Structure of the Chapter:
Business correspondence is essential in establishing and confirming transactions in commerce. After studying this chapter, students should be able to lay out a business letter, write the letter of application and curriculum vitae.
Indent - to make a space in the edge or on the surface of (something)
Lay out - to arrange or design a drawing, an advertisement, or printed material
Punctuation - the use of special marks that you add to a text to show the divisions between phrases and sentences (commas, full stops etc.)
Paragraph - a short part of a text, consisting of one or more sentences and beginning on
a new line
Figure - the symbol for a number or an amount expressed in numbers
Meet - to satisfy, fulfil
Benefit - advantage, profit
Interest - money paid to a lender of cash for the use of it
Rate of interest - a charge for the use of borrowed money
Facilities - services provided for a particular purpose
Apply for - to request something, usually officially, esp. by writing or sending in a form
Curriculum vitae - a brief written account of a person’s past history used when applying for a job
Advertisement - public announcement (in the press), paid presentation of information and ideas about products, businesses and institutions
Do you know what a modern way to lay out a business letter is?
Have you ever written any business letter and for what purpose?
There are two styles of letters, block(ed) and
indented. Both are acceptable.
A modern way to
lay out a business letter is a ”block(ed) style”. It is the most useful to learn because it is accepted everywhere:
- the sender´s address is at the top on the right or printed at the top in the middle.
- the address of the receiver is written at the top on the left.
- the date is on the right. It should not be written in
figures because they can be confusing. For instance 6.11.1995 means 6th November 1995 in the UK but 11th June 1995 in the USA.
- the
punctuation is not used in the address, in the headings and endings of a letter
- all the paragraphs start at the left-hand margin and there is a line space between each
paragraph
- the sender´s name and title are under the signature
Opening salutations:
Dear Sir - to a man if you do not know his name
Dear Madam - to a woman if you do not know her name
Dear Sir or Madam - to a person of whom you know neither the name nor the sex
Dear Sirs ( Gentlemen in the USA) - to a company
Dear Mr Parker - to a man
Dear Mrs Parker - to a married woman
Dear Miss Parker - to an unmarried woman
Dear Ms Parker - to a married or unmarried woman
Dear Peter - to a friend or someone you know well
Closing salutations:
Yours faithfully - if you do not know the reader´s name
Yours sincerely - if you know the reader´s name
Best wishes - to a friend or somebody you know well
(in the USA a letter is usually closed with Yours truly, Sincerely yours, Truly yours)
Abbreviations:
Re. = subject title. It is written between the salutation and the content and draws attention to the topic of the letter.
c.c. = carbon copies. It is used when copies are sent to people other than the named recipient.
Enc. = enclosures
p.p. = on behalf of
Ref. = reference. References are quoted to indicate what the letter refers to (Your Ref.), and the correspondence to refer when replying (Our Ref.)
Specimen letter
Ms Arrand
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Lloyds Bank Plc
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561 3rd September Street
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Jersey Expatriate Center
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GR - 104 326
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PO Box 770
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Athens
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35 Don Street
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Jersey JE4 8ZZ
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Channel Islands
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28th October 1996
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Dear Ms Arrand
I should like to invite you, as a reader of BBC Worldwide, to take advantage of a unique
package of services created specifically to
meet the needs of overseas residents.
The Lloyds Bank Overseas club makes the financial side of life simpler - and more
rewarding-for British expatriates and overseas citizens. Members enjoy the
benefits
of an
interest-bearing cheque
account, savings and investment opportunities,
tax advice
and much more.
These services are provided by teams of personal account executives experienced in the
needs of people living abroad and based at our specialist Expatriate Centers in Jersey
and the Isle of Man.
The enclosed brochure tells you more about the benefits of the Club but I would
particularly draw your attention to the exclusive Overseas Club Gold Account. Club
members earn high
rates of interest and the Gold Account also offers a full range of
cheque account
facilities.
To join the Overseas Club you need to complete the application form in the brochure and
send it to me.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Adrian Dale
Adrian Dale
Manager
Curriculum vitae
There are various layouts for a c.v. and the following c.v. is just one example.
Name
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Susan Long
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Date of Birth:
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20 March 1970
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Nationality:
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English
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Present Address:
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117 Hardman Road
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Sheffield S2 2RL
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Tel.No.:
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061 843 7755
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E-mail:
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slong@idm.upv.uk
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Marital Status:
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Single
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Education and Qualification:
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1981 - 1988
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Mayfield Comprehensive School
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GCE in English, French, History, Geography, Art
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1988 - 1991
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Hiltop Further Education College
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Kenwood Road, London NW7 3TM
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Diploma in Business Studies
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Work experience:
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1991 - 1995
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Personal Secretary to Marketing Manager of
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Universal Toys in Reading
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1995 - present
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Personal Assistant to Finance Director of EMF in
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Croydon
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Languages:
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Spanish
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Technical skills:
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MS Office,Web designing - HTML, PHP, typewriting
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Interests:
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Tennis, reading, travelling
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(References)
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Mrs. T. R. Bradley, Senior Lecturer, Business
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Studies Dept., Hilltop Further Education College
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Kenwood Road, London NW7 3TM
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If you do not send a curriculum vitae, it is necessary to include the information relevant to it in the letter. This, of course, requires a different letter of application for each job.
Letter of application
Dear Mrs Lee
I would like to apply for the position advertised in The Guardian of 12 May for a Personal Assistant to the Sales Director.
As you will see from my curriculum vitae, much of the work I do in my present position is that of a PA. I deal not only with the routine work of a secretary, but also represent the Assistant Director at small meetings and am delegated to take a number of policy decisions in his absence.
Your advertisement asked for some knowledge of languages. I have kept up my French, and learnt German for the past three years at evening classes, and have regularly visited Belgium and Germany with the Assistant Director, acting as an interpreter and translator for him.
I am particularly interested in the situation you are offering, as I would like to become more involved in an information technology organization. I am quite familiar with many of the software products that ICS manufactures for office technology.
As well as my secretarial skills and experience of running a busy office, I am used to working with technicians and other specialized personnel in the field of computers. I have a genuine interest in computer development and the people involved in the profession.
Please let me know if there is any further information you require. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Mary Brice
Mary Brice
- What position is Ms Brice applying for?
- What are her everyday duties?
- Why does she want to join ICS company?
- Which words in the letter correspond to the following:
ask for, everyday duties, continued with, managing, real?
I. Decide whether the following sentences are true or false:
- If a letter begins with ”Dear Mr Dale”, it will close with ”Yours faithfully”.
- If we write to a woman and we do not know her name we start our letter with ”Dear Madam”.
- 8.3.1963 means 3rd August 1963 in the USA.
- The following is an example of a blocked style:
Midland Bank Fund Managers Limited
PO BOX 26
28/34 Hill Street
Jersey JE4 8NR
Channel Islands
- In the UK it is correct to open a letter with the salutation ”Gentlemen”.
- In the USA a letter is usually closed with ”Yours truly”.
- The abbreviation ”Re.” stands for ”References”.
- An opening salutation ”Dear Sirs” refers to persons we know well.
- The address of the receiver is written at the top on the left.
- The abbreviation ”Enc.” means that there is an enclosure with the letter.
II. Fill in the blanks with the correct verb form taken from the list below:
Dear Mr Smith
Order No. DC 54381
We (1) ... to you with reference to the above order and our letter of 22 May in which we (2) ... you when we (3) ... delivery of 60 dynamos you (4) ... have supplied on 3 June for an export order.
We (5) ... to contact you by phone, but could not get anyone in your factory who (6) ... anything about this matter. It is essential that we (7) ... this consignment to our Greek customers on time as this was an initial order from them.
Our deadline is 28 June, and the lorries (8) ... except for the dynamos that need to be fitted. Unless we (9) ... the components within the next five days, the order (10) ... and placed elsewhere. We should warn you that we are holding you to your delivery contract and if any loss (11) ... because of this late delivery we (12) ... legal action.
Yours sincerely
M. Zeitman
M. Zeitman
have tried
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receive
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are writing
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will be cancelled
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should
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results
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will be taking
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deliver
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could expect
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have been completed
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knew
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asked
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III. Complete the following letter of application:
Dear (1) ....................
I would like (2) .................................................................
............ ..............................................................advertised
in (3) ........................................... .
As you can see (4) .............................................I have had
8 years´ (5) ......................................... . Two of these have
been as (6) ............................................................and I am
keen to (7) ......................................... .
Please find enclosed (8) ................................. and I will be
available for interview on (9) ............................................ .
I will be free (10) ............................................................. .
I (11) ...................................................... .
Yours sincerely
(12) ................................
- Ms Brown, Sirs, Madam
- apply for the post of an accountant, to apply for the post of an accountant, to apply for a post of the accountant
- yesterday’s Telegraph, a yesterday Telegraph, the yesterday Telegraph
- from my CV, out of my CV, at my CV
- experience in accounting, experiences in accounting, experience at accounting
- an account executive, accountancy, account
- worked for a large firm, work for a large firm, working for large firm
- my letter of application, my curriculum vitae, a specimen letter
- any afternoon in August, afternoon in August, any afternoon at August
- to take up a new job from 1st May, take up a new job from 1st May, take up new job from 1st May
- am looking forward to your reply, am looking forward for your reply, looking forward for your reply
- Brown, Peter Brown, Sir Brown
IV. Quiz
Look at the sentences below and choose the right answer.
1. A modern way to lay out a business letter is
- a blocked style
- an indented style
- an abbreviated style
2. The sender’s address is written
- at the top on the left
- at the top on the left or on the right
- at the top on the right or printed at the top in the middle
3. The sender’s name and title are
- under the signature
- next to the signature
- before the signature
4. Dear Sir refers
- to a company
- to a man if you do not know his name
- to a married man you know
5. Dear Mrs Parker refers
- to a married or unmarried woman
- to a married woman
- to an unmarried woman
6. Yours faithfully is a closing salutation
- if you know the reader’s name
- to a friend or somebody you know well
- if you do not know the reader’s name
7. The abbreviation p.p. stands for
- carbon copies
- on behalf of
- subject title
8. If you do not send a CV it is necessary to include the detailed information in
- the letter of application
- the specimen letter
- the advertisement
9. We are looking forward to
- hear from you
- heard from you
- hearing from you
10. Please let us know what
- your terms of trade are
- are your terms of trade
- you terms of trade being
This chapter deals with the bases of business correspondence, states the basic principles of how to lay out a business letter, curriculum vitae and the letter of application. It comprises several activities for widening business vocabulary and practising business letter writing.
A. Ashley: A Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, OUP 1992
B. Littlejohn: Company to Company, CUP 1994
M. Wilson: Writing for Business, OUP 1987
Comprehension Check:
- Personal Assistant to the Sales Director
- The routine work of a secretary, representing the Assistant Director at small meetings and taking decisions in his absence
- She wants to be more involved in an information technology organization
- apply for, routine work, keep up, running, genuine
Check I:
F, T, T, F, F, T, F, F, T, T
Check II:
- are writing
- asked
- could expect
- should
- have tried
- knew
- deliver
- have been completed
- receive
- will be cancelled
- results
- will be taking
Check III
Ms Brown, to apply for the post of an accountant, yesterday’s Telegraph, from my CV, experience in accounting, an account executive, work for a large firm, my curriculum vitae, any afternoon in August, to take up a new job from 1st May, am looking forward to your reply, Peter Brown
Check IV:
1.a, 2.c, 3.a, 4.b,5. b, 6.c, 7.b, 8.a, 9.c, 10.a