English help

[chin_wan]

Can anyone tell me if there's any problem with the following sentence?

Please kindly refer to the attached file.

Is it OK to use please kindly? Or is please or kindly good enough.

[ahtal68]

You could use either one. OR

If you want to use both "please" and "kindly", you could say
"Kindly refer to the attached file, please." :)

[rachel sj]

in that sentece, "Kindly" and "Please" refer to the same thing...

so they should be use disjunctively and not conjunctively in a sentence.

[mykern]

I never use 'kindly' because it has a sarcastic overtone as if you didn't want do things "kindly" ... I just use the simple word "please" for almost every thing.
Grazzi!~

[QuietStorm]

IMHO, use either one. Having both back to back is overdoing it. :)

[ginaphan]

I agree with mykern.

My opinion is not to write in such a impersonal manner. "Please refer to the file attached" does not really mean much as most of the time, the reader already knows a file is attached.

It would be more effective to say something more personal like "I am sending you this file which contains ......... It will provide the necessary information about ......" It's a lot friendlier and makes the cover letter/note more information rich than the normal 2 paragraph letters I have received - cold, impersonal and really has not value to the recipient.

Throw away what the English text books taught us in school. It does not apply anymore i.e. not effective. Like someone told me "We are not lawyers, so don't write like one.".

But if you are a lawyer, then I guess it's OK.

[chin_wan]

Ahh...thank you all. You've been great help. :)

[tehmc]

Throw away what the English text books taught us in school. It does not apply anymore i.e. not effective

Do the schools these days teach students to reproduce hackneyed, redundant phrases like these?

Please refer to the attached file?
Please kindly.......?

I think such phrases(stating the obvious, reproducing standard phrases) sound kind of pretentious and reflects the lack of imagination and poor command of English on the part of the writer.

More of redundant phrases in business letters:

-I refer to your letter xxxx dated xxxx and the contents are duly noted. (when the reference is stated clearly at the top of the letter under 'your ref'.

-Thank you in anticipation/in advance.

-others (feel free to add to the list)

It's far better to get straight to the point, be concise, write in simple language and sound sincere.

[bobkee]

Do refer to the file attached for more information?

[ginaphan]

My all time favourite dislike:

"Attached herewith ..... for your perusal."

My hair stand on ends whenever I see this. The thing is that I used to write like that because I was taught that it was the right way to do it in business letters.

[bslee]

My all time favourite dislike:

"Attached herewith ..... for your perusal."


You're lucky they didn't use shortform SMS lingo.. Atch herewth..4ure perusal. :D or NAH!..here-lah..!

[hhtee]

Do refer to the file attached for more information?

no no. He was just asking about that sentence above. :) "please kindly...."

[tehmc]

Either one is fine, not both.
You write it if you feel comfortable saying it. ;)

[mykern]

In my experience, people write the way they speak and speak the way they write ... but when we write we have the time to think and to make any adjustments to the grammar and spelling ... but malaysians will never cease to speak (talk) like malaysians ... "yes or not!" haha
Grazzi!~