Business Letter Basics

The Start 

• Dear Senior Director, 
• Dear Sir or Madam,   

 (use if you don't know who you are writing to) 

• Dear Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms Smith: 

(use if you know the person and have a formal relationship with - IMPORTANT use Ms for women unless asked to use Mrs or Miss)

•  Dear Frank: (use if the person is a close business contact or friend) 

The Reference 

• With reference to your advertisement in the Times, your letter of 3rd March
• Regarding your phone call today, 
• Thank you for your mail of March 5th. 

The Reason for Writing 

• I am writing to inquire about... 
• I am writing apologize for... 
• I am writing to confirm... 

  

Requests

• Could you possibly.....? 
• I would be grateful if you could.....
• Would it be possible to ......?

Agreeing to Requests 

•  I would be delighted to... 
• It would be my pleasure to... 

Giving Bad News 

• Unfortunately.... 
• I am afraid that... 

Enclosing/attaching Documents 

•  I am enclosing... 
• Please find enclosed... 
• Enclosed you will find... 

Closing Remarks 

• Thank you for your help. 
• Please contact us(me) again.... 
• If we(I) can help in any way. ....If/should there are any problems. ....
• If/should you have any questions, 

Reference to Future Contact 

• I look forward to ... 

         ...hearing from you soon. 

        ...meeting you next Tuesday. 

        ...seeing you next Thursday. 

The Finish 

• Yours faithfully, (If you don't know the name of the person you're writing to) 
• Yours sincerely, (If you know the name of the person you're writing to) 
• Best wishes, 
• Kind regards, (If the person is a close business contact or friend)

Sample Letter

March 16, 2022

From:

Tom's Beer Box 

Calanda 34

7000 Chur Switzerland 

Tel:+41 81 445 5671 

Email: tom@box.com 

 

To:

James Dudeness 

Sales Manager 

Beer Specialists Inc. 

210 Swanson Road 

Oldsville, Florida 67850

Dear Mr Dudeness,

With reference to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to confirm your order for 1200 cartons Churbock Beer in 10 pack cans (item no. 7644). 

The order will be shipped within three days via DHL and should arrive at your store in approximately 10 days. 

In attachment please find the confirmation, reference number and tracking code, 

Please contact us again if we can help in any way. It is a pleasure to do business with your company.

Sincerely, 

Thomas Guzzman 

Director of Tom's Beer Box, Inc.

Are you wondering if ...

...you are studying English at the correct level?

We have an idea!  Take an online test (have the results sent to you if you like). 

Begin HERE

Grammar alert: verb patterns - to +infinitive or -ing

 

 In order to remember verb patterns in English we have to memorise the usage,  which means to say: 

...see it 

...say it 

...use it

...write it

.......and put it into our brain forever.

Why?

Look at these examples to see how these verb patterns work.

The bus stopped picking up the children.
The bus stopped to pick up the children. 

I want to try studying with a friend to see if it helps us stay more motivated.
I'm trying to study but it's impossible with all this noise.

Let's give it a go.  At the bottom of the explanations there is an exercise

Thank you British Council

Brain teaser! definite or indefinite article?

Think: 

a, an, the , -

She loves dessert.
She loves the flavour of chocolate.
Why don't we use 'the' in the first example?

Why not brush up on the reason? 

                                                     

Summer break reminder

We realise it is the middle of Summer break - but why don't you take a moment to freshen up your skills?

Follow this link and let us know how you do!

PET is the B1 Cambridge English Test

Would you like to see how you do in the reading part?
Go here and give it a try.  Good luck! CLICK

THANK YOU EXAM ENGLISH

Preliminary preparation

How do you hold up at the B1 level Cambridge?  would you like to give it a try?

PET Reading and Writing

Reading and Writing are taken together - 90 minutes

1. Reading part 1: signs and short texts 1, test 2
2. Reading part 2: match 5 people to 8 texts
3. Reading part 3: text with True/False questions
4. Reading part 4: long text with multiple choice questions
5. Reading part 5: text with multiple choice gaps

6. Writing part 1: sentence transformations
7. Writing part 2: write a short message
8. Writing part 3: write an informal letter OR a story

Scoring
The Reading and Writing sections are each worth 25% of the total score for the exam.

• Each of the 35 reading questions scores 1 mark.
• Writing part 6 questions score 1 mark each
• Writing part 7 is marked out of 5
• Writing part 8 is marked out of 15

How to prepare for PET Reading and Writing

• do more reading practice tests at B1 level
• read the instructions carefully before you start each section
• think about the timing. Spend about 50 minutes on the reading, 40 minutes on the writing
• study these vocabulary topics
• study grammar at B1 level
• practise writing short texts, including emails

CLICK HERE TO START

Summer Solstice

Vocabulary 
 solstice /'sol stis/- the 2 times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the earth's equator 
 equator /'ee kway dr/- the imaginary (not real) line the divides earth into 2 parts 
hemisphere /'hem is feer/- hemi means to divide into two, sphere means a round object like the earth. Hemisphere means one half of the circle. The northern hemisphere means above the equator or (middle) of the earth. 
ancient /'ayn shent/- very old 
come to pass- happen

June 21st (or 22nd) is the summer solstice for the northern hemisphere*.  Solstice in Latin means "sun standing still." On that day it seems like the sun is standing still because there is more daylight than on any other day. It is the first day of summer and a special day for many groups of people.

Many ancient cultures had ceremonies on solstice. They celebrated light and fire. Many people also thought it was a time for love and growth. Nowadays many places around the world have parades or parties.

The great English writer, William Shakespeare, said** whatever you dream on this night will come to pass. Have great dreams on June 21! And if you are in the northern hemisphere, enjoy the longest day of the year. 

* Summer solstice is on December 21 (or 22nd) in the southern hemisphere. June 21 (or 22nd) is the southern hemisphere's Winter solstice.
** in his play A Midsummer's Night Dream

Check Your Understanding

True or False. Check your answers below.

1.  Solstice means that it looks like the sun doesn't move.

 True
 False

2. Summer solstice is on July 21.

 True
 False

3. Many ancient people celebrated summer solstice with fire.

 True
 False

4. Nowadays no one celebrates solstice.

 True
 False

5. Shakespeare said whatever you dream about on June 21 will happen.

 True
 False

solutions below
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.False
2.False
3.True
4.False
5.True

Testing: Practice Makes Perfect

How well do you understand English? Which exam should you study for? 

This test contains grammar and vocabulary questions and your test result will help you choose a level to practise at. You will not be able to see the correct answers to the questions.
At the end of the test your level will be assessed at a CEF level (A2 to C2). You can choose to have the results sent to your email address.

You should complete this test in about 10 minutes. You can also do a listening level test.

There are 15 questions in this test. The questions get easier or harder according to your responses. At the end of the test your English level will be assessed. You will not be able to see the correct answers.

Question 1

When Sam was a small child, he ……… spend hours every day playing with stones in the garden.

  used
  would
  was
  should

Question 2

Please don’t forget to ring me when you ……… home.

  get
  are going to get
  are getting
  will get

Question 3 

It’s a great place to live apart from the increasing volume of ……… that passes under my window every day.

  traffic
  vehicles
  transport
  circulation

Question 4

You should read this novel — it’s been ……… recommended by all the critics.

  truly
  highly
  fully
  deeply

Question 5 

I am sure I would have regretted it if I ……… to take the job.

  would have agreed
  would agree
  did agree
  had agreed

Question 6 

Have you been back to the house ……… you grew up?

  who
  which
  when
  where

Question 7 

I’ve only got a ……… money in the bank.

  few
  less
  little
  bit

Question 8 

How ……… have you and your family lived in this flat?

  much
  soon
  often
  long

Question 9 

You ……… to ring Aunt Jean to thank her for her present.

  should
  must
  could
  ought

Question 10

Skye is a beautiful island off the west ……… of Scotland

  border
  edge
  coast
  beach

Question 11 

Your blue ……… are dirty — put on your blue skirt.

  jeans
  dress
  shoes
  shirt

Question 12 

It’s hot in here — would you mind ……… the window?

  open
  opened 
  to open
  opening

Question 13 

I didn’t like that writer’s first book but his second one is much more ……… .

  interesting
  easy
  excellent
  expensive

Question 14

Paul loves art and he would like to become a ……… .

  cleaner
  singer
  mechanic
  painter

Question 15 

Jack loves working in Tokyo but he can’t ……… Japanese yet.

  speak
  say
  talk
  tell