Suggestions for writing formal business letters effectively for the 2nd year students

Graduation Paper DECLARATION Title:SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING FORMAL/BUSINESS LETTERS EFFECTIVELY FOR THE 2ND-YEAR STUDENTS I certify that no part of the above report has been copied or

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENGLISH -

GRADUATION THESIS B.A DEGREE IN ENGLISH STUDY

SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING FORMAL/BUSINESS LETTERS EFFECTIVELY FOR THE 2ND-YEAR STUDENTS

Supervisor : Le Thi Vy, M.A Student : Hoang Thi Luong Hoa Date of birth : 10.01.1994

Course : K19A03 (2012-2016)

Hanoi – 2016

CODE: 14

Graduation Paper

DECLARATION

Title:SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING FORMAL/BUSINESS LETTERS

EFFECTIVELY FOR THE 2ND-YEAR STUDENTS

I certify that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced by me from any others’ work without acknowledgements and that the report is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor

Graduation Paper

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

At this stage of research accomplishment, I would like to express my

profound gratitude to my supervisor M.A Le ThiVy for the useful comments,

remarks and guidance through the learning process of this graduation thesis Furthermore, I would like to thank all teachers at the Faculty of English of Hanoi Open University for the great and interesting lectures which give me a sound basis with useful knowledge for the fulfillment of this graduation thesis

Moreover, special thanks are given to my parents and all of my friends for all the material as well as moral support during my graduation thesis writing period

Hanoi, 15 April, 2016

Hoang Thi Luong Hoa

Graduation Paper

TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale 1

2 Aims and objectives of the study 1

3 Scope of the study 1

4 Research questions 2

5 Methods of the study 2

6 Design of the study 2

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 4

CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 4

1.1 An overview of letters 4

1.1.1 Definition and history of letter 4

1.1.2 Formal/Business Letter Definition 5

1.1.3 The importance of formal/business letters 5

1.2 Formal/Business letter format 6

1.2.1 Parts of a complete formal/business letter 7

1.2.1.1 Sender’s address 9

1.2.1.2 Date 9

1.2.1.3 Reference line 10

1.2.1.4 Recipient’s address 10

1.2.1.5 Attention line 11

1.2.1.6 Salutation 11

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1.2.1.7 Subject line 11

1.2.1.8 Body 12

1.2.1.9 Complimentary close 12

1.2.1.10 Signature 13

1.2.1.11 Enclosure 13

1.2.2 Margin and line spacing 13

1.2.3 Formal/Business letter layout 14

1.2.3.1 Block: 14

1.2.3.2 Modified block: 16

1.3 American and British Formal/Business letter comparison 17

1.4 Popular formal/business letters 18

1.4.1 The order letters 18

1.4.2 The inquiry letters 19

1.4.3 The complaint letters 20

1.4.4 The adjustment letters 21

1.4.5 The refusal letters 22

1.4.6 The resignation letters 22

1.4.7 The sales letters 23

1.5 Summary 24

CHAPTER II THE ANALYSIS OF SOME COMMON MISTAKES MADE BSTUDENTS IN WRITING FORMAL/BUSINESS LETTER IN BRITISH STYLE 25

2.1 Format mistakes 36

2.2 Planning mistakes 38

2.3 Language mistakes 39

2.4 Summary 44

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CHAPTER III SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING A

FORMAL/BUSINESS LETTER EFFECTIVELY 45

3.1 Suggestions 45

3.2 Summary 50

PART C: CONCLUSION 51 REFERENCES

PART A: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

English is a universal language People from different nations learn English and consider it as a medium for them to communicate There is no doubt that English is exactly the most popular language in the world In addition, English is the language of communication between the people from different cultures Moreover, English is the language of science and technology.Thanks

to the popularity of English, most of the schools, colleges, universities worldwide have added English into their curriculum as one of the major subjects In learning English, beside speaking skill, listening skill and reading skill, writing is one of the most important And writing formal letters is one of the compulsory skills on university curriculum Second-year students, however, seems to be so equivocal about the ways to write them This actuality needs examining to give the best advices and suggestions to achieve the effective writing letter skill

2 Aims and objectives of the study

This study aims to analyze the reality based on the research and give several effective pieces of advice as well as suggestions for the 2nd-year students in writing formal letters In addition, the hitches concerned would be cleared up and mentioned in the study

3 Scope of the study

In fact, writing formal letters is necessary for all ages at every grade At the younger ages, we could write some simple letters such as invitation, congratulation or apology letters, etc At the elder ages, we could learn how to write letters in a higher level that require more details Eventually when we

have grown up, writing letter concerning to work or jobs is an essential skill However, the study only focuses on discussing the 2nd-year students’ problems in writing formal letters

4 Research questions

Some questions made to clear up the problems needing tackling are:

- What is a formal/business letter?

- How important a formal/business letter is?

- What are the requirements in writing a formal/business letter?

- What are the common difficulties in writing formal/business letters for

2nd-year students?

- What are the solutions for students writing formal/business letters

effectively?

5 Methods of the study

A host of methods have been applied to complete this graduation paper: Collected references, books and websites related Moreover, this research on writing formal letters is carried out by analyzing methods and comparative methods in the hope that learners could realize and understand the best way to improve it A survey questionnaire is conducted for the 2nd-year students with a point of view to find out their recognition, attitudes, evaluation of the matter and the difficulties they encounter Besides, information in the research was collected from many sources so that learners will get broad knowledge in order to apply successfully into their study

6 Design of the study

The study includes three parts:

Part A is the Introduction This part is the routines required for a graduation thesis, namely rationale, aims and objectives, scope, research questions, methods and design of the study

Part B is the Development which includes three chapters:

Chapter I is the Theoretical background This chapter refers the theory of letters in general and formal letters or business letters in particular such as definition, layout, format, etc

Chapter II is the Analysis of some common mistakes made by students in writing formal/business letter in British style This chapter provides the analysis of some common mistakes made by students while writing a formal/business letter in British style

Chapter III is the Suggestions for writing a formal/business letter effectively This chapter recommends several suggestions and solutions for students to have better formal/business letter writing skill

The last part is the Conclusion This part is the summary of all the presented study in the previous parts It is followed by the reference used in the thesis

PART B: DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

This chapter refers the things concerning the theory of letters in general and

formal letters or business letters in particular Students could find out the

exact answers for their questions in the format and layout of formal/business letters Several popular kinds of formal/business letters are mentioned as well

1.1 An overview of letters

1.1.1 Definition and history of letter

A letter is a written message from one party to others containing information Letters guarantee the preservation of communication between both parties They bring friends or relatives closer together, enrich professional relationships and provide a satisfying means of self-expression Letters contribute to the protection and conservation of literacy, which is the ability

to write and read (Blake and Bly , 1993)

Historically, letters have existed from the time of ancient India, ancient Egypt and Sumer, through Rome, Greece and China, up to the present day During the seventeenth and eighteenth century, letters were used to self-educate Letters were ways to practice critical reading, self-expressive writing, polemical writing and exchange ideas with like-minded others For some people, letters were seen as a written performance For others, it was not only seen as a performance but also as a way of communication and a method

of gaining feedback Letters make up several books of the Bible Archives of correspondence, whether for personal, diplomatic, or business reasons, serve

as primary sources for historians.(Kazhdan,1991)

1.1.2 Formal/Business Letter Definition

Formal letters refer to those which are used in a formal situation to discuss or exchange the opinions of the sender and the recipient Formal letters are used mainly in business field, between people, organizations or companies which involve in trading certain goods or services

A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties The overall style of letter depends on the relationship between the parties concerned Business letters can have many types of contents, for example to request direct information or action from another party, to order supplies from

a supplier, to point out a mistake by the letter's recipient, to reply directly to a request, to apologize for a wrong, or to convey goodwill A business letter is sometimes useful because it produces a permanent written record, and may be taken more seriously by the recipient than other forms of communication (Guffey, Loewy, Rhodes and Rogin, 2010)

Writing a business letter is about developing that trade, so it is important to remember that a business letter is an official document There are many other communication between people and companies, for instance telephone conversations, emails, meetings, presentations, contracts, orders and invoices

A business letter is the most powerful communications tool for providing structured and considered information in a formal way

1.1.3 The importance of formal/business letters

Formal letters should be used on many different occasions, including job interviews, job offers and rejections, and even resignation.The way you communicate in a professional setting says a great deal about you even before

the first personal interaction; from a simple formal letter, a reader takes clues about your education, awareness of standard practices and attention to detail Formal letters are important because they serve as a formal method of communication between people, specially in business They provide valuable information and they serve a legal purpose Furthermore, formal letters which are used in business (business letters) promote and sustain good will, good relationships are formed and maintained through effective communication Properly written business letters give a positive impression of a company or individual The effects that various formal letters can have on their audience are as varied as their purposes For instance, many letters are written to persuade someone to do something Letters also can call people to action For instance, in a company, the leader might draft a piece of correspondence meant to inspire her employees to meet a particular business goal for the year Business letters are the life blood of communication for any business There are manytypes of business letters in use Many people thought that business letter would be a thing of thepast once the email and other technology seep into the offices This notion has so far beenproven false.Business letters are still in wide use and their importance has not been diminished tothe slightest.(A Kumar,2014)

1.2 Formal/Business letter format

Bertha J Naterop (1978) states that Business Letters are intendedfor students

of commerce, for all people working in business and other areas It is clear that whoever you are: an executive, a departmentmanager, a salesman or a secretary, etc., youhave to write formal letters

The letter tells a lot about the writer and the organization he or she represents

It will make the very first impression which plays an important role in your

success in any discussion The preparation in writing a business letter should

be careful There are some particular important things we had better understand while writing a formal or business letter of our own

1.2.1 Parts of a complete formal/business letter

There are many parts in a complete formal/business letter and all formal/business letters have certain elements in common However, formal/business letters, nowadays, are written in traditional way with full information or in modern way which the content of the letters focus on the main purpose only and skip several parts in comparison with the traditional one

The following format is a complete formal/business letter format with full information in the traditional way:

Sender’s Company Name Address

Mail/Telephone number Date

Subject: (Subject line)

(Body of the letter)

Complimentary close

Sender’s Company Name Address

Contact information Date

It is easy to realize the standard parts of a business letter: Sender’s address, date, reference line, receiver’s address, attention line,salutation, subject line, the body, complimentary close, signature and enclosure Several of them appear in every letter, others appear only when desirable or appropriate

1.2.1.1 Sender’s address

In sender’s address, the sender has to show the logo, name and full address of

the organization which he/she represents The address should be written clearly with street, district, state, city and ZIP code or post code Besides, the connection information such as telephone number, fax number, the company website and email address should be added as well (Lesikar R.V., 1991) For example:MANOR HOUSE HOTEL

Farmham Green Warnside Upminster UB23

Tel: 123456789 Email: manorhouse@abc.com

1.2.1.2 Date

It is the date on which the letter is written There are two conventions in use: The standarddateline in the U.S is month/date/year while European dateline is date/month/year The name ofmonth is often written in full and the numeral

indicating the day is without st,nd,rdorth.(Lesikar R.V., 1991)

For example: 9.6.2016

9-6-2016 9/6/2016

British Style: June 9 2016

American Style: Sep 6 2016

1.2.1.5 Attention line

This part is not always required It should be used when the letter is addressed

to an organizationas a whole, but the writer wants it to be handled by a specific person from the organization Anattention line (starting with Attention or Attn.) may take any of the following forms.(Nelson, 2013)

For example:Attention: Dr Henry

Attention: Director of Marketing

1.2.1.6 Salutation

The style of salutation should follow what in the first line of the recipient’s address If in the recipient’s address, the recipient is addressed by name, the

salutation should be: “Dear Mr./Ms +surname”

For example:Dear Ms Smith,

all-capital letters, it may start with“Subject:” or “Re:” (an abbreviation for regarding).(Lesikar R.V., 1991)

For example: Re: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON SECURITY

ALARM SYSTEM

1.2.1.8 Body

According to Jen Nelson (2013), the form of the main subject is not of any rule; however, it should be neat, easy readingand not too complex Moreover, the presentation of the body should be unified for readers to read and understand correctly and easily The style of the subject layout may be straight ortapped depending on your habit, and there is usually a space between two paragraphs in thestraight type In general, letters include one or more than one paragraph Each paragraph should focus on the maincontent which normally stands in the first position of the paragraph:

• The first paragraph introduces the reason or purpose of the letter

• The second paragraph develops clearly the reason

• The last paragraph shows the writer’s attitude towards the subject

1.2.1.9 Complimentary close

This is a polite, formal way to end a letter The complimentary close should match the toneof the salutation.(Lesikar R.V., 1991)

• If you know the name of the recipient, you could use:

- Sincerely (American Style)

- Sincerely yours (American Style)

- Yours sincerely(British Style)

• If you do not know the name of the recipient, you could use:

- Very truly yours(American Style)

- Yours truly(American Style)

- Yours faithfully (British Style)

The enclosure is used to indicate that something is attached to the letter Such

a notationhelps recipients confirm that all the enclosures are included when receiving the letter (Bovee, 1992)

For example:Encl.: Security Alarms brochure

1.2.2 Margin and line spacing

Normally, the English business letter is horizontally centered The margins around the letter should be an inch at least (Wolf, M.P and Kuiper.S, 1984)

Dateline 1 blank line below the last line of sender’s address Recipient’s address 1-10 blank lines below the dateline

Attention line 1 blank line below the receiver’s address

Salutation 1 blank line below the last line of the receiver’s

address Subject line 1 blank line below the salutation

Body 1 blank line below the salutation (single-space

withinparagraphs; double-space between paragraphs)

Complimentary close 1 blank line below the last line of the body

Signature block 3 blank lines below the complimentary close

Enclosure notation 1 blank line below the reference initials

1.2.3 Formal/Business letter layout

The letter layout is the way of arranging all the basic letter parts Sometimes a companyadopts a certain format as its policy; sometimes the letter writer isallowed to choose the mostappropriate format.There are two major letter layout styles common used for the English business letter according to Derek

O Brien (2012):

1.2.3.1 Block: This is the most modern of the formats and the one most

widely used Since everyline of the block style letter begins at the left margin, this format saves typing time Block format tends nonverbally to suggest efficiency The evenness of the left margin projects a neat, orderly image.This

block format business letter template illustrates how quick and easy communications can be to type Notice that it looks very much like the semi-block letter format, except the paragraphs are not indented This is a format you can use for all business occasions Notice that all elements in this letter are left justified This formatting provides a crisp, modern look that many people prefer.If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note

at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block Just write

“enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope

A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are some of the things you

might think about including

Your Company’s Name

Dear (Recipient’s Name),

(Body of the letter)

1.2.3.2 Modified block: Modified block is the same as block letter layout,

except that the sender’s address, date, complimentary close and signature block start near the horizontal center of the page, and are aligned vertically This modified block business letter format looks very much like the modified semi-block letter format, except the paragraphs are not indented Modified block letters are a little less formal than full block letters Notice that the sender’s address, the closing, the signature, and the signature block all start near the center of the page In some cases, people who prefer to use this format begin these elements five spaces to the right of the center of the page.If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope

Your Company’s Name Address

Contact information Date

Recipient’s Name

Company Name

Address

Dear (Recipient’s Name):

(Body of the letter)

Sincerely,

(Signature)

Your name Title

Enclosures(optional)

1.3 American and British Formal/Business letter comparison

Heading On the top right corner of

the letter

According to the letter but usually aligned to the left Sender’s

address

On the right of the letter On either the left or right of

the letter Recipient’s

(On the left of the letter)

Salutation Dear Mr/Ms + Surname,

Yours faithfully

(If you do not know the name of the recipient)

Yours truly/Very truly yours,

(If you do not know the name

1.4 Popular formal/business letters

There are almost as many types of letters as there are reasons for writing This chapter isdevoted to a number of typical letters: the order letter, the inquiry letter, the complaint letter, the adjustment letter, the refusal letter, the resignation letter and thesales letter

1.4.1 The order letters

One of the most common reasons for writing a business letter is the need to order supplies or equipment Obviously, an order letter must be specific and complete if you are to receive the exact item you want

Therefore, an order letter is written by a person or organization wishing to make a purchase Theletter should be specific, accurate, and complete, but not cluttered with unrelated details (Guffey M.E., 2003)

Make sure that the order letter contains the following information, as it applies to the itemsor items you are purchasing

The exact name and part number of the item

• Any useful description of the item: size, style, color, and so on

• The quantity needed of each item

• The price of the item

• The shipping method

• The date of the order and the date by which you need the item

• The exact and full shipping address

• The method payment

1.4.2 The inquiry letters

An inquiry letter is a formal letter making a legal claim, and requesting that the claim besatisfied, either by asking the receiving party to perform a previously ignored responsibility or obligation, repay for damages they caused, returning items belonging to the author, or some other legal issue that needs to be settled.(Guffey M.E., 2003)

The letter of inquiry should include the following sections:

• The introduction serves as the executive summary for the letter of inquiry and includes the name of your organization, the amount needed or requested, and a description of the project The qualifications of project staff,

a brief description of evaluative methodology, and a timetable are also included here

• The organization description should be concise and focus on the ability

of your organization to meet the stated need Provide a very brief history and description of your current programs while demonstrating a direct connection between what is currently being done and what you wish to accomplish with the requested funding You will flesh this section out in greater detail if you are invited to submit a full proposal

• The statement of need must convince the reader that there is an important need that can be met by your project The statement of need includes: a description of the target population and geographical area, appropriate statistical data in abbreviated form, and several concrete examples

• The methodology should be appropriate to your statement of need and present a clear, logical, and achievable solution to the stated need Describe the project briefly, including major activities, names and titles of key project staff, and your desired objectives As with the organization description, this will be presented in far greater detail in a full proposal

• Other funding sources being approached for support of this project should be listed in a brief sentence or paragraph

• The final summary restates the intent of the project, affirms your readiness to answer further questions, and thanks the potential funder for its consideration It is noted that attachments should be included only at the direction of the potential funder and should be specific to its application guidelines

1.4.3 The complaint letters

Writing a complaint letter is often an undesirable task, but if it is done well, the end resultcan be very rewarding Complaint letters can be used for the purpose of having products replacedor money refunded, for changing the company policy or government legislation, for influencing themedia, and so forth

A complain letter should be businesslike and logical and should not sound

“complaining”.The letter should reflect the fact that the writer is registering the complaint calmly, but it shouldalso indicate that she or he expects the situation to be corrected.(Guffey M.E., 2003)

The effective complaint letters should follow the same pattern They should:

• Identify the faulty item or items, including invoice numbers, part names, dates, and so forth

• Explain logically, clearly, and specifically what went wrong, especially for a problemwith service

• State what you expect the reader to do to solve the problem to your satisfaction

1.4.4 The adjustment letters

An adjustment letter, often a response to a complain letter, should explain what caused theproblem, specify what is being done to correct it, and, if the company for which the writer workswas a fault, apologize for the incident After you have obtained the facts, organize your letter into three basic parts:

• Refer to the letter of complaint and identify the item or service in question If your company is responsible for the error, offer an apology early

in the letter Doing so will help you to regain the customer’s goodwill

• Explain clearly why the error occurred or outline the company policy related to the problem, or do both This is especially important if you are not able to do everything the customer asked

• State specifically what you intent to do or have done to solve the problem If you are not able to do exactly what the customer asks, give a partial adjustment if possible.(Guffey M.E., 2003)

1.4.5 The refusal letters

When you receive a complaint letter, an inquiry letter, or any letter to which you must givea negative reply, you may need to write a refusal letter Such a letter is difficult to write because it contains bad news Stating the bad news

in your opening would certainly affect your readernegatively The idea refusal letter says no in such a way that you not only avoid antagonizingyour reader but also maintain goodwill The indirect approach with refusals is appropriate.(Guffey M.E., 2003)

The following indirect pattern is an effective way to deal with this problem:

• A buffer that establishes a professional tone

• A review of the facts (reasons) leading to the bad news or refusal

• The bad news or refusal itself

• A goodwill closing

1.4.6 The resignation letters

A business letter of resignation is written to announce the writer's intent to leave a positioncurrently held, such as an office, employment or commission

A resignation letter is generally a formality, but it is a sign of respect and is often expected.Remember that while you may be unhappy with your boss or your job that the letter is writtenand will probably be placed in your employee file In other words, letters can be permanent, keep them positive

Therefore, a resignation letter should be as positive as possible, regardless of the circumstances ofyour resignation Be factual and objective about your reasons for leaving and point out anybenefits gained from the job experience (Guffey M.E., 2003)

1.4.7 The sales letters

A sales letter, or a letter that promotes a product, service, or store, requires both a thoroughknowledge of the product or service and a keen awareness of the potential customer’s needs Forthis reason, you would probablyhave to write your sales letters yourself

A sales letter should catch the reader’s attention, arouse the reader’s interest, emphasizethe benefits of the product or service, and invite the reader to respond You should keep thefollowing points in mind:

• Attract the reader’s attention and arouse his or her interest in the opening

• Continue to emphasize the benefits of the product to the reader Do not exaggerate, you will lose the reader’s confidence if you claims sound unreasonable

• Suggest ways that the reader can make immediate use of the product or service

• Make it easy and worthwhile for the customer to respond You might include a local street map showing how to get to your store, a discount coupon, instruction for convenient phone in orders and free delivery, or a Web address where the customer can download more information.(Guffey M.E., 2003

•

to be written carefully and exactly Besides, there are two letter layouts for students to choose the most suitable one for the requirement Moreover, it is noted in the chapter that there are certain differences between formal/business letters in American and British style Students have to be careful in writing letter to avoid making mistakes of these two styles Furthermore, several kinds of formal/business letter are mentioned in the chapter as well This chapter includes the basic knowledge and instructions

so that the second year students could write formal/business letters effectively