THE NATURE OF WRITING PROCESS IN THE

ENGLISH LESSON. DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS

For a second language learner, writing is an extension of listening and speaking. Therefore, the student
must be provided opportunities to build, extend, and refine oral language in order to improve written
output. Since writing involves some risk-taking, it is important for students to be comfortable taking risks.
They need to know that their efforts are appreciated and that the message they are trying to convey is
valued over the form.

The process approach to writing is ideally suited to the second language learner since listening, speaking,
and reading can be so naturally integrated with it.
 Writing is fundamental to learning in all disciplines
 Writing deserves constant attention from kindergarten through university
 Teachers are the key to educational change
 The best teacher of teachers is another teacher
 Effective literacy programs are inclusive, reaching all teachers in order to reach all students
 Universities and schools accomplish more in partnership
 Exemplary teachers of writing write and use writing themselves
One of the most important elements in teaching writing is an understanding of the writing process. This
is the process used by professional writers during their work on articles, novels, academic papers, or
speeches.

As teachers, we often assume students will work through the writing process without direct teaching. We
must offer students instruction and practice in each stage of the writing process. If the teacher intends
for students to produce a finished product, then the revision and editing steps are crucial. If the teacher
wants to offer practice and training in writing, then a number of papers can be developed by using
prewriting strategies and drafting. Finally, the students' best papers can be developed thoroughly through
revision, editing and post-writing.

Writing is most likely to encourage thinking and learning when students view writing as a process. By
recognizing that writing is a recursive process, and that every writer uses the process in a different way,
students experience less pressure to "get it right the first time" and are more willing to experiment,
explore, revise, and edit. Yet, novice writers need to practice “writing” or exercises that involve copying
or reproduction of learned material in order to learn the conventions of spelling, punctuation,
grammatical agreement, and the like. Furthermore, students need to “write in the language” through
engaging in a variety of grammar practice activities of controlled nature. Finally, they need to begin to
write within a framework “flexibility measures” that include: transformation exercises, sentence
combining, expansion, embellishments, idea frames, and similar activities).

Obviously, not all students of the same age or grade level write in the same way; students pass through
several developmental writing stages:

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 Stage 1
Novice Writer (unskilled, unaware, teacher-dependent writer)
 has little, if any, individual style
 has little awareness of writing process
 has undeveloped skills and techniques
 seeks approval from teacher
 is reluctant to revise any writing
 believes good writing comes easily

Stage 2
Transitional Writer (transitional, self-involved, self-delineating writer)
 needs support and coaching in order to
 learns from modeled behaviors
 is developing a degree of comfort with the craft
 is anxious to stand alone, yet is uncomfortable with peer collaboration
 is developing an awareness of personal needs, interests, and preoccupations

Stage 3
Willing Writer (peer-involved, willing writer)
 is able to collaborate well with others
 requires external feedback to shape progress
 is able to profit from criticism
 is developing objectivity concerning work
 enjoys practicing craft
 is developing a sensitivity to audience

Stage 4
Independent Writer (independent, autonomous writer)
 makes highly objective self-assessments
 has developed a sophisticated personal style
 has developed a writer's voice
 takes risks and experiments
 is self-motivating and self-aware as a writer
 is a craftsperson
1. Teaching writing communicatively

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 Although we have not yet carefully defined what is meant by communica¬tive practice, an integrated
approach or humanistic principles, we suspect that there is a general sympathy for these ideas. To what
extent, then, have they impinged on the teaching of writing?

Many teachers feel that writing has been the poor relation in the language teaching developments of the
last ten years. Any widely travelled teacher-trainer will have been struck by the number of teachers who
acknowledge the very real importance of writing, but despair of finding interesting ways of teaching it.
Many teachers feel they are on top of communicative approaches to listening, speaking and, to a
consider¬able extent, reading too, but that the key to teaching writing communica¬tively eludes them.

It also recognizes a second difficulty in teaching writing, which stems from the fact that the writing process
involves making choices between several possible ways of making a point. For non-native speaker
teachers in particular, this can be a real problem since an awareness of the possible options and of the
criteria for choosing between them is not always present. For this reason, the writing exercises suggested are
designed to place the non-native speaker teacher on an equal footing with his or her native speaker counterpart.

I. Process Writing Activities

1. Pre-writing: A Place to Start
Pre-writing, the first stage in the writing process, begins long before the writer puts thoughts into writing.
The experiences, observations, and interactions that students have prior to entering the classroom have
an impact upon what they will write and how they will write it. Within the classroom, pre-writing prompts
and activities can be integrated into the writing process as scaffolds by teachers to help students generate
ideas for their writing and to practice the thinking skills inherent in the activity.

To initiate thinking and generate possible writing topics, it is important for students to explore ideas for
writing topics using a variety of pre-writing strategies, such as the following:
 Brainstorming
 Constructing thought webs and graphic organizers
 Interviewing a person knowledgeable about the topic
 Engaging in peer or teacher-student discussions and conferences
 Listening to music
 Reading about and researching the topic
 Free writing or timed free writing about the topic
 Viewing media such as pictures, movies, and television
 Listing and categorizing information
 Reflecting upon personal experience
 Examining writing models
 Responding to literature
 Role playing and other drama techniques
 Asking the 5 Ws--who, what, where, when and why.

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To explore topics about which to write, the teacher may post suggestions on the bulletin board for student
reference. He/she may invite students to add their own pre-writing strategies to ideas such as the
following:

1. Brainstorming about people, places, and feelings

Write down or tell a partner the names of people you could describe, then quickly and briefly describe
each one. Name several places you have visited and list descriptive words for each place. List and describe
some memorable feelings you have had, and explain the situation in which they occurred.

2. Talking and listening in pairs or groups

Take turns telling about an interesting person, thing, incident, or object. Encourage the listeners to ask
questions and add ideas. Record possible writing topics or ideas as they arise during the discussion.

3. Looking at art

Study paintings, photographs, drawings, or sculpture in magazines or art books. It may even be useful to
take a trip to a local museum or art gallery. Jot down notes and questions about the artwork, the artist
and the subject, and any topic ideas that come to mind during the observation. It may help to talk over
your information and ideas with a partner or small group. Explain to a partner the stories in the art works.

4. Listening to music

Listen to music you like best or a variety of new and unfamiliar music. Listen to tape recordings or to the
radio, closing your eyes and letting the music paint pictures in your mind. Record these images as you
listen, or turn off the music and quickly record your ideas. It may be helpful to tell the story you have
imagined to a partner or group.

5. Role playing

Pretend to be any character, ask peers to act as other characters, and dramatize an event or incident, and
what happened as a result of that incident or event.

6. Observing with all senses

Be aware of all that is happening around you, in the classroom, at home, in restaurants, in malls, and
wherever you go. Listen closely to conversations of the people you observe, and try to capture the details
of their manners and dress. Observe for issues, problems, or achievements in your community. Jot down
ideas and notes as you observe them or as soon as possible after your observations.

7. Listing ideas and information

List such things as the activities that interest you, the sports you play, the clubs that you belong to, and
the community and world issues that you know about from the media.

8. Reading

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Read such things as nonfiction books, novels, magazines, stories, newspapers, and poems. Jot down ideas
that occur to you as you read and list questions you might investigate further. Keep track of interesting
vocabulary, story plots, and characters.

9. Newspaper searches

Read the stories and captions that catch your interest. Jot down ideas for writing a newspaper article or
ideas that can be developed into other kinds of writing.

10. Author visits

As the authors share their writing and discuss the craft of writing, students gain further understanding of
the writing process and possibly get ideas for their own writing.

Pre-writing prompts or activities planned by the teacher can serve as writing scaffolds for inexperienced
writers who have difficulty accessing their own feelings, ideas, experiences, and knowledge. Teacher-
planned pre-writing activities, such as the samples that follow, give students a place to start and make
them become aware of places from which to get ideas in the future. Students who have a place to start
with will be more motivated to continue developing their ideas and their own writing voices.

Sample Pre-writing Activity #1

Time allotment (5-10 minutes)

Give each student any book or magazine to use (e.g., Readers' Digest, anthologies). The teacher should
have a selection also, in order to model the process.

Have students open their books or magazines at any page and choose a word at random—the first word
that jumps off the page at them--and record this as Word #1; close the book.

Continue this until each student has four words recorded. Students then focus for about one minute on
each word separately, and list all their thoughts, ideas and associations that the word generates. Students
then begin to make connections among the four words and their lists of personal associations by writing
phrases, sentences, and ideas that demonstrate a relationship among the words. Students now have had
a writing warm-up and may continue developing the ideas generated or bank these ideas for another
day's writing.

Sample Pre-writing Activity #2

Time allotment (5-12 minutes)

Teachers may request that students bring pictures of people, or the teacher may supply them
(photographs or pictures clipped from magazines). Each picture should show several people in sufficient
detail to reveal size, facial expression, dress, and other facets of character.

Quickly walk the students through this activity, question by question, so they record the first thoughts
and reactions that the pictures generate, rather than dwelling too long on one question. The teacher

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 should ask students to examine their pictures closely, and explain that they will need to use their
imagination for the activity. Some questions the teacher might ask are:
 Who is the main character in the picture?
 What is an appropriate name for this character?
 How old is this character?
 What emotions is this character showing in the picture? Describe the evidence that you have for this
(e.g., facial expression, gestures).
 What kind of work might the character do for a living? Give reasons to support your decision.
 What might the person be thinking or saying? What makes you imagine this?
 What other characteristics are revealed by the character's dress and stance?
 What might have happened before the picture was taken? What might happen next?
 How are the other characters in the picture related to the main character? What evidence makes you
think so?
 What is the attitude of the main character to the other characters? What is the attitude of the other
characters to the main character? What are some possible reasons for these attitudes?
 What might it be like to be the main character or one of the other characters?

Instruct students to record ideas briefly, using phrases and words rather than sentences. Students then
may take the opportunity to develop their ideas further, or save their notes and ideas for use at a later
date.

Sample Pre-writing Activity #3

Time allotment (5-8 minutes)

 Prepare the students for free writing by explaining that they should write whatever thoughts enter their
head from the moment that the teacher says "go" to the moment he/she says "stop", even if it means
writing and rewriting, I don't know what to write. I don't know what to write. When the pen or pencil
hits the paper it does not stop for pauses, erasures, or corrections. Eventually, most students begin to
focus and the writing flows. Students then have the opportunity to develop these pre-writing ideas
further or save them for another day.

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What are the Different Stages of Writing Process

Writers have their own writing process as per their preference and they follow those steps naturally.
Whenever they get stuck with some tough topics, they follow the steps which are familiar to all to stimulate
their ideas in a right manner. It starts with prewriting and ends with publishing. However, 5 basic stages of
the writing process are prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and publishing. Each stage is precisely
discussed here to represent a clear perception about the entire process of writing.

Prewriting: Prewriting is important as it is the first stage, where a writer choose the topic and narrow down
the points as well as he determines the purpose of his writing. Additionally, the writer should consider his
audience whom he needs to address. Find your idea and then try to develop your idea and accumulate
pertinent information that support your idea. The next step is to plan and structure your idea.

Drafting: Drafting is nothing but putting your points and ideas on paper and arrange these points in a
readable manner. Writers usually research about their topics at the prewriting stage and then they
accumulate the entire information at this stage. First, the writers do a rough draft and then they try to
arrange their points in a best possible way and gradually prepares a final draft.

Revising: Revising is another imperative stage, where a draft is scrutinized thoroughly and points
incorporated in the draft are rearranged. At this stage, new points are added and some points are replaced
and removed as per the requirements. However, revision is indispensable to make the outlook of the
writing catchy and cogent.

Editing: Fine the tone of the writing and check each line thoroughly. Check spelling, grammar, punctuation,
sentence structure, document format and other things. Check the entire content as mistakes should not
leave behind. However, editing is the stage where writers can modify their lines as well as theme. It is
always better to give your writing to someone for editing.

Publishing: Publishing is the last stage where writers submit their work to the publisher. Make sure your
written document should be completed before giving to the publisher. However, each writer’s goal is to
publish his work and reach to the readers.

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 5 Aspects of Writing That Writers Enjoy
Once we reach a steady flow of thinking, we can't stop until we finish writing. Sometimes an individual
needs to try an activity numerous times until they finally appreciate and enjoy it. When I was in elementary
school, I struggled to compose lengthy, eloquent pieces of writing. On the contrary, I zoomed through
math problems like eating a delicious cake and it seemed like I would continue studying the subject in
college. However, after extensive meetings with teachers and busy nights of drafting essays, I eventually
liked to write, much more than forming proofs and finding Taylor polynomials. Below are some reasons
that writing is fun.

1. An outlet to express thoughts. This could be the most popular reason that writers offer because
we want to take a break from work, school, general busyness, and so on. We might also be
interested in asserting our opinion to our friend or looking into a tangential idea, but we are not
sure how to begin. Writing provides you a vast space to test ideas and explore them! Whether
you would like to craft an argument about ways to incorporate kimchi into Western culture or
blogging about your personal thoughts on life, there are countless options. Furthermore, the
process of jotting down your ideas can be soothing and help you organize your thoughts clearly.
Journals and diaries are popular (or used to be) since they provide a concrete surface for you
alone to scribble down your feelings. No one will likely read what you have written, and it might
even serve as a reminder of your past memories. On the other hand, if you choose to display your
work in the public sphere, it is a good idea to explain it clearly or attach an explanation about your
perspective.

2. Researching to better understand ideas. Especially for college students, you typically would not
participate in class discussions without studying the assigned texts and conducting your research
beforehand. Furthermore, essays often contain bibliographies since theses depend on outside
evidence. Writing simply gives one the chance to challenge their initial impressions on a topic by
viewing how strangers (preferably credible individuals) perceive it. If we did not utilize the time
to expand the limits of our perspectives, we would think that we were right all the time and be
close-minded. Instead, take advantage of the benefits that research presents and apply them to
the platform of writing! You could surprise yourself.

3. Discussing with others. In the sphere of writing, you are bound to chat with a friend about what
you jotted down during your organic chemistry test or perhaps a specific author's style in their
newest novel. Writing exists in countless areas of life and acts as an extension of your mind. You
could even consider it as a form of talking but without audio! Plus, it lends an excuse to chat
during class -- as long as you mostly stick to the right subject, you can inject some of your humor
and comments.

4. Learning how to study and investigate career options. Note that this particular reason is not
necessarily "fun", especially since it concerns work. However, the journey of balancing various
aspects of your life is thrilling! It is a process of challenging yourself to grow.

Generally, we do not like to waste our time, so students typically try to maximize their opportunities in
university. This often includes networking with potential employers and finishing their work as soon as

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possible. Aside from writing down a schedule and signing up for thousands of clubs and committees, the
skill of writing slows down your pace so that you can readily make the best decisions!

Last semester, my biology class covered a sizable amount of material each day and I struggled to keep up.
Since it tended to be a memory-based course, I tested my knowledge by writing down concepts on blank
pieces of paper without consulting any sources. Subsequently, I did well since I focused on understanding
the most significant concepts! Passive-learning (like only reading a textbook) or memorizing every detail
might be a pitfall for some students, but writing, if used properly, can be a wonderful tool for education.

In terms of careers, there are a plethora of options to deepen your search. As college students, we are
already aware of the infamous essay applications and resumes (or cover letters). They are mandatory, not
just for standard college applications but also for internships and jobs!

Developing excellent writing skills is necessary for those situations, but it is also essential in other areas
as well. LinkedIn has an accessible publishing platform that anyone can use to write on any subject; I
personally have republished a few of my articles from Odyssey on this site as well! Establishing blogs (or
your personal website) is another choice for showcasing your portfolio and character to potential
employers. Clearly, writing is a flexible and versatile tool!

5. Better appreciating books and authors. Reading a book for pleasure is definitely enjoyable, but
analyzing it through a deeper lens helps you remember and perhaps apply some of its truths to
your life. For me, the Bible is crucial for life, and if it were not for Friday night bible studies with
my church, I would glance over several important ideas. As mentioned in item 4, writing can help
you stop and think again about what you read.

Besides, if we want to truly "stop and smell the roses", or "live in the moment", we need to be fully plugged
into whatever we consume and examine it closely. In my case, writing can be one connection toward
studying the Bible and teaching me how to improve my relationship with God.

After reading this article, what are you waiting for? Write and venture into new territories!

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 How to Write a Personal Business Letter to Reach
Your Goals and Show Your Expertise

At the center of any relationship, there is communication. This is true for business relationships as well:
they are dependent on constant meetings, calls, and written correspondence.
Luckily, all the technology makes interaction with others much simpler and more time-efficient. There is
no need anymore to be physically present at a meeting, and sending letters has become an instant activity
thanks to the email. And still, once in a while it is expected that you write a business letter on paper and
send it via post.
Why so? First of all, it is more professional. Secondly, it is a gesture which shows that you have invested
more time into reaching out to a particular person or organization.

If you find writing actual letters too challenging, fear not: this is an article for you. In it, we’ll look cover all
the main aspects of writing personal business letters and look into the following:
 How to write a personal business letter
 What is the difference between a personal business letter and a business letter?
 How to format a personal business letter
 Tips and best practices for writing personal business letters
 What universal samples you can use when writing personal business letters
Let’s start with the basics first.

What is a personal business letter?

Normally, a personal business letter is the one that you write as an individual to either a company or other
individuals within a particular business. It is normally typewritten. Although the reasons and occasions for
writing one might differ, your main goal is usually of a personal character, while your relationship is of a
business nature. An important point to keep in mind is that personal business letters are slightly different
from business letters.

What is the difference between personal business letters and

business letters?

The main purpose of personal business letters is building relationships and establishing contact.
However, that is also true for business letters. The principal difference between the two is that you write
the personal one on your behalf. Neither marketing nor sales letters fit in here.
The reasons to write a personal business letter, on the other hand, can be different. Let’s take a look at
some of the common situations in the next paragraph.
Main reasons to write a personal business letter
 TO REQUEST INFORMATION OR ACTION

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 The most common example is a letter to government officials or your bank representative. For instance,
you want to get a social security statement or request a credit score. Another popular use case is a job
application letter.
 TO CONGRATULATE
There are lots of occasions for this: a birthday, birth of a child, work anniversary, career promotion, or,
for example, when the company you are watching gets an impressive funding.
 TO SAY “THANK YOU”
One can be grateful for anything. You can write a letter to thank someone for a meeting or a job interview,
for mentoring you, or for sharing with you some useful information.

 TO FOLLOW UP AFTER AN OCCASION

There are numerous possible occasions for this as well. You can follow up with your hiring manager, with
a workshop conductor, with your insurance agent, or with a business partner. Following up is a great way
to remind people of yourself.
 TO TELL ABOUT YOUR DECISION
For instance, when breaking the contract with your service provider or accepting a job offer, you can use
a personal business letter format to make it more professional.
 TO SAY SORRY
If you can’t attend an event or any occasion, it might be more polite to write a letter in which you apologize
for the change of plans. It can also be used when you express your regrets when something bad has
happened.
 TO INVITE TO AN EVENT
Although invitations, like congratulation notes, are usually sent with cards, you can use a personal
business letter as well. It all depends on the level of formality.
 TO WELCOME A NEW BUSINESS PARTNER
If you’ve got a new business partner, you can send a letter both from the company you represent and on
your behalf. In the case of the latter, a personal business letter is a right choice.

What information should be included in a personal business

letter?

Let’s now see what the main parts of a personal business letter are. In almost any case, the paper should
consist of the following:
 Sender’s information
 The date
 Recipient’s information
 Salutation
 Body
 Closing
 Your signature

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 Depending on the purpose of your correspondence, other elements can be present as well. For example,
your company logo (if you are writing as a representative of your company) or an additional note listing
the attachments in case you have any.
Let’s look at the components in more depth.
Step-by-step guide: How to write and structure a personal business letter
Below is your main guide on how to write a personal business letter for any occasion. Just make the list
of these elements before you start crafting your message. We advise you to make a template and keep it,
so that, once the occasion occurs, you can simply fill in the necessary details.
Note: This instruction follows the block formatting style. We’ll talk about it more below.
1. Sender's information
Start with your address at the top of the page. Remember that you just need the street name, building
number, apartment or suite (if applicable), ZIP code, the city, and the country for international
correspondence. Don’t include your name here, as it will follow at the bottom of the page. Also, remember
to avoid abbreviations of any kind. For example, write “Street” instead of “St.”
2. Date
One empty line after the sender’s address, write the date the letter was written. Make sure to use the
right date format depending on your country. For example, in the US, it will look like this:
March 6, 2018
and like this in the UK and Europe:
6 March 2018
3. RECIPIENT'S INFORMATION
Now leave one empty line after the date again and write the addressee’s name and address. Use the
appropriate title if your relationship with the recipient is a formal one. Don’t forget about academic titles
if the person has a degree. For the address, follow the same rules as in step 1 (Sender’s information).
4. SALUTATION
One empty line after the previous block, address the person to whom you are writing. Start with “Dear”
and use the appropriate title. Remember: if your recipient is a woman, and you don’t know if she prefers
Miss, Mrs. or Ms., use the neutral Ms. If you know the person well, you can use just the first name. Follow
the greeting with a colon and leave an empty line.
5. BODY
Start the body of your message with a capital letter. Don’t forget about a brief introduction if the person
doesn’t know (or doesn’t remember) who you are. Next, state the purpose of your writing and provide
the necessary details. If you have more than one paragraph, separate them from one another with an
empty line. At the end of the body, sum up what you said and provide a call to action.
6. CLOSING
Use a formal closing that you are comfortable with and that works in this particular situation. The safe
way to go is “Best regards” or something similar. “Thank you” or “Sincerely” would work in some instances
as well.
7. SIGNATURE
The signature block consists of:
 Your handwritten signature
 Your name
 (Optional: your company name)

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 Your address and contact information (or your corporate contact details if you are writing on behalf of
the company)
Start this block with four empty lines after the closing. You will use this space for your signature. Write
your name, address, phone number, and email—any contact details that would work for you. In case you
are writing as a company representative, use the company name and address.

8. OPTIONAL ELEMENTS
For empty lines after your address and phone number, you can mention all documents that you have
enclosed and are sending together with the current letter. You can either state the number of enclosures
or list them all.

Essentials of the personal business letter formatting

You should remember that personal business letters require official style and formatting. In this section,
we’ll talk more about how to write a personal business letter correctly, so that it has a professional look.
 USE BLOCK FORMATTING
When we wrote about the elements, we had the block format of a personal business letter in mind. It is
characterized by leaving a particular number of empty lines between certain blocks and paragraphs. The
main rules are:
 Left-align all your text, including the body and other blocks (addresses, date, greeting, closure, and
signature).
 Use the 2-inch margin from the top of the page.
 Use the 1-inch margins on both the left and the right sides.
 Single-space your text.
 Leave 1 empty line after: the sender’s info, date, recipient’s info, greeting, and each body paragraph.
 Leave 4 empty lines after: the closing and your signature.
 Do not indent paragraphs.

 CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE FONT STYLE

Choose the proper font type and style. Make sure to use one font only. Use standard fonts, such as Times
New Roman or Arial. If your recipient is less conservative, you can go with other readable fonts that are
widely accepted and used for business correspondence. The proper font size is 12.
 HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE TEXT
To ensure better readability, you can highlight certain parts of the text that you find important. Depending
on your audience, you can either do it with bold and italic formatting or with color. Still, avoid making
your letter too colorful, as it decreases readability of the document and is considered unprofessional.
 USE COMPANY TEMPLATES
Although a personal business letter format doesn’t require using business letterheads, you can still do it.
If you are writing as your company’s representative or on behalf of the company, be sure to use special
corporate templates. They normally include the company’s logo and address. In case it is appropriate, you

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 might use the corporate stamp as well. Still, be careful: if you are acting as a private person, you should
not use any corporate symbolics.

Common mistakes in writing personal business letters

Before you start writing your letter, we would like to point out the most common mistakes that people
often make. So please try to avoid the following:
 Being too informal
 Being too formal and unfriendly
 Writing a vast amount of text
 Using the wrong title when addressing the person
 Forgetting to introduce yourself when you are not too familiar with the recipient
 Failing to proofread your letter before sending it
Remember that your personal business letter is a standardized piece of writing that should follow certain
style guidelines. On the other hand, it is also important to keep in mind that your recipient is a living
person. So keep your letter both professional and polite.

Tips for writing a strong personal business letter

Most of the tips for writing a personal business letter are the same as those for creating any other piece
of business correspondence, from thank-you notes and autoresponder messages to prospecting emails.
This is why you might find some of the following best practices familiar. And still, it won’t hurt repeating
them.
 AVOID EXCESSIVE FAMILIARITY
First of all, remember to keep a slightly bigger distance between yourself and the recipient when it comes
to business correspondence. It often happens that you don’t know the person you are writing to. The two
of you might have absolutely different social statuses, backgrounds, or even different perceptions of what
can be considered as funny or appropriate.
 BE CONCISE AND KEEP TO THE POINT
Remember that your personal business letter always has a purpose. This purpose should be clear to your
recipient from the very start. Avoid generalizations, metaphors, figures of speech, or anything that your
addressee might misinterpret. Keep your message to the point and don’t go beyond that.
 AVOID SPELLING AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES
No matter how well you have stated your point and formatted the letter, spelling mistakes or grammar
errors might lead to drastic consequences. It is much better not to write the message in the first place
than send it full of mistakes. Spend some extra time to check your letter several times before sending it.
If you are not sure of your grammaticality, use Grammarly (or some other app) or show your writing to
someone who’s good at proofreading.
 BE POLITE AND PROFESSIONAL
It is vital to stay professional when it comes to business correspondence. However, the most important
thing to remember is that you are writing to another human being. Sometimes, this person might be
reading dozens of letters like this every day. So make it worth their time by keeping it polite and friendly.
 USE A CALL TO ACTION
What do you expect from your recipient upon reading your letter? Do you want them to write or call you
back? Or do you want them to send you some information or maybe be to solve a problem? You need to

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 specify this at the end of your letter. Give the person a clear call to action, so that they know what to do
next.

 PROOFREAD AND EDIT YOUR LETTER

We have already mentioned the importance of proper grammar in your correspondence above.
Remember that leaving mistakes unattended is the worst you can do. It’s not because of the mistakes
themselves that can make you look not so smart, but rather because it might create an impression that
you don’t care enough to proofread your letter.
 USE ACTIVE VOICE

Although there is nothing too evil about using the passive voice, consider avoiding it. It would shift the
emphasis away from the subject to the object, and, in some cases, this means removing responsibility as
well. Saying “a problem was spotted” is not the same as saying “I spotted a problem,” although the two
look synonymous. Your sentences sound stronger with active voice.

How to send a personal business email letter via email

In some cases, you don’t need to send a personal business letter via post—an email might be a better
option. This is especially true if the paper letter takes to long to reach the recipient or if the latter specifies
that it’s better to contact them via email.
In such cases, you can do one of the two things:
A) Write a standard personal business letter and attach it to your email
B) Write the text of your personal letter in the email body
If you go with the option B), then you don’t need to pay so much attention to formatting your text. You
may also avoid including your recipient’s postal address regardless of the option, especially if you don’t
know it.
What’s more, in case of emails, you can replace your personal signature with your electronic
signature or email signature. Consult the respective requirements to understand which one would suffice
here.

Conclusion
Writing personal business letters is not that hard if you know what elements they consist of and how to
format them. After you write such a letter once, you are covered. Still, you need to make sure you don’t
make crucial mistakes like not proofreading it before sending or putting too much detail into it, or being
too robotic in your writing.

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10 Types of Business Letters
The term “business letters” refers to any written communication that begins with a salutation, ends with
a signature and whose contents are professional in nature. Historically, business letters were sent via
postal mail or courier, although the internet is rapidly changing the way businesses communicate. There
are many standard types of business letters, and each of them has a specific focus.

Sales Letters

Typical sales letters start off with a very strong statement to capture the interest of the reader. Since the
purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters include strong calls to action, detail the benefit
to the reader of taking the action and include information to help the reader to act, such as including a
telephone number or website link.
Order Letters

Order letters are sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to order goods
or services. These letters must contain specific information such as model number, name of the product,
the quantity desired and expected price. Payment is sometimes included with the letter.
Complaint Letters

The words and tone you choose to use in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding factor on
whether your complaint is satisfied. Be direct but tactful and always use a professional tone if you want
the company to listen to you.
Adjustment Letters

An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in the
customer’s favor, begin the letter with that news. If not, keep your tone factual and let the customer know
that you understand the complaint.
Inquiry Letters

Inquiry letters ask a question or elicit information from the recipient. When composing this type of letter,
keep it clear and succinct and list exactly what information you need. Be sure to include your contact
information so that it is easy for the reader to respond.
Follow-Up Letters

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Follow-up letters are usually sent after some type of initial communication. This could be a sales
department thanking a customer for an order, a businessman reviewing the outcome of a meeting or a
job seeker inquiring about the status of his application. In many cases, these letters are a combination
thank-you note and sales letter.
Letters of Recommendation

Prospective employers often ask job applicants for letters of recommendation before they hire them. This
type of letter is usually from a previous employer or professor, and it describes the sender’s relationship
with and opinion of the job seeker.
Acknowledgment Letters

Acknowledgment letters act as simple receipts. Businesses send them to let others know that they have
received a prior communication, but action may or may not have taken place.
Cover Letters

Cover letters usually accompany a package, report or other merchandise. They are used to describe what
is enclosed, why it is being sent and what the recipient should do with it, if there is any action that needs
to be taken. These types of letters are generally very short and succinct.
Letters of Resignation

When an employee plans to leave his job, a letter of resignation is usually sent to his immediate manager
giving him notice and letting him know when the last day of employment will be. In many cases, the
employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company.

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 Guide for writing a perfect Report Writing
What is a report?
A report is a written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated. It is a
systematic and well organised presentation of facts and findings of an event that has already taken place
somewhere. Reports are used as a form of written assessment to find out what you have learned from
your reading, research or experience and to give you experience of an important skill that is widely used
in the work place.
When you’re assigned to write a report, it can seem like an intimidating process. Fortunately, if you pay
close attention to the report prompt, choose a subject you like, and give yourself plenty of time to
research your topic, you might actually find that it’s not so bad. After you gather your research and
organize it into an outline, all that’s left is to write out your paragraphs and proofread your paper before
you hand it in!

Read the report prompt or guidelines carefully.

If your teacher, professor, or boss gave you guidelines for your report, make sure you read them
thoroughly to make sure you understand the assignment. Generally, the prompt will give you information
such as whether your report should be informative or persuasive, who your audience should be, and any
issues your report should address.[1]
 The guidelines will also typically tell you the requirements for the structure and format of your report.
 If you have any questions about the assignment, speak up as soon as possible. That way, you don’t start
working on the report, only to find out you have to start over because you misunderstood the report
prompt.

Choose a topic you find interesting. Typically, you’ll have some leeway in what your report will be on.
If you pick a subject you’re interested in, you’ll be more engaged during the research and the writing
process. This often results in a report that’s more fun to read, so you’ll likely get better feedback or a
higher grade.[2]
 For instance, if your report is supposed to be on a historical figure, you might choose someone you find
really interesting, like the first woman to be governor of a state in the U.S., or the man who invented Silly
Putty.
 Even if you don’t have the option to choose your topic, you can often find something in your research that
you find interesting. If your assignment is to give a report on the historical events of the 1960s in America,
for example, you could focus your report on the way popular music reflected the events that occurred
during that time.

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 Try to pick a topic that is as specific as possible. If you write about too broad of a topic, your report
will seem disorganized, since you’ll be trying to cover too much information all at once. On the other hand,
your topic shouldn’t be so narrow that you can’t find anything to write about. Try to find one aspect of
the topic that has a lot of supporting details.[3]
 If you’re not sure what to write about at first, pick a larger topic, then narrow it down as you start
researching.
 For instance, if you wanted to do your report on World Fairs, then you realize that there are way too many
of them to talk about, you might choose one specific world fair, such as the Panama-Pacific International
Exposition, to focus on.
 However, you wouldn’t necessarily want to narrow it down to something too specific, like “Food at the
Panama-Pacific International Exposition,” since it could be hard to find sources on the subject without just
listing a lot of recipes.

Researching the Report

Include a variety of reputable sources in your paper. If the report guidelines give you a number of
sources to use, or a limit on how many of a specific type of source you can use, be sure to follow those
guidelines carefully. No matter how good your writing is, if you don’t source your report properly, you
won’t get good feedback. Any sources you need should be authoritative, like books, newspapers, or
scholarly articles written on the subject.[4]
 If you don’t have guidelines on how many sources to use, try to find 1-2 reputable sources for each page
of the report.
 Sources can be divided into primary sources, like original written works, court records, and interviews,
and secondary sources, like reference books and reviews.
 Databases, abstracts, and indexes are considered tertiary sources, and can be used to help you find
primary and secondary sources for your report.[5]
 If you’re writing a business report, you may be given some supplementary materials, such as market
research or sales reports, or you may need to compile this information yourself.

Visit the library first if you’re writing a report for school. Even if you’re allowed to use online
sources, the best place to start doing research is the library. Visit your school’s library, a public library in
your area, or even a nearby college or university library when you’re getting ready to start your report.
Search the library’s database to gain access to books, scholarly journals, periodicals, and other sources
that might not be available online.[7]
 Librarians are an excellent resource when you're working on a report. They can help you find books,
articles, and other credible sources.

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 Often, a teacher will limit how many online sources you can use. If you find most of the information you
need in the library, you can then use your online sources for details that you couldn’t find anywhere else.

Use only scholarly sources if you do online research. Since anyone can write something and put it
online, it can be hard sometimes to sift through all of the material on the internet to find authoritative
sources. To ensure you’re getting high-level sources, start by using an academic search engine, like Google
Scholar, Lexis Nexis, or your school’s recommended search engine, which may require a username and
password.[8]
 Examples of authoritative online sources include government websites, articles written by known experts,
and publications in peer-reviewed journals that have been published online.

Cross-reference your sources to find new material. Often, if you come across an article on the
subject you’re researching, you can use the sources that the author used to help you with your own report.
For instance, if you’re reading an article that mentions a previous publication on the same subject, see if
you can find that one as well. You might find some new information that will help you have a better
understanding of your subject.[9]
 If you’re using a book as one of your sources, check the very back few pages. That’s often where an author
will list the sources they used for their book.

Keep thorough notes as you research, including citation information. If you find something helpful
in a book, article, or another source, write down everything you might want to remember for your report.
Then, write down all of the information you can find on the source, including the author, the date of the
publication, the page number, and the publisher. This will help you easily create your bibliography later,
since the citation information will be listed right in your notes.[10]
 Remember to number each page of your notes, so you don’t get confused later about what information
came from which source!
 Remember, you’ll need to cite any information that you use in your report; however, exactly how you do
this will depend on the format that was assigned to you.

Use your research to help you craft a thesis statement. As you’re researching your paper, you
should notice a main theme emerging in your notes. Use this theme to write a strong thesis statement for
your report. Your thesis statement should summarize what you want to prove in your report for your
reader, and all of the body paragraphs should tie back to this idea.[11]
 For most reports, your thesis statement should not contain your own opinions. However, if you're writing
a persuasive report, the thesis should contain an argument that you will have to prove in the body of the
essay.
 An example of a straightforward report thesis (Thesis 1) would be: “The three main halls of the Panama-
Pacific International Exposition were filled with modern creations of the day and were an excellent
representation of the innovative spirit of the Progressive era.”

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 A thesis for a persuasive report (Thesis 2) might say: “The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was
intended as a celebration of the Progressive spirit, but actually harbored a deep racism and principle of
white supremacy that most visitors chose to ignore or celebrate.”

Organize your notes into an outline. Once you’ve decided on the thesis statement for your report, it’s
time to start organizing your notes into the main structure you’ll use for your report. Begin with your
thesis statement, then pick 3 or 4 major ideas related to your thesis statement that you will want to cover
in your essay. Write down details from your notes that support each of those main ideas.[12]
 The purpose of an outline is to help you to visualize how your essay will look. You can create
a straightforward list or make a concept map, depending on what makes the most sense to you.
 Try to organize the information from your notes so it flows together logically. For instance, it can be helpful
to try to group together related items, like important events from a person’s childhood, education, and
career, if you’re writing a biographical report.
 Example main ideas for Thesis 1: Exhibits at the Court of the Universe, Exhibits at the Court of the Four
Seasons, Exhibits at the Court of Abundance.

Writing the First Draft

Format the report according to the guidelines you were given. It can be helpful to format the font,
margins, and spacing of your report before you start writing it, rather than trying to go through and set it
all up at the end. Then, as you’re writing out paragraphs, go ahead and put in a citation every time you
include information from one of your sources. That way, you don’t forget to do it after you’re finished.[13]
 Try to follow any formatting instructions to the letter. If there aren't any, opt for something classic, like
12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, double-spaced lines, and 1 in (2.5 cm) margins all around.[14]
 You'll usually need to include a bibliography at the end of the report that lists any sources you used. You
may also need a title page, which should include the title of the report, your name, the date, and the
person who requested the report.
 For some types of reports, you may also need to include a table of contents and an abstract or summary
that briefly sums up what you’ve written. It’s typically easier to write these after you’ve finished your first
draft.

State your thesis in the introduction. Your intro is where you introduce your topic and state your
thesis. Your introductory paragraph should be engaging, since you want the reader to be interested in
reading the rest of your report. You should provide some background information on your topic, then
state your thesis so that the reader knows what the report is going to be about.[16]
 Example Intro for Thesis 1: “The Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) of 1915 was intended to
celebrate both the creation of the Panama Canal, and the technological advancements achieved at the

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 Start each paragraph in the body of the report with a topic sentence. The body paragraphs are
where you state the evidence that supports your thesis. Each body paragraph consists of a topic sentence
and evidence supporting the topic sentence. The topic sentence introduces the main idea of the body
paragraph and links the paragraph back to the thesis.[17]
 Typically, you should present the most important or compelling information first.
 Example topic sentence for Thesis 1: At the PPIE, the Court of the Universe was the heart of the exposition
and represented the greatest achievements of man, as well as the meeting of the East and the West.

Support each topic sentence with evidence from your research. After you write your topic sentence
in the body paragraph, provide evidence found in your research that supports your topic sentence.
Incorporate this research using a mixture of paraphrases and direct quotes. By linking the text of each
body paragraph to the topic sentence, you’ll keep your report well-organized, and it will flow better.
 Paraphrasing means restating the original author's ideas in your own words. On the other hand, a direct
quote means using the exact words from the original source in quotation marks, with the author cited.
 For the topic sentence listed above about the Court of the Universe, the body paragraph should go on to
list the different exhibits found at the exhibit, as well as proving how the Court represented the meeting
of the East and West.
 Use your sources to support your topic, but don't plagiarize. Always restate the information in your own
words. In most cases, you'll get in serious trouble if you just copy from your sources word-for-word. Also,
be sure to cite each source as you use it, according to the formatting guidelines you were given.

Follow your evidence with commentary explaining why it links to your thesis. Commentary is
your own ideas about your topic and the evidence. Analyze the evidence to explain how it supports the
ideas presented in your topic sentence, then clearly link it back to your thesis. This helps the reader follow
your train of thought, which makes your argument stronger.
 Your commentary needs to be at least 1-2 sentences long. For a longer report, you may write more
sentences for each piece of commentary.

Summarize your research in the conclusion paragraph. This paragraph both summarizes your thesis
again and provides your final thoughts on your topic. It should reiterate to the reader what they should
be taking away from your report, and should reinforce the significance of the information you’ve
presented.
 Avoid presenting any new information in the conclusion. You don’t want this to be a “Gotcha!” moment.
Instead, it should be a strong summary of everything you’ve already told the reader.
Revising Your Report

Scan the report to make sure everything is included and makes sense. Read the report from
beginning to end, trying to imagine that you’re a reader that has never heard this information before. Pay

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 attention to whether the report is easy to follow, and whether the point you’re making comes across
clearly. Also, look for whether your evidence supports your thesis
 A good question to ask yourself is, “If I were someone reading this report for the first time, would I feel
like I understood the topic after I finished reading?

Read each sentence from the end to the beginning. No matter how carefully you think you’ve read
through your report, sometimes you can accidentally skim over text that you’ve already read several
times. After you’ve finished proofreading your report, try reading it again, but this time, read it backward.
Start with the last sentence of the report, then the one before that, and so on.

 This is a great trick to find spelling errors or grammatical mistakes that your eye would otherwise just scan
over.

Have someone else proofread it for you. Having a second pair of eyes can be helpful when you’re
proofreading, especially after you’ve already read the report several times. If you can find someone
willing to proofread the report for you, ask them to point out any spelling mistakes, grammatical
errors, and awkward language, as well as whether your point is clear.[25]
 Ask your helper questions like, “Do you understand what I am saying in my report?” “Is there anything
you think I should take out or add?” And “Is there anything you would change?”

Compare your report to the assignment requirements to ensure it meets expectations. All of
your hard work deserves to be rewarded, so don't risk losing points because you didn't do the assignment
correctly. Go through the assignment checklist or rubric to make sure your paper meets the requirements
for full credit.

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Classification of Technical Reports
It is addressed to a group of individuals, e.g., company's annual report and stockholders' equity report

 Individual Reader

It is written by a public official or government personnel, e.g., COA report and DECS memorandum

 Information
 Regular/ Periodic

Length
 Printed/ Form
 Book Form

Function
 Group Reader

It is written by an author not belonging to the same organization, e.g., external audit report.

 Formal

Format
 Informal
 Examination

Subject Matter
 Research

It is more than five pages, e.g., theses and dissertations

It does not contain all the parts of a conventional full-dress report, e.g., letter report and one-page
report.

Readership

It is issued occassionally, e.g., calamity report and physical examination report.

 Letter-form

It is written by an individual in the private sector, e.g., doctor's examination report

 External/ Outside

It is written by an author belonging to the same organization, e.g., dean's report and internal audit
report

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Frequency
It suggests an action to be undertaken, e.g., operation and construction recommendation reports

It is addressed to an individual, e.g., bank statement

It is written on ready-made printed form, e.g., cash flow report and bank reconciliation.

It gives a findings of an investigation, e.g., investigative report and experimental research report

 Persuasive
 Informative

It contains the parts of a conventional full-dress report e.g., thesis and research paper.

 Public

It is written in the form of a letter, e.g., proposal report and recommendation report.

 Recommendation

Classification of Technical Reports

Technical reports are classified into biological, physical, chemical, geological, psychological, sociological,
etc.

Purpose
It serves to persuade or to let the reader take and action, e.g., COA reports and recommendation report.

 Long

Technical reports are gouped in various ways. The bases of classification are subject matter, frequency,
purpose, function, authorship, readership, length, format, and formality.

 Private
 Short

It has five pages or less, e.g., laboratory report and form report

 Internal/ Inside

It imparts information on a periodic or special basis, e.g., annual report and monthly

It states the result of an examination, e.g., engineering, marketing, financial, and administrative
examination reports

It is written in the form of a book, e.g., thesis and information booklet

Formality
 Special
 Authorship

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