Format of a Formal Letter

 assistance with formal and business letter formatting. An outline for cover letters and letters of inquiry, as well as a list of acceptable abbreviations.

There are circumstances in life when a formal letter might be preferable to a casual letter or email. These comprise application cover letters for jobs, letters of inquiry, resignation letters, and many others. It's crucial that you adhere to the expected letter structure in these circumstances.

Follow a formal letter format when writing formal letters

In English there are a number of official letter format conventions that should be used when formatting a formal or business letter. Furthermore, you try to write as simply and as clearly as possible, and not to make the letter longer than necessary. Remember not to use informal language like contractions.

1) Include your name and contact information

The return address should be written in the top right-hand corner of a formal letter. This will usually your address, but could be any other address to which a reply should be sent.

2) Include the recipient's name and address

Add the address of the person you are writing to. The recipient's address should be written on the left, often starting below your address. If you are going to print and post the letter using a windowed envelope, make sure you align this address with the clear plastic window.

3) Include the date

Different people put the date on different sides of the page. You can write this on the right or the left on the line after the address you are writing to. Write the month as a word.

4) Use the right salutation

The tip to starting a formal English letter is to greet the person you're writing to in the correct way. This is known as the Salutation. If you know the name of the person you're writing to then use 'Sir' or 'Madam' here, otherwise write their full name, including their title. Remember, try not to be too informal or casual.

Examples:

a) If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use the following form (it is always advisable to try to find out a name):

Dear Madam,
Dear Sir,
Dear Sir or Madam,

b) If you know the name, use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms, Dr, etc.) and the family name only. If you are writing to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for both married and single women.

Dear Mr Jenkins,
Dear Ms Hamers,
Dear Mrs Hutchins,
Dear Miss Davis,
Dear Dr Green,
Etc.

5) Create the body of your formal letter

Write the body of your letter in formal language. Be direct and try to keep it as brief as possible, often between three or four paragraphs in total.

The first paragraph should be kept short and is designed to introduce you and to state the purpose of the letter- to make an enquiry, complain, request something, etc.

The paragraph or paragraphs in the middle of the letter should contain the relevant information behind the writing of the letter. Most letters in English are not very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organising it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much.

The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc.

6) Close the letter with a formal sign-off

Just as there are conventions about creating the salutation for your letter, there are also rules about how you close or sign-off your letter. If you do not know the name of the person, end the letter using 'Yours faithfully'. If you know the recipient's name, use 'Yours sincerely'.

7) Add your signature

Sign your name, then print it underneath your signature using capital letters (or type it). If you think the person you are writing to might not know whether you are male of female, put your title in brackets after your name. Optionally, it can also be helpful to include your phone number and email address.

8) Proofread your letter

Now that you've completed the first draft of your letter, read if over from start to finish and check for any errors in grammar and spelling. Make sure it reads well and that the recipient will understand what the letter is about.