Letter Writing
• 4. How to write E letters
• 1) General Rules of Good Letter Writing
• A. Clarity and orderly（简洁明了，有条有理）
• 语言简明、通顺。包括缩短不必要的字句，剔除迂
回冗长的句法，使一封信写的尽量简短。
• To do it thoroughly —to go the whole hog
• 同时所述事情必须完整，有条有理，层次分明，使
人读起来对前因后果，来龙去脉，一目了然。
• B. Modest and honesty
• 态度谦虚与恭敬。并不是措辞上加几句客套话，
而是在叙事时为他人着想，不要纯粹以自己为
中心。
• 尽可能及时复信，若确实无法答复时，也要将
原因以及何时有结果尽快函告对方，这是一种
礼貌，也是一种办事效率高，待人热情诚恳的
基本态度。
• C. 删繁就简，避免冗词
• 简洁的具体要求。行文中避免一些不必要的华而不
实的词句，宁简勿繁，提高用词的效果。
• The question is under active consideration.
• (多用了不必要的形容词）
• The question is being considered.
• Owing to the fact that– because
• At an early date—soon
• Terminate– end
• Utilize-- use
• D. 选词要确切，语言要规范
• 用词和词语搭配要准确，合乎英语语言的习惯，
不要自己杜撰、拼凑或使用已过时或不常用的
行话等。
• The writer wishes to acknowledge…（行话）
• Thank you for your letter….
• As per your letter…（陈旧）
• According to your letter
• 根据来信所述
• E. 内容准确，不要含糊
• 所谈事情要清楚，确实，少用含糊、抽象或不
具体的词句。比如要答谢别人上封来信，最好
要提及上封信的具体日期，内容。Thank you
for your letter of July 5….
• 5.Opening and Concluding Sentences
• 起首语应简明扼要。
• 结束语也应避免虚词废话，应针对信文实际情
况，恰如其分地选用，力求给对方留下热情诚
恳的好印象。
• Opening Sentences:
• 1）Thank you for your letter dated
Dec.22,2006.
• 2)Many thanks for your letter of Sept.5，
2007.
• 3)A thousand thanks for your kind letter of
June 5,2007.
•
4)Your kind letter of November 22th arrived
this morning.
• 5)Your letter which arrived this
morning gave me great comfort.
• 6)In reply to your letter dated 4th
July, I want to say…
• 7)Thank you very much for your
letter of August 2 and the gift you
sent me on Christmas Eve.
8)What a treat to receive your kind
letter of May 5th!
• 9)It is always a thrill to see your nice
handwriting.
• 10)First of all I must thank you for your
kind assistance and high attention to me .
•
11)With great delight I learn from your
letter of this Sunday that …
• 12)I am very much pleased to inform you
that my visit to your country has been
approved.
• 13)I wish to apply for teaching
position you are offering.
• 14)I am too excited and delighted at
your good news.
• 15)I am very obliged to you for your
warm congratulations.…
• Concluding Sentences:
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1）Awaiting your good news,
2)Looking forward to your early reply,
3)Hoping to hear from you soon,
4)We await your good news.
5)I hope to hear from you very soon.
6)We look forward to your reply at your
earliest convenience.
• 7)I look forward to our next meeting
there in Los Angeles.
8)Your early reply will be highly
appreciated.
• 9)Any other particulars wanted we
shall be pleased to send you.
10)The help you give me is sincerely
valued.
11)I hope everything will be well with
you .
12)Please let us know if you want more
information.
• 13)I hope you always enjoy yourself.
• 14)I wish you very success in the
coming year.
• 15)Please remember me to your family.
• 16)With best regards to your family.
• 17)All the best.
18)With love and good wishes.
• 6.The Ways on Envelopes Writing
• 1) How to Choose Your Envelopes
• 对于正式的信件，信封的纸质、颜色和
规格应与信笺相配。对于非正式信件可
多种多样。但要寄往国外的信件，为示
庄重，对信封的使用要适当注意。
• 2） Forms of Envelope Addressing
• Block Form
• Indented Form
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3) How to Address Envelopes
A. Inland Envelope
寄信人的姓名和地址
右上角，姓名单占一行，地址由小到大。
姓名前不加头衔。
收信人的姓名和地址
• 通常从信封中央或偏右一点写。姓名独占
一行，地址排序、写法与信内收信人地址
完全一致。要冠以头衔或学位。
• 对没衔位的人，可在姓名前加Mr., Mrs. 或
Miss等。但英美人习惯在男性姓名后加Esp.
(Esquire), 以表对收信人的尊敬和礼貌，不用
加其他头衔。
• Mr. John Smith
• John Smith Esp.
• 其他附注
• 若怕信件丢失，可在信封左上角写上If not
delivered, Please return to….
• 收信人若是女性，西方则把此话写在信封背
面。
• 若要转送，可在左上角写Via,后加经由的地
址。Via Hong Kong
• 还可具体注明采用航空还是船运
• By Air-mail to San Francisco, by s/s to
Tokyo
• 若属机密或紧急信件，可在信封的左下角注
明Confidential, Urgent
• Secret 密件
Top Secret 绝密
• Personal 亲启 Private 私人信件
• Immediate 要件 Rush 急件
若是稿件、印刷品等
Printed Matter 印刷品
Sample 样品
Sample Post 样品邮件
Sample of Merchandise 商品样
Photo Enclosed 内有照片
• 若是信件不是通过邮寄，而是托人转交，一
般来说信封上不写收信人的地址，只在收信
人的名字之下写上By politeness of,
Kindness of, Per Kindness of, Per Favor of
等字样。（意为敬请某人转交）后加上带信
人的姓名。如：
• Prof. James Quick
• Politeness of Dr. William Brown
• 敬请威廉布朗博士转交詹姆士奎克教授收
• 若信封通过邮局寄给第三者转交给收信人，则
需在收信人的姓名下面写明转交人的姓名，并
在前面加上c/o (care of)。如：
Mr. Thomas Green
C／O Mr. William Scott
101 St. Lawrence Ave.
Montreal 18，Canada
• B. International Envelope
• 与国内信封区别不大，只是在收信人地址和
发信人地址下，视具体情况，加上所在国的
名称即可。