Want to write formal letter but don’t know how to write formal letter then this article is only for you and the learners who wants to learn letter writing. In today’s article we are sharing the steps, Tips or samples for writing formal letter.
Writing Formal letters are business like and get quickly to the point. Formal letters are different to personal letters. You do not write in a chatty manner or use slang. For example, you would write a different letter to your Principal inviting him to your class JCSP graduation as you would to your friend.
How to Write Formal Letter?
Formal letter writing is undoubtedly one of the most challenging types of letter format. When putting it together, often you are addressing a person or organization with whom you are not familiar and the quality of your content, including spelling and grammar will be strongly scrutinized.
Types of Formal Letter:
There are many types of latter :
- Formal Request Letter
- Formal Letter of Interest
- Formal Apology Letter
- Formal Complaint Letter
- Formal Appeal Letter
- Formal Reference Letter
Steps to Write All Formal Letter
- Introducing oneself if it is the first time you are writing.
- Referring to an earlier letter if you are responding to it.
- Stating the purpose of the letter.
- Stating action/information required from the addressee.
- Explaining action taken/supplying information.
- Urging action to be taken.
- Offering assistance in future.
This is the basic structure of formal letter. It will have to be modified according to the purpose for which it is written and the person to whom it is addressed.
Typical Format of Formal letter
Business correspondence should get across the message in a direct, clear and natural way. In contrast to informal letter writing, one should avoid using slang and casual language, clichés, short forms and abbreviations.
The writer should avoid overly formal and rigid language too. The letter should be logically structured and organized. The layout of a formal letter follows basically the same order:
Sender’s Address: The sender’s address usually is included in letterhead. If you are not using letterhead, include the sender’s address at the top of the letter one line above the date. Do not write the sender’s name or title, as it is included in the letter’s closing. Include only the street address, city, and zip code.
Date: The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line.
Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page. Depending which format
you are using for your letter, either left justify the date or tab to the center point and type the date.
Inside Address: The inside address is the recipient’s address. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do not have the person’s name, do
some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman’s preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman’s preference in being addressed, use Ms.
- Mr. – for a male
- Mrs. – for a married female
- Miss – for an unmarried female
- Ms. – for a female whose status is unknown or would prefer to remain anonymous
- Dr. – for a person with the status of a doctor
If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender’s address or one inch below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using.
Salutation: “Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear Tejas:). In all other cases, however, use the personal
title and last/family name followed by a colon.
Leave one line blank after the salutation. If you don’t know a reader’s gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver’s name. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine
gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris’s gender.
Body of Formal letter: For block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.
Closing: The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender’s name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a
comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.
Enclosures: If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing Enclosures one line below the closing. As an option, you may list
the name of each document you are including in the envelope. For instance, if you have included many documents and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of each document, it may be a good idea to list the names.
A Note about Format and Font of Formal Letter
Block Format: When writing business letters, you must pay special attention to the format and font used. The most common layout of a business letter is known as block format. Using this format, the entire letter is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between
paragraphs.
Font : Another important factor in the readability of a letter is the font. The generally accepted font is Times New Roman, size 12, although other fonts such as Arial may be used. When
choosing a font, always consider your audience. If you are writing to a conservative company, you may want to use Times New Roman. However, if you are writing to a more liberal company, you have a little more freedom when choosing fonts.
Punctuation: Punctuation after the salutation and closing – use a colon (:) after the salutation (never a comma) and a comma (,) after the closing. In some circumstances, you may also use a less common format, known as open punctuation. For this gyanlog style, punctuation is excluded after the
salutation and the closing.
Important Points About Formal Letter Writing :
- The date and signature are very important in letters.
- Do not use commas after every line in the address.
- Do not begin your letters with hackneyed expressions like, ‘With reference to your letter dated 10 January’. Instead, use personalised variations like, ‘I was glad to receive your letter of 10 January…’ or ‘We were happy to note from your letter that the goods have reached you safely…’
- Never end your letters with hanging participles like ‘Thanking you’ or ‘Awaiting your reply’. Instead write, ‘Thank you’ or ‘We/I await/look forward to your reply’.
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