1、私人和公务信函-概述 书信是日常生活中常用的文体，是用以交涉事宜、传达信息、交流思想、联络感情、增进了解的重要工具。书信一般可分为商务信件或公函（Business Letter or Official Correspondence）和私人信件（Private Letter）两大类。值得注意的是，英语书信的写法与汉语书信有一些明显区别，应特别加以区分。 英语书信通常包括下面几个组成部分：信端、信内地址、称呼、正文、结束语、签名、附件、再启等。下面我们将逐个进行介绍。 关于发信日期的写法，应注意以下几点： 年份应完全写出，不能简写。 月份要用英文名称，不要用数字代替。月份名称多用公认的缩写式。但
2、May, June, July, 因为较短，不可缩写。 写日期时，可用基数词 1，2，3，4，5，28，29，30，31 等，也可用序数词 lst, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31lst 等。但最好用基数词，简单明了。 日期可有下列几种写法： Oct. 20, 2004 10 May., 2004 3rd June, 2004 Sept. 16th, 2004 其中，最为通用。 3.称呼（Salutation） 给外国人写英文信时，称呼用语要注意以下几点： 对没有头衔的男性一般称呼 Mr. 。Mr. 用在姓氏之前或姓氏和名字之前，不可只用在名字
3、之前，例如对的称呼，应该是：Mr. 或 Mr. White, 不可是：Mr. Phil。若称呼多个男性，则在姓名前用 Mr. 的复数形式 Messrs. 。对一般以人名为名称的公司和企业常用这种称呼，例如：Messrs. Black and Brothers 布莱克兄弟公司。 对女性一般称呼 Mrs.， Madam 或 Miss。Mrs.用在已婚女子的丈夫的姓氏之前，或姓氏和名字之前，一般不用在名字前 Madame 此词可以单独使用或加在丈夫的姓名之前 Mrs. 没有复数形式。若称呼多个女性，则在姓名前用 Mme. 的复数形式 Mmes. 而对以女子名字为名称的公司、企业可用 Mesdames
4、 称呼。 Miss 多用于未婚女子，此词可缩写为 Ms ，用于姓氏之前或姓氏和名字之前，一般不用于名字之前。 对收信人的称呼，也可用头衔或职位的名称，不分性别。例如 Professor （缩写为 Prof.） ，Doctor （缩写为 Dr.） ， General (缩写为 Gen.) 。这些称呼都放在姓氏之前或姓氏和名字之前，如 Prof. （Phil）White 等。 对外公函中对收信人的称呼，可用 Gentlemen （而不是 Gentleman） ，Dear Sir (s)和My dear Sir(s)等。Gentlemen 之前不能加 Dear， 后面也不能带姓名。用 Sirs 时，
5、前面常用 Dear 一词，但也可单独用 Sir。若收信人是妇女，则无论已婚或未婚，都可单独使用 Madam 或其复数 Mesdames。 对外国高级官员的称呼，如国家元首、政府首脑、部长、大使、公使和特使等，可用（Dear）Sir， （Dear）Mr. Chairman， （Dear）Mr. Premier， （My dear）Mr. Ambassador，Your Excellency （复数为 Excellencies） 。 对君主制国家的国王和皇帝等男性君主，可以 Sir 称呼，对女王、女皇和皇后等女性君主，可用 Madam 称呼。有时也用 Your Majesty 称呼以表示。客气和尊
6、敬 Your Majesty 可兼指男性和女性，其复数为 Your Majesties。 对王室成员，如太子、王子、亲王和公主等，一般可用（Dear）Sir 或（Dear）Madam 但在正式尊称时，一般用 Your Highness (复数为 Highnesses)。 收信人称呼 先生（男人）Mr./Esq. 夫人（已婚）Mrs. 小姐（未婚）Miss 夫人、小姐统称 Ms. 夫妇俩人 Mr.and Mrs. 两位或两位以上男子 Messrs 两位或两位以上女子（已婚）Mesdames 两位或两位以上小姐（未婚）Misses 常见的头衔（汉英对照）如下： 教授 Professor 博士 Do
7、ctor(Dr.,Ph.D.) 医学博士 Medical Doctor(M.D.) 总统或校长 President 主席或董事长 Chairman 副主席或副董事长 Vice Chairman 副总统或副校长 Vice President 首相 Prime Minister 总理 Premier 省长或州长 Governor 市长 Mayor 参议员 Senator 大使 Ambassador 秘书长 Secretary General 一秘 First Secretary 二秘 Second Secretary 院长 Director,Dean 副院长 Vice Director 系主任 D
8、ean,Head,Chair 馆长 Chief Librarian,Curator 阁下 Excellency 神甫 Father 4.信的正文（Body of the Letter） 信的正文每段第一行应往右缩进约四五个字母。在写事务性信件时，正文一般开门见山，内容简单明了，条理清楚。在写私人信件时，信写好之后若有什么遗漏，可用 P. S.表示补叙。 5.结束语（Complimentary Close） 结束语是写信人表示自己对收信人的一种谦称，只占一行，低于正文一二行，从信纸的中间或偏右的地方开始写。第一个词的开头字母要大写，末尾用逗号。结束语视写信人与收信人的关系而定。 私人和公务信函-
9、常用句式 常用的起首语有： 1）Thank you for your letter dated Dec.22,1969. 2)Many thanks for your letter of Sept.5，1997. 3)A thousand thanks for your kind letter of June 5,1997. 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
10、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
11、 and high attention to me . 11)With great delight I learn from your letter of this Sunday that 14)I am very much pleased to inform you that my visit to your country has been approved. 15)I wish to apply for teaching position you are offering. 16)I am too excited and delighted at your good news. 17)I
12、 am very obliged to ;you for your warm congratulations. 常用的结束语有： 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 fo
13、rward 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.
14、 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. 私人和公务信函-分类举例-私人介绍信 例 1Directions: One of your classmates and friends Li Fang will go to a uni
15、versity in New York to study for several months. Please write a letter to an American friend in New York and introduce Li Fang to him/ her.You should write about 100 words and do not need to write the address. Dear Mrs Mark， I am giving Miss Fang Li, a classmate of mine, this note of introduction to
16、 you and Mr. Mark, when she goes to visit New York City. Miss Li is my good friend. She is invited by a university to study there for a few months. She is a kind young lady. I believe you will enjoy meeting and knowing each other and become friends. It is my hope that you will kindly invite her to s
17、tay in your house for a few days. Kind regards Very affectionately, *It is my hope that . 是一个强调句式，意同 I hope that. stay in your house 表示在你家小住。 例 2 Directions : Your friend Mary Brown will go to Washington D. C. next month. Writea letter to Tony who is there and introduce Mary to him. You should write
18、 about 100 words and do not need to write the address. Dear Tony, This letter will introduce my best friend Mary Brown of whom youve often heard me mention. She is going to be in Washington D. C. next month to lecture. I want very much to have her meet you there. And this seems like an excellent cha
19、nce for you to meet each other. I think both of you will have a lot in common. So far as I know, you both are interested in modern literature. Once you meet her, you will really enjoy her company. Any kindness to her will be duly appreciated by me. Yours affectionately, * 这是一个向朋友介绍朋友的介绍信。Tony 和 Mary
20、 都是写信人的朋友，在他看来，他们志同道合，有共同爱好，所以希望他们相识，信中说“you both are interested in modern literature once you meet her, you will really enjoy her company”。 私人和公务信函-分类举例-应聘信 （Accepting Request for an Interview） 例 1 Directions: You have just received a letter from a company, which replied your application for a job
21、and asked you to go to the interview on August 30. Please write a reply which is about 100 words and you do not need to write the address. Dear Mr. Wang, Thank you for your reply of August 20 about my application for a position. It came to hand this morning as a pleasant surprise. I am glad to tell
22、you that I will attend the interview at the time you set for the morning of August 30. I will bring along full details of my testimonials as you suggested. I would like to introduce myself to the company and hope to be a member of it. I would certainly spare no effort to acquit myself to your satisf
23、action. Yours respectfully, *come to hand 表示收到。set 表示设定时间。 spare no effort 不遗余力。 私人和公务信函-分类举例-推荐信 (Letters of Recommendation) 例 1 Directions:You are preparing to introduce your student to sb. Write a letter about 100 words and express your opinion clearly. 1) what the referee want to obtain 2) the r
24、eason you want to introduce him or her. 3) the opinion and suggestion of yourself. You do not need to write the address. Dear Professor Smith, It is my pleasure to recommend my student Mr. Wang Gang for admission to your department for pursuing a master degree in accounting. I am engaged in accounti
25、ng teaching at a university in Beijing China, I enjoy my work and all of my Chinese students, who are so clever and friendly. However Mr. Wang Gang excels almost any others. He is not only outstanding in the field of accounting but also gifted for the English language, for he seems to understand alm
26、ost every word I say in class. As concern as his personality, I find him honest, responsible, and cooperative. I bet youll like him too. I recommend him enthusiastically. If you need further information regarding Mr. Wang Gnag, do not hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Sincerely yours, *be engage
27、d in 表示从事（工作） ，as concern as 关于、提及 例 2 Directions:You are asked to write a recommendation of your student for a position of marketing clerk about 100 words please express your reason clearly.You do not need to write the address. Dear Mr. Manager, I am writing this letter to recommendate my student W
28、ang Gang who is seeking the position of marketing clerk of your company. He says you are satisfied with his presentation at the interview and require recommendation to be attached to his exceptional academic performance in the college. As his political instructor, I think Mr.Wang is well qualified f
29、or the position he seeks. He always ranks among the top five in his grade, has passed CET-6 and obtains a certificate of intermediate computer skills. Mr. Wang is a studious, selfless, and aspiring young man, and he is awarded the title of Three Good Activist by the college every year. I believe he
30、is a good candidate worthy of your consideration. Your sincerely, *interview 即面试， be well qualified 表示完全具有资格、很合格 例 3 Directions:You are going to write a recommendation for sb. as you will introduce him or her a job. Please express your idea clearly about 100 words.You do not need to write the addres
31、s. Dear Sirs, I take delight in recommending Mr Wang Gang to the Education Department of your university. Mr Wang is a conscientious and strong-minded young man. He was first trained for two years in Beijing Normal University and assigned to work as a high school teacher. His desire, however, was to
32、 instruct English in a university. Then he entered the Beijing Institute of Education to study English for another two years . His academic record was exceptionally good, especially in American literature course. Now, He has graduated from the institute and hopes to study further abroad, which will
33、benefit his future employment prospect and may help fulfil his desire. I should appreciate it very much if you would consider him. Yours sincerely *take delight in 表示很乐于（做某事） 。 例 4 Directions: Your are asked to write a recommendation for a student. Please give your suggestions and express your opini
34、ons clearly about 100 words.You do not need to write the address. To Professor Zhang, I have the pleasure of writing this letter of recommendation for Mr. Li Ming, who is a student of mine. He wishes to be considered an applicant for the MS course of biology at your college. Mr. Wang is a gifted you
35、ng man. He has devoted his heart to his study and research. Not only has he obtained As in all major subject areas, but he has also published several articles in the school journal, illustrating his originality and his deep understanding of science. For his competence, he is respected by everyone wh
36、o knows him. I feel sure that, if he is accepted by your college, he will be able to develop his talent to its fullest potential. I sincerely hope you will give him favorable consideration. Yours cordially, * 推荐信经常使用一些褒奖的形容词来描述被推荐人。以下是一些常用的描述品行和能力的词语，供大家参考：bright,clever, capable, gifted, talented, i
37、ngenious, outstanding, prominent, diligent, assiduous, industrious, conscientious, hardworking, humorous, good-humored, cooperative, compromising, competent, original, innovative, ambitious, creative, original, innovative, inventive, imaginative, firm, persistent, persevering, resourceful, kind-hear
38、ted, generous, honest, helpful, cheerful, considerate, devoted, dedicated, committed, promising, far beyond the average person 等。以上各词应根据语意选择，但不要过于堆砌。 私人和公务信函-分类举例-祝贺信 （Letters of Congratulation） 例 1 Directions: Please write a letter of about 100 words to congratulate your friend Li Ming, who did wel
39、l in the passed college entrance exam and has been enrolled in Peking University.You do not need to write the address. Dear Ming, We are very happy to know that you have successfully passed the college entrance examination this year and have been admitted into Peking University. Allow us to give our
40、 most sincere congratulations on this exciting occasion. You have all along been working hard at your professional studies, and you are excellent in most subjects. Your success shows that only hard work can yield good results. We take this opportunity to express our best wishes to you. Wish you grea
41、ter achievements in your college education. Yours cordially, *对朋友高考胜利的祝贺信应包括对其所付出努力的肯定，对其成绩的祝贺和对未来的祝福。 例 2 Directions:Your friend Steven and Jenny have just had a new baby boy. Please write a letter of about 100 words to congratulate them.You do not need to write the address. DearJenny: How happy yo
42、u must be to have a beautiful new baby boy.The happiness in my heart is just the same with you. Now youve experienced the joy that only a new mother knows as her baby is put into her arms for the first time. I am sure that the little stranger must look like his father and some years later he will be
43、 a smart fellow. May the years ahead be filled with good health and good fortune for you and Steven and your little Whats-his-name.Best wishes to all of you! Very sincerely yours, *庆贺孩子出生的信一般都写给孩子的母亲 例 3 Directions:Your high school classmate Zhanghong has just graduated from Cambridge University. Pl
44、ease write a letter to congratulate her.You should write about 100 words and do not need to write the address. Dear Zhanghong: How time flies! Here you are graduating from Cambridge University and planning to find a job in a computer cooperation in the United States. Congratulations on the job well
45、done while at university and good luck to you during your new career. I wish you success in all your undertakings and hope youll find your career a source of great joy and happiness. Any time when you come back home,I wish you would come to my place.Then,we may recall our high school life.Everything
46、 will be well with you I believe. Sincerely yours, *写作时要充分挖掘导语中的有效信息，特别是 high school classmate 等细节信息。例 4 Directions：Bill got a Doctorate in literature for Tsinghua University. Write a letter to congratulate him.You should write about 100 words and do not need to write the address. Dear Bill, I got t
47、he news from Mike that you have received a Doctorate in literature from Tsinghua University. I congratulate you for this. To have reached this milestone in your scholarship at a young age is really great. It means, I believe, years of assiduous study and hard work on your part. And it is an achievem
48、ent you can be well proud of. As your best friend, I hope you can reach higher level in your study and do more contribution to the society. My best wishes to you! Sincerely, * 朋友年轻有为，获得博士学位，应该祝贺。正如信中所说，这一成就是“多年来刻苦学习和努力工作的结果” （years of assiduous study and hard work） 。英文有一句成语：No sweet no sweat. 世界上不劳有获的事情是没有的。 例 5 Directions: Write a letter of congratulation to a friend who win the scholarship in Tsinghua University. You should write about 100 words and do not need to write the address.
