§2 Presentation of letter, fax, email

Learning objectives

1. Understand that preferences in layout, also change.

2. Learn to strategically express standard components of

letters, faxes and emails.

3. Remember that mechanics such as grammatical

correctness, spelling and punctuation remain important in

email writing.

Warming-up exercise: medium choice

1. If you’re contacting someone in English, which of these

methods do you prefer and why?

□ send a fax

□ send a letter

□ send an email

□use the phone

2. When do you use someone’s first name in a letter?

When do you use their surname?

3. When do you use a formal style? When do you use an

informal style?

Content Outline

1. Layout styles: Letter, fax, email

2. Structural parts: obligatory & optional

3. Mechanics: Grammar, spelling & punctuation

Typical layout of a business letter (V.Bhatia in Genre Variation in Business letters, Ed. Maurizio Gotti, 2005, p.36)

(Company Logo/Sender’s Company Name/Address)

HEADER

Recipient’s Name, Title & AddressRECEIVER’S ADDRESS

DATE Day/Month/Year

Whom it may concernSALUTATION

Beginning para.Middle para.(s)Ending para.

BODY

Yours sincerelyCOMPLIMENTARY

CLOSE

AutographyTyped full nameJob title

SIGNATURE

ATTACHMENTS:ENCLOSURES:CC:

Layout: Letter, fax, email

It is a matter of preference, and preferences change.• Tradit, block style (Am) vs. Indented style (Br)

Variations on the basic 2 styles: Am/Br (1990s)

Approaching towards each other (int’l) (p.15)

2. Standard parts

Date: 03-09-2008 (p.22)

Salutation & Compli close (pp.22-23)(Table 2-1)

Fax

1. faxed telex/letter→faxes as a genre on its ownFlexible, less formal than letters

2. Sample message (pp.19-20) (see Chinese version in the next slide)Q1: Name the obligatory/optional partsQ2: How are the parts set out?(e.g. typographical features for a high skim value)

BizTermPresentation: means either the delivery of documents under a

credit to the issuing bank or nominated bank. 指向开证行或指定银行提交信用证项下单据的行为

Irrevocable L/C (UCP 600, ICC Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits ICC 跟单信用证统一惯例， 2007 修订本）

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Homework

How is the course developed?

1. What has been included in the course in the past?

2. What is currently being included in the course?

3. What should be included in the course?

Sense of formality: types of documents

• Informal <_____________________________________> Formal• Personal     Memos,      Manuals,         Formal reports,     Audits,

letters,         E-mail,        Progress          Business plans,     Legal briefs Notes          Sales           reports             Proposals                    letters

勘误

• 第 25 页中的脚注㈢ motion 这里的汉语应该为“动议”，而不是“动作，手

势” motion: a formal proposal that people discuss and

then vote on in a meeting or debate. Someone proposes a motion (=suggests it), and someone else must second it (=say formally that they support it) before it is accepted for discussion.

e.g. The Committee will debate the motion today.