Read the guide to writing a formal letter

Business letter writing is very important for normal business activity. Business letters are usually written on printed company forms. The heading gives the name of the company, the postal and telegraphic addresses, the telephone number(s), the number of the telex(es), and telefaxes.

The ordinary business letter comprises the following principle parts:

1. The Date.

2. The Inside Address.

3. The Opening Salutation.

4. The Subject Heading.

5. The Opening Paragraph.

6. The Body of the Letter.

7. The Closing Paragraph.

8. The Complimentary Closing.

9. The Signature.

10. Inclosures, Postscripts, and copies sent.

2. Study the following sample business letter. Comment on its layout. Does it have all the parts mentioned in Exercise 1?

6123 Farrington Road
Apt. B11
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
January 11, 2005

Taylor, Inc.
694 Rockstar Lane
Durham, NC 27708

Dear Human Resources Director:

I just read an article in the News and Observer about Taylor’s new computer center just north of Durham. I would like to apply for a position as an entry-level programmer at the center.

I understand that Taylor produces both in-house and customer documentation. My technical writing skills, as described in the enclosed resume, are well suited to your company. I am a recent graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology in Atlanta with an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science. In addition to having taken a broad range of courses, I served as a computer consultant at the college’s computer center where I helped train users to work with new systems.

I will be happy to meet with you at your convenience and discuss how my education and experience match your needs. You can reach me at my home address, at (919) 233-1552, or at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Raymond Krock

ROUND-UP

Translate these telephone conversations from Russian into English. Use the Active Vocabulary.

1) - Доброе утро, Азия Пасифик.

- Здравствуйте, могу я поговорить с мистером Лау?

- Я боюсь мистер Лау сейчас на встрече. Могу я вам помочь?

- Я работаю над проектом в университете Гонг Конга. Наверное, мне лучше говорить с мистером Лау лично.

- Могли бы вы перезвонить, когда встреча закончится?

- Да, подскажите, в какое время лучше перезвонить?

- Возможно, после 16.00.

- Я так и сделаю. Спасибо за помощь.

2) - Доброе утро. Офис президента компании Barton Ltd. Чем могу вам помочь?

- Здравствуйте. Я бы хотел говорить с Джорджем Сноу.

- Могу я узнать, кто его спрашивает?

- Это Джэк Смит.

- Простите, но он сейчас занят. Вы можете оставить сообщение, или мне следует попросить его перезвонить?

- Скажите ему, что я звонил, и был бы благодарен, если бы он мне перезвонил.

- Хорошо, я передам ему ваше сообщение. До свидания.

- Спасибо. До свидания.

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

Arrangements make an arrangement set up/ arrange a meeting discuss a proposal make a date confirm firm up pencil in time and date fix an appointment

E-mail, fax, phone log on click delete undo e-mail/ send forward attach wipe print call up fax smth over to smb send by fax go through resend get stuck receive dial/ redial cancel run out of load put through take a message be in/ out/ not available call back extension

Additional vocabulary get down to business urgent I didn’t catch that. Speaking. Go ahead. attachment

Bibliography

1. Longman Essential Activator. - Pearson Education Limited, 2006.

2. In Britain. Michael Vaughan-Rees. – Chancerel International Publishers, 1995.

3. British Life. Anne Collins. – Pearson Education Limited, 2001.

4. Headway Pre-Intermediate. John and Liz Soars. – Oxford University Press, 1993.

5. English Vocabulary in Use. Stuart Redman. – Cambridge University Press, 1999.

6. Situational Dialogues. Michael Ockenden. – Pearson Education Limited, 2000.

7. Great Britain. Голицынский Ю.Б. – КАРО, 2002.

8. Total English Intermediate. Antonia Clare, JJ Wilson. – Pearson Education Limited, 2006.

9. Total English Pre-Intermediate. Richard Acklam, Araminta Crace. – Pearson Education Limited, 2005.

10. New Total English Elementary. Mark Foley, Diane Hall. – Pearson Education Limited, 2011.

11. SpeakOut Intermediate. Antonia Clare, JJ Wilson. – Pearson Education Limited, 2011.

12. English Vocabulary in Use Elementary. Michael McCarthy, Felicity O’Dell. – Cambridge University Press, 1999.

13. Language Leader Elementary. Ian Lebeau, Gareth Rees. – Pearson Education Limited, 2008.

14. Language Leader Pre-Intermediate. Ian Lebeau, Gareth Rees. – Pearson Education Limited, 2008.

15. People Like Us, Too. Simon Greenall. – Macmillan Education, 2004.

16. World Around. Maria Cleary. – Helbling Languages, 2008.

17. [online resource] http://elllo.org/ English Listening Lesson Library Online.