Courtesy

Your style should not, however, be so simple that it becomes discourteous. Here is an example of a letter that is so short and simple that it sounds rude.

Dear Mr Rohn,

I have already written to you concerning your outstanding debt of £591. This should have been cleared three months ago. You don't seem to want to co-operate in paying us, and therefore we will sue you if your debt is not cleared within the next ten days.

Idioms and colloquial language

It is important to try to get the right 'tone' in your letter. This means that, generally speaking, you should aim for a neutral tone, avoiding pompous language on the one hand (as in the first letter) and informal or colloquial language on the other hand.

A letter may be given the wrong tone by the use of inappropriate vocabulary, idioms, phrasal verbs, and short forms, among other things. Here are a few examples of each, together with a preferred alternative:

you've probably guessed	=	you probably know
you'll get your money back	=	the loan will be repaid
to go into property	=	to invest in property
a couple of hundred quid	=	two hundred pounds
prices are at rock bottom	=	prices are very low
prices have gone through the roof	=	prices have increased rapidly

These are perhaps extreme examples, but the general point is that you should be very wary of using idiomatic or colloquial language in your letters. Apart from the danger of being misunderstood if your correspondent is a non-native speaker of English, you may also give an impression of over-familiarity.

Clarity

Your correspondent must be able to understand what you have written. Confusion in correspondence often arises through a lack of thought and care, and there are a number of ways in which it can happen.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations can be useful because they are quick to write and easy to read. But both parties need to know what the abbreviations stand for.

The abbreviations c.i.f. and f.o.b., for example, are recognized internationally as meaning cost, insurance, and freight and free on board. But can you be sure that your correspondent would know that o.n.o. means or nearest offer?

Some international organizations, e.g. NATO, are known in all countries by the same set of initials, but many are not, e.g. EEC (European Economic Community) and UNO (United Nations Organization). National organizations, e.g. CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and TUC (Trades Union Congress), are even less likely to be known by their initials in other countries. Note, for telephone purposes, that with a few exceptions (NATO is one of them) these abbreviations are not usually pronounced as a word, but as separate letters:/ti:ju:si:/not/tʌk/ (TUC).

If you are not absolutely certain that an abbreviation will be easily recognized, do not use it.

Redundant or deadwood words

Some word combinations might contain words that are redundant or deadwood in business letters. These are the ways of reducing them:

• 8:00 a.m. in the morning = 8:00 a.m.

• at this point of time = now

• both together = both

• bring to an end = end

• during the time that = while

• enclosed herein = enclosed

• for the month of July = for July

• for the purpose of = to

• for the sum of = for

• give an answer = to answer

• have an ability to = can

• hold a meeting = meet

• inform of the reason = tell why

• in spite of the fact that = although

• in the event that = if

• just exactly = exactly

• letter under date of = letter of

• make a decision = decide

• make a speech = speak

• make a recommendation = recom­mend

• make changes in = change on

• the occasion of = on send

• an answer = reply

• take action = act

• take into consideration = consider

• write your name = sign