一、外贸函电的写作要领：completeness（完整）、concreteness（具体）、clarity（清楚）、conciseness（简洁）、courtesy（礼貌）、consideration（体谅）以及correctness（正确）。
二、信息可以分为四大类：肯定信息（positive message）、中性信息（neutral message）、否定信息（negative message，也称负面信息）和说服信息（persuasive message）.三、布局可以分为平铺直叙法（Direct Plan or Approach）和曲折迂回法（Indirect Plan or Indirect Approach）。
四、书信的组成部分（必备部分）（可选部分）1.信头（The Heading）8、事由( The Subject Heading Or Caption)2.日期（Date Line）9、经办人（Attention line）3.封内地址（The Inside Address）10、附件（The Enclosure）简写Encl. or Enc.4.称呼（The Salutation）11、抄送（Carbon Copy）简写C.C.5.信的正文（The Body of the Letter）12、再启（The Postscript）简写P.S.6.结束语（The Complimentary Close）7.签名（The Signature）五、打信格式1.缩行式：封内地址和其需要分行的地址的后一行，都比前一行缩进两格或三格；信的正文，每一段的开始一行都缩进若干格（一般与称呼末一字母取齐）。
2.平头式：需要分段的地方，及每段的开始一行都与前一行取齐，一律不缩行。
平头式各段之间要用double space以示分段。
3.混合式：封内地址和称呼采用平头式（从左边的空白边缘打起），其他部分采用缩行式，两种格式的混合采用所以称之为混合式。
八、撰写询函的理由通常包括：（1）获取信息（如价格和技术数据）（2）获得印刷品（如商品目录本、说明书、公司介绍等）（3）索取样品（4）取得帮助（如得到特别允许，帮助或建议等）九、询函的回复分几种情况，有肯定的答复，有否定的答复，也有部分肯定、部分否定的答复。
如果答复是肯定的，则采用平铺直叙的结构，答复开门见山，先说最紧要的。
如果答复是否定的，或者是部分肯定，部分否定，回复九要采用曲折迂回的布局。
在部分否定的答复中，肯定的那一部分内容正好可以充当缓冲垫。
十、报盘（Offer）又称发盘。
卖方的Offer称为Selling Offer，Offer to sell。
买方的Offer，称为Buying Offer，Offer to buy 或Bid。
十一、报盘有实盘（Firm Offer）和虚盘（Non-firm Offer）两种形式。
实盘又称“不可撤销的发盘”，指由发盘人向受盘人提出完整、明确、肯定的交易条件，并愿在一定期限内按所提条件与受盘人达成交易的一种肯定表示。
虚盘是卖方所作的非承诺性表示。
往往附有保留条件，买方接受后卖方仍然可以改变注意。
报盘属于中性信息，布局采用平铺直叙法。
We are now ___c____ your inquiry of October 12th。
a. on receipt ofb. upon receipt ofc. in receipt ofd. in reception ofI want to acquaint myself ____b__ the supply position of steel products.a. ofb. withc. ford. aboutOur new low-cost solutions may be ____d_____ particular interest to you.a. inb. withc. ford. of___c___ we would like to close the business with you , we find your bid unacceptable.a. Muchb. However muchc. Much asd. Despite___a___ your counteroffer, we regret that we can’t accept it .a. As regardsb. In regards toc. With regardsd.In regards___a___ the low stock of such goods, we would advise you to accept our offer immediately.a. Owing tob. Becausec. Sinced. As___a__ you like other items, please let us know and we shall be only too pleased to make you offers direct.a. In caseb. In the casec. In this cased. In that caseAs requested, we are pleased to quote you without engagement as____a_____.a. followsb. followc. followingd. followedWe are offering you goods____a____ the very high quality.a. ofb. atc. ford. withWe are pleased to _____c___ your offer and place a trial order with you.a. make advantage ofb. make use ofc. take advantage ofd. take use ofA growing demand can _____c____ increased price.a. resultb. result toc. result ind. result fromCIF is a price term, meaning the price includes the cost of goods, the insurance and __b____ for carrying the goods up to the destination.a. paymentb. freight c,premium d. forwardingAs you are our regular customer, we think we may concede _____c___ price provided you five us an order for a minimum of 100 units.a. withb. atc. ind. toWe need an agent in that country to help us to ___a___ our products.a. marketb. displayc. disposed. buy___d____ we would like to co-operate with you, we do not think there is room for a reduction in our price.a. Evenb. Asc. Muchd. Much as____d__ you can make a reduction of 5% no business is possible .a. In caseb. Providedc. Ifd. UnlessI have looked ____d___ your order, and I can assure you that everything is on schedule.a. atb. onc. withind. intoIf the shoes ____c___ as well as we hope, we will place further order in the near future.a. are sellingb. soldc. selld. are soldWe look forward to ___a___ a trial order.a. receivingb. receive from youc. receiptd. receipt yourWould you please fax us your statement so that we can proceed _____a___ your order?a. withb. onc. ind. toThe buyer suggested that many important orders ______b______ follow.a. mayb. willc. shouldd. would beAs our factory is now fully occupied with orders, we regret having to ___b___ yours.a.refuseb.declinec.rejectd.returnSuch a growing demand can only result ____a_____ increased price.a. inb. fromc. tod. forThe car I bought last week ____a_____ me $3000.00.a. costb. spendc. costedd. spentWe also wish to advise you that the prices we quoted are our ___c____ prices.a. newb. cheapc. rock bottomd. easiestWe are pleased to enclose a _____b___ quotation for bathroom showers.a. detailb. detailedc. detailingd. detailsWe have been sourcing from local firms who ____c_____ send us quotations regularly.a. are used tob. use toc. used to d, is used toWe prefer your quotation ______c_____ CIF San Francisco basis.a. forb. withc. ond. atWe thank you for attending ____c______ our request so promptly.a. withb. uponc. tod. atI would appreciate ______d___ me an up-to-date price list for your supplies.a. if you would sendb. you sendc. that you would sendd. your sendingFaced ___c___ a significant drop in computer and sofrware advertising, the publisher of high-tech magazines is seeking new source of income from car, televison, and other companies.a. forb. toc. withd. atCould you allow me ________ 30 days to clear my account?a. anotherb. a furtherc. additionald. an extraDuring the year , you have paid your bill well ____c___ advance of the 15th every month.a. atb. byc. ind. toHowever, the payment terms _____b____you suggested is unacceptable to us.a. likeb. asc. whiled. as ofI am sending you a check of $1500___b____ full payment of my account.a. ofb. inc. byd. forThank you for your interest in our products. We are now sending you our latest catalog and price list by courier service.感谢你们对我方产品的兴趣，现以特快邮递寄去最新的商品目录和价目录。