- •Section I
- •Introduction
- •Give you own definition of a business letter.
- •Choose the best answers to complete the quiz about business letters.
- •Answer the questions:
- •Text 2 business letter structure
- •Define, whether the statements are true or false. Prove your point.
- •Answer the questions.
- •Section III Exercises
- •Choose the correct item from each pair to complete the letter.
- •Complete the letter with items from the box.
- •Study this reply to the letter in exercise a. One error has been marked, find five more.
- •Name parts of a business letter.
- •Read the text of a business letter below and identify the arrangement style it belongs to. Give reasons to prove your choice.
- •Put the following names and addresses in order.
- •If you deal with a problem on the telephone, it is sometimes necessaiy to confirm the call in writing. Match the functions 1-5 to the parts a-e of the letter below.
- •Section IV writing
- •Section V active vocabulary. IDioms. Proverbs. Active Vocabulary
- •State government
- •Local government
- •Justice system
- •Diplomatic personnel
- •Religious officials
- •Business correspondence
- •State abbreviations
- •List of countries
UNIT 6. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE I
“What a lot we lost when we stopped writing letters.
You can't reread a phone call.”
Liz Carpenter
Section I
Introduction
Give you own definition of a business letter.
Choose the best answers to complete the quiz about business letters.
Experts recommend that letters should use short sentences. More than _____ words in a sentence reduces clarity.
a) 10 b) 15 c) 25
Whenever possible, letters should fit on to ______ side(s) of a standard sheet of paper.
a) 3 b) 2 c) 1
It is not a good idea to include: colloquial expressions, _______ or jargon.
a) contractions b) grammar c) punctuation
If you start the letter with a contact name (e.g. Dear Ms Wells), then the closing expression used is Yours sincerely. If you do not use a contact name (e.g. Dear Sir or Madam) the letter ends with:
a) Yours truly b) Kind regards c) Yours faithfully
SECTION II
READING COMPREHENSION
TEXT 1
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
WHAT IS BUSINESS LETTER WRITING?
A business letter is a formal communication between people or organisers who are involved in trading — exchanging money for goods or services.
Writing a business letter is about developing that trade, so it is important to remember that a business letter is an official document. Of course there are many other communications between people and companies, for instance telephone conversations, e-mail, meetings, presentations, contracts, orders and invoices. A business letter is the most powerful communications tool for providing structured and considered information in a formal way.
Business letters are serious — completely different to your Christmas 'thank you' letters or postcards written on holiday. The chairman of ICI wouldn't write to his mother on company stationery and say he had a nice week at work.
In 1997 the Post Office estimated that of the 72 million items of post they delivered daily 80 per cent were business communications. Business letters are business tools—they are used to provide or request information, confirm less formal communications or highlight a problem that needs to be resolved. The business letter presented on company stationery is an official communication, and legally binding in disputes between companies and individuals.
WHY DO I NEED BUSINESS LETTER WRITING SKILLS?
A business letter is an important document.
It deals with a trade issue
It shows the professionalism of both the writer and the company
It is likely to be saved and filed so it must be accurate.
So writing a business letter well helps you and your company be successful. Often a business letter is the first formal document a business contact receives — and the impression it gives creates opinions about the company and the writer. Think about how you feel when you read a restaurant menu that has not been translated well and has a lot of mistakes. Writing a business letter badly is worse than not sending one at all.
WHAT ARE THE KEY THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS?
To write a good business letter you must:
Use appropriate layout—with all the formal elements, the right titles and addresses
Ensure the content of your letter is correct and relevant
Use clear English—the correct grammar, and the right vocabulary
Make the style and tone of your writing appropriate for the reader, and the message you are sending.
The ability to write business letter well is necessary for career development into management or specialist positions. Could you imagine a government minister or a company director being successful if he or she couldn't write letters?