brief introduction to business letters

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--------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------BriefIntroductiontoBusinessLettersBriefIntroductiontoBusinessLettersBriefIntroductiontoBusinessLettersWordsandexpressions:LetterheadReferenceSalutationComplimentaryAttentionlineSubjectlineEnclosureCarboncopyFullblockstyle（齐头式）IndentedstyleSectionAPartsofBusinessLettersMostbusinesslettershavesevenstandardparts.Theyareletterhead,referenceanddate,insideaddress,salutation,body,complimentaryclose,andsignature.Whenappropriate,anyofthefollowingoptionalitemscanbeincluded.Attentionline,subjectline,fileoraccountnumber,enclosures,carboncopynotation,mailingnotationandpostscript.LetterheadLetterheaddesignsvarywithbusinessorganizationsandoccupythetopofthefirstpage.Theymaybepositionedatthecenterorattheleftmarginthetopofthepage.Abusiness9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------letterhead,usuallyprinted,containsallorsomeofthefollowingelements:Thecompany’sname,address,postcode,telephonenumber,telexnumber,faxnumber,thenameoftheofficerorthedirectorandevensomepictureorsloganforasymbolofthecompany.ReferenceandDateAtypewrittendateisnecessarilyincludedintheheading.Thedateisusuallyplacedtwolinesbelowthelastlineoftheletterheadatleftmarginforfullblockstyleorendingwiththerightmarginforindentedstyle.Itisusualtoshowthedateintheorderday/month/year(EnglishPractice)ormonth/day/year(Americanpractice).Avoidgivingadateinfiguresandabbreviations.InsideAddressTheinsideaddressistypeddirectlybelowthedatelineatthelefthandmargin.Theinsideaddressofalettertoanindividualconsistsoftheperson’scourtesytitle,name,businessorexecutivetitle(itshouldbeusedimmediatelyafterthename)andaddress.Whentheletteristoagroup,theinsideaddressincludesthefullgroupnameandtheaddress.Careshouldbetakentoaddresstherecipientexactlyasontheenvelope.SalutationSalutationisplacedattheleftmargintwolinesbelowtheinsideaddressandtwolinesabovethebodyoftheletter.Consideredapolitegreetingwithwhichafriendlybusinessletterbegins,thepersonalsalutationmustbeappropriateforthefirstlineoftheinsideaddress.If9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------theletterisaddressedtoanindividual,Itisusualtouse:DearMr.Smith,DearMs.John,DearProf.Hobart,DearDr.Walter,ThetrendistowardsMs.Asthecourtesytitleforallwomenregardlessoftheirmaritalstatus.Whenaddressingalettertoafirm,DearSirs,LadiesandgentlemenorGentlemen(AmericanEnglish)wouldbeused.AttentionLineAnattentionlineisconsideredapartoftheinsideaddressanditleadsthelettertoaparticularpersonordepartmentwhentheletterisaddressedtoacompany.Itisusuallybetweentheinsideaddressandthesalutationorabovetheinsideaddress,asshowninexamples:Attention:ImportDept.FortheattentionofMr.Donnan,SalesmanagerAttentionofMr.Standard,GeneralManager.SubjectlineThesubjectheadingisregardedasapartofthebodyofabusinessletter.Usuallyitisintheuppercaseorinitialcapitals/underlineandplacedbetweenthesalutationandthebodyofalettertocallattentiontowhatcontenttheletterisabout.Forexample:DearMs.Smith,OurCatalogueNo.2,OpeningSentenceThefirstparagraphofthebodyisintroductory.Itwillalwaysbeginwithreferencetothepreviousletterreceivedandprovideanintroductiontowhatwillbediscussed.Hereareexamplesasfollows:(1),Yourletterof9’’SeptembertoourBeijing(2),Werefertoquotationsof8’’octoberandourmailofferof1’’DecemberregardingthesupplyofSpeedoswimmingcaps.(3)Weacknowledge,withthanks,receiptofyourbindingapplicationformforthe76’’internationalExhibitioninMarch,1998.(4),Wearepleasedto9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------informyouthatthearrangementshavenowbeenmadetoshipthecottonunderwearunderyourOrderno.456.(5),Weregretuptothetimeofwritingwehavenotheardanythingfromyouabouttheshipmentunderthecaptionedcontract.ComplimentarycloseThecomplimentarycloseissimplyapolitewaytoendaletter.Theexpressionforthecomplimentarycloseshouldmatchthesalutation.Itappearsinthemiddleofthepageandtwolinesbelowtheclosingsentenceforindentedlayout.Whileitstartsattheleft-handmarginforfullyblockedletters.Onlytheinitialletterinthefirstwordofanycomplimentarycloseiscapitalized.PostscriptThesignaturemainlyconsistsoftheaddresser’ssignature,hetypednameofhisandhisbusinesstitle.Nameofthecompanyifitispreviouslyprintedontheletterhead.Theaddressershouldsigntheletterbyhandandininkabovethetypednamewhichthetypedpostfollowsimmediately.Signingonbehalfofsomebodyelse,itisusualtowriteforpporperprobeforeheletter.EnclosureEnc.OrEncs.Istypedtwolinesspacesafterthesignatureoftheaddresswhensomethingissentalongwiththeletter.Anenclosurecanbeanythingintheenvelopeinadditiontothemessageitself.Examplesareasfollows:Enc.:1PriceListIftheenclosedaremorethanon,the9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------numbershouldbemarked.PostscriptWhenyoufindsomethingforgottentobeincludedintheletterbodybeforetheenvelopeistobesealedup.Youmaystateitafterthesignatureinapostscriptwithasimplesignatureagain.TheaddingofaP.S.should,however,beavoidedasfaraspossible.Forexamples:PS:thecataloguewassenttoyouonJuly7th.SectionBFormatofaBusinessletterFullblockformandmodifiedblockformwithindentedparagraphsarethetwomainpatternsoflayoutincurrentuse.Theformerisnowthemostpopularpracticeofdisplayingbusinessletters.Itsremarkablefeatureisthatalltypinglines,includingthoseforthedate,Insidenameandaddress,salutation,subjectheading,eachmessageparagraphandcomplimentaryclose,beginattheleft-handmargin.Businessletterswiththefullblockform,alongwithopenpunctuationormixedpunctuations,reparagraphedbyequallinespaces.Forthisletter-styletheopenpunctuationpatternisused,theendofthedateline,theinsideaddresslines,thesalutation,thecomplimentarycloseandthesignatureblocklinesareunpunctuated,butacommaisnecessarybetweenthedayandyearinthedatelineandthefullstopisretainedaftertheabbreviationsuchascompany,Inc.andLtd.Whilethemixedpunctuationpattern,themostwelcomedstyletoday,requiresanabsenceofpunctuationmarksfromthedateline,theinsideaddresslinesandthesignatureblocklinesexceptacolonorcommaafterthesalutationandthecomplimentaryclose.Modifiedblockformwithindentedparagraphsindented9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------styleisthetraditionalBritishpracticewiththeheadingusuallyinthemiddleandthedateontheright-handside.Thecomplimentaryclosemaybeinthecenterorcommenceatthecenterpoint.Themixedpunctuationisoftenused.CHINANATIONALIMP.EXPCORPAdd:6,JIANGGUAODAJIE,BEIJING,CHINATel:(86-10)67483650Fax:(86-10)674836514February1998ResunicTradeLinksRegdOfficeThriuvamkulamCochin678201KerataIndiaDearsirsEXORTING/IMPORTINGITEMSOFOURCORPWenowhavepleasureinreceivingyourletterdated23thMay1997YourssincerelyJ.K.DRAWProjectManagerEncl.AsstatedSectionCWritingRulesforBusinessLettersBusinesscorrespondenceisstillabasicactivityinvolvedintrade,andremainaveryimportantformofcommunicationevennowadays.Theydelivertheircompanies’imagestothepublic.Businesslettersareoftenanarrangementorregardedasevidenceofacontract.Theyarewrittenforinformationexchangeandbridgeoverthedesiresbetweenbuyersandsellers.Themosteffectivelettershouldbeeasytoreadandeasytounderstand.Theymustbefriendlyandcourteous.Weshouldbearinmindthepointthatbusinesslettersplayanimportantroleinthedevelopmentofgoodwillandfriendlytraderelationships.Generallyspeaking:consideration,completeness,correctness,concreteness,conciseness,clarityand9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------courtesy.ConsiderationTrytoputyourselfinhisorherplacetogiveconsiderationtohisorherwishes,demands,interestsanddifficulties.Findthebestwaytoexpressyourbetterunderstandingandpresentthemessage.Thatenablesarequesttoberefusedwithoutkillingallhopeofbusinessorallowsarefusaltodofavortobemadewithoutharmingfriendship.CorrectnessCorrectnessmeansnotonlyproperexpressionswithcorrectgrammar,punctuationandspelling,butalsoappropriatetonewhichisahelptoachievethepurpose.Itislikelytoconveytherealmessageinawaythatwillnotcauseoffenceevenifitisacomplaintorananswertosuchaletter.Businesslettersmustbefactualinformationaccuratefiguresandexacttermsinparticular,fortheyinvolvetheright,thedutiesandtheinterestofbothsidesoftenasthebaseofallkindsofdocuments.Thereforeweshouldnotunderstatenoroverstateasunderstatementmightleadtolessconfidenceandholdupthetradedevelopment.Whileoverstatementthrowsyouintoanawkwardposition.CompletenessAsyouworkhardforcompleteness,keepthefollowingguidelinesinmind:Whydoyouwritetheletter,whatarethefactssupportingthereasons,whetheryouhaveansweredallthequestionsaskedornotandwhatthereaderisexpectedto9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------do.ConcretenessWhatthelBriefIntroductiontoBusinessLettersettercomestoshouldbespecific,definiteratherthanvague,abstractandgeneral.Take,forexample,somequalitiesorcharactersofgoodsthatshouldbeshownwithexactfiguresandavoidwordslikeshort,longorgood.Givespecifictime(withdate,month,yearandevenofferhour,minuteifnecessary).Butavoidexpressionssuchasyesterday,nextmonth,immediatelyandetc.ConcisenessConcisenessmeanscompletemessagebutbriefestexpressionwithnosacrificingclarityorcourtesy.Agoodbusinesslettershouldbepreciseandtothepoint.Singlewordsaremoreefficientthanphrases.Wordylanguagesandredundancyrequiremoretimeandmoneytotypeandtoread.Theyarenotwhatmodernbusinesspeoplewant.ClarityKeepconstantlyinmindwhatyouwanttosayinyourletter.Itiswelcomedifyouexpressyourselfclearlyanddirectlyinthesimplestlanguage.Plain,simplewordsaremoreeasilyunderstood.Aproperlyparagraphedmessageisrequiredforthepurposeofclarity.Forinstance,weusesemimonthlyinsteadofbimonthlyfortwotimesamoth.,becausebimonthlymaymeanbothtwotimesamonthandonceeverytwo9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------精品文档Word可编辑值得收藏------------------------------------------------month.CourtesyCourtesymeanstoshowtactfullyinyourlettersthehonestfriendship,thoughtfulappreciation,sincerepoliteness,considerateunderstandingandheartfeltrespect.Answerlettersingoodtimeandwritetoexplainwhyifyoufailtodoitpromptly.Evenifyoudon’tthinktherecipientisright,youshouldstillrespondtactfullyandpolitely.Sometimesitisahelptouseyou-attitudeinsteadofI-attitude.9----------------------------------------------------精品文档值得收藏-----------------------------------------------------------