However, for the date and closing, tab to the center point and begin to type. In this type, the body of the letter and the sender's and recipient's addresses are left justified and single-spaced. Using this format, the entire letter is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between paragraphs.Īnother widely utilized format is known as modified block format. The most common layout of a business letter is known as block format. When writing business letters, you must pay special attention to the format and font used. If you typed the letter yourself, omit the typist initials. Typist initials are used to indicate the person who typed the letter. 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. As an option, you may list the name of each document you are including in the envelope. If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing Enclosures below the closing. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing. Capitalize the first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender's name for a signature. The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. Bodyįor block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's gender. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender. If you don't know a reader's gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver's name. Leave one line blank after the salutation. In all other cases, however, use the personal title and last/family name followed by a colon. 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 Lucy:). Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using. The inside address begins one line below the date. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. If you are unsure of a woman's preference in being addressed, use Ms. Follow a woman's preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. If you do not have the person's name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which you are writing. The inside address is the recipient's address. In the latter case, include the sender's address in letterhead, rather than left-justified. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justify the date or tab to the center point and type the date. ) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page. (The United States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day. When writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. Include only the street address, city, and zip code. Do not write the sender's name or title, as it is included in the letter's closing. If you are not using letterhead, include the sender's address at the top of the letter one line above the date. The sender's address usually is included in letterhead. This resource is organized in the order in which you should write a business letter, starting with the sender's address if the letter is not written on letterhead. Download the free Acrobat Reader Parts of a Business Letter This resource is enhanced by an Acrobat PDF file. Media File: Writing the Basic Business Letter
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