Correspondence with a Foreign Partner

   Here are some useful hints for writing a formal letter.

   Letter layout:

   The sender´s address on the right

   The date

   The recipient´s address on the left.

   Opening

   Dear: Sir, Madam, Mr Murphy, Mrs Hobbs, Miss Young, Ms White, George, Dr Greeen…..

   When you don't know the receiver's name, use Sir or Madam.

   For a man, use the receiver's family name with Mr.

   For a married woman, use the receiver's family name with Mrs or Ms.

   For an unmarried woman, use the receiver's family name with Miss or Ms.

   For a close business contact or friend, use the receiver's first name.

   For a doctor, use Dr and the family name.

   Ms can replace Mrs and Miss. It  doesn't indicate whether a woman is married.

   Making reference

   Thank you for your telephone call today….

   With reference to your letter of 8 January,...

    Further to your letter of 30 August,...

   Apologizing

   I apologize for the delay…… not replying sooner

   I am sorry that I am not able to help you

   Explaining the reason for writing.

   I am writing to enquire about... ask you... . inform you that... confirm...

   Agreeing to requests

   I would be delighted to.... pleased to...

   Giving bad news

   I am afraid that... Unfortunately,...

   Requesting

   I would be grateful if you could... We would appreciate it if you could …Could you
   possibly...?

   Enclosing documents

   I have pleasure in enclosing... I am enclosing... I enclose...enclosed you will find….please
   find enclosed…

   Referring to future contact

   I look forward to meeting you next month….. receiving your reply…. hearing from you soon

   Finishing

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   Please contact us again if we can help in any way. ……you would like further information…

   

   Closing (See Opening )

   Yours  Ifaithfully

    Sincerely

   Best wishes

   (Best) regards

   When you open the letter with Dear Sir or Dear Madam, use Yours faithfully. When you open the
   letter with the receiver's family name, use Yours sincerely. For a close business contact or
   friend, use Best wishes, or regards.

   Task:

   Find a formal letter and identify its parts.

   Write a formal letter to your partner on a chosen topic.

   

   Emails:

   You do not need to begin with a formal greeting. Dear David, David, or just Hi are acceptable.

   Emails are usually written at speed, so people very often do not write in complete or
   grammatically correct sentences.

   Abbreviations are also often used to save some time

   Pls= please

   B4 = before

   asap= as soon as possible

   FYI = for your information

   CU =see you

   CUL8R = see you later

   @ = at

   4U = for you

   no = number

   FAO = for the attention of

   Enc = enclosed

   Ref = reference

   

   End your email with something short like Best /for Best wishes/, Regards, Cheers or Yours if
   you are writing to someone you don´t know well.

   People usually sign emails with their first name.