Preface

Well-written business letters often play an important role besides good quality and reasonable price. So it is of the utmost importance for the students who want to be engaged in international trade in future to learn how to keep in touch with firms or merchants abroad by correspondence and how to draft effective business letters.

CHAPTER I Layout of a Business Letter

[Aim] To learn the layout of an English business letter Format of a Business letter

[Main & Difficult Points] The principle elements of an English business letter Writing rules for business letters

Content Seven principal elements Seven optional elements Writing rules for business letters Format of a business letter Training in class

Seven Principal Elements Most business letters have seven standard elements: Letterhead Date Inside address Salutation Body Complimentary close Signature

The Letter HeadThe letterhead includes the essential particularsabout the writers name , postal address, telephonenumber, fax number ,e-mail and website.

The DateThe date should be typed in the logical order of day, month and year.For the day, either cardinal numbers or ordinal numbers can be used, it can also be placed after month.

e.g. 24th March, 2005 24 March, 2005 Marth 24th ,2005 March 24, 2004

The Inside AddressThe inside address includes the essential particularsabout the receivers name , postal address, telephonenumber, fax number ,e-mail and website.

The SalutationThe salutation is a greeting with which the writer openshis letter. The particular form used depends upon thewriters relationship with his correspondent.

e.g. Dear Sirs, Gentlemen:

The BodyThis forms the body of the letter and is the partthat really matters. As the main purpose of abusiness letter is to convey information, besides thecontents which is great importance for the wholeletter, a writer should take into consideration how tomake his ideas understood and accepted in the mostproper way by the recipient.

The Complimentary CloseThe complimentary close is merely a polite way toend a letter. Yours faithfully, is the standard closure for business letters.Yours truly, is also being used in business.

The Signature The signature is the signed name or mark of the person writing the letter or that of the firm he represents. Never sign your letters with a rubber stamp.

Seven Optional Elements When appropriate, any of the following optional items can be included. Attention line Subject line File or account number Enclosures Carbon copy notation Mailing notation Postscript.

Attention Line An attention line is considered a part of the inside address and it leads the letter to a particular person or department when the letter is addressed to a company.It is usually between the inside address and the salutation. e.g. Attention: Import Dept. For the attention of Mr. Donnan, Sales manager Attention of Mr. Standard, General Manager.

Subject lineThe subject line is regarded as a part of the body of a business letter.Usually it is in the upper caseor initial capitals/underline and placed between thesalutation and the body of a letter to call attentionto what content the letter is about.

e.g. Dear Ms. Smith, Our Catalogue No.2, Opening Sentence

File or Account NumberFile or account number can be indicated near the dateor above the inside name and address so as to facilitate the writers numbering and filing the letters he receivesand enable the writer or the recipient to link the replywith the previous correspondence.

Enclosure Enc. Or Encl. is typed two lines spaces after the signature of the address when something is sent along with the letter. An enclosure can be anything in the envelope in addition to the message itself. e.g. Enc.: 1 Price List If the enclosed are more than on, the number should be marked.

Carbon Copy NotationIf the copy of the letter is to be sent to a third party, type cc two line-spacings below the signature or immediately below the enclosure at the left-handmargin, followed by the name of the recipient of thecopy. e.g. cc: Shanghai branch Office

Mailing NotationThe mailing notations are made up of the initials of the person who dictates the letter and of the secretaryor typist. The initials are usually typed two line-spacingsbelow the signature against the left-hand margin.

Postscript

When you find something forgotten to be included in the letter body before the envelope is to be sealed up,you may state it after the signature in a postscript with a simple signature again. The adding of a P.S. should, however, be avoided as far as possible. e.g. PS: the catalogue was sent to you on July 6th.

Writing Rules for Business Letters Business letters remain a very important form of communication even nowadays. They are written for information exchange and bridge over the desires between buyers and sellers. Generally speaking, the most effective letter should be abide by the following rules: Clearness Conciseness Courtesy

Clearness

Keep constantly in mind what you want to say in your letter.Please express yourself clearly and directly in the simplest language. Plain, simple words are more easily understood. A properly paragraphed message is required for the purpose of clarity.

Conciseness Conciseness means complete message but briefest expression with no sacrificing clarity or courtesy. A good business letter should be precise and to the point. Single words are more efficient than phrases.Wordy languages and redundancy require more time and money to type and to read.

Courtesy

Courtesy means to show tactfully in your letters the honest friendship, thoughtful appreciation, sincere politeness, considerate understanding and heartfelt respect.

Answer letters in good time and write to explain why if you fail to do it promptly.Even if you dont think the recipient is right, you should still respond tactfully and politely. Sometimes it is a help to use you-attitude instead of I-attitude.

Format of a Business letter

Full block form and modified block form with indented paragraphs are the two main patterns of layout in current use.

Full Blocked Style It is now the most popular practice of displaying business letters. Its remarkable feature is that all typing lines, including those for the date, inside name and address, salutation, subject heading, each message paragraph and complimentary close, begin at the left-hand margin.

Indented style Modified block form with indented paragraphs indented style is the traditional British practice with the heading usually in the middle and the date on the right-hand side. The complimentary close may be in the center or commence at the center point. The mixed punctuation is often used.

Semi-Indented Style Inside name and address Attention line Start from left margin: SalutationBody: The beginning of each paragraph is intended four or six spaces.

3. Subject line Date Complimentary close SignatureCenterClose to the right of the center

Envelope When writing English envelop, the address should be accuracy, clear and good appearance. Besidesthe following points should be paid attention: It is opposite to Chinese. On the top of the left , it is a writers address and at the bottom of the right, it is a receiver's address. When writing address , it is just written from small address to large one. -- receivers name -- the name of the firm or company -- number and street -- name of city, state or county and its postal code -- name of country

Messrs.William & SonsT8 Lancaster House Manchester,England

China National Chemicals Imp.& Exp. Corporation Er Li Gou, Xijiao, BEIJING,CHINA.

Stamp

China National ChemicalsImp.& Exp. CorporationEr Li Gou, XijiaoBEIJING,CHINA

Mr.F.M.Richard 213 Broad Avenue Los Angles ,CA.96130 U.S.AStamp

Training in class Plan the layout according to the following particulars:Sender: China National Import & Export Corporation, Shanghai Branch , ChinaReceiver: Alfred & CO. Sherman Oak, California 91403 U.S.A.Date: Twenty second of March, 2005Our Reference No.: 351/10578

Address envelopes based on the following information both in intended style and in blocked style. Sender: Kenneth, Overseas Trading Co., 153 Market Street, London E.C.3. Receiver: John Simon & Co., 361 1st Cross Street New York, N.Y.,U.S.A.