Writing: Business Correspondence and Short Responses
What the Writing section tests
iTEP Business-Core Writing asks for business correspondence and short responses. You are judged on task completion, clarity, organization, grammar, vocabulary, and register. The reader should know why you are writing, what you need, and what happens next without rereading.
Core rules and concepts
- Open with purpose. I am writing to confirm... or Thank you for your email of 12 June. Do not spend the first paragraph on background.
- Use a four-part email: context, request or decision, deadline, closing. One idea per paragraph.
- Match register to relationship. Formal: Dear Ms Chen, Yours sincerely. Neutral business: Hello Priya, Best regards. Avoid Hey unless the prompt shows a close colleague.
- Prefer plain verbs. decide not make a decision; because not due to the fact that.
- Deliver bad news clearly but politely. We regret that we cannot... then give the reason and any alternative.
- Check the salutation and sign-off pair. Dear Sir/Madam pairs with Yours faithfully; a named recipient pairs with Yours sincerely.
Worked example
Original: I am writing to inform you that we are not able to fulfill the order due to the fact that the supplier has delayed delivery. Revision: We regret that we cannot fulfill your order because our supplier has delayed delivery. Reasoning: regret acknowledges the problem; cannot is direct; because replaces the wordy phrase; the reason stays in one clause. The revision is shorter but completes the task more clearly.
Traps that cost marks
- Answering only one of two bullet points in the prompt.
- Using a casual sign-off after a formal complaint.
- Hiding the request in the final sentence without a deadline.
- Over-apologizing until the main message disappears.
- Writing a long opening that repeats the prompt.