Commercial English - formal letters - Vocabulary - Learning English

Commercial English - Letters

You write to How to begin the letter How to end the letter
Dear Sir/Madam (BE) (AE) Yours faithfully (BE)
an unknown firm/person
Dear Sir or Madam (BE) (AE) Yours truly (AE)
(BE) (AE)
To whom it may concern (AE) Truly yours (AE)
Yours faithfully (BE)
a woman whose name you
Dear Madam (BE) (AE) Yours truly (AE)
don't know
Truly yours (AE)
Yours faithfully (BE)
a man whose name you
Dear Sir (BE) (AE) Yours truly (AE)
don't know
Truly yours (AE)
Yours sincerely (BE)
a person whose name you Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Fisher (BE)
Very truly yours (AE)
know (AE)
Sincerely (yours) (AE)
(With) Best wishes (BE) (AE)
Yours (BE)
a person you know
Dear Ann/John (BE) (AE) Love (BE)
personally
All the best (AE)
Kindest/Best regards (AE)

Example of a formal letter

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Commercial English - formal letters - Vocabulary - Learning English

MICHAEL WARRENS LTD - 78 Court Street - Nottingham - UK

Mrs Sara Fisher

Manager
18 St. James Avenue
Bournemouth HB3 4LN 4th October 2001

Our ref: US / HK 1082

Your ref: SP / T

Dear Mrs Fisher,

Your order

We are pleased to acknowledge your order no. 202 dated 1st October 2001. Your order is already dealt
with. We will inform you when the consignment is ready for delivery.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information.

We thank you for your custom and again look forward to being of service to you in the future.

Yours sincerely,

M Warrens (Mr)

Enc

The envelope

The position of the address is the same like in the letter. Steet, Road and Avenue can be written in
abbreviations (St), (Rd) (Av).

The postcode/zip code you write under the town

Write the name of the country in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Example:

Mr Michael Warrens
Software
78 Court St
Nottingham
WQ1 6P0
UNITED KINGDOM

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