Attention Line
You will not see the Attention Line in every business letter. When writing to a company or a department within a company you might need to attract the attention of a specific person. The following are various styles of attention lines:
For attention of …
Attention: Sales Manager
Attention: Mr. Brown
Private and Confidential
Urgent - срочное; personal – личное; confidential - конфиденциальное.
Salutation line
Here are some ways to open a letter
| Dear Sirs – to a Company Dear Sir – to a man if you don`t know his name Dear Madam – to a woman if you don`t know her name Dear Mr. Smith – to a man Dear Mrs. Smith – to a married woman Dear Miss Smith – to an unmarried woman Dear Ms Smith – to a married or unmarried woman Dear John – to a friend or someone you know well |
2. Subject line / title.
Just like the attention line the Subject line may be omitted. The writer needs it when he (she) wishes to give the reader advance notice of what the letter is about. Here are the examples of different Subject Line styles:
Subject: Order for computers
Re: Mr. Menton`s visit to India
8. Body or Message
The body of the letter is the message itself; all the other parts are just framing elements. The message of every business letter usually consists of at least two paragraphs – even if the second paragraph is just a courtesy phrase, i.e. the conclusion. It usually presents some polite remark to round the letter off.
3. Complimentary
Complimentary Closings like salutations, vary in form. In fact, your choice of a closing depends on the salutation.
If you open a letter with In the complimentary Close use:
| Salutation | The way you close a letter |
| Dear Sirs/Sir/Madam | Yours faithfully |
| Dear Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms Smith | Yours sincerely |
| Dear John | Best wishes |
Signature
It consists of
Ø The writer’s hand written signature;
Ø The writer’s identification;
Ø The typed name of the company.
10. Enclosure
When you enclose something with the letter in the same envelope, do not forget to indicate this fact in the Enclosure Notation, for example:
Enclosures: 1. Contract Encl. (2)
2. Cheque Encl.: Invoice
Carbon Copy
Notation
Ex. Enc./Encl.
c.c./c.
PRACTICE
Task 1
1. Name each element in the letter frame given below. Say what you know about them.
Task 2
1. Read the following letter. Name its main elements. Which parts of the letter are missing?
| RICHMOND PETROLEUM Inc. 12 June, 2011 Membrane Systems Ltd. 20, Wellesley Road Cleveland Ohio 4456 USA Dear Sirs Thank you for your letter of 9 June, 2011 asking for an up-to-date list of addresses of our branches. We have pleasure in enclosing this brochure, showing the location of all our branches and agencies at home and abroad. Yours faithfully Encl. |
Task 3
1. All the parts are mixed up in this letter. Put them in order. Rewrite the letter in block style with open punctuation.
| Yours sincerely Attention: Mr. N. Conshiwan Please send us your catalogue with sizes and colors of female and male national clothes of Thailand. Re: Enquiry for National Dresses We are opening a shop of national Asian dresses and fabrics in one our hotels. International Trading Company Bangkok 3 August, 2011 Thailand Dear Mr. N. Conshiwan P. Morgan Your Ref: Manager Our Ref: PM/ma Intercontinental Hotel Group Telephone: 487-6591 Telex: 79436 Telefax: (039) 3673 |
Task 4
There are ten mistakes in this letter. Can you find them?
| 181 North Street ISLAND WORLD HOLIDAYS London W1M2 Tel. 01-768 8765 Miss Margaretta Lindell, Slotterbert 26, Geterborg Sweden Your ref. Our ref FH/ts Dear Sir Thank you for the letter of the nineteenth of May 2011. I have pleasure in sending you our brochure with details of all our computers. I look forward to hearing from you. 2011, may 22nd. Best wishes Sales Manager Fred Handerson F. Henders |
Task 5
How would you write these dates in a letter?
1) Jan. 16th, 2011
2) 23rd March 2011
3) 6/11/11 (UK)
4) 09-07-11 (USA)
5) 21.1.11.
6) 04.08.11 (USA)
Task 6
1.Are the addresses correct? What changes should be made?
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2.Think of your own address and write it down.
Task 7
Join these openings to the right ending
a) Dear Mrs Wilson 1. Best wishes
b) Dear Madame
c) Dear Mr Brown 2. Yours faithfully
d) Dear Susanna
e) Dear Mr Gonzalez 3. Yours sincerely
f) Dear David
g) Dear Sirs
Task 8
What will you start your letter with, i.e. what salutation will be appropriate in each case, if you are writing a letter to
Ø a British firm you do not know very well;
Ø Mr. J. Blake, your old trade partner;
Ø The company’s President who is a woman;
Ø The head of the Export Department of Sport Shoes Manufactures whose name is Barbara Doe;
Ø International Office Equipment Inc., an American corporation.
b) How will you finish your letter, i.e. what Complimentary Close will you choose?
Task 9
Now put in the missing openings and closings