READING &

WRITING SKILLS 11
Second Semester: 4th Quarter
Week 7

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Division of Surigao del Sur
Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules,
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 Competency:
Identify the unique features of and requirements in composing
professional correspondence:
a. Application for Employment
b. Various forms of Office Correspondence

Objectives: At the end of the week, you shall have:

a. Determined features and requirements in composing professional
correspondence;
b. Apply knowledge in composing a professional correspondence; and
c. Expressed the value of identifying the features and requirements in
writing professional.

Learner’s Tasks

Lesson Overview

At the end of the lesson, you will discover what an employment application letter is,
how to write one, and why it is important. You will be able to write a sample job
application letter as well. Furthermore, you will learn, what is a cover letter for a job
application? What are the components of a job application letter? What are the
several business forms that can be utilized when creating a job application letter?
How do you write a cover letter for a job application?

Moreover, you will be able to distinguish between different types of office letters and
learn how to write the most common varieties. Also learning, what is the definition of
office correspondence? What are the most common types of business
correspondence? What is the significance of workplace correspondence?

Employment Application Letter

When applying for jobs, an Employment Application Letter, also known as a "job
application letter" or "cover letter," is a one-page letter that is attached to the résumé.
The objective of drafting an employment application letter is to showcase the
applicant's experiences and personal traits in order for him to be considered for an
interview schedule as well as the open post.

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Letter Formats

The format of the work application letter, as well as the content and
tone, is determined by the applicant's preferences. There are three
main formats for a job application letter or cover letter: full block,
modified block, and semi-block. The substance of a cover letter is
uniform, but the format and placement of each element may differ.

Three main formats:

Full Block Format

The most typical format for composing a cover letter is this one. All
components are justified to the left in this style.

Applicant’s Address

Date

Hiring Manager’s Name and Company

Address

Salutation

Body

Complimentary Close

Signature and Sender’s Identification

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 Modified Block Format
Applicant’s Address
Modified block format
is another popular
format. The applicant's address, Date
complementary closing,
signature, and sender's
identification are all transferred Hiring Manager’s Name and
to the right side in a modified Company Address
block format. The first sentence in
the body, as well as the first
Salutation
sentence in each paragraph, is
not indented.
Body

Complimentary Close

Signature and Sender’s

Identification

Applicant’s Address

Semi-Block Format
Date
The semi-block is
the least popular
Hiring Manager’s Name and format. It is nearly
Company Address identical to the modified block
format, with the exception
Salutation that each paragraph's
opening sentence is indented.

Body (First sentence is indented)

Complimentary Close

Signature and Sender’s

Identification

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If no specific format is necessary, write it in full-block format with one-inch margins on
all sides, single-spaced, and preferably in Times New Roman font with a 12-point font
size.

Writing an Employment Application Letter

Heading, Date and Inside Address

To make it easier for the employer to reach the applicant, the headline
includes the applicant's address. The date mentioned beneath the title
denotes the letter's date of composition. The inside address specifies the location and
recipient of the letter. Make sure the heading, date, and inside address are separated
by a line.

Example:
2159 Road 2 Fabie Estate
Sta. Ana, Butuan 1217
February 24, 2020

Mr. Noel Rivera

Human Resource Manager
The Space Bar Restaurant and Beach Resort
Sampaguita St., DYSO
Tandag City

Explanation:
Written on the first two lines of the heading is the address of the applicant. The street
number, city, state, and zip code are all included. The month-day-year format is used
to write the date. The name of the employer or human resource manager, his job title,
the company's name, and the address are all included in the inside address.

Greeting or Salutation

The greeting or salutation is written to identify the recipient of the

message. It should begin with the word "Dear," followed by the recipient's
last name. With a colon, end the salutation (:). If you do not know the name, address
it as "Ma'am/Sir."

Example:

Dear Mr. Rivera: or Dear Ma’am/Sir:

Explanation:
The salutation or greeting is addressed to the person in charge of the recruiting
process.

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 The Body

The most important and critical part in writing the employment

application letter is its body. It contains information on the job for which
the applicant is applying, where the job ad was found, and the
applicant's qualifications and experience. If there is a cause for a career shift, you can
also include it. In two to three words, conclude the letter by stating why the applicant
is ideal for the job and expressing the applicant's willingness to meet the employer or
human resource person.

Example:

I am writing to express my interest in the Managerial Position on Jobstreet.com, which

was advertised on February 12, 2016. I consider myself to be one of the qualified
applicants for the position based on the qualifications listed in your advertisement.

I have five years of industry experience operating a local fast-food company, in

addition to being a University of the Philippines graduate. I am writing to apply for a
position at your excellent office since I am looking for a way to advance my career,
which I believe your organization can provide.

The résumé attached to this letter details my qualifications and experience. Thank
you for taking the time to process my job application materials, and I hope to see
you at your earliest convenience.

Explanation:
The body of the letter includes details not included in the applicant's résumé. In this
case, the candidate specifies the desired position, the source of information, his or her
qualifications and experiences, as well as the reason for his or her career change.

Complimentary Close

The Complimentary Close is used to end the letter in a courteous

manner. The complimentary closure is separated by a comma (,).

Example:
Sincerely, or Yours Truly,

Explanation:
The complimentary close indicates that the letter has already come to a finish.
Signature and Sender’s Identification

This is considered as the last part of the letter. Write your name on the first
line and your title (if applicable) on the second line. Then sign directly
above the first line.

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Example:
(Signature)
Rose Pedrozo

Explanation:
It shows the name of the job applicant.

Tips
•Check for spelling and grammar errors, as well as the use of slang or informal
language. To be deemed a decent work application letter, it should be written in a
professional manner.
•Keep the letter to one page maximum. The employer or HR representative will not
have time to read a letter that is longer than this.
•It is recommended that the letter be computerized so that it can be read easily and
that it be printed on high-quality paper.
• The cover letter should not restate information from the résumé.
• After submitting the cover letter, the applicant should not presume he has been
hired.
• The employment application letter, not the curriculum vitae, is attached to the
resume. Curriculum Vitae are submitted for academic reasons only, not for the
purpose of applying for jobs.

Forms of Office Correspondence

Office Correspondence

Office correspondence, usually referred to as "business

correspondence," is a written exchange of internal and external
communication used to support all corporate processes. The business letter, business
memo, and business e-mail are the three main types of business communication that
can be used for internal or external communication. Internal correspondence refers
to communication or agreement within a company's departments or branches,
whereas external correspondence refers to communication between the company
and another organization or enterprise. The correspondence's goal is to convey
information in a clear and professional manner.

Business Letter

The conventional method of sending information from one company

to another or for external contact is the business letter.
The format can either be full block, modified block, and semi-block.
The structure for drafting a business letter is determined by the company's
requirements. Sales letters, order letters, complaint letters, inquiry letters, adjustment
letters, acknowledgement letters, follow-up letters, acknowledgement letters, cover

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letters, letters of recommendation, and resignation letters are examples of different
types of letters.

Example

Inquiry Letter

2215 Sampaguita St.

Balilajan, Tandag City
May 29, 2020

Mr. Romel Mirinda

Human Resource Manager
Areflor Funeral Homes
Brgy. West, Tandagi City

Dear Mr. Mirinda:

I am writing to ask if you have found a person to fill up the position of Operations
Manager as posted on your website. We currently have two qualified applicants that
fit the position.

Attached herewith are the resumes of the applicants, for your perusal. We look
forward to work with you again and hope to hear feedback from you.

Thank you and more power!

Sincerely,
(signature)
Ms. Rosalinda Macarate
Human Resource Manager
The Good Keeper Manpower Agency

Explanation:
The letter of inquiry as an example includes the heading, date, inside address,
salutation, body, complimentary close, signature and sender’s information. This letter
is an external correspondence between two difference companies.

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 Business Memo

Business memo is a written communication directly from the

company’s offices to another or used in internal contact. The
difference between a memo and a letter is that the memo contains
its title line and series number. If the title line is connected to their job description,
employees are more likely to read it. It is also utilized to put in place internal policies
and processes that employees must follow. Operational memos, financial memos,
requests for action, directions, trip reports, field reports, and dress code memos are
just a few examples of memoranda.

Example:

Announcement Memo

Rainbow School
Los Village, Butuan City
Series No. 16 – 005

To: All Pre-school Teachers

From: The School Director

Date: May 30, 2020

Subject: Company Outing

In line with the approved budget for the year 2020 – 2021 is the pursuance of the
proposed company outing this coming June 21 to 22 at the Britania Beach Resort. We
advise everyone to prepare your sports outfit and toiletries. We look forward to see
you enjoy in our two day company outing.

Thank you for your continuous support.

(signature)
Rosita D. Dela Cruz

Explanation:
The company outing of the staff is mentioned in the announcement memo. The
business also has its own letterhead.

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 Business e-mail

Business e-mail is a type of internal or external office correspondence.

Although there is no set pattern for writing e-mail correspondence, the
writer is expected to retain a professional tone. The letter's header,
including the "from" and "to" fields, is written on the blank fields. The field ‘from' contains
the sender's email, whereas the field ‘to' has the recipient's email.

Example:

From: Raul P.
To: Paula A. paula@hr.goodkeeper.com
Subject: Re: Vacant Position for Operations Manager

Dear Ma’am Alvarado:

Good day!

In behalf of St. Peter Funeral Homes, we extend our deepest gratitude for helping
us scout qualified applicants in the industry. We hope to work again with you.

Cheers!

Best regards,

Lance Polido
Human Resource Personnel
St. Peter Funeral Homes
Tago, Tandag City
Tel. No. (02) 812-12-11

Explanation:
In this example, the e-mail correspondence is informal and external. It expresses
gratitude towards the effort made by the manpower agency.

Tips
• Ensure that all workplace communications is brief and easy to comprehend. Short
sentences and paragraphs are advised for communications since employees prefer
to read it fast.
• In any office correspondence, controlling the tone of writing is critical. It should not
come out as overly official or too casual.

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Key Points
• Office correspondence is a written interchange of internal and external
communication that supports all company activities. Business communication, or
business correspondence is another name for it.
• A business letter is a conventional method of transmitting information between
companies or for external correspondence.
• A business memo is a written communication that is sent solely between the offices
of a firm.
• A business e-mail is a type of office correspondence of internal or external
workplace communications. Although there is no set pattern for writing e-mail
correspondence, the writer is expected to retain a professional tone.

Activity 1
Directions: Identify what is being defined in column B by matching the
definition/description to column A. Write your answer on your answer sheet.

Column A Column B

1. Employment Application Letter A. It is a greeting used in a letter or other

2. Business Memo written or oral communication.
3. Business e-mail B. It expresses the sender's regard for the
4. Salutation receiver.
5. Complimentary Close C. The largest part of a letter that contains
6. Body the content of the letter.
7. Business Letter D. The entire text is left aligned and single
8. Office Correspondence spaced.
9. Block Format E. Any written or electronic communication
10. Modified Block Format between two or more people or
organization.
F. A communication from one firm to
another, or between such companies and
their consumers, clients, or other third
parties.
G. All text is left aligned (except the
author's address, date, and closing).
H. Also known as a cover letter) is a letter
you send with your resume to provide
information on your skills and experience.
I. The letter's header, including the "from"
and "to" fields.
J. A short document used to communicate
information within a company.

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Activity 2
Directions: Identify what is ask in the sample letter below. State in your paper the
answer of each of the questions.

Center of Excellence
1600 Main Street
Kitchener, ON

November 15, 2010

Ms. Maria Lakov

111 Allen Rd.
Scarborough, ON
M7B 2A0

Dear Ms. Lakov:

On behalf of the Center for Excellence, we would like to thank you for your
assistance in developing the training package for our management staff. The
information has been reviewed by the advisory committee and everyone is in
agreement that the quality of the materials is superior. We look to using them at our
upcoming training seminar.

Thank you again for a job well done. We look forward to working with you again in
the near future.

Sincerely,

(Signature)
Type name
Source: https://www.settlementatwork.org/lincdocs/linc5-
7/business.writing/LINC5/15.bus.letter.format/15.bus.letter.format.act1.comp.htm

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1. The sample letter demonstrates the _______________ format.
A. semi-block
B. block
c. modified Block

2. All text is aligned to the ____________ margin in block format. (Answer with one
word)

3. Two single spaces are used between the _____________. (Select all that apply)
A. date and the sender’s address
B. date and the inside address
C. salutation and the sender’s address
D. salutation and the inside address
E. salutation and the opening paragraph
F. concluding paragraph and the complimentary closing

4. How many single spaces should there be where the sender signs the letter?
(Answer with one word or number)

5. The purpose of this letter is to express ________________. (Answer with one word)

6. Which of these types of businesses would Ms. Lakov most likely work in?
A. information technology
B. meeting planning
C. training and development
D. no information

7. Which word in the letter means “looked over carefully?”

8. What does “them” refer to in the last sentence of the main paragraph? (Answer
with two words or less.)

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Activity 3
Directions: You have understood the features and requirements of composing
professional correspondence. This time, you will be writing your own application letter.
Based on what work you want in the future, make sure to follow the rubrics in writing
your application letter. You can choose any of the format you want to use.

Rubric in writing the application letter based on CONTENT

Score Descriptor
9-10 This letter identifies one or two of their strongest qualifications and
clearly relates how these skills apply to the job at hand. Explains
specifically why they are interested in the position and this type of
job, company, and/or location.
7-8 This letter identifies one qualification that is vaguely related to the
position at hand. Restates what is on their résumé with additional
and relevant information. They have explained why they are
interested in the position in a somewhat vague manner.
5-6 This letter identifies one of their qualifications, but it is not related to
the position at hand. It restates what is on their résumé with minimal
additional information. They explain why they are interested in the
position but are too vague.
3-4 The letter discusses qualifications. Skills were poorly expressed and
not related to the position for which they are applying. It does not
state why they are interested in the position, company, and/or
location.
1-2 The letter does not discuss any relevant qualifications. Skills were
identified but not related to the position for which they are applying.
It does not state why they are interested in the position, company,
and/or location.
Rubric in writing the application letter based on FORMAT

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 Score Descriptor
9-10 This letter uses correct business format with date and addresses at
the top, and a signature at the bottom. There are concise and
relevant introductory, body and closing paragraphs
7-8 This letter uses correct business format with date and addresses at
the top, and a signature at the bottom. There are introductory, body
and closing paragraphs however, they are not relevant in all
respects.
5-6 Adequate use of the business format is evident, and paragraphs are
fairly organized, but difficult to understand.
3-4 Poor use of business format in the letter. It does not state the purpose
for writing. The level of language is inconsistent or inappropriate.
1-2 Business formatting is not used in this letter. There is no address or
date at the top. It is not signed. Introductory, body and closing
paragraphs are existent but poorly organized.

Now, read the question below and write a 5-sentence paragraph as your answer.

Why is it that identifying the features and requirements in writing professional

correspondence is important?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Formative Test

Directions: Read the following questions carefully and choose the correct answer.
Write the letter of the answer on your answer sheet.

1. Which of the following should NOT be included in an application letter?

A. Why you are applying for the position.
B. Your interest in / knowledge of the organization.
C. Details of problems you have had with employers in the past.
D. Your skills, qualifications and experience that are relevant to the position applied
for.

2. If you begin a letter with "Dear Sir" you should end it with:
A. Yours
B. From
C. Yours faithfully
D. Yours sincerely

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3. Which of the following should NOT be included in the final paragraph of an
application letter?
A. Why you are applying for the position.
B. Your availability / interest in attending an interview.
C. A statement thanking the reader for their time / consideration.
D. A statement saying you look forward to hearing from the reader.

4. John is a student leader of their school who needs to communicate a new rules and
regulations, the by Laws of the schools to his team members. Which of the following
form of communication should John use for this purpose?
A. Memo
B. Email
C. Letter
D. Text message

5. Why is there a need for an office correspondence?

A. To persuade people within an organization to follow the rules of the company.
B. To help leak information to the public.
C So that we can share information that would make the business prosper.
D. So that these purposes can be serve for inquiries, for complaints, for information
dissemination, for relationship building, for problem-solving, and many others.

Answer Key

Activity 1
1. H 6. C
2. I 7. F
3. J 8. E
4. A 9. D
5. B 10. G

Activity 2
1. B
2. Left
3. B. date and the inside address
D. salutation and the inside address
E. salutation and the opening paragraph
F. concluding paragraph and the complimentary closing
4. Four
5. Thanks
6. C
7. Reviewed
8. Materials

Activity 3
Answers Vary

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 References

• Baang, M. & Buhisan, A. (2020). Professional Correspondence. Department of

Education- Bureau of Learning Resources
• Employment Application Letter and Various Forms of Office Correspondence.
Retrieved from https://link.quipper.com/
• Barrot, J. S. (2016). Academic Reading and Writing For Senior High School.
Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
• Reading and application letter. Retrieved from
https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/lessonplan/reading-application-letter
• Business Letter Format Activity. Retrieved from
https://www.settlementatwork.org/lincdocs/linc5-
7/business.writing/LINC5/15.bus.letter.format/15.bus.letter.format.act1.comp.h
tm
• DepEd ADM. (2020) Reading and Writing Skills. Employment Application Letter.
Department of Education- Bureau of Learning Resources
• DepEd ADM. (2020) Reading and Writing Skills. Various Forms of Office
Correspondence. Department of Education- Bureau of Learning Resources

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