Lesson 3:

Writing Business
Letters

Ma. Lourdes G. Olegario

Instructor
 Letters are a basic form of
technical writing

A corporate environment will send

letters to and receive letters from
potential employees, vendors,
clients, lawyers, colleagues in
other companies and city, state,
national, and international
governments.
 There are 7 essential components
of letters:
1. Writer's address
F 2. Date
O
3. Reader's address
R
4. Salutation
M
5. Content
A
6. Complimentary close
T
7. Signature over typed name
Postscript (optional)
 Writer's Address
write your address as
follows:
Line 1: The doorplate
number and the name of the
road (or P .O. box )
Line 2: The name of the city
Line 3: The name of the
country and postal code
Sample 1:
551 M. Jhocson Street
Sampaloc, Manila
Philippines 1008
 Sample 2
Accounting Department
University of Santo Tomas
Espana, Manila
Philippines 1008
 Sample 3
National University
551 M.F. Jhocon Street
Sampaloc, Manila 1008
 Note: Special care should be taken
when you write the date. All-figure
dating, such as 04/03/03, is usually
avoided in formal writing. For some
readers, such dates are ambiguous.
In Britain, it refers to the fourth of
March, 2003, and is written as 4
March, 2003 or 4th March, 2003;
in America, 04/03/03 means the
third of April, 2003, and is written
as April 3, 2003 or April 3rd,
2003.
 Reader's Address
It refers to the reader's name and
address, including his or her full name,
title, and address.
There can be various types of honorific
titles, such as Mr. , Miss, Mrs., Ms., Dr. ,
Prof. , and Pres. (President).
If you are not sure about a person's
specific name, you can use such a title as
"The Sales Manager".
 The most typical form of
S
salutation is: Dear + title +
A
name.
L
U Ex: you can write "Dear
T Prof. Olegario"
A or "Dear Ms. Gonzales"
T It is usually followed by a
I comma (in British English) or
O a colon (in American English)
N
 If you are not sure about the
specific name of the addressee,
you can use such forms as:

(a) "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam" when

the sex of the person is known;
(b) "Dear Sir or Madam" when the sex
of the person is unknown;
(c) "Dear Sirs" when it is a collective
body;
(d) "To whom it may concern"
when it is a letter of certification,
recommendation, etc.
 It usually includes three
components:
C (1) the purpose of writing
O the business letter
N (Introduction);
T (2) the detailed message of
E the business letter (Body);
N and
T (3) the conclusion of the
business letter.
 Introduction Message Conclusion
Tell the reader Itemize what Tell the reader
why you are exactly you what's next
writing, and want the Include when
What you are reader to do, you plan a
writing about or follow-up
What exactly action, and
you want to do Why that date
or time is
important
 Type of Letter Introduction Body Conclusion
Cover Letter Name the specific The reasons why you When can you meet the
job opening are qualified for the personnel director to
job discuss this job opening
Sales Letter The product or The reasons why your When the reader
service you are product or service will should purchase this
attempting to sell benefit the reader product and why that
date is important (a
discount, an extended
warranty)
Letter of Inquiry The specific topic List your specific When do you want an
of your inquiry questions answer and why is that
date important?
 Complimentary close
It usually takes the form of
"Yours sincerely" or "Sincerely
yours" followed by a comma.
It can also be "Yours faithfully"
(in British English) or "Yours
truly" (in American English)
 Signature over typed name

It should be placed between

the complimentary close and
your printed name.
If you want to indicate your
title or position, put it below
your printed name.
GROUP TASK
END OF LESSON 3