Making arrangements
Think about these points when the purpose of your email is to make an arrangement.
Useful questions
Here are some typical questions used for making arrangements:
- Are you free next Tuesday afternoon?
- What time would you like to meet?
- When would be convenient for you?
- Could you please let me know?
Expressions of time
Use on with days: Could we meet on Monday?
Use in with months, years and other expressions: I'm going to visit my grandparents in October.
Use at with times and other expressions: Could you please call me at 3pm?
Use next to refer to future times: I hope we can meet again next week.
Use when to start a future time clause: Let's meet again when it is convenient.
Tenses
To speak about a timetable, use the present simple: Next term runs from 1 September until 16 December.
To speak about a future arrangement, use the present continuous: Mr Toshiko is coming to our next meeting.
To speak about a plan, use 'be going to': Next term we are going to learn about pollution.
See the talking about the future page for more practice.
Tenses in complex sentences about the future
Use the present simple after when, if and next time in future time clauses:
- I will call you when I get to the station.
- I'm going to work with my dad when I finish school.
- Let's go for a walk if the weather is good.
- Will you visit the Eiffel Tower next time you are in Paris?
Comments
Dear Sir,
I have made a precis of a paragraph, Would you please make the corrections and suggest and write the better one for me? If the answer is yes, then I will surely post them here. If it is no, then would you please suggest someone who offers such kind of services?
Hello ali shah,
I'm afraid we don't provide this kind of service and I'm afraid we can't make any recommendations in this respect, either. Perhaps you could find someone by searching the internet for 'writing teacher', 'editor' or 'proofreader'.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Sir,
1."He was posted as assistant commissioner(AC)." 2."He was posted as an assistant commissioner." Which one is correct and why? if the first one is correct then what would you say about AC being a countable noun? Can we use indefinite articles for designations? e.g. He is an assistant professor. If we can use here then why can't we use it in No.1?
Hello ali shah,
Normally we use an indefinite pronoun in this kind of sentence, so in most cases 2 would be better. There are some contexts, however, when 1 could be correct. For example, if we had been speaking about the two or three different positions Imran could be assigned, we could say 1. But, as I said, in most cases, 2 would probably be best.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you Sir. Sir, does the use of ellipses count for redundancy? Will I be punished for it if used it in written examination? Which expression has good impression, ellipsis or ellipsis-less?
Hello ali shah,
Yes, ellipsis is often used to avoid being redundant. I'm afraid we can't really predict how your teachers will mark your writing, but in general I would encourage you to use ellipsis, but not excessively. I know that's not very specific advice, but there is simply no easy rule to explain it. I think the best thing you can do is pay attention to ellipsis -- or the lack thereof -- as you read in English. For example, in the Orwell quote, as Peter explained, Orwell avoids ellipsis because the repetition emphasises his point and makes the ideas memorable in a way that a more normally phrased sentence would not.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello,
Thank you! I will think of this suggestion.
Have a nice day!
Good evening,
I wrote an e-mail and I would like someone to correct it gramatically.
Thank you in advance!
Dear Mrs. Mueller,
My name is Irina Diaconescu and I write this message on behalf of Mrs. Popescu.
She told me last week that you will coming to our office to discuss some aspects about my position in the company.
Can you send me the discussion agenda for preparing all documents for each aspect? I mention that the graduation diplomas are not ready yet because the university where I finished my studies didn`t receive the statements.
Thank you for your understanding and I hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Irina Diaconescu
Hello Irina,
Your message is very good, but I'm afraid we don't provide this kind of service. You might want to consider a writing class with the British Council in Romania, where I'm sure your teacher could help you more, or, if you have a specific question about a specific phrase or sentence, you're welcome to ask us here.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello ali shah,
These are participle clauses – they can also be reduced relative clauses – and yours are all grammatically correct – good work!
Participle clauses are not very common in informal speaking and writing. In these contexts, people often use 'and' and another verb instead, e.g. 'John kicked the girl and injured her left knee'. Yes, sometimes you can use 'which' to create a full relative clause from a reduced one. For example, your second sentence would become 'Congress passed the new tariff act, which will increase the prices of imported goods.'
Although participle clauses are used quite regularly in more formal writing or speaking, I'd say we tend not to use too many of them for stylistic reasons. I'm afraid it's difficult to describe this more specifically. I think the best thing for you to do to learn this is to pay attention as you read in English. As you see them used, you should get a better sense for how and when they are used. And of couse you can ask us if ever have a specific question about one.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
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