UNIT 2 PRESENTATION & CONTENT

UNIT 2 PRESENTATION & CONTENT

 

2.1 Presentation

Words & Expressions:

Be sure you know all these words. Click to learn how each word or phrase is pronounced:

substitute[n]	: vật thay thế
sustain [v]	: giữ vững, duy trì
create an impression of ...	: tạo ấn tượng về ...
create an impression on ...	: tạo ấn tượng đối với ...
figure [n]	: con số
initial [n]	: chữ đầu
if in doubt	: nếu không chắc, nếu nghi ngờ
NAmE (North American English)	: Tiếng Anh dùng ở Bắc Mỹ
old-fashioned [adj]	: lỗi thời
offence [n]	: sự  xúc phạm, làm mất lòng
comma [n]	: dấu phẩy (,)
colon [n]	: dấu hai chấm (:)
avoid + Noun phrase/Gerund	: tránh ...
make an effort	: cố gắng, nỗ lực
obtain [v]	: đạt được, có được
be likely to	: có thể xảy ra, có khả năng
establish [v]	: thiết lập
TLA (three-letter acronym)	: từ viết tắt gồm 3 chữ cái
emoticon / smiley [n]	: biểu tượng trạng thái cảm xúc khuôn mặt

2.1.1 Introduction

     Correspondence, whether by letter, fax or email, is an essential element of international business, in which English is generally recognised as the language of communication. However, correspondence is not simply a matter of communication; it is, in effect, a substitute for a face-to-face meeting. Good correspondence helps to build and sustain business relationships, and its presentation creates an impression of you, as the writer, and of the company you represent.

2.1.2 Details of the layout

    In Unit 1, we looked at terms used to describe the arrangement of different parts of business correspondence. We will now look at ways of presenting information to the reader.
i) Date: The month should be written in full, not in figures. The date can be written with or without the abbreviations 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. For example:

1st April 2006	1 April 2006	01 April 2006
8th June 2006	8 June 2006	08 June 2006

     Whichever form you use, be consistent, and do not change from one form to another. Remember that the date should be the day on which the correspondence is sent, not the day you started writing it.

Hot tip: If you receive correspondence about an important date which is shown in figures, check the date with the sender.

ii) People’s names and courtesy titles: In Vietnam, the name sequence is family name followed by given names, e.g. Nguyen Dinh Thanh. In other countries, the sequence may be given names followed by surname, e.g. John Michael Brown or J.M. Brown.

     When you know the name of the person you are writing to, it should appear as the first line of the inside address. You can use the person’s given name and surname, or initial(s) and surname, preceded by the appropriate courtesy title. For example:
 

	courtesy title	+	given name	+	surname
<>	<>Mr	<>	<>John	<>	<>Brown
<>or	<>Mr	<>	<>J. M.	<>	<>Brown

A common mistake is to write the courtesy title with the given name only. Do NOT write:

 

	courtesy title	+	given name
<>NOT	<>Mr	<>	<>John
<>NOT	<>Ms	<>	<>Mary

  

Hot tip: People’s names are important, so always check the spelling.

iii) Other forms of address:
a) You may know the job title of the person you are writing to, but not the person’s surname. In Example A, the inside address would therefore appear as:

            The Operations Director

            Southern Transport Services

     Note the use of the definite article The, which is not used if the person’s surname is known, e.g.

Mr Stuart Patterson	but	The Operations Director
<>Operations Director	<>	<>Southern Transport Services
<>Southern Transport Services	<>	<>

b) You could also write to a department, e.g. The Export Department (Dept), The Sales Dept, The Accounts Dept, The Operations Dept, The Human Resources Dept. 

c) Another acceptable form is to write For the attention of ... after the address, as follows:

Southern Transport Services

82 George Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Australia

For the attention of the Operations Director (or Department)

d) If you don’t know a name, or to which department your correspondence should be sent, simply send it to the company itself, e.g. The Midland Bank, Trans-Asia Shipping.

Hot tip: Correspondence addressed to an organisation only could be seriously delayed, especially if it’s a large organisation. You should always to try to obtain a department or, better still, the name and job title of the appropriate person.

iv) Salutation:

a) When writing to somebody whose surname you know, the salutation begins Dear, followed by the courtesy title and the person’s surname, e.g. Dear Mr Brown, Dear Mrs Black, Dear Miss Smith, Dear Ms Jones. 

     In Example A, the inside address reads Mr Stuart Patterson, but note that initials and first names do not follow the courtesy title in the salutation:

	Dear Mr Patterson
<>NOT	<>*Dear Mr Stuart Patterson
<>NOT	<>*Dear Mr S. Patterson

b) If you get to know a person well, you can use their given name, e.g. Dear Stuart. If in doubt, it is advisable to use the more formal salutation with the courtesy title and surname.

c) If you don’t know the name of a person, or whether they are male or female, use Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Sir / Madam (NAmE: Ladies and Gentlemen).

d) Dear Sirs (NAmE: Gentlemen) can be used if you write to a company. This salutation, however, is now often regarded as old-fashioned, and could cause offence if the recipient is a woman.

e) If you write to a man, but don’t know his name, use Dear Sir.

f) If you write to a woman, but don’t know her name, use Dear Madam. This salutation can be used for both married and unmarried women.

g) Punctuation: a comma can come after the salutation, but it’s not necessary. In NAmE, a colon may be used instead of a comma, e.g. Dear Mr Brown:
  

Hot tip: When writing to a company you wish to do business with, avoid using Dear Sir or Madam. Such correspondence often goes straight in the bin, or it may be deleted. Make an effort to find out the name of the person you should contact. If you can’t obtain a name, think about which department is most likely to deal with your correspondence, and address it accordingly.

v) Complimentary closing:

a) Yours sincerely - if the salutation uses a person's name (e.g. Dear Mr Brown, Dear Ms Jones, Dear Professor Schultz), the complimentary close should be Yours sincerely.

 

b) Yours faithfully - if the salutation is Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Sir, Dear Madam or Dear Sirs, the complimentary close should be Yours faithfully.

 

c) Yours truly - in NAmE, this complimentary close is often used in place of both Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully.

 

d) Best wishes - if the salutation uses a person's first name (e.g. Dear Stuart, Dear Liz), the complimentary close should be Best wishes. You might also find Best regards, Warm regards or simply Regards, especially on faxes and emails.

 

SUMMARY How to write the salutation and complimentary close
	When you write ...	write ...	and write ...
1	to a person you know well	Dear John	Best wishes
2	to a man if you don't know his name	Dear Sir	Yours faithfully
3	to a woman if you don't know her name	Dear Madam	Yours faithfully
4	to a person you don't know whether the person is male or female	Dear Sir or Madam	Yours faithfully
5	to a man in the more formal way	Dear Mr Smith	Yours sincerely
6	to a woman in the more formal way	Dear Ms Smith	Yours sincerely

vi) Signature block: Your printed name should always appear below your handwritten signature. If applicable, your job title or department should follow. In Example A, the name Frank Johnson is written, but this could also appear as F. Johnson, possibly followed by the appropriate courtesy title in brackets, i.e. F. Johnson (Mr). Unlike Vietnam, given names are gender specific in many countries. That is to say, a name such as Frank can only be male, whereas Susan can only be female. Nearly all given names are gender specific, although there are some exceptions.

 

Hot tip: If in doubt about whether a given name is male or female, check on the internet. Some good dictionaries also have this information.

vii) Faxes and emails

a) Faxes: Although faxes tend to slightly less formal than letters, it is advisable to follow the same conventions as letters for the salutation and complimentary close.

b) Emails: Emails tend to be the most informal method of communication, but the same conventions for letters should be used until a business relationship has been established. Some abbreviation (TLAs) are generally accepted, such as FYI (for your information), NRN (no reply necessary), but if you’re not sure then use the full written form. Emoticons (or smileys) such as :-) and :-( should not be used in business emails.
c) Capital letters: Do not write emails or faxes in capital letters, or use other devices for emphasis. Let the reader decide what is important.

Hot tip:               Don’t be too informal if you don’t know the recipient well.

 

2.2 Summary of some important points

Words & Expressions:

Be sure you know all these words. Click to learn how each word or phrase is pronounced:

be connected with	: có liên quan đến
proposal [n]	: sự đề nghị, đề xuất

• The layout of letters has received the most attention, but do remember that many of the points about letters apply equally to faxes and emails. If you don’t know the other person well it’s advisable to use the conventions of letter writing until such time as a business relationship has been established.

• Try to put yourself in the position of the addressee, and ask yourself whether the layout of your correspondence contains the information he or she is likely to need. This could be your courtesy title, your job title, your contact details, or whatever else you consider appropriate.

• When writing the date, do not show the month as a number. Write the month in full.

• If you don’t have the name of a person, make an effort to find out, especially if your correspondence is connected with a sales proposal, or if you are writing to a company with whom you wish to establish a business relationship.

• If you are writing to a woman, but don’t know whether she’s married or unmarried, use Ms.

• Use the correct salutation and matching complimentary close.

• Do not confuse the style of personal and business emails. Use the correct conventions for business purposes.

2.3 Halfway test

Which of the statements is True, and which is False? Mark T or F in the box.

1. It’s more polite to write the courtesy title Mr in full, e.g. Mister John Brown.

2. In the USA, 10/08/2005 means 8 October 2005.

3. If the salutation is Dear Mr Brown, the complimentary close will be Yours sincerely.

4. If writing to Mrs Angela Brown, the salutation should be Dear Mrs Angela Brown.

5. It’s safe to assume that somebody with the job title Manager (e.g. Export Manager) is a man.

6. Emoticons should be used to make emails seem friendlier.

Answer Key

2.4 Content

Words & Expressions:

Be sure you know all these words. Click to learn how each word or phrase is pronounced:

ultimately[adv]	: rốt cuộc, cuối cùng thì...
abrupt [adj]	: thô lỗ, cộc lốc
relevant [adj]	: thích đáng, có liên quan
repetition [n]	: sự lặp lại
accessory [n]	: đồ phụ tùng, phụ liệu
discount [n]	: sự giảm giá
acknowledge [v] (a letter)	: báo đã nhận được thư
solution [n]	: giải pháp
revise [v]	: xem lại, duyệt lại
invoice [n]	: hoá đơn (hàng gửi)
be suited to	: phù hợp với
subsequent [adj]	: tiếp theo
inflexible [adj]	: cứng rắn, không nhân nhượng

2.4.1. Introduction

    We have looked at the layout of correspondence, and we will now look at the content. In Unit 1, some differences between letters, faxes and emails were discussed. Ultimately, you must choose the most appropriate form of correspondence for the circumstances, but always remember that your correspondence creates an impression on the reader. You must decide how much information you need to provide, but it’s important to be concise. If you can limit your correspondence to a single page (letters/faxes) or a single screen (emails), so much the better, but you must also take care not to seem abrupt, or to provide too little information.

2.4.2 Planning your correspondence

    There are two important questions to ask yourself before you start writing:

i) What is the purpose of my correspondence?
ii) What response would I like to receive?

    When thinking about the purpose of your correspondence, try to limit the content to one subject only. If you write about more than one subject, it may require the attention of somebody other than the addressee, or the attention of a different department. A response to the main subject could be delayed unnecessarily.

    Make notes of the points you want to include in your correspondence and check to ensure that you have asked for, or provided, only information that is relevant. The next step is to organise the information into a logical order, which links one piece of information with another and avoids repetition.

Hot tip: In formal correspondence, avoid using contractions, e.g. I have not I've, she would not she'd.

    Here is the body of a typical letter replying to an enquiry about a company’s products.

CORRESPONDENCE EXAMPLE 2/A

    Dear Mr Capello

1. Thank you for your email of 10 August enquiring about our latest range of top quality fashion accessories.

2. As requested, I am enclosing our current catalogue and price list. Would you please note that the purses described on page 6 of the catalogue will not be available until December, although we still have some of last year’s range in stock, details of which can be found on our website.

3. Our prices are highly competitive, but I can confirm that quantity discounts of between 10% and 15% are available to established customers, subject to the value of the order.

4. Please let me know if you require any further information. I look forward to hearing from you soon.         Yours sincerely

    Susan Taylor
    Commercial Manager
1. In the opening paragraph, the email from Mr Capello is acknowledged, and the quality of the product is emphasised.

2. In the first middle paragraph, Susan Taylor deals with a specific point by stating that the catalogue and price list are enclosed. She has also predicted a possible problem relating to the catalogue and offered a solution.

3. In the second middle paragraph another specific point is dealt with when Susan responds to Mr Capello’s enquiry about about discounts. She also takes the opportunity to mention that the prices are highly competitive.

4. In the closing paragraph, Susan offers assistance and encourages further contact.

Hot tip: Be prepared to revise your correspondence. Make sure you have said what you really meant to say, and rewrite anything that might be misunderstood, or isn’t clear.

2.4.3 The content of paragraphs

i) Opening paragraph - this sets the tone of your correspondence and the reason for writing. Very often this will involve either thanking the addressee for their correspondence (as shown in Correspondence Example 2/A), or referring to it. If writing to somebody for the first time, you may need to introduce your company.

    Here are two examples of opening paragraphs.

• We refer to our letters of 15 February and 15 March regarding invoice no. P4179, and note that we have not received a reply or payment. 

• I understand from Mr Brian Harrison, of the British Chamber of Commerce, that your company wishes to appoint a sales agent in Central Vietnam. My company has represented three well known manufacturers of related products for a number of years, and I am confident that our experience and established client base are ideally suited to your requirements.

    You could also use a subject heading, which is written immediately below the salutation. It helps to focus the reader’s attention on the purpose of the letter. Some writers may begin the subject heading with Re:, which stands for regarding or with regard to, e.g. Re: Non-payment of invoice no. P4179. However, Re: is not necessary, and nor is it necessary to underline the subject heading.

    A subject heading simply replaces introduction of the topic of the letter in the first sentence. The example of opening paragraphs could also be written as:

Dear (addressee)
Non-payment of invoice no. P4179
We refer to our letters of 15 February and 15 March, and note that we have not received a reply or payment.

Dear (addressee)
Sales agent in Central Vietnam
I understand from Mr Brian Harrison, of the British Chamber of Commerce ...
ii) Middle paragraph(s) - the content should follow logically from your opening paragraph, and ask for, or provide, only relevant information. Subsequent course units will give suggestions that relate to a number of different subjects.

iii) Closing paragraph - You should always encourage further contact and give your correspondent the opportunity to request further information. When writing complex correspondence, it may be advisable to summarise the important points.

Hot tip: Be firm and direct, but not inflexible. Be concise, but not abrupt or rude. If you are angry or upset, wait a while before you start writing.

2.4.4 I or We

    The use of I (me, my) or we (us, our) is a matter of preference. Some companies prefer using we, as the writer represents the entire company. However, the use of I personalises correspondence much depends on the relationship between the correspondents and the context. In the examples of opening paragraphs, we might be more suitable when writing about an outstanding invoice, whereas I might be more suitable when it is important to establish a personal relationship quickly.

SUMMARY  • Plan your correspondence before you start writing.  • Be concise: only write about what you need to say and what the recipient needs to know. • Make sure you have said what you meant to say. • Make sure your correspondence has a logical sequence. • Be polite, whatever the circumstances. • Encourage further contact. • Decide whether to use I or we, and remain consistent. • Spellcheck and proofread everything.

2.5 Unit review

Which of the statements is True, and which is False? Mark T or F in the box.

1. If the salutation is Dear John, the complimentary close can be Best wishes.

2. If a letter is signed J.M. Brown, the sender must be male.

3. If a letter is signed Margaret Benson, the sender must be female.

4. If you are not sure whether the woman you are writing to is married, you should use the courtesy title Ms.

5. Capital letters should be used to emphasise important points.

6. Letters should never be more than 1 page in length.

7. I should only write about things my correspondent needs to know.

8. The first paragraph of my correspondence should give the reason for writing.

Answer Key