CHAPTER II

Principles of Business
Correspondence
 At end of the lesson, the students are
able to:
Objectives: ⮚ know the elements of business
correspondence
⮚ apply the basic qualities of an
effective business correspondence
 1. English is considered the universal language
FACT
2. As Filipinos whose mother tongue is not English, we are
not bound to use English in our chosen profession.
BLUFF
Mini Task: 3. English for Specific Purposes is teacher-centered
FACT OR approach in teaching the language.

BLUFF BLUFF
4. Business English fits to be utilized in international
trade, commerce and finance.
FACT
5. Business English can just be learnt but not applied.

BLUFF
 ELEMENTS OF
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENC
E
LESSON
COVERAG
E QUALITIES OF AN
EFFECTIVE
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENC
E
 BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE

• It is a skill subject, not a content subject

• It focuses on the acquisition of procedural knowledge,
not on the acquisition of declarative knowledge.
• To gain mastery of the topics covered by the subject, you
should perform something similar to what you usually do
in general English – speak, listen, read and write-
to learn the language.
 ✔ The hallmark of a well-written business
letter is that its objective is clearly
understood by its reader.
Business ✔ Successful writers help their readers do
Letters this by limiting the scope or the amount
of information included in their
correspondence.
 ELEMENTS
OF
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDE
NCE
 ● “What do you want the reader to know or do, or be
able to do after reading your letter?”
● The answer needs to be specific and detailed.
ELEMENT ● If the objective is too general, it will be difficult, if
not impossible, to present a credible argument or a
# 1: compelling reason to read the letter.
OBJECTIV
E
 NOT SO GOOD: To explain the proposed
food stall at Eat and Dine, Inc.
ELEMENT
# 1: GOOD: To explain how the newly
OBJECTIV proposed food stall at Eat and Dine, Inc.
E will benefit the employees, the company,
and the City of San Fernando
community.
 ● “How can you help them understand your
objective?”
ELEMENT
● Knowing who your readers are and what they need
# 2: from you are crucial to satisfying your objective.
READERS ● It will also determine the scope of your writing task.
OR ● Target your audience and get to know a few things
about them.
AUDIENCE
● Know the hierarchical status of different readers.
● Once you have a clear understanding of your
audience, you can already determine your scope,
write effectively, and help your readers understand
your objective.
 ● Most businesses and organizations provide names and
contact procedures over the phone.
● It is especially important check on these matters as large
ELEMEN companies often have specific procedures for contacting
their associates or employees. You will be expected to follow
T # 3: them.
● Be especially nice to people who answer the phone. They
CONTAC can either help you or hang up on you, and possibly all
future communications will be directed through them.
T
PERSON
 ● The tone of voice used in the text must fit the
ELEMEN recipient of the letter.
T # 4: ● It should reflect the relationship between the writer
and the reader and suit the purpose for which the
TONE letter is intended.
● Your TONE will create the right impression. This will
help your reader understand your letter and its
underlying objective.
● Always put your readers first.
● Read what you have written as if you were the
recipient.
 ● Writing style pertains to the matter in which
ELEMEN words are used rather that to the substance they
carry.
T # 5: ● Style can be categorized as: FORMAL or
INFORMAL.
STYLE ● Your reader and purpose for which you are writing
comprise the particulars of the task and will
determine the appropriate degree of formality.
●The vocabulary will be familiar and its rhythm will
be that of the naturally spoken words while still
adhering to proper structural (grammar and
punctuation) conventions.
 ● Writers inform their readers of the relationship they have with the
material and in the text by their use of personal pronouns.
● The selection of pronouns designates their point of view and degree of
personal involvement.

ELEMEN PERSONAL
PRONOUN
SINGULAR PLURAL

T # 6: 1ST PERSON I, me, my we, our, us

POINT
2ND PERSON you, your you, your
3RD PERSON he, him, his, she, they, them, their

OF VIEW her, it, its

● Your reader will need to know exactly whom you are including, and
those whom you have included need to be advised of the fact and asked
for their consent.
● Make no assumptions on this. You do not want to misinterpret yourself
or be misrepresenting others.
 √
ELEMENTS OF
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENC
E
LESSON
COVERAG
E QUALITIES OF AN
EFFECTIVE
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENC
E
The 7C’s of
QUALITIES OF
Business
Correspondence AN EFFECTIVE
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDE
NCE
 ● We do not understand why you were not satisfied with our
product.

●Accept our apology for failing to satisfy your needs.

Courteousness
A business letter is your official ambassador of
goodwill. Make use of it as a tool to build a pleasant
professional image of your business or of yourself.
Extending basic courtesy in your letter through the
words you use brings more good to your business.
 ● It took us 5 years; now try for free our new and best ever skin-
care soap available in the market today.

●We understand your skin needs, and we are giving you free
sample of our new skin-care soap.

In business letter writing, consideration can be

Consideration shown by emphasizing the “YOU” attitude which
means writing in the perspective or the point of view
of the readers.

It is your reader’s needs and interests that are of

paramount importance.
 ● There complementary passes insure them of first-class service
in the hotel

●Their complimentary passes ensure them of first-class service in

the hotel

Grammatical errors and mistakes in letter parts,

Correctness formats, and even layouts may have disastrous
effects on your letter.
Treat names and positions as “hot spots” in your
letter.
Be prudent by double-checking or verifying these
facts whenever you write a business letter.
 ● As per your request, please find attached
herewith…

●As requested, I have attached…

Clearness Clarity of a business letter is achieved when the

reader understands its purpose quickly.
A clear letter is well organized and its thoughts
flow logically from the opening line to the last
line.
 ● Please make payment on or before the end of the month.

●Please make the cash payment to our BDO account

#129099 on our before the 30th of the month.

Completeness A complete business letter contains not only the

basic components or parts of a business letter but
more importantly, all the facts and information
necessary to get your message across to the
reader.
 ● I will appreciate the time you will spend in writing down your opinions
about our service in this questionnaire and mail it back as soon as possible
to us using the return envelope.

● Please answer our service questionnaire, sign it, and mail it back to us
immediately using the return envelope.

Conciseness Conciseness means short but complete. It is

compact.
Everything is expressed in the least possible
number of words without sacrificing
clearness or completeness.
 ● Immuno X is the best multivitamin.

●Immuno X is a complete multivitamin with essential

minerals, ginseng extract, and amino acid.
An effective business letter allows its readers to
experience what is being described to them
Concreteness through their senses. Concrete and specific
words are better descriptors than abstract and
general terms.
A concretely worded business letter is more
emphatic, thus making it more appealing and
convincing to the readers.
 √
ELEMENTS OF
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENC
E
LESSON
COVERAG

√
E QUALITIES OF AN
EFFECTIVE
BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENC
E
 1. Business Correspondence focuses on the acquisition of procedural
knowledge, not on the acquisition of declarative knowledge.
2. The hallmark of a well-written business letter is that its objective is clearly
understood by its reader.
3. Business Letters should have
✔ Objectives
✔ Readers or Audience
✔ Contact Person
Principles of ✔ Tone
✔ Style
Business ✔ ● Point of View
Correspondence 4. An effective business letter should be:
⮚ Courteous
⮚ Considerate
⮚ Correct
⮚ Clear
⮚ Complete
⮚ Concise
⮚ Concrete
 ● You will be grouped in different breakout
rooms.
MAXI TASK ● You will be given 5-8 minutes to talk and get
#2 some insights from everyone.
●WHY SHOULD A BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE BE _________________?