商务英语商业信函的写作格式

Chapter 5 Structure and Style of Business Letters

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Standard Parts of Business LettersLetterhead信头 2. Date Line 3. Inside Address 4. Salutation 5. Body信文 6. Complimentary Close信尾 7. Signature1.2015/12/15

Letterhead A

business letter is usually typed on printed letterhead paper displaying the name, address, fax and telephone number of the organization sending the letter. It is used only for the first page of a letter.

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Sample Letterhead John

Morris & Co. O’Sullivan Building Baltimore, Maryland 10026 USA

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Pair-work: write your permanent

address and dictate it with your partner

The

dictator should repeat numbers, names so as to confirm them. Write them in the right format. Abbreviation can be used.

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Date Line

The date is typed a few lines below the last line of the letterhead. The format of the date line differs from country to country .The common formats are typical American one (Month/Day/Year) and British one (Day/Month/Year). As the date line is a vital part of a business letter, the month written in full is preferred because figures may create confusion.2015/12/15

Sample Date Line-Date line consists of the date, month, year. -Two widely accepted styles: June 12, 2005 or 20 July, 2004 -Do not use only figures, i.e. 12/6/94, because not all English-speaking people agree on the order of the date -Place the date on the left margin aligning排成一 行with inside address (block) or with letterhead (modified)2015/12/15

Rewrite the following date line for standard business letters 6/5/99 10-9-98 8

June 2004 Oct.28, 99 jan.13. 2005

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Inside Address

The address of the organization receiving the letter is typed single-spaced at the left margin. The number of lines left blank between the dateline and the address depends on the size of the body of the letter, the size of type used, and the length of the printed lines. The address is typed as it will appear on the envelope.

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Sample Inside AddressDr. David Brown Executive Vice President Sunny Stock, Inc.股份有限公司(incorporated)

Salt Lake City, UT 75087 U.S.A.

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Arrange the following information into letterhead or inside address:

China/Beijing 100021/Beijing Metal/President/ Lin Fang/ East lane/ 234

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Salutation

For most letter styles place the letter greeting or salutation, two lines below the last line of the inside address or the attention line (if used). If the letter is addressed to an individual, use that person’s courtesy title and last name (Dear Mr. Lanbam). Be sure to add a colon (or a comma not a semicolon) after the salutation. Use an individual’s full name (Dear Leslie Lanbam) only when gender is unknown.2015/12/15

Sample Salutation

It is typed flush使齐平 Dear Andy, with left margin Dear Mrs. Breedlove, (blocked and Ladies and Gentlemen: modified block改良齐头

式)

It is followed by a comma or a colon It can omit any punctuation, if so the complimentary needs none. 2015/12/15

More Example of Salutation (1)Dear Sir/Dear Sirs/Gentlemen/Ladies: (to the unknown and very formal) Dear Mr./Mrs/Miss/Ms Johnson: (only surname, semi formal) Dear Messrs/Mmes. Johnson: (2 or more Men/women with the same surname.)

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More Example of Salutation (2)Dear Dr. Woods: (professional title used ) Dear Customer: (to a group of the same status) Dear Purchasing Agent: (the unknown’s professional title) Dear Kim: (first name, very informal)

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What salutation would you use to address a letter to:a. b.

c.d. e. f. g.

A company (a new client) David J.Lee (businessman with doctorate) Candy Lester(unknown marital status) A marketing manager Mr. Bran Jackson & Mr. Kevin Jackson Mr. Froy Longman & Mrs. Jane Longman Persons who are applying for a job vacancy2015/12/15