ENGLISH NOTES

BUSINESS LETTERS

• Elicits the expected response from the readers

• This can be achieved through ha concise, tactful, and accurate writing style.

• It can serve several purposes: for sales efforts, complaints, information dissemation, relationship building, problem-solving, etc.

PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

LETTERHEAD

• identifies the writer, the writer’s address, and the writer’s phone number/s

DATE

• Indicates when the letter was written

• placed in between the letterhead and the inside address

INSIDE ADDRESS

• This identifies the reader’s name, position and company, and address. This is placed immediately below the date

ATTENTION LINE

• this is used when te writer wishes to address the whole company but wishes to bring it to the attention of a particular person within the company.

• Attention: xxxxx

SALUTATION

• This refers to the writer’s formal greeting to the reader

BODY

• this part of the letter contains the message of the letter

• Paragraphs here are single-spaced internally but doubles-paced to separate paragraphs

COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE

• This refers to the expression used to end a letter

• Wording may vary depending on the formality of the letter

SIGNATURE BLOCK

• Incluedes signatures and the typed name of the sender either in all caps or in lower case

IDENTIFICATION INITIALS

• This indicates the typist’s initials if the sender is not the one who personally typed the document

ENCLOSURE NOTATION

• refers to the attachments to the letter

COPY NOTATION

• indicates the name of the secondary recipients of the letter

• The copy notation is indicated by cc: which means carbon copy or courtesy copy

FORMATS WHEN WRITING A BUSINESS LETTER

FULL BLOCK

• Most commonly used format

MODIFIED BLOCK

• Second most used format

SEMIBLOCK

• least used format

MEMORANDUM

• commonly used for internal communications within organizations, providing concise information in a standardized format.

PARTS OF A MEMO

MEMO HEAD

• identifies the department or office name, address, and contact numbers

TO LINE

• indicates name and title of the receiver

FROM LINE

• indicates the name of the sender (their initials must be affixed on the right for verification purposes

DATE LINE

• this serves as a chronological record for reference purposes

SUBJECT LINE

• announces the main content or topic of the memo. Subject is more preformed than the old term: Re

BODY

• Contains the main message of the memo

• paragraphs are single spaced internally but double spaced externally

IDENTIFICATION INITIALS

• Indicate’s the sender’s initals if they are not the one who personally sent the letter

ENCLOSURE NOTATION

• refers to the attachments to the memo

• formats:

• enclosures (2)

• Enclosure

COPY NOTATION

• indicates the name of the secondary recipients of the letter

• Carbon notations is indicated by cc (carbon copy/courtesy copy)

INSTRUCTION MEMO

• provides information needed to accurately follow directions

REQUEST MEMO

• asks reader to provide certain information or take certain actions

ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO

• provides information about an event, person, or thing

TRANSMITTAL MEMO

• serves as a cover not for a more formal or length document

AUTHORIZATION MEMO

• Gives permission to the reader

E-MAILS

• electronic mails used to send messages to everyone from friends and family and even colleagues and superiors

• Revolutionized interpersonal communication by allowing instantaneous exchanges of information, regardless of geographical barriers.

• Allows for instant communication across vast distances, making it a vital tool in both personal and professional settings.