Business English Correspondence 商务英语函电 《 商务英语函电 》 编写组 主编：湖北十堰职业技术学院 王 燕（副教授）

1. Business English Correspondence 商务英语函电 《商务英语函电》编写组 主编：湖北十堰职业技术学院 王 燕（副教授）

2. Unit 1Introduction to Business English Correspondence • Teaching Objectives:  Knowledge Requirements:1 To enhance students’ awareness of functions & essential qualities of business English correspondence2 To enable students to become familiar with structural parts and styles of business English Correspondence  Competence Requirements:1 To skillfully write structural parts of business English Correspondence with proper styles2 To skillfully rewrite sentences according to essential qualities or golden guidelines of business English correspondence through exercises

3. Part One Functions Business English Correspondence • The importance of proper communication skills can never be overstressed as it is of crucial importance in the conduct of business activities or in business personnel’s clear, accurate and effective communication via the evolving information technology. • The written mode of communication consists of a vast variety of media, namely, letters, memos, working reports, instructions, notices, meeting agenda, minutes, etc. Among them, letters are the most commonly used medium. • Generally speaking, the functions of business correspondence can be cited as follows:

4. To inform, which refers to conveying the vast amount of information needed to day-to-day operations of the business; To influence, which means that messages included in a business letter should also influence the reader’s attitudes and functions. And to entertain, which means that the ability to write communicative or informative business letters can be as conducive to you socially as the ability to converse eloquently or entertain successfully. To some extent, such letters can even help facilitate all business activities, such as timesaving, troubleshooting, inconvenience-solving and smooth transactions. They go to the hospital to cheer a sick business partner; they go to your business partner to thank him or her for entertaining you the other day or to express your appreciation and hospitality of reciprocating their kindness when you are not in the position to do so in person. They convey your best wishes, congratulations, condolences, etc.

5. Part Two Structural Parts and Styles of Business English Correspondence • 2.1Structural Parts of Business English Correspondence • A business correspondence consists of seven standard parts, namely, the heading or letterhead, the date, the inside address, the salutation, the body, the complimentary close, and the writer’s signature and official position. Whenever necessary or appropriate, any of the following optional parts can be included: reference number,attention line, subject line, enclosure (s), carbon copy notation (cc) and postscript. See the following format:

7. 2.1.1Letterhead (信头) • The letterhead, usually printed in the up-center or at the right or left margin of a letter writing paper, contains the all necessary information about the company’s name, address, postcode, telephone number or telex number and fax number, E-mail address, website and even a logo of the company. • Sample 1: • Golden Trading Company Ltd • 12D Northern Avenue, New York, 10017 U.S.A. • Tel: (01)633-3626626 Telex: (01) 45667 • Fax: (01)633-3626676

8. Sample 2:

9. But when writing on blank paper, type only the address at the right or left margin. • Sample 1: • Golden Trading Company Ltd 12D Northern Avenue, • New York, 10017 • U.S.A. • January 14, 2008 • Mr. Lee Johnsons • 4 Victoria Street • London EW1HOEP • Britain • Dear Mr. Johnsons, • Enclosed is our latest illustrated catalog of numerical machines which you have asked. • Sincerely yours, • XXXX

10. Sample 2: • Golden Trading Company Ltd • 12D Northern Avenue, • New York, 10017 • U.S.A. • January 14, 2008 • Mr. Lee Johnsons • 4 Victoria Street • London EW1HOEP • Britain • Dear Mr. Johnsons, • Enclosed is our latest illustrated catalog of numerical machines which you have asked. • Sincerely yours, • XXXX

11. 2.1.2Reference Number and Date (参考编号，日期) • Reference numbers and letters enable replies to be linked with previous correspondence and ensure prompt reception of the letter or facilitate the addressee to identify and locate the corresponding files. The reference may include a file number, department code or the initials of the signer of the letter, sometimes to be followed by the typist’s initials. Failure to quote your counterpart’s reference number may cause inconvenience. • If the letterhead includes a place for reference, they will be typed in the space provided. Otherwise, they are typed immediately below the letterhead with “Your ref.:” to precede “Our ref.:”

12. Sample 1: • INTERCITY BANK Plc • 58 Jalan Thamrin, • Jakarta, Indonesia • Telephone: 375018 Telex: 6756 • Your ref.: • Our ref.: PL/fh/246 • 12 January, 1987

13. Where the letterhead does not provide space for it, the reference number may form part of the first paragraph of the reply letter: • Sample 2: • Dear Sir/Madam • Thank you for your letter, reference PL/fh/246, of 12 January 1987. • Or the reference may be typed as a heading: • Sample 3: • Dear Sir/Madam • Your ref.: PL/fh/246 • Thank you for your letter of 12 January 1987.

14. The date line is usually placed two lines below the last line of the letterhead. The date should always be typed in full and not abbreviated (e.g. November for Nov.). And the -th, -st, -nd, and -rd that follow the day can be omitted (e.g. 5 May for 5th May). Never write ’94 for the year of 1994, or ’08 for the year of 2008. The following two are recommended: September 15, 1994 (American practice) 15 September 1994 (British practice)

15. Sample 4:SKYVIEW ENTERPRISES7111 Terrazzo Place Sarasota, Fl 33031 (813) 598–1026January 20, 1995 • Note: avoid writing dates in figures only, for instance, 03/02/2009, since it could be quite confusing because British form follows the order of day, month and year while the American practice is to write in the order of month, day and year. So 03/02/2009 could be taken as either March 2, 2009 or February 3, 2009.

16. 2.1.3Inside Address (封内名称和地址) • The inside address and name of the addressee is typed at the left-hand margin about 2～4 lines below the date line. • The inside address of a letter to an individual consists of the addressee’s courtesy title, name, business or executive title and address. Courtesy titles, such as Mr., Mrs., Miss, Messrs. and Mmes., Esq., are the most common ones frequently used in correspondence. • ‘Esq. ’ is sometimes used instead of ‘Mr.’ for certain class of people, such as judges or magistrates, and should always follow the personal name.

17. Sample 1: William Carlos, Esq. • However, ‘Doctor, Professor, Colonel or Sir’, and other special titles are used instead of ‘Mr.’ or ‘Esp.’ to precede the addressee while his or her official position or qualifications, such as Ph.D., President, etc. follows.

18. Sample 2: • Dr. EarnestK. North • Prime Minister • Sir Edwards H. Wells, M.P. • Sir Howard G. Joseph, Bt. (or Bart.) • (NOTE: Bt. and Bart. are abbreviated forms for Baronet)

19. It has become customary to use ‘Ms.’ instead of ‘Mrs.’ or ‘Miss’ as the courtesy title for all women, married or single in recent years. And ‘Messrs.’ and ‘Mmes.’ are abbreviated form of the French words ‘Messieurs’ and ‘Mesdames’ respectively, used only for firms or companies, the names of which include personal elements. • Sample 3: • Messrs. Goldwyn & Mesons Co. • Messrs. Kato & Co., Ltd

20. When addressing business executives, great importance must be attached to their title, which frequently follows their surname. Whether in writing or typing, a comma is used between their surname and their business title which is usually capitalized. In the case that the title is too long to fit on the same line as the name, type it in one line below.

21. Sample: • Mr. Tony Blair, Prime Minister • Dr. EastK. Blank • Chief Purchasing Manager

22. Close attention must be drawn to the inside address when it comes to addressing foreign correspondence. Copy exactly the address as your counterpart offers to you. In Western countries, the right order may be cited as follows: • Name of house • Number of house and name (or number) of street • Name of town or city • State or province and its postal code (or Zip Code as in the United States of America) • Name of country

23. Here are examples of the inside address and name: • (1) To an individual in a company • Mr. George F. Moore • Advertising Manager • Price & Patterson • 234 Seventh Avenue • New York, • U.S.A.

24. (2) To an anonymous official in the company • Sales Manager • Office Systems Pty Ltd • 124 Oak Street • Chatswood • NSW 2067 • Australia

25. (3) To a company • Messrs. Kato & Co., Ltd • 2 Nichome, Ginza Nishi • Chuo-ku, Tokyo

26. 2.1.4 Attention Line (经办人) • ‘Attention line’ directs the letter to a specific individual or department of the firm or organization addressed. It generally follows the inside address and above the salutation, and most often is underlined to attract attention. • Sample: • Richard Thomas & Baldwins Ltd., • 151 Gower Street • London, SC7 6DY, England • Attention: Mr. Cave • Or • Attention of Purchasing Manager • For the Attention of Mr. Cave, Purchasing Manager

27. 2.1.5 Salutation (称呼) Salutation is usually placed two lines below the inside address and two lines above the body of the letter. Salutation is the complimentary greeting with which the addresser begins the letter. However, its form is mainly dependent upon the relationship between the addresser and the addressee. The following are customary greetings of the salutation:

28. Dear Sirs/Madams/Gentlemen —— to a company • Dear Sir —— to a man if you do not know his name • Dear Madam —— to a woman if you do not know her • Dear Mr. Smith —— to a man • Dear Mrs. Smith —— to a married woman • Dear Miss Smith —— to an unmarried woman • Dear Ms Smith—— to a married or unmarried woman • Dear John—— to a friend or someone you know well • To whom it may concern—— you have no idea of who is the recipient One thing to remember, the choice of a particular salutation must be corresponding to the subsequent use of complimentary close. This will be discussed in the section of complimentary close.

29. 2.1.6 Subject Line (也有其他写法：subject/sub./subj./Caption Line/Re :) （事由、标题） • Subject line facilitates the reader to identify the topic of the letter at the first glance. It is usually inserted between the salutation and the body of the business letter, underlined, and sometimes centered or at the left-hand margin for fully-blocked letter form, to draw reader’s or addressee’s attention to the major message or general idea of the letter. • Sample 1: • Dear Sirs, • Order No. 2009 for Printed Cotton Piece Goods

30. Sample 2: • Dear Sirs, • Sub: Children’s Leather Shoes • Sample 3: • In re: Invoice No. 1120 • Re: Proposed delay of the delivery • Subject: Proposed delay of the delivery

31. 2.1.7 Body (正文) • The body of the letter is naturally the most important part of it. When it comes to writing the body of the letter, pay close attention to the following: • Start a new paragraph every time you change to a new subject; arrange the paragraphs logically so that your letter reads easily and moves naturally toward the aim or purpose you wish to arrive at; • Begin each sentence with a capital letter and end it with a period or other punctuation; • Watch your spelling and grammar; • Keep your letter cheerful, concise, correct, complete and conversational.

32. The length of your letter does not matter, but just make sure that your short letter does not sound abrupt, and that your long, chatty letter does not ramble on and on until the reader becomes confused and bored. It is a wonderful quality in writing to beware what and when to say and when to stop. • It is customary to refer to the previous correspondence or to state the specific purpose of the letter in the first paragraph of the body while the addresser’s request, permission or denial, approval or disapproval, plans and expectations will be conveyed in the last paragraph. The opening sentence of the first paragraph of the body should compel addressee’s interest and attention while the closing sentence of the last paragraph of the body should inspire whatever action or response is desired.

33. 2.1.8 Complimentary Close (结尾敬词) • The complimentary close of a letter is the ‘goodbye’ before you sign your name and slip your letter into its envelope. It is typed two or three spaces below the body of the letter, beginning about in the middle of the page. Only the beginning letter of the first word should be capitalized; and a comma is inevitable at the end. • The wording varies according to the type of letter, and according to the degree of friendship and intimacy with the addressee. It is best to conform to the conventional closings in business and social letters. However, always be sure that the salutation must be in conformity with the subsequent complimentary close as suggested earlier. • The following salutations and their corresponding complementary closes are the most commonly frequented in modern business correspondence. • Examples of the Formats of Salutation and Corresponding Complementary Close (see the following chart):

35. 2.1.9 Signatureand Official Position (签名) The signature is the signed name or mark of the person who writes the letter or the firm which he or she represents. It is crucial to ensure that all of your letters and related documents are signed before they are sent out because such official documents without a signature are not legal-binding. It is written immediately below the complimentary close and somewhat to the right, so that it ends just about in line with the right-hand margin of the letter. There are three guidelines to observe:

36. 1. To sign with a rubber stamp is a form of discourtesy. Always sign by hand, in ink and in full name above the typed name. 2. Since handwritten signature is illegible, the full name of the signer must be typed legibly below so there can be no doubt or misleading as to the spelling of the signer’s name. And its accompanying title must be typed behind or below the signer’s typed name when necessary. 3. It is common practice to write ‘for’, ‘pp’ or ‘per pro’ before the signature when signing on behalf of someone else. • Frequently the name of the firm represented is used in the signature, with the name of the addresser immediately below it.

37. Sample 1: • Yours faithfully, • THE INTERNATIONAL TRADING COMPANY • (Signature) • Catty Gresham • Marketing Manager • Or

38. Sample 2: • Yours faithfully, • (Signature) • Catty Gresham • Marketing Manager • Or

39. Sample 3: • Yours truly, • For Hubei SILK IMPORT & EXPORT CO., LTD • (Signature) • George Benton, Purchasing Manager • Or

40. Sample 4:Yours truly, Per Pro (P.P.) Hubei SILK IMPORT & EXPORT CO., LTD(Signature)George Benton, Purchasing ManagerOr

41. When a letter has been dictated to an assistant, it is customary to give the initials of the person who dictated the letter as well as the stenographer who typed it, for identifying purposes. The initials are placed below and to the left-hand margin. Anyone of the following four methods of initialing may be applied: CN/AM, CN: AM, CN-AM or CN/am. (NOTE: CN stands for Cathy North—the dictator and AM stands for Amy Megan—the stenographer) occasionally ‘Cathy North/am’ is also acceptable.

42. Sample 5:

43. 2.1.10Enclosure (或者enc./encl./encls)（附件） • If something is enclosed in the letter, attention should called to it by writing ‘enclosure’ or ‘enclosures’ or in their abbreviated forms as ‘enc.’ , ‘encls.’ or ‘encs.’ below the typed signature or below the identifying initials of dictator and stenographer in the lower left-hand corner. • Sample 1: • Encls: 2 Invoices • Enc.: 1 B/L • 1 Photo • 1 Certificate • Sample 2: • CN/am • Enclosures: 2 samples

44. 2.1.11 Carbon Copy Notation (缩写为cc:，cc to XX) (抄送) • When copies of a letter are sent to named business associates or other interested parties, the copy recipients are acknowledged with their full name after the typed ‘c.c.’ at the left-hand margin, usually in alphabetical order by surname or in order of seniority as in the following examples. • Copies: Mr. George W. Bush • Mr. Edwards H. Wilson • CC: Mr. Glenn Willington, Ms Gloria Watson

45. 2.1.12 Postscript (缩写为P.S.，cc to XX) (附言) • A postscript might be reckoned as an after-thought, suggesting careless or disorganized thinking. It is usually unnecessary and often unsightly—and should be avoided. However, in business correspondence, it is often purposely applied to draw attention to some information or to emphasize a special offer. The postscript should be brief, and contain only one clear-cut message. It may be added either with or without the ‘P.S.’. The following are some examples of typical business letter postscripts. • Sample 1: • P. S.: Looking forward to seeing you at the Annual Sales Meeting at the Hillside Plaza on January 20. • (NOTE: the ‘:’ behind the ‘P.S.’ can be omitted.) • Sample 2: • Please note: this offer is open for only 10 days.

46. 2.2 Formats or Layout of Business English Correspondence It is advisable to follow the established practice to which the business world has become accustomed when it comes to the choice of format or layout of business letters. Generally speaking, there are four major forms or styles, i.e., full block form (完全平头式), modified block form (改良平头式), block form (平头式), semi-indented form or semi-block form with indented paragraphs (混合式) respectively. Here we just focus on the most frequently adopted forms in current practice, namely, full block form (完全平头式), modified block form (改良平头式).

47. 2.2.1 Full Block Form (完全平头式) • Thefull block form is widely adopted today because of its efficient and timesaving characteristics. Its outstanding feature is that all typing lines, inclusive of letter head (except for previously center-typed letterhead), the date and reference lines, inside name and address, attention line, salutation, subject line, each message paragraph and complimentary close and signature and official position, typed name, enclosure, carbon copy notation (c.c.) and postscript (P.S.), begin from the left-hand margin for the convenience of computer arrangement. • Below is a format of this practice.

48. Sample 1:

49. Sample 2:

50. 2.2.2 Modified Block Form (改良平头式) • The modified block form is considered as the most attractive among the four forms with the letterhead and subject line center-typed, the reference and date line arranged right, the attention line, the salutation, the body of the letter, the enclosure, carbon copy notation (c.c.) and postscript (P.S.) arranged left as the full block form, and with the complimentary close arranged to the right of center with the signature, typed name and official position aligned beneath it. • Below is a format of this practice.