the language of business

Chapter 1 THE STYLE AND STRUCTURE OF A BUSINESS LE FIER I. THE STYLE OF A BUSINESS LETTER The business letter is the principal means used by a business firm to keep in touch with customers: very often it is the only one and customers form their impression of the firm from the tone and quality of the letters it sends out. Good quality paper and an attractive letter head play their part in this, but they are less important than the message they carry. Business does not call for the elegant language of the poet, but it does require the writer to express himself accurately in a plain language that is clear, concise, courteous and readily understood. Second to grammatical correctness, achieving an appropriate business style may be the biggest problem for the writer of business letters. A sure sign of an inexperienced writer, in fact, is the obvious attempt to sound overly businesslike. As per your request, please find enclosed herewith a check in the amount of 51.649. Such expressions as herewith and as per contribute nothing to the message while making the letter sound stilted and stiff. The first step, then, to writing successful business correspondence is to relax. While business letters will vary in tone form familiar to formal, they should all sound natural. Within the limits of standard English, of course, you should try to say things in a regular way: As you requested, 1 am enclosing a check for 1,649. 11 If you resist the temptation to sound businesslike, you will end up being more businessminded. The second version of our sample sentence is not only more personal and friendly, but it is also more efficient. It uses fewer words, taking less time to write and type as well as to read and comprehend. With this initial piece of advice in mind, review the following list of words and expressions. Then plan to eliminate these terms from your business writing vocabulary. 1. Expressions in business letters .. Avoid the following expressions: according to our records acknowledge receipt of with reference to with regard to with respect to at hand, on hand attached please find attached hereto enclosed herewith beg to inform, beg to tell for your information hereby, herewith I have your letter may I ask in due time in due course of time in receipt of in view of permit me to say pursuant to thank you again thank you in advance Use: 1.2. Instead of: advise, inform along these lines, on the order of at an early date at your earliest convenience say, tell, let us know like, similar to soon, today, next week a specific date 12 at this present time now, at present at this writing check to cover check for deem believe, consider due to the fact that, because because of the fact that because favour, communication letter, memo, et al for the purpose of for forward send free of charge free in accordance with according to in advance of, prior to before in compliance with as you requested in the amount of for in the event that if, in case kindly please of recent date recent party person, a specific name said not to be used as an adjective same not to be used as a noun subsequent to after, since the writer, the undersigned Imeweus up to this writing until now Consider the difference between these two versions of the same letter: 13 a. Dear Mr. Pendleton, With reference to your order for a Nashito 35mm camera, we are