目 录
Module 1 Fundamentals of English
Business Letter-Writing 1
Learning Objectives 1
I. Formats of Business Letters 1
II. Principles of Business Letter-Writing 2
III. Structure of Business Letters 2
IV. Examples of Business Letters 7
V. A Brief Introduction of E-mails 10
VI. Ways of Envelope Addressing and the Standardized Designs 11
Exercises 13
Module 2 Establishing Business
Relations 15
Learning Objectives 15
Introduction 15
Writing Skills 16
Specimen Letters 17
Letter 1 A letter to a Prospective
Customer for Establishment of Business
Relations 17
Letter 2 On Establishing Business
Relations 17
Letter 3 A Request to Establish
Business Relations 18
Letter 4 A Reply to the Above Letter
18
Letter 5 An Introduction of the
Company and Products 18
Letter 6 A Positive Reply from an
Importer 19
Notes 19
Language Focus 25
Exercises 27
Module 3 Status Enquiries 31
Learning Objectives 31
Introduction 31
Writing Skills 32
Specimen Letters 33
Letter 1 Asking for Credit
Information 33
Letter 2 A Favorable Reply 33
Letter 3 A Status Enquiry from a
Consulting Agency 34
Letter 4 An Unfavorable Reply from
the Chamber of Commerce 34
Letter 5 An Enquiry about Credit and
Status 35
Letter 6 An Enquiry about Financial
and Credit Standing 35
Notes 36
Language Focus 39
Exercises 41
Module 4 Sales Promotion 45
Learning Objectives 45
Introduction 45
Writing Skills 46
Specimen Letters 47
Letter 1 A Letter Promoting
Sportswear 47
Letter 2 A Follow-up Letter for
After-sales Service 47
Letter 3 Introducing Machinery
48
Letter 4 Marketing Wool Underblanket
48
Letter 5 Recommending Ladies''
Dresses 49
Letter 6 Offering a Discount
49
Notes 50
Language Focus 52
Exercises 54
Module 5 Enquiries 59
Learning Objectives 59
Introduction 59
Writing Skills 60
Specimen Letters 61
Letter 1 First Enquiry for Knitted
Garments 61
Letter 2 A Reply to the Above
62
Letter 3 A General Enquiry 62
Letter 4 A Specific Enquiry 63
Letter 5 An Invitation to Offer
63
Letter 6 An Enquiry for Cameras
64
Notes 64
Language Focus 67
Exercises 69
Module 6 Quotations and Offers
73
Learning Objectives 73
Introduction 73
Writing Skills 74
Specimen Letters 75
Letter 1 An Offer for Ladies'' Nylon
Stockings 75
Letter 2 Reply to Buyer''s Enquiry
for Color TV Sets 75
Letter 3 Quotations for Cotton and
Nyloned-Silk 76
Letter 4 A Firm Offer 76
Letter 5 A Non-firm Offer 77
Letter 6 An Offer for Auto Parts
78
Notes 78
Language Focus 82
Exercises 84
Module 7 Counter-offers 89
Learning Objectives 89
Introduction 89
Writing Skills 90
Specimen Letters 90
Letter 1 A Counter-offer for Canada
Oats 90
Letter 2 Declining a Counter-offer
91
Letter 3 A Counter-offer on Delivery
91
Letter 4 Counter-offer on Price
92
Letter 5 Concession on Price
92
Notes 93
Language Focus 96
Exercises 98
Module 8 Acceptance and Orders 101
Learning Objectives 101
Introduction 101
Writing Skills 102
Specimen Letters 103
Letter 1 Confirming the Purchase and
Sending an Order 103
Letter 2 A Reply to an Order
104
Letter 3 Declining an Order and
Offering a Substitute 104
Letter 4 Acknowledgement of Order
105
Letter 5 Accepting the Offer and
Placing an Order 105
Letter 6 Confirming an Order
106
Notes 106
Language Focus 109
Exercises 110
Module 9 Terms of Payment 115
Learning Objectives 115
Introduction 115
Writing Skills 117
Specimen Letters 118
Letter 1 On Payment by DP 118
Letter 2 Agreeing to DP Payment
118
Letter 3 Insisting on Payment by LC
119
Letter 4 Asking for DA Payment 119
Letter 5 Payment at 60 Days Sight
120
Letter 6 Payment by TT 120
Notes 121
Language Focus 123
Exercises 125
Module 10 Payment by Letter of
Credit 129
Learning Objectives 129
Introduction 129
Writing Skills 131
Specimen Letters 132
Letter 1 Urging Establishment of LC
132
Letter 2 Urging Establishment of
Letter of Credit 133
Letter 3 Advising the Opening of an
LC 133
Letter 4 Amendment to Letter of
Credit 134
Letter 5 Requesting Extension of the
LC 134
Letter 6 A Reply to the Above Letter
135
Notes 138
Language Focus 140
Exercises 142
Module 11 Packing and Marking
147
Learning Objectives 147
Introduction 147
Writing Skills 149
Specimen Letters 150
Letter 1 Reply to Customer''s Enquiry
about Packing 150
Letter 2 Modifying the Packing
150
Letter 3 A Reply to the Above
151
Letter 4 Customer''s Requirement
about Packing 151
Letter 5 Offering the Ideas of
Packing and Shipping Marks 152
Letter 6 Reply to the Above Letter
153
Notes 154
Language Focus 156
Exercises 158
Module 12 Shipment and Delivery
163
Learning Objectives 163
Introduction 163
Writing Skills 164
Specimen Letters 166
Letter 1 Shipping Instructions
166
Letter 2 Urging Shipment of Goods
166
Letter 3 A reply to the Above Letter
167
Letter 4 Advising Shipment 167
Letter 5 A Letter of Shipping Advice
168
Letter 6 A Specimen Shipping Advice
169
Notes 169
Language Focus 171
Exercises 174
Module 13 Insurance 179
Learning Objectives 179
Introduction 179
Writing Skills 181
Specimen Letters 182
Letter 1 Enquiring about Insurance
182
Letter 2 Reply to an Enquiry about
Insurance 183
Letter 3 The Buyer''s Request for
Insurance 183
Letter 4 A Reply to the Above Letter
183
Letter 5 A Favorable Reply to
Importer''s Request 184
Notes 185
Language Focus 188
Exercises 190
Module 14 Conclusion and Contract
193
Learning Objectives 193
Introduction 193
Writing Skills 194
Specimen Letters 195
Letter 1 Confirming Conclusion of a
Transaction 195
Letter 2 Sending a Purchase Contract
195
Letter 3 Confirming a Transaction
196
Letter 4 Counter-signature 196
Notes 200
Language Focus 201
Exercises 202
Module 15 Complaints and Claims
207
Learning Objectives 207
Introduction 207
Writing Skills 208
Specimen Letters 209
Letter 1 A Claim for Poor Packing
209
Letter 2 A Claim for Inferior
Quality 210
Letter 3 Settlement of the Above
Claim 210
Letter 4 Claim for Delay in Delivery
211
Letter 5 Reply to the Above Letter
211
Letter 6 Complaining about Short
Shipment 212
Letter 7 Rejecting a Claim 212
Notes 213
Language Focus 215
Exercises 217
Module 16 Agency 221
Learning Objectives 221
Introduction 221
Writing Skills 222
Specimen Letters 223
Letter 1 Asking for Sole Agency
223
Letter 2 A Favourable Reply
223
Letter 3 Declining the Agency
Application 224
Letter 4 Looking for an Agent
224
Letter 5 Confirm the Key Points of
Agency 225
Letter 6 Agreeing to Renewal of a
Sole Agency Agreement 225
Notes 228
Language Focus 230
Exercises 231
Revision 235
Reference Keys 257
参考文献 288
內容試閱：
Module
1 Fundamentals of English Business
Letter-Writing
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, students should be able to
* master the basic principles of effective business letter-writing;
* master the formats and structure of business letters, envelopes and
e-mails;
* master the proper arrangement of various parts of a business letter;
and
* acquire skills in writing effective business letters, e-mails and
envelopes.
I. Formats of Business Letters
A letter that is neat, easy to read and presents a professional image
will leave a good impression on your reader. When writing business letters,
you must pay special attention to the format used. Keep in mind that
different organizations have different format requirements for their
professional communication.
Indented Format Following
traditional British practice, the indented format takes in five or six spaces
in the first line of each paragraph in the body of the letter, though deeper
indentations than these are sometimes preferred. However, Consistency in use
is the important point.
Blocked Format Blocked Format is
the easiest style to use because every letter begins at the left margin.
Because of this, it''s also one of the most widely-used styles. However, in
some cases, blocked format can give the letter a left-heavy appearance. You
may want to avoid this minor flaw by using modified blocked format.
Modified Blocked Format The
modified blocked format uses the basic blocked format. However, the following
parts of the letter begin at the horizontal center of the page: the return
address, the date, the complimentary close, the signature, the sender''s
printed name, and the sender''s official title. Using the center at a left
margin for these elements gives the letter a more balanced look. Writers can
also use blocked paragraphs, as in blocked format letters.
II. Principles of Business Letter-Writing
Clearness In order to achieve
clearness, you should not convey more than one idea in a sentence. You''d
better not introduce more than one topic in a paragraph and not deal with
more than one matter in a letter.
Conciseness Try to make your
message brief and straight to the point. Avoid using long words or sentences.
Use daily expressions to replace jargons. Express yourself in an orderly and
logical way. A good business letter should be natural, human and easy to
read.
Correctness You have to make sure
that both the language and facts are correct. In terms of language, you
should make sure that you make no grammatical mistakes. Pay attention to
punctuation for it will effect the meaning of the sentence.
Courtesy This is more than
politeness. A good business letter should be positive, friendly and
sincere.
III. Structure of Business Letters
A well-constructed business letter in English generally should include
seven essential parts and some miscellaneous parts.
1. The Essential Parts of a Business Letter
A business letter generally should include seven essential parts: the
letterhead, the date, the inside name and address, the salutation, the body
of the letter, the complementary close and the signature.
1 The Letterhead 信头
The letterhead includes the essential particulars about the writer - name,
post address, post- code, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, etc.
Usually big firms engage experts to design attractive letter paper for them,
with their well-balanced letterheads, sometimes even with trademarks
pre-printed on it in order to strengthen their firms'' impression and enhance
their firms'' prestige. The best way is to print the letterhead in the
up-center, because the letterhead printed in the up-center will offer a
well-balanced appearance which will show a very smart and wonderful design of
the letterhead.
2 The Date 日期
The date line is used to indicate the date on which the letter was
written. Some offices show the standard date line near the body of the
letter, ending at the right margin two spaces above the name of the
addressee, which is written flush with the left margin. If the centered date
line is chosen, it is placed two spaces below the letterhead as though it''s
part of the letterhead and centered exactly.
In typing the date line, never abbreviate the name of the month or use
figures for it. To give the date in figures e.g. 12102008 is in bad
taste, and it may easily cause confusion because in Britain this date would
mean 12 October, 2008, but in the United States and some other countries it
would mean 10 December, 2008. Also, use numerals only for the day of the
month. you needn''t add nd, d, rd, st,
or th to the number. These sounds are heard but not written. For example, we
use May 5, 2009 instead of May 5th, 2009, and June 2, 2009 instead of June
2nd, 2009.
3 The Inside Name and Address 封内名称及地址
Although it may seem unnecessary to include the addressee''s name and
address on the letter, it is appropriate and necessary to do so because they
serve as a future reference on the copy the sender keeps.
The inside name and address includes addressee''s title and full name,
business title, business name and full address.
It is the usual practice to type the inside name and address in blocked
paragraph form at the left-hand margin of the letter. No matter which style
you are using, this helps to give the letter a tidy appearance.
Mr., Mrs., Miss., Ms. and Messrs, are the ordinary courtesy titles used
for addressing correspondents.
4 The Salutation 称呼
The salutation is the friendly greeting that precedes the body of the
letter. The particular form used depends upon the writer''s relationship with
his correspondent. To some extent, it settles the form of the complimentary
close. The salutation and complimentary must always be in keeping.
For ordinary business purposes, Dear Sir or Dear Madam for both single
and married women is used for addressing one person, and Dear Sirs or
Gentlemen or Mesdames for addressing two or more people, as where a letter
is addressed to a firm. Note that Gentlemen is the American, and Dear Sirs is
the British way of opening a letter to a company when you write to a firm,
not to a particular person.
The salutation always appears on a line by itself, conventionally three
line-spacing below the inside name and address, and followed by a comma for
Dear Sirs and a colon for Gentlemen.
The salutation usually matches the complimentary close.
5 The Body of the Letter 信文
The body of the letter is the most important part in a business letter,
which carries the actual message you are sending.
Before starting to write, you must consider the following two points at
first:
① What is your aim to write this letter?
② 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:
① Write simply, clearly, courteously, grammatically and to the
point.
② Paragraph correctly, confining each paragraph to one topic.
③ Avoid stereotyped phrases and commercial jargon.
6 The Complimentary Close 结尾敬语
The complimentary close, like the salutation, is purely a matter of
convention and a polite way of ending a letter. The expression used must be
appropriate to the occasion and be in keeping with the salutation.
The following are the usual matches used in modern business
letters:
Salutation Close Occasion
Dear Sirs Yours faithfully
standard and formal closure for business letters
Dear Madam Yours faithfully standard and formal closure for business
letters
Gentlemen Yours truly often used by Americans
Dear Mr. Smith Yours sincerely
less formally and often used between persons known to each other
The complimentary close appears two lines below the last line of the
message. Either left justified or five spaces to the right of the center. The
complimentary close must never be separated from the substance of a letter by
being carried to a separate sheet. Line spacing or word spacing should be
re-arranged on the computer to keep it on the same sheet with the body of the
letter or carry some parts of the letter to the next sheet. When using
continuation sheets, always type a heading to show:
① the number of the sheet in the upper center of the page;
② the name of your correspondent on the left-hand side of the
page;
③ the date of the letter on the right-hand side of the page.
For example:
-2-
ABC Trading Co., Ltd.
5 March, 2008
7 The Signature 签名
The signature is the signed name or mark of the person writing the letter
or that of the firm he or she represents. It is written in ink immediately
below the complimentary close. Because a signature is the distinguishing mark
of the one who uses it, the same style must always be adopted.
The signature as written and the signature as typed must correspond
exactly.
2. The Miscellaneous Parts of a Business Letter
The other parts of a business letter should be the reference, the
attention line, the subject line, the reference notation, the enclosure, the
carbon copy and the postscript.
1 The Reference 案号
Most letter-heads provide for reference letters and numbers. When one
firm writes to another, each will give a reference to avoid confusion, which
is marked as "Our ref:" or "Your ref:".
2 The Attention Line 注意事项
The phrase "For the attention of ..." or simply
"Attention" is used where the writer of a letter addressed to an
organization wishes to direct it to a particular official or department in
charge of the situation covered. It is typed two line-spacing above the
salutation, underlined and, except with the fully-blocked letter-style,
centered over the body of the letter, for example:
For the attention of Mr. John Smith or
Attention: Mr. John Smith
3 The Subject Line 事由
The subject line gives an overview of what the letter is about. The
subject line of a letter is an informal way of categorizing or titling a
letter. Many letters in business begin with a subject line after the
salutation, a valuable aid in the distribution of mail that also facilitates
filing. The subject line can be centered, but when the paragraphs are
blocked, it is flush with the left margin. The short form "Re:" may
precede the subject matter.
The heading belongs to the letter and is also typed two line-spacing
below the salutation, underlined and, except with the fully-blocked
letter-style, centered over the body of the letter.
4 The Reference Notation 经办人代号
This notation is typed two spaces below the typed signature, and shows
only the initials of the typist. 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. MBds -- Mary BrownDavid Smith are acceptable
forms of reference notations.
5 The Enclosure 附件
When there is something enclosed with the letter, type the "Enclosure"
or an abbreviation of it in the bottom of left-hand, two-line spacing below
the Reference Notation. The writer may indicate one or more enclosures in the
letter by following any of the examples given below:
Enclosure: Price list
Enclosures
Enclosures 4
Encl: As stated
Encl.
6 The Carbon Copy Notation 抄送
There are two types of carbon copy notations. The first is indicated by
"cc" followed by the names of the persons who will receive copies
of the letters. This notation is typed on the original and carbon
copies.
The second type of copy notation is specified on the copy only by the
abbreviation "bcc" blind carbon copy and the recipient''s name. No
one other than the recipient of the "bcc" and you will know he has
received a copy of the letter.
Here are the examples:
cc Shanghai Branch Office
bcc Mr. Jones, the sales
manager
7 The Postscript 附言
If the writer wishes to add something he forgot to mention or emphasize
in the body of a letter, he may type his after-thought two spaces below the
carbon copy notation. The adding of a "P. S." should, however, be
avoided as far as possible, since it is usually a sign of poor
planning.
Here''s an example:
P. S. I, on behalf of my company,
sincerely invite you to attend the Trade Fair which will be held in our city
next month.
IV. Examples of Business Letters
Sample 1 Indented Format
Messrs. Williams Warner Co.
36 Tower Street
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Attention: Mr. Arnold Simpson, Sales Department
Dear Sirs,
Re:
Digital TV
Our company is one of the largest
household appliance importers in Ireland. We sincerely hope to enter into trade
relations with you so as to promote trade between us.
We are enclosing an enquiry note
No.102 and looking forward to receiving your quotation CIF EMP including our
5% commission. While quoting, please state the earliest time of delivery and
quantity available.
If your quotation is competitive,
we are ready to conclude substantial business with you. Your early reply will
be much appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Murphy Brothers Ltd.
Sig.
Manager
Encl.: As stated.
P. S. I, on behalf of my company,
sincerely invite you to attend the Trade Fair which will be held in our city
next month.
Sample 2 Blocked Format
Household Designs Co., Ltd.
22 High Street
Manchester
MI 2BL
United Kingdom
Telephone:
Fax:
Website: http:www.hodesig.rog.br
Our Ref: No. JW-CO18
Your Ref:
Date: 30 November, 2014
Messrs. Williams Warner Co.
36 Tower Street
Sydney NSW2000, Australia
Attention: Mr. Arnold Simpson, Sales Department
Dear Sirs,
Re: Digital TV
Our company is one of the largest household appliance importers in Britain.
We sincerely wish to enter into trade relations with you so as to promote
trade between us.
We are enclosing an enquiry note No.102 and looking forward to receiving
your quotation CIF EMP including our 5% commission. While quoting, please
state the earliest time of delivery and quantity available.
If your quotation is competitive, we are ready to conclude substantial business
with you. Your early reply will be much appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Household Designs Co., Ltd.
Sig.
Manager
Encl.: As stated.
cc: Mr. David Brown
Sample 3 Modified Blocked
Format
Household Designs Co., Ltd.
22 High Street
Manchester
MI 2BL
United Kingdom
Messrs. Williams Warner Co.
36 Tower Street
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Attention: Mr. Arnold Simpson, Sales Department
Dear Sirs,
Re: Digital TV
Our company is one of the largest household appliance importers in
Britain. We sincerely hope to enter into trade relations with you so as to
promote trade between us.
We are enclosing an enquiry note No.102 and looking forward to receiving
your quotation CIF EMP including our 5% commission. While quoting, please
state the earliest time of delivery and quantity available.
If your quotation is competitive, we are ready to conclude substantial
business with you. Your early reply will be much appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Household Designs Co., Ltd.
Sig.
Manager
Encl.: As stated.
V. A Brief Introduction of
E-mails
E-mails had become by far the most popular means of both internal and
external communication in business. It''s faster than writing and sending a
business letter, and it''s cheaper than a phone call.
There are some similarities and differences between e-mail messages and
business letters. In both, the writing should be clear and concise. The
spelling, grammar and punctuation should be good enough so that the writing
is professional and understandable.
The full name of e-mail is "electronic mail". E-mails had
changed the models of business operating and office working of the
enterprises, and has transformed the financial activities and purchasing
models as well. The communicating pattern of e-mails is both fast and cheap,
and it is now obtaining its globalization and popularization to a
increasingly widened extent.
1. The Structure of E-mails
Normally a formal e-mail includes the following parts:
1 From The sender''s e-mail address
2 To The receiver''s e-mail address
3 CC the receiver''s e-mail address
4 BCC blind copy The receiver''s e-mail address
5 Date The hour, day and month automatically showed on the
e-mail
6 Subject Line Make sure that the subject line accurately reflects what
is in the e-mail
The e-mail address of the receiver is to be written in the column of
"To" or to be selected from the e-mail Address Book.
The receiver''s address is composed of three parts: the receiver''s name
@ at sign the host name connected to the Internet.
The receiver''s name is composed of the first name with all of the
letters or some of the letters and the last name with the first two letters
or only the first letter, for exemple: fangw@gmail.com,
pengzh@gmail.com.
Usually, the language used in e-mails is rather simple and clear,
sometimes even close to the colloquial form. In order to know clearer about
the language characteristics and principles of the e-mail writing and master
better ways of choosing the words and phrases in working out a standard
e-mail with high language cultivation, it is necessary to remember some
characteristics and principles of drafting, amending and editing the
e-mails.
2. An Example of E-mail
From: Maggie Wang Maggie @ yahoo.com
To: David Chen David tifert@163.com
CC: Alan Wan Alan tifert@163.com
Date: 2008-10-6 15:08:23
Subject: Delivery of the cameras under Order No. TC303
Dear Carl,
With reference to our Order TC303
of September for 1000 sets of cameras, we shall be glad to know when we may
expect delivery as these are urgently required.
When we made the initial enquiry,
your department assured us that delivery would only take two months, and we
placed the order on that understanding as we wished to have the Cameras
before the end of November. Your failure to deliver by the promised date has
caused us great inconvenience.
Will you please inform us of the
earliest possible date that you can deliver these goods? Should the delay be
longer than two or three weeks, we shall regretfully have to cancel the
order.
Best regards,
Kelly Wei
VI. Ways of Envelope Addressing and the Standardized Designs
Never abbreviate part of the company name unless the company''s registered
name uses an abbreviation, and such abbreviation is shown on the company''s
official letterhead.
Names of cities or states should never be abbreviated. There is one
exception: use the official U.S. Postal Service postal state abbreviations on
the envelope address.
Figures are used for all house numbers except "one" which is
spelled out. If there is a numerical street number, separate the house
number and street number by a dash, for example, "3780-87 Street".
Note that there''s no "th" after "87".
The three important requirements of envelope addressing are accuracy,
clearness, and good appearance.
The following layout shows where to write both the sender''s and the
receiver''s names and addresses.
The following are the two examples of envelope addressing.
Sample 1 Indented Format
Sample 2 Blocked Format
Exercises
I. Arrange a business letter in a proper format with the following points.
1. Sender''s name: Messrs. David Warner Co.
2. Sender''s address: 23 East Highway, Morgantown, PA 28911 U.S.A.
3. Sender''s Fax Number: 001340 5656
4. Sender''s e-mail address: linabc@mail.zlnet.com.cn
5. Date: March 23, 2015
6. Receiver''s name: H. G. Wilkinson Company, Ltd.
7. Receiver''s address: 245 Lombart Street, Lagos, Nigeria
8. Salutation used: Dear Sirs
9. Subject-matter: Sewing Machines
10. The message:
We thank you for your letter of March 16 enquiring about the supply
position of the subject goods.
The enclosed booklet contains details of all kinds of Sewing Machines we
handle which we hope will enable you
to make a suitable selection.
We hope you will find some of the items in the booklet of interest to you
and look forward to receiving your specific enquiry with keen interest.
II. Address an envelope for the above letter.
III. Arrange the above letter in an e-mail format.
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