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。
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
例文：
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 received 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
Li Ming
*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。
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.
例文：
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,
×××
*本格式采用The Semi-indented Form（半缩进式），以前比较流行，现在人们也继续采用。I should be much obliged if you would……是一种客套语，表示“结果……，我当不胜感激。”“补课”的英文是to make up for the lessons. as soon as意思是尽快。
2）收据和借条：
收据(Receipt)：既收到钱物之后，给交钱或送物人写张字据，说明已经收到某物，起书面证据作用。收条上需写明钱物名称和数量、立据人及日期。不得涂改。英文的写法一般包括时间、正文、署名等几个部分。商务英文收据还包括收据编号和单位名称并加盖公章。常用套语为：Received from … (兹收到……).
借条(I.O.U.)：
借条是熟人间的便笺形式。留下字据，表示欠某人某物。与收据一样，借条需写明借钱物名称和数量、立据人及日期。具体写法是：将时间写在正文的右上角，在正文的右下角署名，正文中须指明向借用人借用何物，文字要求简洁，其中所涉及的数字，须用英文拼出，相当于汉语的“人民币大写”，若是定期偿还的借据，还须注目偿还时间。常用的短语如: “Borrowed from …”, “I.O.U.(I owe you)” 意思是” 兹借到……”。
借条：
例1 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.
例文：
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
Sam
*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。
例2
根据所给信息写一张借条和一张收据。
1、借条
时间：2009年3月26日
内容：学生会张龙向外语系办公室借手提电脑一部和录音机 一台。言明一个星期后归还。
2、收据
时间：2009年3月26日
内容：外语系办公室收到学生会归还的手提电脑一部和录音机一台。
参考例文：
I. O. U.
March 20, 2009
Borrowed from the office of the Foreign Languages Department a laptop computer and a tape recorder, which is to be returned within one week from this date.
Zhang Long
The Students’ Union
Receipt
March 27, 2009
Received from the Students’ Union the following things:
One laptop computer
One tape recorder
The Foreign Languages Department Office
注意：:
在写借据、收据时，写字据的日期写于右上角，然后写明是“借”还是“收到”，向谁借的，收到谁的，以及“借”、“还”钱或物的名称和数量。立据人写于右下角。文字要求简练。
非正式的收条借条写法：
Jan.23rd,2003, Received from Student, Wang Zihao one hundred yuan only for this months tuition fee.
Li Man For the Finance Office ofForeign Language Institute
Sept. 16th, 2002, Borrowed from the Foreign Language Department Reference Library three books as follows:A copy of History and Anthology of English Literature by Wu Weiren, A copy of A Survey of American Literature by Chang Yaoxin, A copy of World Literature by Jiang Chengen
Wu Zhuo
For the Office of Social Science Department
非正式假条写法：
Jan. 10th, Dear Ms. Jiang, I am terribly sorry that I shall be unable to attend this mornings two periods of English Class due to a bad cold and high fever. Enclosed is a certificate from the doctor who said I must stay in bed for a few days. I will go back to school as soon as I recover.
Yours respectfully,
Tian Ye
作者： 来源：