EntranceBusiness correspondence in English. Formal Writing in English (Official), Outline, Phrases, Examples
On this page you will find 5 samples of commercial offer letters in English, with translation into Russian.
Letter 1
4567 Golden Street
Fresno, California
9034 Cooper Street
Fresno, California
October 30, 2009
Our company Soft Plus is quite new in the region, it was established last year, but in spite of this we have already proven to be professionals and have a number of good reviews. We offer qualified services in software maintenance at reasonable prices. This month we have a special offer for you and your office equipment with a good discount. For more information you may call 555-55-55.
From: Mr. Louis Mann, CEO of Soft Plus
4567 Golden Street, Fresno, California
To: StanleyCo Ltd
Dear Sirs
Our company “Soft Plus” has not existed for long, it was founded last year, but despite this we have already established ourselves as professionals and have a number of good reviews. We offer qualified software maintenance services at reasonable prices. This month we have a special offer for you and your office with a good discount. For more information, call 555-55-55.
Sincerely,
Louis Mann
CEO
Letter 2
Mr Jonathan Swift
4567 Bowery Street
9034 Cooper Street
Fresno, California
Dear HR manager,
Would you like to organize a day off for your employees within corporate culture? Our company may help you to increase the engagement of the staff by creating a simple family day-off! Competitions, contests, quizzes – all sorts of stuff for good time-spending with families and colleagues! Call us right now to reserve a date – 678-702.
Mr Jonathan Swift
From: Mr. Jonathan Swift, FanOrg PR Manager
4567 Bowery Street, New York, NY
To: HR Manager, StanleyCo Ltd
9034 Cooper Street, Fresno, California, USA 90345
Dear HR Manager
Would you like to organize a day of rest for your employees as part of your corporate culture? Our company can help you increase the level of engagement of your staff by simply giving them a family day off! Competitions, competitions, quizzes - any entertainment for a good time with family and colleagues! Call us right now to sign up for a free day - 678-702.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Swift,
Public Relations Manager
Letter 3
4567 Levi Street
9034 West Street
I know that recently you have opened a shop in our town. And I also know that you do not have any internet page of your shop. That is why I would like to offer you to create such a page. Nowadays lots of people prefer to make purchases sitting at home so business in internet is becoming more and more popular and the page of your shop in internet can become very profitable and help you earn more money. If you are interested in my offer I would discuss the details with great pleasure.
From: Mr. Jim Ferry
4567 Levi Street, New York, NY
To: Mr. Sam Adrian
9034 West Street, New York, NY, USA 90345
Dear Mr Adrian
I know that you recently opened a store in our city. And I also know that you do not have a website for your store. Therefore, I would like to invite you to create such a page. Nowadays, many people prefer to shop without leaving home, so online business is becoming more and more popular; your online store page can become very profitable and help you earn even more money. If you are interested in my proposal, then I would like to discuss the details with you with great pleasure.
Sincerely,
Jim Ferry
Letter 4
9034 East Street
December 01, 2001
Dear Sales Manager
Your company has been our customer for a long time. We appreciate your loyalty and thus would like to offer you our new product – electronic paper shredder. It is very easy to use and would become a very useful device in your office! If you place order before the end of this month you may get it with 50% discount.
We are looking forward to hearing from you,
From: Mr. Fred Johnson, Sales Manager
4567 Marconi Street, Sacramento, California
To: Sales Manager, Fulhome Boots
9034 East Street, Sacramento, California, USA 90345
Dear Sales Manager
Your company has been our client for many years. We value your loyalty and therefore want to offer you our new product - an electronic paper shredder. It is very easy to use and will become a very useful device in your office! If you place an order before the end of this month, you can get a 50% discount.
Waiting for your answer,
Fred Johnson
Sales Manager
Letter 5
General Director
4567 Camino Street
9034 South Street
Your wedding agency is becoming more and more popular in our city. I would like to help you make it more attractive to the customers. I am the owner of rose gardens, we grow fine roses all the year round. Roses would become a very good decoration for all wedding ceremonies. The prices are reasonable and include the designer service. More information you may find in the brochure attached.
General Director
From: Mr. Dean Hipp, CEO
4567 Camino Street, San Diego, California
To: Mrs. Linnet, Perfect Wedding
9034 South Street, San Diego, California, USA 90345
Dear Mrs. Linnet
Your wedding agency is becoming increasingly popular in our city. I would like to help you make it even more attractive to your customers. I am the owner of rose gardens, we grow roses all year round. Roses will be a good decoration for all wedding ceremonies. We have reasonable prices that include design services. More detailed information can be found in the attached brochure.
Sincerely,
Dean Hipp
CEO
It is very difficult to imagine modern business without business correspondence. This is especially important when collaborating with international companies. But often write business letter in English it can be quite difficult.
I don't like to leave anything unfinished. I have an absolute need to see that every phone call is returned, every letter answered.
I don't like to leave anything unfinished. I absolutely need to see that every phone call is answered and no email goes unanswered.
~ Alan W. Livingston
As you know, they have their own characteristics. In business correspondence in English, it is necessary not only to show knowledge of the language, but also to resolve work issues, adhering to a certain structure and being guided by the norms of business etiquette.
In this article you will find out what business letters exist in English, get acquainted with phrases and cliches. You will also find examples and ready-made business letters in English with translation.
Business letters in English with translation
In business correspondence, there are various templates for business letters in English depending on the topic and purpose of the letter.
There are many types of business letters, in our article we have selected the most common of them
(Letter of Congratulation)
Often sent to employees or partners to highlight their personal contribution to the development of the industry or to congratulate them on personal achievements and memorable dates.
| Example of a letter of congratulations in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr John Lewis General Manager Hoverny Ltd 4567 Snake street Oakland, California Howard Stanley October 01, 2015 Dear Mr Stanley, |
From: Mr John Lewis, CEO Hoverny Ltd 4567 Snake Street Oakland, California To: Howard Stanley Dear Mr. Stanley, |
Letter of Invitation
Most often business Letter of Invitation sent to invite you to events related to the company’s activities.
| Example of an invitation letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Dear Charles Milton, I would like to invite you to a seminar that I"m confident will interest you. The 3D Technologies Seminar held at the Moscow Crocus Congress Center on June 13 will feature lectures by several key programmers and designers in the field of 3D modeling, with topics including trilinear filtering, anti-aliasing and mipmapping. I am enclosing 3 tickets for you. I hope that you decide to attend and I am looking forward to seeing you there. Igor Petrov, |
Dear Charles Milton, I would like to invite you to a seminar that I am sure will interest you. At the seminar on 3D technology, which will take place at the Moscow Crocus Congress Center on June 13, several key programmers and designers will give lectures on 3D modeling, including trilinear filtering, anti-aliasing and mipmapping. I am enclosing 3 tickets for you. I hope you will take part in the seminar and I look forward to meeting you. Sincerely, Igor Petrov, |
Letter of Acceptance
Letter of Acceptance is very welcome in your mailbox, because it notifies you of a job acceptance.
| Example of a job application letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mrs Jane Tumin HR Manager Sommertim 7834 Irving Street Denver, Colorado Mrs Lean February 15, 2016 Dear Mrs Lean Jane Tumin |
From: Ms. Jane Tumin, HR manager Sommertim 7834 Irving Street Denver, Colorado To: Ms. Lin Dear Ms. Lin Sincerely, Jane Tyumin, |
Application letter
Contains your and offer yourself as an employee. Do not confuse it with the one we talked about earlier!
| Example of an application letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Kira Stan 7834 East street Chicago, Illinois Trend&Fashion Dear Sirs Kira Stan |
From: Ms. Kira Stan 7834 East Street Chicago, Illinois To: "Trend&Fashion" Dear Sirs Sincerely, Kira Stan |
Letter of offer (Commercial Offer)
Such a letter is sent to your potential business partner with your terms and proposals for cooperation.
| Example of an offer letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr Dean Hipp General Director Roses For You 4567 Camino Street San Diego, CA Mrs Olga Linnet March 10, 2016 Dear Mrs Linnet Yours sincerely, Mr Dean Hipp |
From: Mr. Dean Hipp, CEO Roses for you 4567 Camino Street San Diego, California To: Mrs. Linnet, Dear Mrs. Linnet Sincerely, Dean Hipp |
Letter of Complaint
Letter of Complaint contains a complaint or claims about the quality of the purchased goods or services provided.
| Example of a complaint letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr Jack Lupine 7834 17th Street Detroit, Michigan Electronics Ltd April 25, 2017 Dear Sirs, Yours faithfully, Jack Lupin |
From: Mr. Jack Lupine 7834 17th St. Detroit, Michigan To: Electronics Ltd Dear Sirs, I am writing to inform you that yesterday I received my new TV, which was delivered by your delivery service. The packaging was without visible damage, so I signed all the documents and paid the remaining amount. But when I opened the package, I found several scratches on the front panel. I would like to replace the TV with another one or get my money back. Please notify me of your decision within 2 days. Sincerely, Jack Lupine |
Letter of Apology
Letter of apology Letter of Apology) is usually sent in response to a complaint letter to apologize to the customer or clear up a misunderstanding.
| Example of an apology letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr Derek Smith General Manager Electronics Ltd 9034 Commerce Street Detroit, Michigan USA, 90345 Mr Jack Lupine April 28, 2017 Dear Mr Lupin, Yours sincerely, Mr Derek Smith |
From: Mr. Derek Smith, general manager, Electronics Ltd 9034 Commerce St. Detroit, Michigan USA 90345 To: Mr. Jack Lupin Dear Mr. Lupin, We were very disappointed to learn that the TV we delivered to you on April 24 was scratched. We have no idea how this could have happened, and therefore we apologize for this unpleasant incident and are ready to exchange your scratched TV for another one. Sincerely, Derek Smith |
Letter of Sympathy
It is very important for every person to feel supported in difficult times, be it your close friend, colleague or business partner.
A business letter of condolence in English usually consists of the following parts:
- Expressing condolences at the passing of a person.
- Your memories of him, a list of his positive qualities.
- Renewing your condolences. Please contact you for assistance if the need arises.
It is advisable to supplement such a letter with your own memories of the person or, if you did not know him personally, then with the good things that you knew or heard about him.
| Example of a condolence letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Dear Mr Smith, Today morning we heard the sad news of your wife’s death… All the employees of our department have sent their support and condolences. Please don’t worry about the upcoming projects and meetings which are coming up next month. If there is any report that is required I will get it from other team members. If there is anything that we can help you with please feel free to call us at 12345678. Sincerely, |
Dear Mr. Smith This morning we heard the sad news of the death of your wife... All members of our department express their support and condolences. Please don't worry about upcoming projects and meetings coming up in the next month. If there is any report that is required, I will get it from other team members. If there is anything we can do to help you, please call us on 12345678. Sincerely, |
Request letter/Inquiry Letter
A letter of request or a letter of inquiry is sent when it is necessary to obtain information about a service or product, find out the price or delivery conditions.
| Translation into Russian | |
|---|---|
| Mr Ken Smith 9034 Commerce Street Detroit, Michigan USA, 90345 ParkInn Hotel Dear Sir or Madam I am looking forward to your reply, |
From: Mr. Ken Smith 9034 Commerce St. Detroit, Michigan USA 90345 To: Hotel ParkInn Dear Mr. (Ms.) I would like to book a single room in your hotel from August 1st to August 10th. Could you please tell me the cost for one night including breakfast and dinner if possible? Do you have airport delivery and car rental services? Looking forward to your reply, |
Reply to Information Inquiry / Reply Quotation
This letter contains the requested information. Basic rule for Reply to Information Inquiry Answer the questions in the request letter clearly.
| Example of a request letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Ms Jennifer Watson Sales Manager ParkInn Hotel 7834 17th Street Tampa, Florida Mr Ken Smith Dear Mr Smith Yours sincerely, Jennifer Watson |
From: Ms. Jennifer Watson, Sales Manager, Hotel ParkInn 7834 17th St. Tampa, Florida To: Mr. Ken Smith Dear Mr. Smith Sincerely, Jennifer Watson |
How to write a business letter in English
Today, business emails in English have almost completely replaced the traditional method of correspondence.
Modern business correspondence takes place primarily online, especially if your colleagues or partners work in different time zones. Communication through business emails is an integral part of the global business process.
Therefore, it is very important to know not only the general rules for writing business letters, but also their cultural and stylistic features emails in English.
Planning a business letter in English.
Before you start writing a business letter in English, you need to answer the following questions for yourself:
- To whom am I writing this letter?
- Why am I writing this letter?
- Do I need to include specific details in the letter?
- Do I need a response to the letter?
You need to be especially careful with the information you send by email. There is no need to send confidential data by e-mail, because email is often hacked.
Structure of a business email in English
Structure of a business letter in English.
The main advantages of electronic mail (e-mail) compared to regular mail, or snail-mail, “snail” mail, as it is jokingly called in English, is its speed and direct, without intermediaries, communication with the addressee.
We send an email in order to obtain a quick response or expect some quick action from the recipient.
Important!
The email should be short and contain information about the main content of the message that the recipient can understand.
Regardless of whether the email is formal or informal, it should have a clear, logical structure, which is outlined below.
Address of the sender of the letter and address of the recipient of the letter (Heading)
In the top line of the email form, enter your email address ( e-mail address).
Make sure it is correct, because if just one underscore or period is missing, the letter will not reach the addressee.
Subject of the letter
Theater begins with a hanger, and email begins with the subject line, which is placed in a special line at the top.
Try to keep it to 5-7 words and at the same time be sure to include the most important detail in the subject line, for example: Marketing Meeting Agenda(Russian marketing meeting plan)
If it is important to you that your email is answered quickly or that special attention is paid to it, use the word URGENT(Russian Urgent!) or phrase PLEASE READ (Russian Please read!) at the beginning of the subject line of your email.
You can also use the icon to emphasize the importance of the letter High Importance (Russian: very important), which will add a red exclamation mark to the subject line of your email.
Greeting and address (Salutation)
In a business letter in English, it is very important to write the recipient's name and gender correctly. Use the title "Mrs" for women ( Ms) and Mr. ( Mr) for men.
In less formal settings or after a long period of correspondence, it is acceptable to refer to the recipient by his or her first name.
The address is followed by a comma (colon in North America). You don’t have to use punctuation marks at all; it has become fashionable in letters in English.
Main content (Body)
The introduction of a business letter in English usually uses a friendly greeting, gratitude for your attention, or, sometimes, the main idea of the message begins to be formulated.
For example:
Thank you for your prompt response(Russian. Thanks for the quick response)
Following last week’s presentation, I have decided to write to you…(Russian. After the presentation last week, I decided to write to you...)
I am writing to you regarding…(Russian. I am writing to you about...)
After a short introduction, the first paragraph states the main idea of your letter in one or two sentences. Use a few short paragraphs to describe the main points of your message in more detail.
If one paragraph is enough, don't write extra ones just to make the letter seem longer.
Final part (Closing)
In the final paragraph of a business letter in English, you must make a reminder, indicate the urgency of the request, or thank you for your attention, and indicate what actions you expect from your interlocutor.
For example:
Looking forward to your reply(Russian: We are waiting for your response)
Don’t hesitate to contact me back if you have any questions(Russian: Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.)
End of letter (Signature)
At the end of a business letter in English, a final phrase is placed before the name, usually the word Sincerely(Russian: sincerely).
For letters to the UK that begin with the phrases Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear Madam, Dear Sir or Madam, final phrase - Yours faithfully(Russian: with respect).
For the USA, a polite and neutral phrase is suitable - Very truly yours(Russian: Sincerely yours). If you are writing to an old friend, the most appropriate closing phrase would be - Cordially yours(Russian: Yours cordially).
If you used punctuation marks(comma or colon) in the salutation of an English business message, you must also put a comma after the final phrase, before your name.
If you did not use punctuation in your English greeting, then do not use it after the final phrase, for example: Sincerely yours… or Many thanks...
Business letter in English phrases, cliches
Writing an official letter in English is easy if you know the cliches and phrases for a business letter and know how to use them
We have selected the most popular phrases used in business correspondence. You will find a more detailed list of phrases for business letters in our article “Phrases for business correspondence in English”. You can also use ready-made cliches from our business letter examples.
Phrases and cliches for business correspondence in English with translation
Abbreviations in business correspondence
But use these abbreviations carefully, as not everyone is familiar with them and you may be misunderstood.
Email address in English
First part of the email address(we're talking about business addresses now, not personal) consists of the last name and initials of the person you are addressing, or the name of the department/unit, or perhaps its abbreviation.
Second part, which immediately follows the @ sign (pronounced at), is the name of the ISP (Internet Service Provider), organization, or abbreviation for that name.
Usually last part of the address includes a domain name depending on the type of organization (for example, .co for company, .ac– academic – for a university) or the name of the country from which the message was sent (for example, .no for Norway, .uk for UK, etc.).
Here are some other domain name examples:
- .biz – business;
- .gov – government organization;
- .org – non-profit organization (for example, a charity);
- .pro – profession (for example, medicine, law)
Ready-made business letter in English with translation
Business letter in English sample
Using examples of ready-made business letters with translation, you can compose your own excellent letter in English. Below is an example of an email requesting information.
| Letter template in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| To: [email protected] CC: BCC: Date: 10/30/2012 Subject: Receiving the price list Dear Mr. Roger Gill Your advertisement in the May issue of Aquarium Plants magazine is of great interest to us. We would like to know more about your company's products offers and would appreciate receiving your wholesale price list. It is our desire to offer our customers the widest selection of aquarium plants, and we are therefore interested in new plants. We will look forward to your prompt response. Thank you. Alexander Popov, |
To whom: [email protected] Copy: Hidden: Date: 10/30/2017 Topic: Get price list Dear Mr Roger Gill, We would like to know more about your company's products and would like to receive your wholesale price list. We strive to offer our customers the widest selection of aquarium plants and that is why we are interested in new plants. We hope for a quick response. Thank you. Alexander Popov, |
Tips for writing a business letter in English
Following simple rules for writing business letters in English will improve the quality of communication within the company and with clients and agents.
In the modern world, business correspondence has acquired a slightly different color, because you no longer need to wait for a long time for an answer and with the help of e-mail you can solve the necessary questions with lightning speed. But also in email correspondence in English has its own rules and taboos.
Rules of good manners in business communication in English
In order to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings in communication, adhere to very simple and effective rules of correspondence.
One letter to one addressee.
Fill in the “Email Subject” field according to its content.
The subject line must accurately reflect the subject of the correspondence. Specifying a subject saves the addressee's time, allowing him to immediately assess the content of the letter he receives and quickly decide on its priority when reading it.
Addressing accuracy.
Correctly filling out the “To” (TO), “Cc” (CC), and “Blind Carbon Copy” (BCC) fields is the most important tool for efficient and ethical communication.
To avoid mistakes when working with these fields, you need to know their purpose, which is generally accepted in the modern business environment:
- if your name is in the direct addressee (“TO”) field, this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for an answer to his question from you;
- if several addressees are placed in this field, this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for a response from each or any of the addressees;
- If your name is placed in the "CC" (carbon copy) field, this means that the sender wants you to be aware of the question, but he does not expect a response from you. You should not enter into the subject of correspondence if your name is in the “SS” field. If you do decide to enter into correspondence, then it is a sign of good form to begin the letter with an apology for the interference;
- the “BCC” (blind carbon copy) field contains recipients (hidden recipients) who should be aware of the correspondence, but their awareness should not be obvious to direct recipients;
- sending a letter with the “BCC” field filled in presupposes a preliminary agreement or subsequent awareness of the letter’s author and hidden recipients about the reason and purpose of this form of awareness;
- the hidden recipient should not enter into the subject of correspondence from the “BCC” field.
Use a greeting and personal address to the addressee in your letter.
The only exception is a very fast correspondence option (question-answer), which resembles communication in the ISQ format.
A personal appeal gives the letter an individual focus and increases the “involvement” of your addressee in the subject of correspondence.
The addressee who received the letter MUST REPLY.
The correspondence cycle consists of a letter and a reply. If the correspondence grows to five to ten or more messages, this is already a chat or forum.
The text of your response should be placed at the top (beginning) of the letter, not at the bottom. This saves the recipient from having to “scroll” through the previous text of the correspondence in search of the answer you wrote.
Save your time and the time of your respondent - write letters that require a minimum of explanation and clarification.
Save your correspondence history.
You should not start a response to the addressee's letter as a new letter (without saving the correspondence history). Such a response will force the recipient to waste time searching for the original message.
Leave a signature and contact information after each letter. By doing this, you will provide the recipient with the opportunity for additional operational communication if necessary.
Always check the spelling of your email!
Letters from specialists with errors leave a terrible impression.
These are the little things by which our clients judge us and by which they form an opinion about the employees within the company.
The volume of sent attachments should not exceed 3 MB.
Larger files may create problems because... may not get through the recipient's mail server.
Use universal encodings: Zip or rar for sent files. Other extensions may be blocked or cut off during transmission and create problems for the recipient.
7 main taboos of business correspondence in English
Business correspondence - the lady is capricious and demanding. You can communicate with your partners via email or send official letters with the company logo in beautiful envelopes on corporate paper, but just a few nuances can ruin all your efforts to establish communication with the people you need.
Taboo No. 1 Write at length and about nothing.
Brevity in the business world is not only the sister of talent, but also the best friend of effective cooperation. The maximum comfort for reading is the volume of the letter, which fits “in one screen”, maximum – in the volume of text of one sheet of A-4 format.
If the recipient is not interested in your letter from the first lines, he is unlikely to bother writing a response or considering your business proposal.
If you are business partners, then lengthy messages may be perceived as disrespect for the recipient - after all, you are indifferent to one of the most valuable resources in the business world - time. So is it worth doing business with you?
Don't write long, confusing letters. Long letters do not give the correspondent a chance to understand the essence of the issue. Therefore, editing the finished letter is a mandatory stage of work, which will help avoid misunderstandings and confusion. Re-read the text and make sure there are no ambiguous phrases or sentences.
Taboo No. 2 Start with the negative
You cannot start a letter with the words: Unfortunately, I am afraid that, I am sorry to inform you that, We regret to inform you that and the like.
No matter how much you would like to tell you about the problem first, you should not do this immediately after the greeting, otherwise your “Dear Mr. Smith" may become suddenly allergic to opening letters from your company, despite all the restraint of a true English gentleman.
Taboo No. 3 Use abbreviations
Cute phrases that save time and add warmth to your message are best used in friendly, informal correspondence.
Here are examples of such phrases:
C.U.(Russian: See you)
thx/TX(Russian thank you)
RUOK?(Russian: Are you okay?)
FYI(Russian for information)
Forget about them when composing a business letter. Exceptions may include abbreviations for electronic business letters. But first you should make sure that the recipient is well versed among the variety of abbreviations.
The presence of emoticons in a business letter is not discussed. Just think if you would take seriously a business partner who decorated his message with such artistry: :-O:-(:-<:-/ ?
Taboo No. 4 Forget about investments
Forgetting to warn the recipient about attached files (in email correspondence) is unacceptable! In the paper version of a business letter, as a rule, it is also customary to accompany voluminous documents with brief information about their content.
If you send a letter by e-mail and do not emphasize that documents are attached to the letter, the guarantee that the recipient will open them is almost zero.
Useful phrases:
We enclose / are enclosing(Russian: We are enclosing / enclosing...)
We are sending you...under separate cover(Russian. We send it to you... in a separate document)
Please enclose... with your reply(Russian. Please attach/send... with a reply)
Enclosed you will find a copy of the contract…(Russian. In the attachments you will find a copy of the contract...)
Taboo No. 5 Joking and being ironic.
Don't allow yourself irony in your letters. It borders on rudeness. In business correspondence, such freedom as witticisms is absolutely not allowed.
Taboo #6 Experiment with format
It is not advisable to play with formatting and use colored or non-standard fonts.
This will not add originality to your letter; moreover, it will indicate your lack of seriousness.
Taboo No. 7 Familiarity
Use goodbye “Best wishes/Best regards”(Russian: All the best) in a letter to strangers or people you barely know!
Even if you send a letter to someone every Wednesday Mr. Freeman, it doesn't do the above Mr. Freeman your close friend.
It is better to end the letter neutral Yours faithfully(if you don’t know the recipient’s name) or Yours sincerely(if you know the recipient's name).
Finally:
Good letter writing style is as disciplined as brushing your teeth every day. Therefore, adhere to a business style, follow all the rules of business correspondence and it will always be a pleasure to do business with you.
And if you still feel unsure about business communication, we recommend that you take a course at our school.
In contact with
Of course, email is the fastest and most convenient way to exchange routine business messages with English-speaking partners, but the classic “paper” business letter is still the preferred and reliable way to convey important information.
A carefully crafted letter, printed on stylish letterhead, can be a powerful business communication tool. Perhaps it is not worth explaining that the impression of a letter, even with the most tempting commercial offer, can be spoiled if its appearance does not correspond to the generally accepted one.
To ensure that each letter bearing your company logo meets the format requirements that are considered standard for business correspondence in the English-speaking environment, follow these guidelines for composing a business letter in English:
Rule #1: Break the text of the letter into blocks.
When receiving another letter from a foreign colleague, have you ever noticed that it is very easy to “read”? The secret to its clarity and consistency is simple: today all English-language business documentation uses a block structure. It is believed that this principle of structuring information best suits the needs and demands of a modern super-busy person and helps to cope with the continuous flow of business correspondence. Firstly, you can save time at the stage of composing a letter by assembling it, like a constructor, from separate semantic blocks - “Sender’s Address”, “Date”, “Recipient’s Address”, “Greeting”, “Heading”, “Ending”, etc. .d. Secondly, by opening such a “block” letter, the recipient can quickly navigate its contents.
The block structure provides the following design features:
- the entire text of the letter is divided into paragraphs with a single indent between them;
- the red line is not used;
- open punctuation, i.e. there are no non-functional periods and commas;
- alignment is done to the left.
Rule #2: Write in simple and understandable language.
The very concept of a “business letter” already causes discomfort for many. Many English learners live with the belief that their written language is not sophisticated enough for business correspondence. We hasten to reassure them: the most effective business letter should be written in short and simple sentences, and the vocabulary used should not be too “abstruse.” A text that is overloaded with complexity is poorly perceived, but you want your ideas and proposals to be understandable, don’t you? In business communication, it is not the richest vocabulary that is valued, but clarity and consistency of presentation and impeccable logic. And here the so-called “transitions” and “linking words” will not help you - linking words that allow you to build ideas so that thoughts smoothly flow from one to another.
Rule #3: Place the sender's name and address correctly.
The first block of the letter, located in the upper left corner of the page, is information about the sender in the following sequence:
- Company name
- house number, street
- city, postal code
- a country
Online-school of foreign languages "LINGVISTER"
Why is it recommended to include the sender's address in the letter? Even if your address is already in the recipient's address book, save your recipient from having to look for it. When information arrives ready-made, the chance of getting the fastest response to your letter increases by 30%.
Rule #4: Pay attention to the date format.
According to the standard, the date is indicated three lines below the sender information.
The date in the letter is given in full, but the sequence of elements is unique for each country. So, in Great Britain the day/month/year is indicated, which are not separated by commas.
In the USA and Canada, the sequence is different - month/day/year, with a comma sometimes placed before the year.
December 16, 2014
Rule #5: Please include the recipient's name and address correctly.
The recipient's address should immediately follow the date the letter was written. Pay special attention to the name of the addressee: the name should exactly repeat how your addressee indicates his name in the signature of the letter. So, if the recipient signs Christopher Nolan, this is how his name should be written, adding Mr. before it. The recipient's full name and address appear on separate lines in the following sequence:
- full name
- job title
- Company name
- house number, street
- city, postal code
- a country
Mr Christopher Nolan
Executive Producer
Syncopy Films Inc.
4000 Warner Blvd., Building 81, Suite 203
Burbank, CA 91522
Rule #6: Choose a greeting and title.
As we have already said, special punctuation norms are adopted in English business correspondence. Thus, after the address in letters, a comma is usually placed, and the main text of the letter begins on a new line after a single indent.
In emphatically official business correspondence and when addressing a person holding a high position, it is customary to put a colon after the official address:
Dear Mr Vice President:
If in the recipient's address you indicated the recipient's full name, and not just the name of the company, it is recommended to start the letter with a personal address:
Dear Christopher,
If the letter is sent to the name of an organization and is not intended for a specific employee, a more formal greeting should be used:
If the addressee's name is unknown to you, use a neutral form of address:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Rule #7: Indicate the subject of the email in the header.
The header, which briefly describes the contents of the letter, is located one line after the address. In order to separate the subject of the letter from the main text and draw the recipient's attention to it, uppercase characters or underscores are used.
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2014
Rule #8: Don’t forget the closing phrase with a “call to action.”
The final paragraph of the letter includes requests for information, reminders, and calls for a speedy response. We offer you options for appropriate and energetic closing phrases:
- I would again apologize for the delay in replying and I trust that this has clarified the points you have raised, however, if you wish to discuss any points I have not clarified, or need any further information, you may wish to telephone or contact me accordingly.
- I look forward to hearing from you, and in the meantime, should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
- I regret that I cannot be of more assistance in this matter, and should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
- I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
- I appreciate any feedback you may have.
Rule #9: Use an appropriate ending and leave a caption.
The ending of the letter directly depends on what address you used at the beginning of the letter. Neutral options for ending a letter to a friend or colleague are:
If you know the addressee's name and you used a personal address at the beginning of the letter, only one ending would be appropriate:
Dear Mr Nolan...Yours sincerely,
In combination with the greetings Dear Sirs/Dear Sir or Madam, only one ending is used:
Dear Sir or Madam...Yours faithfully,
Don't forget to put a comma between your farewell and your signature!
Leave space for your own signature, departing 4-5 lines from the end.
The sender's name can be written entirely in uppercase letters, or only the first letters can be capitalized. The sender's position is indicated directly on the next line under the name. Pay attention to detail: the abbreviation Mr is not used if the letter writer is a man, but if the letter writer is a woman, (Mrs) is usually added in parentheses.
Yours sincerely,
Yours sincerely,
SUSAN HAYWARD (Mrs)
Rule #10: Mention attachments in the email.
An indication that the letter contains attachments is the inscription Enc or Encs (“Enclosures”) at the bottom of the letter, one line after the sender’s position.
Yours sincerely,
SUSAN HAYWARD (Mrs)
By following these simple rules, you can always successfully write business letters to your partners.
From this article you will learn about the styles of business letters, their structure, proper design, greetings and conclusions of this type of letter.
In addition, you will be able to see visual cliches and examples of business letters, as well as write down important tips that will always help you at the right time.
Writing a business letter in English can make many people worry (and unnecessarily) about their skills and limited business vocabulary.
Structure of a business letter
The format of business letters is a sequence of the following elements:
- Name and Address of Recipient(recipient's name and address).
- Date(date of).
- Reference(link).
- Salutation(greetings).
- Body(main part).
- Closing(conclusion).
- Signature(signature).
- Typist initials(sender's initials).
- Enclosures(applications).
General rules for writing a business letter
- Use the correct format and salutation.
There are certain standards for formatting business letters in English, although some deviations are acceptable (for example, between European and North American formal letters in English).
It is imperative to create a good first impression at the very beginning of your letter. Use an appropriate greeting.
If necessary, if the formal letter is not in electronic form, indicate the address and last name of the addressee in the upper right corner. And then start writing the text.
Be sure to make sure the person's first and last names are spelled correctly. Use "Dear Sir/Madam" if you don't know who the letter is addressed to.
Dear Sir/Madam- Dear Sir (Madam).
Dear Mr. Smith- Dear Mr. Smith.
Dear Ms. - Madam.
Dear Jack Johnson- Dear Jack Johnson.
Dear Customer- Dear buyer.
Gentlemen- Gentlemen.
And here are examples of introductory phrases in a business letter (to use references to previous correspondence; to indicate how you learned about the recipient; to communicate the reason for writing the letter, etc.):
Business letters are generally always formal in nature and the tone of the letter should always be polite.
IN letters of inquiry always used modal Verbs so that the request is as polite as possible.
For example, it is incorrect to write: “I want you to come to our office on Wednesday.” Instead, you should write: “Would you be able to come to our office on Wednesday?”
Letters of complaint should also be polite and not too emotional.
For example, if there was an untimely delivery and it delayed production lines, then it would be correct to write: “The delivery was six days late and that caused severe disruption to our production.”
If you report bad news or apologize, you need to very politely and tactfully indicate the reasons for the problem.
You can use the following expressions: “I regret to inform you”, “Unfortunately” or “I’m afraid that”.
- State your goal.
The purpose of your address in English in a business letter should be indicated in the first paragraph, and then write the main idea.
Almost every one of the following sentences in the example has 3 similarities:
- They explain the main point. Each answers the question: “What is it?”
- They are concise and not rude.
- They contain positive words: “thank you”, “please”, “glad”, “appreciative”, “thank you”, “congratulations”, “success”, “approve”, etc.:
As per our phone conversation…
Continuing our telephone conversation...
I am writing to provide the information you have requested.
I am sending you the information you requested.
It was a pleasure meeting you at the meeting/conference last Monday.
It was a pleasure to meet you at the meeting/conference last Monday.
Thank you for writing to us about your experience in our research center last week.
Thank you for writing to us about your experience at our research center last week.
I am happy to write to confirm our agreement about the summer workshop.
I am glad to write about the confirmation of our agreement with you regarding the summer workshop.
Thank you so much for contributing to our auction.
Thank you very much for your contribution to our auction.
I am applying for graduate schools in marine biology, and I would be very grateful if you would write a letter of reference for me.
I am applying to graduate school in Marine Biology and would be extremely grateful if you could write a letter of recommendation for me.
Thank you for writing to ask about attending the conference in Baltimore. I wish I could approve your request.
Thank you for your letter regarding the Baltimore conference. I would like to approve your request. Unfortunately, ...
Please accept my apology for missing the meeting yesterday. I am very sorry that I was unable to attend.
Please accept my apologies for missing the meeting yesterday. I'm very sorry that I couldn't attend.
Congratulations on successfully passing your bar exam. You are now officially an attorney!
Congratulations on successfully passing the exam. You are now officially an authorized person!
I fully meet or exceed the requirements of the Business Analyst III position, and I am pleased to apply for it.
I fully meet or exceed the requirements for a Category III Business Analyst and am pleased to have the opportunity to apply for this position.
10 types of business letters
- Commercial letter. Sales Letter.
Such letters include appeals, a detailed description of the benefit to the reader, the sequence of actions, as well as telephone numbers or a link to the website.
- Letter of instruction (letter of order). Order Letter.
Letters of order are sent by consumers to a manufacturer, retailer, or wholesaler to order goods or services.
The official letter in English must contain information about the model number, product name, desired quantity and expected price.
Payment information is also sometimes included in the letter.
- Letter of complaint (complaint). Complaint Letter.
Be direct but tactful, and always use a professional tone if you want management to hear you.
- Dispute Resolution Letter. Adjustment Letter.
This letter is usually sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the situation is in favor of the client, then start the letter with this news.
If not, keep a factual tone while remaining polite. Let the customer know that you understand their complaint.
- An inquiry. Inquiry Letter.
Inquiry letters ask a question to obtain information from the recipient. When writing this type of letter, keep it clear and concise—list only the essentials you need.
Be sure to include your contact information to make it easy for the reader to respond.
- Reminder letter. Follow-Up Letter.
This could be a sales team thanking a customer for placing an order, a businessman reviewing the results of a meeting, or a job seeker asking a question about the status of his application.
Often these letters are a combination of a thank you note and a sales letter.
- Letter of recommendation. Letter of Recommendation.
Potential employers often request such letters from candidates before hiring them.
This type of letter is usually a review of the previous employer (or employee) about the applicant from a professional point of view.
- Confirmation letter. Acknowledgment Letter.
Confirmation letters act like regular receipts. Companies send them to inform the recipient that they have received a previous message containing information, documents or other materials, previous agreements, intentions, etc.
A confirmation letter is a sign of deep consideration and respect for the recipient, but the action itself may or may not be taken.
- Covering letter. Cover Letter.
Such letters usually accompany a package of documents, a report or other product. They are used to describe what is included in the package, why, and what (if necessary) the recipient should do.
Cover letters are usually quite short and concise.
- Letter of resignation. Letter of Resignation.
When an employee plans to end their job, a resignation letter is usually sent to their immediate manager, notifying them of their last day of work.
Often, the employee also explains in detail the reason for leaving the company.
Tips for writing a business letter
- When writing your letter it's important to keep it simple And focus so that the meaning of your letter is clear.
- Use simple and concise words instead of ingrained ones.
- The best way to start a letter is indicate the goal at the very beginning. This is called a direct approach, and it sets the tone for the subsequent text of the letter, capturing the reader's interest.
- However, if your letter delivers bad news, direct approach is inappropriate. Use indirect instead , indicating the bad news in the second or third paragraph of the letter.
- The salutation in a business letter and the introductory part of the letter should be polite. Always pay attention to the reader's efforts and feelings.
- After joining, you must indicate the details of the problem.
- Provide the necessary information about the problem and a solution.
- Tell the reader the reasons for your decision.
- Maintain single spacing and leave double spaces between paragraphs, align your letter to the left (block style - lines all the way to the left). Stick to short sentences and clear paragraphs.
- Be frank And respect time your reader: your reader is busy, so get straight to the point without any “water”.
- Use Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New, or Verdana fonts. Font size should be 10 or 12. Use 2.5 cm or 1 inch margins on all four sides.
- Always bet advantages of readers over their own. Instead of talking about what you expect them to do for themselves, state what you can offer them.
- Be careful And attentive with the name and company name of the recipient.
- Make your tone conversational, but professional; Don't be overly formal.
- Avoid jargon, self-confidence, arrogance and boasting.
- Use active voice and personal pronouns in your writing.
- Always end your letter request for action.
- Leave a blank line after the salutation and before the closing part. Double indentation between the last sentence and the end of the letter.
- If necessary, leave 4 or 5 spaces for a handwritten signature.
- Business letters should always be printed on white A4 paper and not colored paper or any personal stationery.
- Also end your letter professionally and politely.
Once again, do not forget double-check the letter for errors (at least 2 times).
Benefits of Email
Writing an electronic business letter is much faster and easier than usual. However, some messages may not open and this is a minus.
If you want to be sure that your request will be delivered, do not forget to monitor the process and check the return notification box.
Depending on who you are writing to and why, you may need to send a letter with a live signature, certified by documents with a seal (although no one canceled a scanned copy). Then, of course, the choice is obvious.
But remember that email is about saving money (it's basically free, whereas you have to pay for postage (and even stamps) for a regular business letter) and saving the environment, unlike letters that require paper consumption. Remember the trees!
And also don’t forget our special course “ Business English", where you can clarify all the nuances associated with formal English that you do not understand directly from an experienced teacher. Take your chances and be acknowledged!
Ending a business letter
In the last paragraph of your work of art you should write:
Please feel free to contact us in case you have any questions.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Or the following expressions, if you attach additional documents, photographs:
« I am enclosing… " or " Please find the enclosed/attached …»
Completing a letter primarily depends on your relationship with the recipient. Use " Yours faithfully", if you do not know the person you are speaking to, and " Yours sincerely"—for recipients you know well. And don't get confused! Since your sincerity for a stranger can be quite suspicious and cause embarrassment.
For less formal letters you can use: " Best regards" or " Kind regards" At the end of the letter you need to put (your signature) your name and position.
We remind you to check your letter for errors before sending!
Examples of expressions at the end of a business letter:
Sincerely(Cordially);
Sincerely yours(Yours sincerely);
Regards(Sincerely);
Best(All the best);
Best regards(Sincerely);
Kind regards(Best wishes);
Yours truly(Yours sincerely);
Most sincerely(Cordially);
Respectfully(Sincerely);
Respectfully yours(With perfect respect);
Thank you(Thank you);
Thank you for your consideration(Thank you for your attention).
After this, put a comma, and write your data from a new paragraph:
Name
Email Address
Phone Number
If you are updating your colleague on the status of an ongoing project, then a formal conclusion will not be entirely appropriate (although many simply write it by default); and if, for example, you are entering into a struggle with the goal of moving up the career ladder, then it will definitely be required.
And no “Later”, “Thanks”, “TTYL”, “Warmly”, “Cheers” and similar colloquial words! They won't understand you.
Examples of phrases to end a business letter
If you require any further information, feel free to contact me at any time. / Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. / If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you need additional information, please contact us at any time.
I look forward to your reply. / I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to your response.
I look forward to seeing you.
I look forward to seeing you.
Please advise as necessary.
If necessary, make your recommendations.
We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.
We are committed to successful cooperation with you in the future.
Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience.
Once again I apologize for any inconvenience.
We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom.
We hope we can count on your valuable orders.
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this issue.
I await your reply with interest.
I await your response with interest.
We look forward to building a strong business relationship in the future.
We are committed to building strong business relationships with you in the future.
I look forward to our meeting on the 7th of October.
I look forward to our meeting on October 7th.
Thanks for your extremely helpful attention to this matter.
Thank you for your extremely helpful attention to this matter.
Thanks again for your attention, consideration, and time.
Thanks again for your attention, consideration and time.
It"s always a pleasure doing business with you.
It's always a pleasure to do business with you.
Thanks again for sharing your expertise in this matter.
Thanks again for sharing your experience on this matter.
I am looking forward to getting your input on this issue.
I look forward to your input on this issue.
Business letter clichés
Due to the special format of this article, the spacing between paragraphs described by you is not observed. We hope you will forgive us for this nuance.
- Introducing a new employee. Introduction of a new colleague.
I want to take this opportunity to inform you that will soon be joining us as the in the. will be taking over from and will begin work on.
Has been the of the at for years and we are delighted that has decided to join our company at this stage of our development.
Is a person of and I have no doubt will contribute significantly to all aspects of our work here.
I hope all of you will try to make feel welcome here as becomes accustomed to new position.
Sincerely yours,
- First reminder of non-payment. First reminder of an unpaid invoice.
I am writing to remind you that we have not yet received payment for invoice for, due on. I am enclosing a full statement of your account as of and a copy of the invoice.
We’re sure that this is an oversight on your part, and would appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. If your payment is already in the mail, please disregard this letter.
Should you have any questions about your account, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Examples of business letters in English
The following two examples differ in the headers of the letters. This is due to the fact that companies have the right to make minor changes in the format for their convenience. Both options are considered acceptable.
First example.
Company Letterhead
Students Of The Future Co.
610 Fountain Ave
Burlington, NJ 08016
June 6, 2018
Burlington Township Students
Street Address
City, State Zip
Use this sample letter as a template to help you complete your activities throughout this course. I have purposely set up the spacing and content to make it easier for you to delete existing text and replace it with the content that you need to use. Please be sure to use all the tools provided to you, so that you are more efficient with your work.
Be sure to copy down the text boxes I have provided, they may be helpful when you need to compose different types of business letters. Be sure to save this document as: Letter Template.
Business Ed. Teacher
*Enclosure* (if needed)
Second example.
Organization Letterhead
March 16, 2016
Mr. Ernie English
1234 Writing Lab Lane
Write City, IN 12345
Dear Mr. English:
The first paragraph of a typical business letter is used to state the main point of the letter. Begin with a friendly opening; then quickly transition into the purpose of your letter. Use a couple of sentences to explain the purpose, but do not go into detail until the next paragraph.
Beginning with the second paragraph, state the supporting details to justify your purpose. These may take the form of background information, statistics or first-hand accounts. A few short paragraphs within the body of the letter should be enough to support your reasoning.
Finally, in the closing paragraph, briefly restate your purpose and why it is important. If the purpose of your letter ending is related to your employment, consider your letter with your contact information and title if it is not included on letterhead. However, if the purpose is informational, think about closing with gratitude for the reader’s time.
Lucy Letter
President
Conclusion
So you are in the know! Now you can try to get a job in a variety of foreign companies, beautifully declaring yourself and your skills, intentions and achievements in an appropriate official letter in English. And may luck smile on you!