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8/3/2019 Phrases for Formal Letters
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BUSINESS ENGLISH
If writing a business letter in English takes you much longer than in your own language,here are a few guidelines that you may find helpful.
Plan before you write. Look up the words you need before you start.
Note the points you want to make, and order them into logical paragraphs.
Tone Write as you would speak in a business conversation.
The tone should be friendly and polite.
Names
Make sure you check the gender of the addressee (the recipient),as well as the correct spelling of the person's name and title.
Use Ms. for women and Mr. for men.You can use Mrs. for a women if you are 100% sure that she is married.
Dates
To avoid any confusion, write the month instead of using numbers(e.g. January 15th, 2011, or 15 January 2011)
Be concise and clear. The easier it is to read a letter, the better.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short and simple.
Use straightforward vocabulary to avoid any misunderstanding.
Ask direct questions.
Rewrite any sentence that does not seem perfectly clear.
If the recipient is not a native English-speaker, it is preferable
to avoid words and expressions that are too technical or complicated.
Remember this word order principle :
Who - Does - What - How - Where - When(Subject - Verb - Object - Manner - Place - Time)
Examples : Mr. Brown will travel by plane to London on Monday, June 5th. A technician will install the equipment in your office on Tuesday morning. I will confirm the transport arrangements as soon as possible.
Avoid old-fashioned words Although they are used in legal documents and contracts,
words like 'herewith', 'hereby', 'herein', 'aforementioned', etc.are rarely used in letters.
The following style of sentence is preferable :"You will find more information on our products in the enclosed brochure."
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WRITING BUSINESS LETTERSUseful phrases
Salutation
Dear Mr Brown
Dear Ms White
Dear Sir
Dear Sirs
Dear Madam
Dear Sir or Madam
Gentlemen
Starting
We are writing to inform you that ...to confirm ...to request ...to enquire about ...
I am contacting you for the following reason.
I recently read/heard about . . . and would like to know . . . Having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like to ...
I would be interested in (obtaining/receiving) ...
I received your address from ... and would like to ...
I am writing to tell you about ...
Referring toprevious contact
Thank you for your letter of March 15 ...
Thank you for contacting us.
In reply to your request ...
Thank you for your letter regarding ...
With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday ...
Further to our meeting last week ...
It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month. I enjoyed having lunch with you last week in Tokyo.
I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed onTuesday . . .
Making a request
We would appreciate it if you would ...
I would be grateful if you could...
Could you please send me . . .
Could you possibly tell us/let us have...
In addition, I would like to receive ...
It would be helpful if you could send us ...
I am interested in (obtaining/receiving...)
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
Please let me know what action you propose to take.
Offering help
We would be happy to ...
Would you like us to ...
We are quite willing to ...
Our company would be pleased to ...
Giving good news We are pleased to announce that ...
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I am delighted to inform you that ...
You will be pleased to learn that ...
Giving bad news
We regret to inform you that ...
I'm afraid it would not be possible to ...
Unfortunately we cannot/we are unable to ...
After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ...
Complaining
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ...
I am writing to complain about ...
Please note that the goods we ordered on (date) have not yetarrived.
We regret to inform you that our order n--- is now considerablyoverdue.
I would like to query the transport charges which seem unusuallyhigh.
Apologizing
We are sorry for the delay in replying ...
I regret any inconvenience caused I would like to apologize for (the delay/the inconvenience) ...
Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience.
Orders
Thank you for your quotation of ...
We are pleased to place an order with your company for ...
We would like to cancel our order n...
Please confirm receipt of our order.
I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your order n...
Your order will be processed as quickly as possible.
It will take about (three) weeks to process your order.
We can guarantee delivery before ...
Unfortunately these articles are no longer available/are out of stock.
Prices
Please send us your price list.
You will find enclosed our most recent catalogue and price list.
Please note that our prices are subject to change without notice.
We have pleasure in enclosing a detailed quotation.
We can make you a firm offer of ...
Our terms of payment are as follows :
Referring to payment
Our records show that we have not yet received payment of ...
According to our records ...
Please send payment as soon as possible.
You will receive a credit note for the sum of ...
Enclosingdocuments
I am enclosing ...
Please find enclosed ...
You will find enclosed ...
Closing remarks If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know
If I can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me
If you require more information ...
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For further details ...
Thank you for taking this into consideration
Thank you for your help.
We hope you are happy with this arrangement.
We hope you can settle this matter to our satisfaction.
Referring to futurebusiness
We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future We would be (very) pleased to do business with your company.
I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm.
Referring to futurecontact
I look forward to seeing you next week
Looking forward to hearing from you
" " to receiving your comments
I look forward to meeting you on the 15th
I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience.
An early reply would be appreciated.
Ending businessletters
Sincerely, }
Yours sincerely, } (for all customers/clients) Sincerely yours, }
Regards, (for those you already know and/orwith whom you already have a
working relationship.)
2ND YEAR WRITING PRACTICE
LETTERS for Mediazione.
2006 - 2007
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XxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
(xxxxxxxx)
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Formal Letters.
Useful phrases (Skills for 1st
Certificate Writing, Macmillan)
Greeting Name unknown: Dear Sir/Madam,
Name known: Dear Mr/ Dear Mrs /
Dear Ms..+ surname
Reason for writing I am writing to I am writing withregard to
I am writing on behalf of
Asking questions I would be grateful if I wonder if you
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could .
Could you ?
Referring to their
letter /points
As you stated in your letter, .
Regarding / Concerning
With regard to .
Closing expressions If you require any further information,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Signing off If Dear + name:Yours sincerely,
If Dear Sir/ Madam:Yours faithfully
(Dear + first name :Yours,)
name Your first name + surname printed clearly
under your signature
Plan of letters.
Dear .
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
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Paragraph 4
Closing
expression
Yours
First name
and
surname
Sample letter.
You recently visited a local sports centre and were dissatisfied with theservice provided. You have decided to write to the manager.
Carefully read this advertisement for the sports centre and the notes youhave made. Write a letter to the manager, complaining about the serviceyou received and suggesting improvements.
Newtown Sports CentreNow in its third year, your sports centre offers
A fully- equipped gym
Professional staff
A swimming pool
Full-size tennis courts Lessons in many sports
So, get your trainers on and come on down.
Practise your backstroke! Lose a few pounds!
Newtown Sports Centreis the place to be!
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Model.
Your address
The Manager,Address of Sports Centre.
Date
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing following a recent visit to the Newtown Sports Centre. I would
like to express my disappointment with the service I received.
Although the staff were generally polite and helpful, they seemed to lack
basic sports knowledge. None of them could offer any advice to me on
choosing a tennis racket. I suggest that you send your employees on
suitable training courses..
Another cause for complaint was that the swimming pool was closed. I
understand that repairs and maintenance need to be carried out. However,
when I called for information the day before my visit, the receptionist did not
mention that the pool was closed. If I had known, I would have visited the
sports centre at another time.
Finally, offering lessons in different sports is a good idea, but in my
opinion they seem to be very expensive. Considering the membership fee,
the prices of lessons should be lower, and more sports should be offered. I
was disappointed that neither diving nor windsurfing was available.
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I hope you will take these points into consideration. I look forward to
hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Joe Bloggs.
Checklist.
When you have written your letter, check:
It is a formal letter It includes all the information necessary You have asked all the questions you need to The questions are correctly formulated indirect questions The letter is divided into paragraphs
You have checked the letter carefully for mistakes
Letters of Apology.
The following phrases are useful when writing letters of apology(English for International Tourism , Longman)
Thank the person for bringing the matter to your attentionThank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
Express sympathyWe are very sorry to hear that
Apologise if necessary
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We apologise for Please accept our apologies for
State what action you will takePlease be assured that we will
Remind the reader that his / her relationship with you isimportantWe value your custom highly.Your satisfaction is our priority.
Make a goodwill gesture if appropriatePlease find enclosed a voucher for
Mediazione Writing Practice:
1. May 2003
Recently you went on a business trip to America. You flew with Virgin Atlantic as
usual, but this time you were not satisfied with the service. Below is a list of things
that went wrong.
Flight was delayed by 4 hours no explanations or refreshments offered atLondons Gatwick Airport.
You missed your connection to Pittsburgh.
Your luggage did not arrive at your destination until 2 days later. You had noclothes for an important meeting.
Staff were unhelpful.
On the flight some passengers were noisy and you could not sleep, but cabincrew refused to deal with the situation.
You asked for an aisle seat but were given a seat in the middle.
Use this information to write a letter of complaint to the Virgin Atlantic CustomerRelations Department, UK. The Office, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10
9NU. Pay attention to the layout of the letter. Use your own name and address.
2. September 2003
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Charles Pinter recently flew to America on a business trip. He had a very unpleasant
flight and wrote to Virgin Atlantic to complain about it. These are the points he
mentioned in his letter:
Flight was delayed by 4 hours no explanations or refreshments offered at LondonsGatwick Airport.
Missed his connection to Pittsburgh.
Luggage did not arrive at his destination until 2 days later. He had no clothes for animportant meeting.
Staff were unhelpful.
On the flight some passengers were noisy and he could not sleep, but cabin crew refused todeal with the situation.
He asked for an aisle seat but was given a seat in the middle.
You work for Virgin Atlantic Customer Relations Department, UK. The Office, Manor Royal, Crawley,West Sussex, RH10 9NU. Write a reply to Charles Pinter, Sales Manager, Premium Electronics, 17, TheWaters, Funtley, Hants.
Pay attention to the lay out and tone of the letter.
3. September 2004
You work for a management training company which specializes in seminars to
create team spirit in top management. Mr Igor Lendl, an important prospective
customer from Havel Engineering, Prague, phoned you ten days ago to ask yourboss, Ms Jenny Baron, to give an introductory talk at a two day management
training session in Prague in November.
Your boss, Ms Baron, is away and has asked you to write a letter on her behalf. She left thefollowing note for you.
Apologise for delay writing reason.
Confirm interest.
State terms for 2 days incl. talk & workshopConfirm dates, times, facilities & equipment needed etc
Give my usual special requirements so they can arrange accommodation
Are there areas of special interest for Havel Eng. I should know about?
Your company:
Team Management Services
36 North Road, Winchester.
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Clients:
Havel Engineering, Prague, Czech Republic
Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely; Dear Sir or Dear Mr
On this page we look at important phrases that we need when writing letters and emails, such as
when to use Yours faithfully and Yours sincerely, Dear Sir, Dear Madam, and so forth.
You know how important it is to speak good English in an international working environment. If
you work for a company which does business abroad, you probably read and write a lot ofEnglish, too. Writing, like speaking, is communication. When writing letters and emails we need
the skills to be able to express ourselves well and with the correct level of formality.
Do you have that skill? Ask yourself these questions:
Do you present yourself in a professional manner when you write? What image do you give to the people who read your letters and emails?
In short, you want to give a professional image when you write to your customers and business
partners. To get you started, weve prepared some lists of standard phrases:
10 good opening lines
We need an opening line in a business letter or professional email:
to make reference to previous correspondence; to say how we found the recipients
name/address; to say why we are writing to the recipient.
With reference to your letter of 8 June, I . I am writing to enquire about . After having seen your advertisement in , I would like . After having received your address from , I . I received your address from and would like . We/I recently wrote to you about . Thank you for your letter of 8 May. Thank you for your letter regarding . Thank you for your letter/e-mail about . In reply to your letter of 8 May, .
10 good closing lines
We need a closing line in a business letter or email:
to make a reference to a future event; to repeat an apology; to offer help
If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.
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I look forward to your reply. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to seeing you. Please advise as necessary. We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future. Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact
me. Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience. We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom. I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely in a business letter?
When the recipients name is unknown to you:
Dear Sir Yours faithfully Dear Madam Yours faithfully
Dear Sir or Madam Yours faithfully
When you know the recipients name:
Dear Mr Hanson Yours sincerely Dear Mrs Hanson Yours sincerely Dear Miss Hanson Yours sincerely Dear Ms Hanson Yours sincerely
When addressing a good friend or colleague:
Dear Jack Best wishes/Best regards
Addressing whole departments:
Dear Sirs Yours faithfully
1 The Opening Greeting of the Letter
Your letter will probably need to be a reasonably informal letter to a friend or a
semi-formal letter. The opening of your letter should reflect which one you are
writing.
A friendly letter will open with Dear followed by a name which should then befollowed by a comma, eg:
Dear John,
A semi-formal letter will also open with Dear and then be followed by a name, (if
you decide that in the situation you would know the name) or by Sir (if it's a man),
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Madam (if it's a woman) or Sir/Madam if you don't know, eg:
Dear Mr. Phillips,
Dear Mrs. Phillips,
Dear Sir,
Dear Madam,
Dear Sir/Madam,
The question also might specify how you are to begin so follow what it says.
2 The Opening Paragraph of the Letter
In a semi-formal letter, I feel it is important to state the reason for the letter straight
away. You could use the following to help you:
I am writing to ask/ tell//inform you that...
I am writing to ask/inquire...
I am writing with regard to...
I am writing with reference to...
I am writing in connection with...
I am writing in response to...
In reply to your letter, I am writing to... (if the question indicates that you
have had a letter)
The Substance of the Letter
I've already gone into detail about answering the question fully and using your
imagination to produce a realistic letter fulfilling all functions so I won't repeat
that. Through great experience with IELTS, I can say that questions tend to ask
you to do certain things. Here I will give you some ideas about some language touse in the substance of the letter which will help you to answer the task well.
Asking for Help
I would like you to...
I would be grateful if you could...
I need to ask your advice about...
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I'd like to ask for information about...
What I'm looking for is...
Complaining
I'm writing to express my dissatisfaction/annoyance/ about...
I'm writing to express my anger at...
I am not happy about...
... is not what I expected/was expecting.
I want to know what you are going to do about this situation.
NB When complaining, don't get too angry. I've had students who really became
too heated in their complaints. In a polite semi-formal letter, this should not
happen. Also, do not over-exaggerate. If it's a reasonably small and understandable
problem, do say that you're not satisfied but show that you understand and stay
calm in your expressions.
Thanking
I'm very grateful for...
I'd like to thank you very much for...
I very much appreciated...
Apologizing
I'm very sorry that/about...
Please forgive me for...
I'd like to apologize about...
Please accept my apologies
5 Ending your Letter
First of all, in English we often end letters before the sign off with certain phrases.
These can be included in most letters and will make your letter seem realistic and
polished. For a formal letter, you could use:
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanking you inadvance for your help, I look forward to hearing from you soon.
For a more informal letter you could use:
If you need to know anything else, just get in touch with me as soon as you can. Thanks a lot for
your help and I hope to hear from you soon.
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Be careful though! IELTS examiners quite rightly look for writing that has been
memorised and just repeated so, if you use expressions like the ones above, make
sure that they fit in with the rest of your letter.
Finally you'll need to sign off your letter. For a formal letter use:
Yours faithfully, OR
Yours sincerely,
Remember the commas (it makes a good impression on the examiner if you use
good punctuation) and spell "sincerely" correctly (a lot of people don't!).
For an informal letter, love is not always appropriate though English speakers use
it a lot. Better would be to use:
Regards,
Yours,Best wishes,
WRITING FORMAL LETTERS
.
Useful Phrases for writing formal letters
a) Writing formal letters generally:
Greetings:
Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir/Madam Dear Mr Brown
Dear Ms Jones
Reason for writing:
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I am writing in response to yourarticle/advertisement/letter
I am writing with regard to yourarticle/advertisement/letter
I am writing regarding yourarticle/advertisement/letter
Ending the letter:
I look forward to receiving your reply I look forward to your reply I look to hearing from you I am, yours faithfully (if you don't know the
name of the person you are writing to) I am, yours sincerely (if you know the name of
the person you are writing to) Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely
b) Writing formal letters to complain:
Reason for writing:
I am writing in order to complain about I am writing to complain about
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Introducing the complaint:
Firstly In the first place
First of all My first complaint is The first problem is The first thing I would like to draw your
attention to is My first concern is
Introducing further complaints:
Secondly In the second place Not only .but also In addition In addition to this Added to this .was also unacceptable
Demanding action:
I suggest that you replace the item I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund I would be grateful if my money was refunded I would be grateful if you could give me a full
refund
Ending the letter:
I look forward to hearing from you
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I look forward to receiving a full refund I look forward to receiving a replacement I look forward to receiving your explanation
c) Writing formal letters to make suggestions:
Reason for writing:
I am writing to suggest I am writing to arrange I am writing to offer suggestions I am writing make arrangements
Making first suggestion:
My first suggestion is First of all I suggest I would like to suggest
Making further suggestions:
Another possibility is
A further possibility is I further suggest I would further suggest Secondly
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Would you also mind informing me .? Would you also mind telling me .? Do you know .? I would also like to know if I would also like to know whether I hope you might also let me know about
Thanking for information:
I would like to thank you in advance for thisinformation
Thanking you in advance for this information Thanking you in advance
e) Writing formal letters to give information:
Reason for writing:
I am writing to inform you about I am writing to provide you with information
about I am writing to let you know that
Providing first point:
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The first thing I would like to inform you of is The first thing I would like to tell you is The first thing I wish to inform you of is I would like to begin by informing you
Providing further points:
I would also like to let you know that I would also like to inform you that You might also find the following information
useful It might also be useful for you to know that Another piece of information that might be
useful
Ending the letter:
If you require further information, please donot hesitate to as
If I can be of further assistance, please do nothesitate to ask
I will willingly provide further information onrequest
I am at your disposal should you requirefurther information
I am at your disposal should you need furtherassistance
Please do not hesitate to ask should yourequire further information
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f)Writing formal letters to request permission
Reason for writing:
I am writing to ask permission for I I am writing to ask permission to am writing to request permission to I am writing to request permission for I am writing to ask if I might
Making first request:
Firstly I wonder if you would First of all I wonder whether you would mind The first request I would like you to consider is
Making further requests:
I would be grateful if you would also consider I wonder if it might be possible for me to I would also like to request permission for I would also like to request permission to
Thanking for permission
Many thanks for kindly considering myrequests
Thank you for considering my requests
Request for information
I am writing to inquire about . . .
I am writing in reference to . . .
I read/heard . . . and would like to know . . .
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Could you please send me . . .
at the address below/above
Thank you for your assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Response to request
Thank you for your interest/inquiry
Enclosed is the information you requested.
You can learn more about this at . . .
If you have further questions,
If you require assistance, please contact:
If I can be of more help, please feel free to contact me at . . .
Sample Sentences: Requests
Could you please send me your most recent brochure?
Could you fax me the results of the market survey?
I would like to order ten copies of the book, Touchy Situations.
I would be very grateful if you could send me this information.
Please return the enclosed envelope with your payment.
Sample Sentences: Goodwill
Thank you for your hospitality.
I enjoyed having lunch with you last week while I was in New York.
Congratulations on your promotion to General Manager.
I want(ed) to congratulate you on your new position.
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I was happy to hear that contract negotiations went well.
Sample Sentences: Introduction of Product/Service.
I am writing to tell you about . . .
(Our new product) is coming out next month.
This product/service is designed to (help you) . . .
Sample Sentences: Reference
I am writing in regard to . . .
I am writing in reference to . . .
Please refer to the enclosed invoice/brochure.
I hope you have had a chance to look over the materials we sent.
Sample Sentences: Confirmation
I am writing to confirm . . .
I would like to confirm what we discussed last Friday.
I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed . . .
Sample Sentences: Notification
I am writing to let you know that . . .
Please be aware/informed that . . .
I would like to inform you of a recent policy change.
I am happy to inform
you that . . .
Your request for funding has been approved.
Sample Sentences: Offering Assistance
We would be happy to . . .
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If we can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to ask.
Sample Sentences: Collection
According to our records . . .
Our records show that . . .
Your monthly installment is past due.
Please send payment as soon as possible.
EFL and ESL - WRITING FORMAL LETTERS OR EMAILS
Writing formal letters is a necessary skill that you need for most ESL or EFL exams at
Intermediate Level and above. Below we offer English writing help, useful phrases and writing
tips for formal letter writing.
Shortly we will provide you with sample questions which you can send in, to be corrected in
class, if you are a student at Bray's Santander.
Examples:
a. You are given an article to read from a newspaper. You write to the newspaper disagreeing
with the article.
b. You write to complain about something.
c. You write making suggestions about something.
d. You write requesting information.
e. You write giving information.
f. You write requesting permission.
Useful Phrases for writing formal letters or emails
a) Writing formal letters generally:
Greetings:
Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir/Madam Dear Mr Brown
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Dear Ms Jones etc.
Reason for writing:
I am writing in response to your article/advertisement/letter I am writing with regard to your article/advertisement/letter I am writing regarding your article/advertisement/letter
Ending the letter:
I look forward to receiving your reply I look forward to your reply I look to hearing from you I am, yours faithfully (if you don't know the name of the person you are
writing to) I am, yours sincerely (if you know the name of the person you are writing to) Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely
b) Writing formal letters to complain:
Reason for writing:
I am writing in order to complain about I am writing to complain about
Introducing the complaint:
Firstly In the first place First of all My first complaint is The first problem is The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is My first concern is
Introducing further complaints:
Secondly In the second place
Not only .but also In addition In addition to this Added to this .was also unacceptable
Demanding action:
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I suggest that you replace the item I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund I would be grateful if my money was refunded I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund
Ending the letter:
I look forward to hearing from you I look forward to receiving a full refund I look forward to receiving a replacement I look forward to receiving your explanation
c) Writing formal letters to make suggestions:
Reason for writing:
I am writing to suggest
I am writing to arrange I am writing to offer suggestions I am writing make arrangements
Making first suggestion:
My first suggestion is First of all I suggest I would like to suggest
Making further suggestions:
Another possibility is A further possibility is I further suggest I would further suggest Secondly
Offering a choice:
Would you therefore mind choosing between .? Eitheror You might choose either . or
d) Writing formal letters to request information
Reason for writing:
I am writing to receive further information about I am writing to enquire about I am writing to receive more detailed information about
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I am writing to receive further details about
Requesting first piece of information:
The first thing I would like to know is First of all I would like to know I wonder if you would mind telling me first of all .?
Requesting further information:
Could you also tell me.? Could you also inform me .? Would you also mind informing me .? Would you also mind telling me .? Do you know .? I would also like to know if I would also like to know whether
I hope you might also let me know about
Thanking for information:
I would like to thank you in advance for this information Thanking you in advance for this information Thanking you in advance
e) Writing formal letters to give information:
Reason for writing:
I am writing to inform you about I am writing to provide you with information about I am writing to let you know that
Providing first point:
The first thing I would like to inform you of is The first thing I would like to tell you is The first thing I wish to inform you of is I would like to begin by informing you
Providing further points:
I would also like to let you know that I would also like to inform you that You might also find the following information useful It might also be useful for you to know that Another piece of information that might be useful
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Ending the letter:
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to as If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask I will willingly provide further information on request I am at your disposal should you require further information I am at your disposal should you need further assistance Please do not hesitate to ask should you require further information
f) Writing formal letters to request permission
Reason for writing:
I am writing to ask permission to I am writing to ask permission for I am writing to request permission to I am writing to request permission for
I am writing to ask if I might
Making first request:
Firstly I wonder if you would First of all I wonder whether you would mind The first request I would like you to consider is
Making further requests:
I would be grateful if you would also consider
I wonder if it might be possible for me to I would also like to request permission for I would also like to request permission to
Thanking for permission
Many thanks for kindly considering my requests Thank you for considering my requests
Business English: Useful Expressions.
Apologizing
I'm sorry.
I made a mistake.
8/3/2019 Phrases for Formal Letters
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Please accept my apologies.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to . . .
(I'm) sorry. I didn't realize that . . . .
That's okay.
No problem.
Prefacing bad news
I'm sorry (I have) to tell you this, but . . .
I hate to tell you this, but . . .
I don't know how to tell you this, but . . .
I have some bad news.
(Formal) written apologies
We regret to inform you that . . .
Regretfully, . . .
Unfortunately, . . .