Advanced Business English Writing
Suggested Answers to Task-based Exercises
Chapter One
1. Information control
1). The recommendations should be placed after the conclusions.
2). Point 3d should not have been included.
Language control
1). The style of the sentence,I’ve been asked to… in the Terms of Reference is far too personal.
2). In 4b the word must creates a hard tone that is inappropriate for addressing the vice-president of personnel.
Presentation techniques
1). Conclusions should not be indented in section 5.
2). There is inconsistency in bracketing or not bracketing the letters.
4. Certain changes should be made to the letter:
1) Catherine Porter could address Audrey Maxwell as “Dear Mrs Maxwell”, rather than “Dear Madam”.
2) She could use “I” rather than “we”. “We” is a way of hiding behind your company, avoiding responsibility. You should only use it if you really mean the company as a whole.
3) She could replace formal expressions like “We acknowledge receipt”with more informal ones.
4) She could use the active rather than the passive voice. “I have credited your
account” rather than “Your account has been credited”. The first sounds friendlier, the second is very impersonal.
5) She could be more apologetic about the company’s error. Nothing is more annoying that receiving a letter in which the company admits to having made a mistake but does not bother to apologize.
6) She could be more tactful in turning down Mrs Maxwell’s request for compensation. There is no reason not to be firm if the situation calls for it, but you can be firm and friendly.
5.
To: Forest Guard Corp.
Attention: Ms.Wang, Marketing Manager
Fax No.: 26435783
From: Xiang Yan, Designing Dept.
Date: 16 June, 2009
Subject: Printing Business Cards
Pages: This
Dear Ms. Wang,
6.
From ************************
Date 25:7:03 16:06:29
To *********************
Subject Petty Cash Vouchers
John
Some of the staff from your department are still bringing their petty cash vouchers to me. However taken over by Martin in Accounts last month.
Please inform your staff that they should deal with Martin in future.
Thanks for your help John.
Chapter Two
2.①e ②c ③a ④b ⑤d ⑥f
6. This is an amended version of the previous letter. The staff should feel some sympathy with the company’s situation from the wording of this second attempt. They may feel peeved about the small increase, but they will probably also feel grateful that they still have a job.
