group discussion business english formal and informal correspondence

Formal letters and Informal letters are often used to communicate or share ideas for various purposes.. Correspondence is communication by letters or email and also the letters or emails

THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY ENGLISH FACULTY - -

GROUP DISCUSSION BUSINESS ENGLISH 1.1

TOPIC 7:

FORMAL AND INFORMAL CORRESPONDENCE

Lecturer : Ms.Tran Thi Bich Lan

Ha Noi, 2023

THE REVIEW AND EVALUATION RECORD

GROUP MEMBER 7

Comment: All members try to fully participate in the discussion, and be conscious and responsible for active teamwork

(Leader)

- Part 1,2 I: Complete the task well

20 Nguyễn H ng Mai ồ - Part IV Complete the task well

and give positive feedback

32 Nguyễn Thị Minh Phương - Part II:3

- Part III

Actively give feedback and complete tasks we

33 Nguyễn Ngọc Quỳnh - Part II:

2.3+2.4

Participate fully in discussions and complete tasks on time

41 Lê Trần Qu nh Trang ỳ - Part II:

2.1+2.2

Complete assigned task well and actively contribute ideas

49 Đào Thị Khánh Vinh - Part 3 I:

- Part 2: 1

Actively participate in discussions, and complete deadlines quickly

DISCUSSION REPORT

GROUP 7 MODULE: BUSINESS ENGLISH 1.1 Module code: ENPR4811_04

- MEETING MINUTES 1- Time: From 9 p.m to 10 p.m., October 24 , 2023 th

Place: Google Meet

Participants: Pham Thi Lan Anh Nguyen Hong Mai Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, , , Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, Le Tran Quynh Trang, Dao Thi Khanh Vinh

Contents for discussion:

– Taking roll calls and greetings

– Agreeing, reviewing, and selecting content

– Division of tasks

– Choosing a PowerPoint template

Conclusion: The next online meeting will occur on October 11 , 2023 after finishing th writing content tasks

Meeting evaluation: All members participate in serious meetings and lively discussions The meeting completed the set goals, solved content problems, selected templates, In short, the meeting took place effectively

Ha Noi, October 24 , 2023.th Leader Phạm Th Lan Anhị

- MEETING MINUTES 2 - Time: From 10 p.m to 11.00 p.m on November 11 , 2023 th

Place: Google Meet

Participants: Pham Thi Lan Anh, Nguyen Hong Mai, Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, Le Tran Quynh Trang, Dao Thi Khanh Vinh

Contents for discussion:

– Making a few alterations to the contents

– Contributing ideas to create minigames

Conclusion:

– Edit the slide and finish

– Finish writing content task

– Get more new ideas to develop the presentation

Ha Noi, November 11 2023.th, Leader Phạm Th Lan Anh ị

THANK YOU First of all, the representative of Group 7, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mrs Tran Thi Bich Lan who teaches Business English 1.1, we can complete the topic of discussion

The discussion has been an effort for many weeks with all the passion and enthusiasm; however, due to limited knowledge and not having much practical

experience, it is difficult to avoid shortcomings in the research process We are very respectful of your suggestions for our discussion to be more complete

Thank you very much!

Leader

ạm Thị Lan AnhPh

TABLE OF CONTENT

THE REVIEW AND EVALUATION RECORD 1

DISCUSSION REPORT 2

THANK YOU 4

I Introduction 6

1 The current situation: 6

2 Definition: 6

II Differentiate between formal and informal correspondence 8

1 Similarities 8

2 Differences 10

2.1 Purpose 10

2.2 Format: 11

2.3 Tone 12

2.4 Language 13

3 Examples 13

III How to write correspondence better 15

IV Conclusion 16

REFERENCES 19

I Introduction

1 The current situation:

- As technology has been developing every day, messaging apps like Messenger, Zalo, etc… are most of our preferred modes of communication that enable us to communicate and exchange information quickly without taking as long to react as in traditional correspondence However, letters still have a major use a nd importance in our society

- Letters have always been an effective mode of communication for everyone Nowadays, people find it convenient to send letters through email instead of Traditional posts Formal letters and Informal letters are often used to communicate or share ideas for various purposes

2 Definition:

- What is Correspondence?

Correspondence is communication by letters or email and also the letters or emails exchanged A correspondence is a written form of communication between a sender and a recipient: letters, emails, or other messages, etc

- Definition of a Formal Letter

Formal correspondence can also be referred to as “professional writing,” and called Business Letters, ranging from writing professional emails to writing proposals or creating web content Essential for all early career researchers Formal correspondence is letters that are written in a strict and specific format Formal letters are naturally much more formal in style than informal/friendly letters

- Definition of an Informal Letter

Informal letters are personal letters that are written to let your friends or family know about what is going on in your life and to convey your regards An informal letter is usually written to a family member, a close acquaintance, or a friend The language used in an informal letter is casual and personal

3 Structure

3.1 Formal correspondence

- Sender’s Name and Address

- Date

- Receiver’s Name and Address

- Salutation / Greeting

- First paragraph: The first paragraph of formal letters should include an introduction to the purpose of the letter - to make an inquiry, complain, request something, etc

• I am writing to inform you about

• I am writing to ask/inquire about

• I am writing to ask for information about small businesses

• I am writing to inform you that we have not yet received payment for

- Body Paragraphs: The second and following paragraphs should provide the main

information of the letter and contain the relevant information behind the writing of the

letter as well as build on the main purpose in the introductory first paragraph

- Final Paragraph: The final paragraph should shortly summarize the intent of the formal letter and end with some call to action

• If you have any questions, please let me know / Feel free to contact me if you have any questions

• I appreciate your cooperation

• Thank you in advance

• I look forward to hearing from you / I look forward to your reply

- Complimentary close

• Yours faithfully,

- Name and Sign

3.2 Informal correspondence

- Name and address of the person you are writing to

- Date

- Greeting

- Body of the letter (Actual message): Further details, Closing sentences.

- Complimentary close

• Best wishes

• Best regards

• Sincerely

- Name and Sign

II Differentiate between formal and informal correspondence

1 Similarities

- Details of structure to make formal and informal correspondences clear and

understandable:

Greeting • Dear + name

• Hello/Hi

• Dear Sir/Madam

• Dear Mr Mrs./ + Surname Opening

sentence

• I haven’t spoken to you in

ages…

• Thanks for the letter/email…

• I hope this letter/email finds you well

• Thank you for your letter/email regarding…

Starting the

letter &

reason for

writing

• How have you been? Let me

tell you about …

• I’m writing this email/letter

about…

• I am writing to complain/ inform or to request information about…

• I am writing to you regarding…

Providing

information

• Great news

• Unfortunately, you didn’t get

the job…

• I’ve attached my form

• We are delighted to confirm your role at …

• You will be required to bring your passport to the interview…

• Please find attached my application form

Final

remarks

• Hope to hear from you soon

• Write back to me when you

can

• I look forward to hearing from you/ meeting you

Closing off • All the best

• Speak to you soon

• Yours sincerely

• Yours faithfully

• The letter needs to be arranged logically which requires each idea and information must be associated with each other When writing correspondences, writers should not continuously move from one topic to another without completely clarifying the information on each topic

• Besides, it had better keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organizing it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much

• The tone of the letter needs to show consistency throughout the letter

• It is believed that writers should use simple sentence structures to briefly express the content that needs to be discussed Specifically, do not use too many passive sentence structures when not necessary in this type of letter

• Using words that are not too formal and expressions that are not complicated and easy to understand

• Furthermore, writers must avoid writing sentences that are difficult to understand

or cause readers to misunderstand and remember to utilize sentences that have all

sentence components and complete meaning

- Politeness: Politeness is an important factor that needs to be paid attention to avoid giving readers a bad impression or feeling of being offended

errors, errors in word form, errors in tense use, errors in use of prepositions, errors in punctuation, errors in missing conjunctions, etc

2 Differences

2.1 Purpose

2.1.1 Formal correspondence:

- Formal letters are used in official communication, request, and inquiries with clients, partners, or authorities:

• Letter of complaint: A formal letter of complaint regarding a certain

product/service

• Letter of Enquiry: For collecting information or details regarding a

course/product/service, from a certain organization

- Employees also apply a professional form of a letter when inviting counterparties, workers, and guests to attend an event or a conference

- In an academic context, it includes research papers and formal essays

2.1.2 Informal correspondence:

- Informal letters are used in personal directions such as sharing news, and updates to family, friends, and acquaintances who have a close rapport with the writer

• Mentioning the writer's health, daily life, or his/her concerns on occupation,… to

people having a tight relationship with him/her

• Asking for updates of receivers

- The author makes use of informal correspondence when inviting people for family gatherings, and meetings with soulmates

- In an academic context, it combines personal essays and creative writing (fiction, and romantic novels related to the writer’s interests)

2.2 Format:

The layout of a letter includes the date, address, greetings, content, closing of the

letter, and signature

While the formal one has a standard format, there is no fixed format applied to the other

2.2.1 Date: The date is written in both formal and informal correspondence

2.2.2 Address:

- Formal correspondence: both the detailed sender and receiver’s addresses have ’s to be

mentioned It includes the address of the business where the former is working, and

structured information about the name, position, department, and place of the latter

- Informal correspondence: there is no need to put the other’s address beside the writer’s 2.2.3 Greetings (The mention of titles):

- Formal correspondence: titles are used, e.g.: “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, “Dr.”

- Informal correspondence: titles may be omitted

2.2.4 Content:

- Formal correspondence: Depending on the type of its letter:

• Letter of complaint: This is addressed to the seller and generally includes the

details regarding the lack of quality, quantity, and the like

• Letter of inquiry: is written for collecting information It helps a person to have

information on course or job, price of service or product, terms and orders of

working agreement

→ It is written for official reasons

- Informal correspondence: the writer mentions personal anecdotes

2.2.5 Closing of the letter:

- Formal correspondence: the closing is more common than the other (sincerely,

respectfully…)

- Informal correspondence: the informal closing is used (best wishes, yours, love,…)

2.2.6 Signature:

- Formal correspondence: full name and signature

- Informal correspondence: Often just the first name or a nickname

2.3 Tone

2.3.1 Formal correspondence

The tone in a formal correspondence is called a professional tone A professional

tone ensures your correspondence sounds respectful, polished, and appropriate for a

formal setting

- It can come off as cold or personal, and being too casual, which can seem

unprofessional

- It involves using clear language, maintaining politeness, and refraining from using

colloquial language, slang, or contractions

There are a few key tips to keep in mind:

1 Use formal language: stick to proper grammar and avoid using contractions (e.g., use "do not" instead of " don't") Also, avoid slang and colloquial phrases which may not be understood by everyone

2 Be respectful and polite: Even if you are writing a complaint or a challenging message, make sure to express your thoughts in a respectful and polite manner

3 Stay focused and clear: Keep your message concise and to the point This shows respect for the recipient's time and makes your correspondence more effective

4 Avoid personal opinions: Unless it's necessary, avoid expressing personal opinions Stick to the facts and be objective

2.3.2 Informal correspondence

On the other hand, an informal tone is more personal, and relaxed, and can be used when writing to friends, family, or close colleagues

Features of an informal tone:

1 Using Contractions and abbreviations

2 Using colloquial expressions or slang.

3 Including personal stories and anecdotes

Remember the tone of your correspondence plays a significant role in how your message is received, so choose wisely

2.4 Language

3 Examples

Formal Letter Example

Chris McCarthy

32 Main Street

St Julian's, Malta STJ 3153

Correct grammar and vocabulary Lack of formal grammar and vocabular

Jane Smith

Marks and Spencer

173 Oxford Street

London, W1D 2JR

United Kingdom

August 16, 2016

Dear Ms Smith,

This is where you will introduce yourself and explain why you are writing Include examples or specifics to explain your point here If you need a third paragraph to suggest how your goal should be accomplished or what the recipient needs to do to help you solve your issue, write it here

Sincerely,

Chris McCarthy

Informal Letter Example New Delhi

15th May 2021

Dear Father,

I have received such a nice gift from you on my birthday My joy knew no bounds This book gives me a lot of knowledge of vocabulary Although a good number of my

friends and relatives attended the birthday party, I missed you all the time My friends

and relatives gave me many things but your gift of a dictionary is unique in many aspects This gift is a great source of joy for me It will help me to cultivate the habit of reading

good books I shall preserve and treasure it throughout my life

Yours lovingly,