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How to write
effectively
Learning
Business Skills
1 Business Writing 1 Business Skills Development for Professional Staff
Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................ 5
Be original ................................................................................................ 22
8. Punctuation guide................................................................. 29
Commercial .............................................................................................. 46
Personal ................................................................................................... 49
Reports ..................................................................................................... 50
Very few people are lucky enough to receive formal training in business
writing. Most of us learn from experience once we start work. This handbook
is designed to make the learning process easier and quicker.
1.The message
2.The reader
3.The writer
Although the writer has the difficult task of writing the message, such effort is
wasted if the reader does not understand it. Thus, the reader is the most
important person in any written communication.
Do
Keep your mails concise and professional.
Always be polite and professional E-mail is a form of business communication (even
though it is often more informal than sending a traditional letter).
Only use abbreviations that are commonly known and used, e.g. 'FYI'.
Use a suitable tone. Think about how your contact will interpret your message.
Always include a meaningful subject line.
When replying to a message, only include the relevant parts of the previous message in
your reply.
Always proofread your message for errors in spelling and grammar before sending it. In
addition, use the spellchecker. Bad spelling and grammar look unprofessional.
Dont
Don't use shorthand, e.g. 'pls could u send me some info'.
Don't use emoticons (smiles) unless you are on informal terms with your contact.
NEVER USE ALL CAPITALS- IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING AND IS RUDE.
Never use numerous exclamatory or question marks!!!!!!!! It looks like you can not
keep your nerves!!!!!!!!!
Don't use all lower case either; it looks like you are mumbling.
Avoid sending unnecessary attachments, these will use up a lot of your contact's available
space in their e-mail account.
Don't include private information as your mail may be forwarded to or read by another
person.
Don't open attachments unless it comes from a person you trust and you are expecting it. It
may carry a virus.
Subject line
Using a meaningful subject line makes it easier for your contact to
understand immediately why you've sent them an e-mail and what you want
from them. People generally scan the subject line in order to decide whether
to open your mail, forward it, leave for later or send it immediately to the
trash.
If your message has no subject line, it may simply get ignored or deleted.
Always write a useful subject line that highlights or summarizes the main
point of the message.
Busy people who receive hundreds of mails a day then know that they do not
need to open the (empty) body of the mail, and will appreciate the time it
saves them. Here is an example:
Subject: Are you still coming to the sales meeting next Thursday? EOM
If you forward or reply to an e-mail, make sure that the subject line (which
is automatically filled for you) still reflects the content of the message. If it
does not, then delete it and write a new one.
Opening
Most letters begin with Dear (name). However, in e-mails people often write
Hi (name) when writing to people they know well. This is common even in
business correspondence.
In e-mails, many people also simply write the person's name with no greeting
(e.g. "John").
Most letters begin with Dear (name). However, in e-mails people often write
Hi (name) when writing to people they know well. This is common even in
business correspondence.
In e-mails, many people also simply write the person's name with no greeting
(e.g. "John").
Titles
If you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing, you
should write: "Dear Sir or Madam" (or the less commonly used "T whom it
may concern"). It is no longer usual to write "Dear Sirs" (British) or
"Gentlemen" (American).
If you know the person well, you can use just his or her first name: "Dear
Jim".
If you don't know the person, you normally use a title, e.g. "Dear Ms Jones".
The most commonly used titles are: "Mr, "MS, "Mrs" or "Dr.
Closing
The closing of an email or letter has to match the opening greeting
stylistically. When you finish writing, check that you have used a suitable
closing that matches your opening greeting.
The table below lists which closing phrases match which opening greeting.
Some useful phrases are shown below. There is no absolute right and wrong,
and often the difference between the two is quite minor.
Writing numbers
When writing numbers in English, there are some rules to bear in mind.
Numbers that begin sentences, titles and headers are usually written as
words, e.g. Seventeen people were included in the study.
Common fractions are usually written as words, e.g. one quarter, a half, two-
thirds.
10 Business Writing 1 Business Skills Development for Professional Staff
Numbers above ten are usually written as figures.
Numbers less than ten are written as figures if compared to a number above
ten, e.g. 5 out of 15 agreed with the survey results.
A combination of words and figures may be used for large numbers, e.g. 3
million, or in back-to-back modifiers, e.g. 2 three-part reports.
Characteristics of attachments
Try to put your information in the body of your e-mail whenever possible.
Attachments:
Remember, good e-mail etiquette is really about considering how you would
like to be treated. If you do not like spending your time opening and reading
through long documents to find a piece of information, the chances are your
reader doesn't either!
Your signature
Remember you are a face of the company you work at. Clients are confident
in you when they see your signature is in order. Deloitte standards can be
found in intranet, find Brand section and click the link How to create your
Email signature in line with our brand in the right navigation panel.
Planning your letter in advance is the best thing to do. A good way to produce
an effective business e-mail is to use the KISS formula (keep it short and
simple).
A clear structure will:
1 2 3 4 5
main main
object action
Examples:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
writing to inform,
writing to evaluate,
writing to persuade,
writing to motivate.
Below you will find some common types of business correspondence with
some general tips.
Writing to inform
Writing to evaluate
Brief introduction (subject, opinion,
judgment criteria)
Discuss options-choose one
Explain why
Cold call e-mails Organizing a meeting Meeting follow-up Responding to a Presenting a new
Prepare Agenda Follow up as quickly as request for idea
Provide a referral If you someone else to a possible after the information Your message should have
Show value meeting, introduce them meeting Respond in 4 steps: the following structure:
Offer a benefit Reinforce what was said
Greeting Subject
Dont focus on yourself Set agenda for next steps
Current situation Problem
(customer needs) Impact
Address those needs Recommendation
Close Next steps
Writing to motivate
Making a request
Provide context
Be polite
Motivate
However, too many short sentences can make your message sound choppy.
Mixing the long and short sentences will make your writing flow well.
Compare:
The marketing options were circulated to marketing partners in the regional offices
who were asked to include their preferences in the plan for their offices for 2007,
making sure that they consult with the tax department who are especially affected
by
With:
We sent marketing options to marketing partners in the regions. They were asked to
include their choices in the office plan for 2007. Partners were asked to consult their
tax departments, since changes would also affect them.
E.g.:
Also
Next show that the same idea is being continued
Similarly
Yet show that different ideas are being put
But forward
First
put the points in order
Finally
Consequently
bring the message to a close
In summary
Be brief
In business, people do not really like to read long letters or reports, no matter
how interesting they may be. At best, a letter or memo should be no more
than one page in length. However, there are occasions when you may need
to write a longer report or letter. Lay out your message as concisely as
possible. Use bullet points or lists to make information easy to view and read.
You should try to limit qualifying words and phrases, as they rarely add to the
content of the message. Instead, they give the impression you are unwilling
to state the facts.
Avoid using: quite, fairly, a bit, partly, nearly all, mainly, a number of.
Try not to use words like very to emphasize other words.
The following examples show the difference between active and passive:
Passive Active
Prices are affected by competition. Competition affects prices.
The invoices were checked by the auditor. The auditor checked the invoices.
Files are reviewed by managers. Managers review files.
The letter was delivered. The letter arrived.
Y is done by X. X does Y.
Z has Y done to it by X. X does Y to Z.
Y is done by X. X does Y.
Avoid jargon
In the current economic environment we need a hands-on approach to the
retrenchment of market-driven operations.
Business people would probably have an idea what this sentence actually
says; everybody else would think it was gobbledygook. It certainly could have
been a lot clearer.
Using jargon makes a reader work hard to understand what you mean.
Would the director of the board or investor at your favorite client understand
the following tax jargon?
Avoid clichs
Some standard phrases pop up in business writing all the time but are hardly
ever used in speech! These can make your writing sound dull and give the
reader the impression that it has been written insincerely.
viz
herewith please find
hereby acknowledge
the aforementioned
we endeavour to
thanking you in anticipation
forwarded to you
in accordance with your request
in respect of
reserved to
supplemental to
methodology
feedback
facilities
mandates
appropriate
Checklist: Be original
Consider whether your reader understands jargon words
Avoid using stale business expressions
Negative Positive
I cannot let you have the file today. I will send you the file on Monday, 12 June.
It was not unreasonable to assume the It was reasonable to assume the system
system would work. would work.
If you let me know When you let me know
Instead of Say
Subsequent to arrival After you have arrived
The firm recommends We recommend
It has been decided that We have decided that
Instead of Say
I am sorry that I cannot attend the meeting My assistant, Anne Black, will attend the
on 12 November. meeting on 12 November, as I am on
business trip. I look forward to seeing you
on 18 November.
You will need to make the following Please let me know if you need help
adjustments to correct the accounts. adjusting the accounts as follows:
We were unable to complete the audit on We will be able to complete the audit on 5
time. January. I apologize for the delay, which
was due to a computer breakdown at the
factory.
Remember to think BIG YOU, little me when you are writing either to give
an opinion or asking your reader to do something. If your reader feels there is
an advantage for him, he will be much more receptive.
Not Use
a retail outlet a shop
an entrance a door
providing information telling
Give examples to make your writing clear. Consider the following summary of
a managers performance:
Anne is a good manager. She treats her staff well is much better.
To say what you mean while also sparing the readers feelings requires an
indirect approach. This way the news is made more palatable for the reader.
Buffer
Start the message with a positive statement which explains the situation
Explain the criticism or adverse opinion
Use a cooperative tone and convincing arguments
State the criticism or adverse opinion very clearly
Say what you mean tactfully
Avoid blaming the reader
Use positive words and phrases
Explain alternatives, if possible
End on a positive and friendly note
Example
Thank you for inviting me to comment on your paper for the spring conference.
I found the paper informative and logical. However, there are a few places where I
think your argument might be more persuasive, if the sentences were shorter. I have
indicated some discrepancies in the text and, where possible, shown alternatives
which would help you revise them.
Your paper represents a comprehensive summary of this important issue, and I am
sure the delegates will find it most useful.
Presentation
Have your ever gone back and read an e mail that you had sent and if was full of
errors? Did you felt embarrassed?
Your written message represents you.
Spelling mistakes
Poor layout
Poor grammar and incorrect punctuation
A perfectly presented piece of writing creates a good impression. It shows
you care about the reader.
Further help
The intranet gives the most commonly used written formats, like letters and
memos (please go to Deloitte Resources > CIS Home > Functions > Tax &
Legal > Brand > Publications).
Proofreading
People tend to focus on the mistakes in a written message at the expense of
understanding. For this reason, proofreading is a vital stage in the writing
process.
Make sure you always use the spellchecker, but use it carefully. It will not
pickup words that are spelt correctly but are used erroneously, e.g. to and
too, form and from, affect and effect.
Once you have written your first draft, put the document aside for a while
before proofreading it. If you look at your writing with a fresh eye, you will
pick up errors more efficiently.
Many people are unsure about the correct way to use basic punctuation marks.
Here is a brief guide to the main uses of the full stop, comma, question mark,
exclamation mark, semicolon, colon and dash.
Full stops are also used after some abbreviations and can be used after
numbers which appear in lists:
Example: 1.2
Comma
Commas help a reader to pause at the right point in the sentence and to
avoid confusing the meaning within a sentence. Commas have a number of
different uses in English, they are used to:
Our Finance Director, Judith King, will contact you shortly regarding this
matter. My boss, who speaks perfect English, is going to work in the
London office.
Example: Who do you work for? vs Many analysts are wondering how the
new strategy will work.
Exclamation mark
The exclamation mark is used to indicate surprise or to emphasize
information. Use it sparingly:
Example: I cant believe weve won that huge contract from our competitor!
Semicolon
The semicolon is used to:
Separate two independent clauses. One or both of the clauses are short and
the ideas expressed are usually very similar. They could be rewritten as
separate sentences.
Example: He loves work; he always works very late.
Colon
A colon is used to:
Dash
Dashes introduce explanations and comments that are connected to what
precedes and can, like brackets, show interruptions to the flow of a sentence:
Example: The company shouldnt have agreed to the merger it wasnt in its
best interests.
This section offers a little guidance on grammar to help the business writer to
analyze and improve his/her writing. However, it is difficult to write about a
technical subject without first knowing some of the terminology.
Nouns are words used to name people or indicate, places, things, e.g. Paul,
lipstick, melon, Paris, skill, laughter and beauty.
Adjectives describe nouns or pronouns, e.g. sunny day, nice point, noisy
meeting.
Adverbs modify verbs, e.g. we ran quickly, they talked well, I work hard.
Conjunctions connect:
single words, e.g. Pooh and Piglet, strong but light
groups of words, e.g. Career women are rising to the top, but not in all
professions.
sentences, e.g. Punctuation is difficult, and yet it is so important.
Interjections express emotions. They are common in conversation, e.g.
Hello!, Not likely!, but rarely have a place in business writing.
The following words are often misused by native English speakers as well as
non-native speakers. Sometimes the spellings are so similar that people fail to
distinguish between them. Others are pronounced exactly the same, but they
are spelled differently and have different meanings. Words in the latter category
are called homonyms. Study the words, parts of speech (noun, verb, etc.),
definitions, and sample sentences in this list.
Adopt (verb) means to take as your own; "He tends to adopt the attitudes of
those around him."
advice/ advise
Advice (noun); The construction firm ignored the engineer's advice.
Advise (verb); The engineer advised the firm to use single suspension
walkways.
affect/ effect
Affect (verb) means to influence; "Bad weather will affect the quality of the
fruit."
All together means everybody in a group; "All together, now: 'Good morning,
Sir!
allusion/ illusion
Allusion (noun) is an indirect reference or hint; Eliots is full of allusions to
other works of literature.
Illusion (noun) means deception or mirage; The mirrors in the room gave an
illusion of greater spaces.
annual/ annul
Annual (adjective) means yearly; an annual event
angel/ angle
Angel (noun) a spiritual or heavenly being; The Christmas card portrayed a
choir of angels hovering over the shepherds.
Angle (noun) a figure formed by two lines meeting at a common point; The
carpenters placed the planks at right angles.
Any one means any one person and is followed by "of"; "Any one of you is
welcome to come along."
appraise/ apprise
Appraise (verb) to assess or estimate; A dealer came to appraise the
furniture.
assistance/ assistants
Assistance (noun) means help or aid; Can I be of any assistance?=can I
help?
Assistants (noun) the plural of assistant, someone whose job is below the
level of manager, or someone who helps another doing the less important
job;
Ensure means to make sure; "To ensure your crockery doesn't get broken,
wrap it all in bubble wrap."
access/ excess
Access (noun) the right to see official documents, to reach a place;
Unfortunately, Ill have no access to my mail-box.
among/ between
Among (preposition) when speak about more than two objects; Jim was
relaxed knowing he was among friends
Between (preposition) when speak about two objects; Are there any public
holidays between Christmas and Easter?
accept/ except
Accept (verb) to agree; He accepted my invitation to the meeting
beside/ besides
Beside (preposition) 'next to'; His mother sat beside him, clutching her
handbag.
biannually /biennially
Biannually (adverb) happening twice each year; a biannual report
Site (noun) location; The corner of North Main and Mimosa Streets will be
the site of the new shopping centre.
Sight (a) (noun) aim (of a gun or telescope); Through the sight of the rifle,
the soldier spotted the enemy.
(b) (noun) view; Watching the landing of the space capsule was a pleasant
sight.
costume/ custom
Costume (noun) clothing, typical style of dress; We all decided to wear
colonial costumes to the Fourth of July celebration
complement/ compliment
Complement (verb) to supply, add; The colours that have been selected for
the room do not complement each other.
Council (noun) local government body; There was lengthy debate on the tax
proposal at city council last night.
choose/ chose
Choose (verb) to make a choice
comprehensible/ comprehensive
Comprehensible (adjective) easy to understand; Such detailed analyses
are not comprehensible to an average person.
continual/ continuous
Continual (adjective) repeated often and over a long period; The continual
trips abroad took up a lot of my time.
currant/ current
Currant (noun) a fruit; He still remembers his mothers currant jam.
decent/ descent
Decent (adjective) respectable or suitable; When one appears in court, one
must wear decent clothing.
Descent (noun) (a) downward motion; The mountain climbers found their
descent more hazardous than their ascent.
dessert/desert
Dessert (noun) the final course of a meal, usually something sweet; We had
apple pie for dessert last night.
Desert (noun) (desert) a hot, dry place; It is difficult to survive in the desert
without water.
Desert (verb) (desert) abandon; After deserting his post, the soldier ran
away from the camp.
dependent/ dependant
Dependent (adjective) needing someone to exist, be successful; The young
are totally dependent on their parents in food and shelter.
disorganized/ unorganized
Disorganized (adjective) lacking of any kind of plan or system; The
conference arrangements were completely disorganized.
Unorganized (adjective) one that does not have an organization, trade union
to help or support him;
farther/ further
Farther (adjective) a comparative form of far, referring to distance; Birds
were able to find food by flying farther and farther.
its/ it's
Its (adjective) possessive of it; The car has lost one of its headlights.
Its (pronoun + verb) contraction of it + is; It's time to go home; it's getting
late.
last/ latest
Last (adjective) usually meaning 'final'; I took the last train to Memphis.
Latest (adjective) meaning 'most recent' or 'new'; Have you seen his latest
painting?
later/latter
Later (adverb) a time in the future or following a previous action; We went to
the movies and later had ice cream at Dairy Isle.
Latter (adjective) last of two things mentioned; Germany and England both
developed dirigibles for use during World War II, the latter primarily for
coastal reconnaissance. (latter = England)
loose/ lose
Loose (adjective) opposite of tight; After dieting, Marcy found that her
clothes had become so loose that she had to buy a new wardrobe.
Lose (verb) (a) to be unable to find something; Mary lost her glasses last
week.
(b) opposite of win; If Harry doesn't practice his tennis more, he may lose
the match.
37 Business Writing 1 Business Skills Development for Professional Staff
lie/ lay
Lie (verb) (a) meaning 'to be down' (lay-lain); At the moment, he's lying on
the bed
(b) not to tell the truth lied-lied; Rudolf was sure that Thomas was lying
Lay (verb) meaning 'to put down flat' (laidlaid); I usually lay my pies on the
shelf to cool.
maybe/ may be
Maybe (adverb) meaning perhaps; Maybe I was wrong about Mr. Ling
moral/ morale
Moral (noun) set of principles; Its our moral duty to stay
Morale (noun) sate of mind, faith and optimism in difficult situations; Theres
nothing like winning to boost the morale of players
oral/ aural
Oral (adjective) spoken, not written; a brief oral report
practice/ practise
Practice (noun) Practice makes progress.
Practise (verb) The best way to improve soft skills is to practise them every
day.
personal/ personnel
Personal (adjective) private; They plan to take out a personal loan to build
the deck.
The CEO wants to have a personal chat with all this company's personnel.
passed/ past
Passed (verb) past tense of pass (a) elapse; Five hours passed before the
jury reached its verdict.
(b) go by or beyond; While we were sitting in the park, several of our friends
passed us.
(c) succeed; The students are happy that they passed their exams.
(b) (noun) time before the present; In the past, he had been a cook, a
teacher, and a historian.
peace/ piece
Peace (noun) harmony or freedom from war; Peace was restored to the
community after a week of rioting.
Piece (noun) part of a whole; Heidi ate a piece of chocolate cake for
dessert.
principal/ principle
Principal (a) (noun) director of an elementary or secondary school; The
principal called a faculty meeting.
Quite (adverb) (a) completely; Louise is quite capable of taking over the
household chores while her mother is away.
(b) somewhat or rather; He was quite tired after his first day of classes.
round/ around
Round (preposition) in circular movement; He turned round and I
recognized him immediately.
than/ then
Than (conjunction) used in unequal comparisons; Today's weather is better
than yesterday's.
Then (adverb) a time following a previously mentioned time; First, Julie filled
out her schedule; then, she paid her fees.
There (adverb) (a) location away from here; Look over there between the
trees.
(b) used with the verb be to indicate existence; There is a book on the
teacher's desk.
Two (noun or adjective) number following one; Two theories have been
proposed to explain that incident.
Too (adverb) (a) excessively; This morning was too cold for the children to
go swimming.
weather/ whether
Weather (noun) atmospheric conditions; Our flight was delayed because of
bad weather.
whose/ whos
Whose (pronoun) possessive relative pronoun; The person whose name is
drawn first will win the grand prize.
your/ youre
Your (adjective) possessive of you; We are all happy about your accepting
the position with the company in Baltimore.
You're (pronoun + verb) contraction of you + are; You're going to enjoy the
panorama from the top of the hill.
Formal/Informal
Formal/Neutral Informal
Thank you for your e-mail received 12 Feb. Thanks for the e-mail.
Example phrases With regards/reference to Re
I would be grateful if you could Please could you
We regret to advise you that Im sorry to tell you that
Please except our apologies for Im sorry for
I was wondering if you could Could you?
We note that you have not You havent
We would like to remind you that Dont forget that
It is necessary for me to I need to
It is possible that I will I might
Would you like me to? Shall I?
However, / In addition, / Therefore, But, / Also, / So,
If you require further information, please do If youd like more details, let me
not hesitate to contact me. know.
I look forward to meeting you next week. See you next week.
Direct/Indirect
Meetings
Formal/Neutral Informal
Im writing to arrange a time for our meeting. Just a quick note to arrange a time
Reason for writing What time would be convenient for you? to meet. When would suit you?
Could we meet on (date) in (the morning, How about (day) at (time)? Are you
Suggesting time/place etc.) at (time)? free some time next week?
not free Im out of the office till 2 p.m. I wont be around till after lunch.
Any time after that would be fine. Any time after that is okay.
Im afraid I cant manage next Monday. Sorry, cant make it next Monday.
Id like to confirm Thursday is good for me.
Confirming Thats fine. I will call/e-mail you tomorrow to That should be okay. Ill get back
confirm the details. to you if there is a problem.
This is to let you know that Ill be not able to Re our meeting next week. Im
Changing arrangements attend the meeting next Thursday. afraid I cant make Thursday.
I wonder if we could move it to? How about instead?
I apologize for any inconveniences caused. Sorry for inconvenience.
I look forward to meeting you in Brussels. See you in Brussels.
Close Let me know if you need to change the Give me a call if any changes.
arrangements.
Invitations
We would be pleased if you could come to Im writing to invite you to
Inviting I would like to invite you to/attend our Would you like to come to?
Please let me know if you will be able to Please let me know if you can
attend. make it.
Before the meeting it would be useful if you Pleas prepare before the
Prepare could prepare meeting.
It would be helpful if you could bring Please bring to the meeting
Thank you for your kind invitation. Thanks a lot for the invitation.
Accepting The date you suggest is fine. The date is fine for me.
I would be delighted to attend the meeting. Id love to come to the meeting. It
Im sure it will be very useful. sounds like a great idea.
Thank you for your kind invitation. Thanks a lot for your kind
Refusing invitation.
Unfortunately, I have another appointment Unfortunately, I have something
on that day. Please accept my apologies. else in my schedule on that day.
I hope we will have an opportunity to meet I hope we can meet up soon. Good
on another occasion I the near future. Im luck with the meeting!
sure that the meeting will be great success.
If we can reach an agreement on these matters we are sure that we can do more
Close business with you in the future.
We look forward to hearing fro you soon.
With regard to, unfortunately we are not able to . However, I am sure we can
Looking for a find an acceptable compromise.
We are prepared to accept
compromise
We would be grateful if you could supply bank reference.
Final details Please return the attached form asap so that your order can be preceded without
any delay.
Please note that we have recently improved the functionality of our website, and it
is now possible to place an order on-line. Alternatively, you can print out the
attached order form and return it to us by mail.
I have arranged for a member of our customer services team to give you a call
Close later in the week. They will be able to deal with any further points.
We hope you find our quotation satisfactory and look forward to receiving your
order. We assure you that it will have our prompt attention.
If you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact us.
open I wish to draw your attention to my e-mails of () date about the overdue payment on
your account. We are very concerned that the matter has not received your
Complaining (customer)
I am writing...
Open In connection with the order FS456which arrived this morning.
To complain about the quality of a product I bought from your site.
To complain about the poor servicewe recieved from your company.
To draw your attention to the negative attitude some people in your customer
services section.
Our order dated 16 September clearly stated that we wanted...., however, you...
Complaint The goods aere faulty, damaged, in poor condition.
There seems to be an error in the invoice/a misunderstanding.
Ot make matters worse, when I called your company, your staff...
Pleae replace the faulty goods as soon as possible.
Request for action We must insist on an immediate replacement/a full refund.
Unless I receive the goods by the end of the this week, I will have no choice but to
cancel my order.
I hope you will deall with this natter promptly as it is causing me considerable
Close inconvenience.
Apologising (supplier)
Im writing i relation to your recent complaint.
Open
I was very concerned to learn about... pleas accept my sincere apologies.
Apologising I would like to aplogise for the inconvenience you have suffered.
Can you leave it with me? Ill look into the matter and get back to you tomorrow.
Promising action I have looked into the matter and...
I have spoken to the stuff involved, and...
We will send replacement items/ give you a refund immediately.
I can assure you that this will not happen again.
We are having a temporary problem with... . were doing everything we can to sort
it out.
To compensate for the inconvenience, we would like to offer you...
Compensation
Personal
Being friendly
You heard something but you are not sure It seems that... Apparently,...
Something id but surprising true Actually,... In fact,...
Something is obvious or already known Obviously,... Of course, ...
Good/bad fortune Unfortunately,... Luckily, ...
Saying what you really think To be honest, ... Frankly, ...
Going back to a topic Well, ... So, ... Anyway, ...
Changing the topic Anyway, ... So, ... By the way, ...
Summarising with the most important point Anyway, ... Basically, ...
Formal/Neutral Informal
Id like your advice about the problem I have. Ive got a bit of a problem.
Open
I was wondering if you had any ideas Do you have any ideas about ...?
Asking for advice about...? What should I do?
What would you advise me todo?
Please write back when you have the time Please e-mail me when you get
Close and let me know what you think. the chance.
Giving advice
Formal/Neutral Informal
I was sorry to hear abou your current Im sorry youre having such a hard
Open difficulties. time at the moment.
Suggestion
I think we should / I suggest that we/ Lets go to...
Making a suggestion Shall we/ Perhaps we could/ Why dont we go to...?
I suggest/ How about going to...?
Its a great idea!
Accepting I think your idea would work really well.
Special situations
Just a quick not to say many thanks for ...
Thanks I really appreciate evevrything you have done.
Reports
Report structure
As requested at the Board meeting of 14 April, here is my report.
Introduction/ Background The report will discuss/consider/describe/analyse/review...
The report is based on...
I have divided the report into three setions.
The findings/figures/resultd/investigations show that...
Findings It appears that... . this has led to a situation where...
The graph/table shows that...
As can be seen in the table 1/section2/figure3
Signposts As mentioned above, .../..., see below.
... and I will discuss this in more detail below/in section 3.2.
I (would like to) suggest /recommend that...
Conclusion/Recommendations My specific recommendations are as follows.
Please have a loook at the report and let me have your comments.
Closing comments Please feel free to contact me if you have any queations.
Linking words
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