外贸英语函电Word格式文档下载.docx

1、 the full blocked style, the indented style and the semi-blocked style. The fully-blocked style with open punctuation is the most popular method of display for business letters, because it is considered to be businesslike, simple and professional.The business letter can tell readers a lot about the

2、writer and the writers company. A business letter that is neat, easy to read, and present a professional image will leave a good impression on the reader. Such a letter helps the writer as much as the reader, and will probably mean an earlier reply. In todays global market place, the readers first i

3、mpression often comes from the appearance of the documents and the quality of the paper. So you should pay more attention to the paper quality, the paper color, the paper size and margins. Firstly, never use paper that is too flimsy. Secondly, white is the standard color for business purposes, altho

4、ugh light colors such as gray and ivory are sometimes used. Thirdly, the size of papers varies slightly from country to country. In the United States, the standard paper size for business documents is 8.5 by 11 inches. The last but not least, the document is to be centered in the page, leaving at le

5、ast one-inch margins all around. We can use word-processing software to achieve the balance by defining the format.This chapter is intended to develop skills in writing good business letters. It contains guidelines on developing personal writing style, using appropriate tone and composing effective

6、communications in modern business language.1.2 Writing Guide1.2.1 The Essentials of Business Letter WritingSince the main purpose of business correspondence is to convey a message, the letter should be written in language that is easily understood. The writer must make sure that it should be free fr

7、om grammatical blemishes, and also free from the slightest possibility of being misunderstood. There are certain essential qualities of business letters, which can be summed up in the following 7 “Cs” principles.1. ClarityYou must try to express yourself clearly, so that the reader will understand.

8、To achieve this, you should keep in mind the purpose of the letter and use appropriate words in correct sentence structures to convey your meaning. We should also avoid ambiguous sentences. Otherwise, the business letter will cause trouble to both sides. All in all, good, straightforward and simple

9、language are what are needed for business letters. 2. ConcisenessConciseness means saying things in the fewest possible words. The elimination of wordy business jargon can help to make a letter clearer and at the same time more concise. If conciseness conflicts with courtesy, then make a little sacr

10、ifice of conciseness. Generally speaking, to achieve conciseness, one should try to avoid wordiness or redundancy. 3. CourtesyCourtesy is not mere politeness. It should hardly be necessary to stress the importance of courtesy in your letters. One of the most important things is promptness. Punctuali

11、ty will please your customer who dislikes waiting for days before he gets a reply to his letter. Differences are bound to occur in business, but with diplomacy and tact they can be overcome and settled without offence on either side. Remember that its nearly always wrong to doubt a statement made in

12、 good faith by the other side and even worse to contradict it. In letters we should always keep in mind the person we are writing to, see things from his point of view, visualize him in his surroundings, see his problems and difficulties and express our ideas in terms of his experience.4. Considerat

13、ionConsideration emphasizes You-attitude rather than We-attitude. When writing a letter, keep the readers request, needs, desires, as well as his feelings in mind. Plan the best way to present the message for the reader to receive.5. CorrectnessCorrectness here refers to appropriate and grammaticall

14、y correct language, factual information and accurate reliable figures, as well as the right forms and conventions. All facts should be checked and double checked. Special attention should also be paid to names of goods, specification, quantity, figures, units, etc.6. ConcretenessTo make the message

15、specific, definite and vivid is the key point of concreteness. The writer must ensure that the letter contains all the information the recipient needs to act upon. Put yourself in readers place. It is necessary to check the message carefully before it is sent out.7. CompletenessLike any other letter

16、, a good business letter should be complete, providing all the information and data necessary for a specific issue. If any necessary piece of information is lacking, the reader will have to ask for clarification, which means that you will have to write another letter. It will not only waste time, en

17、ergy and money, but also damage the image of your company.1.2.2 The Structure of Business LettersBusiness letter has its special formats. In the formal business letters，we usually use 12 factors. They are letterhead, reference, date, inside address, attention line, salutation, subject line, body, co

18、mplimentary close, signature, IEC block, postscript. Among them，the return address, date, inside address, salutation, body, complimentary close and signature belong to the standard factors and must be contained in the formal business letters. Whether to use other factors depends on the specific situ

19、ation. The approximate locations of these factors in a business letter are as follows:LetterheadReference numberDateInside address Attention lineSalutationSubject lineBodyComplimentary closeSignatureIEC blockPostscriptWhile the horizontal placement of letter parts may vary, the vertical order of the

20、se parts is standard. The followings are the most common components and formats.1. The Basic Components of Business Letters（1）Letterhead For letters to outsiders, many companies use letterhead stationery which is professionally printed at the top of the page, though some are printed at the bottom or

21、 even at the upper-left corner of the page. The letterhead indicates the name, address, telephone, fax number and E-mail address of the company sending the letter. It helps the recipient identify the company from which the sender comes just at a glance. If letterhead stationery is not available, you

22、 can type the heading, which includes a return address, and leaves about a two-inch top margin. （2）Date Writing date in English goes in two styles: one is American style, and the other is British style. The standard order of typing the date in the U.S. is month, day, year. For example: September 12,

23、 2008. While in Britain, the standard order is day, month, year. For example: 12 September, 2008. The day can be written or typed in either cardinal numbers （1, 2, 3, 4, etc.） or in ordinal numbers （1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.）. The month and the year had better not be written in their abbreviation for

24、ms, otherwise, it may easily cause confusion. For example, 12/09/2007 in the U.S. would mean December 9, 2007, while in Britain it means 12 September, 2007. There is no rule for the date placement. If you use letterhead stationery, place the date one to three blank lines beneath the letterhead. If w

25、ithout letterhead, place the date immediately below the return address. （3）Inside Name and Address Generally, the inside name and address should include some or all parts of the following: the name of the recipient, the department name, company name, suite or room number, street address, city, postc

26、ode, state/province and country. Of all these parts, postcode is very important, it helps to facilitate mechanical mail-sorting. The inside name and address appears on the left margin and usually starts two to four lines below the date. It appears exactly the same way as on the envelope.If the recei

27、ver of the letter is in the U.S., the address also includes the name of the state which must be typed in capitalized two letter abbreviation followed by ZIP code. The same way is also used for the provinces and territories in Canadian address.Precede the addressees name with a courtesy title （such a

28、s Mr., Ms. or Dr.）. If you do not know whether a person is a man or a woman, and you have no way to find out, omit the courtesy title and give the full name.The persons job title can be placed on the same line of the persons name, or on the line below. Try to square the address as much as possible. If the title appears on the same line, place a comma between the name and the title. If it appears on the next line dispense with the comma. e.g.: Mr. Dick Eaton, President Ms. Patricia T. Higgins Assistant Vice PresidentIf the name of a specific perso