Letter-Writing.pdf

Letter Writing

Bank Exam Preparation Series

01

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02

Imagine that you write to a real friend of yours. Friends usually have names so address him/her with a name: begin the letter with Dear Janaki/ Tora /Revathi, etc. Begin your letter with some general statements. Refer to the letter you have received from your friend and thank him/her for it or apologise for the fact that you have not answered the last letter soon enough.

Use the proper register. The letter is supposed to be informal so you can use contractions, informal linking words like well, by the way, anyway, so, colloquial expressions, etc.

You can use more-conversation-like statements or questions in your letter: You know that I had this exam, right? You think he will be able to come to the party?

Use questions to ask about your friend - arrange the next meeting, send greetings to his/her friends and family, etc.

End your letter in informal way: Best wishes; Love; Regards.

Useful expressions:

Thank you for your letter. It was nice to hear from you.

Your last letter was a real surprise. It was so nice of you to remember about...

Thanks a lot for the information you've sent me in your last letter.

I've just received your letter. I'm so happy to hear that...

I'm sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.

I'm sorry I haven't written for so long but...

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Well, that's all for now. Will talk to you soon.

Give my regards to your Mummy.

I hope we will be able to arrange a get-together.

Do write back as I'm waiting for the news from you.

03

Q: You are spending your holidays in a very exciting place you have always wanted to visit. The people you travel with are really nice so you enjoy their companionship. Write a letter to your friend describing what you have been doing so far and what you still plan to do.

Dear Sylvia,

Thank you a lot for your last letter. It was a nice surprise to hear from you. I'm sorry I haven't written to you earlier but I had to organise some things concerning my trip.

As you probably remember I've always wanted to visit some unusual places. And now, at last, off I went! But you'd never guess where I've chosen to spend my holiday. It's on the snowy peaks of the Himalayas! You would never think of it, would you? I'm so excited about the whole event!

The people I travel with are incredible. It's their fourteenth expedition there. They know every path in the snow by heart and they are very helpful. They share their knowledge and experience with me. Would you believe that here everything is different? You even need to set your tent in a special way. It's all very challenging. Tomorrow we plan to move further North so I may not be able to stay in touch for a while.

Anyway, I'd like to meet you when I get back. Hope you are enjoying your holiday. Do write back soon.

Love,

Vat

04

Business Letter Writing

Learning Aims

After the completion of this chapter, you will be able to:

1. Grasp layout of business letters.

2. Learn how to address envelopes.

3. Be familiar with styles of letters.

Brief Introduction

Business letters are the principle means used by firms or companies to keep in touch with their customers. They are sent to ask for or to convey information, to make or accept an offer, to deal with matters concerning negation of business and so on. Foreign trade personnel should not only understand but also be good at business letters.

Section 1 The Structure of Business letters

Generally speaking, an ordinary business letter mainly consists of seven parts:

(1) Letterhead

(2) Reference and Date Line

(3) Inside Name and Address

(4) Salutation

(5) Letter Body

(6) Complimentary Closure

(7) Signature

Under some Circumstances more parts may be contained:

(8) Attention Line

(9) Subject Line/Caption

(10) Reference Notation

(11) Enclosure/Encl.

(12) Carbon Copy Notation/CC

(13) Postscript/P.S.

05

1. The Essential Parts

1Letterhead

Letterheads include the essential particulars about the writer-his name and postal address, his telephone number, his telegraphic and telex addresses, the fax number and telegraphic codes used and even his website. Good quality paper and a neat, well-organized letterhead combine to enhance the prestige of the firm that uses them.

(2) Reference and Date Line

The reference may include a file number, department code or the initials of the signer followed by the typist of the letter. They are marked Our Ref. and Your Ref. to avoid confusion. They are typed immediately below the letterhead.

The date should always be written in standard form: September 10, 2006, for example. All number form (10/9/2006) should not be used. The date should be placed on the right-hand side for indented style and on the left-hand side for blocked style.

(3) Inside Name and Address

Generally, the inside name and address should include some or all parts of the following: the receiver's name and title, company name, street address, cit state/province, postcode and country. It appears on the left margin and usually starts two to four lines below the last line of the letterhead.

(4) Salutation

Two lines below the inside name and address of a letter is the salutation. The customary formal greeting in a business letter is Dear Sir or Dear Madam used f addressing one person; and Dear Sirs, Dear Mesdames or Gentlemen for addressing two or more people. If the receiver is known to the writer personally, a warmer greeting such as Dear Mr. Smith is preferred.

(5) Letter Body

This forms body of the letter and is the part that really matters. Before you begin to write, you must first of all consider the following two points.

What is your aim in writing this letter?

What is the best way to go about it?

Since the main purpose of the letter is to convey a message, the letter should be written in language that is easily understood. The following serves as reminders.

Write simply, clearly, courteously, grammatically and to the point;

Paragraph correctly, confining each paragraph to one topic;

Avoid stereotyped phrases and commercial jargon.

06

(6) Complimentary Closure

The complimentary closure ends a letter in a polite way. The main words in complimentary closure are as follows: sincerely, faithfully, cordially, respectfully and truly. These words may appear in any of these combinations as Yours sincerely or Sincerely yours. The choice depends on the writer's preference. It is usually placed two lines below the last line of the body of a letter.

(7) Signature

The writer's signature consists of a handwritten signature and a typewritten signature. When typing a letter, leave three blank lines below the complimentary closure and type the signature identification and title on the fourth line. The writer's signature should be placed between the complimentary closure and the typed signature.

(8) Attention Line

The attention line is used to name the specific individual the letter is addressed to. It is usually placed between the inside address and the salutation or within the inside address and centered over the body of a letter in the indented style.

2. The Optional Parts

(9) Subject Line/Caption

The subject line is the general idea of a letter. It is usually placed one or two lines below the salutation and centered over the body of a letter in the indented style.

(10) Reference Notation

The initials of the person who types the letter should appear in business letters. If the dictator's name is not typed in the signature area, the reference notation shows the initials of both the dictator and the typist. It is placed two or three lines below the signature.

(11) Enclosure/Encl.

If something is enclosed, note it below the reference notation.

(12) Carbon Copy Notation/CC

If copies of a letter are sent to other parties, type CC below the enclosure.

(13) Postscript/P.S.

If the writer wishes to add something he forgets or for emphasis, he may usually add the postscript two lines below the carbon copy notation.

Registered & Head Oce///d',

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HyderabadsZE

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AligarhDZ

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Belgaum 'W

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