商务信件写作格式及方法Business-Letter-Writing

1BusinessLetterWritingBusinessLetter—layoutI.BasicLayout:Notethepositionof1.Letterhead2.Thedateline3.Theopening(insideaddress)4.Thesalutation5.Thebody6.TheClosing7.Thesignatureandname8.P.S.(Postscript)Therearetwostylesofcomposingletters.Oneisindentedstyle,andtheotherisblockstyle.Nowadays,blockstyleismorepopularespeciallyinbusinessworld.Forindentedstyle,youshouldindented4lettersatthebeginningofeachparagraph,andyouneednotleavespacebetweenparagraphs.Whilefortheblockstyle,youneedtoleavespacebetweenparagraphs,butyouneednotindented4lettersatthebeginning.Justwritealongside.1..LetterheadTheletterheadisalsocalledreturnaddress,whichisthefulladdressofthewriter.Itistypedintheupperright-handcornerofthefirstpage.Inbusinessworld,letterheadisnormallyprintedonthetopoftheletterpaperinthemiddle.Thusyouneednottowriteitagain.Justwritethedate.Forpersonalletter,youalsoneednottowritetheletterhead.Notesforletterhead:1)YoushouldbeawareoftheorderyouwriteletterheadisjustreversedfromthatinChinese,i.e.,fromthesmallestunittothebiggestunit.Forexample,thenumberoftheroom,numberofthebuilding,numberofthestreet,city,provinceandthenthecountry.2.DatesBecareful!InChinathe14thApril2003iswritten2003/04/14InEnglandthe14thApril2003iswritten14/4/2003or14/04/2003InAmericathe14thApril2003iswritten4/14/2003or04/14/2003Itisprobablysafesttowrite14thApril,2003orApril14,2003!!!3.TheopeningTheopeningisalsocalledtheinsideaddress,whichistheaddressexactlythesameasthatonenvelope.Theopeninggoesabovethesalutationontheleft,whichis2alwaysomittedinpersonalletters.Theorderoftheinsideaddressisthesameastheorderofletterhead.Whileinbusinessworld,ifyouknowthereceivers’nameandposition,youshouldwritethembeforethecompanynameandaddress.4.ThesalutationThesalutationisthegreeting,whichgoesoneortwospacesbelowtheopeningattheleft-handmargin.Usuallyitisbesttosay“Dear…”ifyouknowthenameofthereceiver,orjust“DearSir/Madam”ifyoudonotknowthereceiver’sname.Thenyoushoulduseacomma(,)ornothing.WeChinesenormallyuseacolon(:)Afterthesalutation,while,inEnglishletter,colonshouldnotbeused.Itisnotcorrect.Insalutation,youstillshouldpaymuchattentiontothetitle,Mr.formale,Mrs.,Miss,Ms.Forfemale.Theyshouldbefollowedbysurname,familyname.Forexample,Mr.Brown,Mrs.Brown(husband’ssurname),Ms.Smith,MissWhiteetc.Note:InChina,peoplealwaysaddressthetitleofone’sposition,suchasmanager,director,andteacheretc.InEnglish,however,thesearenottheaddressing.Itisnotcorrectlyusedthatyouwrite“DearTeacherZhang”,“DearManagerYang”,andsoonandsoforth.5.ThebodyItisthemostimportantpartoftheletter—thecontentoftheletter.Itisoneortwospacesbellowthesalutation.Thelengthofthelineshouldbeadjustedtothelengthofthepaper.Leavemarginsoneitherside.Theparagraphshouldbeblockedorindented,accordingtothestylechosen.Usuallyitissingle—spacedforabusinessletter.Itusuallyconsistsofatleasttwoparagraphs—evenifthesecondparagraphisnothingmorethan“Thanksandbestwishestoyou,”orsomething.Itcontainsintroduction,purposeandconclusioninthebodyoftheletters.6.TheclosingItisthewayofsayinggoodbye.Inbusinesswriting,itisalwaysthecomplimentaryclosing.TherearevariousofwordstochooseinEnglishclosing.Itshouldmatchthetoneestablishedbythesalutationandcarriedthroughthebodyoftheletter.Itisusuallytwospacesbellowthebodyoftheletter,togetherwiththesignaturegroup.Howaletteriscloseddependsonhowitisopened.Theclosingshouldmatchtheopening.Ifyouuseacomma(,)afterthesalutation,youshoulduseacommaaftertheclosing.Ifyouusenothingafterthesalutation,youalsoshouldusenothingaftertheclosing.DearSirorDearMadamDearSir/MadamYoursfaithfullyDearMr.Smith,Yourssincerely,3DearMrs.Wang,DearMs.Lee,Yourstruly,*DearRoseDearJackBestwishesWithkindregardsYoursLove(informal,closefriends)Cordiallyyours,7.ThesignatureandnameThesignatureisthelastpartofaletter.Skipalineaftertheclosingandsignyournameinlinewiththefirstwordoftheclosing.Inbusinessletters,youshouldsignyourfullname.Yournameshouldbetypedalsoinanotherline.Inordertomakethepeopleknowhowtoaddressyouwhenreply,ladywritersshouldlistMrs.Ms.,OrMissinparenthesisafteryourname.However,inpersonalletters,youcansignyourfullname,firstnameornicknameaccordingtotherelationshipwiththereceivers.8.P.S.(postscript)Thisshouldbelocatedatthebottomofthepaper.Ifyouarenotonpurseforgettomentionsomethinginyourletter,youcanwriteP.S.andthenjustaddwhatyouforget.Therearesomephrasesforpoliteexpression:Iwouldliketo…wouldyoulike…,Wouldyouplease…Iwillbegratefulif…,Iamafraidthat…,Thankyoufor…Itwaskindofyoutohave…Iwonderifitispossiblethat…Youweremostthoughtfulto…Pleaseacceptmyapologyforthedelayinsending…Certainly,youhaveeveryrighttoexpectbetterservice,andI…1.InvitationIwouldverymuchliketoinviteyoufor….Wouldyoupleaseattendtheannualconferenceheld….Wewillholdapartythisweekend.Wewouldliketoinviteyoutobeoutguest.Onbehalfof…,Iamextendingtoyouourformalinvitationtovisit…Ihavegreatpleasure,onbehalfof…toinviteyoutoattendthe…on…sponsoredby…heldin(place)on(date)/from…to…Accepttheinvitation:Iacceptwithmypleasureyourkindinvitation….Iwouldlovetoattendyourparty.Iwouldliketovisityou….4Iwouldbeverypleasedto….Refusetheinvit