Principles of Business

Correspondence
Prepared by:
Ma. Anna Corina G. Kagaoan
Instructor
College of Arts and Sciences
 Principles of Business Correspondence:
• Business writing is clear. It uses simple words, short
sentences and paragraphs that are easy to understand.
Words used are direct to the point.
• Business writing is formal. It is written in standard
formal English. It refrains from using abbreviations.
• Business writing is objective. It conveys its message in
a detached, impartial point of view. You don’t express
your personal feelings and opinions, you’re just presenting
the intended message.
• Business writing is factual and accurate. It gives only
facts pertinent to the message of the letter.
• Business writing is contemporary. It is in a
conversational tone.
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
I. CLEARNESS - immediate understanding of the letter’s message.
Ways to achieve clearness :
a.) think first then write – you must think beforehand and
figure out why you are writing and to whom you are writing.
b.) use simple familiar expressions – since your aim is to
inform your readers, you should use simple words like:
Instead of… Use…
feasible possible
procure get
utilize use
viable workable
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
c.) omit wordiness – avoid using unnecessary words that do
not contribute to the clearness of message.

Wordy Clear
according to the law legally
affixed his signature signed
a great length of time long
aimed at for
a large number of many
attached hereto attached
for the purpose of for
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:

d.) avoid jargon – use words that are understood by the

average readers that will not confused them. Jargon is the
technical vocabulary developed within a profession like
amortization, balance sheet, litigation, injunction, etc.
e.) keep your sentences and paragraphs short
f.) use the active voice – subject–verb–object
The President ordered the NAPOCOR officials to end the long
brownouts. (ACTIVE)
The NAPOCOR officials were ordered by the President to end the
long brownouts. (PASSIVE)
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
II. CONCISENESS – brief but complete in its idea. Ways to
achieve conciseness:
a.) eliminate unnecessary words
(We wish to inform you that) we have already shipped your
order for two (2) dozens of Soen blouses. We (wish to)
apologize for the delay of your shipment.
b.) avoid redundancy or repetition of words with the
same idea
Please file (away) this letter.
Let us prolong (the deviation of) this meeting.
(Absolutely) Perfect
By (Means)
Big (In size)
at 7 p.m. (in the evening)
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
c.) economize on adjectives – don’t use too much adjectives
The bombastic, graft buster, religious, faithful Ms. Santiago is
having a sumptuous meal with friends and supporter, nibbling
succulent, crisp-coated, fresh, delicious “inihaw na bangus.”
BETTER : The graft buster Ms. Santiago is having a sumptuous
meal of “inihaw a bangus” with her supporters.
III. CONCRETENESS – use definite words rather than general words.
Abstract & general:
We sell the best fabric.
His mother has a serious disease.
Concrete and specific:
We sell yards of Vonnel that are soft, warm and inexpensive.
His mother has brain cancer.
Euphemistic Concrete
cardiovascular accident stroke
custodial engineer janitor
departed dead
disadvantaged poor
relieve from job fire
senior citizen old people
mentally challenged retarded
Sexist language Preferred
stewardess flight attendant
mankind humanity
newsman reporter
chairman chairperson, chair
coed student
repairman service technician
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
IV. COURTESY – use positive expressions
Use… instead of…
can cannot
do do not
success failure
fortunately unfortunately
:::::::::::::::::: avoid ::::::::::::::::
impossible unfortunately
doubtful worried
failure wrong
Negative
Our office is closed after 4 p.m.
We are sorry to reject your application….
Positive
Our office is open until 4 p.m.
We appreciate your application…..
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
V. CONSIDERATION – seeing every transaction of your reader’s
point of view rather than your own point of view. You must have
the “YOU ATTITUDE” which means you must think and write in
terms of your readers and must be motivated by what your
readers want and need.
VI. CONSISTENCY – has unity of ideas and purpose. Its parts are
parallel and there are no unnecessary shifts in tense, subject,
number, person.
VII. COHERENCE – quality of words to stick together to present a
single idea and to ensure a smooth flow of thought. There should
be logical organization of ideas, correct order of modifiers, correct
use of transitional elements and parallel ideas.
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
Ways to achieve coherence:
a.) choose the pattern on logical organization
i.) deductive – generalization going to the details.
ii.) inductive – details to the generalization.
b.) correct order of modifiers (adjective and adverbs)
WRONG :
In answering the telephone, politeness should be observed.
While reading a novel, a visitor came.
RIGHT :
In answering the telephone, you should be polite.
While I was reading a novel, a visitor came.
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
Connectives :
Addition Attitude Contrast Cause and Effect
also fortunately but thus
too naturally however therefore
furthermore in a sense nevertheless consequently
moreover yet
despite
on the other hand
Gen. to Specific Reason Reference Summary Time
in fact because the former in summary then
especially since the latter to sum up now
for instance as the following in conclusion next
for example first
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
VIII. CHARACTER – refers to the personality of the writer as reflected
in his writings. To achieve character in your letter, be original in
your letter, in your style, use fresh, everyday expressions and use
the personal pronouns.
Stereotyped Modern
Kindly advise.. Please let us know..
Your favor on June 12.. Your letter of June 12..
I have to honor to inform you… I am pleased to inform you…
This will acknowledge your recent letter.. Thank you for your recent letter…
Ways to achieve character :
a.) use personal pronouns – use I, you, or we rather than the
undersigned, or the writer.
b.) make it personal/conversational
Use… Instead of…
We are replying to… This is in reply to…
 10 Cs of Effective Business Letters:
IX. COMPLETENESS – provide complete information to save time,
money and effort.
a.) prepare all needed information
b.) know the purpose of writing the letter
c.) plan the letter to answer all questions of the reader
d.) check letter form important details
e.) aim for the desired response
X. CORRECTNESS – it should be presentable in appearance
(neatness, correct margin, spacing, balanced typing and color).
– contents are free from typographical errors,
errors in word selection, in dates and figures, capitalization,
punctuation marks.
– it should stimulate your reader’s desire to
read.
 Five Steps for Effective
Business Writing:
 Determine your writing purpose
 Know your reader
 Outline/organize your message
 Write the first draft
 Edit your letter according to:
• Content and lay-out
• Grammar
• Clarity
• Conciseness
• Style