Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Writing - Business Letters

When you write, you've got to know what your purpose is. If you're writing a business letter, there are some components that you're probably going to include. It's just like if you were writing an essay; there are components that must be included with that.

Let's take a look at some common elements on business letters.

AB
DatelineDisplays the date the letter was keyed and mailed.
Inside AddressConsists of the receiver's name and title, street address or post office box number, and the city/state/zip code.
SalutationA formal greeting consisting of the receiver's title and last name.
BodyThe paragraphs of the letter.
Complimentary ClosingA formal "goodbye" after the body of the paragraph.
AuthorThe person who wrote the letter.
Author's titleThe official title of the author.
Reference initialsThe two or three-letter acronym of the name of the one who typed the letter.
Enclosure notationA note specifying that additional items have been included with the mailing of the letter.
Copy notationA note signifying that another person will receive a copy of the letter.
Block styleAll items of the business letter begin at the left margin.
Modified block styleAll items of the business letter begin at the left margin except the date, complimentary closing, and author's name and title, which are keyed begnning at the center point.
Open punctuationOmit the punctuation following the salutation and complimentary closing.
Mixed punctuationUse punctuation after the salutation and complimentary closing.
(Chart found by clicking here.)

Which item were you most familiar with? Which item, if any, was new to you? Please share those items with us and be sure to include the definition of each one!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Author- the person that wrote the letter

Dateline-displays the date the letter was keyed and mailed.

I knew what author was but never heard of the word dateline.

Gm

Anonymous said...

Mirlene

Enclosure Notation : A note specifying that explaining what it is inside.

Reference initials : The two or three letter acronym of the name of the one who typed the letter.

Open punctuation : Omit the punctuation following the salutation and complimemtary closing.

Anonymous said...

Open punctuation: omit the punctuation after the salutation and complimentary closing.

Mixed punctuation: use punctuation after the salutation and complimentary closing.

I knew the formality of using punctuation but I did not know that it could be avoided.

Maria Rodriguez - Trelles

Anonymous said...

I am very familiar with all the terms. I am bilingual secretary and I had to do all kind of letters in the University and in my former job. :D

Geraldine G.

Anonymous said...

Enclosure notation; A note specifying that additional items have been included with the mailing of the letter.

Block style; all items of the business letter that begins at the left margin.

Sheila W.

NH said...

I was definitly familiar with many of the parts of a business letter. I always take notice of any common business letter (like my bills or special offers I get in the mail)because of their letterheads. I see letterheads and business cards as a company's personal touch so I take notice.

I was familiar with:

1)Dateline - Displays the date the letter was keyed and mailed.

2)Inside Address - Consists of the receiver's name and title, street address or post office box number, and the city/state/zip code.

3)Salutation - A formal greeting consisting of the receiver's title and last name.

4)Body (of course) - The paragraphs of the letter.

5)Complimentary Closing - A formal "goodbye" after the body of the paragraph.

6)Author - The person who wrote the letter.

___________________________________

Unfamiliar with:

1)Enclosure notation - A note specifying that additional items have been included with the mailing of the letter.

2)Copy notation - A note signifying that another person will receive a copy of the letter.

I think these 2 ideas are good to utilize when sending a business letter and you want to make sure the receiver is fully aware what the extra copies attached are.

Anonymous said...

The frist thing that stand out is that the dead line date is not listed ,and comons are need in alot of arear.tiffanyf

Anonymous said...

I am familiar with most of them.

It was new to me the open punctuation.

Open Punctuation: Omit the punctuation following the salutation and complimentary closing.

Margie

Anonymous said...

Open Punctuation - Omit the punctuation following the salutation and complimentary closing.

Body - The paragraph of the letter.

Allison.

Anonymous said...

I am most familiar with the dateline.

Dateline - Displays the date the letter was keyed and mailed.

Although I have seen it before, open punctuation was new to me.

Open punctuation : Omit the punctuation following the salutation and complimemtary closing.

Abbey P.