How to write a memo

Memos should have the following sections and content:

1. A 'To' section containing the name of the receiver. For informal memos, the receiver's given name; e.g. 'To: Andy' is enough. For more formal memos, use the receiver's full name. If the receiver is in another department, use the full name and the department name. It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms unless the memo is very formal.

2. A 'From' section containing the name of the sender. For informal memos, the sender's other name; e.g. 'From: Bill' is enough. For more formal memos, use the sender's full name. If the receiver is in another department, use the full name and the department name. It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms unless the memo is very formal.

3. A 'Date' section. To avoid confusion between the British and American date systems, write the month as a word or an abbreviation; e.g. 'January' or 'Jan'.

4. A Subject Heading.

5. The message.

Unless the memo is a brief note, a well-organized memo message should contain the following sections:

A) Situation – an Introduction or the purpose of the memo

B) Problem (optional) – for example: "Since the move to the new office in Kowloon Bay, staff has difficulty in finding a nearby place to buy lunch".

C) Solution (optional) – for example: "Providing a microwave oven in the pantry would enable staff to bring in their own lunchboxes and reheat their food".

D) Action – this may be the same as the solution, or be the part of the solution that the receiver needs to carry out; e.g. "we would appreciate it if you could authorize up to $3,000".

E) Politeness – to avoid the receiver refusing to take the action you want, it is important to end with a polite expression; e.g. "Once again, thank you for your support.", or more informally "Thanks".

6. Signature (Memos are usually not signed but may be initialed.)

Practice:

Exercise 1. Read memo, and then answer the questions.

1. Why is Stephen Yu writing this document?

2. Which part of the memo gives this information?

3. Why has Stephen Yu used a number of polite phrases?

4. What are these phrases?

5. Stephen Yu is tentative (uncertain or not definite) when he informs Katherine Chu about his departure date. Which words indicate this tentativeness?

Exercise 2. Put the words given below in memo.

Date: 9^th June

To: Secretarial Supervisor

(1) _____: Claire McElroy

(2) _____: Demonstration of new office equipment

The (3) _____ of Smart Equipment will visit us on 28 April to demonstrate their new computer and fax-machine which you are sure to be interested in.

Please arrange the time to meet him so that all your staff could be present.

(4) ______

a) Subject c) From

b) C.M. d) Sales Manager

Exercise 3. Put the following sentences of memo in the correct order:

1. I attach the doctor’s note.

2. Thank you

3. From: K. K. Wong, Sales

4. To: Julia Wong, Human Resources

5. Date: 8July 1999

6. Please confirm that the cost of the medicine is covered by the company health scheme.

7. I was sick yesterday, and therefore I couldn’t come to work.

8. In order to receive sick pay, I need to send in my doctor’s note.

9. Subject: Sick leave certificate.

10. Message:

A. – …, C. – …, E. – …, G. – …, I. – …,

B. – …, D. – …, F. – …, H. – …, J. – ….

Exercise 4. Complete the two memos with the adverb collocations:

a. bitterly disappointed f. accurately predict

b. highly unlikely g. distinctly remember

c. perfectly clear h. eagerly await

d. sorely tempted i. fully understand

e. virtually impossible j. sincerely hope

MEMO

To: Mike Walters

From: Julia Gough

Date: 17 September

Subject: Letter from Imsyst Inc.

Thanks for forwarding the letter from Imsyst Inc. It is very unfortunate that they can’t deliver the imaging machines on time. I (1) _______ that it’s difficult to guarantee delivery dates in the current economic climate but I (2) ________ their saying that it wouldn’t be at all difficult to meet the deadline we set. In fact I have a written record of it.

What should we do now? It will be (3) ________ for us to meet our customer’s deadline if we don’t get those machines before the New Year. I (4) _____ that Imsyst can deliver by January and I (5) _______ the outcome of your meeting with Geoff Lee. If Imsyst can’t guarantee new delivery dates, I’m (6) ______ to cancel the contract and find another supplier for the machines.

Regards

Julie

MEMO

To: Julia Gough

From: Mike Walters

Date: 18 September

Subject: Letter from Inc.

Thanks for your memo of 17^th September. Like you, I’m (7) _____ that Imsyst have missed the deadline. To be fair to Imsyst, I know they can’t always (8) _______ the consequences of economic developments when they plan their deliveries.

Be that as it may, I met Geoff Lee at Imsyst, and it was (9) ______ from what he said that they can and will guarantee delivery by January. I`m going to draw up a new contract, this time with a stiff penalty clause for late delivery, even though this would appear to be (10) ________.

Best wishes

Mike

Exercise 5. Write memo based on this information.

Miss Indira Purewal, senior sales officer at Calibre International Products, is worried that several customers have complained in the past few weeks of incorrect orders having been received. She asks you to write a memo under her to Mrs. Selma Pusao, a supervisor at the Packing Department. You are reminded to be tactful, especially since Mrs. Pusao is usually very efficient, but all the mistakes are in her section. The firm can’t have such glaring faults in the system; the customers rightly expect quality in the firm’s service. Tell her to let you know if she is having any unusual, short-term difficulties. Something must be causing the inaccuracies.

Exercise 6. Answer the questions.

1. What is a memo?

2. Who and where writes memos?

3. What are the rules of memo-writing?

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