BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE IN ENGLISH

SEMINAR 3. Structure and Components of Business Letters.

Questions for discussions:

1. The purpose of business letters/emails
2. General outline of the formal letter plan and it’s alternatives
3. Formal register. Fronting and reduced relative clauses
4. Topic and supporting sentences

Practical assignments:

Task 1 A: Study the general plan of the formal letter. Then compare its alternatives depending
on purpose of the letter.

The purpose of business letters/emails

Formal letters/emails are sent to people in an official position, (e.g. director of an

international company, a magazine editor, a director of studies, etc). Formal letters/emails are
often written in response to something you have read in a newspaper/magazine or heard as part
of an announcement at the local council, etc. There are many reasons for writing them, for
example: to give information, to give an opinion, to apologize, to offer advice, etc.

There might be cases when you are asked to write letters/emails in which you have to
respond to a combination of subtopics (e.g describe an experience and assess/evaluate how
this has helped/influenced you, etc). Therefore, you should always read the rubric carefully.

It is also essential, when writing such letters/emails, that the register is appropriate for the
target reader. In other words, in a formal letter/email, the tone should be respectful.
General outline for letters/emails
General formal letter plan
Salutation (Greeting) Dear Sir/Madam
or
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (recipient’s name)
Paragraph 1  opening remarks
•I am writing in response to/with regard
to/concerning ...
• I would like to express my views on/put
forth my observations…
• I am writing to apologize for/offer my
apologies for ...

 reasons for writing

It is necessary to state who you are and what

you are responding to according to the rubric
of the task.

Paragraph 2 Development of the points raised in the rubric

and analysis in different paragraphs.
Paragraph 3
Note: Don't forget to start each paragraph
with a topic sentence.
Paragraph 4  a summary of your opinion/main body
 a reassurance
 a request
 offer for further contact

 closing remarks
• Thank you for considering my views.
• I hope your (company) takes this
into account ...
• I hope I have been of some
assistance.
• Please do not hesitate to contact
me ...
• I look forward to

Depending on the type of letter/email you are

writing, you can also include a summary of
your opinion or of the main body, a
reassurance, a request/ offer for further
contact, etc.
Complimentary closing Yours faithfully
(Sign off) Or
Yours sincerely + (your full name)

Useful Language
Opening remarks
•I am writing in response to/with regard to/concerning ...
• I would like to express my views on/put forth my observations ...
• I am writing to apologise for/offer my apologies for ...

Giving opinions
• In my opinion, ...
• It seems to me that/ I am totally opposed to/in favour of ...
• I strongly agree/disagree with ...

Apologising
Offering apologies
• I can't apologize enough./ I'm ever so sorry./ My humblest apologies.
• I completely overlooked it./ It totally slipped my mind.
• The fault/mistake is/was entirely mine ...
• It was very remiss of me .../ It was negligent of me ...
• It was my responsibility
•I hope you can forgive me

Reassuring
• You needn't worry .../ There's no need for concern ...
• Rest assured/ Be certain (that) ...
• I'll rectify the situation

Responding to an apology
• I appreciate your candour on the matter .../ Thank you for your honesty ...
• That is most regrettable./ That is unfortunate.

Giving reasons
• Personally, I ...
• As far as I am concerned, ...
• It seems/appears to me that ...
• In my case/view/opinion, ...
• To my mind, ...
• I fully support ...
• I am entirely in favour of ...
• Being able to ... is the reason why I ...

Giving advice/suggestions
• I would like to offer one or two suggestions concerning ...
• It might/ would be to your advantage if you were to ...
• I feel the best course of action would be ...

Presenting results
• Consequently, ...
• Therefore, ...
•As a result, ...
• This means that ...
• This way,/That way, ...
Closing remarks
• Thank you for considering my views.
• I hope your (company) takes this into account ...
• I hope I have been of some assistance.
• Please do not hesitate to contact me ...
• I look forward to

Variations of the formal letter plan

Opinion sharing
• If you are asked to describe a point and assess/ evaluate/give your opinion on this point,
you should include two main body paragraphs in your letter/ email: one describing the point
presented and one assessing/evaluating it. When doing so, don't forget to include arguments to
support your opinion followed by examples/justifications.

Opinion sharing letter/email

Salutation (Greeting) Dear Sir/Madam
or
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (recipient’s name)
Paragraph 1  opening remarks
 reasons for writing

It is necessary to state who you are and what you are responding
to according to the rubric of the task.
Paragraph 2  present and describe the point\issue

If possible, illustrate presented point with examples.

Paragraph 3  assess/evaluate the point\issue

Include arguments to support your opinion.

Then provide examples/justifications.
Paragraph 4  a summary of your opinion/main body
 closing remarks

Complimentary closing (Sign off) Yours faithfully

Or
Yours sincerely + (your full name)

Apology
• If you are asked to write a letter/email of apology, you should include two main body
paragraphs: one explaining the reasons for the problem and one apologizing and giving
explanations on how the situation will be resolved/rectified.

Letter/email of apology
Salutation (Greeting) Dear Sir/Madam
or
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (recipient’s name)
Paragraph 1  opening remarks
 reasons for writing

It is necessary to state who you are and what you are responding
 to according to the rubric of the task.
Paragraph 2  explanation of the reasons for the problem

Paragraph 3  apology
 explanations on how the situation will be
resolved/rectified.

Paragraph 4  closing remarks

Complimentary closing (Sign off) Yours faithfully

Or
Yours sincerely + (your full name)

Advice giving
• If you are asked to write a letter/email of advice, you should include two main body
paragraphs offering advice and suggestions on how this advice will help

Letter/email of advice
Salutation (Greeting) Dear Sir/Madam
or
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (recipient’s name)
Paragraph 1  opening remarks
 reasons for writing

It is necessary to state who you are and what you are responding
to according to the rubric of the task.
Paragraph 2  offering advice

Paragraph 3  suggestions on how this advice will help

Paragraph 4  closing remarks

Complimentary closing (Sign off) Yours faithfully

Or
Yours sincerely + (your full name)

Task 1 B: Apply the abovementioned theory in practice. State the purpose of the beginnings
and ends. Then match the beginnings (1-3) to their endings (A-C) of the formal letters below.

Task 1 C: Decide in which letter is the writer going to:

• assess a situation and make suggestions?
• describe and evaluate an experience?
• explain and apologize about an occurrence?

1) Dear Ms Jones, A) The above is an honest account of my part

I have been with the company for four years in the situation and I hope you will take this
and as supervisor can vouch for my into consideration. Once again, I am truly
professionalism and attitude in the office. sorry for any inconvenience this matter may
However, a recent incident might have tainted have caused.
my reputation and I wish to express my
deepest regrets on the matter. Yours sincerely,
Ronald Johnson
 2) Dear Editor, B) As I have discovered, the value in learning
I am writing in reply to your magazine's the art of cooperation cannot be overstated. It
invitation to readers to express their opinion is not only essential for communicating in our
on the subject of bullying in schools. This has everyday lives, it is also a vital asset in the
become a major issue in society and requires professional world.
our immediate attention.
Yours faithfully,
Steven Madison
3) Dear Sir/Madam, C) The current situation is in danger of
With regards to your recent article about spiraling out of control, but by taking a few
the importance of group work in the simple steps I believe students would be less
classroom, I would like to put forward my inclined to victimize their fellow classmates.
observations. An incident from my own This is essential to make our learning
school days has led me to believe in the value institutions safer.
of shared activities.
Yours faithfully,
Mary Hogan

Task 2 A: Read on the components of the formal register. If necessary, revise the grammar
reference on Fronting and Reduced relative clauses.

Formal Register
There might be cases where it will be necessary for you to use advanced/formal register in your
writing. Formal register is characterized by serious impersonal style, advanced vocabulary and
no colloquial English or short forms. You should also try to include:
advanced/formal register
1) advanced grammatical structures such as:
• passive voice (e.g. I can be contacted at ...)
• reduced relative clauses (e.g. One problem being ignored (= which is being ignored)
is that bullies tend to pick on weaker students at school.)
2) advanced linking devices such as:
• fronting (e.g. Having thoroughly read your article I decided to...)
• discourse markers\advanced link words and phrases (e.g. that being the case,
otherwise, as a result, in this way, contrarily, nonetheless, etc).

Grammar Reference
Giving emphasis: Fronting technique.
When we want to focus or emphasize a particular part of a sentence we change the order of
the sentence and put the verb first then the noun.
We focus attention to a specific part of a sentence by changing the normal sentence order
and putting the second part, the part we wish to focus on, at the front. This is an advanced
grammar structure known as Fronting.

Regular sentence Fronting

The Lord of the Rings is Tolkien’s most Tolkien’s most famous work is The Lord of
famous work. the Rings
The music he likes most is rock. Rock is the music he likes the most.
Though she was irritated, the singer answered Irritated though she was, the singer answered
 the interviewer’s question. the interviewer’s question.

See more examples of Fronting in the following short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzNxZGC-Hg0

Reduced relative clauses or Participle clauses – are very common in written English as they
allow us to include information without making it too complex to comprehend.

Relative clauses (staring with who, whom, which and whose) can be replaced by present and
past participles:
 the -ing/present participles are used in place of active verbs
 the -ed/past participles are used in place of passive verbs

Full relative clauses Reduced relative clauses

Do you see the man who is following us? Do you see the man following us?
We are going to travel on the boat which is We are going to travel on the boat docking
docking now at the port. now at the port.
The definition which is found on this site is The definition found on this site is not
not trustworthy. trustworthy.
The man who was coughing loudly reached Coughing loudly, the man reached for a glass
for a glass of water. of water.
The woman who was dressed in red Dressed in red, the woman proceeded to the
proceeded to the party. party.

Task 2 A: Having read about the formal register, quickly scan the letter sample and illustrate
the following features:

advanced/formal register
1) advanced grammatical structures
• passive voice: e.g.
• reduced relative clauses: e.g.
2) advanced linking devices
• fronting: e.g.
• discourse markers\advanced link words and phrases: e.g.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Having thoroughly read your article on unpaid work placements in the last issue of your
magazine, I would like to recount my reflections from my internship, which proved to be an
overall enriching endeavor.

Participating in this internship was extremely daunting at first but it turned out to be a great
platform for me to gain deeper insights into the accounting and audit industries. One of the
challenges I faced since day one was handling specialized accounts, which demanded specific
skills that I did not possess at the time. However, the senior associates were always willing to
give their advice and guidance. In the end, all my hard work had paid off as I received an
official job offer.
Bearing this in mind, I truly believe that internships can be a vital stepping stone in the
search for employment. Placements can provide students or potential job candidates with the
opportunity to cultivate skills necessary for competing in the job market and as a result, this
willingness to work without compensation becomes a real door opener. A second point is that
they can increase their knowledge of an industry sector, allowing them to make more informed
decisions about future career choices. At the same time, presenting this experience to potential
employers later, in a job application or at an interview, can only work to their benefit.

Looking back now, I am extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity as it
enabled me to develop my skills in response to the various challenges presented to me while
rewarding me with a full-time position. That being the case, I believe work placement schemes
provide the opportunity for individuals to acquire new skills in a chosen industry and increase
prospects for future employment. Thank you for considering my views.

Yours faithfully,
Jack Harper

Task 2 B: Rewrite each sentence using the word or phrase in brackets. Make any
other changes that are necessary.

1) To my mind, university education does not guarantee professional success but it

does provide employment opportunities. (Be that as it may)

2) Guidance counselors provide a valuable service to students. They are expensive for schools
to employ full time. (Contrarily)

3) One problem which is being overlooked is the shift in priorities away from primary level
Science. (being overlooked)

4) Some career fairs take place several times a year. Job seekers get the chance to meet
potential recruiters year round. (As a result)

5) I strongly believe teacher-made resources are useful, but they should only be used to
supplement textbooks and not to replace them. (Nonetheless)

Task 3 A: Find out about Topic and Supporting sentences.

Topic sentences
A topic sentence, usually the first sentence of a paragraph that gives the main idea of the
paragraph. It is followed by supporting sentences e.g. an explanation or an example that
further expands on the topic.
Task 3 B: Go back to the sample letter in Task 2 A and underline the topic sentences.

Task 3 C: Read the following paragraphs and expand the prompts to form topic sentences.
Then say whether each paragraph contains an explanation, an example or both.

pressing need/renovation work/office building

A) The walls, in particular, have not been painted for years and are suffering from serious
damp. If work is not carried out soon, the dampness could cause further structural problems.

studying online/popular/gives people flexibility

B) It has been proven to be of particular benefit to mature students as it allows them to fit their
coursework around their work schedule, there being no need to log in at a specific time. In
addition, students are able to work independently and at their own pace, organizing their study
time accordingly.

Task 3 D: Read the following topic sentences. Then, using the prompts given, write
supporting sentences to complete each paragraph. Remember to keep the style
consistent throughout.

1) It seems to me that employees should be promoted on the basis of their contributions.

•reward hard work • motivate to excel •an inspiration for others

2) In my view, success in end-of-term examinations is an important part of the student

education process.
• incentive to study • indication of progress • obtain qualifications

3) I fully agree that online visibility is essential for businesses these days.
• reach many users • promote products/services • gain publicity
Task 4 A: Read the model and put the paragraphs in the correct order.

Task 4 B: Which paragraph contains:

 opening remarks,
 closing remarks,
 an explanation/apology,
 a request for another interview

Task 4 C: Highlight examples of Formal Register.

Task 5 A: The underlined sections of beginning A and ending B are written in the wrong style.
Rewrite them using the words/phrases given.

A) disrespectful • In hindsight • wish to offer my sincerest apologies • Having learned • show a

higher level of maturity •conduct myself more appropriately • appreciate fully

B) • acknowledge • wish to express my deepest regrets • dedication • instil in • rest assured •

improper • I would like to attend

Task 6 A: Revision: read the task for the suggested mail below.
Plan the letter by answering the following questions:

1) What greetings would you use for the email?

2) What is the purpose for writing of it?
3) What paragraph plan would you use for the email?
4) What useful expressions could you use as opening and closing remarks for it?
5) How would you sign off that email?

Task 6 B: Write the suggested email keeping to the formal register, following one of the
suggested paragraph plans and using the cliché phrases from the Task 1 A.