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La meilleure méthode pour acquérir une réelle pratique de
l’anglais professionnel :
• Des informations rédigées dans un anglais simple et abordable
pour s’entraîner à écrire directement en anglais
Le guide pratique de l’anglais de la communication par
e-mails :
• Rédigez vos e-mails professionnels dans un anglais fl uide et
authentique, pour vous faire comprendre tout en respectant les
usages internationaux
• 34 thèmes couvrant les principales situations professionnelles
• Plus de 30 e-mails type prêts à être réutilisés
• Plus de 300 expressions-clé, le vocabulaire essentiel traduit et
de nombreux conseils pratiques
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Contents
Sommaire
Introduction 5
An Email’s Anatomy 7
Subject Lines That Work ■ 8
Common Salutations and Openings 1 ■ 0
Ending an Email 1 ■ 9
Signatures and Disclaimers 2 ■ 4
Email Techniques: ■ about CC and BCC 28
A Reader-friendly Approach 31
When to Use Email and When Not? 3 ■ 2
Structuring the Information 3 ■ 3
Formal or Informal? 4 ■ 0
Netiquette Guidelines 4 ■ 4
How to Deal with Attachments 4 ■ 7
Common Business Situations 53
Requesting Information or Favours 5 ■ 4
Hotel or Conference Enquiries 5 ■ 9
Giving Enquiries 6 ■ 3
Change of Address 6 ■ 7
Appointments 6 ■ 8
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Contents4
Invitations 7 ■ 2
Sending Agendas and Minutes 8 ■ 1
Refusing a Request 8 ■ 4
Complaints 8 ■ 7
Apologies 8 ■ 9
Congratulations and Season’s Greetings 9 ■ 0
Thanks 9 ■ 2
Payments and Reminders 9 ■ 3
Making Offers 9 ■ 7
Delivery and Incoterms 9 ■ 8
Numbers and Currency Symbols 9 ■ 9
Practical Reference 103
Linguistic Characteristics 10 ■ 4
Linguistic Differences: UK – USA ■ 109
Useful Vocabulary and Key Terms 1 ■ 13
Abbreviations and Acronyms 1 ■ 17
False Friends 12 ■ 5
Email Features ■ 127
Electronic Guidelines on the Internet 14 ■ 5
Index 147
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Common Business
Situations
Situations professionnelles
courantes
Les situations professionnelles décrites ici présentent de nombreuses
interactions typiques de la correspondance internationale. Ce chapitre
constitue une sorte de glossaire non exhaustif d’expressions utiles.
Vous apprendrez à :
Demander des informations (page 54). ■
Soumettre une requête (page 63). ■
Prendre un rendez-vous (page 68). ■
Refuser une demande (page 84). ■
Émettre une réclamation et vous excuser (page 87). ■
Formuler une offre (page 97). ■
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Common Business Situations54
Requesting Information or Favours
Demander des informations ou un service
Emails in which information is requested or given are among the most
common topics in inboxes. When requesting information, it is well-
advised to explain things clearly. Start for instance by explaining how
you obtained the addressee’s contact data and then write what particular
information you would like to have or are interested in.
Bear in mind that writing in a foreign language doesn’t mean simply
translating a text from French. Different cultures can use other ways
of asking for things. As mentioned, British English formulates requests
in a slightly more indirect way. For instance, by using modal auxiliaries,
or using the word ‘please’ more often. This is shown in the examples
below.
a topic un sujet
well-advised conseillé
contact data des coordonnées
a modal auxiliary un auxiliaire
modal
Examples
Formal: to an unknown addressee
Discours formel : à un destinataire que l’on ne connaît
pas encore
Dear Sir or Madam
During my last visit to the XYZ trade fair in
Northampton, I saw a sample of your products. Our
company specialises in the manufacture of
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Requesting Information or Favours 55
shoemaker’s machines and we are looking for a
reliable supplier.
May I ask you to send us full information and
details of your latest models? If possible quote
prices in euros please.
Yours faithfully
Catherine Rajeau
Examples
Formal: to a known addressee
Discours formel : à un destinataire que l’on connaît déjà
Dear Mr Roll
I’m writing with regard to booking one of your
workshops.
As we are organising an in-company conference at
our firm ‘Innovate Consulting’ this March, we’d
be interested in finding out whether you are able
to give a presentation of about 45 minutes? Our
focus is on creating value through a company-wide
branding approach. We would be grateful for some
information about your prices and availability.
Should you have any further questions, do not
hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Mr Julien Potier
Managing Director
Informal: to a colleague
Discours informel : à un collègue
Dear Julien
Could you send me the latest material on Mahram
ketchup please? I will need it to prepare the
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Common Business Situations56
pitch in Milan next week. I’d appreciate your help
on this. Let’s talk next week and see how things
are going.
Best regards
Mark
a trade fair un salon commercial
a shoemaker un cordonnier
reliable fi able
a supplier un fournisseur
to quote indiquer
to book réserver
in-company interne
to be (was, been) able to pouvoir,
être capable de
company-wide à l’échelle d’une
société
a branding une image de marque
to be (was, been) grateful être
reconnaissant
a pitch une présentation
Useful phrases
Formal: introductions
Discours formel : introduction
I was interested to see your advertisement in the latest issue of France ■
magazine.
I understand you are manufacturers of … ■
We have read about your company in the trade press. ■
Mrs. Dolidier, we have not met; however, I would be grateful for your ■
advice.
an advertisement une publicité
an issue un numéro
a manufacturer un fabricant
the trade press la presse com-
merciale
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Requesting Information or Favours 57
Formal: request for information
Discours formel : demander des informations
I wonder if you could …? ■
Do you think I could have …? ■
I’d be grateful if you could … ■
I would like to know … ■
We’re interested in fi nding out … ■
We would like to receive … ■
Could you perhaps attach your current catalogue and price list as a MS ■
Word or PDF fi le?
Please send us information about your product range and prices. ■
Please send full details of your prices, discounts, terms of payment and ■
delivery times.
to wonder se demander
a product range une gamme de
produits
a discount une remise
terms of payment des conditions
générales de paiement
a delivery time une échéance de
livraison
Informal: request for information
Discours informel : demander des informations
Can you tell me a little more about …? ■
Can I have …? ■
Please could you …? ■
Please send me … ■
Just a quick note to remind you to … ■
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Common Business Situations58
Your name and address were passed to me by … ■
We met last Thursday at the Brussels Trade Fair. ■
Scales of politeness
Les niveaux de politesse
British English uses different scales of politeness depending on the
familiarity between people. The examples below are ascending:
Why don’t you send me the attachment? ■
Send me the attachment, won’t you? ■
Send me the attachment, will you? ■
Send me the attachment, would you? ■
Won’t you send me the attachment? ■
It isn’t really possible to make such distinctions in the French language
system. But when writing in English it nevertheless matters. It is therefore
advised to use the polite or indirect form when you’re not exactly sure
about which form to use.
