| 内容提要 | 第1-5页 |
| Synopsis | 第5-10页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第10-16页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第16-47页 |
| ·An overview of politeness theories | 第16-39页 |
| ·Conversational-maxim view | 第17-29页 |
| ·Grice’s Cooperative Principle | 第17-19页 |
| ·Lakeoff’s theory of politeness | 第19-23页 |
| ·Leech’s Politeness Principle | 第23-29页 |
| ·The Face-saving view | 第29-39页 |
| ·Goffman’s notion of face | 第29-30页 |
| ·Brown & Levinson’s theory | 第30-39页 |
| ·A General survey of English business letters | 第39-47页 |
| ·The definition of English business letters | 第40-41页 |
| ·The classification of English business letters | 第41-42页 |
| ·Politeness and English business letters | 第42-45页 |
| ·Previous studies on politeness in English business letters | 第45-47页 |
| Chapter Three A Study on Politeness Strategies in Good-news English Business Letters | 第47-67页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the lexical level | 第48-55页 |
| ·Using you-attitude language | 第48-50页 |
| ·Using positive words | 第50-51页 |
| ·Using concrete words | 第51-52页 |
| ·Using specific words instead of general words | 第52-53页 |
| ·Avoid using sexist language | 第53-55页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the syntactic level | 第55-58页 |
| ·Using affirmative sentences | 第55-56页 |
| ·Using short sentences | 第56-57页 |
| ·Using active voice | 第57-58页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the discourse level | 第58-65页 |
| ·Summary | 第65-67页 |
| Chapter Four A Study on Politeness Strategies in Bad-news English Business Letters | 第67-91页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the lexical level | 第68-75页 |
| ·Using positive words and expressions | 第68-70页 |
| ·Using vague language | 第70-72页 |
| ·Using negative conjunction | 第72-73页 |
| ·Using modal auxiliary | 第73页 |
| ·Avoid using you-language | 第73-75页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the syntactic level | 第75-83页 |
| ·Using positive tone | 第75-77页 |
| ·Using affirmative sentences | 第77-78页 |
| ·Using compliments | 第78-79页 |
| ·Using complex sentences | 第79-81页 |
| ·Using passive voice | 第81-82页 |
| ·Using subjunctive mood. | 第82-83页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the discourse level | 第83-89页 |
| ·Summary | 第89-91页 |
| Chapter Five A Study on Politeness Strategies in Persuasive English Business Letters | 第91-102页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the lexical level | 第91-94页 |
| ·Using you-attitude language | 第92-93页 |
| ·Using modal auxiliary | 第93-94页 |
| ·Using concrete and positive words | 第94页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the syntactic level | 第94-97页 |
| ·Using factual tone | 第95-96页 |
| ·Using interrogative sentences | 第96-97页 |
| ·Application of politeness strategies at the discourse level | 第97-101页 |
| ·Summary | 第101-102页 |
| Chapter Six Comparison of Three Types of English Business Letters | 第102-114页 |
| ·From the lexical perspective | 第102-104页 |
| ·From the syntactic perspective | 第104-105页 |
| ·From the discourse perspective | 第105页 |
| ·Sample analysis | 第105-114页 |
| Conclusion | 第114-118页 |
| Bibliography | 第118-123页 |
| Appendix | 第123-136页 |
| 论文摘要 | 第136-142页 |
| Abstract | 第142-150页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第150页 |
