Types of Letter Format
As mentioned above different types of letter writing follow certain formats
which have been established over the years. Letter formats are
applicable by and large to formal type of letters. Informal letters do
not require a certain pattern of writing and can be written in number of ways.
But for guidance purposes we have included few varieties of informal ways of
writing which can be termed as sorts of informal formats. These formats makes the
letter writing process a convenient one.As a general rule most letters follow:
- Formal Letters Format
Formal Letters
Format
Formal letter writing format is inclusive of the Four mentioned
below:- Full Block
Style
- Semi-Block
Style
- Modified
Block Style
- Modified
Semi-Block Style
Full Block Style
Full block style is a letter format characterised by the below shown|
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LETTER HEAD ( 6 – 10 SPACES) DATE (1-4 Spaces) Recipients’ Name Recipient’s Address (2 Spaces) SALUTATION, ----------------------- Salutation is followed by Comma or Colon (2 SPACES) Ref/Sub (2 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (Paragraphs – Not indented) (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left
(2-3 SPACES)
Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left(2 -3 SPACES) CLOSING, ------------------Closing followed by Comma
(3-4 SPACES)
SIGNATURE
(2 SPACES)
Enc
(2 SPACES)
CC(2 SPACES) |
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SEMI BLOCK STYLE
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LETTER HEAD (6 – 10 SPACES) DATE (2-4 Spaces) Recipient’s Address (2-3 SPACES) SALUTATION, ----------------------- Salutation is followed by Comma or Colon (2 SPACES) Ref/Sub (2-3 SPACES) Paragraph Indented, Left, Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2-3 SPACES) (2 -3 SPACES) (4 SPACES)
SIGNATURE
Enc(2 SPACES)
(2 SPACES)
CC(2 SPACES) |
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MODIFIED BLOCK STYLE
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LETTER HEAD (6 – 10 SPACES) DATE (2-4 Spaces) Recipients’ Name Recipient’s Address (2-3 SPACES) SALUTATION, ----------------------- Salutation is followed by Comma or Colon (2 SPACES) Ref/Sub (2-3 SPACES) Paragraph not Indented, Left, Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (Paragraph not indented) (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2 -3 SPACES)
CLOSING, (followed by Comma)
SIGNATURE(4 SPACES) (2 SPACES) Enc
(2 SPACES)
CC(2 SPACES) |
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MODIFIED SEMI BLOCK STYLE
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LETTER HEAD (6 – 10 SPACES) DATE (2-4 Spaces) Recipients’ Name Recipient’s Address (2-3 SPACES) SALUTATION, ----------------------- Salutation is followed by Comma or Colon (2 SPACES) Ref/Sub (2-3 SPACES) Paragraph Indented to Left, Left, Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (Paragraph indented) (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2 -3 SPACES)
CLOSING, (followed by Comma)
SIGNATURE(4 SPACES) (2 SPACES) Enc (2 SPACES) CC (2 SPACES) |
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Informal Letters Format – When Letters do not follow any particular format while writing is called Informal Letters Format. So can it be considered that letters have either a Formal or Informal structure? Yes and No. Yes, because most of the letters are written with one or the other style in mind. No, because some letters can be written with partial observance of formal or informal styles. For example, an Address Change Letter is basically a Formal letter, however when it is written to a friend it becomes an informal letter as the motive of the letter doesn’t require a style to be followed before it is written. Differentiating features can be that informal letters are personal in nature and length of the letter varies as per the information.
Informal letter writing Formats
Informal Letter Writing Format 1
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DATE (can be placed after Sender’s Name and Address) (2-4 SPACES) Sender’s Name Sender’s Address (2 SPACES) Informal SALUTATION, ----------------------- Salutation is followed by Comma or Colon (2 SPACES) Text Aligned Left OR Text Aligned Centre OR Text Aligned Right (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left OR Text Aligned Centre OR Text Aligned Right (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left OR Text Aligned Centre OR Text Aligned Right (2 -3 SPACES) CLOSING, ------------------Closing followed by Comma (4 SPACES) SIGNATURE or Name of the Sender (can be placed towards the right corner) (2 SPACES) |
Informal Letter Writing Format 2
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DATE (2-4 SPACES) Informal SALUTATION, ----------------------- Salutation is followed by Comma or Colon (2 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (Paragraphs – Not indented) (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2-3 SPACES) Text Aligned Left, Text Aligned Left (2 -3 SPACES) CLOSING, Closing followed by Comma (4 SPACES) SIGNATURE or Name of the Sender |
Types of Business Letters
by Hannah Wickford, Demand Media 
Business letters are usually sent
via the U.S. Postal Service.
The term “business letters” refers
to any written communication that begins with a salutation, ends with a
signature and whose contents are professional in nature. Historically, business
letters were sent via postal mail or courier, although the Internet is rapidly
changing the way businesses communicate. There are many standard types of
business letters, and each of them has a specific focus.
Sales
Letters
Typical sales letters start off with
a very strong statement to capture the interest of the reader. Since the
purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters include strong
calls to action, detail the benefit to the reader of taking the action and
include information to help the reader to act, such as including a telephone
number or website link.
Order
Letters
Order letters are sent by consumers
or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to order goods or
services. These letters must contain specific information such as model number,
name of the product, the quantity desired and expected price. Payment is
sometimes included with the letter.
Complaint
Letters
The words and tone you choose to use
in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding factor on whether
your complaint is satisfied. Be direct but tactful and always use a
professional tone if you want the company to listen to you.
Adjustment
Letters
An adjustment letter is normally
sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in the
customer’s favor, begin the letter with that news. If not, keep your tone
factual and let the customer know that you understand the complaint.
Inquiry
Letters
Inquiry letters ask a question or
elicit information from the recipient. When composing this type of letter, keep
it clear and succinct and list exactly what information you need. Be sure to
include your contact information so that it is easy for the reader to respond.
Follow-Up
Letter
Follow-up letters are usually sent
after some type of initial communication. This could be a sales department
thanking a customer for an order, a businessman reviewing the outcome of a
meeting or a job seeker inquiring about the status of his application. In many
cases, these letters are a combination thank-you note and sales letter.
Letters
of Recommendation
Prospective employers often ask job
applicants for letters of recommendation before they hire them. This type of
letter is usually from a previous employer or professor, and it describes the
sender’s relationship with and opinion of the job seeker.
Acknowledgment
Letters
Acknowledgment letters act as simple
receipts. Businesses send them to let others know that they have received a
prior communication, but action may or may not have taken place.
Cover
Letter
Cover letters usually accompany a
package, report or other merchandise. They are used to describe what is
enclosed, why it is being sent and what the recipient should do with it, if
there is any action that needs to be taken. These types of letters are
generally very short and succinct.
Letters
of Resignation
When an employee plans to leave his
job, a letter of resignation is usually sent to his immediate manager giving
him notice and letting him know when the last day of employment will be. In
many cases, the employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company.
Business writing has only two goals:
- To make people understand you.
- To get them to take some action.
Your readers take the proper action
only when they know not just what you say, but what you want. Do you
want them to:
- buy your product or service?
- confirm a decision?
- simply like you and think you're good to do business
with?
All those things -- buying,
confirming, even liking and thinking -- are actions.
For your reader to understand what
you want (and then do it), he or she must first understand precisely what
you mean in your writing. If he or she has to guess, there's a good chance
the guess will be wrong.
People who read your letters,
e-mails, faxes, reports, and memos have no opportunity to interpret your body
language or tone of voice, as they would in a conversation. So although you
should write much as you speak, you should think of the times when you speak at
your best -- when your words, sentences, and paragraphs are more precise
than your typical, everyday speech.
Even when it's structured and
precise, good writing helps your reader see you as a real person, and
treats him or her as one too. Many business writers are tempted to hide behind
officious, complex language, using it both to avoid saying what they mean and
because so many others use it. They shouldn't, and you don't have to either.
1.
Write Concisely
Some editors estimate that a third
of the words in a typical letter are wasted. At every stage of writing your
letter, look at it and decide what to remove -- there will always be
something. Remember that you want your reader to understand you and take action.
Anything that does not help him or her do that is unnecessary. Avoid repeating
anything, other than for specific emphasis. Remove needless words from every
sentence, needless sentences from every paragraph, and needless paragraphs
entirely.
2.
Be Complete
Don't take conciseness too far. You
should write not just what must be said, but also what should be said to
achieve your goal. Your letter should not read like a telegram, but should tell
your reader everything he or she needs to know, and then prod for
action. Make sure that you include enough background for your reader to get
what you mean, and that you come across as tactful and polite, not terse and
unfeeling.
3.
Use Nouns and Verbs
If you think of writing as driving a
car, nouns and verbs are the wheels and engine, while adjectives and adverbs
are the body and trim. No matter how fancy the paint and details, without power
and grip your car goes nowhere. Adjectives and adverbs can enhance sturdy nouns
and verbs, but they can't rescue weak ones. Instead of "I
definitely believe that the performance will be a very successful one,"
write "I know the performance will succeed." The second sentence is
both stronger and shorter.
4.
Write Actively
Good writers use the active voice
whenever they can. In active sentences, people do things -- they act and
interact. The active voice is vigorous and brief, showing who acts and how. In
passive sentences, things are done -- people are acted upon or, worse,
disappear entirely. In most contexts, the passive voice is vague and evasive,
making your reader unsure who is doing what.
So instead of "The report will
be sent to you" and "The source of your problem has been
determined" (passive), write "I will send you the report" and
"Our technical team has found what caused your problem" (active).
Remove "there is," "it appears," "are done," and
similar phrases by rebuilding passive sentences as active ones.
5.
Be Specific
Most people use specific language
when they talk casually: they tell stories with details, colors, and smells.
Write the same way. Use words to paint pictures in your reader's mind, not to
ask him or her to dissect abstract concepts. If you have numbers, use them.
Don't discuss ideas without examples. Avoid abbreviations not everyone knows.
Everybody understands words that apply to everyday life, so use everyday
words and your reader will understand you.
6.
Write Interesting Sentences
Vary the length of your sentences to
avoid lulling your reader to sleep. Make some short and sharp. Draw
others out by linking two or three together: clip with commas, stitch with
semicolons; even staple with dashes -- if you like. Don't make all your
sentences the same.
7.
Write to Your Readers, Not Down to Them
Most people understand far more
words than they use, either in writing or speech. If you read any general
how-to book, business letter, newspaper, or even these writing guidelines, you
will find each written at roughly the same level of language. None treats its
readers like children, but none is likely to use the word "turpitude"
either. Even if you are writing to tell your readers something they know
nothing about, think of them as intelligent but uninformed, not dumb.
Avoid using "we" if you
don't have to -- use it if you are really talking about a group opinion,
position, or action (such as a company policy or a decision voted on at a
meeting), but don't use it to replace "I" with something more pompous.
Readers like to see that you are a person, not a vague corporate "we"
or an impersonal "the writer." Your reader isn't stupid and
doesn't like being talked down to.
8.
Use a Positive Tone
Use negatives such as
"don't," "won't," and "not" only to deny, not
to evade or be indecisive. Instead of "We can't decide until
tomorrow," write "We should decide tomorrow," or, better yet,
"We will decide tomorrow." Even many negative statements have single
words that work better than negative statements: "disagreeable"
instead of "not nice," "late" instead of "not on
time," "wrong" instead of "non-optimal,"
"rarely" instead of "not very often," and so on.
9.
Be Correct
Good writing is correct in two ways:
- In technique.
- In facts.
Reference books, such as style
guides and dictionaries, will help you write with proper spelling, punctuation,
grammar, and formatting. The facts, however, are yours alone. Letters serve as
records of what you say, often spending years in filing cabinets for later
reference, so your facts must be correct.
If you have relevant information,
present it. If you are uncertain, say so. If you merely suspect something, make
the suspicion clear so your reader does not think you know more than you do.
Check your letter over before you send it, to save the awkwardness of
correcting a mistake after your reader sees it.
10.
Be Clear
Good business writing is all about
being clear. A letter is not a poem, a mystery story, or a morality play. It
should not have subtle allegorical overtones requiring careful study, or different
shades of meaning. In short, it should not be open to interpretation.
Every word should mean one thing,
each sentence should say one thing, and together they should create a tool for
achieving your goal. If your reader understands you, then does what you intend,
then your writing -- whether a letter, e-mail, memo, fax, or report --
succeeds.
Return Address Line 1 1
Return Address Line 2
Return Address Line 2
Date (Month Day, Year) 2
Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of
recipient. 3
Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Recipient's Address Line 1
Recipient's Address Line 2
Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Recipient's Address Line 1
Recipient's Address Line 2
Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4
Subject: Title of Subject 5
Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Closing (Sincerely...), 7
Closing (Sincerely...), 7
Signature 8
Your Name (Printed) 9Your Title
Enclosures (2) 10
Typist's Initials 11
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