Communication Skills

Unit - 1

Question Bank

1. What are the functions of a bank? What are the various types of correspondences that facilitate these functions?

Bank is a financial institution which is run by the Government as well as private sector to assist the public in general to lend money to persons for doing business in order to better their living standards or for development purposes. It provides interest on funds deposited with it by the depositors and charges interest from the persons who borrow money from the Bank. Besides these services, a bank renders a number of other services, which are known as subsidiary or ancillary services, such as working as remittance of funds from one place to another, providing safe deposit lockers, working as an agent for the customer etc.

Functions of a Bank:

There are some important functions of a Bank which they perform are:

1. To accept deposit of money from the public.

2. To grant loans and advances to traders, industrialists, professionals and other sections of society.

3. Remittance of funds from one place to another.

4. To collect and discount bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments.

5. Acting as an agent on behalf of customers by honouring their standing instructions etc.

6. To provide safe deposit lockers to customers for safety of their valuables.

7. To supply credit, financial or status information of customers.

8. To issue letter of credit, guarantee, travelers' cheque, and gift vouchers etc.

9. To act as an advisor and guide to customers

Types of Banking Correspondence: All banking correspondence letters can be classified into four groups and they are as follows:

1. There are banking correspondence that relates to opening, closing and transfer of accounts of customers.

2. There are banking correspondence that includes letters written for operations in accounts of customers – deposit, collection and payment of cheques, drafts, bills etc.

3. There are banking correspondence that relates to Loans and Advances including overdrafts, cash-credits, demand and term loans, discounting of bills, letters of credit, guarantees etc.

4. There are banking correspondences that deal with the exchange of information regarding subsidiary or ancillary services like remittances, safe deposit lockers, agency services, supplying credit or status information and traveller’s cheques etc.

2.     What are standing instructions? Give an example of banking letter related to standing instructions.

When a customer requests the bank in writing to facilitate certain payments on a regular basis for insurance premium, rent or for any other purpose then they are known as standing instructions.

There are some important pre-requisites for standing instructions and they are as follows:

1. The customer should have account in the bank – current account or saving account in giving standard instructions.

2. There has to be ample credit balance in one's account so as to enable the bank to debit the amount and remit.

3. The customer should specify the amount to be paid by the bank so that it could be easily remitted every month. It is not possible for the bank to remit the different amounts every month.

4. The bank should be given an authority to debit the customer's account.

5. The payment to be remitted or effected by the bank should be at regular intervals – weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly.

Below is a specimen letter for a customer giving Standing Instructions for payment of shop rent and school fees

Dated…………

The Branch Manager,

Union Bank of India,

Nehru Place,

New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Re: Standing Instructions

Kindly arrange to pay the following amounts to debit of my saving bank account No. 23123 with your branch: -

Name of Payee Amount Date On A/c of

1. Mr. Ravi Kumar Rs.5000/- On or before 10th of Rent for shop –

Every month. 3, Karol Bagh, N.Delhi

2. Principal – S.D School Rs. 1200/- On or before 15th of School Fees of Master

Ram Nagar, N.Delhi every month. Vijay of Class IV

I assure you to maintain sufficient credit balance in my above-mentioned account on or before the dates of payment. Please make the payments regularly through my account. If there are any extra bank charges then they can also be debited from account.

Please acknowledge receipt.

Yours Faithfully,

(M.L.MUNSHI)

3.     Give an example of customer operations correspondence with a bank.

After the opening of bank account, the customer operates it by way of depositing cash, cheques, bills etc in the account and withdrawing amount by issuing and drawing cheques or otherwise. There are many different types of correspondences that occur during this course of operation on accounts between the bank and customer.

Below is an example letter for a customer notifying delay in collection of cheques, drafts, bills etc deposited in account

MAX INDIA LIMITED

12 floor Devika Towers

Nehru Place

New Delhi

Ref.: MIL/Accts/Bank/1002 24th March 2012

Dear Sir,

Our Current Account No. 456 with you

This is to inform you that we deposited two cheques for Rs. 50000/- and Rs. 70000/ respectively on 10th March 2012, credit to our above said account. After checking our Account Statement of 24th March 2012, we noticed that these amounts have not yet been credited to our account. We would request you to let us know the reason for delay as they were local cheques and the normal course of realization is three to five days for local cheques. It is now past 14 days that the cheques have not been realized so far.

We, therefore, request you to kindly arrange for the early deposition of the amounts into our account without any further delay as we need the aforementioned amount for the clearance of our pending bills of the company.

We hope you will do the needful as early as possible.

Yours faithfully,

For MAX INDIA LTD.

Accounts Manager

4.     What is the type of letter that a customer will write to a bank in order to open a new account? Explain with an example.

The relationship between customer and banker develops when a customer opens his account with the bank. All other services offered by banks are based on it. The customer has to fill in the Account Opening Form for opening an account in the bank by supplying specimen signatures and giving introduction. The bank account may be introduced by anyone who is either already a customer of the bank or well known to the bank.

Types of Bank Account: - The customer's accounts can be current accounts, saving bank accounts, fixed/term deposit accounts or other deposit accounts. There are different set of rules for different type of accounts in individual bank.

Current account are usually curated with traders and other business people in mind, so that they can freely operate upon the accounts by numerous transactions in a single day. In current account, no interest is paid on a current account of a customer but some charges are levied by bank in proportion to the pages of ledger filed in.

Saving Bank Account are curated for service class peoples as the number of transactions are quite few comparatively and irregular. The bank offers some interest to the saving bank account holders on the credit balances maintained with the bank between the close of 12th day and the last day of each calendar month. The other deposit accounts are those where the transactions are less and more interest is allowed by the bank.

There is also facility of transfer of accounts from one branch to branch or place in the bank. Any bank account can be closed anytime depending upon the procedures and laws of the concerned bank.

Below is a specimen of Letter for Customer's request for opening an Account

GENERAL TRADERS

15, Kamla Market

Delhi-110006

Ref.No. GTL/Bank/98/2314 10th May 1998

The Manager

Bank of India

Chandni Chowk

Delhi

Dear Sir,

We wish to open a current account in our company's name with your esteemed branch.

We request you to; please let us know as to what formalities are to be fulfilled for this purpose.

We would like to bring it to your kind notice that our company is a sole proprietor concern. At the moment, we are not engaged in business with any other nationalized bank in Delhi.

Please provide us with the necessary account opening forms and also let us know the other formalities to be fulfilled which are required opening an account with you.

We anticipate an early response in this matter.

Yours Faithfully,

For GENERAL TRADERS

Sole Proprietor

5.     What is a resume? What are its elements and writing procedure?

A resume is a short document used to summarize the job search and qualifications of the prospective employer. The resume includes contact details for the job seeker, work experience, education, and the appropriate skills to support the job application.
 

Your renegotiation is a critical part of today's job application process. Writing a good resume is more important than ever now that online job posts tend to attract hundreds if not thousands of applicants. A refurbished, ready-to-start application will increase your chances of getting an interview while poorly written resumes may be lost at sea of ​​applicants.
 

How to write the resume:

1. Select the resume format and the categories you need

2. Always include contact details, work experience, and education

3. Use traditional topics for high compliance

4. Apply practical skills directly to the job description

5. Replace basic tasks with impactful performance

6. Do not include an old goal statement or reference section

7. Preview and double-check what you wrote

8. Save as docx file (optional) or pdf.
If you think you are done, ask someone else to take care of you. Alternatively, take it to jobscan for a quick answer.

Elements of a Resume

Contact information:
The title of your startup should include the following information:

• Name
• Phone number
• Location (city, country, zip code)
• Email address
• Linked profile url
  It may seem obvious, but job seekers sometimes forget an important piece of contact information in this section. Double check and make it as easy as possible for employers to contact you for job interviews.

Phone number:
Enter a personal phone number, not a work number. Enter your city, state, and zip code (e.g. “seattle, wa 98104”). This is important as other applicant tracking systems allow employers to filter the candidates based on location. Employers will always start with local selectors first. If you are traveling from somewhere, write down your current location and your future location.

Email address:
Use a valid email address. An email address based around your name is correct, such as jackieromano12@email.com. Your "happy" email address may work well in your life, but the terms "beersnob88" or "biebersuperfan" may not be so clear. Even using a seemingly outdated email client - such as aol or hotmail - can harm your prospects. Consider creating a free gmail account for your search.

Linked Profile url:
If the employer is surprised by your qualifications, they will look at your online profiles. All job seekers should create a strong linkedin profile and include a url in their resume. This will make the life of the employer a little easier and help them to cross-check the claims on your resume.

Work experience:
Part of the work experience is the heart of your resume. Separate this category from a clear, existing topic, such as "work experience," "work experience," or "employment history." this will help guide employers towards your resume and ensure that the applicant tracking system (ats) is well defined.

Under the main heading, list each activity in chronological order. Each function should have its own sub-heading that includes the following information:

• Company
• Workplace
• Your job title
• Start and end dates

For example:

• Abc corporation, settle
• Distribution manager (01/2017-present)
  The first things an employer looks for in your resume are the topics of the work you hold and the number of companies you've worked with. This format not only makes it easy for them to access that information, but our research has found that this sequence also provides greater ats compatibility.

Under each subheading, include responsibilities and measurable outputs that are relevant to the job you are working on. Remember, you don't have to include all the activities that were part of your daily routine. Use your available space to highlight the skills and knowledge requested in the job description. Jobscan helps you decide exactly what skills are requested and whether or not you have highlighted them.

Education:
When you have a few years into your career, your education level may also be reduced under your resume.Unless you're using a profession that places more emphasis on education (such as academics, law, or medicine), most job seekers can escape by simply providing the following information on their resume:

• Agency name

• Stem

• School location

• Years visited
If you have just graduated from college, your education level surpasses your professional experience and includes many details. Skills developed in school are real skills that are important in the professional world. Recent rooms can include appropriate coursework, communities, organizations, and extracurriculars that strengthen their identity.

Activities:
98% of fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems (ats) to filter, filter, and enter applicants. Other atss, such as taleo, can automatically add your own content to the job description, allowing employers to focus only on the best "applicants". Employers are also looking at their application site to find keywords, such as "customer service," "accounts available," or "adobe photoshop."

Overloading or coming up as a search result is about adding complex skills and keywords to your resume. A good way to identify key skills in a list and search algorithms is to identify which skills are most prominent in the job description. Aligning these skills to your resume, where applicable, increases your chances of being selected for an interview

Strong skills should apply to all your resume capabilities. Entering the skills category for your startup is not a prerequisite, but it can help you have a natural place to list the essential skills in the job you work for. The dedicated skills section also makes your resume much easier for employers trying to quickly find out if you meet their needs.

If you are using the skills section, remember that the list of skills and keywords is not enough. Add context to these skills to your full potential so employers can believe. This includes factors such as projects you have used in skills, the number of years of experience in a given skill, or the level of your expertise.

Historical and free:
Some restart forms allow space for some optional components. Only use the category of awards or honors in your resume if it makes sense for the job you work for. Active reputations will improve your credibility while poor prizes simply distract you from your best titles. For example, decide to get a monthly career or get a great customer satisfaction rating for your department, but maybe not if you are a kart race expert in your free time.

Volunteer work and study:
The work you do as an active volunteer can add to your qualifications and skill set as all paid experience. Also, the word "works." highlight the volunteer work of your startup that uses the skills that apply to the job you work for. Carefully list voluntary organizations or affiliated organizations, such as political or religious organizations.

6.     What is a job application letter? How are they written?

The application process for internships, internships, and graduate / professional programs usually requires a personal statement or application letter. This type of writing invites writers to present their skills with confidence and accuracy, which can be challenging.

Although the requirements are different in application and application, the purpose of this type of writing is to represent your goals, experiences and qualifications in the best possible light, and to demonstrate your writing ability. Your personal statement or request letter to present to your potential employer or program manager, so it's important that you take enough time to write a piece of creative writing.

Below is the application writing procedure:

• Prepare your materials:
  Before you sit down and write, prepare something to prevent frustration during the writing process itself. Obtain copies of documents such as transcript, resumes and original application form; keeping them in front of you will make your writing career a lot easier. Make a list of important information, with specific names and specific topics for employers and directors, job titles you have worked on, dates for relevant work or volunteer experiences, jobs involved etc. This way, you will be able to look at these materials while writing to include as much detail as possible.

• Write a first draft:
  After you've compiled and reviewed these materials, it's time to start writing. The following is a list of concerns that authors should keep in mind when writing a personal statement / request letter.

7.     What are some key points to be kept in mind while writing letters to authority figures?

A letter to authority is fundamentally a letter of persuasion which is written with an intent to persuade or convince an authority figure into doing something or to act on a particular subject. These letters are formal in nature and follow the same format as basic business letters.

Below are some key points to be considered while writing a letter to an authority figure:

• The first most important task is to analyse the situation and decide what type of response does it require from the authority figure.
• The tone must always be polite and elegant. It is essential to remember that you are trying to persuade the authority figure not ordering them to do something. Therefore, being aggressive is not advisable.
• Think of valid, powerful and relevant arguments to include in your letter. They will help you make your case and convince them.
• Always prepare hard facts and evidence to justify your arguments.
• Be sure to include the designation of the authority while writing their salutation in their letter.
• Always state your name and purpose right in the introductory paragraph of the letter.
• Include all your arguments and counter-arguments along with their justification and evidence in the main body of the letter. Underline or embolden keywords and phrases.
• Try to provide an appropriate resolution in the concluding paragraph of the letter. Try to provide suggestions as to what can be done about the situation at hand.
• Always sign of formally with “Yours’s Sincerely” or “Yours’s Faithfully”. Write your name below and include designation if any.

8.     What are the steps involved in writing an official letter?

The best way to express an opinion or provide important information to others can be through an official letter. This is a professional way to explain yourself while using simple and concise sentences to avoid taking up the reader's time. Official letters follow a specific structure or format that must be maintained throughout the entire document.

What is an official letter?

An official letter is a formal letter written by an individual or a company to another organization to conduct business. They can be used when applying for jobs, issuing a complaint, expressing interest in a job position or thanking someone.

Follow the steps below to learn how to write an official letter.

1. Set up your font and margins

Before writing an official letter, it must be kept in mind that the letter should not only be simple to understand but easy to read as well. Set your margins to be one or one and a half inches per each side of the document, this will help your letter look professional. Using simple fonts like Verdana, Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman with a 12-point size will give your official letter a clean look as well.

2. Create your heading

Once your fonts are set, you can begin addressing your letter. First, write your name in the top left-hand corner of the page. Include your name, address and the current date. You can also include your phone number and email if you are requesting further contact.

While writing the recipient's address information, remember to put it directly beneath yours. Write their name, title of their organization if they are representing one, followed by the address. Review the name and address of your recipient more than once to ensure you've written the correct address and spelled their name right.

3. Write your salutation

You can now professionally greet your reader. A common salutation used in official letters is, "Dear Ms. Or Mr. Last name". If you know both their first name or last name, you can include that in the salutation. For example, you can write, "Dear Alex Smith". If you know their gender, you can write, "Dear Mr. Alex Smith" or "Dear Ms. Alex Smith". If you're unaware of the name of the recipient, you can write, "Dear Sir or Madam".

4. Use your body paragraphs to state your reasons for writing

The body paragraphs are where you can capture your main points and professionally explain your concerns, opinions or other information to your recipient. This is the part where your introduction and the purpose of the letter comes in. You can use verbiage such as, "I am writing to you today because..."

Once you've explained what the recipient will read, you can expand further throughout the next paragraph. Include details that support your first statement. For example, if you were writing a recommendation letter, you could expand on the skills of the person your recommending by saying, "Avery's time-management and organizational skills have improved the efficiency of my business by 12% since the beginning of the quarter."

You can continue giving examples until you believe your point has been clearly understood by the reader. Keep your sentences short, simple and easy for the reader to understand.

5. Add your closing body paragraph and signature

After finishing the body of the letter, the conclusion should be written. This paragraph can be short and will finalize the document by repeating your main point, explaining any possible next steps or thanking the recipient for taking the time to read your letter.

After closing the letter, you can provide your closing signature at the end of the document. Examples of common letter signatures are:

Sincerely

Sincerely yours

With appreciation

Thank you

Regards

Yours truly

Respectfully yours

Carefully select your closing signature as per the requirements and input name at the bottom of the letter.

6. Mention and add your enclosures

Enclosures are additional materials added to your letter to support your document, similar to when you attach a file to an email. If you're attaching a document to complement your letter, you should mention it near the end of your letter. To inform the reader that an additional document is attached, you can include the word "enclosure" at the end of the letter after your name. You can also shorten the word by writing, "encl."

7. Proofread and send your letter

After you've finished writing, you can read through the letter to catch any grammatical or spelling errors. You can also review it to ensure it makes sense and is clear enough for the recipient to understand. Once proofread, you can send the letter to the recipient. Pick a plain white, square or rectangular envelope. Fold the letter properly so it fits in the envelope.

Write your name and address in the top left-hand corner of the envelope followed by the recipient's name and address in the middle. Now your letter is ready to be sent to the recipient.

9.     What are the steps involved in writing an adjustment letter?

An adjustment letter is a response to a buyer’s complaint or claim letter. Th main objective of writing an adjustment letter is to rectify the problem and provide the buyer with an appropriate solution.

Steps on How to Write an Adjustment Letter

1. Write the salutation.

Always address the letter to a particular person. Usually, people that send a complaint letter leave their name and address. Make sure that you spell the name correctly. For example, “Dear Mr. Jones” or “Dear Michael Robertson.”

2. Write the introduction.

Start the first sentence with a positive note. Write that you are pleased to hear from the client or express regret over the troublesome situation, or both. Address the date of the customer’s complaint letter and tell why you are writing. Don’t repeat the content of the complaint in detail.

Try to avoid such words as “complaint” or “claim.” These words may sound accusatory for the client. It will be better to say something like “Your report/message/notice from 2nd November has been received.”

3. Write the main part of the letter.

This section will consist of several parts. First, you need to restate the essence of the problem, so the reader will clearly understand that you have understood their problem well. Then you need to explain why the situation has occurred. Avoid long explanations, and be specific and brief. Clients don’t care about the company’s difficulties and simply want the situation to be fixed.

Second, present the solution to the problem. If the client is right, admit the mistake and provide a compensation or guarantee that the error will be resolved. Provide a list of steps that you are going to take (or have already taken). In some cases, when the claim is unwarranted, the company needs to write a careful and tactful denial to maintain good relations with the customer. Always try to persuade the client that you always have their needs in mind.

4. Write a conclusion.

End the letter with kind words. Thank for the client’s patience and offer further cooperation. Assure the client that such situations are rare and the company will do all possible to prevent this in the future. Express hope that the client will continue to enjoy products or services of the company. Don’t restate the essence of the problem at the end of the letter, as it will leave a feeling of incompleteness rather than your goodwill.

Add a hot-line phone number and website at the end of your letter, so the client can contact your company if needed.

5. Proofread and send the letter.

Make sure that your text is free of mistakes and has a logical structure. When you are pleased with the result, send the letter to the client.

Tips on How to Write an Adjustment Letter

• Don’t forget to fill in the subject field if you are sending an email.
• Write the adjustment letter in the shortest time possible. The company improves its own reputation by responding quickly to all complaints.
• Focus more on the solution rather than on the details of the problem.
• Always write in a positive tone. You need to calm down the customer and cheer them up.
• Focus on the relevant and specific facts rather than emotions.
• Don’t use abusive language or a negative tone. Even if the customer is aggressive or rude, you need to keep a friendly attitude and understanding of the problem.
• Never promise the client to do what is impossible or something that violates the company’s policy.
• Don’t show your surprise about the problem, unless it is a truly unique case for your company.
• Don’t try to make excuses – provide only factual information in the explanation.
• Show that your company takes it seriously.
• If the client experiences a great inconvenience, be generous. For example, you can provide a discount for the next order or a gift if appropriate.
• Remember the classical rule: “The customer is always right.” Even if the customer is wrong, make sure the customer is satisfied with your response.

10. What is an order letter? Give its template.

An order letter is a type of business letter which is written for the purpose of placing orders for products and services. An order letter is written by the buyer when the seller has provided them with a quote and it is in accordance with their budget.

An order letter is important step towards initiating a business transaction. This letter demonstrates interest in the merchandise and the need to start a business deal. This letter also shows that a customer is satisfied with the details provided in the quote like prices, specifications and other details.

An order letter is also used to specify the timeline around which the ordered products are to be delivered. It also provides other relevant information on quantity, the things ordered, and the mode of payment.

Below is a template of how an order letter should be written. In this template, the buyer is placing an order after receiving a quotation from the seller and agreeing to it.

From,

_____________

_____________

Date (date on which letter is written)

To,

________________

Subject:_________________________________________

Dear _________________,

My name is ____________ and I am writing as ____________ on behalf of ____________. With regard to a request for a quote dated ____________, I wish to order ____________ fabrics that are ____________ in colour and ____________ design. This order is for a client who is preparing for a wedding on  ____________ and I wish to have the order urgently. The reference number of this order is ____________, please include it in all transactions for this order.

The first order will be for ____________ pieces so that we can examine the quality of the fabric and the design before making the second order. The second order will be for ____________ pieces upon approval of the first order. Kindly receive a check of ____________ for the first order. I would appreciate if you sent me a confirmation of receipt through my email ____________.

I hope to receive the shipment by latest ____________ in our office located on this address ____________.

Thank you in advance.

Your Truly,

__________

(__________________)

11. Describe the format of a quotation letter.

A quotation is an offer from the seller to sell products or services at a certain price. A quotation is not a legally binding contract but only an offer. In businesses such offers are often made through letters. These letters are known as quotation letters or voluntary offers.

Quotation letters are written in formal style and follow the same format as other business letters with a change in the main content of the letter.

Format of a quotation letter

Your name, address, city, zip code, phone number and email address should be included in the contact information. Following the contact info is the date. After writing these, you have to write the contact information of the person or organization you are writing to, the salutation, The introduction as to why you are writing the letter, the body comprising of various specifications regarding the products or services along with the price list, a few concluding statements and your signature (handwritten signature if the letter is mailed).

These are the basic steps of writing a business quotation letter. To summarize, a business quotation letter should consist of short and to the point sentence, the focus should always be on the numbers, it should attract the attention of the reader, it should be respectful and should not contain errors.

12. What are the main elements of a sales letter? How to write a sales letter?

A sales letter is a type of business letter which is written with the intent of selling a product. Sales letters are an effective way to communicate with clients.

Sales letters are designed in such a way that they immediately grab the attention of the reader. It is like a salesman discussing the purpose but in the form of a letter. A sales letter could be general or particular in nature depending upon the person(s) it is addressed to.

Objectives of Sales Letter

• The main purpose of every sale letter is to convince the reader to purchase a product.
• Introduction and marketing of new products and services.
• To reach potential customers.
• Expansion of the market.

Advantages of Sales Letter

• A sales letter is less expensive.
• Reach a client where a salesman cannot.
• Reach a number of clients all at the same time.
• Ease of understanding and availability of full details.
• More convenient, efficient, and comprehensive.

Elements and Format of Sales Letter

Below is the format of a sales letter

Headline: Here the writer wants to grab the reader’s attention toward the main purpose of the letter.

Introduction: The first paragraph serves the purpose of introduction the product or service to the reader. It provides the reader with the details of the product or service. These details include the cost of the product or service, the quality, the savings and any other information associated with it.

Body: This is the part where the writer needs to build his credibility and convince the reader. Here, the content includes the worth of the product, its similarities and differences from other products, a list of satisfied customers who are already happily using the product, and the terms of contract related to the product etc.

Call to Action: Here the writer tries to incite an appropriate response from the reader. Details such as warranties and discounts are often added in the concluding part of the letter.

Writing Tips for Writing Sales Letter

1. Introduce the ideas in a way that compels the reader to take a positive action.
2. Introduce yourself and the product well.
3. Be clear in what you are offering.
4. Choose your words as per the targeted audience.
5. Always use a headline.
6. Make the first sentence of each paragraph count.
7. Use of font styles, font sizes, bullets, and numbering etc.
8. Strongly describe the credibility of the product using relevant statements and examples.
9. Suitable closing sentences.
10. Correct use of salutation.
11. Proper and complete details of the product and availability.
12. Always ask for the reader's attention, build interest and desire in the reader's mind, and finally incite the call of action.
13. Have a simple and convincing tone.
14. Avoid creating confusion and uncertainty.
15. Avoid being clever and funny.
16. Include your name, signature, and other contact details.
17. Do not use fancy words or slang.
18. Always revise and edit the letter.

13. What are the 10 parts of a business letter?

It is convenient to divide all letters into 10 parts:

• Sender's address
• Date
• Direction (the address of the person(s) to whom you are writing)
• Salutation
• Reference (not always necessary in intimate, personal letters)
• Body
• Subscription
• Signature
• Postscript (to be as a rule avoided, unless absolutely necessary)
• The envelope.

As these are mostly (except for the body of the letter) matters of form, we will illustrate each one of them. Often there are alternative forms, but you must choose one of them and use it consistently.

• Sender's address:

(a)  Laxmi Niwas,
52 Mall Road,
Civil Lines,
Kanpur 208 016

(b)  D 64 Press Road,
Nauroji Nagar,
Mysore 570 006

(c)  Department of Linguistics,
University of Delhi,
Delhi 110 007.

• Date:

(a)  October 25, 1988

(b)  25th October, 1988

• Direction:

(a)  The Personnel Manager,
Life Insurance Corporation of India,
Bhubaneshwar, 751 006.

(b)  Messrs Atma Ram & Sons,
3B Asaf Ali Roa,
New Delhi 110 001 .

(c)  Professor N. G. Arunachalam,
Department of Civil Engineering,
University Engineering College,
Hyderabad 500 007.

(d) Ms. Kavita Swaroop,
4/D Indira Colony,
Jawahar Nagar,
Agra 282 005.

(Messrs is used for an unlimited company or partnership of traders) (The same address is to be repeated on the envelope.)

• Salutation:

(a)  Dear Sir/Madam,

(b)  Sir/Madam, (in strictly formal letters to and from government departments or officials)

(c)  Dear Sirs/Gentlemen, (in the case of unlimited company, firm or partnership of traders or from a clerk to the Board of Directors, when 'Gentlemen' is preferred)

(d) Dear Mr. Swaminathan,

(e)  Dear Swaminathan,

(f)    My dear Swaminathan/My dear Mr. Swaminathan, ('My dear' shows extra intimacy)

(g) My dear Ravi, (very intimate and friendly)

(b) Reference:( in professional or business letters)

(c)  Sale of Old Stock (between salutation and the body of the letter) (usually placed above the direction)   

(d) Our ref...

(e)  Your ref...

• Body: (the main part of the Letter, the subject matter of which will differ in each case)

• Subscription:

(a)  Yours faithfully. (most common form in formal, official and business letters)

(b)  Yours truly. (somewhat warmer than the above)

(c)  Yours sincerely, (cordial and friendly)

(d)  Yours affectionately. Very sincerely yours, Yours ever, in very intimate personal letter

14. What are the basic principles of letter writing?

Writing letters is an art and a strategy. The latter can be followed by following formal meetings; the former must be nurtured with the care and deepest interest of man. The letters are generally divided into the following four categories: friendly or informal letters, business letters; invitations and responses, as well as the use of functions.

Principles of letter writing:

1. Knowing What to Say:
   Nothing is more harmful to good communication than muddle-headedness resulting in not being able to make one's point. Before writing a letter one should be sure of what one wants to say and accordingly one should be in command of all the necessary facts and information arranged logically and systematically.

2.     Clarity:
Knowing what one wants to say is not enough unless one says it in as clear a Language as possible. Here comes the importance of the right word and the right expression put in a sentence constructed neatly and with precision. It should, however, be remembered that right words and write expressions become relevant only when they occur in the right place. Thus, emotional and even flowery language may be apposite to a personal Letter but it will be completely out of place in a business letter.

3.     Brevity:
A few generations ago, when man enjoyed unlimited space and time, prolixity in language would not have been unwelcome, at Least in certain kinds of correspondence. In the modern age, however, addition of even one extra word cost time and energy most people will like to avoid. It is all the more the business correspondence. It means that all redundancy, be it a quotation illustration, an elaboration, in short, padding of any kind, must be avoided at all costs.

4.     Accuracy:
Avoidance of redundant helps achieve accuracy of statement. For much unwanted language in letters is the direct result of inaccurate and inconsistent thoughts and statements. A little care, particularly habitual revision of what one has written, will go a long way towards making writing accurate.

5.     Courtesy:
As remarked earlier, a letter reveals its writer's personality and character. Since there is always a 'you' in every letter, it is necessary that this 'you' or the addressee be shown all the courtesy and respect that language can express. Even when a complaint is lodged or a statement or application rejected, care should be taken that it is couched in polite and civilized language. It is worth remembering that while courtesy costs nothing, there is hardly anything more abrasive than impolite language.

6.     Good Looks:
Finally, a letter must be a visual attraction to the reader. It can displease either through wrong spelling and punctuation or bad writing and typing. These are not matters merely of form as even a well-thought out-letter, rich in ideas and having all the qualities of clarity, brevity, accuracy and courtesy may not only fail to make proper impact on the reader, but may even defeat its purpose by causing him unnecessary annoyance.