Ex. 1. Read and remember:

In business letters, you should always be polite.

You should make requests rather than give commands:

Command: Tell me about your job conditions.

Request: Would you please tell me more about your job conditions?

Here are some suggestions used in polite requests:

Could you possibly… If possible, could you …

I would appreciate it if you would … If you have the time …

I would be grateful if you could … Would you please …

If it is not too much trouble … Would you possibly …

Ex. 2. Alter these commands into polite requests. Use a different expression for each sentence using the prompts above.

Example: Ask your office representative to call me. – I would appreciate if your office representative calls me.

1. Send me a brochure about your new car models.

2. Give me your most current prices.

3. Tell me when the tickets are available.

4. Fax me a list of our company’s clients.

5. Provide us the information and materials concerning last conference.

6. Submit the report on the fifteenth of every month.

Ex. 3. Complete the sentences in this letter. Use the words given in brackets (registration, interest, hesitate, enclose, brochure, forward, conference, City of London).

Dundee Police Constabulary

Principle Department

155 Entry Road, Dundee, SL371

Tel. [phone] Fax. [phone] e-mail: police @ dundee.net

Javier Perez 23^rd August, 2007

Police Staff College

40 Duke Street

London WIA 2DW

Thank you for your ______in our eight annual Measures to Combat Terrorism conference. Further to your recent inquiry, I am delighted to ______ the brochure for the conference, which will take place in Scottish Police College, Melrose, from October 2-5, 2007.

This year our guest speaker will be Sir Robin Creswell, MP, formerly Deputy Prime Minister and Commissioner of the ________ Police Force.

The enclosed ________ gives full details on the structure of the ________, however, if you would like to discuss your specific requirements, please do not __________ to contact me. So if you, or your colleagues, are considering attending, please complete the enclosed _________ form and send it to me, without delay, at the address above.

I hope that you will be able to join us. Look ________ to receiving your reply soon.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Blackmore

Jane Blackmore

Conference Coordinator.

Ex. 4. Decide which letter is of which style (blocked, semi-blocked or unblocked). Arrange the letters in order of formality. Which is the most formal and which is the least formal letter? Discuss what makes a letter more or less formal.

A).

Association of Attorneys

55 Lakeshore Drive

Chicago, IL 60683

Ms. Joanne Way

East Conference Center

412 Bellevue Lane

Los Angeles, CA 91335

22^ndSeptember, 2007

Subject: Training seminar

Dear Ms. Way,

In our telephone conversation yesterday, we discussed our plans to conduct out training seminar at your conference center. I would like to confirm the following information.

The conference will take place November 3-4. We expect approximately 150 attorneys to attend the conference. We will need one large hall for the welcome speech and three break-out rooms.

I also look forward to receiving your price list by next Monday. Please call me if you need additional information.

Sincerely yours,

Frank Feder

Frank Feder

Events Manager

B).

Security Now. com

3145 Theatre Road, North RR4

Palm Coast, Florida 32145

Mr. John Stevens

Vista Prix Company

22 Park Ave. New York, NY 100075 27 November, 2007

Dear John,

Gratefully and sincerely I’d like to thank you in this day for your attention and help in establishing of our new agency in your city.

Thank you for referring us to MNG Systems Inc. It’s very interested in our security alarm systems and needs security not only in its Palm Coast warehouse but also in storage centers in Norton and Berkeley.

I hope to see you soon so I can thank you personally. I hope to cooperate with you in further. Send my greetings to Susan and children.

Best wishes,

Peter

Peter Long

Manager

C).