SEMINAR WORK – BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE


Your seminar work for this semester consists of two business letters.

These will take the form of correspondence between two parties, i.e. you will choose to cooperate
with a colleague from your seminar group.  One in the pair will initiate the correspondence by
sending the colleague a business letter dealing with a particular issue concerning his/her business
(for sample types see below), to which the other will reply. For the second set of letters you will
continue the correspondence dealing with the issues more specifically or focusing on a different
topic. The letters will be numbered 1,2,3 and 4 according to the logical sequence and will bear the
name and UČO of the author.


The body of the letter should contain at least three paragraphs, but the overall length of one
letter should not exceed one A4 size page. All letters must be handed in typed, double spaced. They
must contain all particulars of formal paper-style business letters. The deadline to hand in the
seminar work is 9 April 2009.


Before you start writing the letters study Intelligent Business Style guide, pp 16 – 19, attached
to all IB Coursebooks.


Make sure all your letters include:


Ø  letter head/address of writer

Ø  name and address of recipient

Ø  references

Ø  date

Ø  opening

Ø  subject heading

Ø  body of the letter

Ø  closing

Ø  signature

Ø  name and job title

Ø  enclosures


Sample types of business letters:


Ø  letter of enquiry

Ø  letter of reply

Ø  letter of application

Ø  letter of complaint

Ø  letter of confirmation (of receiving an order/dealing with a complaint…)

Ø  letter of apology

Ø  an offer to cooperate / supply components etc.

Ø  other types


For business correspondence of all kinds is important that it is concise, clear and to the point.
When you have finished, check your letters for:


Ø  logical structure

Ø  clarity of ideas

Ø  accuracy of language

Ø  appropriateness of style


For more information see the Style guide or any other literature dealing with formal business
correspondence in English.