.Study Guide (BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE) 5.

Mapping – illustrating or drawing on a piece

of paper your concepts or ideas related to the
Business Correspondence- is an umbrella
topic.
term used for any form of written
communication that happens in business 6. Outlining – classifying your ideas into major
relationships. It could be with business partners and minor ideas; the smaller concepts failing
or internal communication within the under the bigger ones.
organization.
7. Charting – putting in a line graph, table, or
LESSON 1 any diagram your ideas about your topic.
THE NATURE OF BUSINESS ENGLISH 8. Interviewing – asking people questions
about your topic.
Business English is the kind of English used
in conducting business or in buying and selling 9. Listing – writing every idea that comes into
activities. your mind about your topic in a column on a
piece of paper.
Its extensive use in commercial transactions
leads to the accumulation of its own business 10. Looping or free writing – writing your ideas
terms which the other fields of knowledge may in a paragraph without paying attention to
sometimes borrow. This proves that Business language errors cropping up during the writing
English is not exclusive or snobbishly aloof act.
language. It exists as the same kind of
language used in other aspects of life. It is not Writing stage. After having a clear mental
any specialized or particular language intended picture of what you have to write, you are now
only for people involved in business. ready to make a draft of your work. Your draft
is the rough or preliminary version of your letter
Business English is “informative, effective, that embodies what you have planned in the
adaptive and derivative”. pre-writing stage. This requires you to
compose your thoughts in a discourse or
THE 8 C’s OF A BUSINESS LETTER
paragraph style. Central to this is the
CLARITY- The first element of all business “nutshelling”; that is, expressing only the main
letters is that they should be clear. This points or ideas instead of merely listing facts.
includes the purpose of the letter and words This straight-to-the-point manner of writing is
used within the text. Clearly state your point possible through the use of simple, short, and
near the beginning to allow the reader a clear direct language.
understanding of the letter's purpose.
Post-Writing Stage. The draft you have
Business-letter writing is a composition produced in the writing stage is not error-free.
writing that involves three stages: Pre- Thus, to come out with an organized and
writing, Writing and Post-writing. grammatically correct letter, enough to get the
nod or the yes answer of the reader, you have
Pre-writing stage. This is the first step in
to go through this last stage of the writing act
writing that will make you plan or think about
that will give you and the other people around
the information your letter should convey to the
you, like your classmates, time to edit,
reader. You can generate ideas for the body of
proofread and revise your letter.
your letter through the following pre-writing
strategies: 2. Express yourself in simple and familiar
words. Basically, the purpose of your letter is to
1. Brainstorming session – writing on a piece of
inform. However, your work cannot achieve this
paper every idea that comes to your mind
if it is loaded with “high-falutin,” high sounding,
regarding your topic.
or complex words.
2. Group discussion – filling up your mind with
3. Avoid using the following words:
ideas that result from your exchanging of ideas
or opinions with your classmates. a) Verbal Dead Words or Cluttering Words.
These are expressions using three to four
3. Reading – collecting data about your topic
words for the same idea that will result in
from the reading materials in the library.
unnecessary and needless repetition of words.
4. Semantic webbing or clustering – writing
b) Horse-and-buggy words. Old expressions
your ideas in circles that are ordered away
like ones listed below were used by people
from bigger topics placed at the centermost
riding a carriage drawn by horses during the
part of the paper.
Victorian Era.
c) Jargons. Words used by a certain set of POOR The board meeting was presided
people with common interest or in the same over by the president of the
profession are called jargons. Persons not in company.
this kind of group do not find these technical
BETTER The president of the company
words easy to understand. Words commonly
presided over the board meeting.
used by lawyers, physicians, engineers, or
businessmen are meaningful only to these set CONCISENESS- The meaningfulness of a
of professionals. Ordinary people in our society letter depends greatly on the relationships of
can hardly understand these technical terms. words in the letter. Hence, employing too many
words to show structural relationship that
Buzz Words- content words that explain
determine meaning formation delays thinking
important messages in the letter, but give
and decision-making. A concise message is
buzzing sounds and seemingly complex
complete without being wordy. It saves time,
structure to impress people are called buzz
effort, and space on the part of the writer. Time
words. Top government officials and media
is gold is a favorite line of businessmen, thus,
men are fond of using these long complicated-
conciseness is very much needed in the busy
sounding expressions. Because of the
world of buyers and sellers. To achieve
popularity of these words, some people pick
conciseness, you have to eliminate wordy
them up and use them, too. Consequently,
expressions, avoid unnecessary repetitions,
their act of copying these buzz words indicates
and include only relevant matter.
their lack of originality in expressing their ideas.
EXAMPLES: CONSIDERATION
Slang Words. Slang words are spoken by a The You-view point which means looking at the
particular group of people in a given period of situation from the standpoint of the reader, is
time. Since these expressions come from a what consideration means. It makes you adopt
specific class of persons at a certain time, they an attitude of mind that focuses on the reader’s
do not evolve among English-speaking people abilities, interests, likes and dislikes – an
in a wider context and in a longer or more approach that emphasizes the You as it
lasting span of time. The frequent use of these deemphasizes the I and We.
slang terms in informal communication setting
makes them inappropriate in business letter (Establishing a link and goodwill between or among
people is the purpose of your letter.)
writing that requires formality. Study these
sentences with slang expressions.SLANG -This thoughtful consideration serving as the
We’re gonna email the document next foundation of goodwill and the means of
week.BETTER We’re going to email the influencing people is also called empathy,
document next week.SLANG Do you wanna human touch and understanding of human
join the Daffo Marketing Company?BETTER nature.
Do you want to join the Daffo Marketing
Company? Non-agist, non-racist, non-sexist, and other
bias-free or neutral words, phrases, and job or
courtesy titles do not favor any specific
4. Maintain short sentences and category, or exclude and offend any members
paragraphs. The readers can easily get the in society. Considering all types of people –
main point of your letter if the sentence or the males or females. Black or white, rich and
paragraph use just the words necessary to poor, and Asian or Americans – your letter
express the main idea. Long and winding sounds like it wants every person to feel good
sentences or paragraphs will confuse the and comfortable in reading the letter. Applying
reader in getting the core of the letter. the You Attitude, you have to keep in mind the
5. Express yourself in the active voice than following guidelines in avoiding expressions
in passive voice to put more life in your that are offensive or ambiguous to the readers.
letter.
Ex. 1. Give equal importance or attention to
both male and female.
POOR The letter was received by me last
week. 2. Use gender-neutral language instead
of gender-sensitive words.
BETTER I received the letter last week.
Examples:
 cheerfulness to your business letter. Among
the positive words to which people react
favorably are benefit, cordial, happy, help,
3. Modify words with gender free generous, loyal, pleasure, thanks and
pronouns like the plurals they, you, thoughtful. Words with negative connotations
their, and the pronoun pairs – he or that often arouse unfavorable reactions include
she/ his or her instead of the blame, complaint, failed, negligence, regret,
traditional pronouns: he alone or she trouble, unfair, forbid, fail, refuse, prohibit,
alone. EXAMPLES: deny, cannot, and many more. Bad news is
inevitable at times, but they are supposed to be
conveyed in a tactful, positive, cordial, or
euphemistic manner by avoiding the use of
negative and unfriendly words.
EXAMPLE:
COURTESY- Just like consideration, courtesy
is an attitude of the mind that cultivates BAD The executive table is not made of cheap
goodwill and friendliness. It requires the use of wooden material.
polite expressions, such as please, thank you,
GOOD The executive table is made of first-
kindly, would you, could you, that show the
class wooden material.
writer’s sincerity, tactfulness, thoughtfulness,
gratefulness and respect towards the reader. BAD It is not impossible that our company will
merge with Dafo Incorporated.
GOOD It is possible that our company will
CONCRETENESS-The only way by which you
merge with Dafo Incorporated.
can create a clear and convincing picture of
what you are selling through a letter is the use
of descriptive or mental pictures about the
CORRECTNESS This refers to the right level
product. Through words, the reader can form
of the language – formal or informal – the
images. Hence, rich imagination results from
accuracy of the figures, facts, grammar,
rich sensory experiences and words that create
spelling, punctuation marks and the layout of
beautiful images. These are those that appeal
the letter. EXAMPLE:
to the reader’s senses. General, vague, and
abstract terms that exist only in the mind do not
activate the senses. To produce an alive,
active, and real letter capable of eliciting,
instant decisions from the reader, use
concrete, vivid, specific and other image-
building.
EX.

CHEERFULNESS “Smile and the whole world CHARACTER- What makes a person special
smiles with you, cry and you cry alone.” or interesting? The answer is his unique or
Indeed, if you have a lively disposition in life, distinct personality or individuality. Comparing
you will have more friends; a dim outlook in life a business letter to an individual, you can find
will drive people away from you. Generally, the former interesting, if such letter uses words
nobody would like to live with a person and introduces ideas that are natural, original,
preoccupied with ugly thoughts about the fresh, rather than expressions that are worn
world. Analogously, a letter loaded with out, cliché, stereotyped and plain imitations. A
negative expressions will not elicit favorable letter written through the writer’s own style of
responses from the reader. It is easier to expressions not by his act of borrowing,
motivate the reader to act on the message of reflects the writer’s strength and confidence.
the letter if the words are capable of cheering REMEMBER:
up and showing willingness to serve. Polite,
courteous and friendly words, instead of
tactless, offensive and blunt expressions are
the right words to give the quality of
 spaces below the date line on the left margin.
Normally, if this consists of three to four lines,
the first line presents the name of the person or
SUMMARY company and the individual or official corporate
Business English is the kind of English used in conducting business or title of the like: Miss, Atty., Dr., President,
in buying and selling activities. Its extensive use in commercial Manager.
transactions leads to the accumulation of its own business terms
which the other fields of knowledge may sometimes borrow. This The following are some reminders on the proper way of
proves that Business English is not exclusive or snobbishly aloof writing titles:
language. It exists as the same kind of language used in other
aspects of life. It is not any specialized or particular language a) Address an individual the way he usually signs his
intended only for people involved in business. Business English is name.
“informative, effective, adaptive and derivative”. It is informative
because it uses words that can always point to actual objects or b) Avoid abbreviating Christian names, corporation,
events referred to. This is possible through its use of simple and company and official positions or ranks like Sergeant,
specific terms that give a clear relation between the word and its
Treasurer, Secretary, Sales Manager, Director
referent – a denotation that results in the creation of an extra or one
and only one meaning of the term. Getting of information will be
c) You may abbreviate titles like Honorable, Reverend,
very easy if the word gives only one meaning rather than multiple
meanings that cause ambiguous sentences. However, the meaning Professor, but in formal letters, it is preferable to write
of the word does not come only from its relation to its referent, but in full.
also from its relation to the feelings of the sender and the receiver.
Hence, the sue of negative, positive, prejudicial and figurative d) Include the article “The” before the company name,
language that connotes personal meanings or expresses emotions if it is naturally a part of the name like “The Dean’s
explains why Business English is affective. In its create beautiful Café” or “The Ladies Circle”.
feelings, it uses positive, original, vivid and concrete words instead
of negative, cliché, stereotyped and abstract terms. e) Write the title Honorable, Reverend in full if the
article “The” precedes them, like “The Reverend Jose P.
Gomez”, not “The Rev. Jose P. Gomez”.
LESSON 2: THE PARTS AND FORMAT OF A
BUSINESS LETTER f) Use the titles Honorable, Reverend, Professor, and
Superintendent before full names, not before a last
name, like “Professor Juliet Sales, Honorable Orly D.
Pecson, not Professor Ramos, Honorable Daza”.
THE PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER
g) Use small letters in writing the article The in “the
-Heading. The heading of a letter is two types, Reverend Lino H. Paterno” or “the Honorable Nestro G.
namely: (A) Traditional Heading; and (B) Bulalacao” if the article is preceded by other words in
Modern Heading or Letterhead. The latter is the sentence, such as Everybody stoo up to greet the
placed around five spaces from the top margin; Honorable Jose P. Laurel.
the former, at the upper right-hand side of the
paper. The traditional heading contains the
writer’s complete address and the date of the Salutation or Greeting. The fourth part is the
letter, while the Letterhead or Modern Heading Salutation or Greeting. This is written on the
that is seen only on the first page of a double left margin, two to four spaces below the Inside
or multipage-letter gives the following principal Address. Since its purpose is to cheer up or
information; full name, full address, telephone greet the addressee with the use of positive
number, and the nature of the business of the words like Dear, Dearest, My Dear, it is also
company sending the letter. called Greeting.
Date line. The second part of a business letter
is the date line which is typed two or four
spaces below the letterhead. There are two
standard ways of writing the date, the In most business letters, the Salutation is
American Way (May 2, 1994) and the British followed by a colon (:); in formal or friendly
Way (2 May 1994). More ways are used by letters, by a comma (,). These two marks,
other business correspondents, but whatever colon and comma, re the only punctuation
style you choose, the usual procedure calls for marks used after the Salutation. Gentlemen is
one punctuation mark, the comma after the the Salutation for letters addressed to a
day, (May 2, 1994) and for the non- company, club, committee, and other
abbreviation of the name of the month. organizations composed of makes or of both
Inside Address. The address of the writer is males and females. The Salutation, Ladies, is
found in the Heading; that of the recipient is in for organizations exclusively for females.
the Inside Address. This third part of the letter, However, if there is a particular person whom
the Inside Address, is written four to eight you want to read the letter 28 | P a g e
addressed to the company, this person’s name yours, Sincerely yours, Respectfully yours,
may be written in the Attention Line, a letter Cordially yours, Very truly yours
part considered as an extension of the Inside
Address. The position of the Attention Line is;
(1) between the Inside Address and the 7. Signature Line. The seventh part is the
Salutation; and (2) opposite the Salutation. Signature Line. In business letters, two
signatures are needed – the printed and the
penned signature. The typewritten signature is
typed four spaces below the complimentary
close. It is forces because the other two spaces
are for the penned signature of the writer and
There are also salutations like, To Our Dealers, for the fully capitalized name of the country
To The PTA Members, Dear Customers, that represented by the writer. The name of the
are situated at the upper center of the bond company may be placed between the
paper. These kind of salutations are good for complimentary close and the penned signature.
formal letters and letters making an If the name of the company is letterhead, you
announcement to a group of people. In addition may do away with the typewritten signature.
to these generic salutations is this commonly
With regard to signature of women, consider
used – To Whom It May Concern. Although,
the following assumptions.
nowadays, some, consider this as the least
effective generic salutation; many reason out a) It is assumed that a surname preceded by
that since the use of this has been the standard initials belongs to a man.
for generations, it is still appropriate in
b) It is assumed that a name not preceded by
business letter writing even up to this time.
Ms or Mrs. Always mean
Another secondary part of a letter found in the
area of the salutation is the Subject Line placed
two spaces below the Greeting. In a modified
block letter, it is usually centered, and in block Notations. The last part is Notations. The
letters, and is at the left margin. Serving as the following are the notations that come two
title of the letter, the Subject Line states the spaces below the Signature:
purpose or topic of the letter in a short a) Identification Initials. These are the initials of
sentence. Here are examples of how the the writer or dictator and the typist or
Subject Line is written. transcriber. A colon or slash mark is used to
EXAMPLE: separate the two kinds of initials. (e.g. KM ly
KM: LY KM/LY)
b) Enclosure. Sometimes, there are some
important documents or papers that the writer
would like to attach to the letter. The inclusions
of these are made known to the reader by the
Body. The fifth and the biggest part is the explicit statement of these papers in the body
body. This begins two spaces below the of the letter and in the enclosure. Example:
Salutation. The spacing is double between the VM: DR Eric. Resume
paragraphs of the letter. It is in this part where
you may convey all the messages you want c) Carbon Copy. This notation is found two
your reader to understand. Of course, to do spaces below the last time of the signature. Its
this, you have to apply the 8C’s of a letter. 6. purpose is to let the reader know that a copy of
Closing or the letter is sent to another person whose
name is not mentioned in the address. The
Complimentary Close. This comes as the term Carbon Copy is the symbol CC. may then
sixth part. It is typed 2 to 4 spaces below the be written for this kind of notation, and
Body. Unlike the Salutation that uses two following CC or Carbon Copy is the full name
punctuation marks, comma and colon, the and official corporate position of the other
Closing uses only one mark, the comma. If the recipient. Example: Sincerely yours, Miss Myla
closing is of several words, on the first word B. Sarabia Manager, Personnel Development
should be capitalized. The choosing of a CC. Mr. Leo G. Torres
Complimentary Close also considers the
degree of formality. Below are some of the d) Blind Copy. If the writer, in confidence,
most commonly used closings that range from decides to give a copy of the letter to a person
formal to informal: EXAMPLE: Very respectfully not referred to in the address, he may note this
as “blind carbon copy” or bcc on the copy for
the secret recipient. This bcc is not reflected in
the original. Actually, though they are noted as
carbon copies, they may not be, at all times,
carbon. They maybe photographic or Xerox
copies.

e) Postscript or PS. This maybe added after

the last notation. It serves as a device for
emphasis. Two spaces below the Identification
Initials or two spaces below the enclosure or
CC is where you can write the symbol PS.
Likewise, consider the letter envelope and the
folding of the letter before you put it inside the
envelope. The address on the envelope plus its
format must be similar to the inside address.
Also, the folding of the paper to protrude or
stick out to make the unfolding of the paper
faster or easier. To add distinction to
correspondence, use paper, ink and envelopes
of good quality. The right paper is 8 ½ by 11
inches in size. For a short letter, you may use 6
by 9 ½ inches in size. An envelope that
matches the paper and is strong enough to
stand rough handling and heavy enough to
prevent the writing from showing through is the
right one to use for business letters.
THE FORMAT OF A BUSINESS LETTER
FULL BLOCK FORM
SUMMARY
If you own or run a small business long
enough, the odds are that you are going to
have to write actual business letters to
demonstrate your seriousness, whether that
involves making a formal complaint or
delivering a heartfelt thanks. Unlike with email,
the format is still important when it comes to
conveying professionalism, and that includes
knowing the parts of a business letter that you
need to include. There are actually many things
37 | P a g e you need to keep in mind when it
comes to knowing how to write a business
letter. Understanding business letter formats is
crucial. Not only do you need to understand
more standard business letter formats, but also
you might need to figure out something less
well known, such as the format of a memo.