一、英文书信通常包括6个组成部分：

信头（heading，包括寄信人地址和日期);

信内地址（inside address，指收信人地址);

称呼（salutation）;

正文（body）;

结束语（complimentary）;

签名（signature）;

1. 信头（Heading）：信头是指发信人的地址和日期，通常写在第一页的右上角。私人信件一般只写寄信日期即可。地址要由小到大，如下述：

123 Tianhe Road

Tianhe District

Guangzhou 510620

Guangdong Province

P. R. C.

March 15, 2002

日期可有下列几种写法：

① Oct. 20, 2004； ② 10 May., 2004；

③ 3rd June, 2004； ④ Sept. 16th, 2004。其中，①最为通用。

2. 信内地址 （Inside Address ）：信内地址要写收信人的姓名和地址。在公务信件中要写明这一项，在私人信件中，这一项常常省略。该项写在写信日期下一行的左上角。

3 .称呼（Salutation）

称呼是对收信人的称谓。在称呼后，英国人常用逗号，美国人则常用冒号。

大部分信件在称呼前加“Dear”。如：

Dear Professor/Prof. Bergen:

Dear Dr. Johnson,

对不相识的人可按性别称呼：

Dear Sir: 或Dear Madam: Dear Ladies。

如果不知收信人的性别则可用Dear Sir or Madam:

4. 信的正文（Body of the Letter）：

正文是书信的主体。英文书信开头直接说明写信人的身份及写信的目的，然后提出写信人的情况、想法或要求，并加以必要的解释或说明。

正文的写作格式主要有英式和美式两种。

1)英式结构即缩进式结构，属于比较传统的结构,即每一段的第一行都向里缩进4-8个字符，称呼顶格写，落款则在中间偏右的位置。

2) 美式结构则是齐头式结构，其特点是所有段落的第一行都顶格写，段与段之间空一行，另外称呼、落款等也都顶格写。

缩进式：

Dear Kate,

I wonder if you can lend me your MLA Handbook for Academic Writing. I am in the process of writing my graduation thesis, and need to consult the book now and then for standard formatting. Thus I might need to keep the book for about a month and a half, and I hope that would not bring any inconvenience to you. I assure you that I will maintain the book

in good condition.

If possible, please give me a call and I will come by your house to pick up the book. Thanks a lot.

Yours,

Judy

齐头式：

Dear Kate,

I wonder if you can lend me your MLA Handbook for Academic Writing. I am in the process of writing my graduation thesis, and need to consult the book now and then for standard formatting. Thus I might need to keep the book for about a month and a half, and I hope that would not bring any inconvenience to you. I assure you that I will maintain the book in good condition.

If possible, please give me a call and I will come by yourhouse to pick up the book. Thanks a lot.

Yours,

Judy

5.结束语（Complimentary Close）

在公务信件中，发信人常用的结尾套语有：

Truly yours, Yours truly, Respectfully yours, Yours respectfully, Faithfully yours, Yours faithfully, Sincerely yours, Yours sincerely，Yours truly, Yours 等。

私人信件中，发信人常用的结尾套语有：

Sincerely yours, Lovely yours, Your lovely, Your loving son / daughter等。

6. 签名（Signature）

写信人的签名常位于结尾礼词正下方一二行。

上述六个方面，私人信件不拘形式。公务信件一般要严格按照要求来。

在考试中，由于篇幅所限，一般只会要求考生在书信中包括称呼、正文、结束语和签名四个部分。

二、需要重点准备的几种书信形式

1、申请信

申请报考国外大学Applications for Going to College and University Abroad

Dear sirs,

I am a student in the third grade of No.One Senior Middle School of Changsha, Hunan, China. I am planning to apply for admission to Smith College in the fall of 2000. Please send me a catalogue, application form, and information about your entrance requirement, and inform me the examination dates.

Very truly yours,

申请奖学金和助学金Applications for Scholarships or Assistantship

Dear sirs:

I am pleased to learn of my admission to two-year program of studies leading to degree of M.S. in pharmacy. Indeed, I have dreamed of this opportunity since completing my undergraduate study.

In order to reduce the financial responsibility of my parents, I earnestly hope to obtain some kind of financial aid in the form of teaching or research assistantship.

Would you kindly consider this request and advise me as to the possibilities? Should further information be required, please let me know at your earliest convenience. I look forward to hearing good news from you.

2、电子邮件——是书信的一种

My Opinion About Being On The Internet

我对上网的看法

Dear Tom,

I would like to give my opinion about being on the Internet.

More and more middle school students here are starting using the Internet, through which they can get a great deal of the latest information. They can enjoy lessons given by the best teachers of net-schools at home. And it is easy and convenient to keep in touch with friends by sending and receiving e-mails.

On the other hand, some students have spent too much time chatting and playing games on the net. And there is still something harmful to the students.

At last, I suggest that students should be good at using the Internet for their studies and not be on line for long.

Yours,

Li Hua

3、便条——便条是简短的书信，类似与上述书信格式，但还是有一些区别 便条的构成：

Date——日期

Greeting——称呼

Body ——即正文部分

Closing——礼词

Signature——签名

Example :

April 22, 2011

Dear Professor Smith,

I am very happy to have the chance to listen to your lecture on “American Literature”. But it is a pity that I was late that day due to a minor accident on my way to the lecture, and failed to get the handout. Your lecture is really instructive for my English study, so I wonder if you could kindly e-mail the handout to the address: tom@. Heartfelt thanks.

Respectfully yours,

Tom

4、通知——严格意义上讲，通知不是书信，有固定的格式，不可变动

围绕下述内容写一则通知。

本周星期5下午4点在团委办公室召开全体学生干部会议．会议重要，请勿迟到 缺席．学生会 ，2005.3.28 。

NOTICE

We will hold an important meeting for all of the student cadre in the office of the Youth League Commission at 4 o'clock pm on Firday this week. Please do not be late or absent.

Student union

2005.3.28