WRITING

BUSINESS
LETTERS
PARTS OF BUSINESS LETTERS

1. Letterhead
 Normally, it includes name of company, address, phone
no., fax no., and email address.

2. Letter Reference
 WRITER’S INITIAL/typist initial/filing code(page number)

 E.g; Your ref. : MAR/aa/199 (2)

Our ref. : SAA/ fa/066 (5)
 2. Reference Number

 Your ref.: (receiver’s reference)

 Our ref.: (sender’s reference)

 First time a company send a letter to another

company, it has to quote its own reference only.

e.g. Your ref.: -

Our ref.: TKK/ca/ 102 (5)
2. Letter Reference

 When a company replies to a letter sent by the

other company, it has to quote the reference
number stated on the letter as well as its own
reference number.

E.g. Your ref.: TKK/ca/ 102 (5)

Our ref.: PKT/bb/ 331 (1)
 3. Date

 Comes after Ref. No.

 In one line
 Contain the day (in digit), month (spelled),
and year (four digits)

 British style : 5 April 2015

 American Style : April 5, 2015
 4. Inside Address

 Indicates name of receiver/ job title/

designation and address.
 Address the letter to specific receiver
whenever possible.

 E.g. The Human Resourse Manager

Cruise Fitness Group
31445 Persiaran Pandan
Kuala Lumpur
 5. Attention Line

 Used when the letter is addressed to the

company, and we wish to direct it to a specific
person.

E.g. Attention: The Sales Manager

 6. Salutation

 Greetings
 Agree with the receiver’s name in the inside
address
INSIDE ADDRESS SALUTATION

Mr. Jorge Alexander

Chief Executive Officer Dear Mr. Alexander
Cruise Fitness Group
Persiaran Pandan
31445 Kuala Lumpur
 6. Salutation

INSIDE ADDRESS SALUTATION

Chief Executive Officer

Cruise Fitness Group Dear Sir
Persiaran Pandan Dear Madam
35411 Kuala Lumpur Dear Sir/Madam
Dear Ms.
 6. Salutation

INSIDE ADDRESS SALUTATION

Cruise Fitness Group Dear Sirs

Persiaran Pandan
35411 Kuala Lumpur
 7. Subject line
 Appears after salutation

 Inform receiver the purpose and subject matter of the letter.

 If you are replying letter, then it should start with ‘RE’

E.g. RE: Poor Internet Service

 Written in TWO ways
i. Capitalize initial and underlined
ii. Written in upper case letters.

Eg. Complaint on Poor Internet Services

or
COMPLAINT ON POOR INTERNET SERVICES
 8. Body

 Be brief but covers all the essential points.

 Get right to the point

 Arrange in logical sequence.

 Short and simple sentences.

 Start a new paragraph for each new sub-

division of the subject.

 9. Courtesy Closure

 Phrases or sentences act as prelude to

complementary close.

E.g. It is an honour to receive a personal reply

from you concerning this matter.
 10. Complementary Close

 Closes the letter

 Match the salutation

 Yours faithfully – Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Sirs

 Yours sincerely – Dear Mr. Raju,

Dear Ms. Anuja
 11. Signature, identification,
designation
 Comes right after complimentary close.

 Writer’s name is typed after signature,

followed by position or designation.
 12. Enclosure

 To indicate additional papers enclosed with

the letter

E.g. Enclosure
Enc.
Enc. 2
 13. Carbon Copy Notation

 Indicate that the copy of the letter have been

sent to other recipients.

E. g. c.c. The Head of Department

(If there are more than one recipients, arrange

their names in alphabetical order and
according to their position)
 TYPES OF LAYOUT

1. Full-blocked
 No punctuation marks in the main parts of the
letter.

2. Semi-blocked
 Punctuation marks are shown.
 TYPES OF LETTER

1. Letter of Enquiry
2. Letter of Complaint
3. Letter of Adjustment
4. Letter of Proposal
- TO BE CONTINUED -