How to write business letters Authors: a group of students of 9 B form

The purposes of the investigation:
to study the peculiarities of a business letter,
to understand the structure of a business letter,
to analize the vocabulary of a business letter.

The gypothesis
If you don’t know how to write business letters you won’t be able to run your business successfully

Procedure
Read some letters and choose the expressions of greeting and complimentary close
Analize the structure of these letters and try to formulate the steps of writing letters
Think and formulate the rules of writing business letters

I. Title
1. Messrs means Gentlemen, sirs (used in the address before the name of the firm).
2. Note: a limited company must not be given the title of “Messrs”
II. Greeting
The normal form of greeting in the letters addressed to organisations is “Dear Sirs”.
“Dear Mr.Smith” has tended to replace “Dear Sir”
III. How to sign letters
The ending “Yours faithfully” is used after “Dear Sir”.
The ending “Yours sincerely” is used after “Dear Mr.Smith”. Follow with the name of the company, the name of the person and his position.
If the letter is written on behalf of someone but not signed by him it is written for the Sales Manager or for Chief Engineer, and so on.

The structure of a business letter
Title
Address
Date
Greeting
Reference
Complimentary Close
Sign, position, department
Sending initials
Enclosing
Copies

Rules of writing a business letter
Make clear the purpose why the letter is being written
Express your ideas in short sentences
Use words everybody understands
Avoid unnecessary words and phrases
Do not use shortenings

Conclusion
It is very important to write business letters correctly because your success in business depends on how people understand your wishes and needs. Your first letter is an impression you make on your new partner. To be successful in business one must make contacts in the written form in a right way.
“A correct letter makes a wise head”
(vs. “A still tongue makes a wise head”)