Structure of a Business Letter

letterhead ____________

____________

date ____________

___________________

___________________ inside adress

___________________

__________________________ salutation

__________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

body

___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

complimentary closure ___________________

signature and official position ___________________

The main parts of a business letter are:

1. the letterhead;

2. the date;

3. inside name and address;

4. salutation;

5. the message (the body);

6. complimentary closure;

7. the writer’s signature and official position.

1. The letterhead expresses the firm’s personality. It gives the first impression of the firm. It is placed at the upper right-hand side, on blank paper, and consists of the exact address of the writer, including the name and address of the firm, its telephone numbers, telegraphic address, e-mail, telegraphic (zip) codes used.

2. The date is always typed in full not in figures in the following order: day, month, year (UK); month, day, year (USA).

e.g. 12^th October 2013 (UK)

October 12^th 2013 (USA)

3. Inside name and address are set out at the head of the letter at the left-hand corner in official correspondence. The official title of the person is used.

e.g. The Sales Manager

The Hercules Engineering Co Ltd.

Brazennose Street

Manchester

M60 8AS

4. The salutation is the usual greeting with which the letter begins:

e.g. Dear Sir

Dear Madam

Gentlemen (in the USA)

5. The message (body) is the part that really matters. Before you begin to write ask yourself the following questions:

- What is the aim in writing this letter?

- What do I hope to achieve by it?

- What is the best way to do it?

Keep your sentences and paragraphs short and start a new paragraph for each new point you wish to stress.

Some letters consist of only one paragraph. The others usually have a three-paragraph plan:

1) introduction or acknowledgement (if there has been previous correspondence);

2) information and statement of the facts;

3) future actions.

6. Complimentary closure depends on how well you know the reader: formal, semi-formal, informal.

Formal: Respectfully.

Very respectfully.

Semi-formal: Very truly yours.

Yours very truly.

Yours truly.

Informal: Most sincerely.

Sincerely yours.

Sincerely.

Most informal: As ever.

Best wishes.

Best regards.

7. The writer’s signature and official position. The signature must be written by hand and in ink and plainly. It is placed just below the close.

e.g. Henry J. Gray

Henry J. Gray

President

American Building Company

IV. Answer the questions:

1. What letters are included into business correspondence?

2. What are the major elements of a business letter?

3. When is the letterhead used?

4. What does the reference mean?

5. What information is given in the address?

6. What are the requirements established for the text of business letter?

7. What expressions are used in the salutation of business letter?

8. What should be indicated in the heading of business letter?

9. What may be enclosed in a business letter?

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29