Unit 1 Overview 1
Functions of business correspondence 1
Criteria for effective business writing 3
Words and tone in business writing 6
The unique importance of e-mails and faxes 9
Unit 2 Business Letters 19
Introduction 19
Elements of business letters 19
Formats of business letters 26
Strategies for writing a business letter 30
Letters to customers and suppliers 31
Letters on staff matters 42
Personal business letters 50
Unit 3 Memos and Minutes 63
Introduction:Memos 63
Formats of memos 63
Features of memos 66
Introduction:Minutes 66
Preparing minutes for a meeting 67
Features of minutes 68
Format of minutes 69
Requirements of minutes writing 72
Unit 4 Business Reports 79
Introduction 79
Five-step plan for a business report 80
Business report for mats 80
Four types of short reports 88
Unit 5 Business Proposals 95
Introduction 95
Three types of formal business proposals 95
Key elements of winning business proposals 101
Strategies for writing a business proposal 101
Business proposal format 102
Checklist for business proposals 106
Unit 6 Business Advertisements 109
Introduction 109
The basics of advertisements 109
Types of advertisements 111
Language features of advertisements 115
Excellent advertising words and phrases for ad writing 117
Ten steps to writing successful advertisements 118
Samples of successful advertisements 120
Unit 7 Tender and Bidding Documents 127
Introduction 127
The general procedures of tendering 127
Two types of tenders 128
Forms and contents of invitation for bids 131
Preparing bidding documents 134
Forms and contents of bidding documents 135
Language features of tender and bidding documents 137
Terminology in tender and bidding documents 140
Unit 8 Business Contracts and Agreements 145
Introduction 145
Procedures of drafting a business contract 146
Forms and contents of business contracts 147
Types of business contracts 151
Language features of business contracts 158
Terminology in business contracts 163
Unit 9 Notice and Announcement 171
Writing a notice 171
Writing an announcement 174
Unit 10 Resumes and Cover Letters 181
Introduction:Resumes 181
The elements of a resume 182
Resume language 185
Strategies for writing a resume 186
Three formats of resume 187
How to choose the right format for you 197
Introduction:Cover letters 198
General outline for a cover letter 199
Two types of cover letters 200
Strategies for writing a cover letter 205
Appendix Abbreviations Commonly Used in Business Documents 213
References 216