Structure of a Business Letter

I

The main parts of a business letter are:

1) the letterhead / дані про відправника листа;

2) the date / дата;

3) inside name and address / дані про одержувача листа;

4) salutation / привітання;

5) the message / повідомлення, інформація;

6) complimentary closure / заключна частина;

7) the writer's signature and official position / підпис відправника та його посада.

1. The letterhead expresses the firm's personality. It gives the first impression of the firm. It is placed at the upper right-hand side, on blank paper, and consists of the exact address of the writer, including the name and address of the firm, its telephone numbers. telegraphic address, e-mail, telegraphic (zip) codes used.

2. The date is always typed in full not in figures in the following order: day, month. year (UK); month, day, year (USA).

e.g. 12^th October 2002 12 October 2002 (UK)

October 12^th 2002 October 12, 2002 (USA)

3. Inside name and address are set out at the head of the letter at the left-hand corner in
official correspondence. The official title of the person is used.

e.g. The Sales Manager

The Hercules Engineering Co Ltd. Brazennose Street MANCHESTER M60 8AS

 

4. The salutation is the usual greeting with which the letter begins:

Dear Sir

Dear Madam

Dear Sirs (when partnership of men and women is addressed in the UK)

Gentlemen {in the USA)

Mesdames (when the partnership consists of women only)

5. The message (body) is the part that really matters. Before you begin to write ask
yourself the following questions:

What is the aim in writing this letter?

What do I hope to achieve by it?

What is the best way to do it?

Keep your sentences and paragraphs short and start a new paragraph for each new point you wish to stress.

Some letters consist of only one paragraph. The others usually have a three-paragraph plan:

· introduction or acknowledgement (if there has been previous correspondence);

· information and statement of the facts;

· future actions.

The closing sentence has to leave an impression of cordial and friendly communication. In business letters use 'we'/' our' instead of 'I'/'my'. Don't use the short forms 'we'll'/ 'we've'.

6. Complimentary closure depends on how well you know the reader: formal, semi-formal, informal.

Formal	Respectfully yours. Respectfully. Very respectfully.
Semi-formal	Very truly yours. Yours very truly. Yours truly.
Informal	Most sincerely. Very sincerely. Sincerely yours. Yours sincerely. Sincerely.

7. The writer's signature and official position. The signature must be written by hand and in ink and plainly. It is placed just below the close.

e.g. Henry J. Gray

Henry J. Gray

President

AMERICAN BUILDING COMPANY

II

ADDRESSING AN ENVELOPE

There are three important requirements in addressing envelopes:

· accuracy;

· legibility;

· good appearance.

Begin the first line about half-way down the envelope, leaving at least 3 cm of clear

space for the post-mark.

Type the address in double line-spacing, using block capitals for name of the town, add the postcode on a separate line at the end.

Use separate lines for the name or company, post box or house name, number and street (don't abbreviate words Road, Street, Avenue), town and country or city and state, postcode. The number precedes the street name. The postcode should always be the last item in the address.

The words "Confidential" or "Personal" should be typed in the bottom left-hand corner or in the upper left-hand corner. The address is written as follows:

 

Exercise 8. Complete the sentences according to the text:

1. The letterhead gives… It is placed…and contains…

2. The dateis always typed…

3. Inside name and addressare set out at…

4. The salutation “Dear Sirs” is used when…

5. Most business letters usually have a three-paragraph plan, which includes…

6. Complimentary closure depends on…

7. The signature must be written by…

8. Three important requirements in addressing envelopes are…

9. Typing addresses use separate lines for…

10. The words "Confidential" or "Personal" should be typed in…

 

V. Writing.

Exercise 9.

1).Write a private business letter to your foreign partner using the additional phrases. In your letter:

· introduce yourself;

· say 'thank you' to your partner for the information he has given you in the previous letter;

· assure your partner that you are ready for long cooperation with his firm.

2). Write a formal business letter and identify its type. Consult the Appendix for sample business letters.

Additional phrases

Opening Phrases

Dear Sirs,...

We greatly appreciate

We thank you for

Many thanks for

Please accept our thanks for

Your letter

stating that...

asking us to do...

requesting us to do.

has been considered (given proper attention)

 

In reply / response to your letter of...

We learn from your letter that...

We apologize for / Accept our apology for...

We regret (we are sorry) to learn from your letter of... that...

We have to point out that...

to remind you that...

pleasure of informing you that.

Binding phrases

We are sure (confident) that...

We would like to remind you that...

We find/consider it necessary (important, reasonable) to note…

Further to the above...

In addition to the above...

We would welcome the opportunity...

It is self-understood...

It goes without saying...

In this connection...

 

In connection with your request...

with the above said..

 

The matter/point is...

In / Under the circumstances...

In case of your refusal........failure to make payment(s)...

Moreover…

Nevertheless...

First of all...

In fact (actually)...

Besides...

Closing phrases

Awaiting your early reply...

your affirmative reply...

formal authorization to this effect...

viewpoint on the subject...

Thanking you in advance for any information you can offer...

Please, inform us (let us know) in the shortest possible time (at your earliest convenience…

We would like to assure you...

Apologizing for any inconvenience that have been brought about...

Assuring - you of our utmost attention...

- our services at all times...

UNIT 7

QUALITY CONTROL

 

I. Language

Exercise 1. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:

To ensure – гарантувати, забеспечувати

To exceed – перебільшувати

In conjunction with – поєднаний з

Cross-functional approach – перехресно-функціональний підхід

Failure testing – перевірка на брак

Unanticipated – неочікуваний

To improve – покращувати

Mold-resistant paint – фарба стійка до плісняви

Washer placement – мийник, місце для прання

Earthquake – землетрус

Likelihood – ймовірність, вірогідність

Deviations – відхилення, відступ

Distribution – розподіл, розміщення

Clerical tasks – канцелярські завдання

Order-entry – вхідна заявка

Sampling – відбір проб (зразків)

Fraction of the output – частина випуску продукції

Variance – зміна, невідповідність

Tracked – той, що рухається

Beware – застерігати від чогось

Specifications – технічні умови

Guilds – організації, союзи

To supervise – дивитись, наглядати

Admiralty – адміралтейство; морське міністерство

Foreman – майстер; старший робітник

Quality assurance – забезпечення якості; контроль якості

Inception – початок

To implement – виконувати, здійснювати; забезпечувати виконання

Conformance – відповідність

Imposed – поставлений (за обов'язок тощо); призначений

To dispute – заперечувати, обговорювати

Feedback – зворотний зв'язок

Consistent data recording – послідовний реєстр даних

Notification – повідомлення

To evolve – розвивати(ся)

Quality awareness – усвідомленість якості