The layout of BUSINESS LETTERS

In British English, the standard date is formed by the ordinal number of the day, the name of the month, a comma and the full year in numerals. so the date on the left.

Uses this form:   9^th December, 1902 = the ninth of December, nineteen - o - two

In American English, the standard date is formed by the month written out in full, the cardinal number of the day, a comma and the full year in numerals.

Uses this form:   December 9, 1902 = December the ninth, nineteen - o - two

The Reference Line

This is not always present in business letter. Its most common form is represented by the initials of the person who wrote the letter in capital letters, and the initials of the person who typed the letter in small letters.

The Inside Address

The inside address is always present in a business letter, as it states the name and address of the company you are writing to. There are three cases:

1. the name of the firm is made up of proper names, or the letter is addressed to a single person;
2. the name of the firm does not include  proper names;
3. the firm is a company limited by shares.

1. In the first case, you will use a courtesy title:

Mr., if the addressee is a man;

Mrs., if the addressee is a married woman;

Miss, if the addressee is an unmarried woman;

Ms., if the addressee is a woman, whose marital status is not known.

If the company name is made of two or more proper names, you will use:

Messrs, it is used as the plural form of Mr.

2. In the second case you will use The in front of the name.

Examples:  The chamber of Commerce

3. In the third case you will simply copy the name of the company.

Examples: Brookstone Co. Ltd

The Attention Line

This is not always present in a business letter and you will place it just below the inside address.

The Salutation

The salutation is always present is business letters and it is placed under the inside address. The salutation differs according to whom the letter is addressed and has different forms in British English and American English. All the words forming the salutation are written with an initial capital letter.

The body of the letter

The body of the letter contains the reason for the letter. The body usually consist of three parts:

1. (first): introduction; 2. (second): object; 3. conclusion.

The complimentary close

Is always present in a business letter, as it is a form of courtesy to end the letter.

The signature

Is always present in a business letter, as is states the person who wrote, or dictated.