1. Course Summary of English
Correspondence
BUSINESS LETTER
GRAMMAR FOCUS:
Command & Request
Possession of Adjectives

2. LETTER CLASSIFICATION
1. Social Letters
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
Employment letter
Application letter
Letter of invitation for an interview
Reply to letter of invitation for an interview
Acceptance letter
Letter of refusal
Letter of resignation
Letter of ticket reservation
Appreciation letter
Letter of invitation
Letter of congratulation
letter of introduction
Letter of condolence

3. LETTER CLASSIFICATION
2. BUSINESS LETTER
2.1 Inquiry letter
2.2 Reply to inquiry
2.3 Order letter
2.4 Reply to order
2.5 Complaint letter
2.6 Adjustment letter
2.6 Collection letter
2.7 Insurance letter
2.8 Credit letter
2.9 Banking letter

4. FORMS OF BUSINESS LETTER
1. Block Style
2. Full-Block Style
3. Semi-Block Style
4. Hanging Style
5. Indented Style

7. Sample Letter of Inquiry
The Virtual Community Group, Inc.
17 Park Road
Rural Town, NH
May 23, 2012
Jane Smith, Executive Director
Xavier Foundation
555 S. Smith St.
Washington, D.C. 22222
Dear Ms. Smith,
I am writing to inquire whether the Xavier Foundation would invite a proposal from the Virtual Community Group, Inc.,
requesting an investment of $50,000 per year over two years to support our Enterprise 2000 initiative
We believe that broadly-implemented technical skills programs such as Enterprise 2000 have the potential to transform the
lives of many struggling entrepreneurs, and change the economic landscape of impoverished rural communities.
With your support, we can make that 10% difference in the lives of these hard-working people and the future of our rural
communities.
Please feel free to call me with any questions. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Executive Director

8. Order letter sample
May 13, 2012
Mrs. Erlinda Ramos
MGT Marketing
Abucay, Bataan
Dear Mrs. Ramos:
Enclosed is a money order for two hundred dollar ($200) in return for which please
send me by parcel post:
1 piece bathing suit, navy blue and white, size 33, No. H61 – $60.00
1 pair of white canvas tennis shoes, crepe soles, size 4, C width – $40.00
1 Tilden tennis rocket, green and white trim, green strings, wt. 13 oz., handle 4 inches
– $45.00
1 grey sweater, V-neck, size 28, No. B25 – $55.00
Please send these articles within five days.
Very truly yours,
Mr. Roderick Santos

9. Complaint letter sample
65 Market Street
Val Haven, CT 95135
May 23, 2012
Customer Service
Cool Sports, LLC
8423 Green Terrace Road
Asterville, WA 65435
Dear Sir or Madam:
I have recently ordered a new pair of soccer cleats (item #6542951) from your website on June 21. I received
the order on June 26. Unfortunately, when I opened it, I saw that the cleats were used. My order number is
AF26168156.
To resolve the problem, I would like you to credit my account for the amount charged for my cleats; I have
already went out and bought a new pair of cleats at my local sporting goods store so sending another would
result in me having two pairs of the same cleats.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I have been a satisfied customer of your company for many
years and this is the first time I have encountered a problem. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at
(555) 555-5555.
Sincerely,
Ken Thomas

10. Parts of English business letter
1. Heading/letterhead : The company and address for sender
2. Dateline
3. Reference Line : Initial the signaturer and the letter's typist
4. Inside Address : The name and address for receiver
5. Attention Line : The name or important thing
6. Salutation
7. Body of letter : Opening, content, and closing
8. Complimentary Close
9. Enclosure

11. Reporting a question, command or request
In reporting a question, the indirect speech is introduced by verbs such as asked,
inquired etc. When the question is not introduced by an interrogative word, the
reporting verb is followed by if or whether.
Direct speech:
He said to me, ‘Where are you going?’
Indirect speech: He asked me where I was going. (NOT He asked me where was I
going.)
Direct speech:
The policeman said, ‘What are you doing?’
Indirect speech: The policeman asked what I was doing. (NOT The policeman asked
what are you doing.)
Direct speech:
‘Where do you live?’ said the stranger.
Indirect speech: The stranger asked where I lived.
Direct speech:
He said, ‘Will you help me?’
Indirect:
He asked me if I would help him.
Direct speech: ‘Do you think you know better than your father?’ jeered the angry
mother.
Indirect speech: His angry mother jeered and asked him whether he thought he
knew better than his father.

12. Reporting commands and requests
When a command or request is reported, the indirect speech is introduced by a verb
expressing command or request. We also change the imperative mood into the
infinitive.
Direct speech:
John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’
Indirect speech: John ordered Peter to go away.
Direct speech: He said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’
Indirect speech: He requested me to wait there till he returned.
Direct speech: ‘Don’t Call the next witness,’ ordered the judge.
Indirect speech: The judge ordered them not to call the next witness.
Direct speech: ‘Don’t be late for the course,’ asked the teacher.
Indirect speech: The teacher asked me not to be late for the course.
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Direct speech:
He said, ‘Be quiet.’
Indirect speech: He urged them to be quiet.

13. Using Possessive Pronouns
Use the possessive pronouns my, your, her, his, its,
our, and their to modify the nouns that follow.
These possessive pronouns function as adjectives in
sentences.
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His advice about avoiding e-mail viruses was valuable.
We prefer to e-mail our company newsletter.
Change your password by Friday.

14. Using Possessive Pronouns
Do not use the possessive pronouns mine, yours, his,
hers, ours, and theirs as modifiers before nouns.
These pronouns stand alone and are separated from
the nouns to which they refer.
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The responsibility is yours if an attachment with a virus
is opened.
His was the only e-mail message that I read today.