Writing Letters/Reports Advise? ...Please...?

Question

I have a life changing test coming up very soon and it can be a instant fail on written communication.

Can someone advise me what the best way to start a letter or report is when replying to someone. Rather then 'I am writing to you regarding...' or 'Please see this report regarding...'. I have been warned off starting like that as it shows no imagintive skills.

Should reports always have headlines i.e background information, solutions, conclusion before the text on the next line?

The letter is probably going to be a complaint letter and the report, a request for my feelings on how to solve a problem.

I have a habit of saying 'I feel...' when saying what I think is wrong or a solution. I don't think that's the best thing I can say but I don't know what else to say...any ideas?

I did this same test about 4 years ago and failed on the written but hopefully this time I will be ok!

At school my English Language exam marks were the 3rd highest so I just don't' know how they got so poor. I think it is because I left school and went straight in to a job where you didn't need any written skills.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated and put to good use.

Answer 1

First of all everybody starts their reports in different ways.  The person who advised you that starting your response with "I am writing to you ...." and "Please see this report ..." may just not like that but the next person thinks that its the correct way of doing it.  

One ex boss wanted everything put into writing and another ex boss thought that was rude and preferred calling all.  

I would start my letter with "Further to your letter / memo dated ....." or "I have received your letter / memo concerning the ...... and wish to comment as follows".

As for how the report is written, again depending on what the report is about and what information you are trying to get across.  My last job was for two Structural Engineers and one of them preferred the main heading in block capitals and in bold with a statement underneath, for example LIVING ROOM was the title and the statement read "The client expressed concern at the current level of mould on the outer wall next to the sofa" and then a description of what he found with all photos included in the text.  

The other Engineer, however, preferred the title of the document being the address and then started the report as to how he did the survey with photos, if he included any, at the end of the report.  Both worked because it was their way.  

The only thing I do want to say is that you must continue to write your report the same way you start it, for example, if you start writing it in third person e.g "The Engineer walked down the hallway", then you must continue to write it that way and not change to "As I walked into the living room I noticed" (It should read "The Engineer walked into the living room and noticed")

As for your English Language exam, there is significant difference between speaking and writing.  

Good luck and remember, do what you feel comfortable doing, it may take a while for you to find that way but when you do find it, stick to it and people are all different.