TM

lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A BUSINESS SITUATIONS

Email style
Lesson code: S2RI-12NE-DDER INTERMEDIATE

1 Reading
Fill in the subject lines of the emails with the following email topics:

job application payment request product complaint product enquiry

RE: complaint RE: meeting RE: product enquiry thank you

Email 1 SUBJECT:
Dear Sir or Madam,
With reference to your job advertisement, I wish to apply for the English teacher position at your language
school. I have attached my cover letter and CV for your consideration.
Regards,
Emily Brown

Email 2 SUBJECT:
Hi John,
I'm sorry but I can't make it on Friday. Can we put the meeting off to the following week?
Regards,
Adam

Email 3 SUBJECT:
Dear Jim,
I am very sorry to hear about your delivery problems. We have had a problem with one of our suppliers
whom we hope to change in the next month. I assure you that this will not happen again.
We will send you replacement parts immediately.
If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind Regards,
Sally Jones
Customer Care
LE

1/5
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Email style lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS SITUATIONS

Email 4 SUBJECT:
Dear Mr. Smith,
We received your delivery this morning and noticed that some of the goods were damaged. Since this is
not the first time that this has happened, my boss is considering changing supplier.
I look forward to your reply.
Regards,
Maria Fernandez

Email 5 SUBJECT:
Hello,
I found your advertisement in a recent edition of The Engineer. I would be grateful if you could send me
some information about your company's product range.
Thanks in advance.
Joseph Ferrara

Email 6 SUBJECT:
Dear Mr. Ferrara,
Thank you for your interest in our product range. Please find attached the information you requested.
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best Regards,
Duncan Smith
Sales Manager

Email 7 SUBJECT:
Hello Jack,
We note from our records that you have not paid our last invoice. Could you transfer the outstanding
amount as soon as possible?
Best Regards,
Tamara Jones
Credit Control
LE

2/5
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Email style lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS SITUATIONS

Email 8 SUBJECT:
Hi John,
Thanks for all your help. Our salesmen found the conference very useful. Do get in touch next time you
are in our area.
Regards,
Jack

2 Language style
The emails above contain a mix of formal, neutral and informal language. Complete the table below
with phrases from the emails:

NEUTRAL/INFORMAL EMAIL LANGUAGE FORMAL LANGUAGE

Dear Sir or Madam,
About your job ad,
Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend our meet-
ing on Friday.
We got your ... this morning.
Could we postpone the meeting to ...?
my boss is thinking about ...
Hope to hear from you soon.
Please send me ...
Thanks for asking about ...
Do not hesitate to contact me next time ...
I promise this won't happen again.
I'm attaching the info you need
If you need more info, get in touch.
If you need more help, get in touch.
I see you haven't paid our last invoice.
Thank you for all your assistance.
LE

3/5
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Email style lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS SITUATIONS

Study the phrases in the table again. Tick the features that you notice:

• Could is used more often in formal language than can.

• In formal language, more formal synonyms are used, e.g. require, receive, assure, contact, further
instead of need, get, promise, get in touch, more.
• Phrasal verbs, e.g. put off, think about, etc. are more common to informal and neutral email language.
• Contractions (I'm, you're, won't etc.) are used less often in formal language. Formal language uses full
forms (I am, you are, will not, etc)
• Abbreviations, e.g. info, ad, etc. are appropriate for informal language. Formal language uses full words,
e.g. information, advertisement, etc.
• In formal language, more formal forms of address are used, e.g. Dear sir or madam, Dear Mr Smith.

Match the informal words on the left with the correct formal synonyms on the right:

Informal Formal
1. fix amendments
2. book enquire
3. ask provide
4. ask for repair
5. give request
6. changes reserve

Study the email extracts below. Identify the style used in each extract and rewrite the sentences
changing the language to formal or informal/neutral as appropriate.

1. I'd like to ask for some info on your product prices. Can you send me your current brochure?

. ......................................................................................
2. We need more time to make the necessary changes to the contract.

. ......................................................................................
3. I have reserved the hotel room. Please find attached the booking confirmation.

. ......................................................................................
4. Could you provide me with further information on your products?

. ......................................................................................
5. I assure you that I will contact you when my laptop is repaired.

. ......................................................................................
6. About your ad in today's newspaper, I'd like to ask about your experience in management training.

. ......................................................................................
LE

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Email style lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS SITUATIONS

3 Writing
Now write two formal and two informal emails from the topic lists below.

Formal

1. Your supplier is late again with a delivery. Write an email to him complaining about this.
2. Respond to a customer complaint about one of your products/services.
3. You are considering changing your supplier. Write an email to a potential supplier enquiring about the
price and discount policy.
4. You want to arrange a meeting with a colleague from another branch. You attach a map showing
where exactly your office is located.
5. You are interested in applying for a job advertised in an English language magazine, and you want to
know more details.

Informal

1. You have to cancel your English lesson. Write an email to your English teacher.
2. You want to thank your English friend for helping you write a report in English.
3. Your friend wants to know about some local places to visit in your town. Write him an email.
4. You are going to an interesting party/exhibition. Write your friend an email to invite her.
5. Your colleague wanted some pictures. Write an email to him, sending them as an attachment.

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Email style - Key lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A BUSINESS SITUATIONS

1- Reading

1. job application 2. RE: meeting

3. RE: complaint 4. product complaint
5. product enquiry 6. RE: product enquiry
7. payment request 8. thank you

2- Language style

Explain that a mix of styles can be used in the same email, e.g. Emails 2 and 4 on Page 2 contain a mix of formal
and neutral language. However, a mix of extreme styles (very formal and very informal) should be avoided.

Hello,
With reference to your job advertisement,
I'm sorry but I can't make it on Friday.
We received your ... this morning.
Can we put the meeting off to ...?
my boss is considering ...
I look forward to your reply.
I would be grateful if you could send me ...
Thank you for your interest in ...
Do get in touch next time ...
I can assure you that this will not happen again.
Please find attached the information you require
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
We note from our records that you have not paid our last invoice.
Thanks for all your help.
1. fix - repair
2. book - reserve
3. ask - enquire
4. ask for - request
5. give - provide
6. changes - amendments

1. I would like to request some information on your product prices. I would be grateful if you could
send me your current brochure.
2. We require further time in order to make the necessary amendments to the contract.
3. I've booked the hotel room. I'm attaching the booking confirmation.
4. Can you give me more info on your products?
5. I promise I'll get in touch with you when my laptop is fixed.
6. With reference to your advertisement in today's newspaper, I would like to enquire about your
experience in management training.

As an additional activity for an ambitious class, have the students work in pairs. Student A invents an
informal/neutral sentence; Student B rephrases the sentence using a formal style. The students reverse roles and
repeat the activity for formal sentences.
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