1. Unit 11 Checking Progress Gladys Hung

2. Asking about progress  How ’ s the report going?  Is the delivery ready?  According to our records, the deadline for the report was yesterday….  Please let us know if…  I’d like a report on progress, so please bring us up to date and up to speed.

3. Explain the progress  Everything is going well.  I have a slight problem with ….  I'll just outline the process we've been through, identify some problems, and give you an estimate on completion time and the outcome financially.

4. Requesting action Please could you …. We would be grateful if you could …. We would appreciate it if you could.. If it is urgent, add: as soon as possible without delay immediately

5. Exercise: requesting action 1. You have written to a company and you want them to reply quickly. 2. The photocopier in your office has broken down. You want to know when they can repair it.

6. Saying what you can and cannot do  We are unable to  We are able to  We have been forced to 1. You cannot lower our prices. 2. Your have had to raise your prices because the government has increased the sales tax. 3. However, you can give them a discount of 15% if their order is for more than $8,000.

7. Giving reasons This is owing to …. due to … as a result of … because of

8. Giving reasons: exercise 1. Increase prices – fall of dollar  We have been forced to increase our prices. This is owing to the fall of the dollar. 2. Delay the delivery of the goods – strike by airline pilots 3. Increase all salaries by 10% - fall in sales 4. Cannot deliver your new order – we have not receive your payment for the last order 5. Cancel the meeting – a lot of staff habe been ill

9. Vocabulary 1. Exterior 2. Inferior 3. Illustration 4. Crash 5. Completion 6. Overdue 7. Forecast 8. installation 9. Slight 10. Equipment 11. Booth 12. Serious 13. Questionnaire 14. Consequently 15. Contract 16. Presentation