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October 31, 2000
BUSINESS LETTERS--PART I
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The standard American business letter includes approximately eight components (or segments). In the weeks to come, we will look at each of
these to get a better understanding of this type of writing. This week we will look at the first element, the heading.
The heading, also termed the "return address," includes the writer's name and address followed by the date. Like other informational
segments, it is single-spaced. While titles such as "Mr." and "Mrs." or "Dr." generally are abbreviated, street and state designations often are
spelled out completely. If the letter is constructed in what is called "full block style," all segments of the letter line up at the left
margin:
Mrs. Jane Doe
1234 Carson Drive
Milestone, Michigan 45201
October 31, 2000
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Sometimes a writer will separate the date from the return address:
Mrs. Jane Doe
1234 Carson Drive
Milestone, Michigan 45201
October 31, 2000
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Another alternative is to use only the writer's address and date, since the signature at the letter's conclusion will identify the writer:
1234 Carson Drive
Milestone, Michigan 45201
October 31, 2000
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However, if the writer uses letterhead (stationery imprinted with the company's name and address across the top or along the side), the
heading is comprised only of the date:
October 31, 2000
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Next week we will look at the second unit of the business letter, the inside address.
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SPELLING OR WRITING TIP:
IS "O.K." REALLY OKAY?
Using the word "okay" is acceptable in some types of informal writing, even though the word generally is considered to be a colloquial term or
slang. Be sure such words are acceptable to the writing context and avoid their use in business or formal communication. Various spellings include the following:
O.K.
o.k.
OK
okay
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NEW WORD OF THE WEEK:
O-MIT: To leave out; fail to include.
Do not omit Sam's name from the list of participants.
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YOUR GRAMMAR AND WRITING QUESTIONS
QUESTION: For the address on a letter, how would I type in the names:
Mrs. Sandra Fennel and
Mr. Jonathan Fennel
123 Anywhere
Anywhere, USA 00000-0000
GRAMMARCHECK: If the two persons are married and share the same last name, their address generally is typed this way:
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Fennel
123 Anywhere
Anywhere, USA
However, other options are acceptable, such as the one you use above. It is best to determine how the parties prefer to be addressed and use that
method. For more on this topic, see next week's feature article on inside addresses for business letters.
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QUESTION: Which is correct?
Mrs. Smith lived a ways down the road.
-or-
Mrs. Smith lived a way down the road.
I know that the first sentence is the way we say it, but it doesn't seem correct in writing. But the second sentence seems somewhat lame, too.
Thanks! JEV
GRAMMARCHECK: You're right--both sentences seem awkward because they include the colloquial expression "a ways" or "a way." Such statements
reflect informal spoken English. However, neither form should be used in professional writing. Instead, your sentence could be written like this:
Mrs. Smith lived down the road.
-or-
Mrs. Smith lived about a mile down the road.
In writing fiction, however, anything goes!
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QUESTION: Can "but" and "so" be used at the beginning of sentences, such as in the following examples?
But, that was years ago.
-or-
So, he went there the following morning.
GRAMMARCHECK: Yes and no. Coordinating conjunctions such as "but" and "so" can begin sentences, but they should not be followed by
commas. Do this instead:
But that was years ago.
-or-
So he went there the following morning.
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QUESTION: With more than 550 legal professionals providing legal advice in Business and Technology Law, Intellectual Property, and Advocacy,
Gowlings serves international clients in Moscow, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo Region, Calgary, and Vancouver.
My question centers around the capitalization of the various laws mentioned.
"Gowlings" is the name of the firm. Also, would it be better to use "juris prudence advice" so that the word "legal" is not used
twice in this sentence? Thanks!
GRAMMARCHECK: You need not capitalize the various types of law mentioned in your statement unless they refer to specific departments
within the firm or particular classes/courses offered by the firm. You could rewrite your sentence thus to avoid using "legal" twice:
With more than 550 professionals providing legal advice in business and technology law, intellectual property, and advocacy, Gowlings serves
international clients in Moscow, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo Region, Calgary, and Vancouver.
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QUESTION: Which is correct?
The dog ate all its food.
-or-
The dog ate all his food.
I was told that you can use "he," "she," "his," or "hers" for people only, not for animals.
GRAMMARCHECK: Use "its" for animals when you don't know the gender:
The stray dog licked its foot before darting into the woods.
But you can use a gender pronoun when you know the dog's sex:
The feisty terrier (a male) bit his owner.
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