Chapter 1: THE FORM OF A BUSINESS LETTER
PART I. Sample letters 1. Formal letter
1 RELIANCE HOLDING FINANCE GROUP
88 Martin Lane London EC2V 6BH United Kingdom Telephone and Fax: 01-588 3782 2 TOCONTAP SAIGON 3 Your ref: LE/Inq.123
125 Nguyen Hue Street Our ref: SC/RP
District 1 Hochiminh City
Vietnam 4 14 November, 20--5 Attention: Mr. Nguyen Hong, Director
6 Dear Sirs
7 Re: Up-to-date list of addresses
8 We thank you very much for your letter of 11 November 20--, asking for an up-to-date list of addresses of our branches.
We are pleased to enclose this brochure, showing the location of all our branches and agencies at home and abroad.
We look forward to receiving your early reply. 9 Yours faithfully
10 (For RELIANCE HOLDINGS) 11 (Signed)
12 S.S. Carson (Mr.) 13 Sales Manager 14 Encl.
2. Less formal letter
THE HANOI PRODUCTION-SERVICES-IMPORT-EXPORT CORPORATION
Hochiminh City Branch
149 Ly Chinh Thang Street Tel &Fax: 84-8-8359276
District 3 Cables: HAPROSIMEX Co
Hochiminh City Telex: 343235 HAPRO
Vietnam
Mr. J King Your ref: JK/034
Managing Director Our ref: NS/tl
Shiptons Cross Country Ltd 359 Motting Road Greenwich
London SE02AF United Kingdom 20 December, 20--Dear Mr. King
Thank you for your letter of 15 December enquiring about our Rubber. I am pleased to enclose our latest brochures and price list. Please note that the prices are CIF Saigon Port.
I hope that you will find our prices reasonable and our terms most generous.
As we have received a large number of enquiries from all over Europe in response to our advertisement, I would advise you to place an immediate order due to limited supply.
I am looking forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely
(Signed) Nguyen Sang
PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER
1. Letter head
Included name, address, telephone number of the sender, and may contain a description of the business, trade-mark, telegraphic /cable address, telex, etc. Note: if the letter is sent to the other country, the name of sender’s country must be added
E.g.:
---FOOTSTEP PRODUCTIONS LTD
8 Driscoll House 19 Southampton Street London WC2E 7QG United Kingdom
Telephone: 071-836-990 ---Or:
---The Vietnam National Machinery Export and Import Corporation Head office: 8 Trang Thi Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Cable address: MACHINOHANOI Tel & Fax: 84-4-852265
---2. References
The first initial is of the writer (usually in upper case) and the second is of the typist. A file or department reference may also be included.
E.g.: ---Your Ref: JS/ mk Our Ref: GBD/526 ---3. Date
Abbreviation may be used for Jan. Feb. Aug. ... but do not write the month in figures. No mention of town.
---E.g.: 14 January, 2000; or September 2, 20--
---Note: using the comma: e.g: don’t use: “1 September 2001”, use: “1 September, 2001”
4. Inside address
---Mr. James Leighton General Manager Leighton Engineering Co Ltd 12 Bracken Hill MANCHESTER M60 8AS The United Kingdom
---5. Attention line
may be used if you wish to address the letter to a particular member of the company. This should be placed one clear line space above or below the inside address, as preferred.
E.g.:
---For the attention of Mr. John Tyler, Sales Manager Garden Supplies Ltd 24 Audrecia Street Rotterdam R45 9JT Great Britain ---6. Salutation British American Formal (unknown person)
Dear Sir (unknown man)
Dear Madam (unknown woman) Dear Sir or madam or Dear Sir/Madam (unknown sex) Dear Sirs (to a department or a company) Dear Sir: Gentlemen: Less formal (known person)
Dear Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms + Surname E.g.:
Dear Mr. Brown
Dear Mrs./ Miss/ Ms Smith
Dear Mr. Brown: Dear Mrs./ Miss/ Ms/ Smith:
E.g.:
Dear Mr. Leighton ORDER NUMBER 4564
8. Letter body
Divided into 3 main pares: Opening/ main/ ending
9. Complimentary Close
Salutation British American
Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir or madam Dear Sir/Madam Dear Sirs
Yours faithfully (formal)
Very truly yours Yours very truly
Dear Mr. Brown, Dear Mrs./ Miss/ Ms Smith Yours sincerely (informal) Sincerely yours Cordially yours 10. For
When signing on behalf of an employer it is usual to write “For”; For the letter to a person the first time you deal with, “FOR” should be highly recommended It means on behalf of your firm
11. Signature
This is for the hand written signature of the writer
12. Typed signature
After leaving 4/5 blank lines for signature, the name of the sender should be shown. “Ms/Miss/Ms” must always be added in brackets after a woman’s name, “Mr.” may be added only for the first time.
E.g.: Nguyen Thao Van (Ms.); John Lennon (Mr.)
13. Position /Title
This shows the position or title of the writer E.g.: --- Yours faithfully GEORGE RAINE Chairman --- ---Yours sincerely MAI LAN (Miss)
Sales Manager ---14. Enclosure
This indicates that an enclosure is being sent along with the letter. (Enc. / Encl.)
When a copy of a letter is to be sent to a third party (perhaps someone in the same organization), it is usual to indicate this by typing “cc” (carbon copy) followed by two spaces and the name of the recipient of the copy. The usual position for this is at the foot of the letter after the designation or after any enclosure indicated.
E.g.: cc Miss Thao Van, Chief Accountant
If the writer does not wish the recipient of the letter to know that a third person is receiving a copy of the letter, then “bcc” (blind copy circulated) must be typed. This should be shown only on copies of the letter and not on the original (top) copy.
PART II. Vocabulary PUNCTUATION
Apostrophe: dấu móc lửng
Asterisk: dấu hoa thi
Complimentary close: lời chào cuối thư
Dash: dấu ngạch ngang
Ellipsis: dấu ba chấm
Exclamation mark: dấu chấm than
Hyphen: dấu gạch nối
Inside address: đia chỉ người nhận Inverted commas: dấu ngoặc kép
Letterhead: đầu thư
Quotation marks: dấu ngoặc kép
References: tham chiếu
Salutation: lời chào đầu thư
Semicolon: dấu chấm phẩy
Speech marks: dấu ngoặc kép
Subject line: chủ đề
PART III. Exercises
I. Read the following statements and decide which are true and which are false. Mark the true ones 'T' and the false ones 'F'.
1. If a letter begins with the recipient's name, e.g. Dear Mr Ross, it will close with Yours faithfully.
2. The abbreviation c.c. stands for correct carbons.
3. If you were writing a letter to Mr Peter Smith, the salutation would be Dear Mr Peter Smith.
4.The head of a company in the UK is known as the president.
5. In the USA, it is correct to open a letter with the salutation Gentlemen. 6. In the UK, a date written 2.6.05 means 6 February 2005.
7. If a secretary signs a letter and the signature is followed by p.p. Daniel Harris, it means that the secretary is signing on behalf of Daniel Harris. 8. The term plc after a UK company's name, e.g. Hathaway plc, stands for
Public Limited Corporation.
9. The term Ltd after a UK company's name means limited liability.
10. If you do not know whether a female correspondent is married or not, it is correct to use the courtesy title Ms instead of Miss or Mrs, e.g. Ms Tessa Groves.
11. This address is an example of blocked style. Peter Voss
Oberlweinfeldweg 33 5207 Therwil
II. Write out the following names and addresses in the correct order. Use the blocked style.
EXAMPLE: Search Studios Ltd / Leeds /154 SOM / Mr L Scott /150 Royal Avenue Mr L. Scott Search Studios Ltd 150 Royal Avenue Leeds LS4 8QM
1. Warwick House / Soundsonic Ltd / London / 57- 59 Warwick Street / SE23 UF
2. Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 254 / Managing Director /1-20133 / Milano / Sig. D. Fregoni / Fregoni S.p.A. /
3. Bente Spedition GmbH / Herr Heinz Bente / D-6ooo Frankfurt i / Feldbergstr. 30 / Chairman
4. Sportique et Cie / 201 rue Sambin / The Sales Manager / F-2iooo Dijon 5. Intercom / 41006 Sevilla / 351 Avda Luis de Morales / Chief Accountant /
Mrs S. Moreno
6. Ms Maria Nikolakaki / 85100 Rhodes / Greece / Nikitara 541
7. Excel Heights 501 / Edogawaku 139 / 7-3-8 Nakakasai / Japan / Tokyo / Mrs Junko Shiratori
8. 301 Leighton Road / VHP Vehicles Ltd / London NWS 2QE / The Transport Director / Kentish Town
Match words from box A with phrases from box B with the same meaning. Then use the words in box A to complete the sentences below. 1. Prospectus a. a complete list of items, for example of things that
people can look at or buy
2. Brochure b. a statement of how much money a particular piece of work will cost
3. Booklet c. a copy of sth, usually smaller than the original object, something such as a system that can be copied by other people
4. Catalogue d. a small magazine or book containing pictures and information about sth or advertising sth
5. Quotation e. a formal offer to supply goods or do work at a stated price
6. Tender f. a public event at which things are sold to the person who offers the most money for them
7. Model g. a small thin book with a paper cover that contains information about a particular subject
8. Auction h. single example of sth, especially an animal or a plant 9. Specimen l. a class or group of people or things that share particular
qualities or features and are part of a larger group
10. Type m. a book or printed document that gives information about a school, college, etc. in order to advertise it
11. We are inviting ………. for the provision of training courses for staff.
12. The stores will be put up for ……… by the parent company. 13. The latest ……… will be on display at the motor show.
16. The company has outlined its plans for expansion in its ……….
17. It is the first car of its ……… to have this design feature. 18. The aquarium has some interesting ……… of unusual tropical
Chapter 2: CONTENT and STYLE
PART I. Business writing style 1. Length
All correspondence should be long enough to explain exactly what the sender needs to say and the receiver needs to know. You must decide how much information you put in the letter. Your style and the kind of language you use can also affect the length.
The following letters are written by different people in reply to the same enquiry from a Mr Arrand about their company’s products.
a. Too long
There are a number of things wrong with this letter. Though it tries to advertise the products, and the company itself, it is too wordy. There is no need to explain that stores are buying in stock for Christmas - Mr Arrand is aware of this. Rather than drawing attention to certain items he might be interested in, the letter only explains what he can already see, that there is a wide selection of watches in the catalogue covering the full range of market prices. In addition, the writer goes on unnecessarily to explain which countries the company sells to, to give its history, and to quote its rather unimpressive motto.
Dear Mr Arrand
Thank you very much for your enquiry of 5 November which we received today. We often receive enquiries from large stores and always welcome
impressed by our wide range of watches. You will see that they include ranges for men, women, and children, with prices that should suit all your customers, from watches costing only a few pounds to those in the luxury bracket priced at several hundred pounds. But whatever price bracket you are interested in, we guarantee all our products for two years.
Enclosed you will also find our price list giving full details of prices to London (inclusive of cost, insurance, and freight) and explaining our discounts, which we think you will find very generous and which we hope you will take full advantage of.
We are always available to offer you further information about our products and can promise you personal attention whenever you require it. This service is given to all our customers throughout the world, and as you probably know, we deal with countries from the Far East to Europe and Latin America. This fact alone bears out our reputation, which has been established for more than a hundred years and has made our motto 'Time for everyone' - familiar worldwide.
Once again, may we thank you for your enquiry and say that we look forward to hearing from you in the near future?
b. Too short
There are a number of problems with this letter:
1. It should have begun Dear Mr Arrand and ended Yours sincerely as the writer knew Mr Arrand's name from his letter of enquiry.
2. Neither the date nor the reference number of the enquiry is quoted. 3. Ideally, a catalogue should be enclosed with a reply to an enquiry about a company's products or indication of a website if the company has one.
4. When a catalogue is sent, attention should be drawn to items which might be of particular interest to the enquirer. New products should
also be pointed out.
5. A price list should be included if prices are not given in the catalogue. Any discounts should be quoted and, if possible, delivery dates.
Dear Sir
Thank you for your enquiry. We have a wide selection of watches which we are sure you will like. We will be sending a catalogue soon.
c. The right length
Here is a more suitable letter. It is neither too short nor too long. It provides all the relevant information Mr Arrand might need, and draws his attention to some specific products which may be of interest to him.
Dear Mr Arrand
Thank you for your enquiry of 5 November.
We enclose our winter catalogue, and a price list giving details of GIF London prices, discounts, and delivery dates.
Though you will see we offer a wide selection of watches, may we draw your attention to pp. 23-28, and pp. 31-36, where there are styles we think might suit the market you describe? On page 25 you will find our latest designs in pendant watches, which are already selling well.
All our products are fully guaranteed, and backed by our worldwide reputation.
If you need any further information, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
2. Order and Sequence
As well as containing the right amount of information, your letter should also make all the necessary points in a logical sequence, with each idea or piece of information linking up with the previous one in a pattern that can be followed. Do not make a statement, switch to other subjects, then refer back to the point you made a few sentences or paragraphs before, as in the example.
a. Unclear sequence
This letter is difficult to understand because there is no clear sequence or logical order.
Dear Sir / Madam
We are interested in your security systems. We would like to know more about the prices and discounts you offer.
A business associate of ours, DMS (Wholesalers) Ltd, mentioned your name to us and showed us a catalogue. They were impressed with the security system you installed for them, so we are writing to you about it. Do you give guarantees with the installations?
In your catalogue we saw the Secure 15 which looks as though it might suit our purposes. DMS had the Secure 18 installed, but as we mentioned, they are wholesalers, while we are a chain of stores. We would like something that can prevent robbery and shoplifting, so the Secure 15 might suit us. How long would it take to install a system that would serve all
departments? Could you send an inspector or adviser to see us soon? If you can offer competitive prices and guarantees we would put your system in all our outlets, but initially we would only install the system in our main branch.
We would like to make a decision on this soon, so we would appreciate an early reply.
Yours faithfully b. Clear sequence
Here is a better version of the same letter, in which the ideas and information are in a logical order.
Dear Mr Jarry
We are a chain of retail stores and are looking for an efficient security system. You were recommended to us by our associates, DMS (Wholesalers) Ltd, for whom you recently installed the Secure 18 alarm system.
We need a system which would give us comprehensive protection against robbery and shoplifting throughout all departments, and the Secure 15 featured in your current catalogue would appear to suit us. However, it would be helpful if one of your representatives could visit us so that we can discuss details of the available systems.
Initially we would test the system we select in our main branch, and, if it proves satisfactory, install it throughout our other branches. Our choice would, of course, be influenced by a competitive quotation and full guarantees for maintenance and service.
Please reply as soon as possible as we would like to make a decision within the next few months.
3. Planning
The way to make sure you include the right amount of information, and in the right order, is by planning. Ask yourself what the purpose of the letter is, and what response you would like to receive. Note down everything you want to include before you start writing, then read your notes to check that you have included all the necessary information, that it is relevant, and that you have put it in the right order.
1st para. Acknowledge enquiry 2nd para. Enclose catalogue, price list
3rd para. Draw attention to watches suitable for Arrand, and latest designs
4th para. Mention guarantees and reputation
5th para. Encourage further contact
a. First paragraph
The opening sentence or paragraph is important as it sets the tone of the letter and creates a first impression. Generally speaking, you would thank your correspondent for their letter (if replying to an enquiry), if necessary introduce yourself and your company, state the subject of the letter, and set out its purpose. Here are two examples of opening paragraphs.
- Thank you for your enquiry dated 8 July in which you asked us about our range of cosmetics. As you probably know from our advertising, we appeal to a wide age group from the teenage market through to more mature women, and our products are retailed in leading stores throughout the world.
- Thank you for your letter of 19 August, which I received today. We can certainly supply you with the industrial floor coverings you asked about. Enclosed you
will find a catalogue illustrating our wide range of products currently used in factories and offices throughout the world.
b. Middle paragraph
The main part of your letter will concern the points that need to be made, answers you wish to give, or questions you want to ask. As this depends on the type of letter that you are writing, these topics will be dealt with in later units. In the middle paragraphs, planning is most important to make sure your points are made clearly, fully, and in a logical sequence.
c. Final paragraph
At the end of your letter, if it is a reply and you have not done so at the beginning, you should thank your correspondent for writing. If appropriate, encourage further enquiries or correspondence, mentioning that you look forward to hearing from him or her soon. You may want to restate, briefly, one or two of the most important points you made in the main part of your letter. Here are some examples of final paragraphs.
- Once again thank you for writing to us. Please contact us if you would like any further information. To summarize: all prices are quoted CIF Yokohama, delivery would be six weeks from receipt of order, and payment should be made by bank draft. I look forward to hearing from you soon. I hope I have covered all the questions you asked, but please contact me if there are any other details you require. If you would like to place an order, may I suggest that you do so before the end of this month so that it can be met in good time for the start of the summer season? I hope to hear from you in the near
happy to supply it, and look forward to hearing from you.
4. Style and language a. Simplicity
Commercial correspondence often suffers from an old-fashioned, pompous style of English which complicates the message and gives readers the feeling that they are reading something written in an unfamiliar language. In this letter, all the writer is trying to do is explain why he delayed paying his account but, because of the style, it is too long and is difficult to understand.
Here is a simpler version of the letter. Mr Aldine will be satisfied with it because it tells him - simply and clearly - what he wants to know. First, his customer uses his name. Second, he has apologized. Third, Mr Aldine knows his was not the only account that was not paid when due, and knows why. Finally, he has his cheque.
Dear Mr Aldine
I am replying to your letter of 15 July asking us to clear our June balance. I apologize for not settling the account sooner, but due to the unfortunate death of Mr Noel, our Accountant, there have been delays in settling all of our outstanding balances.
Please find enclosed our cheque for £2,120, and accept our apologies for any inconvenience.
Yours sincerely
Your style should not, however, be so simple that it becomes rude. Here is an example of a letter that is too short and simple.
Dear Mr Rohn
I've already written to you concerning your debt of £1,994. This should have been cleared three months ago. You seem unwilling to co-operate in paying us. We'll sue you if you do not clear your debt within the next ten days.
Yours, etc.
In the version of the same letter, notice the stylistic devices that are used to make it more polite: complex sentences, joined by conjunctions, rather than short sentences (e.g. ... the balance of £1,194, which has been outstanding... rather than.. .your debt of £1,994. This should have been cleared...); the use of full rather than abbreviated forms (e.g. I shall have to consider... rather than We'll sue …) and the use of passive forms and indirect language that avoids sounding aggressive (e.g.... for the account to be settled… rather than... if you do not clear your debt...).
Dear Mr Rohn
I refer to our previous letter sent on 10 October in which you were asked to clear the balance of £1,994 on your account, which has been outstanding since July. As there has been no reply, I shall have to consider handing over the matter to our solicitors.
5. Clarity
Your correspondent must be able to understand what you have written. Confusion in correspondence often arises through a lack of thought and care, and there are a number of ways in which this can happen.
a. Abbreviations and initials
Abbreviations can be useful because they are quick to write and easy to read. But both correspondents need to know what the abbreviations stand for.
The abbreviations CIF and FOB, for example, are INCOTERMS which mean, respectively, Cost, Insurance, and Freight and Free On Board. But can you be sure that your correspondent knows that p&p means postage and packing?
Some international organizations, e.g. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), are known in all countries by the same set of initials, but many are not, e.g. EU (European Union) and UN (United Nations). National organizations, e.g. in the UK, CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and TUG (Trades Union Congress), are unlikely to be familiar to correspondents in other countries.
b. Number
We saw on page 8 that the use of figures instead of words for dates can create problems.
Numerical expressions can also cause confusion. For example, the decimal point in British and American usage is a full stop, but a comma is used in most continental European countries, so that a British or American person would write 4.255 where a French person would write 4,255 (which to a British or American person would mean/our thousand two hundred and fifty-five}.
c. Prepositions
Special care should be taken when using prepositions. There is a big difference between The price has been increased to £450.00, The price has been increased by £450.00, and The price has been increased from £450.00.
6. Accuracy a. Spelling
Careless mistakes in a letter can give readers a bad impression. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar should all be checked carefully. Many people have come to rely on the spellchecker in their computers to ensure that there are no spelling mistakes. But a word spelt incorrectly may form a completely different word, e.g. Please give it some though (the writer means thought); I saw it their (the writer means there). A spell checker would miss these mistakes. There is no substitute for carefully reading, or proofreading a letter that you have written.
b. Title, names, and addresses
Use the correct title in the address and salutation. Spell your correspondent's name correctly (nothing creates a worse impression than a misspelled name), and write their address accurately.
If you do not know your correspondent, do not assume that they are one sex or the other, i.e. use Dear Sir/Madam rather than Dear Sir or Dear Madam. If you know a correspondent's name but not their sex, use Mr. /Ms, e.g. Dear Mr. /Ms. Barron.
c. References
When replying to a letter, fax, or email, quote all references accurately so that it is immediately clear to your reader what you are writing about.
d. Prices, measurements, etc.
Special care should be taken when quoting prices or giving specifications such as measurements or weights. Quoting these incorrectly can cause serious misunderstandings.
e. Enclosures and attactments
Always check that you have actually enclosed the documents you have mentioned in your letter, or attached them to your email. Check, too, that you have enclosed or attached the right documents. If, for example, the document you are enclosing is invoice PL/231, make sure you do not enclose invoice PL/213.
PART II. Helpful Expressions
1. Starting the reference, explaining the reason for writing - With reference to ...
- In reply to ...
- I would like to thank you for ...
- I am writing to apply/ inform / request ... 2. Acknowledging
- We acknowledge (with thanks) the receipt of ...
- We have received your offer ... for which we thank you. - We would like to thank you for ...
- We are pleased to receive ………. 3. Requesting
- We would be grateful / obliged if you could ... - We would (highly) appreciate it if you could ... - Could / would you please ... ? (More informal) - I shall be glad if you will ...
- We shall be pleased if you can / will … - It would be helpful if you can … 4. Thanking, informing
- Thank you for ...
- We were very pleased to inform you that - We have much pleasure in informing about
- We are enclosing a catalogue ...
- Pleased find enclosed/attached ... - We have enclosed our price list ... - From the enclosed/attached …
6. Apologizing and expressing regret
- We regret our inability to ...
- We are regretful that we shall not be able to ... - I regret that I cannot ...
- I am afraid that ... - We are sorry that ...
- Please accept our many apologies for - We would apologize for
7. Expressing urgency
- Would you please place your order - ... at your earliest convenience.
- ... without delay/ at the minimum of delay. - ... as soon as possible.
- ... prompt/promptly. - ... immediately.
8. Confirming
- I am pleased to confirm that ... - I confirm that ...
9. Emphasizing
- We would like to draw your attention to... - Would you please note that...
- We would like to stress the importance of ... - We would point out the ...
10. Ending the letter
- I look forward to seeing / meeting you ... - Finally, I would like to thank /remind you ...
- Once again, we thank you for your ... and look forward to your early reply.
PART III. Exercises
I. Sort out the jumbled words below to make six sentences typical of business correspondence. Add capital letters and punctuation as necessary.
1. grateful / soon / a / as / we / for / would / possible / reply / as / be 2. for / find / please / cheque / £49.50 / a / enclosed
3. further / please / if / us / information / you / any / contact / need 4. April / your / you / letter / thank / 5 / of / for
5. you / we / forward / to / from / look / hearing
6. pleasure / price list / enclosing / have / a / catalogue / our / I / spring / and / in
II. Rewrite the following request for payment in a more polite form. Dear Sir
You have owed us £567.00 since February, which means you haven't paid us for three months.
We have written to you twice and you haven t bothered to answer us, yet you've been a customer for years. Anyway, we re not going to put up with this, so if you don't tell us why you haven't paid, or send the money you owe us in ten days, we'll sue you. After all, we've got bills to pay too, and besides we explained our rules for giving credit, i.e. payment on due dates, some time ago.
Yours, etc.
R. Lancaster (Mr)
III. Below is the reply to the letter in Exercise II. It was opened by Mr Lancaster's secretary, who saw straight away that the letter is wordy and contains a lot of irrelevant information. Pretend you are the
secretary and write Mr Lancaster an email summarizing the letter's contents. Try to make your summary no longer than seventy-five words. Dear Mr Lancaster
I am writing to you in reply to your letter dated 9 May, which we received on 10 May, in which you reminded us of our outstanding balance, which now amounts to the sum total of £567.00.
I should like to offer my humblest apologies for our failure either to settle the account, or to reply to your two previous communications. However, I feel that I must explain the cause. We have been the unfortunate victims of a tragedy. Two months ago, our premises were
almost completely destroyed by fire. Although I am happy to report that we sustained no casualties, all our records, stock, orders ready for despatch and so on, were consumed by the flames.
Now, at last, our fortunes are beginning to rise again, and our insurance company will shortly be releasing funds to facilitate our recovery. Let me assure you that you will be remunerated in full as soon as possible. In the interim, I would be grateful if you would accept a small sum towards the settlement of our account, with my personal promise that the remaining amount will be forwarded to you as soon as it becomes available.
Please find enclosed a cheque for the sum of £55.00, and once again, I beg you to accept my deepest apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Yours sincerely T.D. Games (Mr)
IV. Vietnamese - English Translation
1. Phúc đáp thư hỏi hàng của quý ngài đề ngày 20/6, chúng tôi xin thông báo để quý ngài rõ rằng số hàng mà quý ngài muốn mua hiện đã hết.
3. Chúng tôi sẽ biết ơn nếu quý ngài có thể sớm xác nhận cho chúng tôi ngày giao hàng để chúng tôi tiện sắp xếp việc nhận hàng.
4. Chúng tôi vui mừng thông báo cho quý ngài biết rằng những sản phẩm mà quý ngài hỏi mua hiện có sẵn trong kho.
5. Chúng tôi hân hạnh thông báo với quý ngài rằng những tài liệu chào hàng đó đã được gửi đi ngày hôm qua cho quý ngài bằng đường thư riêng. 6. Theo yêu cầu, chúng tôi đã gửi bằng bưu kiện những mẫu hàng này để
quý ngài có thể kiểm tra chất lượng của chúng.
7. Chúng tôi xin gửi kèm tờ quảng cáo và bảng giá mới nhất cho mặt hàng A1 và A2 của chúng tôi.
8. Xin quý ngài hãy xem thư báo giá gửi kèm theo đây, báo theo giá CIF cảng Sài Gòn.
9. Chúng tôi rất lấy làm tiếc là chúng tôi không thể chiết khấu số lượng 15% cho đơn hàng này được vì giá đã báo chỉ để lại cho chúng tôi mức lợi nhuận nhỏ.
10. Nếu quý ngài có yêu cầu khác, xin hãy liên hệ với chúng tôi bằng E-mail hoặc Fax càng sớm càng tốt.
11. Chúng tôi sẵn sàng làm hết sức mình để có cơ hội được phục vụ quý ngài.
12. Chúng tôi muốn quý ngài chú ý tới chất lượng cao cũng như giá cả phải chăng của những sản phẩm này.
13. Chúng tôi xin nhấn mạnh tầm quan trọng của việc giao hàng đúng hạn vì lô hàng này là để chúng tôi bán vào dip Nô-en tới.
14. Chúng tôi thành thực xin lỗi quý ngài về những phiền hà mà quý ngài đã phải gánh chiu do những sơ suất mà chúng tôi gây ra.
15. Chúng tôi mong sớm nhận được đặt hàng chính thức của quý ngài và hy vọng quý ngài sẽ không để lỡ cơ hội tuyệt vời này.
IV. Letter-writing
Công Ty trách nhiệm hữu hạn Dệt Thành Công (Thành Công Knitting Co., Ltd.), đia chỉ 24, đường Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, quận Tân Bình, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Điện thoại và Fax: 84-8-8.348432 đã nhận được đơn đặt hàng đầu tiên đề ngày 30/8/20-- đặt mua quần áo may sẵn của công ty GLASTON-GARMENTS Ltd. (Đia chỉ: Clayfield, Burnley BB10 1RQ, Texas, USA). Vì đây là đơn hàng đầu tiên của GLASTON với Thành Công nên anh/chi hãy viết một bức thư cảm ơn gửi đến ông Mike Kleven, giám đốc điều hành của GLASTON với nội dung như sau:
1. Thành Công xác nhận đã nhận được và xin cám ơn thư đặt hàng của GLASTON số MN 123.
2. Thành Công hoàn toàn chấp nhận những điều khoản và điều kiện nêu trong đơn hàng nói trên và xin gửi kèm theo lá thư này thông báo giao hàng chi tiết để GLASTON chủ động sắp xếp việc nhận hàng.
3. Thành Công xin cám ơn về cơ hội mà GLASTON đã dành cho mình phục vụ hàng hóa mà GLASTON cần và hy vọng chất lượng cao cùng với mẫu mã hợp thời trang của chuyến hàng này sẽ làm GLASTON hoàn toàn hài lòng.
4. Thành Công mong rằng đơn hàng này sẽ dẫn tới nhiều quan hệ buôn bán tốt đẹp giữa hai bên trong tương lai.
Chú ý:
* Tham chiếu của GLASTON: MK/ rp-ON123 * Người ký thư: Tổng giám đốc: bà Nguyễn Lan Anh. * Ngày viết:
7/9/20--* Anh/Chi có thể thêm những chi tiết cần thiết để bức thư trên đầy đủ và thuyết phục hơn.
PARTS OF AN ENQUIRY
1. Telling the supplier how you obtained your potential supplier’s name. 2. Introducing to your supplier what sort of firm you are.
3. Indicating the state of the market.
4. Asking for information (catalogues, pricelists, prospectus, samples, patterns …)
5. Suggesting terms, methods of payment, discounts. 6. Hoping for an early offer/ quotation/ reply
PARTS OF A REPLY TO AN ENQUIRY 1. Express thanks to the enquiry.
2. Confirm that you can help.
3. Enclose requested documents (pricelist, quotation, catalogue, sales literatures, samples, ….)
4. Promise to favour the customers.
5. Add your favourable comments on the goods sold. 6. Express regret (if any), offer an alternative (if any). 7. Hope for an order.
PART I. Sample letters 1. Reply to an advertisement
(The customer is replying to an advertisement for CDs in a trade journal) Dear Sir/ Madam
We are a large music store in the center of Poitiers and would like to know more about the re-writable and recordable CDs you advertised in this month’s edition of “Hi Fi News”.
Could you tell us if the CDs are leading brand names, or made by small independent companies, and whether they would be suitable for domestic recording? It would also be helpful if you could send us some samples. If they are of the standard we require, we will place a substantial order. We would also like to know if you offer any trade discounts.
We look forward to receiving your early reply. Yours faithfully
(signed)
P.Gerard (M.) Manager
Comprehension questions
1. Why does M. Gerard say We are a large music store? 2. How did he hear about the CDs?
3. What requirements does he suggest must be met before he will place an order?
4. What does the word substantial in the letter mean? 5. What concession does he ask for?
2. Reply to a request for catalogues and samples Dear Mr. Gerard
Thank you for your inquiry of 12 May in which you asked about the CDs we advertised in this month’s edition of “HiFi News”.
I can confirm that they are of high quality, and suitable for domestic recording. They are ‘Kolby’ products, which is a brand name you will certainly recognize, and the reason their prices are so competitive is that they are part of a consignment of bankrupt stock that was offered to us. Because of their low price, and the small profit margin, we will not be offering any trade discounts on this consignment. But we sell a wide range of electronic and computer products and have enclosed a price-list giving you details of trade, quantity, and cash discounts.
We have sent, by separate post, samples of the advertised CDs and other brands we stock, and would urge you to place an order as soon as possible as there has been a huge response to our advertisement.
We would like to thank you for your interest and look forward to receiving your early order.
Yours sincerely (signed) (Herr) R. Gerlach Sales Director Encl. price-list Comprehension questions
2. Why are the CDs being sold cheaply?
3. Does he offer any discounts on the advertised goods? 4. What other material has he sent to Disc S.A.?
3. Enquiry from a retailer to a foreign manufacturer Dear Sir/ Madam
We are a chain of retailers based in Birmingham and are looking for a manufacturer who can supply us with a wide range of sweaters for the men’s leisurewear market. We were impressed by the selection of sweaters that were displayed on your stand at the “Menswear Exhibition” that was held in Hamburg last month.
As we usually place very large orders, we would expect a quantity discount in addition to a 20% trade discount off net list prices. Our terms of payment are normally 30-day bill of exchange, documents against acceptance (D/A). If these conditions interest you, and you can meet orders of over 500 garments at one time, please send us your current catalogue and price-list. We hope to hear from you soon.
Yours faithfully
Peter Crane (Mr.) Chief Buyer F. Lynch & Co. Ltd
Comprehension questions
1. What expression does Peter Crane use to indicate that Lynch & Co. is a large company?
2. What market is Lynch & Co. interested in?
3. Where did Lynch & Co. get to know about Satex? 4. What kinds of discounts are they asking for? 5. How would payment be made?
4. Reply to the general enquiry in which the buyer asked for certain concessions
Dear Mr. Crane
We were pleased to receive your inquiry, and to hear that you liked our range of sweaters. We can confirm that there would certainly be no trouble in supplying you from our wide selection of garments.
We can offer you a quantity discount, which would be 5% off net prices for orders over £2,000, but the usual allowance for a trade discount in Italy is 15%, and we always deal on payment by sight draft, cash against documents. However, we would be prepared to review this once we have established a firm trading association with you.
Enclosed you will find our summer catalogue and price-list quoting prices CIF London. We are sure you will find a ready sale for our products in England, as have other retailers throughout Europe and America, and we do hope we can reach agreement on the terms quoted.
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely D. Causio (Sig.) Sales Director Encl. + 01 Catalogue + 01 Price List Comprehension questions
1. Does Sig. Causio agree to all Mr. Crane’s requests concerning discounts? 2. What method of payment does he ask for?
3. What does he suggest about the method of payment in the future? 4. What is enclosed with the letter?
5. Reply to a request for a catalogue and pricelist Dear Ms Lowe
We were pleased to receive your enquiry today, and are enclosing the catalogue and price list you asked for.
You will see that we can offer a wide selection of dinner and tea services ranging from the rugged ‘Greystone’ earthenware breakfast sets to the delicate ‘Ming’ bone china dinner service. You can choose from more than fifty designs, which includes the elegance of ‘Wedgwood’, the delicate pattern of ‘Willow’, and the richness of ‘Brownstone’ glaze.
We would very much like to add your clients to our worldwide list of customers, and could promise them an excellent product with a first-class service. We would be glad to accept orders for any number of pieces, and can mix sets if required.
You will see that our prices are quoted CIF to Eastern Canadian seaboard ports and we are offering a special 10% discount off all net prices, with delivery within three weeks from receipt of order.
If there is any further information you need, please contact us, or go to our website at the address above. Once again thank you for your enquiry.
Yours sincerely, (signed)
J. Merton (Mr.) Sales Manager
Encl. + 01 Catalogue + 01 Price List
Registered No.716481
VAT Registered No. 133 53431 08 Comprehension questions
1. How does Mr Merton draw attention to his company’s many products? 2. How does he imply that his company has an international reputation? 3. What terms for delivery do Glaston Potteries quote?
4. How does he encourage further enquiries?
5. Which words in the letter have a similar meaning to the following? a. range
b. select
PART II. Vocabulary
Appreciate: đánh giá cao, hoan nghênh
Bill of exchange: hối phiếu
Cash against documents: thanh toán theo chứng từ CIF – Cost, insurance and freight (…
named port of destination):
tiền hàng, phí bảo hiểm và cước phí (… cảng đến qui đinh)
Consignment: lô hàng
Enclose: gửi kèm
Enquiry (inquiry): thư hỏi hàng
Estimate: bảng ước giá Hesitate: ngần ngại, do dự Invoice: hóa đơn Manufacturer: nhà sản xuất Place an order: đặt hàng Pricelist: bảng giá
Quantity discount: chiết khấu số lượng
Quotation: bảng báo giá
Request: yêu cầu
Retailer: nhà bán lẻ, người bán lẻ
Sample: hàng mẫu
Sight draft: hối phiếu trả ngay
Trade discount: chiết khấu thương mại
PART III. Business expressions 1. It would also be helpful if you
could send us some samples.
Hơn nữa sẽ thật hữu ích nếu quý ngài gửi cho chúng tôi một số mẫu hàng.
2. If they are of the standard we require, we will place a substantial order.
Nếu chúng đáp ứng được chuẩn chúng tôi yêu cầu, chúng tôi sẽ đặt một đơn hàng lớn.
early reply. sớm. 4. Thank you for your inquiry of 12
May for ...
Chúng tôi xin cám ơn thư hỏi hàng của các ngài đề ngày 12 tháng 5 hỏi mua ……
5. We would also like to know if you offer any trade discounts.
Chúng tôi muốn biết liệu các ngài có chiết khấu thương mại không.
6. We are looking for a manufacturer who can supply us with a wide range of sweaters for the teenage market.
Chúng tôi đang tìm một nhà sản xuất có thể cung cấp cho chúng tôi nhiều chủng loại áo len cho thị trường khách hàng thiếu niên. 7. Please quote us your price on CIF
London basis.
Đề nghị các ngài báo giá cho chúng tôi theo điều kiện CIF Luân Đôn. 8. If there is any further information
you need, please contact us, or go to our website at the address above.
Nếu quý ngài cần thêm thông tin, xin vui lòng liên hệ chúng tôi, hoặc vào website của chúng tôi theo địa chỉ trên.
9. If you can meet orders of over 500 garments at one time, please send us your current catalogue and price-list.
Nếu các ngài có thể đáp ứng được các đơn hàng trên 500 bộ cùng một lúc, xin vui lòng gửi cho chúng tôi ca-ta-lo và bảng giá hiện hành.
10. May I know what particular line you are interested in this range?
Tôi muốn biết mặt hàng cụ thể nào các ngài muốn mua trong loạt hàng này?
PART IV. Exercises
I. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words or phrases. 1.
Dear Sirs
Thank you for your(1)... of 1st Dec. for Ladies’ woolens.
We have much pleasure in sending you (2)... a fairly full collection of our (3)... and best selling designs and hope some of them will (4)... you.
We would like to(5)... to our exclusive quality “Gold Ring” which has been an outstanding success. We believe that it represents the best (6)... for money in this type of goods and we are sure that you will find it sells well indeed.
If the range of (7)... we have selected does not contain anything you want, please do not (8)... to let us know your exact (9)...
We look forward to your (10)... which will have our best attention.
Yours faithfully
2. Dear Sirs
We thank you for your (1)... of 20th Dec. for samples and a pattern card of floor coverings. We have today sent by air a range of
(2)..., specially selected for their hard wearing quality but regret we do not have the (3)... you require. For the purpose mentioned we (4)... quality No. 5 which is specially made to (5)... to the wear and tear of rough and uneven surfaces.
We invite you (6)... the samples and are confident that they will (7)...
Meanwhile we (8)... a copy of our pricelist and (9)... of trade, and look forward (10)... from you.
3.
Dear M. Morreau
Thank you for your (1)... of 27th June in which you expressed an interest in relating a selection of our products in your shops in France. Please find (2)... our current brochure and price list.
(3)... for a 20% trade discount, we regret that we cannot (4)... more than 15%. However, we do give a 5% quantity discount on (5)... for over £10,000. We are sure that you will agree that these terms are highly (6)...
We are confident that we can (7)... within two months as you require, but wish to emphasize that (8)... will have to be by sight draft until we have (9)... a business relationship.
Thank you for your (10)... and we hope to hear from you soon.
Yours sincerely Glaston Pottiers Ltd (signed)
II. Matching
Match the word in column A with the definition in column B
A B
1. Catalogue a. Company that is partly owned by a larger one. 2. Tender b. Person who buys goods or services from a shop
or company.
3. Estimate c. Money taken off the usual selling price of goods when the buyer is purchasing a large amount. 4. Wholesaler d. Place where a company demonstrates its
products.
5. Customer e. Publication giving details of goods or services offered by a company.
6. Subsidiary f. Prices given for work to be done.
7. Showroom g. Written estimate, usually for a large job such as building a factory.
8. Prospectus h. Publication giving details about school or college. 9. Quantity discount i. Person or company that buys goods from
manufacturers and sells them to retailers.
10. Sale or return j. Term used when a supplier agrees to buy back unsold goods.
III. Sentence building
A. Sort out the jumbled words below to make sentences typical of business correspondence. Add capital letters and punctuation as necessary.
4. guaranteed/ are/ for/ how/ goods/ long/ the 5. goods/ can/ how/ delivered/ soon/ the/ be 6. terms/ what/ payment/ your/ of/ are 7. can/ buy/ where/ the/ I/ goods
8. you/ do/ what/ quantity/ discounts/ sort/ offer/ of
9. can/ send/ mail/ please/ your/ by/ me/ you/ express/ catalogue
B. Rewrite/ Complete the following sentences so that they have a similar meaning to the one above, but are more suitable for formal business correspondence.
1. ‘Ask them for a cash discount.’
=> Could you ... 2. ‘Ask Schmidt to send us their catalogue and a price list.’
=> Could you ... 3. ‘We’re going to give them a big order, so find out if they allow quantity
discounts.’
=> As we intend to place a substantial order ... 4. ‘If they can’t deliver the goods before Friday, tell Larousse to email us.’ => Please could you ... 5. ‘It would be a lot of help if they could send some samples.’
=> We would appreciate ... 6. ‘Say that we’d like Andover to send someone here to give us an estimate.’ => We would be grateful if ...
7. ‘Say we’d like to see a demonstration of both models.’
=> We would be interested ... 8. ‘Find out if Weston’s will let us have twenty units on approval.’
=> Would you be ... 9. ‘Ask when he will let us have the cheque.’`
=> I am writing to enquire ... 10. ‘Say our suppliers generally let us settle by monthly statement.’
IV. Translation
A. English - Vietnamese Translation
1. Your name has been given to us by the British Chamber of Commerce. 2. We have seen your advertisement in the latest issue of the “Agriculture” 3. We have learned your name and address by the introduction of the
Japanese Embassy, who has advised us that you are the sole exporter of …
4. We are interested in the purchase of your range of … advertised in … and would like to know if…
5. Our company is one of the main producers of… in Vietnam
6. We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as one of the leading trading companies dealing in all kinds of material for textiles industry.
7. There is a brisk demand here for high- quality T-shirts of the type you manufacture now.
8. At the moment, we are in the market for… and we shall be glad if you will quote us…
9. We would be glad to receive specifications of your new personal computer IPC, together with your current export price list and particulars of shipment.
10. We shall be obliged if you will send us the prospectus, quote your latest price and state the time of delivery with your most favorable terms of payment.
B. Vietnamese - English Translation
1. Thông thường chúng tôi được hưởng 10% chiết khấu thương mại cùng với chiết khấu số lượng cho các đơn hàng trên 1000 chiếc.
2. Trường hợp chúng tôi thanh toán tiền hàng sớm theo điều kiện thanh toán khi giao hàng, quý ngài có thể dành cho chúng tôi mức chiết khấu trả sớm là bao nhiêu?
3. Triển vọng bán hàng quần áo may sẵn của quí ngài tại thi trưòng này là đầy hứa hẹn, chúng tôi mong sớm nhận được thư báo giá và bìa mẫu hàng của các ngài.
4. Chúng tôi mong sớm nhận được chào hàng của quý ngài và hy vọng rằng trong tương lai mối quan hệ làm ăn của chúng ta sẽ tốt đẹp.
5. Nhờ đoàn đại biểu thương mại Nhật Bản ở Hà Nội mà chúng tôi được biết đia chỉ của các ngài.
6. Chúng tôi mong các ngài trả lời sớm.
7. Chúng tôi muốn mua chè, xuất xứ Việt Nam, giao hàng ngay.
8. Chúng tôi chắc chắn rằng các ngài sẽ thấy mặt hàng này bán chạy thật sự. 9. Chúng tôi rất vui mừng gửi kèm theo cho các ngài một bộ khá đầy đủ các
kiểu mới nhất và bán chạy nhất của chúng tôi.
10. Chúng tôi vui mừng báo cho các ngài biết rằng hôm nay chúng tôi đã gửi cho các ngài bằng bưu kiện những mẫu sau.
V. Letter-writing
1.Anh (Chi) là Trưởng phòng kinh doanh của công ty Red Spot Computers, một hệ thống đại lý bán máy tính cỡ trung tại Việt Nam, có nhiều đia điểm bán hàng lớn nằm ở khu vực thương mại và giáo dục. Qua quảng cáo trên số phát hành tháng Tư của tờ Laptop Users’ Journal, anh (chi) biết một loại máy tính mới có tên là ZX99 được chế tạo ở Anh, đang có bán ở đó và được công ty Kingston Corporation độc quyền phân phối. Máy ZX99 là loại máy tính xách tay cao cấp nhất với đặc điểm là có thể giao tiếp dễ dàng với các loại máy tính khác.
Anh (Chi) biết là loại máy này sẽ thu hút sự quan tâm của khách hàng và nhu cầu sẽ rất lớn nếu máy này được nhiều người biết đến.
Anh (Chi) hãy viết thư cho Giám đốc điều hành của công ty Kingston Corporation để hỏi về việc xin làm đại lý. Anh (Chi) cần có thêm thông tin về máy tính đó gồm các tài liệu chào hàng (sales literature), tờ hướng dẫn, ca-ta-lo và bảng giá bán sỉ.
2. Read this email from Gerd Busch, Marketing Manager of Busch AG, to his PA. Imagine you are the PA and use the information he gives to write a letter replying to Anne Croft of Shape-up Fitness Centres on Herr Busch’s behalf.
Birgit
Please reply to this letter. Send Ms Croft a catalogue and price list (tell her that all prices are quoted CIF London). Also mention the following:
- 5-year guarantee on all our equipment - Highest-quality materials used
- No credit term (our prices highly competitive due to small profit margins)
- 5% quantity discount off net prices on orders over €5,000 Encourage her to contact us again.
Thanks Gerd Busch 14 May
20--CHAPTER 4: QUOTATIONS
PARTS OF A QUOTATION
1. Expressing your thanks for the enquiry
2. Giving details of prices (stating clearly terms of delivery: FOB, CFR, CIF), discounts and terms of payment
3. Specifying the date of delivery 4. Hoping for early order
A quotation is a promise to supply goods on the terms stated. The prospective buyer is under no obligation to buy the goods for which a quotation is requested, and suppliers will not normally risk their reputations by quoting for goods they cannot or do not intend to supply. A satisfactory quotation will include the following:
An expression of thanks for the enquiry
Details of prices, discounts and terms of payment
Clear indication of what the prices cover, e.g. packing, carriage, insurance
An undertaking as to date of delivery The period for which the quotation is valid
PART I. Sample letters
1. Quotation for aquatite rainwear Dear Mr. ...
We were pleased to learn from your letter of 15 June of the enquiries you have received for our raincoats.
Our AQUATITE range is particularly suitable for warm climates, and during the past year we have supplied this range to dealers in several tropical countries. We have already had repeat orders from many of them. This range is popular not only because of its light weight, but also because the material used has been specially treated to prevent excessive condensation on the inside surface.
We are pleased to quote as follows:
Item Size Quantity Unit
Price Total amount AQUATITE coats men’s medium 100 $7.50 750.00 AQUATITE coats men’s small -do- $6.80 680.00 AQUATITE coats women’s medium -do- $6.00 600.00 AQUATITE coats women’s small -do- $5.40 540.00 2,570.00
Less 33 1/3 %Trade Discount 856.66
Terms: 2½ % one month from the date of invoice Shipment: within 3-4 weeks of receiving order. For acceptance within one month.
We feel you may be interested in some of our other products, and enclose descriptive booklets and a supply of sales literature for distribution among your customers.
We hope to receive your order soon. Yours sincerely
Comprehension questions
1. Where are AQUATITE products popular? 2. What are AQUATITE’s selling points?
3. How much is one medium-size AQUATITE coat for women? 4. When will the goods be dispatched?
2. Quotations for printing paper Dear Mr. …
We thank you for your enquiry of yesterday and, as requested, enclose samples of different qualities of paper suitable for poster work.
We are pleased to quote our Printing Paper as follows: Quality Colour Unit Price per kg
A1 White $1.21
A2 White $1.15
A3 White $1.10
These prices include delivery at your works.
All these papers are of good quality and quite suitable for poster work. We guarantee that they will not discolour when pasted.
We can promise delivery within one week from receiving your order, and hope you will find both samples and prices satisfactory.
Yours sincerely
Comprehension questions 1. When was the enquiry made? 2. What were asked to be enclosed? 3. What are the unit prices?
4. What should be noted about the quality of the paper? 5. When can they deliver the goods?
3. Quotation for Powerboats Dear Mr. …
Thank you for your enquiry dated 7 July 20-- about our PB 5000 30-foot SunVoyager Powerboats, in which you asked us to give you our best CIF price for two of these.
The price for two PB 5000 with specifications as in our 20-- catalogue pages 42 - 45 is USD 179,800 (in words: one seven nine thousand eight hundred United Dollars), CIF Saigon Port.
If you require the special steel anchors and chains (our catalogue numbers: 5567 and 8876), the total price is USD187, 850.00.
The goods will be ready for shipment in 3 or 4 weeks from the date of your written order. We pack each PB 500 for export in a 40-foot open top container. We understand from your freight forwarders that Vietfract have a scheduled service to Saigon port once a month.
We would appreciate payment by irrevocable Letter of Credit confirmed on a London bank and valid for 90 (ninety) days from the date of your order. The prices given in this offer are valid for a period of thirty days from the date of this fax.
If you require any further information, I shall be pleased to help you. We look forward to receiving your official order
Comprehension questions
1. What kind of Powerboats was required?
2. What information can be found on page 42-45 in the catalogue? 3. When can the goods be dispatched?
4. Which method of payment is required?
4. Quotation for sweaters Dear Mr. Crane
We are pleased to receive your enquiry, and to hear that you liked our range of sweaters.
There would certainly be no trouble in supplying you from our wide selection of garments which we make for all age groups.
We can offer you the quantity discount you asked for which would be 5% off net prices for orders over $2,000, but the usual allowance for a trade discount in Italy is 15%, and we always deal on payment by sight draft, cash against documents. However, we would be prepared to review this once we have established a firm trading association with you.
Enclosed you will find our summer catalogue and price-list quoting prices c.i.f London.
We are sure you will find a ready sale for our products in England as have other retailers throughout Europe and America, and we do hope we can reach an agreement on the terms quoted.
Thank you for your interest, we look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely
D. Causio Encl.
Comprehension questions
1. Why is the writer pleased to receive the inquiry? 2. Under what condition would there be a 5% discount? 3. How would they like to be paid?
4. When will they consider offering a 15% trade discount? 5. What are enclosed with the letter?
5. Quotation for crockery Dear Mr. Clarke
Thank you for your enquiry of 18 April for a further supply of our crockery. We are pleased to quote as follows:
Item Catalogue Number Price
Teacups TC-45 $43.75 per hundred
Tea Saucers TS-46 $36.00 per hundred
Tea Plates TP-47 $36.00 per hundred
Teapots,1-litre TP-48 $2.20 each
These prices are understood FOB Saigon port, including packing, but packing is charged for, with an allowance for their return in good condition. We can deliver from stock and will allow you a discount of 5%, but only on items ordered in quantities of 10,000 or more. In addition, there would be a cash discount of 2% on total cost of payment within one month from date of invoice.
We hope you will find these terms satisfactory and look forward to the pleasure of your order.
Yours sincerely
Comprehension questions
1. How many kinds of crockery are quoted? 2. How much does each tea plate cost?
3. Under what condition would there be a 5% discount? 4. How long would they offer cash discount?
5. When was the enquiry of the crockery made? PART II. Vocabulary
Allowance: giảm giá/chiết khấu
C.I.F (cost, insurance, and freight): tiền hàng, bảo hiểm, cước phí Cash against documents: thanh toán theo chứng từ
Descriptive booklets: sách mô tả sản phẩm F.O.B (free on board): giá giao lên tàu
Freight forwarders: công ty/nhân viên giao nhận
Freight: cước phí
Invoice: hóa đơn
Irrevocable Letter of Credit: thư tín dụng không hủy ngang
Net price: giá thực (giá đã trừ chiết khấu)
Price - list: bảng giá
Repeat order(s): đơn đặt hàng đặt lại
Return: tiền lời/doanh lợi
Sales literature: tài liệu chào hàng
Sight draft: hối phiếu trả ngay
Specifications: quy cách hàng hóa/sản phẩm
