This study focused on finding out the features of written English business letters of ESL students. Halliday's systemic functional linguistics is used as the theoretical framework, mainly, interpersonal function. The written business communication is an important written text used for international business linkages and it has its own features of text. This study examined the interpersonal function of written communications in terms of mood, modality, interaction and negotiation and perceived that written communications have their own unique interpersonal features. The different types of letters in business are analyzed in terms of writing mechanics, interpersonal function, mood, and modality. The student writers lack the mastery of the basic mechanics to apply in writing correspondences. Some of the writers are careless in the use of words which may offend readers and some write wordy statements that send vague messages that result to miscommunications. The principles of formal writing are suggested to be discussed by the teachers prior to letting the learners write the different types of business correspondences. Learners are encouraged to master the basic mechanics or writing and be familiar with terms used to send pleasant mood no matter how serious the matter at hand to be delivered to the audience.
Written Business Communications, interpersonal function, mood, modality
