《商务英语函电教程》Unit 1商务信函写作基础

BUSINESSENGLISHCORRESPONDENCEUnitOneBasicKnowledgeofBusinessLetterWritingLearningObjectiveTolearnthestructureofBusinesslettersToknowtheformatsofBusinesslettersToknowhowtoAddressEnvelopsTounderstandthegeneralprinciplesappliedtobusinessletterwriting1.TheStructureofBusinessLetters1）TheBasicpartsofBusinessLettersLetterheadReferenceDatelineInsideNameandAddressSalutationSubjectLineBodyComplimentaryCloseSignatureLetterheadLetterheadincludesthesender’sname,postaladdress,thecompany’slogo,telephonenumber,telexnumber,cableaddressandE-mailaddress,etc.Itsposition:Itmaybepositionedinthecenteroftheletterorattheleftmarginforfullblockstyleorflushattherightmarginforindentedstyle.ShanghaiHualiImp.&Exp.Co.,LtdRoom606PlazaBuilding,Fax:86-21-642533781302MeilongRoad,200237Tel:[phone]Shanghai,People’sRepublicofChinaE-mail:[e-mail],intheU.K.thedirector’snamesofacompanyisgiven.DirectorEdmondHalleyCapitalFoodCo.,Ltd15PARKGTEROAD,LONDONSW124NQ.U.K.ReferenceInclude:afilenumber,departmentalcodeortheinitialsofthesignerfollowedbythatofthetypistoftheletter.Thesearemarked“Ourref:”and“Yourref:”toavoidconfusion:Yourref:AMD/IPOurref:WRL/QNposition:Theyareoftenplacedtwolinesbelowtheletterhead.Ifdesired,thereferenceinitialscanalsobeplacedatthelowerleftmargintwolinesbelowthenameofthesigner.DatelineThedatelineconsistsofthemonth,day,andyear—withthemonthwritteninfull,norabbreviatedorrepresentedbyfigures.day/month/year(Englishpractice)month/day/year(Americanpractice).Neverusetheshortformofthemonth(e.g.Jan.Feb.Oct).Don’twrite08insteadof2008fortheyear,orgivethedateinfigures(e.g.10/12/2008)Bothofthefollowingstylesareacceptable.28March2008March28,2008InsideNameandAddressThenameandaddressofthereceiveristypedattheleft-handmarginatleasttwolinesbelowthedate.Precedetheaddress’snamewithacourtesywithtitle(suchasMr.,Ms.orDr.).Ifyoudonotknowwhetherapersonisamanorwoman,andyouhavenowaytofindout,omitthecourtesytitleandgivethefullname.Donotusebothkindsoftitleswithonename,however,Asshownbelow,thetitleofaperson’spositionwithinanorganizationmaybeincludedandtypedeitheronthesamelinebelowtheperson’sname,whicheverpositionresultsinbetterbalance.Ifthetitleappearsonthesameline,placeacommabetweenthenameandthetitle.Forexample:(1)Mr.GeorgeRussell,Director164BayRoad,LiquorlandOklahomaCity,OK73125U.S.A(2)Mr.ThomCollinsAssistantVicePresidentTheHerculesEngineeringCo.,Ltd.BrazennoseStreet,ManchesterM608ASEnglandIfthenameofaspecificpersonisunavailable,youmayaddressthelettertothedepartment,followedbythenameofthecompany.CustomerServiceDepartmentAcmeConstructionCompanyInordertoavoidambiguity,whenyouwriteletterstoothercountries,alwaysincludethenameofthecountry,evenifthecitymentionedisthecountry’scapital.Seetheexamplebelow:Mrs.AnnMeadowsWarner-ThompkinsCompany210TracyAvenueSpokane,Washington99202U.S.ASalutationThesalutationisthecomplimentarygreetingtothereceiver.Placeittwolinesbelowtheinsideaddress,flushwiththeleftmargin.Itsformdependsonthewriter’srelationshipwiththereceiver.（1）Thecustomaryformalgreetinginabusinessletteris：foraddressingonepersonDearSir,DearMadam,foraddressingtwoormorepeopleDearSirs,DearMadamsGentlemen:(alwaysshouldbeinpluralformandneverwrite“Gentleman”)（2）Ifthereceiverisknowntothewriterpersonally,alessformalandwarmergreetingisusedasfollows:DearMs.KatherineBlack,DearDr.HarryThetrendistoward“Ms.”asthecourtesytitleforallwomenregardlessoftheirmaritalstatus.SubjectLineSubjectlineisactuallythegeneralideaofaletter.Itisinsertedbetweenthesalutationandthebodyofthebusinesslettereitherattheleft-handmarginforfully-blockedletterformorcentrallyoverthebodyofthelettertocallattentiontothetopicoftheletter.(1)DearSirorMadam,Subject:AnnualTradeFair(2)DearSir,Re:ContractNo.2216for200M/TofWalnuts(3)Gentlemen:SalesConfirmationNo.TE88BodyThebodyisthemainpartthatconveysyourmessage.Itexpressesthewriter’sidea,opinion,purposeandwishes.Atypicalplanforathree-paragraphletterincludes:Paragraphone—Referstoanypreviouscorrespondenceorintroducesthepurposeoftheletter.Paragraphtwo—Supportstheopeningandprovideswhatserviceorinformationyouhavetooffer.ParagraphThree—Endthebodyoftheletterwiththeactionorideathatyouwantthereadertoconsiderorwiththeresultsyouwouldliketohave.ComplimentaryCloseThecomplimentarycloseismerelyapolitewayofendingaletter.Itappearsinthemiddleofthepageorflushwiththeleftmargininfullyblockedlettersandtwolinesbelowtheclosingsentence.SalutationFormalLessFormalInformalDearSirorMadamDearMr.SmithDearSirs,DearMs.YenDearMarryGentlemenDearBobDearTomComplimentaryYoursfaithfully,Yourssincerely,Sincerely,Faithfullyyours,Sincerelyyours,Cordially,TrulyyoursCordiallyyours,Bestregards,Asthesalutationandcomplimentaryclosearemerelyamatterofcourtesyanddon’tmeananythingtothemessage,theycanbeomittedinthesimplifiedformusednowadays.Thecomplimentaryclose,whenitisused,mustneverbeseparatedfromthesubstanceofaletterbycarriedtoaseparatesheet.Iffaultylayoutoccurs,thelettershouldberetyped—leavingnarrowerspacetolayouttheletterwithinonesh