…write a business letterresources.hwb.wales.gov.uk/VTC/2008-09/key_skills/... · …write a...

…write a business letterBusiness letters are different from personal letters. They need to be laidout in a particular way and to use a more formal style of language. Since abusiness letter is usually from or to an organisation, it must be writtencorrectly: it will create the wrong impression if it has errors in it.

As with any type of communication you need to think about:

its purpose. Why are you writing the letter? Whatinformation do you need to get across? Is theinformation sensitive?

your audience. Who is going to receive the letter?What do they know already? How will the information

affect them?

Tips on writing business letters

Prepare

• Collect together all relevant details andinformation.

• Write notes first on what you need to say.

Plan

• Structure the information clearly for the reader.

Write

• Use the 'house style' of your organisation to layout the letter.

• Use paragraphs.

• Use short, clear sentences.

Check

• Proofread your work.

• Check spellings in a dictionary, with the spell-checker or with another person.

You may writebusiness letters aspart of your currentjob, in your personallife or in a futurejob. You may need towrite your ownbusiness letter toapply for a promotionor make a complaint.

People are morelikely to take youseriously if yourletter is well written.

Here's an example of a business letter.

If it’s the first time you havecorresponded with the person,use:

Dear Sir

Yours faithfully

If you have had previouscorrespondence or havespoken, use:

Dear Mr Garner

Yours sincerely

COMPANY NAMEAND ADDRESS gohere. They can also goagainst the left margin.Don't put your ownname at the top!

Put here the name andaddress of the person towhom you are writing.

Dear Mr Garner/Sir

SUBJECT, if appropriate

First sentence refers toprevious correspondence

Put the DATE here, oragainst the left margin

Use short sentences andclear paragraphs.Paragraphs should either havea line between them or beindented.

The Furniture StoreLong Lane

TownleySussex

BR4 6HJ

13 June 20..Mr L. Garner58 Home GroveTownleySussexBR 3 9LK

Dear Mr Garner.NEUTRA SOFA

Thank you for your letter of 12 June, regarding the sofasupplied by this company.

I am enclosing a copy of the contract, which you signed. Itstates that we would supply the sofa in natural linen.Additional loose covers need to be ordered separately.

I hope this clarifies the situation. Please let me know if youwould like me order additional loose covers. I haveenclosed a catalogue which gives details of our extensiverange.

Yours sincerely

Darron KilterAdministration Department

Final paragraph

Yours sincerely

Signature and yourname

Your position ordepartment

INITIAL CAPITALS

CAPITAL 'Y' small 'f'

INITIAL CAPITALS

CAPITAL 'Y' small 's'