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5.4

Teacher Resource Series

Worksheet

Choose one of these topics. Adapt the topic to make it similar to documents you write in your own real-life job. Then:

Write a business letter or fax (you decide which). Some topics have two letters/faxes.

Write exactly the same document/s as an e-mail (shorter and more direct).

A B

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2002 65 This page may be photocopied for use in class

5.5 Easilife and Novex: Student A

AIM.

To practise an exchange of correspondence between a supplier and a customer.

TIME.

40–50 minutes in the first lesson, then 30–40 minutes per lesson over 4 more lessons + homework time

PREPARATION.

Make copies of the Student A worksheet for half the class, and of the Student B worksheet (next page in this book) for the other half.

PROCEDURE.

1 Write up on the board the two headings Customer sends and Supplier sends and elicit this sequence (which will be revision for students who have done worksheet 5.3):

Tell the students that they are going to work with a partner to exchange correspondence following this sequence and the whole activity will last several lessons. Elicit and write up a typical structure for a business letter (which will be revision for students who have done worksheet 5.1):

The date

Reference to action taken or needed Referring to future contact

Yours sincerely (British English)/Yours truly (American English)

Leave this list on the board. Ask the students whether every letter will have this structure (clearly no – for instance the letter of enquiry has no reference to previous correspondence as it is the first contact between the writer and reader).

2 Divide the class into pairs of approximately equal ability and appoint As and Bs in each pair (it is better if the pairs do not actually sit side by side).

Distribute the correct worksheet to each student.

Allow time for the students to read the information in their box and the sequence in the left-hand

column. Deal with any unknown vocabulary (‘terms’ are conditions for a sale; ‘a concession’ is something given by one side in order to reach an agreement).

3 Ask the students to read their instructions for document 1, the letter of enquiry. Remind them to use the full layout of a business letter (see worksheet 5.1) with the first letter, but after that it is not necessary. They should, however, put a date on all correspondence for later reference. Remind them that there are opportunities for adding their own ideas in this and other documents. Remind them also to write clearly as their partners will have to read and respond to the letter. Start the activity, the students writing individually. Circulate and help with vocabulary. Make a note of good/bad language use.

4 Hold a short feedback slot.

5 Ask the students to exchange their letters with their partner (you are the postman/woman). Give the students a moment to read through the letter they have just received and ask their partner questions if they cannot read any words. Tell them to take the letter away and write a reply (document 2 on the worksheet) for homework. Remind them to keep all copies of their partner’s correspondence and to return them only at the end of the whole sequence.

6 In the next lesson ask the students to exchange their letters written for homework. Allow time for the students to read through the letter they have just received and ask questions if they cannot read any words. When they are ready, refer to document 3 on the worksheet and ask them to write this in class.

Circulate and help with vocabulary. Make a note of good/bad language use, both from the letter they received and the letter they are writing.

7 Hold a short feedback slot.

8 Continue with the sequence suggested on the next page of Teacher’s Notes. The students will develop a personalized correspondence with their own partners, however at any one time they will all be working on the same document type.

9 (Option) To vary the feedback procedure take one student’s uncorrected document and photocopy one copy of this for each student. Ask students to try to correct/improve the document in pairs. In feedback listen to all the suggestions for reformulations and discuss with the class which is the best. Consider both style and grammatical accuracy. Build up the reformulated document on the board line by line.

In this worksheet students work in pairs and write to each other. Try to match ability levels of students within each pair. See next page of Teacher’s Notes for a suggestion on how to divide the writing across five lessons/homeworks. For lower levels, worksheets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 are necessary preparation for this worksheet.

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2002 66 This page may be photocopied for use in class

5.5 Easilife and Novex: Student B

Suggested staging of the ten documents

Lesson 1: Write and exchange 1 in class and set 2 as homework.

Lesson 2: Students exchange and read 2. Then they write and exchange 3 in class as the reply. Set 4 as homework.

Lesson 3: Students exchange and read 4. Then they write and exchange 5 in class as the reply. Set 6 as homework.

Lesson 4: Students exchange and read 6. Then they write and exchange 7 and 8 in class. Set 9 as homework.

Lesson 5: Students exchange and read 9. Then they write and exchange 10 in class as the reply.

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2002 68 This page may be photocopied for use in class

You are going to exchange correspondence with your partner because you are interested in each other’s products. Before you start, look at the left column to see the whole sequence.

1 Enquiry Write a letter to the Sales Director of Novex Computer Solutions You are thinking about buying to ask for general information about their computers. Their some new computers. address is 34 Salisbury Road, Milton Keynes, MK4 8KP. (Use the

full layout of a business letter in this first letter.)

2 Reply to an enquiry Reply to Novex’s letter, enclosing some brochures, price lists etc.

Novex are interested in your You know the name of their Sales Director, so use it at the start products as well. of your letter.

3 Request for a quotation Write an e-mail to Novex, asking for a quotation for some specific You’re interested in their products (for example: eight computers). You may think of

computers. other questions.

4 Quotation Write a fax to Novex. Give them a quotation. State your terms of Be positive and helpful. You sale: price, any discounts (e.g. prompt payment), delivery time.

might have a new customer. Deal with any other questions in Novex’s last e-mail.

5 Counter-proposal Send an e-mail to Novex, making a counter-proposal. For You want the computers, but example, you may want a better price, a larger discount or a maybe you can get better shorter delivery time.

terms.

6 Reply to a counter-proposal Reply by e-mail. Begin by apologizing for the delay in replying, You cannot give Novex what then tell them that you can’t accept their counter-proposal.

they want, but make a small However, you are prepared to offer something (less than they concession to get the business. want).

7 Order Their reply is acceptable and you now want to make an order.

You’ve decided to buy the Write a short letter to Novex to send with your order form.

computers.

8 Dispatch advice Write an e-mail to Novex. Thank them for their order and tell Let Novex know you’ve sent them that the goods were sent this morning.

the goods.

9 Complaint The computers have arrived! However, one of them has a small You have a problem. fault. Also, there is a mistake on the invoice. Write an e-mail to

Novex.

10 Reply to a complaint Reply by e-mail. Apologize for the damaged furniture. Ask Novex Deal with their problem. to return the piece, and say you will send a replacement

immediately. Apologize and give a reason for the mistake in the invoice – say you will send a new one.