Practice 2

• Rewrite the following letter in a courteous tone:

Dear Sir
You have owed us USD 56700 since February which
means you haven’t paid us for three months.
We wrote to you twice and amazingly you didn’t
bother answering us. Yet you’ve been a customer for
years. Anyway, we’re not going on like this, so if you
don’t tell us why you haven’t paid or send the money
you owe us in ten days, we’ll sue you.
Yours etc.
• Pay = clear the account/ settle the account
• Owe = have a loan/ have a balance
• Have not paid = have outstanding balance
• Sue = take legal action
Dear Sir
We are writing concerning the February balance of USD 56,700
which has been outstanding for 3 months.
We wrote to you on the 15 March and 4 April asking you to clear
this account, but did not receive a reply, which surprised us as you
have been regular customer of our for a number of years.
We would like to remind you that credit was offered on the
understanding that balance would be cleared on the due date,
failure to do so could create difficulties for us with our suppliers.
We are prepared to offer you a further 10 days to clear this account
or explain why you cannot do so, otherwise we will, reluctantly,
have to take legal action.
Yours faithfully
Dear Sir,
I am writing with reference to your late payment of 56700 USD
since February, which means you have been in three months in
arrears with your loan.
We have written to you for two times but still received no
responses. We know you are our loyalty customer, however, we
are unable to ignore this situation any longer. We have to bring
your case to legal proceedings unless you complete your
payment in ten days, alternatively, a justifiabe reason should be
quoted.
Yours faithfully
2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
PRACTICE 1
X. You are organising the annual conference for your company. The
conference will take place at the Hotel Intercontinental on 27
September 2004. You need somebody as guest speaker, you need to
book the hotel conference room and you need your colleague, Vinay
Dudakia, to register the 250 participants
Write a letter to invite Ms Jo Smith to be the guest speaker. Say why
you think she would be suitable, and ask if she is available. Make sure
she knows when and where the conference will be
Dear Ms J Smith
We are writing from company X that has worked with you before. It must be said that
your gift is a special part of our event.
We are pleased to invite you to our annual conference on September 27, 2004 as a
guest speaker. Your experiences, awards and achievements mean a lot to us and are of
great interest to conference participants. We hope to create a great opportunity for
you and those interested to share these values. This conference will take place at the
Intercontinental Hotel with the participation of about 250 people.
We appreciate your presence and sharing. Please let us know if you have this invitation
available and confirm it as soon as possible for the best preparation. We look forward
to hearing from you soon.
Your sincerely
2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
PRACTICE 2: What subject heading could you give for the following e-mails?
0. Visitor tomorrow
Regional Director visit 12/12/03
Mr Ahmed is visiting
1. You want to take two weeks leave next month.
2. You’re e-mailing a client with product information after they telephoned you
with an enquiry.
3. There has been a policy change regarding working hours.
4. Communal e-mail about an in-house customer care training course next
week.
1. Asking for 2-week leave
2. Reply for product information enquiry
3. Change in working hours policy
4. Information about the in-house customer care training course
 2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
PRACTICE 3: Look at the following examples of abbreviations from e-mail and online chats. Can you understand
them?
1. IDK what the answer is ATM. I’ll tell U ASAP.
2. TYVM for the proposal.
3. BTW, I’m going away on holiday next week so CU when I get back.
4. …so it’s quite difficult, UC.
5. I’m busy now. PLS can we call me L8R?
6. OK, CUL8R.
7. FYI I’m not here tomorrow.
8. THX for your MSG.
• What are the advantages of using abbreviations? What are the disadvantages?
• Do you think it is possible, after you have developed an “e-mail relationship” with a client, that abbreviations
can be used?
 2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
PRACTICE 4: Look at the following examples of abbreviations from e-
mail and online chats. Can you
understand them? Match 1-10 with A-J
1. A phrase which means you will be unavailable for contact, is
2. A formal way to say that you will be happy/excited to hear from somebody in the future, is
3. A slightly aggressive way to ask somebody to do something, is
4. An informal way to tell someone that they can contact you in the future, is
5. To tell somebody that you will call or write to them in the future, is
6. A polite way to ask somebody to do something, is
7. A formal way to tell someone that they can contact you in the future, is
8. An informal way to say that you will be happy/excited to hear from or see somebody in the future, is
9. A formal way to tell someone that they can contact one of your colleagues in the future, is
10. A polite way to say that you expect you have answered their question, is
 2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
PRACTICE 4: Look at the following examples of abbreviations from e-
mail and online chats. Can you
understand them? Match 1-10 with A-J
A. I hope this answers your question
B. If you require any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me on
C. Give me a ring if you have any problems
D. I will be out the office on
E. Please do not hesitate to contact my colleague
F. I look forward to hearing from you
G. I’m looking forward to hearing from you
H. Please deal with this matter urgently
I. I would appreciate it if you could
J. I will contact you
1-D 2-G 3- H 4 -C 5- J
6-I 7-B 8-F 9-E 10 - A
2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
PRACTICE 5: Read the following advertisement for English courses in Ireland.
• LEARN ENGLISH THIS SUMMER WITH ●●English in Ireland●●
• qualified experiences teachers
• beginner, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate and advanced courses
• 2-week intensive or 4-week regular courses
• special courses: English for Business, English for Travel
• accommodation with local families or student residence
• full social programme, organized trips to Galway
• Phone or e-mail to: Galwaynian Language School
• info@galwaylangschool.net
• Tel: +34 8997649302
2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
Now write an e-mail in which you ask for information about a course,
telling them
• Why are you writing?
• What course are you interested in?
• When do you want to go?
• How long do you want to stay?
• Where do you want to stay?
 2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
From:
To: Galwaynian Language School (info@galwaylangschool.net)
Subject: information about courses
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
I am writing to ask for information____about the English courses in Ireland___
I am especially interested in________2-week intensive course__________________________
I am __going on 24th December, 2021___________________________________________________
I would like to go ___local families to live there and learned more about their culture_____________________
Could you send me information about ____the suitable course for me____________________?
I would also like information about accommodation________as well as all the fee included_______________
 I look forward to hearing from you.
 Yours _____faithfully____________,
______________________
 
2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
HOMEWORK 1: Write to a friend to tell him/her that you haven’t got something s/he wants
from you.
Prepare the situation using the questions below. The information can be real or imaginary.
• Who is your friend?
• What item do they want from you? Ideas: they want to borrow a book that you have; they
want you to make a copy of a CD that you have.
• Why are you not able to give them this item at the moment? Ideas: you have lent the book
to someone else; your computer isn’t working to copy the CD.
• When can you give them the item?
• Are you going to promise any action, give additional information, offer help, or simply say
that you will tell them when you can give them the item?
Now write the email in an informal style.
2.4. PRACTICE AND HOMEWORK
(CONT.)
HOMEWORK 2: Write to a customer to tell him/her that the product/service s/he
wants is not available at the moment.
Prepare the situation using the questions below. The information can be real or
imaginary.
• What is your company’s business? What products/services do you offer?
• What is the particular product/service that you normally offer, but is not available at the
moment?
• Why?
• When is it going to be available again?
• Who is the customer that you are writing to? Why do they need your product/service?
• Are you going to promise any action, give additional information, offer help, or simply say that
you will tell them when the product/service is available again?
Now write the email in a formal/neutral style.