Formal Letter Writing format – Formal letters are official letters dealing with such subjects as enquiry, ordering, transfer of money, Nothing in such letters should sound too personal or too intimate; what matters is: setting your letter out correctly, keeping to the point, and maintaining the necessary formal tone.
Formal Letter Layout
1. The writer’s address and the date is written in the same way as in a personal letter.
2. The address of the person/company addressed to is written (after the date).
3. The greeting is quite different from that of a personal letter. It is always Dear Sir if you are writing to an official who is a man. If you know that the official is a lady, you should greet her as Dear Madam. If you are writing to a business firm, and not to any particular official, the greeting is Dear Sir. The greeting (e.g., Dear Sir) is followed by a comma.
4. The subject, with which the letter deals, is indicated by a business heading that is written in the middle of the writing space between the salutation and the first paragraph. It is underlined. The heading makes the filing of the letter easier.
5. An immediate reference is made in the opening sentence of your letter to previous
communication (if any) to enable the addressee to identify your correspondence. A
reference is made to the subject of the letter if there is no previous correspondence.
6. The body of the letter may begin at the normal distance from the margin that a new paragraph begins. Divide the body of your letter into paragraphs.
7. The concluding sentence normally refers to the main topic of the letter.
8. The most common form of subscription is Yours faithfully followed by a comma.
9. Use your full signature in business letters, i.e., either initials or the first name plus the surname.
Below your full signature, write clearly, within brackets, your full name.
Bullet points in a formal letter
1. Formal letters should be brief and to the point. Such letters deal with a particular subject like ordering goods. There is no need for great creative or imaginative skill in this type of assignment. Keep it to the point.
2. Let your letter be clear so that the reader knows exactly what you want. You must make sure to provide all the information that is likely to be required or else you may get more letters asking for additional details.
3. Maintain the necessary formal tone. This is not the type of letter to establish an intimate
personal relationship. Be businesslike.
4. Be polite in your expression. This principle holds good even if you have to lodge complaint. You must learn to make a complaint without being rude. It should alway be the sort of a letter which you would not be offended on receiving.
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