Sample business letter

Miles Davis

Rue du Bebop 12

1000 Brussels

Tel: 02 217 7855

Email: davis@email.com

Brussels, 17^th of January 2013

Ms Jennifer Smith

Director of Human Resources

Joint Research Centre

Rue Guimard 10

1049 Brussels

RE: The project manager vacancy (reference no. 123)

Dear Ms Smith,

Having seen the project manager vacancy posted on your HR website, I would like to hereby apply for the position.

Currently, I work as a project manager assistant in DG Research and Innovation at the European Commission. During my three years here, I have had the opportunity to acquire extensive experience not only as a team leader but also as the Acting Project Manager working on nuclear fusion research support. In addition, I specialised in nuclear fusion as a biophysicist during my PhD studies, with a Dissertation on transgenetic mutations. Due to my deep fascination with the intricacies of this matter, I have always been keen on pursuing my professional endeavours within the same field. Moreover, I cherish working in a multicultural environment, since I see diversity of perspectives as an invaluable asset in approaching a given issue.

Even though working in DG Research has been a very rewarding experience concerning my professional and personal development, I am now ready for new challenges. Therefore, I am very enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team, since you have an excellent track record in supporting nuclear fusion research. On a more personal note, I also share your views on making nuclear technology environmentally sustainable. Thus I am confident that my profile is a perfect match for the position, especially given the fact that you specialise in eliminating radiation exposure in France, where I did part of my research as a PhD candidate.

Should you want to meet me in person to discuss the details of my CV,  I would be happy to come in for an interview at a time suitable for you.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Looking forward to hearing from you at your soonest convenience,

Sincerely yours,

SIGNATURE

Miles Davis

Enc: CV

Subjunctive

A webpage on the use of subjunctive is hereby made available.
 
Here you can find more information with exercises on the subjunctive and unreal uses past forms.  Here is the key for the exercises. 

Journalistic titles

Here you can find a brief explanation on journalistic titles used in, e.g., newspaper headlines.  We, however, should not use this style for our titles in administrative writing.  How would you change the headlines provided as examples in the hot-linked document into administrative style titles?

Prepositions

Basic prepositions:
Here you can find some exercises on basic prepositions.  The key to the exercises is hereby made available. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

Noun, adjective and verb + preposition:
Here you can find some exercises on nouns, adjectives and verbs which are used with certain prepositions.  The key for the exercises are also hereby made available. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy) Here is a list of words with prepositions.

Phrasal verbs:
Here you can find some exercises on phrasal verbs.  The key to the exercises is hereby made available. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

You can hereby find a link for more online exercises on the topics above.

Modal verbs

Here you can find some information and exercises on modal verbs along with the key for the exercises. (Source: English Grammar in Use. Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)
Here you can find more exercises on modal verbs.

Relative, -ed and -ing clauses

Here you can find some exercises on relative, -ed and -ing clauses along with the key.

Tenses and key words

Here you can find many exercises on tenses.  I am also hereby making a list of all the tenses and key words available.

Order of adjectives

Here you can find some information and exercises on the order of adjectives along with the key to the exercises.

American vs. British English

Here you can find a list of the main differences between American and British English. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

Sample synthesis summary

Here you can find the main article which is to be synthesized with a second article in a summary report. 

Synthesis Summary of 'The U-bend of life' and 'The rich, the poor and Bulgaria' in The Economist of 18 December 2010

In our society, older people used to be considered less happy than the young. However, it seems that our well-being does not decline with age; instead, it follows a U-bend with an increase in happiness after the mid-life crisis. This is the finding of some economists, who used a factor other than money to measure human well-being.

According to some research, the following four main factors seem to impact happiness: gender, personality, external circumstances, and age. 

Statistics show that women are happier than men, even though they suffer from depression more often. 

Personality also plays an important role in our level of happiness. Researchers have demonstrated that extroverted people are happier than the neurotic. 

External circumstances, such as relationships, education, health, and income, influence the way people feel, as well. The first three factors are rather easy to understand; income is, however, a much more complicated factor to interpret in statistics. It has been proven that well-being depends on relative rather than absolute income. People feel unhappy when they consider themselves poor in comparison to richer groups. 

The last factor, namely age, is the most important one in assessing well-being. The increase in happiness after the mid-life crisis is explained by internal changes rather than external circumstances. Older people know what is important for them. They do not focus on long-term goals any more; instead, the 'now' and their feelings are what really matter for them. 

The idea manifested through the U-bend interests some governments. On one side, happier people are healthier. On the other side, older people's happiness helps them to manage the decline in their productivity. Nowadays these two elements are very important in coping with the growing size of our ageing labour force.

Subject-Verb agreement

You can find a document on subject-verb agreement with exercises here.  The key for the exercises is available here.

Another document  is hereby available. 

Articles

Here you can find the document on articles along with the key for the exercises.

Semicolon, colon and lists

In Sections  2.5 - 2.10 of the English Style Guide published by the Directorate-General for Translation, you can find the rules on the use of colon and semicolon with the appropriate hyperlinks for other relevant issues, such as lists.
You can hereby find more information on the use of colon and semicolon as well as providing lists as it is presented in the Interinstitutional Style Guide.
Here you can find a document on the use of semicolon and colon, including the use of the latter to introduce lists.  The first rule on the use of colon in this document is at odds with what is said in the Commission's "English Style Guide" and  the "Interinstitutional Style Guide".
Here you can find a quiz on the use of colon and semicolon with the key and explanations.  In the explanation for the answer to question 21, you can find the capitalization rule in sentences after colon.

Gender neutrality

"English Style Guide" released by the Commission is hereby available.  On pages 47 - 48 you can find the section on gender neutrality.  

Here you can find the document released by the European Parliament.

Composite sentences with future tenses

Here you can find many exercises on future tenses. You can do exercises 18 - 28, which deal with future tenses. Remember: we do not use 'will' in the part of these sentences with the linking word.

Position of adverbs

Here are the main rules and exceptions on the position of adverbs in sentences:

First rule: if there is only one verb in the sentence, the adverb comes before the verb as in the following example: He usually comes to work on time.
Exception to the first rule: if the only verb in the sentence is 'to be', the adverb comes after the verb as in the following example:  He is usually on time.

Second rule: If there is more than one verb in the sentence, the adverb comes after the first verb as in the following example: He has already arrived at work.
First exception to the second rule: if the first verb in the sentence is an auxiliary verb with 'to', i.e., have to, need to, ought to and used to, the adverb comes before the first verb as in the following example: He usually has to start working by 9:30 AM.
Second exception to the second rule: if the first verb in the sentence is a contracted negation, the adverbs 'probably', 'possibly' and 'certainly' come before the first verb as in the following example: He probably won't come to work on time.

These being the main rules and exceptions, there is more to this topic.  You can find more information on this webpage, which also provides you with some exercises. 

Here is another document with exercises on the same topic.  You can find the key for the exercises here.

Linkers

The first and second parts of the documents on linkers are hereby available.  You can also find the key for the exercises here.  As you do the exercises, please remember the following three types of linkers we have identified:

• Linkers that connect two parts of the same sentence as in the following example: We only have one week off for Easter, so we will be staying in Brussels.

 

• Linkers that connect two separate sentences as in the following four examples, which are different ways of saying the same thing:

1. We only have one week off for Easter.  Therefore, we will be staying in Brussels.
2. We only have one week off for Easter; therefore, we will be staying in Brussels.
3. We only have one week off for Easter.  We will, therefore, be staying in Brussels.
4. We only have one week off for Easter; we will, therefore, be staying in Brussels.

 

• Linkers that are covered under both the first and second types as in the four following examples:

1. Besides giving his friend a lift after work, he helped her with her grocery shopping.
2. He helped his friend with her grocery shopping, besides giving her a lift after work.
3. I am afraid I am not allowed to help you with that question.  Besides, I do not know the answer myself.
4. I am afraid I am not allowed to help you with that question; besides, I do not know the answer myself.

Note that the meaning of the word 'besides'  in the first two examples is different from its meaning in the last two examples.

In all these examples, please pay special attention to the punctuation.

Sample listening summary

Here is the link for a presentation  by Hans Rosling on population growth.

Brussels, 22 October 2010

Report on Hans Rosling's 2010 TED Talk on the Global Population Growth

The periods analysed are as follows:

·      The situation in 1960;

·      The evolution between 1960 and 2010;

·      The possible trend up till 2050.

1. Situation in 1960

In 1960, the 3 bn people living on our planet were categorised as follows:

·      1 bn in the so-called industrialised world, characterised by good educational levels and high consumption aspirations, such as having cars and household appliances;

·      2 bn in 'developing countries' with basic aspirations, such as having enough food and clothing.

The gap between the two groups was enormous, which was captured by the expression 'the West and the rest'.

2. Evolution between 1960 and 2010

The population has more than doubled and a third category of 'emerging economies' has appeared, so that the present situation is the following:

·      1 bn in the part of the industrialised world now referred to as 'developed countries' with even higher consumption aspirations;

·      4 bn in emerging economies with lower consumption aspirations;

·      2 bn in developing countries still with basic aspirations.

The distance between the first and the third group has dramatically increased.

3. Possible trend until 2050

The population will increase by 2 bn and stabilise at 9 bn. The following distribution amongst the three groups can thus materialise:

·      2 bn in developed countries;

·      3 bn in emerging economies;

·      4 bn in developing countries.

In order to provide a possible explanation for the demographic explosion in the third group, the speaker identified an inverse correlation between child mortality and family planning through an animated graph showing the trends between 1960 and 2008, i.e., the smaller the families are, the higher child survival tends to be as it is in developed countries, and vice versa as it is in developing countries.

4. Conclusion

The only way to stop population growth seems to be raising the average global child survival to at least 90 % while improving environmental conditions. 'The Old West' is to serve as the foundation of such a 'New World'.

Useful phrases

Having looked over the document Daria shared with us today, I am hereby making it available for your convenience.  Thank you Daria!

Shall

Here you can find some information and exercises on the use of 'shall'.

Obligations

Positive obligations for the present, future or in general:

Stronger:
You have to put on your seat belt. (US)
We are going to/will have to go through the customs when we arrive in New york. (future)
She must put on her seat belt. (UK)
Members shall follow the club rules. (formal/legal/religious/moral codes in writing)

Weaker:
You should take off your shoes in their house.
You ought to take off your shoes in their house. (UK)

Negative obligations for the present, future or in general: Stronger:
You cannot drive without your seat belt on. (US)
You must not drive without your set-belt on. (UK)
Thou shall not kill. (formal/legal/religious/moral codes in writing)

Weaker:
You should not enter their house with your shoes on.
You ought not to enter their house with your shoes on. (UK)

Positive obligations for the past:

Stronger:
We had to go through the customs when we came from the US to Belgium last week.

Weaker:
You should have taken off your shoes when you entered their house yesterday evening.
You ought to have taken off your shoes when you entered their house yesterday evening. (UK)

Negative obligations for the past:

Stronger: 
The waiter could not serve beer to my 17-year old cousin when we were in the US last year.  (US)

Weaker:
You should not have entered their house with your shoes on yesterday evening.
You ought not to have entered their house with your shoes on yesterday evening. (UK)

Lack of obligations for the present, future or in general:

You do not have to take off your shoes when you go through the security check at the airports in Europe.
You are not going to/will not have to take off your shoes at the security check in Zaventem airport when you arrive there. (future)

Lack of obligations for the present, future or in general:

We did not have to take off our shoes when we went through the security check at the airport last week.

I am hereby making some exercises on have to vs. must and should along with the key available.

Latin terms, phrases, abbreviations and acronyms

You can find a list of Latin terms, phrases abbreviations and acronyms that can be used in English here.
PS: The abbreviation for the Latin phrase et alii is 'et al.' with a dot at the end.  Here is a general rule for the use of the dot in abbreviations:  If the last letter of the word being abbreviated is not the same as the last letter of the abbreviation, you need the dot.  What are the abbreviations for 'professor', 'doctor', 'mister' and 'abbreviation'?

False friends for French

Here you can find a list of false between French and English.

Compound nouns and possessives

Here you can find some information on composite nouns and possessives with exercises, as well as the key for the exercises. I am hereby also making another document on the same topics with exercises, as well as the key for the exercises.

Style guides

Here you can find the Interinstitutional style guide. 

Here is the link for the Council Style Guide.

How to Write Clearly

Here you can find the Commission guide entitled "How to Write Clearly".

State vs. action verbs

Here is  a document where you can find information and exercises on state vs. action verbs, along with key for the  exercises. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

Here is a link for a webpage where you can find some  exercises on the same topic.   

Here you can find the list of verbs we have looked at. (Source: LONGMAN Advanced Learners’ Grammar by Mark Foley &  Diane Hall)

Plans

Here are the four different functions we can use to talk about plans:
1. I will/shall call you in 10 minutes. (spontaneous)
2. I am going to spend the evening at home. (premeditated in spoken English)
    I will/shall be spending the evening at home. (premeditated in written English with an action verb)
    I will be in New York during Easter.  (premeditated in written English with a state verb)
3. I am flying to New York at 8:00AM tomorrow. (premeditated and arranged with an action verb)
    I am in New York during Easter. (premeditated and arranged with a state verb)
4. My Flight departs at 8:00AM tomorrow. (time-tabled event)

Here are some links to some exercises on this topic:

  http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/goingtoorwill/menu.php

  http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/presentformsforfuture/menu.php

  http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/willbedoing/menu.php

Gerund vs. infinitive

Numerous exercises on gerund vs. infinitive along with their key are hereby made available for you to have access at your convenience.  You can also find the list of verbs used with gerund and/or infinitive here.

Here you can find more information and exercises on the same topic.

Sample email

Dear Ms Smith,
 
Knowing that your entry into service at the Council is approaching, I would like to hereby extend you a warm welcome to our Unit, and provide you with some practical information.
 
As agreed during your job interview, you will be in charge of the follow-up of inter-service consultations. This position involves regular interaction and coordination with the other services of our DG as well as with other DGs. You will be working closely with Ms Black in our Unit, as inter-service consultation follow-up is a shared responsibility. Under my supervision, Ms Black will be explaining to you the various procedures, so that you can become acquainted with our working methods as soon as possible. As an attachment, I am resending your job description, in case you need it for a quick reference.
 
You should have been already informed that you will be attending a two-day training course organised by DG HR, i.e., the Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, before taking up your duties in our Unit. This very useful course should provide you with additional information regarding the functioning of the Council, its working environment, and the rights and duties of its employees. During the course, you will have the opportunity to get your badge ready; all the relevant information will be provided by the trainers.
 
As a newcomer in Brussels, you might also be interested in receiving information on matters such as accommodation and public transport. Please note that the orientation leaders in DG HR will be handing out an information package during the training course, and that a legal advisor will be at your disposal to check the leases you might be considering before you sign a contract. If you need to search for an apartment, the best place to start is the immoweb website (http://www.immoweb.be/). There is also plenty of short-term accommodation available in Brussels, especially in the Schuman area close to the European Institutions. You can find all the necessary information about public transport in Brussels at http://www.stib.be/.
 
I would also like to hereby invite you to take up your duties in our Unit on Wednesday, 16th of March, i.e., after the completion of the training course mentioned above.  I propose starting the day with a meeting in my office at 9.30 am.  Afterwards, I will be introducing you to the members of the team you will be working in. Moreover, you will need to make an appointment to see Mr Miller (tel: +32(0)2/291 7811) in the afternoon of the same day.  I suggest making the appointment at least three days in advance, since he is usually very busy.  He is the HR focal point in our DG, and thus he will be your interlocutor for all contract related issues .
 
As you probably remember from your interview, our office is located at rue de la Science, 15, close to rue Belliard. With your badge, you can come up directly to our Unit, which is located on the 7th floor; I am in office 123.
 
Looking forward to meeting you in person,
 
With kind regards,

 Iris Wellington

Greetings and closers

Here is a list of greetings you can use in your formal emails depending on the recipient:

• Anonymous singular:

1. Dear Sir/Madam
2. Dear Madam/Sir
3. Dear Sir or Madam
4. Dear Madam or Sir

• Anonymous plural:

1. Dear Sirs/Ladies
2. Dear Ladies/Sirs
3. Dear Sirs and/or Ladies
4. Dear Ladies and/or Sirs

• With a given male name: Dear Mr Smith

• With a given female name:

1.  Dear Ms Smith (civil status irrelevant or unknown)
2.  Dear Mrs Smith (married)
3.  Dear Miss Smith (single and younger than fifty)

• With given names to a group of less than three people (male):  Dear Messrs Smith and Jones

• With given names to a group of less than three people (female):

1. Dear Mses Smith and Jones (civil statuses unknown, irrelevant or different)
2. Dear Mesdames Smith and Jones (both of them married)
3. Dear Misses Smith and Jones (both of them single and younger than fifty)

• With given names to a group of less than three people (mixed gender and not related to each other by marriage or blood): 

1. Dear Messrs Smith and Jones, and Ms Presley 
2. Dear Ms Presley, and Messrs Smith and Jones

• With a given name to a couple who use the same last name:

1. Dear Mr and Mrs Smith 
2. Dear Mrs and Mr Smith 

• With given names to a group of more than three people (mixed gender):

1. Dear Sirs/Ladies
2. Dear Ladies/Sirs
3. Dear Sirs and Ladies
4. Dear Ladies and Sirs

• With given names to a group of more than three people (all male): Dear Sirs

• With given names to a group of more than three people (all female): Dear Ladies 

• With a given first and last name and the gender is not clear:  Dear Alex Smith

Here is a list of closers which apply to all formal emails regardless of their content:

• With kind regards
• Kind regards
• Regards

You can hereby find a document on how to address various VIPs in different contexts.