E-Learning With Mudini

                                           Business Letters in English
Business letters are formal paper communications between, to or from businesses and usually sent through the Post Office or sometimes by courier. Business letters are sometimes called "snail-mail" (in contrast to email which is faster). This lesson concentrates on business letters but also looks at other business correspondence. It includes:

• letter

• memo

• fax

• email

Who writes Business Letters?Most people who have an occupation have to write business letters. Some write many letters each day and others only write a few letters over the course of a career. Business people also read letters on a daily basis. Letters are written from a person/group, known as the sender to a person/group, known in business as the recipient. Here are some examples of senders and recipients:

• business «» business

• business «» consumer

• job applicant «» company

• citizen «» government official

• employer «» employee

• staff member «» staff member

Why write Business Letters?There are many reasons why you may need to write business letters or other correspondence:

• to persuade

• to inform

• to request

• to express thanks

• to remind

• to recommend

• to apologize

• to congratulate

• to reject a proposal or offer

• to introduce a person or policy

• to invite or welcome

• to follow up

• to formalize decisions

Business Letter Vocabulary

attachment	extra document or image that is added to an email
block format	most common business letter format, single spaced, all paragraphs begin at the left margin
body	the content of the letter; between the salutation and signature
bullets	small dark dots used to set off items in an unnumbered list
certified mail	important letters that sender pays extra postage for in order to receive a notice of receipt
coherent	logical; easy to understand
concise	gets to the point quickly
confidential, personal	private
diplomacy, diplomatic	demonstrating consideration and kindness
direct mail, junk mail	marketing letters addressed to a large audience
double space	format where one blank line is left between lines of text
enclosure	extra document or image included with a letter
formal	uses set formatting and business language, opposite of casual
format	the set up or organization of a document
heading	a word or phrase that indicates what the text below will be about
indent	extra spaces (usually 5) at the beginning of a paragraph
informal	casual
inside address	recipient's mailing information
justified margins	straight and even text, always begins at the same place
letterhead	specialized paper with a (company) logo or name printed at the top
logo	symbol or image that identifies a specific organization
margin	a blank space that borders the edge of the text
memorandum (memo)	document sent within a company (internal), presented in short form
modified block format	left justified as block format, but date and closing are centered
on arrival notation	notice to recipient that appears on an envelope (e.g. "confidential")
postage	the cost of sending a letter through the Post Office
proofread	read through a finished document to check for mistakes
punctuation	marks used within or after sentences and phrases (e.g. periods, commas)
reader-friendly	easy to read
recipient	the person who receives the letter
right ragged	format in which text on the right side of the document ends at slightly different points (not justified)
salutation	greeting in a letter (e.g. "Dear Mr Jones")
sensitive information	content in a letter that may cause the receiver to feel upset
semi-block format	paragraphs are indented, not left-justified
sincerely	term used before a name when formally closing a letter
single spaced	format where no blanks lines are left in-between lines of text
spacing	blank area between words or lines of text
tone	the feeling of the language (e.g. serious, enthusiastic)
transitions	words or phrases used to make a letter flow naturally (e.g. "furthermore", "on the other hand")

There are certain standards for formatting a business letter, though some variations are acceptable (for example between European and North American business letters). Here are some basic guidelines:

• Use A4 (European) or 8.5 x 11 inch (North American) paper or letterhead

• Use 2.5 cm or 1 inch margins on all four sides

• Use a simple font such as Times New Roman or Arial

• Use 10 to 12 point font

• Use a comma after the salutation (Dear Mr Bond,)

• Lay out the letter so that it fits the paper appropriately

• Single space within paragraphs

• Double space between paragraphs

• Double space between last sentence and closing (Sincerely, Best wishes)

• Leave three to fives spaces for a handwritten signature

• cc: (meaning "copies to") comes after the typed name (if necessary)

• enc: (meaning "enclosure") comes next (if necessary)

• Fold in three (horizontally) before placing in the envelope

• Use right ragged formatting (not justified on right side)

Formatting Business Letters
Block format is the most common format used in business today. With this format, nothing is centred. The sender's address, the recipient's address, the date and all new paragraphs begin at the left margin, like this:

Wicked Wax Co. Ltd 22 Charlton Way London, SE10 8QY 5th December, 2006 Ms. Maggie Jones Angel Cosmetics Inc. 110 East 25th Street New York, NY, 10021 USA Your ref: 123 Our ref: abc Dear Ms. Jones, Forthcoming Exhibition First paragraph... Second paragraph... Third paragraph... Sincerely, Morris Howard Morris Howard, President cc: Brian Waldorf Enc: catalogue SENDER'S ADDRESS may be printed company logo and address DATE RECIPIENT'S ADDRESS RECIPIENT'S REFERENCE (IF ANY) SENDER'S REFERENCE (IF ANY) SALUTATION SUBJECT BODY OF LETTER CLOSING SIGNATURE (HAND-WRITTEN) NAME, TITLE (TYPED) COPY TO ENCLOSURE

This are other, slightly different ways of formatting a business letter, where for example paragraphs are indented or the date is typed on the right hand side. You can see examples of these in the sample letters.
Formatting Envelopes for Business Letters
It is best to type an envelope for a business letter. Most word document programs contain an envelope labelling function to help you. All you need to do is indicate the size of envelope you are using and type the correct information in the appropriate fields, for example:

Sending company's name and address is sometimes printed here Postage stamp Ms. Maggie Jones Angel Cosmetics Inc. 110 East 25th Street New York NY 10021 USA

Formatting Business Memos
Memos are short internal business letters, sent to other staff within the same company. A memo (or memorandum) may also be posted somewhere inside a company for all to see. Memos are becoming less common as electronic mail becomes more common. In contrast to letters, memos do not usually contain salutations or closings, and may be typed or hand-written. The text portion of the memo is generally in block format. Memos should include "From", "To", "Date", "Subject" and the message itself, like this:

[Company logo] MEMORANDUM From: [name or initials] To: [name or initials] Date: Subject: [short description] Message starts here... often with bullet points

Formatting Business Email

When using email in business, most of the guidelines for standard formatting in business letters apply. Here are a few differences:

• Choose a subject line that is simple and straightforward. Refrain from using key words that might cause an email to go into another person's trash box.

• Repeat the subject line in the body of the email, beneath the salutation (as with a letter).

• Use the "cc" address line to copy more than one person with your correspondence.

• You can request a receipt for important letters. The system will automatically let you know when someone has opened your email.

• Instead of a signature, include your typed name, and below it include your email address, business name and address, phone and fax number, and website if appropriate.

• Remember that people often print out emails, so your own email address and the subject line would be lost if you had not included them in the body of the email.

• Internal electronic mail may be formatted more like a memo than a formal letter.

Planning a Business LetterA business letter is not a place for chit-chat. Unlike business conversations where a certain amount of small talk is used to break the ice, a business letter should be clear and concise. By taking time to plan your letter, you will save time in the writing and proofreading stages. During the planning stage, ask yourself a few simple questions. Jot down your answers to create an outline before you start writing.
Who am I writing this letter to?
Identifying your audience always comes first. Are you writing to more than one person, to someone you don't know, or to someone you have known for a long time? This will help you determine how formal the letter needs to be. You may need to introduce yourself briefly in the letter if the recipient does not know you. You may also need to find out the updated address and title of the recipient. This is a good time to confirm the correct spelling of first and last names.
Why am I writing this letter?
The main reason for the letter should be understood from the subject line and first few sentences. You may cover more than one thing in one business letter, but there will almost always be a general reason for the letter. Identify your main goal and what you hope to accomplish.
Are there specific details I need to include?
Gather any dates, addresses, names, prices, times or other information that you may need to include before you write your letter. Double check details rather than relying on your memory.
Do I require a response?
Many types of business letter require a response. Others are written in response to a letter that has been received. Before you start writing, determine whether or not you require an action or response from the recipient. Your request or requirement should be very clear. In some cases you may even need to provide a deadline for a response. If you do require a response, how should the recipient contact you? Indicate this information clearly as well. You may want to provide more than one option, such as an email address and a phone number.
How can I organize my points logically?
Think about how you would organize your thoughts if you were speaking rather than writing to the recipient. First you would introduce yourself. Second you would state your concern or reason for writing. After the main content of your letter you would include information on how you can be contacted. The end of the letter is also a place to express gratitude, wish good-luck, or offer sympathy. Here is an example outline:

RECIPIENT Karen Jacobson Acquaintance (met twice before, briefly) Title: President, The Flying Club Address: 44 Windermere Drive, Waterloo, Ontario L1B 2C5 REASON To invite a board member to remain on the board for a second term. Other members suggested that she has enjoyed this position and has been thinking about staying on. No other volunteers have come forward to take over at the end of September. SPECIFIC DETAILS If she decides to stay on she will need to be available for the national meeting on 5 November. Board members who stay for two terms are sometimes asked to take on extra duties, such as taking minutes or hosting social events. RESPONSE She will need to respond by 1 September. She can contact me by email or phone. ORGANIZATION Return address of our institution Karen Jacobson's title and address Salutation: Dear Ms. Jacobson First paragraph: Introduce myself briefly--remind Karen where we met before. Provide my reason for writing: "I have heard from a number of board members that you may be interested in staying on for a second term. We would be very pleased to have you stay on for another year." Second paragraph: Explain what type of commitment this position will involve this year (once a month meetings, national meeting, plus possible extra duties) Third Paragraph: Provide deadline for response and how to contact me. Closing: Express thanks to Karen for volunteering her time this year

Writing a Business Letter
The term "business letter" makes people nervous. Many people with English as a second language worry that their writing is not advanced enough for business writing. This is not the case. An effective letter in business uses short, simple sentences and straightforward vocabulary. The easier a letter is to read, the better. You will need to use smooth transitions so that your sentences do not appear too choppy
Salutation
First and foremost, make sure that you spell the recipient's name correctly. You should also confirm the gender and proper title. Use Ms. for women and Mr. for men. Use Mrs. if you are 100% sure that a woman is married. Under less formal circumstances, or after a long period of correspondence it may be acceptable to address a person by his or her first name. When you don't know the name of a person and cannot find this information out you may write, "To Whom It May Concern". It is standard to use a comma (colon in North America) after the salutation. It is also possible to use no punctuation mark at all. Here are some common ways to address the recipient:

• Dear Mr Powell,

• Dear Ms Mackenzie,

• Dear Frederick Hanson:

• Dear Editor-in-Chief:

• Dear Valued Customer

• Dear Sir or Madam:

• Dear Madam

• Dear Sir,

• Dear Sirs

• Gentlemen:

First paragraphIn most types of business letter it is common to use a friendly greeting in the first sentence of the letter. Here are some examples:

• I hope you are enjoying a fine summer.

• Thank you for your kind letter of January 5th.

• I came across an ad for your company in

 The Star today.

• It was a pleasure meeting you at the conference this month.

• I appreciate your patience in waiting for a response.

After your short opening, state the main point of your letter in one or two sentences:

• I'm writing to enquire about...

• I'm interested in the job opening posted on your company website.

• We'd like to invite you to a members only luncheon on April 5th.

Second and third paragraphsUse a few short paragraphs to go into greater detail about your main point. If one paragraph is all you need, don't write an extra paragraph just to make your letter look longer. If you are including sensitive material, such as rejecting an offer or informing an employee of a layoff period, embed this sentence in the second paragraph rather than opening with it. Here are some common ways to express unpleasant facts:

• We regret to inform you...

• It is with great sadness that we...

• After careful consideration we have decided...

Final paragraphYour last paragraph should include requests, reminders, and notes on enclosures. If necessary, your contact information should also be in this paragraph. Here are some common phrases used when closing a business letter:

• I look forward to...

• Please respond at your earliest convenience.

• I should also remind you that the next board meeting is on February 5th.

• For futher details...

• If you require more information...

• Thank you for taking this into consideration.

• I appreciate any feedback you may have.

• Enclosed you will find...

• Feel free to contact me by phone or email.

ClosingHere are some common ways to close a letter. Use a comma between the closing and your handwritten name (or typed in an email). If you do not use a comma or colon in your salutation, leave out the comma after the closing phrase:

• Yours truly,

• Yours sincerely,

• Sincerely,

• Sincerely yours

• Thank you,

• Best wishes

• All the best,

• Best of luck

• Warm regards,

Writing Tips

• Use a conversational tone.

• Ask direct questions.

• Double-check gender and spelling of names.

• Use active voice whenever possible.

• Use polite modals (would

 in favour of will).

• Always refer to yourself as "I".

• Don't use "we" unless it is clear exactly who the pronoun refers to.

• Rewrite any sentence or request that sounds vague.

• Don't forget to include the date. Day-Month-Year is conventional in many countries; however, to avoid confusion, write out the month instead of using numbers (e.g. July 5th, 2007)