A letter addressed to a business partner

[Foah]

Hi,

admitted, this isn´t a TOEFL preparation essay. But this is the forum where bigger posts get examined and corrected. Thus I dare adding my attempt of a letter and ask for revision.

Hello …,

it´s a year ago now since we met in HCMC together with Mrs. … After all, I must say I think of that events quite often, and yet often enough enjoy my memories to that journey. It´s been a pretty nice experience to me to learn about your country and the great progress it has made and still is making. Albeit I saw a good part of your country I must have missed a lot. I don´t talk about the touristic centers in Nha Trang or Da Nang but I´d liked to see the Mekong (especially the swimming market there and also the great nature) or the Ha Long Bay, the whole North and several other places which must be very impressive. What attracted me in your country also, are the people, which I experienced very kind and interested. Still today, talking (chatting) on several esl sites I meet Vietnamese people and who are always open minded and pretty polite.

But to come to the point: your heatexchanger. Your idea regarding the warmth-recuperation from your dryers´ exhausts still interests myself. No doubt, our price for each unit wasn´t suitable. Due to the circumstances last year ( the owner of my company thought of selling the company in order to retire ) and the prospective buyer was too keen on the easy business and easy money. He decided on that overwhelming price. This can´t be an excuse for that, just an explanation. On the other hand we´ve been told that your business didn´t work that fine, so that you and your company had decided not to start with substituting your existing heatexchangers. Plus, unfortunately, the contact with Mrs. … went off.

Anyway, I´m eager to learn if you found another solution for the exchanger issue and which, if any. I´d be pretty grateful if you shared your solution to me within a short notification.

I´d enjoy reading from you

Foah

TOEFL listening lectures: A lecture from a social sciences class

[Kitosdad]

Hello …,

it´s a year ago now since we LAST met in HCMC together with Mrs. … After all, I must say I think of THOSE events quite often, and yet often enough TO enjoy my memories OF that journey. It´s been a pretty nice experience to me to learn about your country and the great progress it has made and still is making.
Albeit I saw a good part of your country I must have missed QUIET a lot. I don´t talk about the touristic centers in Nha Trang or Da Nang but I´d liked to see the Mekong (especially the swimming market there and also the great nature) or the Ha Long Bay, the whole North and several other places which must be very impressive. What attracted me in your country also, are the people, WHOM I FOUND TO BE very kind and interestING: tHEY ALSO SHOWED GREAT INTEREST IN ME.
Still today, talking (chatting) on several ESL sites, I meet MANY Vietnamese people and THEY are always open minded and polite.

But to come to the point: your heat-exchanger. Your idea regarding the warmth-RECOVERY/RECIRCULATON SYSTEM from your dryers´ exhausts still interests ME.
No doubt, our price for each unit wasn’t ACCEPTABLE. Due to the FINANCIAL circumstances OF last year ( the owner of my company thought of selling the company in order to retire ) and the prospective buyer was too keen on the easy business and easy money. He decided on that UNACCEPTABLE price. This can’t be OFFERED AS an excuse for that, SIMPLY an explanation.
On the other hand we’ve been told that your business didn’t REALLY work that EFFICIENTLY, so that you and your company had decided not to start with substituting your existing heatexchangers. Plus, unfortunately, the contact with Mrs. … went off.

Anyway, I’m eager to learn if you EVENTUALLY found another, MORE ACCEPTABLE solution for the exchanger issue and which, if any. I’d be pretty grateful if you shared your solution WITH me within a short DURATION. (ASAP)

I’d REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING from you.

There you go Michel.Hope it serves your purpose. Bill.

[Kitosdad]

@Kitosdad

Hello …,

it´s a year ago now since we LAST met in HCMC together with Mrs. … After all, I must say I think of THOSE events quite often, and yet often enough TO enjoy my memories OF that journey. It´s been a pretty nice experience FOR me to learn about your country and the great progress it has made, and still is making.
Albeit I saw a good part of your country I must have missed QUIET a lot. I don´t talk about the touristic centers in Nha Trang or Da Nang but I´d liked to see the Mekong (especially the swimming market there and also the great nature) or the Ha Long Bay, the whole North and several other places which must be very impressive. What attracted me in your country also, are the people, WHOM I FOUND TO BE very kind and interestING: tHEY ALSO SHOWED GREAT INTEREST IN ME.
Still today, talking (chatting) on several ESL sites, I meet MANY Vietnamese people and THEY are always open minded and polite.

But to come to the point: your heat-exchanger. Your idea regarding the warmth-RECOVERY/RECIRCULATON SYSTEM from your dryers´ exhausts still interests ME.
No doubt, our price for each unit wasn’t ACCEPTABLE. Due to the FINANCIAL circumstances OF last year ( the owner of my company thought of selling the company in order to retire ) and the prospective buyer was too keen on the easy business and easy money. He decided on that UNACCEPTABLE price. This can’t be OFFERED AS an excuse for that, SIMPLY an explanation.
On the other hand we’ve been told that your business didn’t REALLY work that EFFICIENTLY, so that you and your company had decided not to start with substituting your existing heatexchangers. Plus, unfortunately, the contact with Mrs. … went off.

Anyway, I’m eager to learn if you EVENTUALLY found another, MORE ACCEPTABLE solution for the exchanger issue and which, if any. I’d be pretty grateful if you shared your solution WITH me within a short DURATION. (ASAP)

I’d REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING from you.

There you go Michel.Hope it serves your purpose. Bill.

[Foah]

Hey Bill,

First of all I´m grateful for your examination. Most of your corrections are pretty clear.

Nonetheless I´m a bit anxious about how wrong I could be understood. It demonstrates my need of much greater improvement than I thought till now.

Thanks
Michael

[Kitosdad]

Michael, it isn’t easy, but eventually it all falls into place.

[Mixmixi]

Dear Kitos,
I have a question regarding to this letter of Michael, could you please tell me which one is better? Which is more friendly?

• It’s a year ago now since we LAST met in HCMC together.
• It was a year ago since we LAST met in HCMC together.

Thank you in advance

[Kitosdad]

Good morning Mix. Although “it’s” is really meant as the past form, written here informally. it is more widely used than “it was”.

A better structure would be to say, "It’s more than a year since we last met/spoke.or, "It’s about a year since we last met/spoke.

Bill.

[Mixmixi]

Thank you Bill, my friend. It’s amazing that the verb “is” in here has a simple past meaning, as “was”. By the way, do you know how can I learn more about these informal structures in speaking? I know I am not good enough in my formal speaking but I think it would be fun to learn about such structures.

Mixmixi