XIV. Speak on the topic Applying for a Job using the communicative scheme below.

Applying for a Job

↓ ↓

resume

interview

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

main parts

data

types

participants

↓ ↓

interviewer

interviewee

↓ ↓

questions

rules of behaviour

Writing business letters

1. Study the list of topical vocabulary to avoid the difficulties in understanding the text in exercise III. Consult the dictionary to pronounce the words correctly.

body of the letter – текст письма

complimentary close – заключительная формула вежливости

correspondence – переписка

correspondent – получатель

double space – двойной интервал

enclosure – приложение

greeting – приветствие

inside address – внутренний адрес

message – сообщение

paragraph – абзац

(introductory paragraph – вводный абзац

main paragraph – основной абзац

concluding paragraph – заключительный абзац)

printed company form – фирменный бланк

sender’s return address – обратный адрес отправителя

signature – подпись

subject line – тема письма

II. Read and translate the following international words and word combinations into Russian. Make up sentences using them.

Normal business activity, telephone number, telex, telegraphic, communication, personal contacts, international business, business correspondence, standard, personal signature, company logo, address, to address, special title, to stress, style, natural, author, position, punctuation, abbreviation, catalogue, copy of cheque, certificate, contract, document.

III. Read and translate the text, say what its main points are.

WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS

Correct business letter writing is very important for normal business activity. The writing of letters continues nowadays in spite of the development of telephone, telex and telegraphic ways of communication and the increasing personal contacts in international business. Business correspondence serves to order a product, to provide or request information, to complain about something etc.

Business letters are usually written on printed company forms. The ordinary business letter consists of the following standard parts:

• the heading (including the date)

• the inside address

• the greeting

• the body of the letter

• the complimentary close

• the signature.

All these parts are separated with a double space. This way of typing letter on a computer is called the block format.

The heading comprises the name of the company or a company logo, the postal and telegraphic addresses, the telephone number(s), and the number of telexes and faxes. Also the heading includes the date. The date is typed two spaces below the sender’s return address, always on the right-hand side.

The inside address is the address of the person or company receiving the letter. The name and the address of company written to are usually typed on the left-hand side.

The greeting (salutation) follows two spaces below the inside address with the words Dear Sir(s), Dear Mr. Jones, Dear Ms Jones or Dear Dr Thomson if the correspondent has a special title. Very often comma is typed after a greeting.

It is possible to place the subject line between the greeting and the body of the letter. The subject line helps to stress the purpose of a letter.

The body of the letter contains the message. The style of the message in a business letter is formal. The language should be clear and natural. Sentences and paragraphs shouldn’t be too long. As business letters are written on behalf of a firm or company, the plural pronouns we and our are preferred to the singular ones I or my. Also the short forms such as we’ll or we’ve should be avoided in all formal and business letters.

The body of the letter consists of the introductory, main and concluding paragraphs. To separate the various points more effectively, additional spacing is used between paragraphs. In the introductory paragraph the author may refer to any previous correspondence or conversations, mention the sources of information and the reasons for writing the letter. The main paragraph gives information and facts concerning the subject of the letter. If there are some portions of information to write in the main part, it is common to start a new paragraph for each idea or subject. The concluding paragraph is necessary to express the attitude to prospect actions and relations of the sender and correspondent.

The complimentary close is a polite way of bringing a letter to a close. The expression used should suit the situation. If the salutation is Dear Sir(s) the complimentary close will be Yours faithfully. If the correspondent is addressed by his name, for example, Dear Mr. Jones, the complimentary close will be Yours sincerely.

The letter should be always signed by hand and in ink, since a signature is a personal mark of the author. A signature must not carry a title: it must be the plain signature of the writer, for example, Oleg Tumanov. Below the personal signature it is necessary to type the title and the name of the author, his position in the company or the name of the department he represents.

It is becoming common to place the complimentary close, the personal and the typed signature on the left-hand side of the letter.

In modern business letter, punctuation is used only in the sentences and in some abbreviations. There is no punctuation in the heading, the date or after the typed signature.

If there are enclosures, the abbreviation Encl. is typed in the bottom left-hand corner, with a short description of the enclosure (resume, price list, catalogue, copies of cheques, certificates, contracts, documents etc.).