Business Letter:
Letters between business correspondents, containing commercial information such as quotations, orders, complaints, claims, and letters for collections. Letters of this type are always formal and follow a set structure and pattern.
IELTS Business Letter Structure
Dear Sir/Madam, (or name if given)
This is a salutation. It should be formal, either Dear Sir/Madam or a title with a name “Dear Mr Johns.
Dear Mr. Coleman,
1. Explain who you are and why you are writing
o Start by stating who your are and the reason of writing the letter.
I am writing to request for an unpaid leave for one month. Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with severe lung issues, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs, which the doctor scientifically termed “pulmonary edema”.
2. Explanation in more detail: describe your situation and make it clear
o You need to give a clear and very elaborate detail of the reason of writing the letter.
I was scheduled for a surgery to drain the fluid out of my lungs as more of it might cause, as the doctor said, pneumothorax or atelectasis, a collapse of part or all of the lung or the swelling and inflammation in the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs, a condition he termed “bronchitis”. The surgery will take a few hours but the recovery process will be longer. It will thus be hard for me to come back to work in less than a month’s time. I have been advised by the doctor that a month would be enough to get me back to my laurels.
3. Suggestions: what you expect, apologize if needed; be polite and positive
o Sometimes you will be required to give suggestions or recommendations in regard to the reason given above.
I have worked with my colleague Mss. Jane for over ten years and I know she is well knowledgeable about my kind of work. I contacted her and requested for her help during my absence and she willingly accepted.
4. Formal ending, name, signature
This should be formal, usually:
o Yours sincerely, ... (you know the name of person you are writing to)
o Yours faithfully, ... (you don't know the name!)
I will be grateful if my request is granted.
Yours sincerely,
Omarion Clause.
Example Of a Business Letter: