Parts of a Business Letter

Parts of a Business Letter

• The heading includes the date and the writer's address
• The heading should be placed at the top left-hand margin
• The inside address includes the name and address of the recipient
  • If the person or organization has a title, it should be included. If the title is long, write it on the next line.
  • If writing to an organization, include the inside address with the organization name and its address.
• The salutation is the greeting
  • If you know the person's name, use "Dear Mr./Ms./Mx. [Name]"
  • If you don't know the person's name, use "Dear Sir or Madam"
• The body is the main part of the letter. Do not indent paragraphs. Skip a line between each paragraph.
• The closing comes after the body. Use words like "Yours truly" or "Sincerely"
• The signature is placed after the closing, with space below for the signature
  • Leave four spaces after the closing
  • Write your name below the closing
• Refer to page 577 for guidelines for addressing envelopes.