(一) 英文书信的组成部分
英文书信一般由六部分组成。即：信头（Heading）、信内地址（Inside Address），
称呼（Salutation），正文（Body of Letter）、结束语（Complimentary Close）、署名（Signature）， 有时在书信后面还有附言（Postscript）、附件（Enclosure），这得视具体情况而定。下面将分别说明。
1. 信头（Heading）
信头是指写信人的地址和写信日期， 一般写在或打在第一面信纸的右上角，先写地址再写日期，地址的写法是从小到大，先写门牌号、路号，再写区名、市名、省名，最后写国名。时间的写法对英国人和美国人而言是不同的。英国人习惯按日、月、年的顺序写， 而美国人习惯按月、日、年的顺序写。例如：
英式：1st October，1999
美式：October 1，1999
在使用前一种形式时，月和年之间的逗号可用可不用，但是在后一种形式中，必需要使用逗号。
信头的写法有缩进式和齐头式。缩进式每行开头向右缩进一两个字母；齐头式左边对齐排列，如下所示：
缩进式
Wang Ming
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Dalian University of Technology
Dalian 116023
Liaoning Province
P. R. China
齐头式
Wang Ming
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Dalian University of Technology
Dalian 116023
Liaoning Province
P. R. China
2. 信内地址 （Inside Address）
信内地址要写出收信人的姓名和地址。一般给比较生疏的亲友的信和公事信件要写出信内地址，而熟悉朋友可以省去这一步骤。信内地址写出在日期下一两行的左上角，第一行写收信人的称呼姓名，然后写出地址。地质也是从小到大写出，分缩进式和齐头式两种。例如： 缩进式
The President
Oxford University
England
齐头式
Jiang Bin
64Heping Road
P.R.China
3.称呼（Salutation）
称呼是对收信人的称谓。在信内地址下一两行处顶格写起，自成一行。末尾用逗号或冒号。
（1）当给一位熟悉的人写信时可以用Dear 或是My Dear。在英国，My Dear 比Dear亲切，而在美国，Dear比My Dear 亲切。
（2）当给一位你不知婚否的女性写信时，可以用Ms.……，这是指"……女士"。
（3）在给不熟悉的人写信时，可以用Dear sir, Dear Madam, Dear sirs, Gentleman 等等。
4正文（Body of Letter）
正文是一封信的主体部分。通常在称呼的下一行写出。正文也可采用齐头式或缩进式的方法。齐头式是反映每段开头一行和后面行并齐。缩进式是指每段的第一行向右缩进几个字母。信笺讲究简洁、效率。开头几句简单地寒暄后就不如正题，在结尾处要有祝愿和敬语。 常用的开头语有：
I have received your letter of July Ist. 7月1 日来信已经收悉。
I have the pleasure to tell you that …….很高兴告诉你……。
I am very much delighted to receive your letter. 非常高兴收到你的来信。
It is my honor to inform you that ……很荣幸告诉你……。
常用的结束套话有：
I am looking forward to hearing from you 盼早日回信。
Wish best regards. 祝好。
Thank you for your help 感谢你的帮助！
Wish my best wishes for your success. 祝你成功。
Wishing you a happy holiday. 祝假日愉快！
Hoping to hear from you soon. 希望能尽快收到你的回信。
５结束语（Complimentary Close）
结束语在正文之后隔一两行的偏右方开始写出。开头字母用大写，以后的字母用小写，最后一个词后面用逗句。
常用的结束语有：
一般非正式的关系：
Yours sincerely,
Yours truly,
Yours faithfully,
Most sincerely,
Faithfully yours,
亲密的关系：
Love,
Yours love,
Yours Affectionately,
With love,
Lovingly yours,
Yours ever,
上级和长者：
Yours respectfully,
Faithfully yours,
６署名（Signature）
在结束语的下方是签名，先手写出，再打出来。如果收信人不认识写出信人，可以在署名前用括号标出Mr.、Miss或Ms。在名称下面可注上头衔。如：
Yours sincerely,
Lucy Blake (手写)
Lucy Blake (Miss)(打印)
Sales Manager
７附言（Postscript）,附件（Enclosure）
在信件正文写作时可能漏掉了某些事，或临时发生了某事需要补充时，可以在信下面左下方写出上P.S.
如果随信有附件可在爱左下端注明。如：
Enclosure:1.Invoice(#5@p)
2.Resume(个人简历)
（二）英文书信实例
上面介绍了英文写信的主要组成部分以及各部分的写作特点，接下来我们将提供五种英文书信的范例。
１祝贺信
当朋友有了喜事，如结婚、高升、获奖的时候，你可以向他写出一封祝贺信，表达你的嘱咐与恭贺。
例文１
Mechanical Engineering Department
Dalian University of Technology
Dalian 116023
Liaoning,China
November28,1999
Mr. WangXiming
Mechanical Engineering Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Mass. 02139
U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Wang,
Thank you for your letter of November 3,1999. I am sorry not to have written back earlier but time seems to pass so quickly.
I learnt from your letter that you had received you master's degree. I would like to congratulate you on your splendid success.
In this letter I am bringing you a piece of good news：your wife gave a birth of a boy last week and she ins in good health now. The baby weighed eight jin at birth. Yesterday my wife and some other neighbors went to the hospital to see your wife and to congratulate her on the birth. She told them that she had been nursed with the best care since she was
in hospital.
Now I'm taking the Visiting School Test in Beijing. If I pass the examination, I'll leave for America soon. If not, I'll wait for another chance. I've never been to the U.S.A., and I know little about the institutions and customs there. I hope that you will write to me and tell me more about them.
With best regards to you and your classmates.
Yours sincerely,
Zhang Jiao
2 感谢信
当别人帮了你一个忙时，你应该给他写封信，以示感激。
例文２
Dear John:
Thank you very much for the nice birthday present you have sent me! I have been longing for a dictionary for a long time. It will surly be very helpful to my study.
It's very nice of you to remember my birthday. I'll make good use of the dictionary and I'll think of you with gratitude and affection every time I use it.
Love,
Sally
3邀请信
当邀请某位朋友参加活动，如交游、宴会时，可以写一封邀请信。信的语气应该谦逊，热情。 例文３
Dear Mr. Clark:
We are wondering if you and Mrs. Clark want to have supper with us on Friday, January 21st at seven o'clock?
James and I are looking forward with great pleasure to seeing you and Mrs.Clark. We do
hope you can come.
Sincerely yours,
Lucy Wheeler
4 申请信
当申请一项工作，或是申请一个学校留学时，都应该使用申请信。申请信应该简洁、明确、如实地反映你的才能、成绩、愿望和目标。
例文４
下面是一封申请留学的书信：
The Department of Civil Engineering Dalian University of Technology
Dalian 116023
Liaoning Province
P.R.China
November 20,1999
Prof. Steeve Hunter
The Dept. Of Civil Engineering
**** University
New Your, NY 10017
U.S.A
Dear Professor Steeve Hunter,
I have for many years cherished the hope of studying civil engineering under your personal guidance as a graduate student in your university, to which your name has added so much luster.
I was enrolled to study civil engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering Of Zhejiang University in September 1992.I graduated from Zhejiang University in July 1996.
And ever since my graduation, I have been teaching in the Department of Civil Engineering of Dalian University of Technology.
If you could tell the necessany procedure of taking the graduate course of your department, I will be very grateful to you.
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Zhao Hui (手写)
Zhao Hui （打印）
补充回答： 经典范文：
Dear My Friend,
How are you? Do you want to know about my English study?OK,I will tell you.
I study English at Sunday afternoon at two o'clock.I study JianQiao English.And,last Saterday I took part in the Public English Test.I think I can pass.And,next Monday,my school will have an English words test.I want to take part in.I am sure,I can win. Well,it's late.In the end of my letter,I put my best wishes for you!
Please write to me soon!
Yours,
Jackyanbo
便笺（便条）和短信
一、概述
便条也是书信的一种形式。它的特点是内容简短，主要有临时性的询问、留言、通知、要求等。跟正规书信相比，便条的语言比较口头化，比如要通知某事只需这样开头：Just a line to tell you that ...而无须像正规书信那样This is to inform you that ...开头。另外，在便条中常出现省略现象，例如：“key to back door is under mat.”或者“key to back door under mat .”(后门钥匙在垫子下面)代之以“The key to the back door is under the mat.”。
结束时也无需结尾礼词，只需写上写便条者姓名。如果是关系比较近的人，则只需写上
姓或名。
便条的日期通常写在右上角。一般只写上星期几或者星期几上午或下午，也可写上午、下午的具体时刻。日常应用中，写上几月几日的也很普遍。但一般不写年份，因为便条的内容多半是当日或近日内要办的事情。写便条时，不得事先准备，因此无固定格式，大多用手写。
二、注意事项
1.词句简洁，尽量避免应酬语和各种敬词
2.切忌内容空洞、言不达意。
三、分类举例
1）请假（Asking for Leave）
例1
Directions:You are about to write a Business Leave Note of about 100 words. Please describe these information clearly.
1) the reason you ask for the leave
2) the time and how long you will leave
Class 4, Grade 3
Aug. 22nd
To Department Office
Secretary Li,
I’m sorry to apply for ten day’s leave from the Aug. 23rd to sept, 3rd instant. As I have to leave with the time is urgent. My father now in the hospital is badly ill. I have to go to see him and take care of him for a few days. You know I’m the only child in my family. Of course I will show you the telegram about my fathers illness which is recieved from my mother to support my application.
As concern as the missed lessons during my absence, I promise I will do my best to catch them on after I come back to the campus. Wish for your allowance.
Yours respectfully
×××
*本文是一封请假条，一般我们要向上级或老师请假，通常用的是ack for leave这个短语，请三天假可写作：ask for three days’ leave;因病请假则是ask for sick leave.leave在这里是名词用法，文中用的短语是apply for意为“申请”，含有更加郑重的意味，常用于下级对上级或晚辈对长辈的书面语中，“Only child”意为“独生子女”相应的，“独生女”译作“only daughter”而“独生子”译作“only son”. As concern as.后面跟名词性结构，意为“涉及到，至于”与Concerning同意，两者可以互换。
2)约请(Invitation)
例
Directions:You have a ticket to the Russian National Ballet Troupe, which is visiting and you want to give it to your friend Alice. Write a note to her and say:
1) the time of the show,
2) the place where you will wait for her
You should write about 100 words.
Sunday
Dear Alice,
Here is a piece of good news for you. The Russian National Ballet Troupe, which is now on a visit in Beijing, will give a performance in the Beijing Grand Theater tomorrow evening. I am sure that you will be happy to watch it. Here I leave you an admission card. The performance will begin at seven o’clock sharp. I will wait for you at the theater entrance. Please let me know whether you are prevented from coming or not.
×××
* 约朋友一起去看戏，可是朋友不在家，只好留下票子和一张便条，但又怕朋友来不了，所以在便条最后特地写上“如果你来不了，告诉我一声”（Please let me know whether you are prevented from coming）此文的wait for也可以用expect 代替。
3)道歉（Apology）
人非圣贤，孰能无过。在社会交往中，人们常常会出现一些疏忽、过失等。如果发生此类事情，就会给对方带来麻烦和不便。为了避免误解，不影响感情，在这种情况下，应写信给对方予以解释，以请求谅解。
此类信要写得及时，态度要诚恳，用词需谦逊。一般在信一开始就向对方表示歉意或内疚，然后说明原因并提出补救的办法。
例1
Directions: You have missed a date of your friend, now you have to write a letter for appologization in about 100 words.
May 20th
Dear Lily,
I am sorry I missed seeing you yesterday. I know that you must have been disappointed. I also feel worried and anxious in my heart. The fact is that my manager at the last moment asked me to prepare a urgent plan while I could not get to a phone to call you and yesterday I have worked late until about 8:30 p. m. I am terribly sorry.
However, I would like to ask you out this weekend to make up for yesterday. Please give me a chance and I am waiting for your reply.
×××
* 临时有事未能赴约，一定要把事情解释清楚并真诚的道歉，最好能有弥补（to make up），就像这封信里所说的那样，邀请对方周末再碰头（I would like to ask you out this weekend）注意英文句子you must have been disappointed中情态动词的用法：情态动词+完成时态，表示过去行为。这句话应该理解为“你当时一定感到很失望”。
例2
Directions: You have received a invitation from your friend, but you have already had some guests in your house. Please express the reason you can’t go clearly in about 100 words.
6.April
Dear Lucy,
I do appologize for having to send this letter about Saturday night.
When I accepted your invitation, I simply forgot that Saturday was a holiday and that my own guests were not leaving until Sunday morning. It is difficult for me to make a choice. Though I also wonder to meet you very much. I could not very well go out by myself and leave the guests at my home.
I hope you know how sorry I am not to be with you this Saturday. Should I make a visit to you in my other spare time?
Thank you very much.
×××
* 自己家里有客人，自然不方便再接受别人邀请去做客所以可以明正言顺的表示拒绝或可另约时间。英文要强调谓语动词，可以加上助动词，例如：
I do apologize for being late.
He did come yesterday.
例3
Directions: You are already have a date with your friend but suddenly have another thing to do and you have to tell your friend that you can’t go. Express your reason clearly in about 100 words.
Monday 9:00 a.m
Dear Jane,
I am sorry to tell you that I won’t be able to come this afternoon because I have to go to the airport at 2:00 p. m. to meet an overseas visitor from Australia. I really have kept our datd in my mind all these days, however, I received my boss’ e-mail this morning, he asked me to go to the airport to meet one of his friends from abroad, it’s suddenly and urgent and I must go. Please forgive me. Would you please ring me up to make another time?
Many thanks.
×××
* 因有事而不能赴约，只能另约时间（to make或to fix another time）。写信人Bluce很可能是英国人，因为他把“打电话”说成to ring somebody up，美国人通常说to call somebody。英国人打电话还可以说 to give somebody a ring，不要错以为别人要送你个戒指。与别人已经定好的约会却临时不能赴约时，应说明原因并诚恳地道歉，以期获得别人的谅解。
4）借物(Borrowing)
例
Directions:You are going to write a note for borrowing sth. please deseribe these information
clearly.
1) the thing you ask
2) detailed what you are going to do with it.
3) how long will you take it.
Tuesday
Dear Xiao Wang:
I wonder if I could borrow your electronic dictionary for a few days. Now I am translating some important articles. There are many new words which I have to look up the dictionary usually. I just have a paper dictionary but of course it’s not as convenient as the electronic one, which has a bad effect upon my velocity of my translating. So I think your electonic dictionary is more suitable for me to complete my work. I promise that I must be very careful of your dictionary and make no damage done on it. Thank you very much!
Yours ever
×××
*字典是我们日常生活中常用的学习工具，但是千万不能直接从字面上认为“查字典”就是“check the dictionary”，而应该用“look up”这个固定短语来表达。
“影响……”有一个很地道的短语。“have effect upon/on”,后面接受影响的人或物，如果是积极影响就在have和effect之间加a good ，反之，就加“a bad”其他的形容词例如great， remarkable也可以用来修饰effect，此词在这里是名词。
5）回复友人问侯(Reply for Regards)
例
Directions:You have just had a operation, and received a note of regards from your friend Jenny. Now please write a reply to her to tell her your current situation.
You should write about 100 words.
Jan.8th.
Dear Jenny,
Thanks for your letter of sympthy I received the day before yesterday. The operation on my
leg was a wonderful success. You know I had been suffering a lot from my leg since my childhood. The operation removed the cause of trouble. It is quite worth having the operation. I am daily recovering from my illness. I’m confident I will soon be in the office again after proper treatment. Thank you for kind wishes.
My best wishes to all your family
×××
*这是对好友问侯便条的回复。形式简单，内容明了。过去完成进行时“I had been suffering…my childhood”表示动作从过去一直持续到现在。
例2
Directions:Your father is seriously ill, and you want to go back home. Write a note to the secretary and it should include.
1) the cause for leaving;
2) the days: from 16th to 21 st;
3) Catch on the lesson after returning school.
July 5th
Dear Miss Huang,
My sister called me last night, and she said that my father is dangerously ill. I beg to apply for seven days’ leave of absence from 16th to 21st instant, in order that I can see my beloved father.
I should be much obliged if you would grant me my application. As regards the lessons to be missed during my absence, I will do my best to make up for them as soon as I get back from home.
Sincerely yours,
×××