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| Business correspondence in English: phrases and tips. Standard phrases for business correspondence |
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An important task when composing a letter is its information saturation, i.e. including an appropriate amount of information. There are letters single-aspect And multidimensional. Often one aspect can make up the content of the entire letter, and most often these are letters that do not require a response. For multi-aspect letters, certain stable syntactic structures have already developed to express one or another aspect of the content. The text of a multi-aspect letter usually consists of sections, subsections, paragraphs, and subparagraphs. The presentation of each aspect must begin with a paragraph. However, modern business correspondence is characterized by a tendency to compose predominantly one-dimensional letters. The simplest structure of a letter is two parts. The first sets out the facts and events (motives, arguments) that served as the basis for drawing up the letter, the second contains conclusions, requests, proposals. When composing any letter, you first need to outline a logical outline of its content. Here are examples of the structure of letters consisting of two or three parts. Service letter of request: 1) justification for the relevance of the request; 3) the expected result if the request is fulfilled. Covering letter: 1) a message about the material being sent; 2) clarifying information. Letter of request: 1) a statement of the reason that prompted you to make the request; 2) statement of the request; 3) the expected result if the request is granted, an expression of readiness for further cooperation. Letter of response (refusal of a request or rejection of an offer): 1) repetition of the request; 2) justification of the reason for not satisfying the request; 3) statement of refusal or rejection of the proposal. Official correspondence. Another important part of business etiquette is official correspondence; of course, each business letter must be strictly individual. It is imprinted primarily by the addressee, the specific situation, the personality and position of the writer. The approach to deciding what a business letter should be requires a certain amount of creativity, but nevertheless, there are general rules for business correspondence. Let us outline the most significant aspects of this problem. Correspondence This is communication in miniature, mastery is both work, sometimes difficult, and art. Intelligent business correspondence helps to increase the turnover of a company or enterprise, improve the relationship between various services, improve skills, and establish strong connections with consumers. One of the main requirements for a letter: it should not be long. If If you want your letter to be read, try to keep it to one and a half pages of typewritten text, or even better, one page. Good writing, like speaking, must be clear and concise; this is the second requirement for writing. Try to avoid polysyllabic, incomprehensible (foreign, highly specialized) words and expressions in a business letter; this is the third rule of writing a business letter; the same rule also involves composing letters in short sentences in which the main thoughts of the author are clearly and clearly formulated. Laconic letters written in monosyllabic words characterize the writers as good conversationalists who master the art of communication. Letters should not contain unnecessary adjectives or adverbs, which often makes the style too “florid”. This syllable is most often used in Eastern countries. The letter should reflect individuality the author, department or company where he works. The letter should make it clear what kind of company it is, what it does, whether it is firmly on its feet, etc. This is another requirement for an official letter. But even with this seemingly standard approach, there is a lot of room for creativity. First of all, think about the addressee, try to find out his interests, in turn, make an effort to interest him, so convey to him the essence of the question so that your letter is remembered. A sense of humor will help you solve these and other problems. A letter written with a sense of humor is usually read faster and remembered more firmly. It will help you win a future client. Such a letter shows the recipient that he was prepared by a person. When writing business correspondence, one must remember that the impression a letter makes on the addressee depends on such “little things” as the envelope, the company’s letterhead, and the content of the letter. Take your time, even if it seems to you that the letter is written flawlessly, put off sending it for a while longer, and re-read it again. As a rule, there will be inaccuracies and overly emotional expressions. Correct them, and then send them. It is especially important to follow this rule when responding to customer complaints. Don’t try to unsubscribe; getting rid of a client is an unforgivable mistake. A client's dissatisfaction with a company's work spreads 100 times faster than its good reputation. Try to start the letter friendly this makes the recipient feel good about the author. Personal touches will give your message more meaning. This is also facilitated by the conversational style of writing. Forks of business correspondence. Correspondence experts divide correspondence into six types: * trade agreements, transactions and other similar correspondence; * response letters with gratitude; * congratulations; * apologies. * requirements and requests, *condolences. These six types of letters are in turn divided into two categories: formal And informal. Office notes are also divided into types: * orders on personnel issues, internal regulations of the institution, work rules; * thanks and congratulations; * reminders, requests, event holding. In informal business correspondence, abbreviations, monosyllabic words and adjectives are often used: they create the impression of close acquaintance, warmth, and mutual sympathy. Adjectives such as kind-hearted, skillful, sympathetic, amazing, wonderful, etc., bring the author of the letter and its addressee closer together. They convey an emotional state. They show how objective or subjective the author of the letter is; perhaps he prepared it, guided only by emotions. There are many ways to prepare correspondence, but we will highlight the most common questions: What does a potential client need? What are his main concerns? What doubts bother him? What are his financial considerations? Did he have any problems that still bother him today? What are his goals? And one more significant point: the letter should be structured according to this scheme attention interest request action. You just need to remember that when formulating a request, provide the addressee with a limited choice of options. The fewer options, the greater the likelihood of success. The etiquette and tact of a business person are manifested at every step: during a fleeting conversation with a subordinate, colleague, at a production meeting, etc. Unfortunately, sometimes officials abuse the form of address on "You". They address “you” to subordinates who are much older than them in age, but say “you” to a young superior. In the form of addressing “you”, disdain for the subordinate is manifested. Once upon a time, Maxim Gorky responded to a young writer’s request to be on a first-name basis with him: “I’m not a gentleman...”. Indeed, calling “you,” especially publicly to a subordinate, is a demonstration of lordly arrogance and a low level of intelligence. The position he holds does not give him the basis for such communication with a subordinate or employee. Such treatment degrades human dignity. The etiquette of official and business relations requires strict adherence to speech norms both in interpersonal communication and during business conversations and meetings. When you talk to people (or even just one person), conduct the conversation without being interrupted. All matters, with the exception of urgent, sudden ones, can wait. Standard phrases and expressions business letters The business letter writer must know and use a set of standard phrases For explanations of motives of one or another action, one or another reaction, the following expressions are used: Due to the lack of financial assistance...; Due to the difficult economic situation...; In order to carry out joint work..., According to your letter...; In accordance with the protocol...; In response to your request...; In confirmation of our agreement...; In order to strengthen responsibility...; To your request... If compiled letter of request, then the following expressions are used: Please provide assistance...; Please send to our address...; Please take part...; Please take action...; Please take note...; Please inform...; Please clear the debt... Cover letters usually start with the words: We send information...; We are bringing back reference materials...; We send the contract signed on our part...; We send reference literature... Confirmation letters start like this: We confirm... We gratefully confirm.... The Krut company confirms. IN reminder letters the following models are used: We remind you that..., We remind you that... IN notification letters such We inform you that...; We inform you that Letter of guarantee may contain the following phrases: We guarantee payment...; We guarantee the quality of the product. , We guarantee to meet deadlines... Letters of invitation can begin with words: We invite you to participate, Please send a representative... Refusal of the request And rejection of offer are built according to such models Your proposal is rejected for the following reasons... The draft joint action plan sent to us has been studied. We consider it unacceptable for the following reasons..., We consider your request to work together... In closing words The text of the letter may be as follows: We kindly ask you to allocate 10 million rubles. for a charity marathon We kindly ask you to send information to us. We kindly ask you not to delay your response. We apologize for the delay in response. We hope that our request will be fulfilled. IN Lately Letters of offer of cooperation have become widespread. The logical scheme for constructing such letters is the same as the scheme for composing letters of request. They consist of two parts: a statement of the essence of the issue and a proposal for cooperation. The address before the text is not always used. The Moscow entrepreneurial company OMNI-Energo, which has been specializing in supplying construction projects and industrial enterprises with electrical equipment and cable and wire products for about 10 years, considers it necessary to inform you that our company has the ability to organize for enterprises under construction and reconstruction a full supply of what they need domestic electrical equipment and cable and wire products. Do you write business letters in English every day? Or are you just learning the basics of official correspondence in business English courses? Our selection of useful phrases and expressions will teach you how to write correct business letters in English and help diversify your speech. Thanks to business etiquette, it is common knowledge that clients should be greeted at the beginning of the letter and goodbye at the end. Do problems begin when composing the body of the letter? How, for example, can you tell customers that the cargo is delayed, or how can you hint that it would be nice to receive money for services rendered? All this can be explained competently if you use the right “blanks” for various situations. With such “blanks”, writing letters will be a simple and enjoyable task. Starting a letter or how to start a correspondence in EnglishAt the beginning of every business letter, immediately after the greeting, you need to explain why you are writing all this. Perhaps you want to clarify something, get additional information, or, for example, offer your services. The following phrases will help with everything:
To confirm... - confirm... Establishing contacts or how to tell your interlocutor how you know about himSometimes it is worth reminding your business partner when and how you last saw each other or discussed your cooperation. Maybe you already wrote a business letter on this topic a couple of months ago, or perhaps you met at a conference a week ago and started negotiating then.
Expressing a request or how to tactfully ask your interlocutor in EnglishIn business letters, sometimes you have to ask your partners for something. Sometimes you need a delay, and sometimes you need additional samples of material. To express all this, business English has its own established phrases.
Complaining in English or how to make it clear that you are not happyUnfortunately, it often happens that we don’t like something. But when writing business letters, we cannot give free rein to our feelings and say with a direct test what we think about the company and its services. It is necessary to use business English and carefully express your dissatisfaction. This way we can keep our business partner and let off some steam. Standard business correspondence phrases that will help with this:
How to convey bad or good news in business letters in EnglishIn business correspondence it often happens that we have to upset clients. It’s worth doing this gracefully so as not to anger your partner even more. Bad news
Good newsFortunately, sometimes everything works out well and we can please our clients with good news
Apologies or how not to anger the client even moreOf course, in business there are often problems. And it’s you who has to apologize for them. Be friendly, put yourself in the position of your interlocutor. Remember that it is better to apologize several times than to lose a valuable client.
Money or how to show your partner that it's time to paySometimes you want to write in plain text that it’s time to pay. But you can’t do this in business correspondence. Instead, we have to use softer constructions, behind which there is still the same tough question.
Politeness in correspondence or how to hint at new meetingsYou shouldn’t say goodbye to your business partners completely. Even after the end of the project, it is better for you to save the relationship for future orders. Catch you laterAt the end of business letters in English, it is often appropriate to remind your partner between the lines when you next expect information from him.
See youAfter a successful order, you should write the customer a short letter in English, informing him that you are not against a new project with him.
Of course, business English is not always easy. Luckily, our selection of business phrases should make your task a lot easier. Now it will take you much less time to compose a letter. So choose the right phrases, add your information and please your boss with beautiful business letters to English language.
An important aspect is compliance with certain etiquette standards. Otherwise, established connections may be severed and a client or business partner may be lost. Well-designed business correspondence contributes to the most favorable impression of you or the company. Mastering the magic of letters is important for every person. Let's say when searching new job: compiling and sending a resume, test tasks, cover letters, additional information about yourself, agreeing on a meeting time. Interestingly, the rules of business correspondence that exist today were developed about 150 years ago in England. Types of business lettersTo decide how to compose a letter, you need to know the differences between its types. This will help you decide on the topic of the message and its correct design. This will help you avoid looking stupid in the eyes of an important opponent. According to the design structure there are:
This includes letters of refusal, claims, excuses, and confessions. Everything that an employee uses in the course of his professional activities.
An important type of writing. Thanks to her, the results of the meeting are summed up, agreements are formed, the time for completing tasks is determined, and both parties are convinced of the correct understanding of the contract. Business Letter Rules
The peculiarity of business correspondence is that errors in the spelling of professional words are considered an indicator of a person’s incompetence in the chosen field. Basic Rules:
Formatting a business letterNecessary Special attention to details when preparing and maintaining correspondence. It also shows respect for your opponent and allows you to save time that could be spent on redoing the material. The following aspects should not be neglected:
If this is the first message, the title may be bright. However, if communication with the opponent already exists, the subject of the letter should be stated briefly and concisely. These are the basics of communication. They help you find the message after a while so that re-reading will be easy for both the sender and the recipient.
The message you send may contain questions that you must answer. It makes sense to answer them, quoting each one separately. When sending a letter with several forwardings, it is worth using numbering and breaking the text into paragraphs. This way it will be clear to the interlocutor what question you are answering. Excessive quotation chains create a sense of chaos in communications. However, if there is a need to return to previously sent messages or remind the interlocutor of something, it is worth doing. In particular, when it comes to budget, service package, and time.
When composing a letter, you must briefly comment on all documents attached by you or your interlocutor. This way it will be immediately clear to the recipient what contents of the files await him.
Business correspondence requires a signature. It can be made automatic, then it will be present in every letter sent. How to create an informative signature? Use your first and last name, current position, work contacts and company logo.
The signature can also be catchy and creative, indicating a special connection with the company or cause. For example, employees of a book industry network can use the phrase “I’m currently reading...” when inserting the name of current new products. But it is better to coordinate such things with your superiors.
The rules of business correspondence require the display of a postal address. It would be better if he was purely a worker. The company name, position, first or last name may be displayed there, but not the year of birth or playful nicknames/words. It is better to think about the correct name of the address for many years if you plan to leave it even if you change activities or positions.
In documentation, the font most often used is Times New Roman, size 12 for tables or 14 for text. 1.5-2 intervals. These are the unspoken basics. Business communication styleBusiness correspondence involves a delicate balancing act. Friendly communication is inappropriate here, but emphatically harsh communication is not appropriate either. Features of communication:
Diminutive words and slang expressions will be inappropriate.
Use emoticons carefully or avoid them. The first contact does not allow their presence in principle. In the future, brackets may be present, but only positive ones, in moderate quantities. Niceness and humor are unacceptable in this style of communication. This form is unacceptable if you are subordinate to your interlocutor.
The rules for conducting business correspondence imply a respectful attitude towards the interlocutor, attention and interest in his person. This increases your opponent's interest in you and increases the chance of his leniency. It is advisable to know in advance the name of the person you are addressing, as well as his preferences for address.
It is correct to send a response to the message within a few business days. Otherwise it is considered disrespectful. If the letter was sent before the weekend or vacation, you don’t have to respond to it if it’s not urgent. Otherwise, you need to warn your interlocutor about the temporary absence of your response or briefly unsubscribe about the contents of the letter.
Constantly asking about something, asking for confirmation will show you in a bad light. If confirmation from the interlocutor is required, you can remind him of the need to respond in three days. If the matter is urgent, it is better to mention it initially in your first message.
Business correspondence etiquette often allows you to address your opponent the way he does. This increases the possibility of mutual understanding and communication on the same level. Keep track of what terms, style of communication, and address your interlocutor uses.
If communication occurs near or during official holidays, it is worth congratulating your interlocutor. These are the rules of business correspondence. It is also useful to know when your opponent's birthday is.
Elementary politeness would be words of gratitude in response to a congratulation, invitation, or explanation. Taking into account all the above features, it will not be difficult to establish contact with your interlocutor and form a favorable opinion about yourself. The importance of business writing rulesIn fact, any letter sent is a business card, a reflection of our chosen business position. So that she looks decent, inspires respect and trust, and negotiations are accompanied by comfort and efficiency in solving problems, knowledge of the rules of good manners and their constant observance is an unshakable guarantee of success. With regard to any correspondence, on the Internet or in letters, the same strict standards apply as when communicating by phone or personal negotiations. The principles on which the interaction is built:
Business correspondence is necessary because:
You can save a lot of free time if you implement general rules for conducting business correspondence. This will help avoid the above problems.
Electronic messages make it possible to quickly exchange information over long distances. In terms of the speed of transmission of ideas, this equates them to a telephone conversation. However, emails are stored on email servers and used as printed evidence of our words. Therefore, electronic correspondence requires a responsible attitude. The task becomes more difficult if you communicate in a non-native English language with representatives of other cultures. In the article I will share what to pay attention to in this case, how to avoid mistakes and achieve mutual understanding with foreign colleagues and partners. EtiquetteRegardless of who you are communicating with and in what language, do not forget about the rules of email etiquette.1. Clearly indicate the subject of the letter (Subject). According to a study by the Radicati Group agency, business representatives receive up to 80 emails per day. How to convince someone to read your letter? Create a title that fully reflects the content. The clearer what is being said, the faster the interlocutor will read the message. No: « Idea". Yes: "H ow to boost online sales by 15% by the end of Q4 2017". 2. Use a professional greeting and avoid familiarity. No:"Hey", "Yo", "Hiya". Yes: "Dear", "Hello", "Hi". 3. Re-read the letter before sending. Errors and typos will negatively affect your image in the eyes of your interlocutor. 4. If you are introducing a new interlocutor into the correspondence, briefly describe the background of the issue. Don't force him to scroll down and read all the posts on the topic. Describe the essence of the issue, what was discussed, what you want to say about it. 5. Reply to messages. If you do not have time to conduct research on the topic now, please confirm that the email has been received and indicate when you will be able to address the issue. 6. Don't use red to draw attention to an idea. Red speaks of danger and calls negative emotions. Use special words and phrases to stand out, not graphics or color:
AudienceEnglish is the universal language of communication between people from different countries. But this does not mean that the correspondence style will always be the same. Let's look at the differences.China, Japan, Arab countriesWhen communicating with colleagues and partners from these countries, especially at the beginning of your acquaintance, use the most polite forms. Begin each letter with a polite greeting and forms of etiquette, for example:
Germany, UKReduce the modality of phrases, but do not give up polite forms and forms of etiquette:
USAOmit the forms of etiquette unless you are communicating with a colleague or partner who is superior to you. Be clear about what happened and what you need. The fewer designs with would, could, might, all the better.Africa, South AmericaIf you already know a colleague or partner from these countries, ask how he is doing and how his family is doing. Appealing to the personal is not perceived as bad form; on the contrary, it helps to establish a good relationship.Language principlesLet's look at the general principles of composing an email.ReduceIn business correspondence there is no place for figures of speech, complex constructions and compound tenses. The main task of the letter is to convey your message without loss. Therefore, anything that might make it difficult to understand should be removed.You may remember John whom we met at the conference, he was in his funny suite and talking aloud. When I asked him recently how he was doing he said he was working on a very interesting project and asked me to assist him.→ You probably remember John, whom we met at the conference, he was still wearing his funny jacket and talking loudly. Recently I asked him how he was doing, and he replied that he was working on a very interesting project and asked me to help him. John Johnson is now working on new partner program for his company. He proposed us to become his subcontractor on the project. → John Johnson is currently working on a new affiliate program for his company. He invited us to become a contractor for this project. Avoid jargonAvoid jargon, even if you are communicating with colleagues who understand the issue. Your correspondence may be forwarded to people who are not familiar with the topic.Pay attention to the title, name and gender of the interlocutorIn Russian, everything is simple: Ivanova is a woman, Ivanov is a man. In English, everything is not so simple. For example, Jody Jonson, is he a man or a woman? The last name doesn't tell us anything. Moreover, both men and women bear the name Jody:
If you are not sure who your interlocutor is, check with your colleagues, find his account in in social networks. Calling Mr Johnson Mrs Johnson will put you in an awkward position. Avoid jokes and personal commentsA strictly formal style is not necessary, but it is important to sound professional.Remove prepositions where possibleA large number of prepositions makes it difficult to understand and creates a “water” effect in the text. For example, instead of The meeting on December 1 about the marketing strategy→ “Meeting on the first of December on the topic of marketing strategy,” write The December 1 Marketing strategy meeting→ “Marketing strategy meeting on December 1st.”Instead of phrasal verbs come up with- come up with, and find out- find out, use their non-prepositional synonyms generate And determine. Avoid exclamation marksConveying emotions through email is difficult. An exclamation in a text is perceived as an increase in tone.If a message has a lot of exclamation marks, they are devalued. The interlocutor will no longer perceive them as a call to pay attention. Limit yourself to five sentencesAccording to Guy Kawasaki, if a message consists of less than 5 sentences, it sounds rude, if more, it is a waste of time.Use short words, sentences and paragraphsThis principle is especially relevant for those who work with mail from a phone or tablet: you need to quickly read the letter, understand and respond, the screen size imposes restrictions. The shorter the text in the message, the faster it will be read.Avoid the passive voiceNo: The information was sentme by Peter→ The information was sent to me by Peter.Yes: Peter sent me this information→ Peter sent me this information. Use listsIf you are interested in a colleague's opinion on an issue and offer him a choice of alternatives, list them in the form of a numbered list. Otherwise, you risk receiving a monosyllabic answer. Yes. The interlocutor wants to quickly respond to the message. It is more convenient for him to say yes, no, or indicate the number of the option he likes. In other situations, lists provide structure and aid comprehension.Set a deadlineIf you need feedback to specific date, indicate it in the letter. This will discipline the interlocutor, and he will not delay his answer.Letter structureThe email consists of five semantic parts:
GreetingsUse words Dear, Hello, Greetings(if you don’t already know the person you’re talking to) and Hi(closer to informal).MessageThis is the most informative part. In it we communicate information, give details, argue, offer ideas, etc. Let's look at useful phrases for different types of messages.How to open a messageUse neutral phrases for everyday communication with colleagues and formal phrases for messages to bosses, clients and partners.
How to clarify the deadlineEnter the hour and time zone. Without this, the deadline is blurred and perceived as a wish:Please submit your report (reply) on 10 March, EOB CET→ Please send your report/response by March 10th by close of business CET. How to ask and give detailsWe give the details:Please details: How to report a problem1. To introduce a problem, the verb to flag is often used in the meaning “to indicate, emphasize”:Flagging you about the issue on…→ Pointing out to you the problem with... With this letter, I want to flag one problem to you…→ With my letter I want to point out one problem to you... 2. To clarify or receive comments, use phrases on my/our/your end or from my/our/your side- “from my/our/your side.” 3. Often a noun is used in the context of discussing problems workaround- a way out of the situation, a workaround. How to copy your colleagues1. To ask to be copied, use the phrase CC me, Where Cc acts as a verb “to copy”, i.e. to put in a line Cc. From the word Cc a participle is formed cc'ed- pay attention to the spelling. Phrase I was cc'ed translates as “They made a copy of me.”2. To indicate to your interlocutor that you are adding someone to the discussion, write Adding (name) to the thread- I add (name) to the conversation. 3. Use the @ sign if the discussion is with several colleagues, but you need to address one of them: @Steve, I believe the next step is on you, right?- @Steve, I think the next step is yours, right? How to apologize
How to ask and offer helpWe offer assistance:
NegotiationOften electronic correspondence has the character of full-fledged business negotiations. To format them, use the following phrases.We express our satisfaction:
We invite: We express our dissatisfaction: How to attach additional materials to a letterIf you are attaching a document to a letter, draw the interlocutor’s attention to this using the following phrases:
ClosingBefore you say goodbye to the other person, thank them for their time, express your willingness to help and/or provide clarification and details.
How to understand abbreviationsPay attention to the abbreviations that foreign interlocutors use in email correspondence, regardless of style:
PartingTo say goodbye, use the following phrases: best regards, regards, kind regards, best wishes, warm wishes, sincerely yours (formally).SignaturePlease provide your first and last name, position and contact phone number. This will give the other person the opportunity to contact you directly and find out the necessary details.TemplatesIf you don’t speak English well or often write the same type of letters, it’s convenient to have several ready-made templates on hand. Let's list some of them.Promotion Announcement Subject Line: Firstname Lastname- New Position I am pleased to announce the promotion of from to . has been with for and has worked in . S/he will be gaining these new responsibilities .
attended
and came to
after graduation Please join me in congratulating on her/his promotion, and welcoming her/him to the New Department/Position. Warm Regards, Subject: First Name Last Name- new position I am pleased to announce the progress (First Name Last Name) from office (Name) per position (Name). (Name) works in a company (Name of the company) (number of years) years in the department (department name). (Name) studied at (name of university) and came to (Company name) after its completion. Let's congratulate together (Name) with a new position and welcome him/her to the new department (department name). Sincerely, Congratulations on your new position Subject line: Congratulations on Your Promotion Dear
, Subject: Congratulations on your new position (Name), congratulations on your promotion to position/department (name of position/department). I learned of your well-deserved promotion through LinkedIn. You worked well in your previous job for many years and deserve the recognition and responsibility of your new position. Hiring (for applicants) Subject line: Welcome! You'll be working closely with me for the first couple of weeks, until you get to know the routine here. I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas. Don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me if you have any questions before your first day. Best wishes, Subject: Welcome! (Name), I am glad that you have accepted the invitation for a position in our company and you will be joining us on September 7th. Welcome! Hiring (for colleagues) Dear Staff: So, if you see a new face on May 1, let know that you are excited about his/her joining our team. has worked at two others companies over the past ten years, so he/she brings a wealth of knowledge about . 's Bachelor's degree is from where he/she majored in . has a passion for . I appreciate you joining me in providing a warm welcome for . With excitement, Dear Colleagues, So if you see a new face on May 1st, let them know (Name) that you are glad to have him/her on your team. (Name) worked in two others (name of companies) companies for the past ten years, so he/she will bring us a wealth of knowledge about (name of area). (Name) has a bachelor's degree (name of discipline) (name of university). (Name) gets carried away (Name). Join me in my warm greetings (Name). With excitement, Leaving the company Dear colleagues Even though I will miss you, clients, and the company, I am looking forward to starting a new phase of my career. Please keep in touch. I can be reached at my personal email address
or my cell phone
. You can also reach me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/firstnamelastname. Best Regards, Dear Colleagues, But even though I will miss you, the clients and the company, I want to start Please stay in touch. You can contact me by personal email (address Sincerely, Birthday If you need to congratulate a colleague on his birthday, it’s useful to have a few stock phrases on hand:
Rescheduling or canceling a meeting/call Hi everyone, Hi all! Dear colleagues Dear Colleagues! Detailed advice on the principles of constructing standard letters and other templates are available at https://www.thebalance.com. Working with languageElectronic communication is not limited to the use of standard phrases and templates. Messages contain description unique problem or situation. If you don’t speak the language well, how can you be sure that the letter is written correctly and in a business style?Use explanatory dictionariesBilingual dictionaries will help if you don't know the translation of a word. But they are of little use when we're talking about about stylistics. Use English explanatory dictionaries: they indicate the style (formal and informal) and describe the situations in which the word is used.Dictionaries from professional publishers for teaching English are available online: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com, http://dictionary.cambridge.org, http://www.ldoceonline.com, http://www.macmillandictionary.com. The shortened version is provided for free, the full version must be purchased, but for the purposes of business correspondence the shortened version is quite sufficient. Structure of a dictionary entry:
Pay attention to the note formal/neutral/informal(formal, neutral, informal), use formal or neutral style words. If the selected word is marked informal, check the synonyms section. Don't ignore the examples, they help you place your chosen word or phrase correctly in a sentence. Use activator dictionariesThese dictionaries are not built on the principle of an alphabet of words, as traditional dictionaries, but on the principle of an alphabet of concepts. For example, you want to convey the concept of “beautiful.” Find the concept beautiful in the activator dictionary. Below it is a list of synonyms for the word beautiful with definitions, examples and explanations of the difference between them. Everything is collected in one place possible options expressions of the idea “beautiful”, and you do not need to look for each word separately.
Today the dictionary-activator is published under the Longman brand: Longman Language Activator. Check word compatibility using Google searchIf words are combined in a Russian phrase, their joint translation into English is not always correct. Enter phrases in English into a search engine and check if the words appear nearby.Check your text's grammarIf your command of the language is poor, use special services to check grammar and punctuation, for example, Grammarly.ConclusionIf you conduct electronic correspondence with foreign colleagues, partners and clients, but do not speak English very well, use the checklist:
Electronic messages make it possible to quickly exchange information over long distances. In terms of the speed of transmission of ideas, this equates them to a telephone conversation. However, emails are stored on email servers and used as printed evidence of our words. Therefore, electronic correspondence requires a responsible attitude. The task becomes more difficult if you communicate in a non-native English language with representatives of other cultures. In the article I will share what to pay attention to in this case, how to avoid mistakes and achieve mutual understanding with foreign colleagues and partners. EtiquetteRegardless of who you are communicating with and in what language, do not forget about the rules of email etiquette.1. Clearly indicate the subject of the letter (Subject). According to a study by the Radicati Group agency, business representatives receive up to 80 emails per day. How to convince someone to read your letter? Create a title that fully reflects the content. The clearer what is being said, the faster the interlocutor will read the message. No: « Idea". Yes: "H ow to boost online sales by 15% by the end of Q4 2017". 2. Use a professional greeting and avoid familiarity. No:"Hey", "Yo", "Hiya". Yes: "Dear", "Hello", "Hi". 3. Re-read the letter before sending. Errors and typos will negatively affect your image in the eyes of your interlocutor. 4. If you are introducing a new interlocutor into the correspondence, briefly describe the background of the issue. Don't force him to scroll down and read all the posts on the topic. Describe the essence of the issue, what was discussed, what you want to say about it. 5. Reply to messages. If you do not have time to conduct research on the topic now, please confirm that the email has been received and indicate when you will be able to address the issue. 6. Don't use red to draw attention to an idea. Red speaks of danger and evokes negative emotions. Use special words and phrases to stand out, not graphics or color:
AudienceEnglish is the universal language of communication between people from different countries. But this does not mean that the correspondence style will always be the same. Let's look at the differences.China, Japan, Arab countriesWhen communicating with colleagues and partners from these countries, especially at the beginning of your acquaintance, use the most polite forms. Begin each letter with a polite greeting and forms of etiquette, for example:
Germany, UKReduce the modality of phrases, but do not give up polite forms and forms of etiquette:
USAOmit the forms of etiquette unless you are communicating with a colleague or partner who is superior to you. Be clear about what happened and what you need. The fewer designs with would, could, might, all the better.Africa, South AmericaIf you already know a colleague or partner from these countries, ask how he is doing and how his family is doing. Addressing personal issues is not perceived as bad manners; on the contrary, it helps to establish good relationships.Language principlesLet's look at the general principles of composing an email.ReduceIn business correspondence there is no place for figures of speech, complex constructions and compound tenses. The main task of the letter is to convey your message without loss. Therefore, anything that might make it difficult to understand should be removed.You may remember John whom we met at the conference, he was in his funny suite and talking aloud. When I asked him recently how he was doing he said he was working on a very interesting project and asked me to assist him.→ You probably remember John, whom we met at the conference, he was still wearing his funny jacket and talking loudly. Recently I asked him how he was doing, and he replied that he was working on a very interesting project and asked me to help him. John Johnson is now working on new partner program for his company. He proposed us to become his subcontractor on the project. → John Johnson is currently working on a new affiliate program for his company. He invited us to become a contractor for this project. Avoid jargonAvoid jargon, even if you are communicating with colleagues who understand the issue. Your correspondence may be forwarded to people who are not familiar with the topic.Pay attention to the title, name and gender of the interlocutorIn Russian, everything is simple: Ivanova is a woman, Ivanov is a man. In English, everything is not so simple. For example, Jody Jonson, is he a man or a woman? The last name doesn't tell us anything. Moreover, both men and women bear the name Jody:
If you are not sure who your interlocutor is, check with your colleagues and find his account on social networks. Calling Mr Johnson Mrs Johnson will put you in an awkward position. Avoid jokes and personal commentsA strictly formal style is not necessary, but it is important to sound professional.Remove prepositions where possibleA large number of prepositions makes it difficult to understand and creates a “water” effect in the text. For example, instead of The meeting on December 1 about the marketing strategy→ “Meeting on the first of December on the topic of marketing strategy,” write The December 1 Marketing strategy meeting→ “Marketing strategy meeting on December 1st.”Instead of phrasal verbs come up with- come up with, and find out- find out, use their non-prepositional synonyms generate And determine. Avoid exclamation marksConveying emotions through email is difficult. An exclamation in a text is perceived as an increase in tone.If a message has a lot of exclamation marks, they are devalued. The interlocutor will no longer perceive them as a call to pay attention. Limit yourself to five sentencesAccording to Guy Kawasaki, if a message consists of less than 5 sentences, it sounds rude, if more, it is a waste of time.Use short words, sentences and paragraphsThis principle is especially relevant for those who work with mail from a phone or tablet: you need to quickly read the letter, understand and respond, the screen size imposes restrictions. The shorter the text in the message, the faster it will be read.Avoid the passive voiceNo: The information was sentme by Peter→ The information was sent to me by Peter.Yes: Peter sent me this information→ Peter sent me this information. Use listsIf you are interested in a colleague's opinion on an issue and offer him a choice of alternatives, list them in the form of a numbered list. Otherwise, you risk receiving a monosyllabic answer. Yes. The interlocutor wants to quickly respond to the message. It is more convenient for him to say yes, no, or indicate the number of the option he likes. In other situations, lists provide structure and aid comprehension.Set a deadlineIf you need feedback by a specific date, please indicate it in the email. This will discipline the interlocutor, and he will not delay his answer.Letter structureThe email consists of five semantic parts:
GreetingsUse words Dear, Hello, Greetings(if you don’t already know the person you’re talking to) and Hi(closer to informal).MessageThis is the most informative part. In it we communicate information, give details, argue, offer ideas, etc. Let's look at useful phrases for different types of messages.How to open a messageUse neutral phrases for everyday communication with colleagues and formal phrases for messages to bosses, clients and partners.
How to clarify the deadlineEnter the hour and time zone. Without this, the deadline is blurred and perceived as a wish:Please submit your report (reply) on 10 March, EOB CET→ Please send your report/response by March 10th by close of business CET. How to ask and give detailsWe give the details:Please details: How to report a problem1. To introduce a problem, the verb to flag is often used in the meaning “to indicate, emphasize”:Flagging you about the issue on…→ Pointing out to you the problem with... With this letter, I want to flag one problem to you…→ With my letter I want to point out one problem to you... 2. To clarify or receive comments, use phrases on my/our/your end or from my/our/your side- “from my/our/your side.” 3. Often a noun is used in the context of discussing problems workaround- a way out of the situation, a workaround. How to copy your colleagues1. To ask to be copied, use the phrase CC me, Where Cc acts as a verb “to copy”, i.e. to put in a line Cc. From the word Cc a participle is formed cc'ed- pay attention to the spelling. Phrase I was cc'ed translates as “They made a copy of me.”2. To indicate to your interlocutor that you are adding someone to the discussion, write Adding (name) to the thread- I add (name) to the conversation. 3. Use the @ sign if the discussion is with several colleagues, but you need to address one of them: @Steve, I believe the next step is on you, right?- @Steve, I think the next step is yours, right? How to apologize
How to ask and offer helpWe offer assistance:
NegotiationOften electronic correspondence has the character of full-fledged business negotiations. To format them, use the following phrases.We express our satisfaction:
We invite: We express our dissatisfaction: How to attach additional materials to a letterIf you are attaching a document to a letter, draw the interlocutor’s attention to this using the following phrases:
ClosingBefore you say goodbye to the other person, thank them for their time, express your willingness to help and/or provide clarification and details.
How to understand abbreviationsPay attention to the abbreviations that foreign interlocutors use in email correspondence, regardless of style:
PartingTo say goodbye, use the following phrases: best regards, regards, kind regards, best wishes, warm wishes, sincerely yours(formally).SignaturePlease provide your first and last name, position and contact phone number. This will give the other person the opportunity to contact you directly and find out the necessary details.TemplatesIf you don’t speak English well or often write the same type of letters, it’s convenient to have several ready-made templates on hand. Let's list some of them.Promotion Announcement Subject Line: Firstname Lastname- New Position I am pleased to announce the promotion of from to . has been with for and has worked in . S/he will be gaining these new responsibilities .
attended
and came to
after graduation Please join me in congratulating on her/his promotion, and welcoming her/him to the New Department/Position. Warm Regards, Subject: First Name Last Name- new position I am pleased to announce the progress (First Name Last Name) from office (Name) per position (Name). (Name) works in a company (Name of the company) (number of years) years in the department (department name). (Name) studied at (name of university) and came to (Company name) after its completion. Let's congratulate together (Name) with a new position and welcome him/her to the new department (department name). Sincerely, Congratulations on your new position Subject line: Congratulations on Your Promotion Dear
, Subject: Congratulations on your new position (Name), congratulations on your promotion to position/department (name of position/department). I learned of your well-deserved promotion through LinkedIn. You worked well in your previous job for many years and deserve the recognition and responsibility of your new position. Hiring (for applicants) Subject line: Welcome! You'll be working closely with me for the first couple of weeks, until you get to know the routine here. I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas. Don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me if you have any questions before your first day. Best wishes, Subject: Welcome! (Name), I am glad that you have accepted the invitation for a position in our company and you will be joining us on September 7th. Welcome! Hiring (for colleagues) Dear Staff: So, if you see a new face on May 1, let know that you are excited about his/her joining our team. has worked at two others companies over the past ten years, so he/she brings a wealth of knowledge about . 's Bachelor's degree is from where he/she majored in . has a passion for . I appreciate you joining me in providing a warm welcome for . With excitement, Dear Colleagues, So if you see a new face on May 1st, let them know (Name) that you are glad to have him/her on your team. (Name) worked in two others (name of companies) companies for the past ten years, so he/she will bring us a wealth of knowledge about (name of area). (Name) has a bachelor's degree (name of discipline) (name of university). (Name) gets carried away (Name). Join me in my warm greetings (Name). With excitement, Leaving the company Dear colleagues Even though I will miss you, clients, and the company, I am looking forward to starting a new phase of my career. Please keep in touch. I can be reached at my personal email address
or my cell phone
. You can also reach me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/firstnamelastname. Best Regards, Dear Colleagues, But even though I will miss you, the clients and the company, I want to start Please stay in touch. You can contact me by personal email (address Sincerely, Birthday If you need to congratulate a colleague on his birthday, it’s useful to have a few stock phrases on hand:
Rescheduling or canceling a meeting/call Hi everyone, Hi all! Dear colleagues Dear Colleagues! Detailed advice on the principles of constructing standard letters and other templates are available at https://www.thebalance.com. Working with languageElectronic communication is not limited to the use of standard phrases and templates. Messages describe a unique problem or situation. If you don’t speak the language well, how can you be sure that the letter is written correctly and in a business style?Use explanatory dictionariesBilingual dictionaries will help if you don't know the translation of a word. But they are of little use when it comes to style. Use English explanatory dictionaries: they indicate the style (formal and informal) and describe the situations in which the word is used.Dictionaries from professional publishers for teaching English are available online: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com, http://dictionary.cambridge.org, http://www.ldoceonline.com, http://www.macmillandictionary.com. The shortened version is provided for free, the full version must be purchased, but for the purposes of business correspondence the shortened version is quite sufficient. Structure of a dictionary entry:
Pay attention to the note formal/neutral/informal(formal, neutral, informal), use formal or neutral style words. If the selected word is marked informal, check the synonyms section. Don't ignore the examples, they help you place your chosen word or phrase correctly in a sentence. Use activator dictionariesThese dictionaries are not built on the principle of an alphabet of words, like traditional dictionaries, but on the principle of an alphabet of concepts. For example, you want to convey the concept of “beautiful.” Find the concept beautiful in the activator dictionary. Below it is a list of synonyms for the word beautiful with definitions, examples and explanations of the difference between them. All possible options for expressing the idea “beautiful” are collected in one place, and there is no need to search for each word separately.
Today the dictionary-activator is published under the Longman brand: Longman Language Activator. Check word compatibility using Google searchIf words are combined in a Russian phrase, their joint translation into English is not always correct. Enter phrases in English into a search engine and check if the words appear nearby.Check your text's grammarIf your command of the language is poor, use special services to check grammar and punctuation, for example, Grammarly.ConclusionIf you conduct electronic correspondence with foreign colleagues, partners and clients, but do not speak English very well, use the checklist:
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The way bloggers allow themselves to express themselves is not your choice. There is no excuse for mistakes and typos. You cannot console yourself with the difficulties of learning a language from childhood. You need to be as demanding of yourself as possible. Otherwise, it paints an unfavorable picture of your personality and education.
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