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
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
Read
through the following pages to learn more about the different types of business
letters, and how to write them. You will learn about formatting, planning, and writing
letters, as well as how to spot your own errors. These pages are designed to
help you write business letters and correspondence, but they will also help you
learn to read, and therefore respond to, the letters you receive. You will also
find samples that you can use and alter for your own needs.
Business Letter
Vocabulary
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attachment
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extra document or
image that is added to an email
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block
format
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most common
business letter format, single spaced, all paragraphs begin at the left
margin
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body
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the content of the
letter; between the salutation and signature
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bullets
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small dark dots
used to set off items in an unnumbered list
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certified
mail
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important letters
that sender pays extra postage for in order to receive a notice of receipt
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coherent
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logical; easy to
understand
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concise
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gets to the point
quickly
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confidential,
personal
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private
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diplomacy,
diplomatic
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demonstrating
consideration and kindness
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direct
mail, junk mail
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marketing letters
addressed to a large audience
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double
space
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format where one blank
line is left between lines of text
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enclosure
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extra document or
image included with a letter
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formal
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uses set formatting
and business language, opposite of casual
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format
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the set up or
organization of a document
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heading
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a word or phrase
that indicates what the text below will be about
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indent
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extra spaces
(usually 5) at the beginning of a paragraph
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informal
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casual
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inside
address
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recipient's mailing
information
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justified
margins
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straight and even
text, always begins at the same place
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letterhead
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specialized paper
with a (company) logo or name printed at the top
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logo
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symbol or image
that identifies a specific organization
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margin
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a blank space that
borders the edge of the text
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memorandum
(memo)
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document sent
within a company (internal), presented in short form
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modified
block format
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left justified as
block format, but date and closing are centered
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on
arrival notation
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notice to recipient
that appears on an envelope (e.g. "confidential")
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postage
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the cost of sending
a letter through the Post Office
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proofread
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read through a
finished document to check for mistakes
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punctuation
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marks used within
or after sentences and phrases (e.g. periods, commas)
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reader-friendly
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easy to read
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recipient
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the person who
receives the letter
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right
ragged
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format in which
text on the right side of the document ends at slightly different points (not
justified)
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salutation
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greeting in a
letter (e.g. "Dear Mr Jones")
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sensitive
information
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content in a letter
that may cause the receiver to feel upset
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semi-block
format
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paragraphs are
indented, not left-justified
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sincerely
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term used before a
name when formally closing a letter
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single
spaced
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format where no
blanks lines are left in-between lines of text
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spacing
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blank area between
words or lines of text
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tone
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the feeling of the
language (e.g. serious, enthusiastic)
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transitions
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words or phrases
used to make a letter flow naturally (e.g. "furthermore", "on
the other hand")
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Business Letter
Vocabulary Quiz
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1
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Before you seal and
send your letter, make sure to it.
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2
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As soon as your
certified letter reaches the you
will be notified.
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3
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Choose if
you want to put the date and closing in the center of the page.
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4
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Set off the list of
"Do's and Don'ts" by using .
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5
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The envelope
indicated that there was ,
but in fact there was only a letter inside.
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6
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The of
the first paragraph was optimistic, so I wasn't expecting the bad news in the
middle.
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7
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I decided not to
interview her, because her cover letter contained very poor .
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8
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The about
the meeting was posted on the bulletin board for everyone to read.
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9
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Our address and
phone number are shown on our .
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10
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In block text
format, you do not each
paragraph.
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Business Letter
Formats
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:
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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:
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:
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[Company
logo]
MEMORANDUM From: [name or initials] To: [name or initials] Date: Subject: [short description] Message starts here...
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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
Letter
A
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. Review some example reasons why people
write business letters on the introductory page of this lesson.
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:
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RECIPIENT
REASON
SPECIFIC
DETAILS
RESPONSE
ORGANIZATION
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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 paragraph
In
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 paragraphs
Use
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 paragraph
Your
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.
Closing
Here
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)
Proofreading a Business
Letter
"Proofread"
means to read a text carefully to check it for errors and general tone. You
should always proofread a business letter before sending it.
The
most important thing when proofreading any document is to read the text out
loud. Print the letter rather than read it on your computer screen. Make notes
where your letter sounds awkward. If possible allow one day between writing and
sending your letter. You are more likely to spot any typos or other errors with
a fresh eye. (If you have to respond to an important email on the same day,
write it in the morning and proofread it after lunch.) Use a spell-check
function on your computer program if possible. Computer programs are useful for
pointing out passive sentences, subject-verb agreement problems etc. However,
be careful when using grammar-check programs. Sometimes they will highlight a
phrase that is not actually an error. If you are in doubt, try to simplify the
sentence by using a sentence structure that you are more comfortable with.
If
possible, ask another person to double-check your letter. You could offer to
return the favour for your colleague and become proofreading partners. You can
even use standard proofreading marks to make it easier to explain necessary
changes. Type "proofreading marks" into an internet search engine,
and send the list to your fellow proofreader.
Checklist
- Did you read the letter out loud?
- Did you allow some time to pass after writing the letter before proofreading it?
- Are your requests, needs, concerns clear?
- Are there any long sentences that need to be broken into two?
- Do you use we incorrectly?
- Do all questions contain a question mark?
- Did you include the date?
- Did you spell the recipient's name correctly?
- Have you used a standard business format (e.g. block)?
- Have you used passive sentences that could be changed to active ones?
- Have you used standard spelling? (e.g. British English or American English)
- If it is an important letter (e.g. a cover letter for a resume), did someone else read it for you?
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