Business Letters in English

Business letters are formal paper communications between, to or from businesses and usually sent through the Post Office or sometimes by courier. Business letters are sometimes called "snail-mail" (in contrast to email which is faster). This lesson concentrates on business letters but also looks at other business correspondence. It includes:
letter
memo
fax
email
Who writes Business Letters?
Most people who have an occupation have to write business letters. Some write many letters each day and others only write a few letters over the course of a career. Business people also read letters on a daily basis. Letters are written from a person/group, known as the sender to a person/group, known in business as the recipient. Here are some examples of senders and recipients:
business «» business
business «» consumer
job applicant «» company
citizen «» government official
employer «» employee
staff member «» staff member
Why write Business Letters?
There are many reasons why you may need to write business letters or other correspondence:
to persuade
to inform
to request
to express thanks
to remind
to recommend
to apologize
to congratulate
to reject a proposal or offer
to introduce a person or policy
to invite or welcome
to follow up
to formalize decisions
Read through the following pages to learn more about the different types of business letters, and how to write them. You will learn about formatting, planning, and writing letters, as well as how to spot your own errors. These pages are designed to help you write business letters and correspondence, but they will also help you learn to read, and therefore respond to, the letters you receive. You will also find samples that you can use and alter for your own needs.