types of business letters
1. Read the text. Translate.
TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTERS
There are lots of different types of business letters. There are letters of information, invitation, congratulation, gratitude, apology, condolence, covering, enquiry, offer, order, request, guarantee, confirmation, notification, advice, complaint and claim.
Sending a letter of invitation first of all you are to remember that the invitation should be sent about two or three weeks before the event. You may choose the very formal way and write it as a friendly letter. The form of reply is determined by the form of invitation.
A letter of congratulation should be sent as soon as you get information about the event. In a letter of apology you apologize for your mistake, express your regrets and assure that it won't happen again.
A letter of condolence is the most difficult letter to write. It should be sent promptly and written with sincerity and restraint. Condolence is only written to those who knew the deceased personally.
A covering letter is sent out with contracts, specifications, catalogues, samples of goods. It gives additional information on the document, explains the purpose of sending the document.
When we need some samples of goods or reference materials, when we want to find out some terms and conditions of selling the goods we send an enquiry letter.
A letter-offer is the reply to an enquiry. If at the moment you are not ready to give a definite reply to the enquiry you should send an intermediate answer thanking for the letter received and stating when a detailed reply will be sent. If you can meet the requirements of the enquiry you should send your offer stating the name of the goods offered, their quantity and quality, the price, the delivery time, the terms of payment and other conditions.
An order is the reply to an offer. In the letter-order you should state clearly the name and the quantity of the goods ordered, the delivery date, marking and packing instructions, the sum of money paid.
A letter of guarantee certifies the high class of goods or materials used, reliability of machines and equipment, it states a definite period of time as the guarantee period.
A letter of complaint and claim deals with the delivery of wrong goods, damaged goods, goods not being according to the sample or description, delays in deliveries.
A reply to the letter of complaint should be started with an apology or an expression of regret. Then the circumstances, which caused the trouble, should be explained. Afterwards it should be stated what will be done to settle the matter. And finally the sender should explain what will be made to prevent the recurrence of such a kind of trouble and express his hope on beneficial mutual cooperation in
the future.
2. Translate into Russian.
Types of business letters
to remember
before the event
by a formal way
as soon as
to apologize for the mistake
to express one's regrets
to know personally
additional information
to explain the purpose
to find out
a definite reply
an intermediate answer
a detailed reply
to meet the requirements
to state
the terms of payment
the quantity
the slum of money
a definite period of time
wrong goods
according to the sample
a delay in delivery
to cause the trouble
to settle the matter
to prevent the reoccurrence
beneficial mutual cooperation
3. Translate into English.
Указывать
выяснять
как только
официальным путем
определенный ответ
дополнительная информация
промежуточный ответ
в соответствии с образцом
задержка в поставке
выражать сожаление
виды деловых писем
отвечать требованиям
определенный период времени
условия платежа
количество
взаимовыгодное сотрудничество
объяснить цель
помнить
решить вопрос
до события
приносить извинения за допущенную ошибку
не допустить повторения
подробный ответ
знать лично
не те товары
сумма денег
4. Answer the following questions
1. What types of business letters do you know?
2. What should you remember sending a letter of invitation?
3. What does the form of invitation depend on?
4.What is the form of reply determined by?
5. When should you send the letter of congratulation?
6. What should be written in a letter of apology?
7. What information does a covering letter contain?
8. What type of the letter do we send when we need some samples of goods or reference materials?
9. How is the reply to the enquiry called?
10. When do we send an intermediate answer on the enquiry?
11. What should be stated in a detailed reply on the enquiry?
12. What is an order?
13. What does a letter of guarantee certify?
A letter of guarantee certifies the high class of goods or materials used, reliability of machines and equipment.
14. What type of a business letter deals with the delivery of wrong goods?
15. What should be explained in a reply to the letter of complaint?
5. Answer the additional questions.
1. What word do we use to congratulate men and what word to congratulate women?
2. What international abbreviations are wildly used in business correspondence?
3. What's the role of E-mail in business correspondence?
6. Writing - An Informal Letter
Fill each blank with the following words. Use each item once only.
As you know Best wishes I'm sorry Anyway
Congratulations Thanks In the end Really busy
Of course Get on Let me, know Put you up
Dear Pete,
a _for your last letter.ь _ it's taken me so long to reply but I've been c _moving into my new flat. d _ on passing your driving test first time. Now all you have to do is save up for that Porsche you've always wanted - and the tax and insurance, e _! ' _ I've just started a new job as the manager of the biggest video shop in town. I was a bit nervous on my first day when I had to meet the staff, but, g _ everything turned out all right and I think we're going to h _ very well. i _the main reason I'm writing is to invite you to a party I'm having Saturday week. I do hope you can come. I've got a spare bed so I could j _ for the night. I must stop now or I'll miss the last post. Please k _ if you can come so that I can give you all the details of how to get here. l _.
7. Writing - A More Formal Letter
Use the words below to complete the letter. Use each item once only.
grateful current issue additional charge particularly interested however eligible for package holidays under what circumstances
mentioned look forward to with reference to send me information
Dear Sir or Madam,
a _ to your advertisement in the b _ of "Summer Holiday" magazine, could you please c _ about the holidays you offer in the United States? I am d _ in your e _ to California and Florida. In your advertisement you state that there are reduced prices for children but it is not clear f _ these reductions can be obtained. We are a family of four, with two adults and two children, aged 10 and 16. Could you tell me whether my 16-year-old child would still be g _ a reduction or if he is now classed as an adult? Your advertisement also h _that a free hire car was included in the holidays in the United States. i _ there was no information about insurance. I would be j _ therefore, if you could inform me whether this is included or not. If it is not, I would like to know how much the k _ would be. I hope you will be able to answer my queries. I l _ hearing from you. Yours faithfully,
8. Define the type of the following letters.
1.
8 September 200...
The Personal Manager
Provincial Assurance Co.
Ave. de la Reforma 456
Mexico D.F.
Mexico
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you to enquire if these are any vacancies in your office for a bilingual secretary (Spanish - English).
I have over ten years' experience in office work, including four years with the National Bank of Mexico. At present, I am working for Automobile Maxicanos in Guadalajara but I will soon move to Mexico City to live.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Ms. Miriam Montilla
2.
January 24th 200...
Ms. J. Williams
Ace Secretarial Service
10 Camden Road
London EC 16jj
England
Dear Ms. Williams,
Further to our telephone conversation yesterday, I am delighted to advice you that we are now able to reduce the price of our Peach computers by 10 %. This is due to the recent fall of the US dollar.
We look forward to receiving your order.
Yours sincerely,
J. Hutton
Sales Manager
3.
25 May 200...
Renate Weiss
Sun Express
20 Gloucester Place
Groydon CRD 20DH
England
Dear Ms. Weiss,
Re Tour 5210
We are writing with reference to your letter of 11 May, concerning discounts for groups on the above-mentioned tour.
We are happy to accept your terms and request that you reserve 25 places in the name of Mr. D. Thomas on the tour departing July 14. Names of the group members will be sent at a later date.
We look forward to receiving your confirmation.
Yours sincerely,
Charlotte Mc. Evoy
4.
18 March 200...
88 Hill Street
Brixham
TQ 9ET
England
Dear Sirs,
I'm interested in purchasing a large quantity of your Simplex cameras. Please could you send me details of your prices and models available.
Yours faithfully,
Paul Haskins.
5.
26 August 200...
Mr. S. Basuki
Jakarta Furnishings
7 Jalan Arjuna
Jakarta
Dear Mr. Basuki,
Re: Order 2789
It is now over seven months since we have placed the above order with you and we are still waiting for the Linton filing cabinets. I should like to remind you that we have already paid for these cabinets. We already must insist therefore, that you deliver them immediately or refund our money.
Unless we hear from you within seven days, we will be forced to take legal action.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Peter Long
6.
15 July 200...
Hameed Brown,
16 Bedford Road,
London W4 1HV,
England
Dear Hameed,
Thank you for your letter. I was sorry to hear that you've had some problems with the ER 26. We do all we can to make sure that our products leave our factory in perfect condition, but unfortunately sometimes a bad one does slip through. If you can arrange for it to be returned to me, I'll let you have a replacement by return.
Hoping that you are keeping well,
Regards,
Michael Wilson
9. Write your own business letters of the following types:
a) enquiry on spare parts;
b) congratulation on one's promotion;
c) letter of complaint on low quality of goods;
d) letter acknowledging the order of the equipment;
e) letter of confirmation on the goods received;
f) letter of apology for a mistake;
g) invitation letter.
Данная контрольная специализированная. Она предназначена для тех, кто в будущем станет бизнесменом.
