FAX (reply to an enquiry)
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Part 3
Electronic mail (e-mail)
Many businesses now use electronic mail (known as 'email' or 'e-mail') to communicate with customers and suppliers, especially if they have frequent contact. E-mails have two distinct styles: a semi-formal business style and more informal personal style.
A semi-formal style is similar to a business letter, but less formal and shorter. A likely ending is Best wishes rather than Yours sincerely. This style is best used for e-mails to people outside your company, or who you do not know well. The emphasis is on the efficient provision or exchange of information.
The informal style is suitable for e-mails within a company and for people whom a writer knows well. The greeting is often Hi, Hello or even How are you? The style is much closer to spoken rather than written English.
Some general advice:
• It is a good idea to send yourself an email first. That way, you can check that your name and your return address are correct, and that the message is displayed correctly. (Sometimes emails arrive as one very long line - which is extremely difficult to read! You can change this in your email program.)
• Don't write IN CAPITALS. In email, capitals are the equivalent of shouting!
• If you are writing a reply to an email, don't copy the original message back to the person who sent it, unless it is important to do so. (You may need to turn this off in your email program.) The person you are replying to will normally have a copy of their own message.
• Some email writers copy parts of the original message back to the addressee and then write their reply. Usually, the part that is copied has > in front of it.
In general, copying parts of the original message into a reply is not recommended, for the reasons given above. In addition, many users of email feel this makes an email look untidy and it can give a poor impression, unless you know the addressee well.
• Often, you can 'attach' a file to an email message, for example a document or picture. Sometimes, the receiver is unable to convert the file so it is useful to say what you are attaching.
| To: okhtinskaya@bcl.com Subject: Booking a double room |
| Dear Sir or Madam, I would like to book a double room with breakfast included from 4 to 14 July. Please, could you send me your prices and terms of payment. Best wishes, Alison McDermott Product Manager Has Bro Equipment Inc Box 28 Chicago e-mail: alison.mcdermott@hasbro.com |
| Abbreviation Answerback code Collation Cable Direct line Telex Directory Subscriber Teleprinter To dial Keyboard | To send something by fax To fax someone To fax something To fax something someone To fax something (across/ over) to someone A fax has gone though A fax has stacked A fax machine has jammed The fax isn’t legible To resend the fax A cover sheet Confidential information Intended recipient The top copy |
· I am faxing this reply now but I will forward the top copy to you for your records.
· AS REQUESTED WE HV RESERVED NBR 2 SNGLS ... (= 'As requested, we have reserved two single rooms ...')
· REGRET UNABLE PROVIDE ACCOMODATION REQUESTED ... (= "We regret that we are unable to provide the accommodation requested...')
· WE CFM YR RESERVATION ... (= 'We confirm your reservation ...')
UNIT 5
Conference facilities
When you are planning an important conference or congress, you can organize it in a comfortable, well equipped conference hall of an modern and well-known hotel.
There are different types of formal meeting:
- Conference
- Lecture
- Congress
- Convention
- Workshop
- Seminar
There are some items, which may be needed, for a formal meeting:
- Tape recorder
- Video recorder
- Photocopier
- Slide projector
- Whiteboard
- Overhead projector
- Film projector
- Projection screen
- Word processor
- Lectern
- Gavel, etc.
Movable equipment:
- 8 mm film projectors
- Projection screens
- 8 overhead projectors
- Tape recorders/ VCRs
- Flip charts
Fixed equipment:
- 35mm film projector
- 16mm film projector
- Equipment for simultaneous interpreting
There are some expressions, which could be used in a descriptive letter:
· Multi-purpose conference hall can be extended to include side rooms, using soundproof folding partitions. Space at the sides has large glass screens for exhibitions.
· Main auditorium. This is the centre of the multi-purpose hall, and seats 124, if desired this can be used as a cinema.
· Auxiliary rooms. On either side of the main conference hall there is space for 110. This space can be added to the main auditorium, or divided by folding partitions into six smaller rooms, the smallest of which seats 26.
· Chairman's platform. On the chairman's platform there is a table for five speakers. Behind it there is a projection screen.
· Film projection room. This has one 35mm and one 16mm projector, as well as a slide projector.
· The bar/coffee room. This has a seating capacity of 40.
· Conference equipment:
- every seat in the auditorium has a writing table and a microphone for use during debates;
- the rooms at the sides have their own conference equipment which can be used either together with that of the main auditorium or separately;
- the centre has a video recorder, camera and seven monitor TV sets for recording presentations and viewing them again. Speakers' own videos can also be shown;
- the projection room has both film and slide projectors;
- both 8 and 16mm colour films and slides can be viewed through the monitor sets. All normal conference equipment is available, including overhead projectors for transparencies, a photocopier, flip charts, word processing, etc.