The Aim and Language of a Letter 1
1 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE：BASIC PRINCIPLES 1
Conventions and Format 2
The Pattern of Correspondence 6
General Effectiveness in Writing 12
2 TRADE NEGOTIATIONS 17
Opening the Negotiations：The First Letter of Enquiry 17
Alternative Ways of Expressing Oneself 24
Responding to Negotiaions：The Letter in Reply 26
Alternative Ways of Expressing Oneself 31
Placing an Order 32
Acknowledging an Order 35
Further Negotiations：Requests For Better Terms 38
Further Negotiations：Replies to Requests For Better Terms 46
Alternative Ways of Expressing Oneself 53
Further Negotiations：Agency Agreements 54
Language Notes and Exercises 68
3 COMPLAINTS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM 68
Complaints and Replies in General 68
Complaints about Poor Quality and Replies to Them 70
Complaints about Poor Service and Replies to Them 80
Unjustified Complaints and Replies to Them 100
Alternative Ways of Expressing Oneself 105
4 EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS AND REFERENCES 113
The Curriculum Vitae or Resumé 113
Language Notes and Exercises 113
The Letter of Application Enclosing a Curriculum Vitae 115
Letters of Application：For a Secretarial Post 115
For a Managerial Post 122
References 131
Language Notes and Exercises 143
5 COLLECTION LETTERS 143
The First，Second and Third Letters Calling for Overdue Payment 143
Alternative Ways of Expressing Oneself 162
Functions of Sales Letters 165
Language Notes and Exercises 165
6 SALES LETTERS 165
Factors in Planning Sales Letters 173
Aims of Sales Letters：Selling by Mail 178
Producing Sales Enquiries 185
Stimulating Visits to a Showroom 190
Creating Goodwill 194
Language Notes and Exercises 201
7 CORRESPONDENCE SUMMARIES 201
Methods of Summarisation 201
Summarisation as a Whole 202
Types of Summary 202
Summarisation by Stages 203
Worked Examples 203
Language Notes and Exercises 244
8 OTHER FORMS OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION 244
Memoranda：Pattern and Principles 244
Types of Memoranda：Giving Instructions 245
Asking for Instructions 250
Reporting on Action Taken 257
Reporting an Incident 260
Discussing Company Policy 266
Simple Memos 271
Proposals 275
Heads of Agreement 283
Language Notes and Exercises 290
9 REPORT WRITING 290
Full Investigative Reports 290
Approaches to Investigative Reports：Terms of Reference 291
Preparation 292
Organisation 293
Writing 297
Letters and Memoranda of Transmittal 298
Example A：A Full Investigative Report 299
Short Reports 321
Example B：A Short Report 321
Mixed-Form Reports 329
Example C：A Mixed-Form Report 329
Eye-Witness Reports 331
Example D：An Eye-Witness Report 331
10 THE PREPARATION AND RECORDING OF MEETINGS 337
Preparing the Agenda 337
Writing the Minutes 338
Approaches to Speaking in Public 360
11 SPEAKING IN PUBLIC 360
Preparation 361
Methods of Delivery 363
Visual Aids 366
Aspects of Presentation：Introduction to a presentation 367
The main body of a presentation 367
Concluding a presentation 368
Answering questions 368
Style in presentation 369
APPENDICES：A．The Export Trade：Shipping，Payment and Banking Services 371
Glossary of Commercial Terms 387
B．Jargon to be Avoided 393