Learn about Letters of Request

Letter of Request Characteristics

• Objective: Professional Communication
• Written In: First person
• Written To: Anyone
• Voice: Passive or Active
• Tone: Formal
• Sentences: Short or Long
• Language: Formal, No contractions

Anatomy of a Letter of Request

• Address of sender: Located at the top left, includes the sender's full address. In the example: #3 Sampaguita St., Makati, City, 1226
• Date: Written below the sender's address, indicating when the letter was written. In the example: September 30, 2023
• Name of recipient: Follows the date, includes the recipient's full name, title, and address. In the example: Hon. Maria Sta. Ana, City Mayor, Office of the Mayor, Makati City Hall, J.P. Rizal Street, Barangay Poblacion, Makati 1210
• Subject of the Letter: Clearly states the purpose of the letter. In the example: Request for an interview
• Salutation: A greeting to the recipient. In the example: Dear Mayor Sta. Ana,
• Introduction Statement of Request: Briefly introduces the sender and states the request. In the example: Good day!
• A letter of request typically includes additional information about the request, providing all important details the recipient needs to know. For example, details about the interview will be around 10-15 minutes
• End salutation: A polite closing. For example: Respectfully,
• The letter concludes by thanking the recipient and expressing an expectation of a response.
• Signature of sender: The sender's handwritten name at the end of the letter. For example: Juan dela Cruz

Simple Sentences

• Contains one independent clause which expresses a complete thought.
• Example: I love reading books.

Compound Sentences

• Contains two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so – FANBOYS) or a semicolon.
• Example: I love reading books, and I enjoy writing stories.

Complex Sentences

• Contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause which cannot stand alone.
• Uses subordinating conjunctions (because, although, since, unless, etc.).
• Example: I love reading books because they transport me to different worlds.

Complex Sentence Example

• I stayed inside because it was raining uses "because" as a subordinating conjunction.

Compound-Complex Sentence Example

• I stayed inside because it was raining, and I watched a movie uses the subordinating conjunction "because" and a coordinating conjunction "and."

Coordinating Conjunctions

• Common examples are "for," "and," "nor," "but," "or," "yet," and "so".
• Addition: and
• Contrast: but, yet
• Result/Effect: so
• Reason/Cause: for
• Choice: or
• Negative Choice: nor
• Used between two independent clauses

Coordinating Conjunction Function

• For presents rationale: "They do not gamble or smoke, for they are ascetics."
• And presents non-contrasting item(s) or idea(s): "They gamble, and they smoke."
• Nor presents a non-contrasting negative idea: "They do not gamble, nor do they smoke."
• But presents a contrast or exception: "They gamble, but they don't smoke."
• Or presents an alternative item or idea: "Every day they gamble, or they smoke."
• Yet presents a contrast or exception: "They gamble, yet they don't smoke."
• So presents a consequence: "He gambled well last night, so he smoked a cigar to celebrate."

Coordinating Conjunction Sentence Examples

• He only wears striped ties and and polka dotted bow ties joins two words.
• The shoes were not blue suede nor black leather joins two phrases.
• It wasn't a costume party, yet many came dressed as literary villains joins two independent clauses.

Subordinating Conjunctions

• Joins an independent clause and a dependent clause, and also introduce adverb clauses.
• Common examples: after, although, as, as far as, because, since, unless, so that, until, when, as if, as long as, as soon as, as though, before, even if, whereas, wherever, while, in order that.

Subordinating Conjunctions Examples

• As Sherri blew out the candles atop her birthday cake, she caught her hair on fire.
• Sara begins to sneeze whenever she opens the window to get a breath of fresh air.
• When the doorbell rang, my dog Skeeter barked loudly.
• Pete didn't go to work yesterday because he was ill signals reason.
• As he was feeling unwell, Pete didn't go to work yesterday signals more formal cause/reason
• I'll lend you a map so that you can find the place more easily indicates reason.
• I'll call you as soon as I get home refers to time.
• I'll wait until you arrive refers to time.
• Did he say anything before he left refers to time.
• The baby gets very grumpy whenever he's tired denotes time.
• If he doesn't change his attitude, he'll lose his job mentions condition.
• Even if you win a million dollars, it doesn't mean you'll be happy means coniditon.
• I'll lend you my car, providing you promise to be careful means condition.
• Elliot is tall and blond, whereas his brother is short and has dark hair makes a comparison.
• Mark's very tall, although he's not as tall as his father yet means coniditon.
• Although they're poor, they're happy signals concession.
• Even though he's rich, I'm not sure that he's happy. signifies concession.

Correlative Conjunctions

• Works in pairs to join words and groups of words of equal weight in a sentence
• Correlate and work in pairs to join phrases or words that carry equal importance within a sentence
• Common examples: As / as, Both / and, Either / or, Hardly / when, If / then, Just as / so, Neither / nor, Not only / but also, No sooner / than, Not / but, Rather / than, Scarcely / when, What with / and, Whether / or

Correlative Conjunction Examples

• She is both intelligent and beautiful.
• I will either go for a hike or stay home and watch TV.
• Jerry is neither rich nor famous.
• He is not only intelligent, but also very funny.
• Would you rather go shopping or spend the day at the beach?

Linear Text

• Examples: Short Story or Textbook
• Linear texts follow a sequential and logical order.
• The best way to understand the information in a linear text by following the sentences from the beginning to the end

Non Linear Text

• Organize information using graphs, charts and diagrams
• Examples: Line Graph, Bar Graph, Pie Chart and Venn Diagram
• Presents information in a visual and non-sequential way.
• Allows readers to jump between sections easily.
• A line graph is best used to show how values change over time.
• A venn diagram is used to compare and contrast information
• A pie chart is most useful in showing proportions of a whole.
• Nonlinear texts feature visual representations like graphs