4.3 Getting the message across clearly

Exercise 1.

Read this task.

You are a regional sales manager for an international company. You have been asked to go to a meeting at your company’s head office. You cannot go, so somebody else will go in your place.

Write an email to Erica Young, who is organising the meeting:

  • apologising for not being able to go to the meeting
  • explaining why you cannot go
  • saying who will go.
  • Write 40 – 50 words.
  • Paste a copy of your email in the comments box below
  • Look again at the information regarding the meeting at head office and the email. Do questions 1 - 5 in the quiz.


Exercise 2.

Read these two answers to the question in Exercise 1. They were written by BEC Vantage candidates. Then answer the questions below.

Answer A

Dear ERICA!

Pleasel give me apologise, but I do not being able to go to the meeting. Becose I have got verry important meeting with our cluent. My colleg Andrei Ivanov go to the head office. Please fixed all our problem with him. His verry rellable person.

Answer B

I’m really sorry but I’m not able to go to the meeting at our company’s head office. I can’t attend because of previous arrangements which I can’t change.

Mr Jan Korwalski, a very good worker, will go instead of me.

Please accept my apologies.

Marta Stefanska

Answer questions 6 and 7 in the quiz.

You can find the reasons for these 2 choices in the Business English Space.

Exercise 3.

Read this task.

You are the manager of the Customer Services Department. You are planning to introduce a new computer system in your department.

3.1 Write an email to all staff in your department:

  • telling them when the new system will be introduced
  • explaining what the advantages of the new system will be
  • advising them who to contact if they have any questions.

Write 40 – 50 words. Post a copy of your email to me in Messenger. Click on the Messenger icon in the Business English Space

3.2 Look at the two answers by candidates (A and B) and comments by an examiner (1 and 2) "Getting the message across - Exercise 3" below Match each answer with the correct comment. For the answer look at "Getting the message across - Exercise 3 - Answer" below.

Exercise 4.

Read this question:

You are a manager in an international company. You want to reduce the company’s spending on courier services.

Write a memo to the staff in your department: (For writing clear memos have a look at this advice.)

  1. explaining that spending on courier services has risen
  2. suggesting how savings could be made
  3. saying how the money saved will be used.

Write 40 – 50 words. Post your memo in Messenger.

For each of the 3 points above, choose the best sentence, A-C in the quiz in questions 8 - 10. For an explanation on the choices made, check Exercise 4 in the Business English Space.


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