Commercial English - formal letters - Vocabulary - Learning English

Commercial English - Letters

You write to

How to begin the letter

How to end the letter

an unknown firm/person
(BE) (AE)

Dear Sir/Madam (BE) (AE)

Yours faithfully (BE)

Dear Sir or Madam (BE) (AE)

Yours truly (AE)

To whom it may concern (AE)

Truly yours (AE)

a woman whose name you
don't know

Dear Madam (BE) (AE)

Yours faithfully (BE)

Yours truly (AE)

Truly yours (AE)

a man whose name you
don't know

Dear Sir (BE) (AE)

Yours faithfully (BE)

Yours truly (AE)

Truly yours (AE)

a person whose name you
know

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Fisher (BE)
(AE)

Yours sincerely (BE)

Very truly yours (AE)

Sincerely (yours) (AE)

a person you know
personally

Dear Ann/John (BE) (AE)

(With) Best wishes (BE) (AE)

Yours (BE)

Love (BE)

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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