Business Memos
What is the purpose of each memo? Look at the memo’s What is the purpose of each memo? Present Changes, Future action, reminders, or updates Who were they sent to?
Read and Order the Memo
Look at the subject lines and answer the questions
Why do we write memos Quick and easy internal communication Memo’s can be used for the following purposes Present changes (eg: change of meeting room or working times) Future actions, plans and changes (salary increase) Remind, persuade or talk about a problem (employees being late for work) Updates on progress
Business Memo Structure TO/ FROM/ SUBJECT LINES To: From: CC: (who else it has been sent to) Date: Re: (The subject of the memo) OPENING What your email is about, all the important details BODY/ EXPLANATION Why this is happening CLOSE Thank you for reading/ have a good week ….
Look at the memo, find the mistakes
Memos for future events, actions, changes Purpose – To make someone or some people aware of something that will happen in the future. Eg: … Structure To make the statement about the future plans or changes when we speak we can use present continuous or going to. However when writing a business memo we use will for a shorter structure (future simple). Subject+ will + verb Sometimes we use the passive when the object is more important eg: sales figures Subject+will+be+verb We then want to explain why and any other actions. The reason for this is/ This is due to This should be followed with the correct use of present continuous or past simple
The/ meeting /to/ room/ will /change /5/sales/
/ to/ maintenance / 3 /today/This /is/due/in/ room
/ inform /your /teams/Please/all /
/Thank /for /co-operation/your/you
/will /be /released /The /sales /figures /quarterly /today/
/reason/ is/ the/ This/ this/ for/ public/ holiday/
/a /week/Have /good /
Write a memo Write a memo CC: Simon Worden Situation: Colleagues from Singapore will be visiting the office on Friday. The company will have a small party. All managers are invited The reason for the party is to make the Singapore colleagues feel welcome. To confirm attendance managers must email you by tomorrow 5PM
Changes and actions in the present Changes and actions in the present usually started in the past. We can use present perfect passive to talk about them The sales report has been updated The meeting has been scheduled John Smith has been dismissed from the company
Make Sentences Meeting room-change -> The meeting room has been changed Summer party-cancel Construction in Dong Nai-> start Sales figures -> send Andy Jones -> promote English classes ->arrange
Memos about Changes and actions in the present Same structure as before However, we sometimes need to combine the two types of Memo. So Present change or action THEN future change
Write 3 short memos – You are sales team manager 1) To sales team - Sales targets received today- meeting tomorrow to discuss in room 7 2) To sales team – Sales meeting cancelled because many people are sick. Send another memo tomorrow to confirm new day 3) To Alex Reed (Building Control) – Sales meeting cancelled, room not needed. Need room 7 for rescheduled meeting on Friday at 10 A.M.