Formatting a Business Letter

Formatting a Business Letter

• Margins:

  • No letterhead: All margins equal (top and bottom).
  • With letterhead: Wider top margin than bottom margin.
  • Equal side margins, recommended 1 inch to 1.5 inches.
  • Bottom margin: 1.5 times bigger than side margins.
  • Minimum 1.5 inches for top and bottom, 2 inches is better.

• Spacing: Double-space between paragraphs and other units. Short letters can be double-spaced but longer letters need single-spacing.

• Punctuation:

  • Open: No punctuation after salutation (e.g., Dear Miss Davenport).
  • Closed: Colon after salutation (e.g., Dear Miss Davenport:).

• Indentation Formats:

  • Indented: Indented paragraphs.
  • Fully Block: All parts flush left (no indentations).
  • Block: Heading, complimentary close, and signature are aligned right. Paragraphs flush left.
  • Semiblock: Same as block, but paragraphs are indented.
  • Hanging: Same as block, but lines after the first line of each paragraph are indented.

Essential Parts of a Letter

• Heading:

  • Modern: Letterhead and date.
  • Conventional: Address and date.

• Inside Address: Name, title, and mailing address of the recipient.

• Salutation: Greeting to the recipient.

• Body: Main content of the letter.

• Complimentary Close: Formal closing (e.g., Sincerely).

• Signature: Typed name below the complimentary close.

• Written Signature: Handwritten signature above the typed signature.

Additional Letter Parts

• Identification Line: Initials of the person dictating the letter and the typist.
• Enclosure: Notation indicating something is enclosed with the letter.
• Carbon Copy Notation: Shows who else is receiving a copy of the letter.
• Second Page Heading: Used for letters with more than one page.

Letter Styles

• Full-Block: All parts flush left.

• Block: Date and reference lines flush right; complimentary close aligned right.

• Semiblock: Similar to block, but paragraphs are indented.

• Official: Inside address below the signature. Often used by executives for personal letters.

• Simplified: Similar to full-block, but omit the salutation and complimentary close.

Punctuation Styles

• Mixed: No punctuation after inside address or city. Colon after salutation, comma after complimentary close.

• Open: No punctuation in inside address or after city. No punctuation after complimentary close.

Salutation and Complimentary Closings

• Formal and Impersonal:

  • Salutations: Sir, Madam, My dear Sir, My dear Madam, Dear Sir, Dear Madam.
  • Complimentary Closings: Very respectfully, Yours, Respectfully yours, Yours respectfully.

• Personal and Formal:

  • Salutations: My dear Mr./Ms. [name].
  • Complimentary Closings: Very sincerely yours, Yours very truly, Very cordially yours, Yours very earnestly, Yours very affectionately, Yours very faithfully.

• Less Formal:

  • Salutations: Dear Mr./Ms. [name], Dear [name].
  • Complimentary Closings: Yours truly, Sincerely yours, Cordially yours, Yours devotedly, Faithfully yours, Yours earnestly.

Addressing the Envelope

• The envelope should include the sender's return address.
• The outside address should match the inside address and be double-spaced.
• Expressions like "Air Mail", "Special Delivery", or "Registered" should be in capital letters above the address in the top right corner.
• Other expressions are typed in the lower left-hand corner.

Titles

• Mr.: Used for men without other titles or when the writer doesn't know the title.
• Ms.: Used for unmarried women, women celebrities, women of unknown status, and female divorcees.
• Mrs.: Used for married women, widows, and divorcees.
• Dr.: Used for holders of a doctorate in any field.
• Professor: Used for faculty members, either male or female, holding the rank of professor or assistant professor.
• Honorable: Used for high-ranking government officials and prominent ex-government officials.
• Reverend: Used for members of the clergy.