American vs. British English

Here you can find a list of the main differences between American and British English. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

Journalistic Titles

Here you can find a brief explanation on journalistic titles used in, e.g., newspaper headlines.  We, however, should not use this style for our titles in administrative writing, unless it is a press release.  How would you change the headlines provided as examples in the hot-linked document into administrative style titles?

Subjunctive

A webpage on the use of subjunctive is hereby made available.

Notes/Memos

Here you can find the document on notes or memos.  If you like, you can send me the texts for the tasks on page 10 before our next session.

Here is an another model for a memo.

Collocate dictionary

Here you can find an online collocate dictionary.  There you have the option of comparing collocations in Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), Corpus of Historical American English (COHA), Time Magazine Corpus (TIME), British National Corpus (BNC) and Google.

Mandatory, obligatory and compulsory

These words can indeed be used as synonyms in most contexts.  I also like the first response in the forum at the following link:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080507075259AAR2USG

Here is a link for another forum which can be useful, as well:
http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/2902/mandatory-obligatory-compulsory

Quotations and sources

Commission English Style Guide
In Section 9 (entitled "Footnotes, citations and references") of the English Style Guide published by the Directorate-General for Translation you can find the information and relevant links on providing sources in your documents.  Sections 14, 15 and 17 of the Guide can also be useful if you need to refer to an official EU document as your source.  Subsection 2.3 provides you with information on the use of quotation marks when you provide quotations.

Interinstitutional Style Guide
You can also refer to the relevant sections and subsections of the Interinstitutional Style Guide,  especially 5.5.4 entitled "Bibliographies" and 8 entitled "Footnotes and their references". Subsection 5.10 entitled "Quotations" provides you with the official house rules for quotations, especially in reference to the use of quotation marks and ellipses.

MLA style list of works cited
Here you can find a short overview for how to provide different types of sources in your list of works cited in the MLA style from the Seventh Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. At the bottom of the page there is a link for some of the other styles.
Here you can find a more in-dept coverage of the same issue from the Sixth Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.  You will have to download the document to see its content, since it is a sizable file.
Please pay attention to the fact that the references to digital sources are different in the Sixth and Seventh Editions of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. I recommend using the Seventh Edition in this regard.

Alternative citation styles

1) In-text citation
Here you can find information on citing sources in the text as it is presented in the Sixth Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.

2) Footnote and endnote citation
Here you can find information on citing sources in footnotes or endnotes as it is presented in the Sixth Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.

3) Author-date citation and references
Here you can find information on the author-date system, which is mostly used in the APA style, as it is presented in the Sixth Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.

4) Numbered citations and works cited
Here you can find information on the number system, which is used in positive sciences,  as it is presented in the Sixth Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.

5) Other styles
Here is a list of other styles that can be used as it provided in the Sixth Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.

REMEMBER TO BE CONSISTENT BY USING ONLY THE STYLE YOU CHOOSE!

Minutes

Here is a document on writing minutes.

Here you can find an example for minutes.  Source: Market Leader Upper Intermediate Business English Course Book by David Cotton, et al. 

Gender Neuturality

"English Style Guide" released by the Commission is hereby available.  On pages 48 - 49 you can find the section on gender neutrality. 

Subject-Verb Agreement

You can find a document on subject-verb agreement with exercises here.  The key for the exercises is available here.

A longer document entitled "Grammar and Punctuation for Business Communication"  is hereby available.  Please refer to pages 11 - 14 for subject-verb agreement. 

Linking words

The first and second parts of the documents on linking words are hereby available.  You can also find the key for the exercises here.  As you do the exercises, please remember the following three types of linking words we have identified:

• Linking words that connect two parts of the same sentence as in the following example: We only have one week off for Easter, so we will be staying in Brussels.
• Linking words that connect two separate sentences as in the following four examples, which are different ways of saying the same thing:

1. We only have one week off for Easter.  Therefore, we will be staying in Brussels.
2. We only have one week off for Easter; therefore, we will be staying in Brussels.
3. We only have one week off for Easter.  We will, therefore, be staying in Brussels.
4. We only have one week off for Easter; we will, therefore, be staying in Brussels.

• Linking words that are covered under both the first and second types as in the four following examples:

1. Besides giving his friend a lift after work, he helped her with her grocery shopping.
2. He helped his friend with her grocery shopping, besides giving her a lift after work.
3. I am afraid I am not allowed to help you with that question.  Besides, I do not know the answer myself.
4. I am afraid I am not allowed to help you with that question; besides, I do not know the answer myself.

Note that the meaning of the word 'besides'  in the first two examples is different from its meaning in the last two examples.

In all these examples, please pay special attention to the punctuation.

Jargon used at the EI

Here you can find a list of the jargon commonly used at the European Institutions.

Here you can find the list of the same jargon along with their alternatives if you want to avoid the jargon while corresponding with an external party.

Articles

Here you can find the document on articles along with the key for the exercises.

How to Write Clearly

Here you can find the Commission guide entitled "How to Write Clearly".

Prepositions

Basic prepositions:
Here you can find some exercises on basic prepositions.  The key to the exercises is hereby made available. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy) 

Noun, adjective and verb + preposition:
Here you can find some exercises on nouns, adjectives and verbs which are used with certain prepositions.  The key for the exercises are also hereby made available. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

Phrasal verbs:
Here you can find some exercises on phrasal verbs.  The key to the exercises is hereby made available. (Source: English Grammar in Use: Intermediate by Raymond Murphy) 

False friends for French

Here you can find a list of false between French and English.

Gerund vs. infinitive

Numerous exercises on gerund vs. infinitive along with their key are hereby made available for you to have access at your convenience.  You can also find the list of verbs used with gerund and/or infinitive here.

Here you can find more information and exercises on the same topic.

Conditionals

Here you can find some information and exercises on conditionals.

Here you can find information and exercises on the same topic along with the key for the exercises. (Source: English Grammar in Use. Intermediate by Raymond Murphy)

Here you can find more mixed exercises on conditionals as well as other linking words that can be used in conditionals. There are also some exercises on expressing wishes.

Future tenses

Here you can find many exercises on tenses.  I am also hereby making a list of all the tenses and key words available. You can do exercises 18 - 28, which deal with future tenses.

Interinstitutional style guide and the Commission style guide

Here you can find the Interinstitutional style guide. 

"English Style Guide" released by the Commission can be accessed  here.

Latin terms, phrases, abbreviations and acronyms

You can find a list of Latin terms, phrases abbreviations and acronyms that can be used in English here.

PS: The abbreviation for the Latin phrase et alii is 'et al.' with a dot at the end.  Here is a general rule for the use of the dot in abbreviations:  If the last letter of the word being abbreviated is not the same as the last letter of the abbreviation, you need the dot.  What are the abbreviations for 'professor', 'doctor', 'mister' and 'abbreviation'?

Sample email

Dear Ms Smith,
 
Knowing that your entry into service at the European Commission is approaching, I would like to hereby extend you a warm welcome to our Unit, and provide you with some practical information.
 
As agreed during your job interview, you will be in charge of the follow-up of inter-service consultations. This position involves regular interaction and coordination with the other services of our DG as well as with other DGs. You will be working closely with Ms Black in our Unit, as inter-service consultation follow-up is a shared responsibility. Under my supervision, Ms Black will explain to you the various procedures, so that you can become acquainted with our working methods as soon as possible. As an attachment, I am resending your job description, in case you need it for a quick reference.
 
You should have been already informed that you will be attending a two-day training course organised by DG HR, i.e., the Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, before taking up your duties at our Unit. This very useful course should provide you with additional information regarding the functioning of the European Commission, its working environment, and the rights and duties of its employees. During the training, you will have the opportunity to get your badge ready; all the relevant information will be provided by the trainers.
 
As a newcomer in Brussels, you might also be interested in receiving information on matters such as accommodation and public transportation. Please note that the orientation leaders at DG HR will be handing out an information package during the training, and that a legal advisor will be at your disposal to check the leases you might be considering before you sign a contract. If you need to search for an apartment, the best place to start is the immoweb website (http://www.immoweb.be/). There is also plenty of short-term accommodation available in Brussels, especially in the Schuman area close to the European Institutions. You can find all the necessary information about public transportation in Brussels at http://www.stib.be/.
 
I would also like to hereby invite you take up your duties in our Unit on Wednesday, 16th of March, i.e., after the completion of the training mentioned above.  I propose starting the day with a meeting in my office at 9.30 am.  Afterwards, I will introduce you to the members of the team you will be working in. Moreover, you will need to make an appointment to see Mr Miller (tel: +32(0)2/291 7811) in the afternoon of the same day.  I suggest making the appointment at least three days in advance, since he is usually very busy.  He is the HR focal point in our DG, and thus he will be your interlocutor for all contract related issues .
 
As you probably remember from your interview, our offices are located at Rue de la Science, 15, close to Rue Belliard. With your badge, you can come up directly to our Unit, which is located on the 7th floor; I am in office 123.
 
Looking forward to meeting you in person,
 
With kind regards,

 Iris Wellington

Greetings and Closers

Here is a list of greetings you can use in your formal emails depending on the recipient:

• Anonymous singular:

1. Dear Sir/Madam
2. Dear Madam/Sir
3. Dear Sir or Madam
4. Dear Madam or Sir

• Anonymous plural:

1. Dear Sirs/Ladies
2. Dear Ladies/Sirs
3. Dear Sirs and/or Ladies
4. Dear Ladies and/or Sirs

• With a given male name: Dear Mr Smith

• With a given female name:

1.  Dear Ms Smith (civil status irrelevant or unknown)
2.  Dear Mrs Smith (married)
3.  Dear Miss Smith (single and younger than fifty)

• With given names to a group of less than three people (male):  Dear Messrs Smith and Jones

• With given names to a group of less than three people (female):

1. Dear Mses Smith and Jones (civil statuses unknown, irrelevant or different)
2. Dear Mesdames Smith and Jones (both of them married)
3. Dear Misses Smith and Jones (both of them single and younger than fifty)

• With given names to a group of less than three people (mixed gender and not related to each other by marriage or blood): 

1. Dear Messrs Smith and Jones, and Ms Presley 
2. Dear Ms Presley, and Messrs Smith and Jones

• With a given name to a couple who use the same last name:

1. Dear Mr and Mrs Smith 
2. Dear Mrs and Mr Smith 

• With given names to a group of more than three people (mixed gender):

1. Dear Sirs/Ladies
2. Dear Ladies/Sirs
3. Dear Sirs and Ladies
4. Dear Ladies and Sirs

• With given names to a group of more than three people (all male): Dear Sirs

• With given names to a group of more than three people (all female): Dear Ladies 

• With a given first and last name and the gender is not clear:  Dear Alex Smith

Here is a list of closers which apply to all formal emails regardless of their content:

• With kind regards
• Kind regards
• Regards

You can hereby find a document on how to address various VIPs in different contexts.