Business Letters
Date
The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page.
Sender’s Address
Including the address of the sender is optional. If you choose to include it, place the address one line below 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.
Recipient Address
It is always best to write to a specific individual. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. 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. To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The recipient’s address begins one line below the sender’s address.
Salutation
Use the same name as the recipient 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 Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and full 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 “To Whom it May Concern.” It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender.
Body
Single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. 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 should be 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.
Enclosures and initials
If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, you indicate this simply by typing “Enclosures” one line below the closing. The name of each document you are including in the envelope may be included but it is not necessary. Typist initials are used to indicate the person who typed the letter. If you typed the letter yourself, omit the typist initials.
Format and Font
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.
The generally accepted font is Times New Roman, size 11 or 12, although other fonts such as Arial may be used. When choosing a font, always consider your audience.
In block format, the standard is to use a colon after the salutation and a comma after the closing.
Style
Be concise. “When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important” can be changed to “Conciseness is very important.”
Block Format Sample Letter
Sally Student
One Pace Plaza
New York, NY 10038
October 7, 2008
Dear Ms. Student:
The first paragraph of a typical letter is used to state the main point. Begin with a friendly opening, then quickly transition into the purpose. Use a couple of sentences to explain the purpose, but do not go in to detail until the next paragraph.
Beginning with the second paragraph, state the supporting details to justify your purpose. These may take the form of background information, statistics or first-hand accounts. A few short paragraphs within the body of the letter should be enough to support your reasoning.
Finally, in the closing paragraph, briefly restate your purpose and why it is important. Consider including your contact information and stating your gratitude for the reader’s time.
Sincerely,
Cara Cea
861 Bedford Road
Pleasantville, NY 10570
