Systems Plus College Foundation

READING AND WRITING

L10: Features of Professional Correspondence
HANDOUTS

FEATURES OF PROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE 3. INSIDE ADDRESS

- It is defined as the exchange of information in a written - The complete mailing address of the recipient, including
format for business activities. their name, title (if known), company, and address.
- Professional Correspondence can be a message coming
from one company sent to another company, inter-office 4. SALUTATION
communication, or a message between the clients and the - The formal greeting used to address the recipient. Common
organization. examples include "Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name" or "Dear Dr.
- It comes in a specific format used per organization. Last Name"

CHARACTERISTICS OF A BUSINESS LETTER 5. BODY

The following characteristics should be found in business letters: - The main content of the letter, containing the purpose of
writing, the message you want to convey, and any
1. SIMPLICITY necessary details.
- The letter should be written using very simple language.
6. CLOSING OR COMPLIMENTARY ENDING
2. CONVERSATIONAL STYLE - A polite closing phrase that ends the letter formally.
- Writing a business letter uses a face-to-face conversational Common examples include "Sincerely," "Yours truly," or
style. "Best regards."

3. CLARITY OF GOAL 7. SIGNATURE LINE

- The writer has, to begin with, to be very clear with his goal - Includes the handwritten signature of the sender, followed
in writing. The content of the letters would be highly by their typed name, title, and company (if applicable).
dependent on the purpose of the letter.
8. NOTATIONS
4. PUBLIC RELATIONS - This is a broad category encompassing optional elements
- In writing the business letter, the goodwill and image of the that provide additional information. These may include:
organization should be reflected in the letter. The letter o Subject Line: A brief statement summarizing the
carries with it the entire organization. purpose of the letter, placed below the inside
address.
5. THE “YOU” ATTITUDE o Reference Line: An optional line used to reference
- It simply means putting the reader’s point of view in mind in a file number or other internal tracking code.
writing the letter. It must show that the central focus of the o Enclosures Notation: Indicates that additional
letter is the reader’s interest. documents are attached to the letter.
6. COURTESY o Copy Notation: Indicates who else is receiving a
- In delivering a message, the writer should possess courtesy copy of the letter.
and politeness. o Postscript: A brief message added after the
signature for additional information that didn't fit in
7. SINCERITY the body.
- The reader must feel the sincerity of the writer in the letter.
FORMAT OF A BUSINESS LETTER
8. COHERENCE
- In the letter, there are different ideas presented. The writer 1. INDENTED OR TRADITIONAL FORM (SEMI-BLOCK)
should link together all the ideas in such a way that the - This is the least common format and is considered slightly
entire paper is coherent. less formal than a modified block. It resembles a modified
block format, but with each paragraph indented instead of
9. CONCISENESS left-aligned.
- Brevity is the key to letter writing. But all the needed
information by the reader should be present. Conciseness 2. BLOCK FORMAT
should not sacrifice the completeness of the letter. - This is the most common and considered the most formal
option. In block format, the entire letter is left-aligned, with
PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER single spacing throughout (except for double spacing
between paragraphs) and no indented paragraphs.
1. HEADING
- The sender's address information, including the company 3. MODIFIED FORMAT
name, address, and contact information. It may also include - This format is slightly less formal than block format. The
a logo. date, sender's address, closing, and signature block are
typically centered, while the body text and inside address
2. DATE LINE are left-aligned and single-spaced.
- The date the letter is written, typically placed on the right
side, below the heading or letterhead. “Thank you for listening!”

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