Modern Business Letters
I. Introduction Job requirements:
(1).translate incoming English version letters into proper Chinese, (2). translate Chinese version letters into proper English
(3).reply to your foreign customers directly in English after reading
English version letters, faxes or emails.
II. Structure and layout of modern business letters 商务书信的结构
和格式
1. Structure结构： (1)、The Heading 信头
(2)、、The Inside Address 封内地址 (3)、The Salutation 称呼
(4)、The Subject Heading or Caption 事由 (5)、The Opening Sentences 开头语 (6)、The Body of the Letter 信的正文 (7)、The Closing Sentences 结束语
(8)、The Complimentary Close 结尾礼词 (9)、The Signature 签名 (10)、The Enclosure 附件 (11)、、Postscripts 再启
2. Layout格式
(1)、. 缩行式( Indented Style )： 封内地址和其需要分行的地方的
后一行,都比前一行缩进二格或三格;信的正文,每一段的开始一行都缩进若干格(一般与称呼末一字母取齐)。
例如：China National Light Industrial Products Import &Export Corporation 82 Tian An Men Street Beijing, China
Our ref. No. Your ref. No.
The Pakistan Trading Company, 15, Broad Street,
Karachi Pakistan.
Dear Sirs,
Chinese National Light Industrial Products Dear Sirs,
Chinese National Light Industrial Products We thank you for your letter of January 10 and shall be
glad to enter into business relaitions with your firm. As you know,??..
Yours faithfully,
(2)、 Block Style 齐头式/平头式
平头式 ( Block Style )：凡是打上去的每一行字,包括(完全或绝对平头
式)日
期、封内地址、事由和结尾礼词,都是从左边的空白边缘打起。例如： China National Light Industrial Products Import & Export
Corporation
82 Tung An Men Street Beijing, China Our ref. No. Your ref. No.
The Pakistan Trading Company, 15, Broad Street Karachi Pakistan.
Dear Sirs,
Subject: Chinese National Light Industrial Products We thank you for your letter of January
10 and shall be glad to enter into business relaitions with your firm. As you know,??.. Yours faithfully, Encl. as stated
(3)、 改良平头式( Modified Block Style )：这种格式,除日期,结尾礼
词和签名部分外,其他部分每行开头都与左边空白边缘看齐。
(4)、 混合式 ( Semi-block Style with Indented Paragraphs )：封内地
址及其他需要分行的部分,采用平头式,而第一段开始行采用缩行式。两种格式的混合采用所以称之为混合式.
III.Dissimilarities in Letter Writing
英美书信的不同写法
(1). 称呼用法,英式一般用Dear Sirs,后用逗号。美式则用Gentlemen:后用冒号。
(2). 结尾语的用法,英式和美式的习惯各不相同,在美式中Sincerely
yours,只限用于商业书信。英式则不然,商业书信或亲友间来往书信中都可用。
.3.日期的写法
（1）按日月年排列。如 12th October, 2001或 12 October 2001
（英国英语）
（2）按月日年排列 （美国英语）
这时要注意:月份和日期之间不要用标点点开,年份之前,必须用逗号点
开。如：January24, 2004
4. 英式/美式信封写法的不同点：收信人的姓名、地址,英式多用缩行
式,美式则用平头式。另外,发信人的姓名、地址,英式写在左下角,美式写在左上角。航空信的空邮字样“AIRMAIL”“VIA AIR MAIL,”“BY AIR MAIL,”英式写在信封的左上角,美式则写在贴邮票的下方。 打日期要注意下列各点:
1.年份应完全写出,不能用(00)来代表(2000)。 2.月份要写英文名称,不能用数字来代替。忌讳：
如12/10/19 is a bad taste, and it may easily cause confusion because in
Britain this date would mean 12th October19?, but in the United States and some other countries it would mean 10th December19….
3.月份名称可用缩写,如Aug.代替August; Oct.代替October;但May,June,July本身很短,不再减缩了。
常见问题二 说明:在公司名称的前面加c/o(care of),意思是由其转交,说
明本信是一封私人信要由本人拆封,总收发不要拆。有时候外国商人来我国访问未到达以前,无一定信址,信件常由邀请公司转交,千万不要误拆,以免误会。 常见问题3
如果函件要抄送其他有关单位,同时使对方也知道已抄送其他单位可在信件最后的左下角注明“CC to xxx”或“CC xxx”。CC是carbon copy二字的缩写。
IV. Essentials of Business letter-writing 商务书信的基本要求 3 Cs
Clearness Conciseness Courtesy
VI.The general procedures for letter writing 写信基本步骤 1. Determine your purpose of writing 2. Analyze your reader 3.Organize your thoughts 4. Write your drafts 5. Polish your writing
VII. Afterclass Exercise( 课外作业）
Arrange the following in proper form as they should be set out a letter:
请将以下商业书信的组成部分按其正确格式排置成一封完整信函 1)Sender?s name: China National Light Industrial Products
Import & Export Corporation. Shanghai Branch
2)Sender?s address:128 Huchiu Road, Shanghai, China 3)Sender?s cable address: INDUSTRY SHANGHAI 4)Sender?s telex address:33054 INDUS CN 5)Date:March 23,20.
6)Receiver’s name: H.G.Wilkinson Company, Limited
7 )Receiver?s address:245 Lombart Street, Lagos, Nigeria 8)Salutation used: Dear Sirs,
9)Subject?matter: Sewing Machines
10) The Message:
? We thank you for your letter of March 16 enquiring for the captioned goods.
The enclosed booklet contains details of all our Sewing Machines and will enable you to make a suitable selection. 11)Complimentary close: Yours faithfully,
Establishing Business Relations
建立业务关系
I ：Introduction（导入）
Just as a factory requires a set of machinery to proceed with production , so does a foreign-trade firm need extensive business connections to maintain or expand its business activities. Therefore, the establishment of business relations is one of the important undertakings in the field of foreign trade.
If a new firm, or a certain corporation of ours, wishes to open up a market to sell something to or buy something from firms in foreign countries, the person in charge must first of all find out whom he is going to deal with. Usually, such information is available through the following channels.
IIChannels for the establishment of business relations 1. Banks .
2. Chambers of Commerce in foreign countries.(外国的 商会） 3.Trade Directory . Like telephone Directory
4.Chinese Commercial Counsellor’s office in foreign countries. 中国
驻国外商务处
5.Business House of the same trade, etc.(同业商行）
6. Through special business newspapers, magazines and
advertisements
7.With the help of the overseas branch representatives.
8. Organizing visiting investigation to get in contact with foreign
businessmen.
III：Basic requirements of a Business Relation Establishing Letter
Generally it should be done in an active and concrete way The following points are usually stressed or included:
1.The channel to get the information (how to )
2.Nature of your company or corporation (agent, importer/exporter or manufacturer)
3.Your financial standing, business capacity and character.
4.Your sale pushing ability; (If an importer, stress on pushing ability/
and if an exporter, stress on the product quality)
5.If necessary, exchange and payment terms should be touched. 6.With Reference recommended if necessary. 7. With “prompt Action” wording as an end. IV：分析2封样信 V：常用词汇 1. owe vt.
a. 该把……归功于,认为是靠……的力量(后接介词to)
? He owes his success to chance. ? 他认为自己的成功在于机遇。