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BUSINESS LETTER WRITING

TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING

Shahbaz Chattha

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LETTER

A letter is a written or printed message addressed to a person or persons, usually sent by post or messenger.

It is an addressed document of legal, formal or informal kind for various purposes.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER WHILE WRITING LETTER

1. Do not offer misleading information.2. Do not make promises which you do not

have authority to keep.3. Do not make untrue, damaging or

allegation because a letter is a permanent record and proof of intention.

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STANDARAD ELEMENTS OF A LETTER

1. Letter Head/ Heading.2. Reference.3. Date.4. Receiver’s Name and Address. (Inside Address)

5. Salutation.6. Subject7. Main Body.8. Complementary Close.9. Signature.10. Sender’s Name and Designation.

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OPTIONAL PARTS OF A LETTER

1. Attention Line.2. Identification Line.3. Enclosure.4. Carbon Copies.

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TYPES OF LETTER

1. Formal Letters. Tone is formal such as Business Letters.

2. Semi-Formal Letters. Tone and style is formal and meant for relatives. Invitation Letters.

3. Informal Letters. Tone and style is relaxed. It is written to relatives, friends, etc. Friendly letters do not require an inside address and the writer’s printed name. Closing is also informal.

4. Form Letters. Preprinted. Administration form, Application Form, etc.

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BUSINESS LETTERS

A business letter is a written communication addressed to a person or organization, by a person or organization for specific business

purpose

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TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTERS

1. Application letter.2. Complaint letter.3. Request letter.4. Order letter.5. Sales letter.

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PURPOSES OF BUSINESS LETTERS

1. Requesting and providing information. (Information, Sales Covering Letters).

2. Ordering goods or services. (Order Letters).3. Acknowledging the order. (Acknowledgment

Letter).4. Confirming information or arrangement.

(Confirmation Letter).5. Expressing thanks or congratulations. (Good

News).6. Conveying bad news. (Bad news, messages).

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PURPOSES OF BUSINESS LETTERS (Continued)

7. Complaining about the products or services. (Complaint Letter).

8. Answering a complaint. (Adjustment Letters).9. Introduction and explaining products or services.

(Purchase Covering).10. Recommending someone for a job or post.

(Recommendation Letter).11. Persuading the receiver to do something.

(Collection Letter).

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CHECK LIST FOR WRITING LETTERS

1. THINKING STEPS Is situation a problem, issue or opportunity? Express as question. What are the most widely

used business letter formats and their components?

Have I produced ideas to solve the particular situation?

Have I examined, checked for ethics, revised and selected?

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CHECK LIST FOR WRITING LETTERS (Continued)

2. PLANNING STEP Function of writing. Expressive/ Poetic/

Transactional Informative/ Ask Specific function. Goodwill/Action Audience. Primary/Secondary Main Idea. Focused/Diffused. Organization Plan. Direct/Indirect Pattern. Space/Time/Logic

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CHECK LIST FOR WRITING LETTERS (Continued)

Have I followed revision, rite and rest.Revision for Ideas/Style/Mechanics. Is my main idea specific and have I provided

all necessary details? Have I followed the rules of 7C’s? Completeness, Concreteness, Clarity,

Conciseness, Coherence, Consideration and Courtesy.

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ADDITIONAL CHECK LIST FOR LETTER WRITING

1. Did you type (or write) in a dateline to validate the letter as a record?

2. Did you place a comma after the Salutation?3. Did you place a comma after the Complimentary

Close?4. Did you sign the letter below the Complimentary

Close?5. Did you initial or sign the memo to the right of your

name?

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FORMATS OF BUSINESS LETTERS

1. Full Block Format.2. Semi-Block Format.3. Block Format.4. Modified Block Format.5. Simplified Format.6. Memo Format.

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FULL BLOCK FORMAT

Open punctuation. Begins from left side. Indenting is not required. One line is left between paragraphs.

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SEMI-BLOCK FORMAT

Less formal than Full Block Format. Indented paragraphs. (Five spaces). Closed punctuation. Date, Complimentary Close, Signatures,

Name and Designation are on the right side of the margin.

If Letter Head is not used the heading is on the right side of the margin.

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SEMI-BLOCK FORMAT (Continued)

Reference is in line with the date on the left side. Recipient's address is on the left margin. Subject line is written leaving usually five spaces. Subject line may include or omit the word subject.

May or may not be underlined.

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BLOCK FORMAT

Unindented paragraphs. Date and Complimentary Close are on the

right side. Reference is on left side in line with the date. Inside address, subject and enclosure are on

left side of the margin.

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MODIFIED BLOCK FORMAT

Indentation Double space between paragraphs. Date, Complimentary Close and Signatures

are right of center. Inside address, subject and enclosure are

aligned to the left of margin. Open punctuation.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEMI-BLOCK AND MODIFIED BLOCK FORM

Semi-Block uses close punctuatation while Modified Block uses open punctuation.

In Modified Block form subject line is aligned to the left margin while is Semi-Block form Indentation is used.

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SIMPLIFIED FORMAT

Unindented paragraphs. Salutation and Complimentary Close are omitted. Full Block Style. Open punctuatation. Not widely used. Subject Line is in Capital Case and the word subject

is omitted. Printed Name is in Capital Case.

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MEMO FORMAT

Inter-office, institutional or organizational communication.

Informal internal communication. Formal External Communication. For inter-office purposes, leave out the “Dear”

Salutation and “Yours truly” Complimentary Close. Initial the memo to the right of your name.