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November 21, 2000
BUSINESS LETTERS--PART IV
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Our feature this week is the fourth element of a typical business letter, the body, also called the message.
Structure:
The body of the letter usually contains several short paragraphs, each with its own key piece of information. Important items are placed in the first and last paragraphs. Less important information or negative items (such as cost or delay) are "sandwiched" in the middle section of the letter where typically they receive less focus.
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Length:
Keep your letter to one page, if possible. A one-page letter has a better chance of being read in its entirety than does a letter of several pages. Use simple, straightforward language and do not write sentences that are very long. A good rule of thumb (but by no means an absolute) is to use from three to five sentences per paragraph.
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Style:
Use single spacing within the body paragraphs, but double-space between them. Be especially careful with punctuation, grammar, and spelling. One mistake can cause readers to question your accuracy; two mistakes may cost you a customer.
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Reader orientation:
Be sure to keep the reader's interests in mind while composing business letters so that he or she will find the letter meaningful and respond to the communication in a positive way. State clearly how you would like the reader to respond to this message or whether the message is for information purposes only:
Examples:
Please call my office before Wednesday of next week to schedule an appointment.
-or-
Please send me the information requested above by the end of the month.
-or-
I will notify you by e-mail of our next committee meeting.
-or-
Please keep this information in a confidential file.
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In an upcoming issue, we will discuss the key features of "good news" and "bad news" messages.
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NEW WORD OF THE WEEK:
REVISIT (re-viz-it): to visit again; a second visit or look.
Should we revisit the original policy to see if changes are needed?
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YOUR GRAMMAR AND WRITING QUESTIONS
QUESTION: You made two errors in a recent issue. First, it has never been considered proper etiquette to refer to oneself as Mr., Mrs., or Ms. One gives only the name without any title.
The second is more egregious: It is incorrect to say "comprised of." Remember, the whole comprises the parts. Therefore, the correct construction would have been "the heading is composed only of the date." Or "the heading comprises only the date." Okay? O.K.
GRAMMARCHECK: We believe our perspectives are valid in both areas--and here's why.
With respect to using a title to refer to oneself in a business letter's return address, we feel a title can be helpful, if not downright essential, in helping an unfamiliar addressee know how to respond. For example, with names that are not gender-specific (such as "Chris" or "Terry"), how would the recipient know how to title a return letter--whether to "Mr." or "Ms."? Also, some writers prefer the crisp authority that a title confers on a name and they expect addressees to respond in kind rather than use a first name. Therefore, while not always conventional, using a title with a return addressee's name is acceptable.
Your second concern (about our use of "comprised of") is interesting. According to several respected sources (such as the NEW AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY), by 1950 only about half of the English language users felt that "comprised of" was an unacceptable term, based on the rationale you provided. However, by the 1990s, only a third of English speakers believed the term was inappropriate. Obviously, it has come into wide use and acceptance in recent years, as indicated by the Usage Panel. Respectfully we maintain our previous position on both issues. Thanks for writing.
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QUESTION: Do we use "of" or "for" after responsible?
GRAMMARCHECK: It depends on usage. In most cases, we say someone is responsible "for" something:
She is responsible for supervising three employees.
-or-
Jeremy is responsible for supporting two children.
But there are occasions, however limited, when using "of" would be acceptable:
How responsible of Tom to look after his mother!
How responsible of a person can she be to stay out late every night?
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QUESTION: Are punctuation marks (periods, exclamation marks, question marks) at the end of sentences supposed to be followed by one space or two?
GRAMMARCHECK: In most professional writing (essays, business letters, reports, etc.), two spaces should follow end punctuation marks:
Genevieve will begin her job on January 1. Please send her payroll tax information.
However, in e-mail or web writing, it is typical to allow only one space between sentences.
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QUESTION: You mentioned "boss' day off" was correct. However, according to THE GREGG REFERENCE MANUAL, the correct use of the apostrophe is "boss's day off."
GRAMMARCHECK: Those who enjoy using lots of s's may prefer GREGG's interpretation of usage, which we concede as an option. Our sources maintain that the addition of "s" following a singular noun ending in "s" or "z" may take either an apostrophe plus "s" or only an apostrophe. Plural nouns ending in "s" take only an apostrophe, not an "s" with it:
Singular noun:
boss' day -or- boss's day
Plural noun:
bosses' day
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QUESTION: Just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I appreciate your service. It is great; now if you could only get a copy in every mailbox in the nation, thereby eliminating some of the horrible language I hear and read every day. I even heard John Acorn, the nature nut on ANIMAL PLANET, a trained biologist and very talented man, use the term "these ones." Gagged me, it did. Keep up the fine work.
Your very devoted fan and user of your content,
Preston "red dog"
GRAMMARCHECK: Thanks for your appreciative comments! We agree that inappropriate and downright "wrong" usage abounds all over the place. We've found erroneous grammar in mission statements of blue chip companies, in policy guidelines of prestigious organizations, and even in the writing of America's top-notch language experts!
Such discrepancies remind us that language is dynamic and fluid. Rules that ruled as little as a decade ago are now falling out of popular use, replaced by new guidelines bestowed on us by the grammar gods from on high.
Undoubtedly we all err from time to time; let us hope that our readers will prove divine!
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