英文书信写作注意事项

ThisisanenglishwritinghowtoIcopiedfromsomewhere(namewithheld)sometimeago.hopefullyyou'llfindithelpfultoo.

日常要处理许多信件电邮,因而运用英语上不得不留神,以下有一些个人意见,也参考了一些书本,希望大家有所得益。

A.文法上

1.切忌主客不分或模糊.例子:Decidingtorescindtheearlierestimate,ourreportwasupdatedtoinclude$40,000fornewequipment.”应改为Decidingtorescindourearlierestimate,wehaveupdatedourreporttoinclude$40,000fornewequipment.(We决定呀,不是report.)

2.句子不要凌碎.例子:Hedecidednottoauditthelasttencontracts.Becauseofourpreviousobjectionsaboutcompliance.应该连在一起.

3.结构对称,令人容易理解.例子:Theownerquestionedtheoccupant'sleaseintentionsandthefactthatthecontracthadbeenalteredwithinkmarkings.应改为:Theownerquestionedtheoccupant'sleaseintentionsandinkalterationsofthecontract.

4.单众数不要搞乱,不然会好刺眼,看不舒服.例如:Anauthorizedpersonmustshowthattheyhavesecurityclearance.

5.动词主词要呼应.想想这两个分别:1.Thisisoneofthepublic-relationsfunctionsthatisunderbudgeted.2.Thisisoneofthepublic-relationsfunctions,whichareunderbudgeted.

6.时态和语气不要转变太多.看商务英语已经是苦事,不要浪费人家的精力啊.

7.标点要准确.例如:Hedidnotmakerepairs,however,hecontinuedtomonitortheequipment.改为:Hedidnotmakerepairs;however,hecontinuedtomonitortheequipment.

8.选词正确.好像affect和effect,operative和operational等等就要弄清楚才好用啦.

9.拼字正确.有电脑拼字检查功能后,就更加不能偷懒.

10.大小写要注意.非必要不要整个字都是大写,除非要骂人,:,例如:MUSTchangetoOSimmediately.外国人就觉得不礼貌和喝令人一样.要强调的话,用底线,斜字,粗体就可以了.

B.文体

1.可读性.对象是大学程度的话,用高中的英文就行,不要以为人人都是语言大师.多用短句(15-20字吧),技术性的字,就更加要简单易明.

2.注意段落的开头.一般来说重要或强调的事情都放在信件或段落的开头,而句子就放在最尾.例如:1.Becausehewasunabletoattendthemeetingpersonally,heforwardedhiscongratulationsoncassettetape.2.Heforwardedhiscongratulationsoncassettetapebecausehewasunabletoattendthemeetingpersonally.两者强调的事情就有分别了.

3.轻重有分.同等重要的用and来连接,较轻放在次要的句子里.

4.意思转接词要留神.例如:but(相反),therefore(结论),also(增添),forexample(阐明).分不清furthermore和moreover就不要用啦.

5.句子开头不要含糊不清的主词.例子:Thesedecisionshavebeenabigdisappointmenttothecommitteemembers.Theyhavedelayedfurtheraction.They是指什么呀????开头少用this,that,it,they,或which.

6.修饰词的位置要小心,例如:HecouldonlyreimbursethecostafterJuly15.应为HecouldreimbursethecostonlyafterJuly15.

7.用语要肯定准确.切忌含糊.例如:Thefiguresshowasignificantincrease.”怎样significant呀,大哥?改为:Thefiguresshowanincreaseof19%.

8.立场观点一致.少用被动语.例如:PartialdatashouldbesubmittedbyApril.改为:YoushouldsubmitpartialdatabyApril.就很好了.

C.格调

1.式样和句子长度不要太单调.千篇一律的subject-verb-object会闷死人的.有时短句跟着长句可以化解一下.

2.弱软的词(e.g.was,were,is,are...)可以加强一点.例如:Pruntonproductsarehighlyeffectivein...改为:Pruntonproductsexcelin...就有力很多了.

3.亲切,口语化是比较受欢迎!用宾词和主动的词,让人家受落.例如:1.Thisinformationwillbesincerelyappreciated.”2.Wesincerelyappreciateyourinformation.明显地,我们会喜欢第2句.

D.写信提示

1.人家的名字千万不要错.老一辈的看到名字错就干脆撵去垃圾桶.

同样,头衔都不要错.头衔或学位,任择其一吧.以下是一样的:

HowardE.Wyatt,D.D.SPhD.

Dr.HowardE.Hyatt

2.多过一个男人,用Messrs,就是Misters的意思,不过不要跟名字,跟姓就行啦.例如:

Messrs.Smith,Wyatt,andFury

女人呢?用Mesdames,Mmes.,orMses.同样不要跟名字.例子:

Mses.Farb,Lionel,andGray

男女一齐呢?弄清楚称呼就行.例如:

Dr.andMrs.HaroldWright

Mr.HaroldWrightandDr.MargaretWright

Mr.andMrs.HarveyAdams-Quinn

3.有人有自己头衔就要跟紧,例如有人有荣誉学位就不喜欢用一般的头衔啊~有时大头不知道对方头衔,干脆用Ms.算了.

Ms.SarahGray

4.地址要低日期至少两行.处名时,职衔短可以一行过,长就下一行吧.例如:

KenGreen,President

KenGreen

VicePresidentofInternationalOperations

但这个就显得有点。。。:

KenGreen

VicePresidentofUnicomChina

正确应为:

KenGreen

VicePresident,UnicomChina

5.老外的名字有时有Jr.或Sr.,之前的逗点是随你喜欢的,以下都是正确,不要笑人:

MichaelJ.Smith,Jr.

MichaelJ.SmithSr.

6.外国国名尽量用大写.是为尊重,也方便邮差叔叔.

7.地址上的数字直接用阿拉伯数字吧,除了One,例子:

127NinthAvenue,North

127E.15Street

5ParkAvenue

OneWingrenPlaza

556-91Street

书信的结尾致意要留意,弄清大家的关系才选择用词,例子:

1.VeryFormal非常正规的(例如给政府大老爷的)

Respectfullyyours,

Yoursrespectfully,

2.Formal正规的(例如客户公司之间啦)

Verytrulyyours,

Yoursverytruly,

Yourstruly,

3.LessFormal不太正规的(例如客户)

Sincerelyyours,

Yourssincerely,

Sincerely,

Cordiallyyours,

Yourscordially,

Cordially,

4.Informal非正规的(例如猪朋狗友,同事之类)

Regards,

Warmregards,

Withkindestregards,

Withmybestregards,

Mybest,

GivemybesttoMary,

Fondly,

Thanks,

Seeyounextweek!

有时在we,I,andyou之间选择是很烦的事--

如果是公司代表联络生意之类,可以用:

Wewillreimburseyoufortheselegalexpenses.

Sinopecwillreimburseyoufortheselegalexpenses.

如果单纯说你自己,可以用:

Ifoundthebrochureveryinformative.

有时可以一起用啦...:

Wearepleasedtoofferyouthepositionofsalesdirector,andIamlookingforwardtoourTuesdaymorningmeeting.

那么I和you呢?好烦好烦.一般来说收信人的利益比较重要,名义上都要这样想.给人尊重的语气就一般不会错了.多用you有时会有隔阂的感觉.

Youwillbepleasedtolearnthatyouhavebeenselectedtoserveonouradvisoryboard.Yourpromptresponsewillbeappreciated.(好像欠你一样)

I'mpleasedthatourboardhasselectedyouasthebestqualifiedcandidatetoserveonouradvisoryboard.Ihopeyou'llagreetoserve.(这就友善多了)

Yourbookwaswellwrittenandcomprehensive.(不用你来判断我呀~~)

Ithoroughlyenjoyedyourbookandfoundananswertoeveryoneofmyquestionsaboutperformanceappraisals.(客气一点,人家受落)

总之,语气和宾词的运用得当能决定你的礼貌程度.

开头致意

用人家的名字总好过人家的头衔称呼.如果没有名字,或者是好正规信的信件,可以考虑这些:

DearCommitteeMembe:r:

DearMeetingPlanner:

DearColleagues:

ToAllSalesReps:

ToWhomItMayConcern:

DearSirorMadam:

DearMadamorSir:

DearPurchasingAgent:

如果是公司呢?

GentlemenorLadies:

LadiesorGentlemen:

什么怪事都有,如果那公司是全男班或全女班呢?

DearSirs:

DearLadies:

DearMesdames:

Gentlemen:

Ladies:

有时见到人家用冒号就说人家错,其实也未必啊,看:

DearMr.Jones:(非常正规)

DearJoan:

DearJim,

Jim,(非正规)

签名

用笔亲自签名会比较受落,免到过都不要电脑贴图或盖章啦....不要把Mr.,Ms.,Mrs.,Dr.之类一起签,人家会笑你的...

签名也看信件的语气.给朋友或公司客户,签Bill也可以,给陌生人就用Gates或者BillGates啦