LETTER WRITING PATTERN : BUSINESS LETTER

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LETTER WRITING PATTERN : BUSINESS LETTER

1) Heading

If you are writing behalf of a company, you will use paper with a printed letter-head. This letter-head include the name, address, telephone number of the company (or sender) , and may contain a description of the business, trade-mark, telegraphic address, telex, etc.

If you writing a business letter as a private individual, your address will go in the top left hand corner. As a business letter should be typed, the block style is most appropriate.

2) Reference

Give a reference number if you have one. This usually in the top left corner of the letter and may look like any of these

Ref: No 352/6/b

Ref: 352/6/b

Our ref: 352/6/b

Sometimes a company may not use a filing number but instead give the initials of the person who dictated the letter, in capitals, and the initials of the secretary or typist, in small letters: NAY/rsk.

3) The Inside address and

4) Salutation.

Unlike the friendly letter, a business letter requires an inside address above the body of the letter to the left. This consists of the full title and address of the person to whom you are writing. If you know the name of the person, you should put his name at the beginning of the address and then begin the letter Dear Mr..., Dear Miss/Ms...

5) Subject line

It is helpful to give your letter a heading, stating the subject. This comes after the salutation and is usually underlined

6) Body of the letter

A business letter may be written in semi-block (where the addresses are block but the paragraphs are indented ), or fully block ( where no paragraphs are indented, and all parts of the letter begin at the left margin). If you writing for a company, generally you need to follow the style of the company's letters.

7) Closing

When a letter begins Dear Sir(s) or Dear Madam, the ending is usually Yours faithfully.When a letter begins with the name of the addressee (Dear Mr James), the ending is usually Your sincerely.

8) Signature

This is hand written and then followed by the writer's position or status in the company. A woman may indicate her marital status so that the person replying knows how to address her e.g. N.A Nesbit (Mrs), S.J.Swift (Miss).

9) Enclosure

When something is enclosed with a letter, it is usual to indicate this by the abbreviation enc. at the bottom left side of the letter.

10) c.c (carbon copy). If a copy of the letter is to be sent to others for their information, this is shown at the bottom left side of the letter together with the name(s) of the person(s) to whom the copy is sent.

The address on the envelope should be written in the same block style as the letter.

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