English for personal assistants - part 12 pps

Letters of complaint

Task 4 Letter layout

Match the features of the letter, A – I, to the parts of the letter. The first one has been

done as an example.

A. signature

B. addressee

C. date

D. printed name of the

writer of the letter

E. body of the letter

F. sender’s address

G. opening salutation

H. subject line

I. closing salutation

8 1. Weinstrasse 76

1 67423 Munich

2. 27 August 20XX

3. Mrs J Stewart

Simpsons Constuction

Shaftesbury Road

London EC5 8JN

4. Invoice No. CM 9472

5. Dear Mrs Stewart

6. I am writing concerning our invoice CM 9472 for

£2,548.00, a copy of which is enclosed.

7. Yours sincerely

8. M Lemos

9. Mr M Lemos

Opening and closing salutations

The table below outlines the conventions for opening and closing salutations in formal

correspondence in British English. In less formal English, for example, when writing

to someone you know quite well, the closing salutation may be Kind regards, Best

wishes or With very best wishes.

You may find differences in American English and other varieties of English,

especially in the form of the closing salutation. In American English the less formal,

Yours truly, or Truly yours, are common.

Opening salutation Status Closing salutation

UK English

Dear Mr X

Dear *Mrs X

Dear Ms X

Dear Sir

Dear Madam

Dear Sir/Madam

Married or unmarried male

married female

Married or unmarried female

Male, name unknown

Female, name unknown

Name and gender unknown

Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely

Yours faithfully

Yours faithfully

Yours faithfully

* You should only use Mrs if you know a woman is married and you know they use their married

name.

Letters of complaint 55