Useful Words and Phrases for Writing Formal Letters in English

STARTING

• We are writing you with reference to (the above order).
• With reference to your advertisement/letter of 10 March……
• We are pleased to have your inquiry of 25 of July….
• We acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 12 April …..
• With reference to your letter inquiring about…
• With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday (about…),…
• We wish to remind you that…..
• I am writing this letter to request the cancellation of........
• I am writing this letter to complain in the strongest terms about the poor service that I have received from your company.
  
  

 ACTION

• Please advise us as soon as the…….
• Please open a ………….in favour of (name of the company)……….
• Payment can be made on any basis acceptable to you.
• Could you please supply us with information about the company’s standing.
• We have been informed (by one of our clients) that……….
• We regret to inform you, (however,) that….
• Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused.
• We must insist on…
• Please note that the closing date/deadline for the ……… is 30 September, so will you please complete the attached forms and return them as soon as possible.
• Any information you supply will be treated confidentially.
• May we remind you that your statement is still outstanding.
• Will you kindly balance your account promptly.
• We are puzzled to have had no remittance from you.
• You already have an overdraft of….
• Please give the matter your immediate attention.
• We will be left with no alternative but to (take legal action)… unless payment is received within the next seven days.
• Our circumstances do not allow us to wait/to go on waiting any longer.
• Please look into the matter.
• We were dissatisfied to find that….
• We shall have to terminate the contract.
• On examination we have found…
• We greatly appreciated your patience in this matter.

ENCLOSURES AND ATTACHMENT

• We would be grateful if you could forward/send any further information (you may have) about…. (products and terms of payment/this case)
• We will be pleased to supply any further information you require.
• We are sending the herewith the……
• We look forward to doing business to our mutual advantage.
• We would like to make a decision on this as soon as possible.
• In the meantime, we suggest that you call the ………
• We hope to meet your requirements.
• Please send us by return the terms and conditions on …………..
• For purposes of quick contact a reply by telephone would be appreciated.
• We look forward to the opportunity of being at your service.
• Could you please let us know in your earliest convenience whether the above terms and conditions are acceptable for you.
• We hope that the matter will be settled to our mutual satisfaction.
• We very much hope that you will be able to…..
• I would be grateful if you could spare me a few minutes.
• As our demand/request/issue is very urgent, a quick answer would be appreciated.
• Would you (also forward details of charges)………. at your earliest convenience?
• I should/would be pleased if you could send me …….
• We trust/hope you will find this condition acceptable.
• If there is any other information you need, please do not hesitate to contact us at the above e-mail address.
• Thanking you in advance.
• I would be most grateful if you would reply as soon as possible so that this matter can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
• Please find enclosed….
• I am enclosing…….
• Please find attached….