Název projektu Rozvoj vzdělávání na Slezské univerzitě v Opavě
Registrační číslo projektu CZ.02.2.69/0.0./0.0/16_015/0002400
Business Correspondence
Distanční studijní text
Lukáš Varga
Opava 2019
Obor: English philology, Economics, Marketing, Business, Teaching, Psychology,
Sociology, IT
Klíčová slova: Business Correspondence, Written Versus Electronic Documents,
Effective Writing, Neutral Letters, Letters of Request, Letters of Inquiry,
Letters of Proposal, Letters of Complaint, Letters of Claim, Contracts,
Letters of Bid, Covering Letters, Curriculum Vitae, Application
Forms, Dismissal Documents
Anotace: The main aim of this material is introduce the problematice of the
business correepondence, its main features and documents being typically
used. Students will get familiar with the basic types of correspondence
related to the business sphere, their styles, language elements and
phrases which they are being used with and based on the practical
examples, they will learn how to use such documents in the real life
situations.
Autor: Mgr. Lukáš Varga
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
3
Obsah
ÚVODEM............................................................................................................................7
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED STUDIJNÍ OPORY...........................................................................8
1 INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE ............................10
1.1 Business correspondence definition....................................................................10
1.1.1 Business correspondence purpose................................................................11
1.1.2 Types of business correspondence...............................................................11
1.1.3 Types of letters in business correspondence................................................13
1.1.4 Phenomenon of the electronic letters...........................................................14
1.1.5 Written and electronic letters.......................................................................14
2 WRITTEN VERSUS ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS .............................................16
2.1 Written business correspondence........................................................................16
2.1.1 Business letter definition..............................................................................17
2.1.2 Written correspondence and its features......................................................17
2.2 Electronic business correspondence....................................................................19
2.2.1 Electronic mail features ...............................................................................19
3 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING ........................................................................23
3.1 Business letter writing guidelines .......................................................................23
3.1.1 Business writing tips and features................................................................24
3.1.2 Business correspondence styles ...................................................................25
4 NEUTRAL LETTERS...............................................................................................30
4.1 Neutral letters and their definition ......................................................................30
4.1.1 Types of neutral letters.................................................................................31
4.2 Formality versus informality...............................................................................32
5 LETTERS OF REQUEST AND INQUIRY..............................................................35
5.1 Letters of request.................................................................................................35
5.1.1 Basic functions of letters of request.............................................................36
5.1.2 Features of letters of request........................................................................36
5.1.3 Structure of letter of request ........................................................................37
5.1.4 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................38
5.2 Letters of inquiry.................................................................................................38
5.2.1 Basic features of letters of inquiry...............................................................39
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
4
5.2.2 Structure of letter of inquiry ........................................................................39
5.2.3 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................40
6 LETTERS OF PROPOSAL, LETTERS OF BID......................................................43
6.1 Letters of proposal...............................................................................................43
6.1.1 Letter of proposal and its main elements .....................................................44
6.1.2 Structure of letters of proposal.....................................................................44
6.1.3 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................46
6.2 Letters of bid .......................................................................................................46
6.2.1 Features of letters of bid ..............................................................................46
6.2.2 Structure of letters of bid .............................................................................47
6.2.3 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................48
7 LETTERS OF COMPLAINT, LETTERS OF CLAIM.............................................51
7.1 Letters of complaint ............................................................................................51
7.1.1 Division of letters of complaint ...................................................................52
7.1.2 Types of letters of complaint .......................................................................52
7.1.3 When to raise a complaint............................................................................53
7.1.4 Structure of letters of complaint ..................................................................53
7.1.5 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................54
7.2 Letters of claim....................................................................................................55
7.2.1 Main features of letters of claim ..................................................................55
7.2.2 Structure of letters of claim..........................................................................55
7.2.3 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................57
8 CONTRACTS............................................................................................................60
8.1 What is a contract................................................................................................60
8.1.1 Types of contracts........................................................................................61
8.2 Business contracts ...............................................................................................61
8.2.1 Features of business contracts......................................................................62
8.2.2 Structure of business contracts.....................................................................62
8.3 Employment contracts.........................................................................................63
8.3.1 Kinds of employment contracts ...................................................................64
8.3.2 Structure of employment contracts ..............................................................64
9 COVERING LETTERS, CURRICULUM VITAE ...................................................67
9.1 Covering letter.....................................................................................................67
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
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9.1.1 Characteristics of a covering letter ..............................................................67
9.1.2 Featues of a covering letter..........................................................................68
9.1.3 Useful vocabulary........................................................................................70
9.2 Curriculum vitae..................................................................................................70
9.2.1 Main features of curriculum vitae................................................................70
10 APPLICATION FORMS...........................................................................................75
10.1 Application forms in general ...........................................................................75
10.1.1 Types of application forms ..........................................................................76
10.2 Application form of employment ....................................................................77
10.2.1 Features of an employment application .......................................................77
10.2.2 Process of applying for a job .......................................................................79
11 DISMISSAL DOCUMENTS.....................................................................................82
11.1 Dismissal documents in general ......................................................................82
11.1.1 Types of employment dismissal documents ................................................83
11.1.2 Features of an employment dismissal..........................................................84
11.1.3 Structure of a dismissal letter.......................................................................84
12 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DOCUMENTS.............................................................87
12.1 Types of additional business documents .........................................................87
12.1.1 Newsletters...................................................................................................88
12.1.2 Circulars.......................................................................................................88
12.1.3 Sales letters ..................................................................................................88
12.1.4 Follow-up letters ..........................................................................................89
12.1.5 Letters of recommendation ..........................................................................89
12.1.6 Letters of offer .............................................................................................89
12.1.7 Adjustment letters........................................................................................89
12.1.8 Dunning letters.............................................................................................90
13 PRACTICAL USAGE...............................................................................................92
13.1 Job interview....................................................................................................92
13.2 Sales letter, inquiry, proposal ..........................................................................93
13.3 Employment dismissal.....................................................................................94
LITERATURA ..................................................................................................................96
SHRNUTÍ STUDIJNÍ OPORY.........................................................................................97
PŘEHLED DOSTUPNÝCH IKON...................................................................................98
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
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Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
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ÚVODEM
The material is intended for the distance students of Economics, Business related field,
IT studies, Sociology, Psychology, or English philology.
The material itself is divided into thirteen main chapters, each of them dealing with a
specific field of the business correspondence in the current world.
Each chapter includes the examples and additional questions to check the knowledge
and the information being gathered during the studies. The questions sections are always
listed at the end of the chapters with the answers provided separately in the Moodle section.
Students are asked to answer the questions to check their knowledge and the theory of
the given chapter.
Additionally, there are tasks intended for the students and their homework to be done
in order to practise mainly the usage of the given topic. Based on the tasks, students will
practise creating various types of business letters, or email according to the example situations
given, or based on the information they can come up with themselves.
Students should be always prepared for the following lessons since the chapters are
connected to each other and the knowledge of the previous one os crucial.
Generally speaking, once passing the whole course, students will be able to deal with
the given documents not only in the theoretical point of view, but mainly from the practical
one.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
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RYCHLÝ NÁHLED STUDIJNÍ OPORY
The material is divided into the thirteen separate chapters, each of them dealing with
the specific field of the business correspondence. Once passing the course, students will
be familiar with the most relevant features of the correspondence in the current business
communication.
The first chapter Introduction to the business correspondence deals with the main
styles and forms of the correspondence and gives students the general view of the
communication in the field.
Second chapter, called Written versus Electronic Documents deals with the differences
between the electronic and written kinds of correspondence and shares the ways of
information exchange while speaking about such kinds of communication.
Effective Business Writing deals with the forms and ways how to share the information
in the most effective way, what styles and forms to use, etc.
Neutral Letters is a chapter which focuses on separate category of the business correspondence
which do not require any emotional, nor pushy way how to get the information
needed from the recipient.
Letters of Inquiry, Letters of Request, Letters of Proposal, Letters of Bid, Letters of
Complaint, or Letters of Claim are chapters which deal with the practical usage of such
kinds of letters, their main features and selected vocabulary being used.
On the other hand, students will get familiar with the way how to create their own
Curriculum Vitae, Covering letters and how to share all the relevant information about
them in the Application Forms. Such documents will have a significant impact while
applying for a job.
Contracts and Dismissal Documents will show and present the basic features of the
documents being signed between two parties and what information need to be included.
Such documents will present the way how people can be made redundant, how to terminate
the contract, etc.
Additional Documents will briefly present another kinds of documents which can havea
a significant role in the business and marketing sphere as well as their main features
and elements in order to distinguish them mainly in practise.
To sum up, the last and final chapter Practical Usage is the general overview of the
topics being discussed and focuses mainly in the practical usage of the selected elements
mentioned in the previous chapters. Students will have a chance to focus on the practical
tasks and work on their own.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
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INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
10
1 INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS CORRESPON-
DENCE
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the business correspondence means, it features
and basic elements in the modern world of technology. The content of the chapter
focuses on the basic types of business letters, the phenomenon of the electronic letters and
email communication, as well as the differences between the written and electronic let-
ters.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Based on the terminology and the basic features of the business correspondence, students
will get familiar with the business letters and emails standards and the way those
are being applied in the modern world of communication. Students will be able to differentiate
and name the main types of business correspondence and use them in practise.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Business correspondence, types of business correspondence, internal correspondence,
external correspondence, routine correspondence, sales correspondence, personalized
correspondence, circular, sales letter, order letter, complaint letter, adjustment letter,
inquiry letter, follow-up letter, letter of recommendation, acknowledgment letter, cover
letter, letter of resignation, electronic letter, written letter
1.1 Business correspondence definition
Business correspondence is the way of expressing information in the business context.
Such information is mostly expressed in the written communication.
The correspondence itself has numbers of importance in the business field. One of its
most important features is the ease of reaching target, or goals, and communicating with
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
11
different parties since it is not always possible to meet people or business partners face to
face. Another important feature is to help the business reaching various organizational
goals1
.
1.1.1 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE PURPOSE
There are several main ways which the modern business correspondence is generally
used for. Business correspondence is aimed to be used for the communication between
companies, or organizations, as well between two legal entities.
The most important fields which the correspondence is used for include2
:
 Maintaining a proper relationship - helps in maintaining the proper relationships
between the parties. Business correspondence strengthens the business
and helps in the internal communication. It makes communication within the
organization more clear and precise.
 Serves as evidence - any written form of communication serves as evidence.
Business correspondence helps a person / legal entity in business to keep a record
of all the facts. Such written records will serve as evidence.
 Create and maintain goodwill - helps in creating and maintaining goodwill
between a business entity and a customer. Any kind of a letter to enquire, complaint,
suggestion or feedbacks helps a company to grow and maintain good-
will.
 Inexpensive and convenient - is a cheap and convenient form of business
communication.
 Formal way of communication - business communication serves as a formal
communication between two organizations, or legal entities. It may be a seller
and a buyer, an employee and an employer. The language used is formal and
logical.
 Helps in the business expansion - business correspondence helps the business
to achieve the set goal. It also ensures the expansion of the business with no
waste of time and proper utilization of manpower and resources.
1.1.2 TYPES OF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
There are several basic kinds of business correspondence based on the purpose, content
and the form. Such kinds of correspondence have some basic elements in common
including the formal language usage, salutations, or the internal form, as such division
1
“Meaning and Importance of Business Correspondence ”, accessed 10 April, 2019,
https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-communication-and-ethics/business-correspondence/meaning-and-
importance-of-business-correspondence
2
“Meaning and Importance of Business Correspondence ”, accessed 10 April, 2019,
https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-communication-and-ethics/business-correspondence/meaning-and-
importance-of-business-correspondence
INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
12
into paragraphs. Additionally, those kinds of letters are always supposed to be bried, precise
and convenient, as mentioned above.
The basic types of business letters include the following3
:
 Internal correspondence – refers to the correspondence between individuals,
departmens, or branches of the same company
 External correspondence - refers to the correspondence between two individuals,
or legal entities which are not of the same organization, such as a
customer and suppliers, banks, educational institutions, government departments,
etc.
 Routine correspondence - refers to the correspondence on routine manners.
Such correspondence is generally made for inquiries, orders, replies,
acknowledgments, invitation, or appointment letters.
 Sales correspondence - refers to the correspondence related to the sales
such as sales letters, sales reports, invoices, confirmation of orders, delivery
letters, statement of accounts, etc.
 Personalized correspondence - refers to the correspondence based on
emotional factors such as letters of the request, recommendation, congratulations,
letters of introduction, granting or the refusal of terms, etc.
 Circulars - refers to the communication of common matters to a large number
of people, or firms such as notices of tenders, change of address, an opening
of the new branch, an introduction of new products, etc.
3
“5 Common Types of Business Corrrespondence”, accessed on 12 April, 2019,
http://foundersguide.com/5-common-types-of-business-correspondence/
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
13
1.1.3 TYPES OF LETTERS IN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
While speaking about the basic types of letters in the business correspondence, mention
jas to be made about those kinds below written with the specific purpose and the
content4
:
 Sales letters - start off with a very strong statement to capture the interest of
the reader. Since the purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters
include strong calls to action, detail the benefit to the reader of taking the action
and include information to help the reader to act, such as including a telephone
number or website link.
 Order letters - sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or
wholesaler to order goods or services. These letters must contain specific information
such as model number, name of the product, the quantity desired and
expected price, or payment conditions.
 Complaint letters - words and tones chosen to use in a letter complaining to a
business may be the deciding factor on whether the complaint is satisfied. The
voice needs to be direct but tactful and always professional.
 Adjustment letters - is normally sent in response to a claim or a complaint. If
the adjustment is in the customer’s favour, the letter is supposed to start with
that news. If not, the tone needs to remain factual and let the customer know
that the complaint is understood.
 Inquiry letters - ask a question or elicit information from the recipient. When
composing this type of letter, it needs to be clear and succinct as well as to list
exactly what information is needed. The contact information needs to be included
so that it is easy for the reader to respond.
 Follow-up letters - are usually sent after some type of initial communication.
This could be a sales department thanking a customer for an order, a
businessman reviewing the outcome of a meeting or a job seeker inquiring
about the status of his application. In many cases, these letters are a combination
thank-you note and sales letter.
 Letters of recommendation - prospective employers often ask job applicants
for letters of recommendation before they hire them. This type of letter is usually
from a previous employer or a professor, and it describes the sender’s relationship
with and opinion of the job seeker.
 Acknowledgment letters - act as simple receipts. Businesses send them to let
others know that they have received a prior communication, but action may or
may not have taken place.
 Cover letters - usually accompany a package, report or other merchandise.
Those are used to describe what is enclosed, why it is being sent and what the
recipient should do with it, if there is any action that needs to be taken. These
types of letters are generally very short and succinct.
 Letters of resignation - when an employee plans to leave his job, a letter of
resignation is usually sent to his immediate manager giving him notice and
4
“10 Types of Business Letters”, Hannah Wickford, accessed on 13 April, 2019,
https://work.chron.com/10-types-business-letters-9438.html
INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
14
letting him know when the last day of employment will be. In many cases, the
employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company.
1.1.4 PHENOMENON OF THE ELECTRONIC LETTERS
The business correspondence went through many changes in the recent years
especially, in the way of information sharing. Internet, emails and the social media
spread the modern era of technology and contributed to an easier way of sharing the
data among the organizations and the companies.
The involved parties include the legal entities as well as organizations. The main
media being used in the information era include the social media, networking, emails,
etc.
One of the easiest and the cheapest way of information sharing is the email
communication. Sending emails can easily save the time, human sources and it is
much quicker than personal meetings. Additionally, email communication is a way
how more parties can get involved and be addressed with the specific purpose.
Even though emails are the easiest and quickest way of communication, written
form of communication remain popular as well.
1.1.5 WRITTEN AND ELECTRONIC LETTERS
Written and electronic communication is one of the most common forms of commercial
communication currently used mainly in office and office environments. This
type of communication includes e-mails, letters, or any other kind of writing. In written
communication, it is common for recipients to read between lines or search for
implied meaning. Understanding how to write clearly and briefly is particularly important
in the business environment.
The main difference between written and electronic letters is mainly in the form
and the way such letters are being composed. While the written letter include the
sender’s address as well as the addresse’s, the hand-written signature, those composed
in the emails do not. There are several other features of the written letters which
will be mentioned in the following chapter of this material.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKY
Answer the following questions based on the content of the chapter:
1.) What is business correspondence and what is the main purpose of its use?
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
15
2.) Name the main types of business letters you remember from the chapter.
3.) What types of business correspondence do you remember?
4.) What would you say are the basic differences between the written and
electronic letters?
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Based on the theory of the business correspondence, students got familiar with the basic
terminology, types of correspondence letters, types of correspondence in general, differences
between the written and electronic communication, as well as phenomenon of
modern ways of business correspondence. Following chapters will describe several additional
phenomena of the business correspondence in a closer way with more details to
be discussed.
written versus electronic documents
16
2 WRITTEN VERSUS ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the written and electronic forms of
business correspondence, their features features and basic elements in the modern world
of technology. The content of the chapter focuses on the basic elements of business letters,
electronic mails and their usage in the modern business world.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Based on the terminology and the basic features of the written and electronic business
correspondence, students will get familiar with the business letters and emails standards
and the way those are being applied in the modern world of communication. Students will
be able to differentiate and name the main types of written and electronic business correspondence
and use them in practise. Students will get famialiar with the main elements
and features of such business communication.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Written business correspondence, business letter, letterhead, heading, reference, inside
address, subject, greetings, opening part, main part, concluding part, complimentary close,
enclosure, copy circulation, postscriptum, electronic correspondence, email, recipient
2.1 Written business correspondence
The written business correspondence represents a significant role in the modern era of
technology and business in terms of information sharing. Such documents are important
especially as a written evidence used to share the information such as contracts, receipts,
bills, invoices, letters of inquiries, complaints, etc.
Such documents are mostly archived for the future reference and can be used as a legal
record in case the mutual agreement between two parties, or legal entities is disrupted, or
the conditions of the cooperation are not kept.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
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2.1.1 BUSINESS LETTER DEFINITION
Business letter is a document organizations and companies use to communicate in a
professional way with their customers, other companies, clients, shareholders, investors,
etc. Business letter uses formal language and a specific format and companies use it to
convey important information and messages. An individual can also use it while writing
an application for a job, cover letters, or any formal document.
Such kind of a letter is mostly written for business purpose such as inquiries, letters of
offer, order letters, cover letters, notices, or termination of employment.
There is a pre-specified format for writing a business letter. There are some parts of a
business letter and rules associated with them which always need to be followed.
2.1.2 WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE AND ITS FEATURES
There are several features of the written correspondence that need to be included in
such documents. Such basic features include mainly the formal language, the documents
need to precise, concise, coherent and straight-to-the-point.
The basic elements of the written correspondence features include5
:
1.) The Heading or Letterhead – usually contains the name and the address of
the business, or an organization, email address, contact number, trademark, or
logo of the business
2.) Date – usually on the right-hand side corner of the letter below the heading it-
self
3.) Reference – shows the department of the organization sending the letter. The
letter number can be used in the reference as well
4.) The Inside Address – includes the name, address, postal code, job title of the
recipient, usually mentioned after the reference. The address is usually placed
on the left-hand side of the sheet
5.) Subject – brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter, should
be clear, eye catchy, short, simple, easily understandable
5
“Defining Features of a Business Letter”, Kara Page, accessed on 13 April, 2019,
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/defining-features-business-letter-25304.html
written versus electronic documents
18
6.) Greetings – contains the words to greet the recipient, so called the salutation, depending
upon the relationship with the recipient. Usually contains words like
Dear, Respected, Sir/madam. Comma (,) always follows the salutation
7.) Body Paragraphs – the main part of the letter, usually containing the main
message of the letter. The body must be clear and simple to be understood. It is
usually divided into three main categories:
a.] Opening part - The first paragraph of the mail writing must state
the introduction of the writer. It also contains the previous correspondence
if any.
b.] Main part - This paragraph states the main idea or the reason
for writing. It must be clear, concise, complete, and to the point.
c.] Concluding part - It is the conclusion of the business letter. It
shows the suggestions or the need of the action. The closing of the
letter shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always
end your mail by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards,
look forward to hearing from your side etc.
8.) Complimentary Close – a humble way of ending a letter, written in accordance
with the salutation. The most generally used close are: Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely,
Thanks, Regards, Kind regards.
9.) Signature and Writer’s Identification – includes signature, name and designation
of the sender; other details like the contact number, address, etc. The signature
is handwritten just above the name of the sender.
10.) Enclosures – show the documents attached to the letter. Those can be cheque,
draft, bills, receipts, invoices, etc.; usually listed one by one.
11.) Copy Circulation – needed when the copies of the letter are sent to other people,
usually denoted as C.C.
12.) PostScript – sender can mention it when he wants to add something other than the
message in the body of the letter; usually written as P.S.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
19
2.2 Electronic business correspondence
Typical electronic business correspondence include mainly the email communication,
or so called electronic mail. Such kind of correspondence allows two parties to communicated
between each other in a quick and bried way especially, to share the information
needed for various projects, details of the contracts, drafts, or additional information nee-
ded.
Electronic correspondence can serve as an evidence as well but it cannot be considered
as a legal document since it does not contain the stamp, signature, or another legal features.
The advantages of the email communication can include:
 Fast way of communication between two parties
 Cheap, inexpensive way of communication sharing
 Several attachments can be included and shared with a second party
 Can be sent to as many people as possible
On the other hand, there can be several disadvantages of the electronic email communication
such as:
 Viruses can be easily spread via email correspondence
 Email can be insecure way of communication
 Can be used for spamming
 Can be used for phishing – emails pretending to be from the bank institutions,
asking customers to enter their bankd details becuase of some problems6
2.2.1 ELECTRONIC MAIL FEATURES
The basic features of the electronic mail include:
1.)Email address of the recipient – if needed, more email addresses of more
recipients can be included. For those recipients who are not as important,
those can be mentioned in the copy
2.)Subject – brief and precise matter of the email, shows the purpose of the
message, should be eye catchy and straight-to-the point to attract the atten-
6
“Features of E-mail”, accessed on 13 April, 2019, https://www.slideshare.net/mrscjrobertson/e-mail-
features-14128598
written versus electronic documents
20
tion of the recipient / recipients. It should include the key words of the
email content
3.)Body of the email – the main content of the email with the main information
being shared to attract the attention of the recipient. The body odf the email
should be divided into the three main parts (the same like in the written
communication):
a.] Opening part - the first paragraph of the email must state the
introduction of the email content. It can also contain the previous
correspondence if any.
b.] Main part - this paragraph states the main idea or the reason for
writing. It must be clear, concise, complete, and to the point.
c.] Concluding part - is the conclusion of the email. It shows the
suggestions or the need of the action. The closing of the email
shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always end
the email by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look
forward to hearing from your side etc.
4.)Complimentary Close – a humble way of ending a letter, written in accordance
with the salutation. The most generally used close are: Yours faithfully,
Yours sincerely, Thanks, Regards, Kind regards.
5.)Signature and Writer’s Identification – includes signature, name and designation
of the sender; other details like the contact number, address, logo of
the company, etc.
6.)Enclosures – show the documents attached to the letter. Those can be cheque,
draft, bills, receipts, invoices, etc.; usually listed one by one.
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Review the following business email and try to memorize its main features and basic
elements in order to be able to create such business email in practise.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
21
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
What you remember from the chapter. Answer the following questions:
1.) What are the main features of a written business letter?
2.) What are the main features of an email business letter?
3.) Are there any differences between a written letter and an email?
written versus electronic documents
22
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Based on the terminology and the basic features of the written and electronic businesss
correspondence, students got familiar with the way what such types of correspondence
should include and contain in order to be able to distinguish and compose the documents
in the practical life. Following chapters will focus on the specific types of business correspondence
and describe their features in a more detailed way.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
23
3 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the basic elements and features typically
being used while creating a letter, or an email in the business field, as well as in a
common matters. The chapter will introduce basic writing guidelines, writing tips and
features that can help students with organizing the thoughts, ideas and other features while
creating emails, or letters. Additionally, the chapter will focus on the basic writing styles
and their usage in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic guidelines and communication styles while
creating business emails, or letters and the features that they need to pay attention to in
order to follow the standard guidelines and procedures in the business correspondence.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Business letter writing guidelines, writing features, formal, informal, proofreading, correspondence
style, communication style, analytical style, logic, small-talk, intuitive style,
direct instruction, intuitive communicator, visualization, functional style, complete plan,
feedback, personal style,
3.1 Business letter writing guidelines
Writing and receiving emails and letters has become an inevitable part of everyday life,
both in private and business correspondence. When writing an email, or a letter either
to family or friends, it may be as casual as people want.
While considering a business email, or a a letter writing, there are some etiquette rules
and guidelines that need to be followed and that everyone is required to respect, even if
you are a non-native English speaker.
Effective Business Writing
24
3.1.1 BUSINESS WRITING TIPS AND FEATURES
There are several elements a business letter and an email should contain in order to reach
the goals and respect the rules of standard business correspondence guidelines. Such
elements include the following7
:
 Subject line says a lot - subject line always the first thing a recipient reads.
The decision of whether or not to open an email depends highly on how the
subject line looks. Make sure the subject line, is always simple, specific, brief
but catchy. Several key words can be mentioned in the subject line as well.
 Start an email with greetings - it is always important to have a contact name,
unless a recipient is unknown (in “to whom it may concern” case). If needed,
do not be shy to call and ask for the person’s name. Some people use informal
salutations, such as “Good morning” or “Hi“. It totally depends on how formal
your relationships are.
 Say thank you - if a person has replied to an email, people should thank
him/her by writing “Thank you for your (prompt) reply“. It is important to
start an email on a positive note, as it creates a good first impression of the second
party.
 Be clear and precise - no matter how complex an email appears to be, try to
define its purpose clearly at the very beginning of the email by writing “I am
contacting you as…” or “I am writing to you in reference to/regarding…”. It
helps the reader understand the purpose of an email. Being clear and precise is
important, as most business people have no time to read all emails they receive.
Being specific about the purpose of your email will save them time and
will be much appreciated.
 Save Someone’s Time - to save everyone’s precious time, keep the emails
specific and concise. It is also a good idea to split the body of the email into
several paragraphs, based on the topics being raised. Bullet-points which makes
the email easy to read can be used as well.
7
“10 Tips on How to Write a Business E-mail in English”, Ilac, accessed on 14 April, 2019,
ttps://www.ilac.com/10-tips-on-how-to-write-a-business-email-in-english/
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
25
 Informal vs. Formal – the manner of speaking depends on who we are
talking to. It usually comes naturally and is based on your relationship with
an interlocutor, or the recipient.
 Do not avoid the negative - delivering bad news is never easy but it is
something people have to do sometimes, when working in a business environment.
One of the good ways is to provide a reader with neutral or positive
information first. Only then move to the negative part, explaining what
caused it and why it is important. The goal is not to hide or minimize the
scope of the problem but to leave the reader with the impression that you
care or you are taking action to fix it.
 The last vow - before ending the email, thank the recipient one more time
by saying “Thank you for your consideration”. It is also very common to
add “should you have any questions, please do not hesitate contact me” or
“I look forward to hearing from you“.
 Write a closing to an email – after an email is constructed and written, it
requires a closing too. There are many ways to do so, and again, it depends
on the formality of relationships between the author and the reader. Several
phrases can include: – Yours sincerely, (when you know the name of the
recipient, formal), Best regards, or Kind regards, (formal, most common),
Take care, Thank you, or Have a nice day (less formal)
 Proofreading – it is very important to reread an email carefully before
hitting the send button, or send it physically. Check if there are any typos,
grammatical or punctuation errors, or inappropriate word usage.
3.1.2 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE STYLES
There are several types of communication styles which can be applied not only in the
business correspondence, but in the neutral informal letters.
Such features and communication styles include the following8
:
 Analytical communication style – such style prefers to work with data
and facts and use them to support what they say. Analytical communica-
8
“4 Business Communication Styles and to Cater to Each”, Organizational Design, accessed on 15 APril,
2019, https://www.organimi.com/business-communication-styles/
Effective Business Writing
26
tors are often common in upper-management types. While it may seem less
personal, analytical communication is a great way to make solid arguments
for initiatives that people believe in. Analytical communicators use very
precise and rehearsed language to make their points. Basic features of the
analytical communication style include:
a.] Use numbers to back up your points. While other styles
might want a more top-down view of the company’s status,
analytical communicators prefer hard facts and numbers
to display the point.
b.] Use logic instead of emotions. Analytical communicators
will always prefer to use logic instead of emotions to
make their points. Major business decisions with this group
must always include hard facts that help to demonstrate their
point of view.
c.] A lack of small-talk. Analytical communicators are not
generally the best conversationalists on the personal level.
Limit small talk to communicate effectively with analyticalstyle
communicators.
 Intuitive communication style - prefers a more casual, common-sense
based approach to communicating ideas. Such style wants to understand
the big-picture concepts and is not interested in getting too bogged down in
the details of the idea. In many ways, intuitive communicators are the opposite
of analytical communicators, who prefer to have all of the relevant
details on hand when making a decision:
a.] Short and direct instructions. Intuitive communicators
want a broad overview or step-by-step instructions, without all
of the distractions that small details can present. When
communicating with people that prefer this style, limit what
you give them only to what will pertain directly to them. They
want to know why you have chosen this path in a big picture
way.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
27
b.] Big ideas come from intuitive communicators. Intuitive
communicators are comfortable forming and working
with big ideas. They prefer unconventional thinking at times.
Give them the opportunity to express their ideas and
have them taken seriously, and they will be happier in the
workplace.
c.] Intuitive communicators generally prefer visuals. Intuitive
communicators like to have the ideas they are discussing
visualized. Creating organizational charts can be a great
way to visualize the structure of a company for intuitive
communicators.
 Functional communication style - prefers to focus on the process as a
whole. Such style will take the time to put together a step-by-step plan for
their tasks and projects to ensure that nothing gets missed. If people want
to communicate in the functional style or work with people who do, keep
things facts in mind to tailor your communication to the style for an
effective outcome:
a.] Complete plans. Functional communicators like to have
the full plans laid out in front of them, preferably step-bystep.
Give them time to review a process before you begin
implementing it. They want to have a complete understanding
of their responsibilities, timelines, and other information
to ensure that they have a complete grasp of the project.
b.] Ask questions. Functional communicators will ask a lot
of questions. They will connect with leadership styles that
allow them to ask questions and receive thoughtful answers
in return.
c.]Feedback plays a big role. Functional communicators
rely on feedback from their peers to improve over time.
They may ask for feedback from those that use other
business communication styles to see things from another
perspective.
Effective Business Writing
28
 Personal communication style - put the focus on relationships and emotions.
They form connections with their colleagues to better understand what
they are thinking. There are a few points that need to be taken into account
when working with personal communicators to ensure a successful outco-
me:
a.] Speak in-person whenever possible. Personal communicators
react more positively to personal communications. They
want to know how you think and feel and are less concerned
with the details. Communicating through email can be an
aggravating experience for them.
b.] Lay your feelings out. Personal communicators feel better
when they know how you are feeling. Don’t be afraid to give
them a straight-answer regarding how you are feeling about a
project or subject. Take the time to let them into your thoughts
to develop a better connection with personal communicators.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
What you remember. Based on the content of the chapter, answer the following questi-
ons:
1.) What are the basic features of the appropriate business correspondence?
2.) What correspondence styles do you know?
3.) What correspondence style would you use in the business contexts and which of
them in personal communication? Why?
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Based on the theory and the information provided in the chapter, students got famialiar
with the basic elements and guidelines for the business correspondence writing as
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
29
well as those features for neutral and personal correspondence. Students got a chance to
memorize the proofreading element as well which is one of the most important elements
in the writing. Additionally, those important writing communication styles have been
memorized as well. Students will have a chance to use those features in practise based
on the examples in the following chapters.
Neutral Letters
30
4 NEUTRAL LETTERS
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of the neutral letters and
their main features, types of neutral letters being used in the context of business and informal
correspondence and their basic elements. The chapter contains the main difference
betwen the formality and informality being used in the neutral correspondence as well.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic definition of neutral letters and will be able to
distinguish the main types of such correspondence in formal and informal contexts.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Neutral letter, letter of bid, letter of proposal, acceptance letter, acknowledge letter, insurance
letter, invitation letter, income tax letter, letter of request, letter of inquiry, invitation
card
4.1 Neutral letters and their definition
Neutral letters are kinds of letters typically used in the business contexts where no
emotions, nor another features of a demand from the customer’s / recipient’s side is needed.
Such kinds of letters can address the recipient in a way of the follow-up needed but
not being pushed for the action.
Senders can generally expect the recipient to respond, or follow up on the content of
the shared information but it does not have to be applied.
While speaking about the structure and the language elements, the neutral letters
always include and demand the usage of formal language, organized form and the selected
usage of vocabulary needed. Specific language features such as jargon, or technical
language can be applied as well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
31
4.1.1 TYPES OF NEUTRAL LETTERS
Standard types of neutral letters can include the following forms of business correspondence;
either in a written, or electronic form (emails, etc.):
 Letter of bid / proposal – a kind of business letter written in the purpose
of proposing either a mutual cooperation, or collaboration addressed
either to an individual, or a group of people, company. It demands the
formal language and being straight-to-the point. An additional feature can
include a cover letter with the attachments needed for the documentation
of the proposed idea.
 Acceptance letter – a kind of letter being either to an individual, or a
group of people indicating the acceptance or rejection of the proposed
collaboration, or cooperation. Additionally, it can be applied in the field
of academic studies and such letter can be sent to the future-to-be students.
Alternatively, it can be sent to a potential employee. It demands
formal language and being clear and precise.
 Acknowledge letter – a kind of letter acknowledging either an individual’s
or company’s efforts towards the goals wished to be reached. It can
stand as a variation of the confirmation letter and can be applied in various
fields starting from academic field, business, marketing, financial
sphere, etc.
 Insurance letter – a kind of letter which is issued by an insurance company
providing the insurance either to an individual, or a group of people,
the letter or a document itself usually contains the basic details of the insured
person as well as the conditions of the insurance being provided.
 Invitation letter – is a kind of document / letter which is addressed either
to an individual, or a group of people requesting, or inviting them for a
specific social event such a party, birthday celebration, company ball, teambuildng
event, annual dinners, etc. Such kind of document can be
either formal, or informal depending on the background and the kind of
the event.
 Income tax letter – is a kind of letter or a document sent by the government
authority containing basic details abou the income tax details of the
Neutral Letters
32
addresse. Such kind of document is not as common as the previosu kinds
of letters but follows the standard structure and formal language as well.
 Letter of request - a kind of letter, or a document which is addressed to a
vendor or a company requesting additional details and information to be
provided either about the job position, product’s description, parameters of
the product, etc.
 Letter of inquiry – is a kind of letter or a document sent to an individual, or
a company requesting additional, or some specific information about a product,
service, or promotional materials. In such kind of letter, the sender
always expects the feedback from the recipient to be shared. This kind of
letter is mostly used in the business related sphere, where the futre collaboration
is expected. The main features include the formal language and going
straight-to-the point.
4.2 Formality versus informality
Most cases of the neutral letterscan be applied for the formal contexts depending on
the shared information and the content being presented to the recipient.
Most of the neutral letters mentioned above is mostly written in the business contexts
therefore, the usage of formal languafe and the specifi form is crucial.
However, some of those neutral letters can be used in the informal contexts based on
the mutual relationship between a sender a recipient especially, in small companies, or
businesses where the general atmosphere relates to the friendly environment.
Such kind of neutral correspondence can include:
 Invitation letter / card – addressed to an individual, or a group of people
being invited to the mutual social event such as a birthday party, or another
form of a celebration. In small environments, such kinds of invitation
can include the slang, informal language, sayings, or another catch phrases
in order to attract the recipient. Formality is not needed in such cases
especially, in situations where senders and recipients know each other
well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
33
Another forms of information being shared as per the above such as acknowledgement
letter, letter of bid, or acceptance letter can be shared verbally in case a company, o ran
organization is of a small charcter with the mutual relationship of employees.
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Neutral letters are all kinds of formal / informal letters being used in the business as
well as in informal contexts with no intention to push on the recipient for the feedback.
Such letters involve especially the informational style and their function is mainly to inform
or request the additional details to be provided.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What are neutral letters and what are their main fuctions in the context of business
correspondence?
2.) What main types of neutral letters do you know?
3.) What are the main features of letters of request?
4.) What are the main features of letter of inquiry?
5.) Are there any differences between a letter of proposal and a letter of bid?
6.) What kind of neutral letter can be used in the informal context and why?
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and the types of neutral letters which are
currently being used in the business correspondence as well as in the informal contexts. Such
neutral letters can be applied in the business as well as in the common life, depeding on the
Neutral Letters
34
content of the shared information. Following chapter will pay the attention to the detailed
way of the usage of selected types of neutral letters as well in order to use them in practise.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
35
5 LETTERS OF REQUEST AND INQUIRY
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of writing letters of
request and letters of incquiry, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected vocabulary
and phrases typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the visual demonstration,
students will be able to create such kind of correspondence in the business-related
contexts in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and vocabulary related to the letters
of request and inquiry and will be able to create such documents in practise, based on the
visual demostration included in the chapter.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Letter of request, letter of inquiry, donation, simplicity, familiarity, brevity, documentation,
evidence, feedback, review, donation, pay rise
5.1 Letters of request
As mentioned in the previosu chapter, letter or request is a kind of document, or a letter
usually addressed to a vendor, or a company and requesting additional information to
be provided / shared in various field of interest.
Such fields of interest can include the job position, product’s description, parametres,
or another details needed in order to follow up in the mutual cooperation, or collaboration.
Letters of request can be sent either from the company, but mainly from the end user
towards the company or an organization.
Letters of Request and Inquiry
36
5.1.1 BASIC FUNCTIONS OF LETTERS OF REQUEST
There are several main fucntions the letters of request can contain and are being used
for. Such functions help the requests to reach the target and the aimed goal. Those functions
can relate to either a company, or a customer requesting additional information.
The basic functions of the letters of request include9
:
 Requesting feedback from the end user / customer – in a way of filling
in various satisfaction surveys, or questionarries in order to improve the
results, or the product itself
 Requesting customer’s review – in a way of requesting the review of
various products, to services to satisfy the customer’s needs and requests
 Interview requests – in a way of possible job interview; potential future
employee can send a job request in a form of an official letter
 Requesting a pay rise – in a way of formal letter sent to the employer
 Requesting a donation – in a way of sending a formal letter to the appropriate
institution
5.1.2 FEATURES OF LETTERS OF REQUEST
In order to mae the recipient of a letter of request to agree with the demanded details
and information shared, there are several points which need to be taken into consideration.
Such features will help the letter to become more effective and the feedback to be
shared as per the expectations:
 Simplicity – the letter itself should be simple and as brief as possible
 Familiarity – recipient should be reminded who the sender is providing
additional details if needed and appropriate (if addressing former teachers,
professors, employers etc.). Such details can help the request to be more
effective.
 Brevity – informing the sender what is requested from them in several
words, sentences, if necessary
 Documentation – all details and evidence needed should be provided
9
“Free Sample Letters of Request”, Mary Gormandy White M.A., accessed on 16 April, 2019,
https://business.lovetoknow.com/business-communications-sample-letters/free-sample-letters-request
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
37
 Contact details – should be provided in order a recipient can respond
and provide the requested feedback
 Thank you phrases – crucial for the formal / informal communication
in any situations, effective while expecting positive feedback
5.1.3 STRUCTURE OF LETTER OF REQUEST
There are six main elements that a letter of request should always contain based on the
form of the document. For a demonstration, see the letter sample below10
:
 Date – when the letter is being sent
 Sender’s full contact address
 Salutation – addressed to a recipient
 Body of a letter – divided into 3 main paragraphs (opening part, main
part, closing part)
 Closing phrases – polite phrases to close the letter
 Signature – including the name, position and the contact details of a
sender (company logo can be included, if any available)
10
“42+ Request Letter Templates”, accessed on 16 April, 2019,
https://www.template.net/business/letters/request-letter-template/
Letters of Request and Inquiry
38
5.1.4 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of requests,
there are several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – I / we would highly appreciate if you could send / provide
us …; I would also be grateful if you could send me / us ...; Could you please
provide the ...?; Could you please send me / us ...?
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours faithfully
(if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards, With regards;
Best regards, Yours truly
5.2 Letters of inquiry
As mentioned in the previous chapter above, a letter of inquiry can be defined as a
kind of letter or a document sent to an individual, or a company requesting additional, or
some specific information about a product, service, or promotional materials.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
39
In such kind of letter, the sender always expects the feedback from the recipient to
be shared. This kind of letter is mostly used in the business related sphere, where the
future collaboration is expected. The main features include the formal language and
going straight-to-the point.
5.2.1 BASIC FEATURES OF LETTERS OF INQUIRY
A standard letter of inquiry should always be complete and related to the product, price,
quality, quantity that can be supplied as well as the shipping methods and their costs.
Requesters should clarify what service is being expected and can ask suppliers to sugest
any alternative methods to reach the requested service, or a product. The letter should be
always marsked as an inquiry in order the recipient does not consider it as a formal order.
Following points clarify the main points needed to be followed when creating a letter
of inquiry11
:
 Detailed account of the exact type of product / service required
 Probable quantity required and the time-frame for the supply of the product /
service
 The seller’s terms on credit, discounts, transit, packaging, etc.
 Opening sentences to indicate the reasons for the inquiry
 Closing sentences to request an early reply for the enquiry to be transformed
into an order in future
 Care should be taken to prevent the recipient from misconstruing the enquiry as
an order in future
5.2.2 STRUCTURE OF LETTER OF INQUIRY
There are six main elements that a letter of request should always contain based on the
form of the document. For a demonstration, see the letter sample below12
:
 Date – when the letter is being sent
 Sender’s full contact address
 Salutation – addressed to a recipient
11
“Communication Theory ”, accessed on 17 April, 2019,
https://www.communicationtheory.org/important-features-of-an-enquiry-letter/
12
“Free Business Inquiry Letter Example”, accessed on 16 APril, 2019,
https://www.template.net/editable/13394/free-business-enquiry-letter-example
Letters of Request and Inquiry
40
 Body of a letter – divided into 2 / 3 main paragraphs (opening part, main part,
closing part)
 Closing phrases – polite phrases to close the letter
 Signature – including the name, position and the contact details of a sender
(company logo can be included, if any available)
5.2.3 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of requests, there
are several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – I / we would be glad if you could send me / us …; I / we
would appreciate if you could send me / us …; I / we would appreciate if you
could provide …; We require some additional information on …; Please, provide
some information about …; It would be more than excepted if …
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
41
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours
faithfully (if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards,
With regards; Best regards, Yours truly
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Letter of request is a kind of letter, or a document which is addressed to a vendor or
a company requesting additional details and information to be provided either about the
job position, product’s description, parameters of the product, etc.
Letter of inquiry is a kind of document sent to an individual, or a company requesting
additional, or some specific information about a product, service, or promotional mate-
rials.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is the letter of request?
2.) What are the main features of the letter of request?
3.) What are the basic functions of the letter of request?
4.) What are the main features of the letter of inquiry?
SAMOSTATNÝ ÚKOL
Based on the demonstration pictures above, create the following business letters, as per
the following instructions:
1.) Letter of request – create a letter of request (choose a product, company name and
another details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the theory mentioned
in the chapter.
Letters of Request and Inquiry
42
2.)Letter of inquiry – create a letter of inquiry (choose a product, company name and another
details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the theory mentioned in
the chapter.
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while making the letters
of request and inquiry. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the businessrelated
contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language.
Based on the visual examination of such letters and the selected vocabulary, students will
be able to create such letters in the practical life as well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
43
6 LETTERS OF PROPOSAL, LETTERS OF BID
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of writing letters of proposal
and bid, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected vocabulary and phrases
typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the visual demonstration, students will be
able to create such kind of correspondence in the business-related contexts in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and vocabulary related to the letters
of proposal and bid and will be able to create such documents in practise, based on the
visual demostration included in the chapter.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Letter of proposal, solution, conclusion, active voice, passive voice, persuation, personalization,
understanding the job, value providing
6.1 Letters of proposal
Letter of proposal is a kind of letter, or a document addressed either to an individual or
an organization with the intention to do a project, make some purchase, or reach the
wished goals. Additionally, it is a way how to put forth an idea and what action needs to
be taken in order to reach such goals.
Such kind of a letter is mainly used in the business contexts and business correspondence
therefore, the informality is usually not accepted. Letters of proposal have their
own structure, involve the usage specific phrases, as those mentioned in the previous chapters
as well.
Letters of Proposal, Letters of Bid
44
6.1.1 LETTER OF PROPOSAL AND ITS MAIN ELEMENTS
There are several points that need to be followed in order to fulfill the main expectations
of the proposed content. Proposals in general are intended to provide a detailed
description of a series of activities aimed at solving a certain problem13
.
The basic elements of the proposal letters include the following:
 Indentify the recipient - helps to understand how to appeal to an audience, or
recpipients who will be reading the proposal and decide if it is accepted or re-
jected.
 Define the problem the proposal will solve – provide the details of a specific
problem that the proposed solution will solve in the second place
 Define the solution – provide the details and proposed ideas how to solve the
specific problem, step by step. All the details of the solution should be mentioned
and describe the steps how to reach such a goal.
 Conclusion – name the costs, benefits, or another features such as the main arguments,
benefits that an individual, or an organization will get when investing
their money into the project.
 Usage of active voice instead of passive – shows the intention of the sender in
a better way than usage of passive voice, underlines the intended activity
6.1.2 STRUCTURE OF LETTERS OF PROPOSAL
As mentioned above, there are several features that a letter of proposal need to contain
and based on the business correspondence writing forms, letters of proposal need to
follow the same rules with the same form and structure.
Those elements include the following features based on the proposal letter as visible
below14
:
 Address of the sender - usually mentioned at the top of the letter
 Date
 Address of the recipient / company organization – usually mentioned below
the date
13
“How to Write a Proposal and Get What You Want”, Benjamin Brandall, accessed on 18 APril, 2019,
https://www.process.st/how-to-write-a-proposal/
14
“Free Proposal Letter Example ”, accessed on 17 April, 2019,
https://www.template.net/editable/4734/proposal-letter-example
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
45
 Salutation – formal salutation
 Body of the letter – usually divided into 2 / 3 paragraphs where the main
points of the problem are described followed by the proposed solution od
such a problem.
 Closing phrases and greetings – mainly polite and formal conlusion of
the letter, thanking the recipient for reading and the actions to be followed.
 Signature – full name, including the job title, contact details (logo of the
company can be included if necessary as well)
Letters of Proposal, Letters of Bid
46
6.1.3 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of proposals,
there are several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – I / we would like to propose the following …; Following
actions would be acceptable …; Following actions would be need to reach …;
The best solution would be …; In order to reach the solution of …
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours faithfully
(if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards, With regards;
Best regards, Yours truly
6.2 Letters of bid
Letter of bid is a kind of letter or a document intended to address the recipient with the
intention to introduce the pricing of the specific products, or services. In comparison to
the letters of proposal, such letters do not propose any awards which can follow the proposed
mutual cooperation with the second party.
It is another example of a letter mainly written in the business contexts with the intention
of the follow-up cooperation in future and future-to-be relationship. It involves the
formal language and persuasive tone. Informal elements are not accepted.
6.2.1 FEATURES OF LETTERS OF BID
There are several elements which need to be included in letters of bid in order to reach
the aimed target and attract the recipients. Following points will demonstrate what steps
need to be taken in order to reach the aimed goal in the mutual cooperation:
 Persuasion – letters of bid are mostly considered as a persuasive tool to make
a company, o ran individual to choose the product, or a service
 Understanding the customer’s needs in order to persuade him that the offered
solution is the best and optimal as a potential problem solution
 Personalization – showing the intention of the sender that he cares of the
customer’s needs and can associate with the problem facing by looking at the
problem from the customer’s perspective
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
47
 Understanding the job shows that the methods of solving the problem are
familiar and the actions to be taken are natural and well-known to the sen-
der
 Value providing – needs to be presented in order to show the customer
what value the mutual cooperation will have for his side. Such value can
contain the benefits, or another form of profit.
 Details – including the logistics plan, time schedules, detailed plan of action
to be provided
6.2.2 STRUCTURE OF LETTERS OF BID
There are several main features of the formal letter of bid that need to be followed in
order to reach the aimed target. As mentioned in the previous chapters above, such fetures
need to include the formal language and persuasive language in order to reach the aimed
goal.
Such elements need to include the following structure, as per the bid letter below15
:
 Name of the company – full details, contact details, logo, address (always
the address of the sender)
 Date
 Addressee – full contact details of the addressee
 Subject – brief and precise purpose of the letter
 Salutation – formal and polite greetings
 Body of the letter – divided into 2 / 3 paragraphs that need to contain the
main idea of the letter with the offer and all the details mentioned, as per
above
 Attachments – can be mentioned if any available, or needed
 Closing phrase – formal and polite greetings
 Signature – including the contat details, job position and the logo of the
company (if available)
15
“Free Formal Bid Proposal”, accessed on 17 April, 2019, https://www.template.net/editable/13797/free-
formal-bid-proposal
Letters of Proposal, Letters of Bid
48
6.2.3 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of bid, there are
several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – We can guarantee that …; We would like to offer …; We
can provide …; We are intended to …; We provide …; The suggested steps are
...; We will do …; We would be able to …
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
49
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours
faithfully (if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards,
With regards; Best regards, Yours truly
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Letter of proposal is a kind of letter, or a document addressed either to an individual
or an organization with the intention to do a project, make some purchase, or reach the
wished goals. Additionally, it is a way how to put forth an idea and what action needs to
be taken in order to reach such goals.
Letter of bid is a kind of letter or a document intended to address the recipient with
the intention to introduce the pricing of the specific products, or services. In comparison
to the letters of proposal, such letters do not propose any awards which can follow the
proposed mutual cooperation with the second party.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is the letter of proposal?
2.) What are the main features of the letter of proposal?
3.) What is the letter of bid?
4.) What are the main features of the letter of bid?
SAMOSTATNÝ ÚKOL
Based on the demonstration pictures above, create the following business letters, as per
the following instructions:
1.) Letter of proposal – create a letter of proposal (choose a product, company name
and another details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the theory
mentioned in the chapter.
Letters of Proposal, Letters of Bid
50
2.) Letter of bid – create a letter of bid (choose a product, company name and another
details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the theory mentioned in the
chapter.
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while making the letters
of proposal and bid. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the business-related
contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language with the
intention of the persuasive function while speaking about the letter of bid. Based on the
visual examination of such letters and the selected vocabulary, students will be able to
create such letters in the practical life as well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
51
7 LETTERS OF COMPLAINT, LETTERS OF CLAIM
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of writing letters of
complaints and claims, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected vocabulary
and phrases typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the visual demonstration, students
will be able to create such kind of correspondence in the business-related contexts
in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and vocabulary related to the letters
of complaints and claims and will be able to create such documents in practise, based on
the visual demostration included in the chapter.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Letter of complaint, personal letter of complaint, professional letter of complaint, routine
letter of complaint, persuasive letter of complaint, letter of claim, acceptable steps, fair
play, honesty, free of anger
7.1 Letters of complaint
Letter of complaint is a kind of letter, or a document mostly being sent in the
business related environment in situations when the sender is not satisfied with the provided
services, or the quality of products. It can be considered as a way of asking for the
adjustment of the provided services, or delivered goods.
Such kind of letter is being sent when another forms of communication cannot be
applied (such as phones, email, etc.). Alternatively, such kind of a letter can be sent via
email as well. In some specific situations, letters of complaint can be sent out of
business contexts.
Letters of Complaint, Letters of Claim
52
7.1.1 DIVISION OF LETTERS OF COMPLAINT
Letters of complaint can be divided into the two main categories according to the
business, or individual’s needs, as per following:
 Personal letters of complaint – a letter of complaint written mostly by a conconsumer
to get a refund, replacement of a product, etc. Such kind of a letter is
wrriten mostly in situations of dissatisfaction with the provided services.
 Professional letters of complaint – a letter of complaint written in the
business contexts related to the professional / business-related situations with
the provided services, products, etc. Generally, organizations, or companies
can present their dissatisfaction in the same way, as the personal letter of complaint
letters.
Both types of complaint letters are intended to be written using the same tone and style
of letter form, usage of formal language, they need to be brief, precise and straight-to-the
point.
7.1.2 TYPES OF LETTERS OF COMPLAINT
Following the purpose and the aim of the complaint letters, they can be split into the
two main categories. Such types of letters can express the way of complaining in different
ways16
:
 Routine letter of complaint – is written and send to the supplier in situations
where the mistake is obvious and the end user needs the immediate action of
correction without any persuasion. Such situations can involve the cases where
the original price is different from the charged one per item. Suppliers are expected
to react immediately and refund the end user.
 Persuasive letter of complaint – is written and send to the supplier in situations
where the end user is supposed to contact the supplier and persuade him to
correct the mistake that occurred in the mutual cooperation. Such situations can
involve the cases where the original price can be higher at the moment of placing
the order but can be lower in the final invoice. The end user is supposed to
contact the supplier and keep him informed. In personal sphere such kinds of
complaint are not spread much but in business contexts, they can be a a way
how to show good and fair deal.
16
“What is Complaint Letter in Business Communication? ”, accessed on 19 April, 2019,
https://bizcommunicationcoach.com/what-is-complaint-letter-in-business-communication/
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
53
7.1.3 WHEN TO RAISE A COMPLAINT
There are several various situations when a formal complaint can be raised, based
on the nature of the complaint, as well as the level of dissatisfaction with the product,
or a provided service. Such situations can include:
 Damaged goods
 Bad quality of goods
 Delay in delivery of goods
 Quantity of the goods ordered
 Invoice mistakes
 Defective packing
7.1.4 STRUCTURE OF LETTERS OF COMPLAINT
As mentioned above, there are several features that a letter of complaint need to
contain and based on the business correspondence writing forms, letters of complaint
need to follow the same rules with the same form and structure.
Those elements include the following features based on the complaint letter as
visible below17
:
 Address of the sender - usually mentioned at the top of the letter
 Date
 Address of the recipient / company organization – usually mentioned
below the date
 Salutation – formal salutation
 Body of the letter – usually divided into 2 / 3 paragraphs where the main
points of the problem are described followed by the proposed solution od
such a problem.
 Closing phrases and greetings – mainly polite and formal conlusion of
the letter, thanking the recipient for reading and the actions to be followed.
17
“Formal Complaint Letter Template”, accessed on 19 April, 2019, https://images.template.net/2075/Free-
Formal-Complaint-Letter-Template-880x1140-1.jpg
Letters of Complaint, Letters of Claim
54
 Signature – full name, including the job title, contact details (logo of the
company can be included if necessary as well)
7.1.5 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of complaint,
there are several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – I would like to complain about …; I would like to raise a
formal complaint about …; I am writing in order to express my concerns about
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
55
…; Please, let me inform you abou the apparent errors in …; I must insist on
that you …; I wish to complain about …
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours
faithfully (if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards,
With regards; Best regards, Yours truly
7.2 Letters of claim
Letter of claim is a kind of letter or a document intended to address the recipient /
supplier with the intention to get and demand a compensation regarding the product, or a
service.
Such kind of letter is mostly written by the consumers and addressed to the suppliers
requesting the immediate action to be taken in order to reach the intended goal.
7.2.1 MAIN FEATURES OF LETTERS OF CLAIM
There are several elements which need to be included in letters of claim in order to reach
the aimed target and attract the recipients. Following points will demonstrate what
steps need to be taken in order to reach the aimed goal in the mutual understanding and
compensation:
 Brief explanation of the complaint – issue description and what is the purpose
of raising a complaint
 Brief explanation of how the business is impacted, or what losses are being
observed in the business
 Stating what are the acceptable steps being considered as correct and fair adjustment
of the compensation
 Appealing to fair play and honesty for the future-to-come cooperation
 Free of anger – calm and down-to-earth approach can help the compensation
to be reached easier
7.2.2 STRUCTURE OF LETTERS OF CLAIM
There are several main features of the formal letter of claim that need to be followed in
order to reach the aimed target. As mentioned in the previous chapters above, such fetures
need to include the formal and persuasive language, list of facts being presented, or free
of anger approach, in order to reach the aimed goal.
Letters of Complaint, Letters of Claim
56
Such elements need to include the following structure, as per the bid letter below18
:
 Name of the sender / company – full details, contact details, logo, address
(always the address of the sender)
 Date
 Addressee – full contact details of the addressee
 Subject – brief and precise purpose of the letter (do not have to be inc-
luded)
 Salutation – formal and polite greetings
 Body of the letter – divided into 2 / 3 paragraphs that need to contain the
main idea of the letter with the offer and all the details mentioned, as per
above
 Attachments – can be mentioned if any available, or needed
 Closing phrase – formal and polite greetings
 Signature – including the contat details, job position and the logo of the
company (if available)
18
“Free Claim Letter Sample”, accessed on 19 April, 2019, https://www.template.net/editable/5816/claim-
letter-sample
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
57
7.2.3 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of bid, there are
several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with …; I wish
to bring to your attention …; I wish to make a serious complaint about …; I in-
Letters of Complaint, Letters of Claim
58
sist on …; I need to demand the full refund …; I would appreciate your action
in order to correct …; I insist you to resolve the problem soon …
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours faithfully
(if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards, With regards;
Best regards, Yours truly
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Letter of complaint is a kind of letter, or a document mostly being sent in the
business related environment in situations when the sender is not satisfied with the provided
services, or the quality of products. It can be considered as a way of asking for the
adjustment of the provided services, or delivered goods.
Letter of claim is a kind of letter or a document intended to address the recipient /
supplier with the intention to get and demand a compensation regarding the product, or a
service. Such kind of letter is mostly written by the consumers and addressed to the
suppliers requesting the immediate action to be taken in order to reach the intended goal.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is the letter of complaint?
2.) What main types of complaint letters do you know?
3.) When to write a formal letter of complaint?
4.) What is the letter of claim?
5.) What are the main features of a claim letter?
SAMOSTATNÝ ÚKOL
Based on the demonstration pictures above, create the following business letters, as per
the following instructions:
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
59
1.) Letter of complaint – create a letter of complaint (choose a product, company
name and another details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the
theory mentioned in the chapter.
2.) Letter of claim – create a letter of claim (choose a product, company name
and another details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the theory
mentioned in the chapter.
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while making the letters
of complaints and claims. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the businessrelated
contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language
with the intention of the demanding and persuasive function to reach the intended goal of
achieving the compensation in various contexts. Based on the visual examination of such
letters and the selected vocabulary, students will be able to create such letters in the
practical life as well.
Contracts
60
8 CONTRACTS
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of the business contracts
as well as the employment contracts, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected
features and parts which are typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the content of
the chapter, students will be able to distinguish such kind of correspondence in the
business-related contexts in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and features related to the business
contracts documents and employment contracts, and will be able to handle them in practise,
based on the provided details.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Contract, tenancy, employment, delivery and logistics, merchandising, purchase, general
business contract, sales-related contract, employment contract, partnership agreement,
indemnity agreement, property and equipment lease, aim and consideration, terms and
conditions, legal purpose, terms and conditions, termination, dispute, employment contract,
general employment contract, noncompete agreement, independent contractor agreement,
performance, benefit, termination
8.1 What is a contract
Contract is a kind of legal document, or a spoken agreement between two parties regarding
the employment conditions, sales, or tenancy; underlined and respected by the
law policy.
The terms of contracts can be related to various spheres of the business contexts such
as services, products, employment, delivery and logistics, merchandising, purchase, etc.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
61
8.1.1 TYPES OF CONTRACTS
Contracts can be divided into several categories based on the content of the shared
information and their nature while speaking about the field and the sphere they relate
to.
Such main types of contracts can be split into the three main categories19
:
 General business contracts – relate mainly to the structure of the business
and how the stakeholders of organizations are protected.
 Sales-related contracts – relate to the way how the mutual relationships
between consumers and suppliers is being handled including the basic terms
and conditions of services and products purchasing. Such contracts cover the
rights and duties of both parties involved.
 Employment contracts – document the mutual relationship between an employer
and an employee with all rights and duties including the salary conditions,
holidays and another benefits that can come from the the relationship. All
the details mentioned need to be in accordance with the law policy and
government rules of a specific country.
8.2 Business contracts
Business contract is a legal document between two parties involved mainly in the
business related contexts. Such parties can involve either two legal entities, or organizations;
alternatively, an organization and the physical entity.
The basic features of such documents include the terms and conditions of the mutual
relationship coming into practise when a contract is signed, and can be applied in
situations when services are rendered for a fee, or a required actions to be taken.
There are several kinds of such business contracts that can be applied20
:
 Partnership agreement – defines the mutual relationship between two
parties involved as well as the terms and conditions that come from such
partnership
 Indemnity agreement – defines the mutual agreement between two parties
and defines the terms and conditions in a situation when one of the
parties gets harmed by an action taken
19
“Common Types of Business Contracts”, accessed on 19 April, 2019, https://www.avvo.com/legal-
guides/ugc/common-types-of-business-contracts
20
“Common Types of Business Contracts”, accessed on 19 April, 2019, https://www.avvo.com/legal-
guides/ugc/common-types-of-business-contracts
Contracts
62
 Property and equipment lease – defines terms and conditions in situations of
leasing a land, building, or premises including the costs, payments, deposits,
maintenance, etc.
8.2.1 FEATURES OF BUSINESS CONTRACTS
In order a business contract reaches the level of legality, there are several key elements
that such kind of a document need to contain including all the details to have a proper
evidence in the system.
Such key elements include the following:
 Details of all parties involved – mainly the names and contact details of entities
involved in the contract and the mutual relationship
 Aim and consideration of a contract – the main purpose of a contract including
the jobs and activities to be done in order to fulfill the aimed purpose of a
contract. It usually contains all the jobs that need to be done.
 Terms and conditions – mainly specify the rights and duties of both parties
involved in terms to reach the agreed goal in accordance with the legal policy.
Such details can protect both parties in situations when some jobs are not
achieved, or finished as per the agreement.
 Legal purpose – contains the details that help a contract to be considered legally
valid. It covers all the aspects of the mutual relationship mainly in such
situations when the agreed cooperation cannot be fulfilled.
8.2.2 STRUCTURE OF BUSINESS CONTRACTS
As mentioned above, there are several features that a busines contracts need to contain
and based on the business correspondence writing forms, business contracts need to
follow the same rules with the same form and structure.
Those elements include the following features, as per the standards21
:
 Title of the contract – to show a general idea of the purpose of the contract
and its content
 Introduction / purpose – to introduce the main purpose of the contract based
on the background in order to understand the main content of the document
21
“Content of the Contract”, accessed on 20 April, 2019,
https://www.verksamt.se/web/international/running/business-documents/enter-into-contracts/content-of-the-
contract
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
63
 Parties – identify all the parties being involved in the contract including
the names, contact details, corporate IDs, addresses, personal details, personal
IDs, etc.
 Definition of the contract – defines the terminology being used in the
contract repeatedly, clarifies if the previous contracts are still valid, defines
if the parties got involved into the cooperation with another parties, etc.
 Subject matter – defines the content of the contract, being precise and
brief to present the general idea of the contract itself
 Place and date – defines mainly the delivery date of the contract
 Terms and conditions – define all the obligations and rights of both parties
being involved in accordance with the law policy
 Price – this section defines the pricing conditions, terms of payments,
sanctions if no payment received, etc. It includes all the features realted to
the money element of the contract
 Delays – relates to the section when a product, or a service is not delivered
on time, defines the sanctions, etc.
 Faults or errors in product, or a service – defines the terms and conditions
if the purchased products are not of an expected quality, cases when
the products are damaged, incomplete, etc.
 Term of a contract and its termination – defines the period of time when
the contract remains valid and specifies the terms of it being terminated
including a specific period of notice
 Disputes – defines the way how to avoid the legal actions in a way how to
reach the mutual agreement by signing an alternative documents / agree-
ments
 Signature and originals of the contract – contains the date and all parties
being involved in the contract, including the names, contact details, organization
logos, job positions, etc. Additionally, as many copies of the contract
as they exist should be mentioned.
8.3 Employment contracts
Employment contract is a kind of a legal document always signed between an employer
and an employee respecting the legal policy, defining the rights and responsibilities
of both parties being involved in the mutual relationship.
Contracts
64
Such kind of a document has to follow the generally accepted rules and standards
approved by the local / general authorities of a country. The rules and the official
standards are issued and approved by the government authorities and cannot be changed
in any occassions.
8.3.1 KINDS OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
There are several basic kinds of employment contracts that can be distinguished based
on the character of the content and the purpose of the contract itself.
Such types of contracts include the following22
:
 General employment contract – defines the basic terms of a contract including
the duration, benefits, compensation, termination policy, as agreed by
both parties involved
 Noncompete agreement – defines the period of time when an employee cannot
do the job in another company once he terminates the contract with an or-
ganization
 Independent contractor agreement – defines terms and conditions for a project,
or a service in situations when a mutual relationship between two parties
to provide the project, or a service is established
8.3.2 STRUCTURE OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
While signing an employment contract, there are several features that such kind of
a document should always contain in accordance with the official law policy. The document
needs to specify all the details which are crucial for the contract itself.
The basic features include the following23
:
 Position definition – defines the offered position with all the responsibilites
and duties necessary to be followed including the place and hours
 Length of agreement – defines the period of time when the contract is valid
for, including the terms for termination and extend such kind of agreement
 Perfomance and expectations – defines all the skills and abilities needed for
the job to be performed as per the employer and his expectations and require-
ments
22
“Common Types of Business Contracts”, accessed on 20 April, 2019, https://www.avvo.com/legal-
guides/ugc/common-types-of-business-contracts
23
“What are the Basic Elements of the Employment Contract?”, Cheryl Withrow, accessed on 20 April,
2019, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/basic-elements-employment-contract-15518.html
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
65
 Compensation – defines the amount and terms of getting the money paid
for the perfomed job (monthly, weekly, etc.)
 Benefits – define all the extra benefits included in the contract and the job
position including the holidays, meal vouchers, health insurance, etc.
 Termination – defines various scenarios when a contract needs to be terminated
either from the perspective of an employer, or an employee
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Business contract is a legal document between two parties involved mainly in the
business related contexts. Such parties can involve either two legal entities, or organizations;
alternatively, an organization and the physical entity.
Employment contract is a kind of a legal document always signed between an employer
and an employee respecting the legal policy, defining the rights and responsibilities
of both parties being involved in the mutual relationship.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is the basic definition of a contract?
2.) What types of business contracts do you know?
3.) What are the main features of business contracts?
4.) What is the basic definition of an employment contract?
5.) What kinds of employment contracts do you know?
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures of business contracts
and employment contracts. Such kinds of documents are mainly used in the businessrelated
contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language.
Contracts
66
Based on the selected features that such documents contain, students will be able to disttinguish
such documents and handle them in the practical life as well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
67
9 COVERING LETTERS, CURRICULUM VITAE
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of writing covering letters
and creating curriculum vitae, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected
vocabulary and phrases typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the visual demonstration,
students will be able to create such kind of correspondence in the businessrelated
contexts in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and vocabulary related to the covering
letters and curriculum vitae and will be able to create such documents in practise,
based on the visual demostration included in the chapter.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Covering letter, qualification, experience, requirement, curriculum vitae, references
9.1 Covering letter
Covering letter is a kind of letter, or a document, sometimes called a motivation letter,
which is sent together with another documents, mostly curriculum vitae and application
form, in order to provide the applicant’s interest in a specific job position.
Such kind of a letter is mostly related to the business contexts therefore, its purpose is
to provide the relevant information about an applicant, mostly associated with his interest
in the job. It requires the formal language and needs to follow a specific form.
9.1.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF A COVERING LETTER
One of the main functions of the covering letter is to make a good first impression on a
potential new employer. The details and information provided in a covering letter needs
Covering Letters, Curriculum Vitae
68
to present an applicant in such way that a potential employer will consider inviting such
an applicant to a job interiew.
Therefore, a covering letter and the information provided needs to be made in order to
represent a persuasive function. There are several main points which needs to be considered
while creating an effective covering letter:
 Effective beginning – should contain such information that an applicant is interested
in a specific job position, he should provide the information about the
company that offers a job as well
 Qualifications and experience – should be mentioned to inform a potential
employer about the skills relevant for the offered position
 Employer’s requirements – should be covered as part of the skills and experience
in order to inform him that an applicant is aware of the preferred abilities
being seeked for the position
 Contact details – should be mentioned for situations that an employer decides
to contact an applicant. An applicant should mention that he is expecting to be
invited for a job interview as well.
 Professionalism – one of the most important features of a covering letter, no
punctuation, or spelling mistakes are allowed if an applicant wants to leave a
positive first impression.
9.1.2 FEATUES OF A COVERING LETTER
As mentioned above, there are several features that a letter of complaint need to contain
and based on the business correspondence writing forms, letters of complaint need to
follow the same rules with the same form and structure.
Those elements include the following features based on the complaint letter as visible
below24
:
 Recipient – full contact details of the recipient, usually mentioned at the top of
the letter
 Subject – name of a job position usually accompanied with the phrase Applying
for … / Application for …
 Salutation – formal salutation towards a recipient
24
“Free Email Cover Letter For Fresher”, accessed on 17 April, 2019,
https://www.template.net/editable/5781/email-cover-letter-for-fresher
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
69
 Body of the letter – usually divided into 2 / 3 paragraphs where the main
points of the problem are described followed by the proposed solution od
such a problem, mostly bulleted
 List of qualities, abilities and experience – in order to attract an employer’s
interest
 Attachments – usually referred to the curriculum vitae attached to the document.
Typical phrase used: Please, find enclosed my CV …
 Closing phrases and greetings – mainly polite and formal conlusion of
the letter, thanking the recipient for reading and the actions to be followed.
 Signature – full name, including the job title, contact details (logo of the
company can be included if necessary as well)
Covering Letters, Curriculum Vitae
70
9.1.3 USEFUL VOCABULARY
In order to follow the correct procedures of writing appropriate letters of complaint,
there are several phrases that can be used based on previous chapter above:
 Salutation phrases – Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.; Dear Team; Dear Collective;
Dear All; To Whom it May Concern
 Body of the letter – The position offered made a strong impact on me because
…; The position strongly appeals to me because …; I feel that I can help your
company to grow …; I assume that I can fit into your company because …; I
am more than excited to learn new processes …; The abilities and experince I
have achieved so far would suit your company because …
 Closing phrases – Yours sincerely (if the recipient is known); Yours faithfully
(if the recipient is unknown); Kind regards, Regards, Warm regards, With regards;
Best regards, Yours truly
9.2 Curriculum vitae
Curriculum vitae is a kind of document which contains the most relevant information
about an applicant’s educational background, professional experience and another relevant
details regarding the qualifications.
Such kind of a document is usually sent to the organization, or a company when an applicant
is interested in a specific job position, accompanied with the covering letter. Its is
purpose is to briefly present an applicant to a potential employer.
9.2.1 MAIN FEATURES OF CURRICULUM VITAE
One of the most important facts about a curriculum vitae is that it represents a crucial
document for an employer who check an applicant’s details and experience in order to
evaluate if he is an ideal candidate for a specific job, and if an applicant is worthy to spent
money and time on.
Generally, there is no standard form of curriculum vitae but there are several basic features
that the document needs to contain, as per the following:
 Personal details – name, contact details (phone number, email address), additional
details such as nationality, driving license, etc. are optional, but not ne-
eded
 Character description – a list of applicant’s character qualities (usually mentioned
in one short paragraph) mostly related to a job currently applying for
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
71
 Work experience – a list of previous jobs (including the time frame),
mostly related to the job applying for usually listed in bullet points
 Education – a list of academic and professional achievements along with
the academic grades achieved (including the time frames if necessary)
 Skills – list of additional skills achieved such as IT skills (computer skills),
language skills, etc. Such skills can be listed in bullet points and should be
related to the job position applying for
 Hobbies and leisure time activities – a brief and short list of free time
activites that an applicant like doing in his leisure time
 References – a list of referees who can recommend an applicant based on
the previous job positions, or mentors, tutors from academic sphere
There are plenty of online websites and sources that can help to make a curriculum
viate by adding the requested details into the columns.
Based on the following curriculum vitae preview, the basic elements mentioned above
can be found25
:
25
“Choose Your Free CV Template”, accessed on 17 April, 2019, https://www.cv-
template.com/en/account/choose-template
Covering Letters, Curriculum Vitae
72
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Covering letter is a kind of letter, or a document sometimes called a motivation letter,
which is sent together with another documents, mostly curriculum vitae and application
form, in order to provide the applicant’s interest in a specific job position.
Curriculum vitae, or briefly CV is a kind of letter or a document which contains the
most relevan information about an applicant’s educational background, professional experience
and another relevant details regarding the qualifications.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
73
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is a covering letter?
2.) What are the basic characteristics of a covering letter?
3.) What is a curriculum vitae?
4.) What would you say is the main function of a curriculum vitae?
5.) What are the main features of a curriculum vitae?
SAMOSTATNÝ ÚKOL
Based on the demonstration picture above and the basic characteristics, create the
following documents , as per the following instructions:
1.) Covering letter – create a covering letter (choose a job position, company name
and another details), be formal and polite, following the rules as per the theory
mentioned in the chapter.
2.) Create your own CV online and by yourself and compare it to the one that you
probably have at the moment.
While creating your new curriculum vitae, you can use one of the following links:
https://www.cv-template.com/en/account/choose-template
https://zety.com/resume-templates
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while making the covering
letters and curriculum vitae. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the businessrelated
contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language
Covering Letters, Curriculum Vitae
74
with the intention of the persuasive function to reach the intended goal of achieving jobs
applicants want to get. Based on the visual examination of such documents and the selected
features, students will be able to create such documents by in the practical life as well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
75
10 APPLICATION FORMS
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of application form letters
and their main types, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected vocabulary
and phrases typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the visual demonstration, students
will be able to deal with such kinds of correspondence in the business-related contexts
in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and contents related to the application
form letters and will be able to deal with such documents in practise, based on the visual
demostration included in the chapter.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Application form, application form of employment, application form of membership, application
form of rental, application form of credit, application form of volunteers, re-
search
10.1 Application forms in general
Application form is a kind of document that is filled in order to fill in all the details
needed about an applicant who is either applying for a job, insurance, service, etc. Applicants
are always obliged to provide all the details that are requested such as names,
address, contact details (phone numbers, email addresses), etc.
Such kind of a document serves as an evidence of an appplicant and his skills, experience,
achieved education, as well as the relevant contact details; which is usually kept in
the evidence of a specific company, or an organization.
Application form is always provided by a company, or an organization towards an applicant,
never on the other way round; it is always created in accordance with the gene-
Application Forms
76
rally accepted and approved law policy and government standards and its content is never
passed to the third party therefore, the content is highly confidential.
10.1.1 TYPES OF APPLICATION FORMS
Application forms can be applied in various business related contexts where an applicant
is asked to provide the relevant details of his person in accordance with the requested
information, ort he information needed. Generally, there is at least one features which is
needed in all kinds of application forms – contact details such as full name, contact
address, phone number, email address, nationality, date of birth, etc.
These documents can be split into the following types26
:
 Application form of an employment – a document used for job applicants to
provide the details related to a job position they apply for. Such kind of application
form can contain the previous jobs list, salary requirements, or achieved education
related to the job position.
 Application form of membership – a document used for applicants to provide
the details related to the membership admittance into a club, organization. Such
kind of application form can contain the previous job history, references, emergency
contact details, etc.
 Application form of rental – a document used for applicants to provide the details
towards landlords in situations they want to rent a building, flat, or another
kinds of premises. Based on the details provided in the application form, landlords
can easily check the criminal records, financial history, o ran employment status.
 Application form of credit – a document used for applicants to prvide the details
towards the financial insitutions (either private, or state ones). Based on the details
provided, the insitutions can check the financial history, credit status, or abilities
of applicants to pay their loans on time.
 Application form for volunteers – a document used for applicants to provide the
details towards the nonprofit organizations in order to check the reliability of an
employee related to illegal actions since it is a nonprofit organization who takes
the responsibility
26
“Types of Application Forms”, accesed on 20 April, 2019, https://www.smartdraw.com/application-
form/#applicationFormTypes
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
77
10.2 Application form of employment
As mentioned in the previous chapter above, the application form of employment is a
kind of document that an applicant needs to fill in in accordance with the requested details
by a company or an organization realted to a job position he is applying for.
Such kind of document is alwys confidential and is never provided to the third party.
Although, there are several features of an application form of employment that can be
requested, there is no official standard for the application form in general. It depends on
each company, or an organization what details they request from an applicant to provide.
10.2.1 FEATURES OF AN EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION
Even though, there are crucial features that need to be provided in an application form
which is usually accompanied with a covering letter and a CV when applying for a job.
The most relevant fields that an application form need to contain include the
following:
 Personal details – include all the relevant details regarding an applicant (full
name, address, contact phone number, email address, nationality, date of birth,
personal ID details, sex, health condition, age, etc.)
 Education history – include a list of all educational institutions that an applicant
attended with the grades achieved (crucial details include the time limits)
 Employment history – include a list of previous jobs performed by an applicant
with the time frames, names of the companies, responsibilities, etc.
 Hobbies and interests – include the brief insight of hobbies and free time acivities,
mostly related to the applied job position
 Reasons for applying – include the details what attracted the attetion when
applying for a job, skills and competence of an applicant for the job position,
actions to be done to improve and upgrade the skills to perform the job, longterm
goals, etc.
 Additional questions – include the details regarding the previous jobs and the
team job, challenges, actions done to achieve the goals, participation of various
projects, etc.
Those relevant features can be visible in the job application form as presented below27
:
27
“Employment Application Forms and How They Work”, accessed on 16 April, 2019,
https://www.template.net/business/how-employment-application-forms-work/
Application Forms
78
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
79
10.2.2 PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR A JOB
Before an applicant applies for a job, there are several steps he needs to keep in mind
in order to succeed during a job interview and during the selection process.
In order to make a good impression on a potential employer and represent a professional
attitude towards a selected job position, an applicant need to focus on the following
steps:
 Information needed for applying for a job including education history,
job history, etc. An applicant should always be prepared to response to any questi-
Application Forms
80
ons from an employer regarding the skills, experience and abilities which can be
relevant for the job.
 Research for the organization, or a company details that an applicant is applying
for a job in. When an applicant is prepared and familiar with the company and their
jobs, he can show an interest to an employer and be prepared better to respond
any additional questions.
 Job description should be read closely in order to understand the responsibilities
and duties related to the job performance and activities needed for the job to be
done properly. It will help an applicant to reply any questions that an employer
can ask during a job interview.
 Instructions of the application form should be read carefully in order to avoid
any mistakes and misunderstandings when filling it in. Reading instructions of the
form properly can lead to the preofessional attitude and impress an employer.
 Stress the abilities and skills is always a good step to impress an employer in order
to persuade him that an applicant is an ideal candidate for the position.
 Straight-to-the point approach while responding to the questions is a way how
to avoid any potential misleading information to be provided and can be a fact
how to show the professionalism in the future
 Being honest is crucial when filling in the form, since lying and presenting inaccurate
information in order to impress an employer is not acceptable
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Application form is a kind of letter, or a document that is filled in order to fill in all
the details needed about an applicant who is either applying for a job, insurance, service,
etc. Applicants are always obliged to provide all the details that are requested such as
names, address, contact details (phone numbers, email addresses), etc.
Application form of an empoyment is a kind of document used for job applicants to
provide the details related to a job position they apply for. Such kind of application form
can contain the previous jobs list, salary requirements, or achieved education related to
the job position.
Application form of credit – a document used for applicants to prvide the details
towards the financial insitutions (either private, or state ones). Based on the details provided,
the insitutions can check the financial history, credit status, or abilities of applicants
to pay their loans on time.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
81
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is an application form?
2.) What types of applications do you know?
3.) What are the main features of an employment application?
4.) Why do you think lying, or providing misledaing information in the application
form is not a good idea? Share the arguments.
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while dealing with various
forms of application letters. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the
business-related contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal
language with the intention of providing the honest and accurate information to reach the
intended goal of achieving jobs applicants want to get. Based on the visual examination
of such documents and the selected features, students will be able to deal with such documents
by in the practical life as well.
Dismissal Documents
82
11 DISMISSAL DOCUMENTS
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of dismissal letters, their
main types, their basic structure as well as the usage of selected vocabulary and phrases
typical for such kinds of documents. Based on the visual demonstration, students will be
able to deal with such kinds of correspondence in the business-related contexts in practi-
se.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and contents related to the dismissal
letters and will be able to deal with such documents in practise, based on the visual demostration
included in the chapter.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Dismissal document, employment dismissal, fair dismissal, unfair dismissal, voluntary
dismissal, wrongful dismissal, constructive dismissal,
11.1Dismissal documents in general
Dismissal letter is a kind of document related to the business contexts and mainly associated
with the termination of either a job contract, or another forms of mutual cooperation
between two entities.
While speaking about the business related contexts, dismissal documents will be related
mainly to the employment dismissal documents and needs to contain formal statement
of the dismissal reasons, as well as the structure of the letter itself.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
83
11.1.1 TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT DISMISSAL DOCUMENTS
While speaking about the employment dismissal documents, those are related to various
situations when a dismissal can be made. Such situations can include the redundancy
of an employer due to the financial situations of an organization, performance of an employee,
behavioural reasons, cultural background, conduct, illness, etc.
Based on the reasons for a dismissal to be raised can include the following types:
 Fair dismissal – needs to follow the fair rules and dealing with an employee
based on the mutually respected reasons. Such situations can include the redundancy
of an employee, temporary replacement (due to the maternity leave,
or losing a driving license), etc. but needs to be accepted by both entities invol-
ved.
 Unfair dismissal – is a kind of dismissal when an employee does no have to be
informed about the actions taken from an employer. Such situation can be tricky
since the dismissal needs to follow the legally accepted rules and policies
and if the employer is makes an employee redundant in an unfair way, he can
be supposed to hire the person back.
 Voluntary dismissal – can be applied in situations when employees are already
familiar with the employer’s intention to make some employees redundant.
In such situations, an employee can make himself be redundant based on his
own decision. This kind of dismissal can be a fair dismissal as well.
 Constructive dismissal – is applied in situations when an employee has a feeling
that he is not treated well, or being pushed to leave a company, or an organization.
Such situations can include a salary being stopped to be paid which
can never happen in a mutual business partnership.
 Wrongful dismissal – can be applied in situations when an employer breaches
the terms of an employee’s contract during the dismissal process, such as not
providing a proper notice28
.
28
“Dismissing Emploeyees – Types of Dismissal”, accessed on 15 April, 2019,
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/types-dismissal
Dismissal Documents
84
11.1.2 FEATURES OF AN EMPLOYMENT DISMISSAL
There are several features that an employment dismissal document needs to contain.
Based on the previous chapter above, employer always need to follow specific procedures
when terminating a contract with an employer including the following:
 Full details of an employee – including the full name, position being performed,
place of a job is performed in, address, personal ID details, contact details
as well as the employee’s company ID, alternatively, the job responsibilities,
etc.
 Full details of an employer – including the full name of a company, company
ID, address, contact details, place of a company is located in, etc.
 Reasons for a contract termination – including a full description why a contract
is being temrinated (as per the previous chapter – fair, unfair dismissal,
etc.). Such reasons need to be clear and clarify the employer’s steps in accordance
with the employment legal policy.
 Terms and conditions of a job termination contract – including a specification
when a job will be terminated, payment conditions, etc.
 Alternative solution – can be applied in situations when an employee is offered
another position within the same organization.
11.1.3 STRUCTURE OF A DISMISSAL LETTER
Based on the visual demostration of a dismissal letter below, such kind of a latter
should contain the following elements29
:
 Employer’s details – full name, address, contact details, usually listed at the
top of a letter
 Date
 Employee’s details – full name, address, contact details, usually listed below
the date
 Salutation
 Body of the letter – usually divided into 2 / 3 paragraphs containing the crucial
information about the reasons for a job contract being terminated
29
“Free Termination Letter Templates”, accessed on 18 April, 2019,
https://www.template.net/business/letters/termination-letter-templates/
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
85
 Closing phrases – usually formal phrases to conclude the letter and give a
recipient an option to react back
 Greetings – formal final greetings
 Signature – including the name and the position of a sender
Dismissal Documents
86
K ZAPAMATOVÁNÍ
Dismissal document is a kind of letter, or a document related to the business contexts
and mainly associated with the termination of either a job contract, or another forms of
mutual cooperation between two entities.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is a dismissal document?
2.) What types of employment dismissal documents do you know?
3.) What are the main features of an employment dismissal document?
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while dealing with various
forms of dismissal letters. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the businessrelated
contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language
with the intention of providing the honest and accurate information to terminate a
business contract. Based on the visual examination of such documents and the selected
features, students will be able to deal with such documents by in the practical life as well.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
87
12 ADDITIONAL BUSINESS DOCUMENTS
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is to introduce the problematics of additional business
letters, their main types, and basic characteristics in the business infrastructure. Based on
the basic definitions of such documents, students will be able to deal with such kinds of
correspondence in the business-related contexts in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and contents related to the selected
business related documents and will be able to deal with them in practise in the future.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Business documents, newsletter, circular, sales letter, follow-up letter, letter of recommendation,
letter of offer, adjustment letter, dunning letter
12.1Types of additional business documents
Business correspondence includes a wide range of documents and letters which can
contribute to the business impact on significant amount of recipients worldwide, guarantee
to get even more business partners and spread the business influence to higher levels.
Such kinds of documents which have not been mentioned in the previous chapters
above represent a significant role in the business field in the same way like those which
have been already presented.
Those documents which represent the business sphere as well as marketing field include
the following:
 Newsletters
 Circulars
Additional Business Documents
88
 Sales letters
 Follow-up letters
 Letters of recommendation
 Letters of offer
 Adjustment letters
 Dunning letters
12.1.1 NEWSLETTERS
Newsletter is a business related document informing a receiver of the news in the
business, activities being provided in the business by an organization, or a company. This
kind of document is usually regularly sent to the business partners, customers, employees,
or those who are interested in the organization’s activities, either via the post, or via
email.
Such information provided in a newsletter should always be useful, readable, relevant,
consistent and needs to show action of a company, or an organization.
12.1.2 CIRCULARS
Circular is a business related kind of a document which is usually sent to employees,
or the end users, customers and another source of recipients of services and products in
order to ask them for the overal satisfaction, dissatisfaction, as well as the recommendation
what can be improved in the business, ort he provided services.
Such documents can be a very easy and helpful source of information that an organization,
or a company can use in order to review and improve the quality of services, or
the level of production and make them even more effective.
12.1.3 SALES LETTERS
Sales letter is a kind of business related document addressed to consumers, potential
customers, or the current customers to make them aware of products and services available
and persuade them to buy either a product, or a service with the absence of a sales
representative.
Such kind of a document needs to contain the persuasive elements and a formal
language to appeal on an end user effectively but it should not be pushy, or rude at
all. It can be addressed to end users either via email, or via a written correspondence
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
89
and should contain all relevant details of a product, as well as about a company offering
it.
12.1.4 FOLLOW-UP LETTERS
Follow-up letter is a kind of business related document usually addressed to a recipient,
customer, or an end user as a follow up on the initial communication, or mutual
cooperation in a specific field.
Such kind of a letter can be a thank you letter for the purchased product, or a service,
an order made, a company responding to an applicant applying for a job, etc.
Follow-up letters can be generally considered as a combination of a thank you letter
and a sales letter.
12.1.5 LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Letter of recommendation is a kind of document mostly being applied in the
business related contexts which is addressed to a potential new employee by university
professors, tutors, or mentors, as well as by previous employers in situations when
applicants is seeking for a new job.
Such kinds of documents can have a personal value and can express previous relationships
between an applicant and a former employer, as well as between an applicant
and a former university mentor. It can also have a huge impact on a new potential
employer in order to hire a new employee.
12.1.6 LETTERS OF OFFER
Letter of offer is a kind of document related to the business which is sent to an end
user, or a customer as a way how to confirm an order received, as well as to provide
the details of the purchase.
Once this kind of letter is sent to a consumer, or a recipietn, the merchandise is
being sent as well. Such kind of letter should contain all the details related to an order
such as the item definition, number of items purchased, date of the order, number of
the order as well as the recipient’s and sender’s contact details, bank account number,
etc.
12.1.7 ADJUSTMENT LETTERS
Adjustment letter is a kind of business related document which is usually sent to a
consumer, or a customer as a way how to react on the previously sent complaint, or a
Additional Business Documents
90
claim. It should contain such information that a complaint has been received and if it
has been understood.
The follow up action should be included in the letter as well. Depending on the way
how the complaint has been received, the action to be taken should be described either on
a positive, or negative way.
12.1.8 DUNNING LETTERS
Dunning letter is a kind of letter or a business related letter mainly sent to a recipiend
in order to inform him that he is overdue with the payment for either a specific service, or
a product.
There can be several levels of such documents sent to the recipient. At the beginning,
those are formal and polite reminders and if no actions are taken, the tone can change to a
very strict demand for the payments to be provided. This kind of document can be considered
as legal way how to get the recipient to provide the requested action and can be
followed by serious legal actions.
KONTROLNÍ OTÁZKA
Based on the content of the chapter and the details being discussed, answer the
following quetions:
1.) What is a newsletter?
2.) What is a circular?
3.) What is a sales letter?
4.) What is a follow-up letter?
5.) What is a letter of recommendation?
6.) What is a letter of offer?
7.) What is an adjustment letter?
8.) What is a dunning letter?
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the basic terminology and structures while dealing with
various forms of additional business letters. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
91
the business-related contexts and need to fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal
language with the intention of providing the honest and accurate information to the
recipients.
Practical Usage
92
13 PRACTICAL USAGE
RYCHLÝ NÁHLED KAPITOLY
The main aim of this chapter is give students a chance to prepare the selected business
related documents and act in role play situations in order to be able to handle the situations
in real life when needed in the future. Based on the basic definitions of such documents,
students will be able to deal with such kinds of correspondence in the businessrelated
contexts in practise.
CÍLE KAPITOLY
Students will get familiar with the basic structure and contents related to the selected
business related documents and will be able to deal with them in practise in the future.
Role play situations will help them to deal and defend their statements when present at
the meeting, job interview, etc.
KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA KAPITOLY
Job interview, covering letter, curriculum vitae, application form, sales letter, letter of
inquiry, letter of proposal, dismissal letter, employment dismissal letter
13.1 Job interview
Chapter number 9 focused mainly on the usage and creating covering letters and
curriculum vitae where the students got familiar with the main structure of such documents
as well as with their form, structure and selected language phrases.
Additionally, chapter number 10 focused on creating and forms of application forms
while applying for a job in an organization, or a company.
Based on the chapters and their content mentioned above, follow up the instructions
given and act accordingly.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
93
TASK 1:
You are going to participate a job interview. Prepare a covering letter, a curriculum
vitae and fill in the application form, based on the instructions given in the previous
chapters and be prepared for any additional questions.
A job you are going to apply for can be selected from the following positions:
 Customer service representative – a job position requiring good
knowledge of an English language, great communication skills in a
written and spoken form, as well as good knowlegde of computer ski-
lls.
 Project manager – a job position requiring good knowledge of an English
language, great communication sklil in a written and spoken
form, good knowledge of computer skills as well as excellent managerial
skills since the job involves leading a team of 25 people
 English language teacher – a job position with great knowledge of
English skills, good presentation abilities, computer skills, abilities to
handle a class of students, etc.
Bring the documents to the class, choose a partner, exchange the documents and
role play the job interview. One of the partners will act as a job interviewer, the second
one will be an applicant. The task for the job interviewer is to go through the
application form, covering letter and an application form and prepare additional que-
stions.
The task for the second partner (an applicant) is to answer those questions in a
way to persuade that he is an ideal candidate for the position. Keep in mind to be honest,
straight-to-the point and reply to all questions accordingly. The job interview
should not be longer than 20 minutes.
At the end of task, exchange the roles.
13.2 Sales letter, inquiry, proposal
Previous chapters mentioned the usage of sales letters, their fucntion and the purpose,
the information which need to be included as well as the content of such docu-
ments.
Chapter number 5 focused on the main purpose of inquiry letters, their function,
structure and selected vocabulary as well as the content which needs to be included.
Practical Usage
94
Chapter number 6 focused on the main purpose of proposal letters, their function,
structure and selected vocabulary, not to mention the fact of the content of such kind
of correspondence.
TASK 2:
You have received a sales letter with a new product presentation from an organization,
or a company which is looking for a new potential customers, or a business
partner. Work in pairs and agree with your partner what the new product would be.
Keep in mind that each of you need to have a different product chosen.
Prepare a sales letter presenting a new product based on the own decision, then
create a letter of inquiry and a letter of proposal for the mutual future-to-be cooperati-
on.
Exchange the letters and discuss the content, structure and the way of the vocabulary
being used.
13.3 Employment dismissal
Chapter number 11 focused on dismissal documents, their manin features and functions
as well as the form.
TASK 3:
Prepare an employment dismissal letter based on the previously mentioned job positions
and clarify the reasons for the document to be sent to the employee. Choose from the
types of documents mentioned in the chapter 11 and be as precise and clear as possible.
Defend your reasons and follow the standards of creating such a document.
Choose from the following job positions, as per the previous part of this chapter above:
 Customer service representative
 Project manager
 English language teacher
Choose a partner from a class and role play a situation where you share the document
with the employee. Be prepared to present the contract termination in person and share
the reasons for your decision. Be formal, precise and honest.
Once finished, eschange your roles and do the same.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
95
SHRNUTÍ KAPITOLY
Students got familiar with the practical usage of the achieved knowledge based on
letters of proposal, inquiry, sales letters, covering letters, curriculum vitae, dismissal documents,
or application forms and based on the role play activities, they can experience
the real situations that can happen to them in the common life when applying for a job,
etc. Such kinds of letters can be used mainly in the business-related contexts and need to
fulfill the specific structure and usage of formal language with the intention of providing
the honest and accurate information to the recipients.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
96
LITERATURA
Ashley, A. Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, Handbook: New Edition.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Garner, Bryan A. HBR Guide to Better Business Writing. Harvard Business Review Press,
2013.
Lougheed, Lin. Business Correspondence: A Guide to Everyday Writing (2nd Edition).
Pearson Education ESL, 2002.
Seglin, Jeffrey and Coleman, Edward. AMA Handbook of Business Letters (Kindle version).
AMACOM, 2012.
Roberts-Lindsell, Sheryl. Strategic Business Letters and Email (1st Edition). Houghton
Mifflin, 2004.
Weiss, Edmond H. Elements of International English Style: A Guide to Writing Correspondence,
Reports, Technical Documents and Internet Pages for Global Audience (1st
Edition). M.E.Sharpe, 2005.
Abell, Alicia. Business Grammar, Style and Usage. Thomson West, Aspatore Books,
2003.
Appleman, Jack E. 10 Steps to Successful Business Writing (2nd Edition). Association for
Talent Development, 2017.
Lukáš Varga - Business Correspondence
97
SHRNUTÍ STUDIJNÍ OPORY
Based on the content of the material, students got a chance to get familiar with the basic
problematice of the Business Correspondence and selected elements of the most important
features, styles and forms being used.
Each chapter focuses on the separate field and problematics of the business sphere, the
main kinds of the communication being used either in the written, or an electronic form.
There are plenty additional exercises and questions which students can use to check the
knowledge achieved, tasks to work in pair, or small groups as well as to practise writing
various kinds of documents at home, based on the practical preview.
Students could practise the topics in the class, share their opinions with another students,
but had a chance to role play various situations based on the correspondence.
All the tasks are mentioned at the end of each chapter with the clear explanation and instructions
given in order to follow up correctly.
The tasks were intended to be made in such way that students can enjoy the practise and
get a feeling that they would be prepared correctly once they get chance to deal with such
situations in the real life.
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PŘEHLED DOSTUPNÝCH IKON
Čas potřebný ke studiu Cíle kapitoly
Klíčová slova Nezapomeňte na odpočinek
Průvodce studiem Průvodce textem
Rychlý náhled Shrnutí
Tutoriály Definice
K zapamatování Případová studie
Řešená úloha Věta
Kontrolní otázka Korespondenční úkol
Odpovědi Otázky
Samostatný úkol Další zdroje
Pro zájemce Úkol k zamyšlení
Pozn. Tuto část dokumentu nedoporučujeme upravovat, aby byla zachována správná
funkčnost vložených maker. Tento poslední oddíl může být zamknut v MS Word 2010
prostřednictvím menu Revize/Omezit úpravy.
Takto je rovněž omezena možnost měnit například styly v dokumentu. Pro jejich úpravu
nebo přidávání či odebírání je opět nutné omezení úprav zrušit. Zámek není chráněn
heslem.
Název: Business Correspondence
Autor: Mgr. Lukáš Varga
Vydavatel: Slezská univerzita v Opavě
Filozoficko-přírodovědecká fakulta v Opavě
Určeno: studentům SU FPF Opava
Počet stran: 99
Tato publikace neprošla jazykovou úpravou.