Practical Business English Letters

Author: Cai Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: Business correspondence is an important part of business activities, involving written business dialogue conducted through mail or other telecommunication means. After phone calls or face-to-face meetings, business professionals often need to exchange letters to confirm the outcomes of the discussions. Business letters are the result of careful consideration, as they can minimize omissions or misunderstandings that may arise during phone calls or meetings. In cases of business disputes or disagreements, business letters serve as documented written evidence, holding legal significance. In the past, during international business activities, people extensively used telegrams and telexes to save time and costs, widely adopting abbreviations, and to some extent overlooked the writing of formal letters. However, with the advancement of modern technology, fax and email have become increasingly popular for transmitting formal letters in international economic and trade exchanges. As a result, the writing of English business letters has once again attracted the attention of industry professionals.
After China joined the World Trade Organization, international business activities have become more frequent. For those engaged in international business, learning and mastering the basic knowledge of business English correspondence, as well as acquiring the ability to read and write business English letters, is essential for performing well in their work. Business letters cover a wide range, including trade letters between companies, public relations letters, and personal letters between individuals and companies. Therefore, this book is divided into four parts accordingly.
Chapter 1 serves as an overview, briefly introducing the composition, format, and basic requirements of English business letters. Chapter 2 focuses on trade letters, including inquiries, quotations, counteroffers, orders, deliveries, payments, claims, and settlements, as well as agency matters. Chapter 3 covers business public relations letters, including invitations, receptions, welcomes, congratulations, and condolences. Chapter 4 deals with personnel letters, such as job applications, recommendations, resignations, and terminations. For each type of letter, this book provides several specific examples. Each letter example is accompanied by a brief commentary. Necessary notes are provided on language difficulties, common idioms, and business terminology in the letters. To aid readers in understanding, each letter example includes a Chinese translation for reference.
The editors hope that the publication of this book will play a positive role in helping those currently engaged in or aspiring to participate in international business activities to cultivate and enhance their reading and writing skills in English business letters. Most of the letter examples, commentaries, notes, and translations in this book were originally serialized by the chief editor in the "Business English" column of the monthly magazine College English. In addition to the chief editor, other contributors to the writing and organization of this book include Chen Zuping and Gao Xiaoyan from the Foreign Languages Department of Beihang University. Their is as follows: Chen Zuping is responsible for Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and the first half of Chapter 3; Gao Xiaoyan is responsible for the second half of Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. During the writing process, Professor Meng Zhiping from the University of International Business and Economics provided valuable guidance and assistance. We sincerely express our gratitude here.
We have strived to make this book practical, easy to understand, and convenient for self-study. However, due to the limitations of the editors, it may not fully meet the needs of all readers. Any errors or omissions are kindly noted and appreciated.
Editors
December 2002