Attached is a translation into English. How to conduct business correspondence in English by e-mail. What is an email in English
Business communication is its own world with its own laws. A lot depends on how we comply with these laws: the impression we make on colleagues and partners, work productivity, and even career advancement.
A special place in business communication is occupied by business correspondence, which is the daily duty of most office workers and not only. The ability to properly conduct business correspondence can be a good help for making profitable deals and building your business image.
Let's look at some of the features of a business letter. So, business correspondence is:
- use of formulaic phrases and clichés
- emotional neutrality,
- semantic accuracy and conciseness of presentation,
- well-structured argument.
business correspondence on English language is the same set of rules and clichés, some of which we recommend for everyone who works with foreign partners or in international companies. We bring to your attention some useful phrases that will decorate your business correspondence. These phrases will emphasize your professionalism and help shape the image of a business person. Start? m!
1.Please find attached
Let's start with the classics. Often you have to attach various documents or other files to the letter. In order to notify the recipient about the presence of an attachment, this phrase is perfect. After all, the word “Attachment” in translation means “investment”. The phrase should be used at the end of the letter.
Here are a couple of usage examples:
- Please find attached my portfolio.
- Please find attached copy of the agreement/contract.
2.I have forwarded
This phrase can be used if you need to forward the email to other recipients. To notify the addressee about this, the phrase “I have forwarded” is perfect. For example:
- I have forwarded Anna's CV to you.
- I have forwarded John's email to you.
3.I've cc'ed
A person uninitiated in all the secrets of the peculiarities of business correspondence may not understand what this strange abbreviation means. But we are professionals. "I've cc'ed" is an abbreviation that stands for I have carbon copied. The phrase means "put someone on a copy to receive letters."
So if you need to let someone know that you put other recipients in a copy, feel free to use this phrase. For instance:
- I've cc'ed Sara on this email.
- I've cc'ed Jack and Jimmy on these emails.
As for abbreviations that cannot be used in business correspondence, an exception is usually made for this case.
4.For further details
This phrase is a proven way to politely end your letter in English. "For further details", means "for more detailed information", "in more detail". Examples of using:
- For further details contact me any time.
- For further details write to our Sales-manager.
Another phrase to help you finish politely is "If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me." In translation, this means "If you have any questions, feel free to write to me."
5.I look forward to
The phrase "look forward" means "to look forward to". So if you are looking forward to a response or some other action from the addressee, then it would be quite appropriate to use this phrase. For instance:
- I look forward to your answer.
- I'm looking forward to your reply.
The phrase is best used at the end of the letter.
When writing a letter, you need to be polite even when you don’t really feel like it. The ability to compose competent letters in any situation reflects your professionalism, good breeding and knowledge of business ethics. In conclusion, we recall that in business correspondence you must show the accuracy of the wording and impeccable literacy. It is also unacceptable to use abbreviations (with rare exceptions).
Write emails in English correctly, dear friends! Good luck!
The following expressions are most commonly used to write formal emails:
1. If we want to attach a file, then we specify:
Pleasefindattached- Please accept as an attachment
Please find attached my resume. – Please accept in attachment my resume.
Please find attached photos from the conference. – Please accept in attachment photos from the conference.
2. If we want to forward (redirect) the letter, we use the expression:
I've forwarded _______ to you. – I forwarded ________ to you.
I`m forwarding _______ to you. - I'm sending you _______.
I've forwardedBill's resume to you. -I redirected To you summary Bill.
I`m forwardingJohn's email to you. -Forwarding To youJohn's email.
3. If we want to mark someone in the copy of the letter, then we use the expression:
(name) on this email |
– I marked (name) in the copy of this e-mail.
I` ve cc` d Umar on this email. – I tagged Umar in a copy of this email.
* We've copied Umar tokeephimintheloop. We have tagged Umar in the copy of the letter in order to keep him informed.
Please keep me in the loop. -Please, hold me in course.
4. The following expression will help bring the letter to completion:
If you have any questions, please don`t hesitate to contact me. - If you have any questions, please contact me.
If you have any questions, please don`t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
John –
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
John
5. To complete the letter, we use the following expressions:
I look forward to | hearingfromyou- Waiting for an answer from you. meetingyou- Looking forward to meeting you. yourreply- Waiting for your answer. |
Look forward to + verb + ing- wait impatiently)
To complete an email, use the following expressions:
kindRegards (Regards) – With best wishes, regards
WarmWishes — With best regards
YoursTruly- Sincerely yours, with respect.
English Joke
The breakfaster in the cheap restaurant tried to make conversation with the man beside him at the counter.
"Awful rainy spell-like the flood."
"The flood?" The tone was polite, but inquiring.
"The flood-Noah, the Ark, Mount Ararat."
The other bit off half a slice of bread, shook his head, and mumbled thickly:
"Hain't read to-day's paper yit."
How to write an email in English correctly and what phrases can be used in email messages? We will talk about this.
For starters, emails tend to be shorter than regular emails. Sometimes they may consist of only a few lines, but these lines will contain the very essence. Therefore, the ability to clearly articulate your thoughts is a fairly important skill needed when writing email. Also note that emails are usually less formal than printed business letters, but despite this, you will never be forgiven for an overly familiar tone. In this regard, consider the key points that will help write a good email.
Subject line (email subject)
Be sure to include the subject of the email in the Subject line. The subject should reflect the content of your post. It’s good if the title includes some keyword that will help the recipient remember the subject, and then easily find the right one among other letters.
How to start an email message?
With greetings and greetings. In business communication, it is preferable to use:
Dear Mr.Jones, / Dear Ms.Jones, (Miss or Mrs in relation to a woman, as a rule, is not used, since it is not always known whether she is married or not);
Dear Sir, or Dear Madam, (used if you do not know the recipient's name);
Dear Sir or Madam, (used if you do not know the gender of the person you are addressing);
To Whom It May Concern: (“To whom it concerns” is a perfectly acceptable phrase if you do not know who to contact on this issue);
Dear partners, / Dear managers, etc.(used when referring to a group of people: Dear partners, / Dear managers, etc.);
Hi Nick or Hello Nick (an acceptable greeting in business communication if you are well acquainted with the addressee and are on friendly terms).
In informal email messages, the greeting is your choice.
Note that a comma or colon may appear after the address. The colon is most often used in strictly formal letters. If you use the phrase To whom it may concern, then it is always followed by a colon.
First sentence in emails
If you are replying to a received letter, then after the greeting, you can thank for the message:
Thank you for your email (letter) of 11th July, asking about …(our tours to Italy). Thank you for your letter (dated July 11) with a question about ...
Thank you for your email of 11th July, enquiring about …(the upcoming TOEFL exam dates). Thank you for your letter asking about...
Thank you for your email of 11th July concerning …(the conference in Brussels). Thank you for your letter regarding...
Thank you for your email of 11th July regarding …(the upcoming meeting). Thank you for your letter regarding...
Thank you for your prompt reply.- Thanks for the quick response.
Thanks for getting back to me. Thanks for answering me.
Thank you for contacting Our Company.— Thank you for contacting our Company.
If you are the initiator of the letter, you can first introduce yourself, provided that you are not familiar ( My name is Lana Golubenko) and then tell the purpose of your email:
I am writing in connection with …(immigration to Australia). I am writing in connection with...
I am writing to ask about …(volunteering at your school). I am writing to inquire about...
I am interested in …(joining your Nursing Program) and would like to know …(the start date) . I'm interested... and would like to know...
I am writing in reference to …(my account at site). I am writing about...
With reference to our telephone conversation on Friday, I would like to let you know that…(your article has been selected for publication.). - Regarding our phone conversation on Friday, I would like to let you know that ...
Final remark
Your final remark will show what actions you expect from the interlocutor.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.- If you have any questions, please contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to your reply.- Looking forward to your response.
Thank you for your cooperation.- Thank you for your cooperation.
How to end an email message?
The last step is to correctly finish the letter:
yours faithfully,(if you addressed the addressee Dear Sir / Dear Madam) - Sincerely yours;
yours sincerely,(if you addressed the addressee by the name of Dear Mr.Jones) - Sincerely;
kind regards,- Sincerely..
Regards,- Sincerely…
yours Truly,- Yours sincerely…
sincerely yours,- Sincerely…
Investments
If the letter contains attachments, then you should definitely indicate this in your email message:
Please find attached …(photos from the conference). - Please find in the attachment...
I am attaching …(my CV for your consideration). - I enclose …
I am sending you…(the brochure) as an attachment.- I'm sending you ... in an attachment.
We have covered the main points that will help you write an email competently. business style. Informal email messages, although they have their own characteristics, are written in a free form and allow the use of slang and various kinds of abbreviations.
Business style emails. Samples
Here are some sample business emails as an example:
It is very difficult to imagine modern business without business correspondence. This is especially important in cooperation with international companies. But often write business letter in english is quite difficult.
I don't like to leave anything unfinished. I have an absolute need to see that every phone call is returned, every letter answered.
I don't like to leave anything unfinished. I absolutely need to see that every phone call is answered and no email is left unanswered.
~ Alan W. Livingston
As you know, they have their own characteristics. In business correspondence in English, it is necessary not only to show knowledge of the language, but also to settle work issues, adhering to a certain structure and being guided by the norms of business etiquette.
In this article, you will find out what business letters exist in English, get acquainted with phrases and clichés. Also find examples and ready-made business letters in English with translation.
Business letters in English with translation
In business correspondence, there are various business letter templates in English, depending on the subject and purpose of the letter.
There are many types of business letters, in our article we have selected the most common ones.
(Letter of Congratulation)
Often sent to employees or partners to emphasize their personal contribution to the development of the industry or to congratulate them on personal achievements and memorable dates.
| An example of a congratulation letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr John Lewis general manager Hoverny Ltd 4567 Snake street Oakland, California Howard Stanley October 01, 2015 Dear Mr Stanley, |
From: Mr. John Lewis, CEO Hoverny Ltd 4567 Snake Street, Oakland, California To: Howard Stanley Dear Mr Stanley, |
Letter of Invitation
Most often business Letter of Invitation sent to invite to events related to the activities of the company.
| An example of an invitation letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Dear Charles Milton, I would like to invite you to a seminar that I "m confident will interest you. The 3D Technologies Seminar held at the Moscow Crocus Congress Center on June 13 will feature lectures by several key programmers and designers in the field of 3D modeling, with topics including trilinear filtering, anti-aliasing and mipmapping. I am enclosing 3 tickets for you. I hope that you decide to attend and I am looking forward to seeing you there. Igor Petrov , |
Dear Charles Milton, I would like to invite you to a seminar which I am sure will interest you. A workshop on 3D technology to be held at the Moscow Crocus Congress Center on June 13 will feature lectures by several key programmers and designers on 3D modeling, including trilinear filtering, anti-aliasing and mipmapping. I enclose 3 tickets for you. I hope that you will take part in the workshop and I look forward to meeting you. Sincerely, Igor Petrov, |
Letter of Acceptance
Letter of Acceptance very desirable in your mailbox, because it notifies you of a job offer.
| Example of a job application letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mrs Jane Tumin HR manager Sommertim 7834 Irving Street Denver, Colorado Mrs Lean February 15, 2016 Dear Mrs Lean jane tumin, |
From: Ms. Jane Tyumin, personnel manager Sommertim 7834 Irving Street, Denver, Colorado To: Ms. Lin Dear Ms. Lin Sincerely, Jane Tyumin, |
Application letter
Contains your and offer yourself as an employee. Do not confuse it with the one we talked about earlier!
| Example of an application letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Kira Stan 7834 East street Chicago, Illinois Trend&Fashion Dear Sirs Kira Stan |
From: Ms. Kira Stan 7834 East Street, Chicago, Illinois To: Trend & Fashion Dear Sirs Sincerely, Kira Stan |
Letter of offer (Commercial Offer)
Such a letter is sent to your potential business partner with your terms and conditions and cooperation proposals.
| An example of an offer letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr Dean Hipp general director Roses For You 4567 Camino Street San Diego, CA Mrs Olga Linnet March 10, 2016 Dear Mrs Linnet yours sincerely, Mr Dean Hipp |
From: Mr. Dean Hipp, CEO Roses for you 4567 Camino Street, San Diego, California To: Ms. Lynette, Dear Ms. Linnet Sincerely, Dean Hipp, |
Letter of Complaint
Letter of Complaint contains a complaint or claims about the quality of the purchased goods or services rendered.
| Sample letter of complaint in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr Jack Lupine 7834 17th Street Detroit, Michigan Electronics Ltd April 25, 2017 Dear Sirs, yours faithfully, Jack Lupine |
From: Mr. Jack Lupine 7834 17th Street, Detroit, Michigan To: Electronics Ltd Dear Sirs, I am writing to inform you that yesterday I received my new TV, which was delivered by your delivery service. The packaging was without visible damage, so I signed all the documents and paid the remaining amount. But when I opened the package, I found a few scratches on the front panel. I would like to replace the TV with another one or get my money back. Please let me know your decision within 2 days. Sincerely, Jack Lupin |
Letter of Apology
Letter of apology Letter of Apology) is usually sent in response to a letter of complaint to apologize to the buyer or clear up a misunderstanding.
| An example of an apology letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Mr Dereck Smith general manager Electronics Ltd 9034 Commerce Street Detroit, Michigan USA, 90345 Mr Jack Lupine April 28, 2017 Dear Mr Lupine, yours sincerely, Mr Derek Smith |
From: Mr. Derek Smith, general manager, Electronics Ltd 9034 Commerce Street, Detroit, Michigan US 90345 To: Mr. Jack Lupine Dear Mr. Lupin, We were very sorry to learn that the TV set, which we delivered to you on April 24, turned out to be scratched. We have no idea how this could happen, and therefore we offer our deepest apologies for this unpleasant incident and are ready to exchange your scratched TV for another. Sincerely, Derek Smith |
Letter of regret and condolence (Letter of Sympathy)
It is very important for every person to feel support in difficult times, whether it is your close friend, colleague or business partner.
A business condolence letter in English usually consists of the following parts:
- Expression of condolences in connection with the death of a person.
- Your memories of him, enumeration of his positive qualities.
- Reiterating your condolences. Please contact you for assistance should the need arise.
It is advisable to supplement such a letter with your own memories of a person or, if you did not know him personally, then with the good that you knew or heard about him.
| An example of a condolence letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Dear Mr Smith, Today morning we heard the sad news of your wife’s death… All the employees of our department have sent their support and condolences. Please don't worry about the upcoming projects and meetings which are coming up next month. If there is any report that is required I will get it from other team members. If there is anything that we can help you with please feel free to call us at 12345678. sincerely, |
Dear Mr Smith This morning we heard the sad news of your wife's death... All members of our department express their support and condolences. Please don't worry about upcoming projects and meetings coming up next month. If there is any report that is required, I will get it from other team members. If there is anything we can help you with, please call us on 12345678. Sincerely, |
Request letter/Enquiry Letter
A letter of request or a letter of inquiry is sent when it is necessary to obtain information about a service or product, find out the price or terms of delivery.
| Translation into Russian | |
|---|---|
| Mr Ken Smith 9034 Commerce Street Detroit, Michigan USA, 90345 Park Inn Hotel Dear Sir or Madame I am looking forward to your reply, |
From: Mr. Ken Smith 9034 Commerce Street, Detroit, Michigan US 90345 To: Hotel ParkInn Dear Mr (Ms) I would like to book a single room at your hotel from 1st to 10th August. Could you please tell me the cost for one night including breakfast and dinner if possible? Do you have airport pick up and car rental service? Looking forward to your response, |
Letter-response to a request for information (Reply to Information Inquiry / Reply Quotation)
This letter contains the requested information. Basic rule for Reply to Information Inquiry clearly answer the questions in the letter of inquiry.
| Example of a request letter in English | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| Ms Jennifer Watson sales manager Park Inn Hotel 7834 17th Street Tampa, Florida Mr Ken Smith Dear Mr Smith yours sincerely, Jennifer Watson |
From: Ms. Jennifer Watson, Sales Manager, Hotel ParkInn 7834 17th Street, Tampa, Florida To: Mr. Ken Smith Dear Mr Smith Sincerely, Jennifer Watson |
How to write a business letter in English
Today, business emails in English have almost completely replaced the traditional mode of correspondence.
Modern business correspondence takes place predominantly online, especially if your colleagues or partners work in other time zones. Communication through business emails is an integral part of the global business process.
Therefore, it is very important to know not only the general rules for writing business letters, but also their cultural and stylistic features emails in English.
Planning a business letter in English.
Before you start writing a business letter in English, you need to answer the following questions for yourself:
- To whom am I writing this letter?
- Why am I writing this letter?
- Should specific details be included in the letter?
- Do I need a response to a letter?
Be especially careful with the information that you send by e-mail. No need to send confidential data by e-mail, because mail is often hacked.
The structure of a business email in English
The structure of a business letter in English.
The main advantages of electronic mail (e-mail) compared to regular mail, or snail-mail, "snail" mail, as it is jokingly called in English, is its speed and direct, without intermediaries, communication with the addressee.
We send an email to get a quick response or expect some quick action from the addressee.
Important!
The e-mail should be short and contain information about the main content of the message that is understandable to the addressee.
Whether the email is formal or informal, it should have a clear, logical structure, as outlined below.
The address of the sender of the letter and the address of the recipient of the letter (Heading)
Enter your email address in the top line of the email form ( e-mail address).
Make sure it is correct, because if only one underscore or period is missing, the letter will not reach the addressee.
Email subject (Subject)
Theater starts with a hanger, and email starts with a subject line, which is placed in a special line at the top.
Try to keep within 5-7 words and at the same time be sure to include the most important detail in the subject line, for example: Marketing Meeting Agenda(Russian marketing meeting plan)
If it is important to you that the letter be answered quickly or paid special attention to it, use the word URGENT(Russian Urgent!) or a phrase PLEASE READ at the beginning of the subject line of your email.
You can also use the icon to emphasize the importance of the letter. High Importance (Russian very important), which will add a red exclamation mark to the subject line of your email.
Greeting and address (Salutation)
IN business letter in English it is very important to write the recipient's name and gender correctly. Use for women the address madam ( Ms) and mister ( Mr) for men.
In a less formal setting, or after a long period of correspondence, it is acceptable to refer to the recipient by their first name.
Use a comma (colon in North America) after the treatment. You can not put punctuation marks at all, it has become fashionable in letters in English.
Main content (Body)
In the introduction of a business letter in English, they usually use a friendly greeting, gratitude for the attention shown, or, sometimes, the main idea of the message begins to be formulated.
For example:
Thank you for your prompt response(eng. Thanks for the quick reply)
Following last week's presentation, I have decided to write to you…(eng. After the presentation last week, I decided to write to you...)
I am writing to you regarding…(rus. I am writing to you about ...)
After a short introduction, the first paragraph formulates the main idea of your letter in one or two sentences. Use a few short paragraphs to describe the main points of your message in more detail.
If one paragraph is enough for this, then do not write additional ones just to make the letter seem longer.
Final part (Closing)
In the final paragraph of a business letter in English, you need to make a reminder, indicate the urgency of the request, or thank you for your attention, you should indicate what actions you expect from the interlocutor.
For example:
Looking forward to your reply(Russian We are waiting for your answer)
Don't hesitate to contact me back if you have any questions(eng. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.)
End of Letter (Signature)
At the end of a business letter in English, a final phrase is placed before the name, usually this word Sincerely(Russian sincerely).
For letters to the UK that begin with phrases Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear Madam, Dear Sir or Madam, the final phrase - Yours faithfully(Russian with respect).
For the United States, a polite and neutral phrase is suitable - Very truly yours(Russian. Sincerely yours). If you are writing to an old acquaintance, the most appropriate closing phrase would be - Cordially yours(Russian cordially yours).
If you used punctuation marks(comma or colon) in an English business greeting, you must also put a comma after the final phrase, before your name.
If you did not use punctuation marks in your English greeting, then do not use them after the final phrase, for example: Sincerely yours… or Many thanks…
Business letter in English phrases, cliche
Writing a formal letter in English is easy if you know the clichés and phrases for a business letter and know how to use them.
We have selected the most popular phrases used in business correspondence. A more detailed list of phrases for business letters can be found in our article “Phrases for business correspondence in English”. You can also use ready-made cliches from our business letter examples.
Phrases and clichés for business correspondence in English with translation
Abbreviations in business correspondence
But use such abbreviations carefully, as not all people are familiar with them and you may be misunderstood.
Email address in English
First part of the email address(we are now talking about business addresses, not personal) consists of the last name and initials of the person you are addressing, or the name of the department / division, or possibly its abbreviation.
The second part, which immediately follows the @ sign (pronounced at) is the name of an ISP (Internet Service Provider), organization, or an abbreviation of that name.
Usually the last part of the address includes a domain name depending on the type of organization (for example, .co for company, .ac– academic – for university) or the name of the country from which the message was sent (for example, .no for Norway, .uk for the UK, etc.).
Here are a few other examples of domain names:
- .biz - business;
- .gov is a government organization;
- .org is a non-profit organization (for example, a charitable organization);
- .pro - profession (for example, medicine, law)
Ready-made business letter in English with translation
business letter in english sample
Using examples of ready-made business letters with translation, you can compose your own excellent letter in English. Below is an example of an email requesting information.
| English letter template | Translation into Russian |
|---|---|
| To: [email protected] CC: BCC: Date: 10/30/2012 Subject: Receiving the price list Dear Mr. roger gill, Your advertisement in the May issue of Aquarium Plants magazine is of great interest to us. We would like to know more about your company's products offers and would appreciate receiving your wholesale price list. It is our desire to offer our customers the widest selection of aquarium plants , and we are therefore interested in new plants. We will look forward to your prompt response. thank you. Alexander Popov, |
To whom: [email protected] Copy: Hidden: Date: 30.10.2017 Subject: Get price list Dear Mr Roger Gill, We would like to know more about your company's products and would like to receive your wholesale price list. We strive to offer our customers the widest selection of aquarium plants and therefore we are interested in new plants. We look forward to a prompt response. Thanks. Alexander Popov, |
Tips for writing a business letter in English
Following simple rules for writing business letters in English will improve the quality of communication within the company and with clients and agents.
IN modern world business correspondence has taken on a slightly different color, because you no longer need to wait for an answer for a long time and with the help of e-mail you can quickly resolve the necessary issues. But also in email in English has its own rules and taboos.
Good manners in business communication in English
In order to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings in communication, follow very simple and effective rules of correspondence.
One letter to one addressee.
Fill in the "Subject" field adequately to its content.
The wording of the topic should accurately reflect the subject of the correspondence. Specifying the subject saves the addressee's time, allowing him to immediately evaluate the content of the received letter and quickly decide on its priority when reading.
addressing accuracy.
The correct filling of the fields "To" (TO), "Copy" (CC), "Bcc" (BCC) is the most important tool for efficiency and ethical communication.
To avoid mistakes in working with these fields, you need to know their purpose, which is generally accepted in the modern business environment:
- if your name is in the direct address ("TO") field, this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for an answer to his question from you;
- if several recipients are placed in this field, then this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for a response from each or from any of the recipients;
- if your name is placed in the "CC" (carbon copy) field, this means that the sender wants you to be aware of the question, while he does not expect an answer from you. You should not enter into the subject of correspondence if your name is in the "SS" field. If you nevertheless decide to enter into correspondence, then it will be a sign of good form to begin the letter with an apology for the interference;
- in the "BCC" (blind carbon copy) field, addressees (hidden addressees) are placed, who should be aware of the correspondence, but their awareness should not be obvious to direct addressees;
- sending a letter with the filled field "BCC" implies a preliminary agreement or subsequent awareness of the author of the letter and hidden addressees about the reason and goals of such a form of awareness;
- the hidden recipient should not enter into the subject of correspondence from the "BCC" field.
Use a greeting and a personal appeal to the addressee in the letter.
The only exception is a very fast variant of correspondence (question-answer), which resembles communication in the ISQ format.
A personal appeal endows the letter with an individual focus, increases the "inclusion" of your addressee in the subject of correspondence.
The addressee who received the letter - MUST ANSWER.
The correspondence cycle consists of a letter and a reply. If the correspondence grows to five to ten or more messages, this is already a chat or forum.
The text of your answer should be placed at the top (at the beginning) of the letter, and not at the bottom. This saves the recipient from having to "scroll" the previous text of the correspondence in search of the answer you wrote.
Save your time and the time of your respondent - write letters that require a minimum of explanations and clarifications.
Save your chat history.
You should not start a reply to the addressee's letter as a new letter (without saving the history of correspondence). Such a response will force the receiving addressee to spend time searching for the original message.
Leave a signature and contact information after each letter. This will provide the recipient with the possibility of additional operational communication if necessary.
Always check the spelling of the letter!
A terrible impression is left by letters from specialists, with errors.
These are the little things by which our customers judge us and by which the opinion of employees within the company is formed.
The volume of attachments sent should not exceed 3 MB.
Larger files can create problems because may not pass through the recipient's mail server.
Use universal encodings: Zip or rar for uploaded files. Other extensions may be blocked or cut off in transit and cause problems for the recipient.
7 main taboos of business correspondence in English
Business correspondence is a capricious and demanding lady. You can communicate with your partners via e-mail or send official letters with the company logo in beautiful envelopes on corporate-colored paper, but just a few nuances can ruin all your efforts to establish communication with the people you need.
Taboo #1 Writing at length and about nothing.
Brevity in the business world is not only the sister of talent, but also the best friend of effective collaboration. The most comfortable when reading is the volume of the letter, which fits "in one screen", maximum - in the volume of the text of one sheet of A-4 format.
If the recipient is not interested in your letter from the first lines, he is unlikely to bother compiling a response or considering your business proposal.
If you are business partners, then lengthy messages can be perceived as disrespectful to the recipient - after all, you are indifferent to one of the most valuable resources in the business world - time. So is it worth doing business with you?
Don't write long, confusing letters. Long letters do not give the correspondent a chance to understand the essence of the issue. Therefore, editing a finished letter is an obligatory stage of work that will help to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. Reread the text and make sure that it does not contain double-digit phrases or sentences.
Taboo #2 Starting Negative
Do not start a letter with the words: Unfortunately, I am afraid that, I am sorry to inform you that, We regret to inform you that and the like.
As much as you would like to tell you about the problem first, you should not do this immediately after the greeting, otherwise your Dear Mr. Smith" may acquire a sudden allergy to opening letters from your company, despite all the restraint of a real English gentleman.
Taboo #3 Use abbreviations
Cute phrases that save time and add warmth to your message are best used in friendly informal correspondence.
Here are examples of such phrases:
CU(Russian. See you)
thx/TX(Russian thanks)
RUOK?(Russian. Are you okay?)
FYI(Russian for information)
Forget about them when writing a business letter. Exceptions may be abbreviations for a business email. But first you need to make sure that the recipient is well versed among the whole variety of abbreviations.
The presence of emoticons in a business letter is not discussed. Just think if you would be serious about a business partner who embellished his message with art like this: :-O:-(:-<:-/ ?
Taboo #4 Forget about investments
Forgetting to warn the recipient about the attached files (in electronic correspondence) is unacceptable! In the paper version of a business letter, as a rule, it is also customary to accompany voluminous documents with brief information about their content.
If you send a letter by e-mail and do not focus on the fact that documents are attached to the letter, the guarantee that the recipient will open them is almost zero.
Useful phrases:
We enclose / are enclosing(Russian We attach / invest ...)
We are sending you ... under separate cover(eng. We send you... in a separate document)
Please enclose ... with your reply(eng. Please attach/send... with answer)
Enclosed you will find a copy of the contract…(eng. Attached you will find a copy of the contract...)
Taboo No. 5 To joke and be ironic.
Do not allow yourself irony in letters. This borders on rudeness. In business correspondence, such liberties as witticisms are absolutely not allowed.
Taboo #6 Experiment with format
It is undesirable to play with formatting and use a colored or non-standard font.
This will not add originality to your letter, moreover, it will indicate your frivolity.
Taboo #7 Familiarity
Use goodbye “Best wishes / Best regards”(Russian. All the best) in a letter to strangers or unfamiliar people is not allowed!
Even if you send a letter to someone every Wednesday Mr. Freeman, it does not do the above Mr. Freeman your close friend.
It is better to end the letter with a neutral Yours faithfully(if you don't know the name of the recipient) or Yours sincerely(if you know the recipient's name).
Finally:
Good writing style is just as disciplined as brushing your teeth daily. Therefore, adhere to business style, follow all the rules of business correspondence and it will always be a pleasure to deal with you.
And if you still feel insecure in business communication, we recommend that you go to our school.
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In the modern world, e-mail is no longer so popular for personal correspondence - this niche has been occupied by social networks and instant messengers. However, for business communication, it is still widely used and is not going to retreat. In this article, you will learn the main features of business correspondence in English, what elements an email consists of, and what should be avoided in business communication.
Two types of business correspondence in English
Who needs to be able to write business letters in English anyway? As a rule, people who need it for work. Suppose you got a job in a certain company, your duties include correspondence in English on various work issues. All business letters can be divided into two broad categories:
- Letters in free form.
- Template letters: applications, reports, etc.
In my opinion, it makes sense to learn to write free form letters, and template letters are easier to learn already in the process of work, because they are different everywhere and there is simply no point in trying to learn all the templates. As a rule, each company has a certain “settle down” idea of how to write different application reports, even congratulations, and in 90% of cases it’s just a set of ready-made forms in doc or xls format, in which you only need to substitute numbers and names.
What is an email in English
English letter sender sender, recipient - recipient, technically an email consists of several elements:
- subject- topic of the letter. It is written briefly and clearly, for example: Payment Confirmation - Payment confirmation. If the content of the letter is tied to a date, they also try to include it in the subject: Farewell Party on April 21 - Farewell party on April 12th.
- Body- the body of the letter, that is, the content, the text itself. Let's take a closer look below.
- attachment- an attachment, an attached file. Try not to make attachments with heavy files.
- CC- a copy of the letter. If you add an address in the “CC” field, this recipient will also receive the message.
- BCC- hidden copy. The recipient added in the “BCC” field will receive the message, but other recipients will not know about it.
By the way, CC deciphered as carbon copy- Typewritten copy. On typewriters, if it was necessary to make two identical documents, carbon paper and a second sheet were placed under the main sheet. The output was two identical documents. A carbon copy copy was called carbon copy.
Abbreviations "CC" and "BCC" - hello from the era of typewriters
BCC deciphered as blind carbon copy. On typewriters, it was sometimes necessary to make two identical documents, but for different recipients. In this case, the document was completely carbon-copied, but the field with the name of the recipient was left empty. It was filled in on each copy separately. Such a copy without a name was called blind carbon copy, literally “blind typewritten copy”.
How to read aloud an email address in English?
An important point that is sometimes overlooked. Sometimes you need to dictate an email verbally, for example, over the phone. Here's what you need to know:
- Symbol ' @’ reads like at, by no means dog!
- A dot in an email address is called dot, but not point, full stop or period(read about the difference between these words).
- Symbol ‘-‘ reads like hyphen, sometimes incorrectly named dash(dash is a dash, that is, a longer version of hyphen).
- Symbol ' _’ reads like underscore, less often: understrike, low dash, low line.
[email protected]– support at hotmail dot com
[email protected]– help hyphen me at gmail dot com (gmail reads “ji mail”, not “gmail”)
As you can see, the words in the addresses are read just like words, and not by letter, as happens with names and surnames. However, if the email includes , or incomprehensible sets of letters, it is better to spell them:
[email protected]– a l y o n u s h k a at nomail dot net
I think that if you read an article about business correspondence, you know for sure 🙂
Well-known domain zones com, net, org are read as a word, not by letter. Less well-known ones, such as ru, are usually spelled.
[email protected]– example underscore address at mail dot r u
Email text composition in English
An email is longer than “text” (this is how SMS and messages in instant messengers are generally called, the process of correspondence itself is texting) and contains traditional ones, but you should not beat around the bush, express your thoughts more clearly.
Basic elements of email:
- Greetings– may include addressing the addressee by name, if known.
- Introduction If you don't know the recipient of the letter, briefly introduce yourself.
- Purpose of the message Get down to business and explain why you are applying.
- Details– if necessary, mention important details. If it is intended that the recipient of the letter should do something after reading it (follow an instruction, call someone, reply, forward the letter, etc.), write about it politely but unambiguously.
- Signature- the letter traditionally ends with some kind of farewell formula of politeness, your name, surname, sometimes indicating the place of work, address and telephone number, if appropriate.
Let's take a closer look at the greeting and the signature - they are written in a template.
Greeting options in an email in English
Most often they simply write “Hello + name”:
More formally:
“Dear” is not “dear / dear”, as when referring to a husband or wife, but an analogue of our “respected”. Note that there is no comma after "hello" or "dear". If the addressee is unknown, for example, you are writing to a certain “HR department”, you can simply contact “Hello”, “Dear Colleagues” (if they are colleagues), “Dear All” (a group of colleagues), “Dear HR department”.
There are also generally accepted appeals to an unknown man or woman: Dear Sir, Dear Madam or Dear Sir or Madam (if you don’t know sir there or madam), To Whom It May Concern (to everyone who may be affected). The first two are undesirable as you might accidentally refer by misrepresenting gender, the second two are used but considered a bit old fashioned, very formal. If possible, it is better to address by name (Dear Margaret) or to the department/department (Dear Marketing Department).
It is not uncommon to use a first name without a "welcome word", just "James". This is how they write to familiar colleagues (the person at the next table) or when this is not the first letter in the correspondence and there is no point in saying hello every time.
How to end an email
The letter can be completed by simply writing your first name or first and last name, but usually some kind of polite wish is added before this. Most popular:
- Best regards! (or just “Regards!”) – Best regards!
- Kind regards! - same.
- Best wishes / Warm wishes - the same thing again.
Some manuals also mention “Sincerely yours” or “Faithfully yours” (sincerely yours), but personally I have hardly seen such signatures, and I heard from foreigners that these formulations sound not only funny, but very old-fashioned. Actually, like “sincerely yours” in Russian. However, it is quite common to simply write “Sincerely” at the end of a business letter.
Useful phrases for business correspondence in English
In addition to template greetings and goodbyes, there are a few more phrases that can be used in correspondence.
- I hope you are doing well- "I hope you are fine". A simple but hackneyed way to start a letter. The written analogue of the duty phrase “How are you?”. More official version: I hope this email finds you well.
- I just wanted to update you on… –“I just wanted to add that…” A good way to communicate additional information about what the recipient already knows.
- I just wanted to let you know that…– “I just wanted to inform you that…” Similar to the previous one: we supplement the already known information. It can also be used as a universal introduction to a short message about some important facts, details.
- Please be informed / advised- "Please note".
- FYI- abbr. from For Your Information, which can also be roughly translated as “take note”. Abbreviations are appropriate to use between colleagues, communicating on routine work issues. It is better not to write to a stranger, a client.
- Please find (see) attached- literally “find in the attachment” (so, of course, no one speaks Russian). This is how you let know that the letter has an attachment. For example: Please find attached the report - The report is attached.
- For future details– “in more detail”, “for more detailed information”. Appropriate at the end of the letter with a link to the contact person: For futher details please contact my assistant - For more information, please contact my assistant.
- I look forward to your reply / hearing from you- "Looking forward to your response". A polite way to make it clear that it would be nice to answer your letter.
- Thank you for your time"Thank you for your time." A universal formula that would be appropriate to put before the signature.
Sample business letter in English
Here are some examples of letters written with varying degrees of formality. In the letter, I will inform the recipient that the meeting on Friday has been rescheduled from 9:00 to 10:30. All emails will have the same subject line: Meeting Time Changed to 10:30 a.m.
1. Very formal.
Dear Mr. jefferson,
I hope this email finds you well. This is Sergey Nim from Roga and Kopyta Inc. I wanted to update you on the meeting we are having on Tuesday. Due to the weather conditions it has been moved from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Would you be so kind as to let me know if you will be able to attend it? Please accept my apologies for the inconvinience.
sincerely,
Sergey Nim
Roga and Kopyta Inc.
The formalities of this letter are given by:
- Appeal Dear Mr. Jefferson.
- Phrase I hope this email finds you well- a more formal version of the phrase I hope you are doing well.
- turnover would you be so kind as – would you be so kind.
- Apology Please accept my apologies please accept my apologies.
- Sincerely at the end of the letter, the name of the company.
2. Less formal.
Hello Alex,
This is Sergey from Roga and Kopyta Inc. I wanted to update you on the meeting we are having on Tuesday. Due to the weather conditions the meeting has been moved from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Please let me know if you will be able to attend it. Sorry for the inconvinience.
best regards,
Formality is reduced by:
- A simpler address, address by name.
- Sorry instead of "accept my apologies".
- A less solemn end to the letter: best regards.
Most business letters are written in this tone. Medieval formulas of politeness, in fact, are no longer needed by anyone.
3. Informally, but within the decency of business correspondence, for example, to a familiar colleague.
I just wanted to let you know that the Friday meeting had beed moved to 10:30 a.m. m. I'm really sorry about that. Will you be able to attend it?
Short and to the point. Colleagues that you see at work every day do not have to ask each time in a letter how they are doing.
In conclusion, I will give a few general tips that did not fit into any of the points above.
1. State the essence of the letter in the subject line.
The topic should be extremely informative and at the same time short. A person comes into the office, opens Outlook and sees 20 emails. He quickly “scans” topics with his eyes - already at this stage it should be clear to him why you wrote to him. It is a very bad idea to write topics about nothing: “Please read it”, “Important”, “Hi”. Be specific: “Booking Approval”, “Flight Delayed to 12:00 a.m.”, “Orientation at 9:00 on Tuesday”, “Schedule for May”.
2. Be polite.
In business communication, courtesy is a must. It is important to observe etiquette, write “thank you” and “please”, otherwise, if you do not spoil relations with people, then you will make them a little more tense. In the business world, there is already enough tension, there is no need for more.
Note also that in English, the imperative mood without “please” can in many cases be regarded as a command, especially in writing, where, unlike oral speech, intonation is not reflected.
- Send me the annual report. - Send me the annual report (order).
- Please send me the annual report. – Please send me the annual report (request).
When you ask for something, offer something or give an order (and this is the content of 90% of letters), it is customary to do it within the bounds of decency, without switching to an arbitrarily commanding tone.
3. Avoid ambiguity, be precise.
In business correspondence there is no place for wit, sarcasm, especially when there is communication between people from different countries. Business language is extremely sterile, because all sorts of humor jokes can be misunderstood. Also, do not walk around for a long time, clearly and specifically state the essence of the message.
4. Keep it short and simple. Don't be smart!
Try to avoid long sentences, tricky wording. Write in simple words without complex sentences with a dozen subordinate clauses. The more complex you write, the more likely you are to make mistakes and confuse the addressee.
Do not try to show that you know “smart” words and phrases. It's useless. If you use a bunch of smart words correctly, it will sound somehow arrogant, if you use it incorrectly, it will be funny.
5. If necessary, structure the letter.
For example, you need to set out a wish list for the design of the wedding hall. Write them as a list, not as a single paragraph-sheet. Use a numbered list or bullets (dots).
6. Clearly let the reader understand what they want from him.
Sometimes there are letters, after reading which you can’t understand whether they want you to do something or just inform you? If the reader is supposed to respond, forward the letter, get up and go somewhere, etc., make sure that the letter (beginning, end, beginning and end) contains a clear statement of what needs to be done.
7. Check the letter before sending.
After writing a message, reread it. Make sure that the letter is written politely, without ambiguity, its essence is clearly clear. It's okay if the text is imperfect and you doubt some comma. Even native speakers can very rarely write in English with 100% literacy (as well as in Russian), but try not to make at least obvious mistakes and typos.
8. Learn from colleagues, read correspondence in the company.
This advice is for those who need the skill of business correspondence for work. Different companies may have their own local quirks about correspondence. For example, somewhere it is considered bad manners to address by name, and somewhere they will laugh if you write “Dear Paul” instead of “Hi Paul”. Ask your colleagues what and how it is customary for you, read their daily correspondence - this works better than any business English textbooks.
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