, to parents:
- subject line: To my lovely fam
- Hello: Hey all!
- intro: How is everything? Can't wait to see you and give you a hug!
- body: Mom, Dad, I "m writing to inform you that my exams are a bit extended and I will be home next weekend, instead of promised Tuesday. There"s NO NEED to meet me at the airport, just make sure to prepare my fav potato pie)
- Sign off: Regards!
Joe
And finally, catch some links that will help you in writing informal emails.
- keepsmilingenglish.com - tips on how to prepare for the FCE and how to write a structured informal email;
- rubenvalero.com - useful phrases for your email;
- vu.flare.hiroshima-u.ac. - 29 examples of informal letters to see how others write and take into account;
- - even more phrases and abbreviations for informal letters and correspondence.