Useful language - MAKING A POINT

- I thought you might like to know that…
- For your information..
- I would like to draw your attention to…
- I would like to point out that.
- I would like to remind you that
- Let’s look at this from another angle.

Rephrasing

- … that is …
- … in other words…
- … this means…
- … this actually means …
- Let me explain further…
- Let me put it another way…
- To put it another way…
- That is to say…
- By X, I mean…
- How can I put it?

Reporting

- The aim of this report is…
- This report is intended to…
- This report describes…
- This report is based on

- It was found that…
- According to…
- In the words of…

- In general
- Generally
- Generally speaking
- On the whole

Useful language - Making general statements

- There is a tendency for…
- It appears that...
- It seems that…
- It would seem that…
- It would appear that…
- It is said that…
- It has been suggested that…
- It has been claimed that…
- It is generally agreed that…
- It is generally believed that…
- It is widely accepted that
- It is widely assumed that…

Useful language - Ending

- I will contact you as soon as I receive a reply.
- I will contact you again as soon as I have anything further to report.
- I will let you know as soon as I hear anything from X.
- I look forward to hearing from you.
- I look forward to hearing from you on this proposal.
- We look forward to hearing from you with your proposals in this regard.
- We look forward to hearing your preliminary thoughts as to what options our client has, the prospects of success, and the likely costs involved.
- We look forward to hearing from you or from solicitors appointed to act on your behalf.
- We look forward to receiving …
- We look forward to receiving proposals for settlement within the course of the next X days, failing which we will take steps to issue proceedings.
- I hope to hear from you in the near future.

Useful language - Offering further assistance

- Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
- In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact me or my assistant, if you have any queries.
- In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
- If you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at this office.
- If you have any questions or would like to discuss this matter further, do not hesitate to contact me.
- Please contact me if you need any further information.
- Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries in the meantime.
- Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of further assistance to you in relation to this or any other matter.
- This now brings matters to a conclusion. However, if you have any questions, please dot hesitate to contact us.

Sequencing

- First of all
- Firstly
- To begin with…
- In the first place

- Secondly
- In the second place
- Thirdly
- Afterwards
- After (this)
- Next
- Then

- Finally
- Lastly

Useful language - Requesting politely

- I will be grateful for any help you can provide.
- I should be grateful if you would kindly send me…
- I should be grateful if you could forward to me the following further information:
- We should be grateful if you would provide us with …
- We should be grateful if you would let us have…
- We should be grateful if you would forward to us a …
- We should be grateful to hear from you in relation to this proposal.
- We should be grateful if you would prepare a short report dealing with the following issues.
- I would appreciate if you could…
- I will appreciate your help with this situation.
- I hope you will be able to provide the information.
- We would appreciate if you could
- Could you please let me know…
- Could you give me some details, please?
- Would you please clarify the situation regarding…
- Would you please let us have…
- Would you kindly…
- In the meantime, it would be helpful if you could le me know…
- Kindly acknowledge receipt.
- Kindly confirm that this is accepted as drawn.
- Kindly confirm that this is accepted so that we can send you the amended X for approval.
- Kindly update your records accordingly.
- Kindly provide copies of the following:
- Kindly confirm that you are in agreement with this course of action.
- We therefore require the following information:

Charging your client

- The firm’s general practice is to charge on a time basis.
- Other applicable current hourly rates are…
- As to our fees, the cost of the initial action as outlined above will be …
- In a matter such as this, it is difficult to estimate the probable charges as this depends on a range of factors beyond our control.
- I will need to complete some financial calculations before writing again with specific proposals…
- There are further expenses which…
- This will give rise to further charges.
- Further payments may be requested as the matter progresses.
- It may be necessary from time to time to pay other expenses.
- If you are successful, our costs will be paid by the losing party. If, on the other hand, you lose, you will not have to pay our costs and we would not be able to recover any monies for work carried out.
- If you win, we will be entitled to charge you what is known as “success fee”

Useful language - disagreeing

- I see what you mean, but…
- I know what you mean, but...
- I am afraid I can’t agree.
- I do not really agree with that.
- I do not really go along with that.
- I do not agree with that at all.
- I totally disagree.
- I am not completely sure about that.
- That might be true, but…
- I am not sure if I agree with…
- You have got a point, but…

Useful language - agreeing

- I agree
- Absolutely
- That’s true
- I think so too
- You are absolutely right.
- I totally agree with you.
- I couldn’t agree with you more.

Useful language - checking understanding

- I may just check if I got this right…
- If I have understood correctly…
- What do you mean?
- Have I got this right?
- You mean, if …
- Are you saying…?

Useful language - asking clarification

- I am sorry I did not catch what you said.
- I am afraid I did not quite understand when you said…
- Would you mind repeating…
- Would you think it rude if I asked you to repeat?
- I am sorry it is not quite clear what you told me about…
- Would you mind clarifying…
- What do you mean by…

Useful language - thanking

- Many thanks for…
- Many thanks for your email of yesterday attaching X in respect of Y.
- I would like to take this opportunity to thank you.
- May I take this opportunity to thank you for…
- Thank you for instructing us to act on your behalf.
- Thank you for coming in to see me.
- Thank you for returning the forms duly completed.
- Thank you for considering my request.
- Thank you for any help you can provide.

Useful language - making suggestions

- I propose…
- I suggest…
- I would suggest that…
- It is recommended that
- It is advisable for X to do…
- I think we should…
- How about…
- Why don’t we…
- Perhaps we could…
- We would suggest that it would be sensible to check…
- We would strongly recommend that you have ...
- Unless you have any objections, I would suggest we …
- I suggest that the correct approach would be to request…
- Once this has been done, we could consider…
- If this does not have the desired effect, we should…
- Perhaps you could telephone me to discuss this matter.

Useful language - giving opinion

- I think…
- I believe…
- I understand…
- Personally, I think…
- In my opinion,
- From my point of view,
- As far as I am concerned,
- It appears that…
- It seems to me that…
- It seems clear to me that…
- The first point I would like to make is that…
- Let me explain why I think that…
- I had not thought about it before, but it seems to me…
- We understand that this is a matter that…

Useful language - referring to previous contacts

- As discussed…
- As discussed during…
- As previously discussed
- As you may know, a meeting was held on…
- In reply to your email of X, I would like to say…
- I would like to respond to your email…
- Further to my last email,...
- Further to our phone discussion…
- Further to our telephone conversation,…
- Further to our recent correspondence…
- I write further to our meeting on…
- I write further in this matter.
- I write further to our meeting….
- I write further to my email,
- I write further to our meeting when we discussed…
- I write further to our discussions over the telephone.
- I write further in this matter, and am now in a position to put forward proposals for settlement.
- I write further in this matter, having now received further information from our advisers.
- Following our meeting on…
- We refer to our telephone conversation…
- I refer to X when you confirmed your instructions to act for this matter.
- Many thanks for your email of yesterday attaching X in respect of Y.
- Thank you for your email.
- Thank you for your enquiry.
- The outcome of that meeting was that…
- With regard to the specific points you raised: