PART 1: Components of a Business Correspondence

The substance of an effective business letter takes its shape not just in the body of the
correspondence but also in its different basic components, optional parts, and layout, formats.

Essential Parts
A business letter has basic mandatory parts. A letter wanting in any of the pant may be
unable to deliver its purpose. The essential parts are as follows:

1. Heading (Letterhead)

2. Dateline

3. Inside Address

4. Salutation

5. Body

6. Complimentary Close

7. Signature Block

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 1. Heading

The heading or the letterhead bears the corporate or registered name and logo or
trademark of the enterprise. It contains the business address, contact numbers and official
website and e-mail addresses of the company. The letterhead is seen at the topmost. part
of the business letter.

2. Dateline

The dateline is the exact date when the letter is written. On a letterhead, the
dateline is entered two or three spaces below the last line of the printed letterhead. It may
be typed left or right of the paper depending on the format used. As a rule, the dateline is
not abbreviated or written as numbers.

Example:

Wrong: Jan. 28, 2010 or 1-28-10 or 1/28/2010

Correct: January 28, 2010 or 28 January 2010

3. Inside Address

The inside address contains the full name and position /designation of the person
you are writing to, his/her organizational affiliation, and his/her corporate address. It is
typed two or three spaces below the dateline.

4. Salutation

The salutation is an expression of courtesy to and respect for the addressee or

reader of the letter. It is typed two spaces below the inside address. Two of the most
common generic salutation are as follows:

Singular Plural
Sir: or Dear Sir: Sirs: or Dear Sirs:
Madam: or Dear Madam: Mesdames: or Dear Mesdames:

5. Body

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 The body of the letter may have three subparts, namely, the introductory
statement, statement of details, and concluding statement. It begins two spaces below the
salutation.
However, if there is a subject line, the body must start two spaces below the subject line.

6. Complimentary Close

The complimentary close is a cordial and a graceful way of closing your letter. Only the
first letter of the first word is capitalized in a complimentary close. This is typed two spaces
below the last line of the body. Some of the commonly-used forms of complimentary close
classified according to their degree of formality are on the next page.

Formal Casual
Respectfully yours, Sincerely yours,
Very truly yours, Cordially yours,

7. Signature Block

The signature block authenticates the letter to be that of the writer. The writ, name is
typed four to five spaces below the complimentary close.

Optional Parts

In some occasions, other non-mandatory components may be used. They are sparing:
used only when they are needed. The optional parts are as follows:

1. Attention Line (Attn.:)

2. Subject Line (Re:)

3. Enclosure Notations (Encl.:)

4. Carbon Copy Notation (cc:)

5. Blind Carbon Copy Notation (bcc:)

6. Postscript (P.S.)

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7. Mailing Notation

Attention Line (Attn.:)

The attention line is needed if a business letter is addressed to the company as an

organization rather than to an individual officer or staff member, but the writer prefers his/her
letter to reach a particular employee who may be knowledgeable of the writer's business concern.
It is typed two spaces below the inside address and two spaces above the salutation.

Subject Line (Re:)

The subject line is needed to immediately inform the reader of the gist of the letter or
what the letter is all about. It is placed two spaces below the salutation. It may be typed in full
capital letters or underlined for emphasis.

Enclosures (Encl.:)

An enclosure line is a reminder of an attachment mentioned in the body of the letter. It is

usually typed under the typist's or encoder's initials.

Carbon Copy Notation (cc:)

A carbon copy notation indicates that of other copies of the letter have been sent to one or
more recipients other than the addressee. It is placed two spaces below the reference initials or
below the enclosures, if there are any.

Blind- Carbon Copy Notation (bcc:)

A blind carbon copy notation is used when the writer does not want his/her reader to
know the identities of the other recipients of the letter. It is placed two spaces below the
reference initials or below the enclosures, if there are any.

Postscript

A postscript is a distinct point of information that needs to be emphasized separately from

the body. It may be placed two spaces below the reference initials or below the enclosures or
carbon copy, if there are any.

Mailing Notation

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 A mailing notation indicates a special postal service such as "registered mail- or
"certified/confidential." It may be placed two spaces below the reference initials or below the
enclosures, carbon copy, or postscript, if there are any.
PART 2: Formats of a Business Correspondence

A business letter is molded and shaped using different layout formats. There are five
conventional layout formats: Full block, Modified block, Semi-block, Simplified style, and
Indented style.

1. Full block. This format has all the letter parts flushed to the left. This may use either
open or the closed punctuation style. This :is illustrated below:

Heading

Dateline

,
Inside Address

Salutation

Body

Complimentary Close

Signature Block

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 Heading

Dateline

2. Modified Block. This format has all lines flushed to the left except for the dateline,
Insideclose,
complimentary Address
and signature. This format appears this way:

Salutation:

Body

Complimentary close,

Signature block

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 Heading

Dateline
3. Semi-block. This layout looks like the modified block or block style except that the first
line of each paragraph is indented five spaces form the margin. This format is illustrated
below: Inside Address

Salutation:

Body

Complimentary close,

Indented five spaces from the margin

Signature block

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 Heading

Dateline
4. Simplified style. Also known as the NOMA (National Office Management Association)
style, it is similar to the full block style except that the salutation and complimentary
close are omitted. This style is direct to the point and impersonal so that it states the
subjectInside Address
line in capital letters. The main message is presented in block or bullet form
(either in numbers and letters).

A typical illustration follows:

SUBJECT LINE:

Opening sentence for the message

Introduction for the list of items or matters for discussion:

1.
2.
3.

Concluding sentence

Name of the sender with signature

Position

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 Heading

Dateline
5. Indented style. This format is “quite outmoded… but popular in Mexico, Canada and
European countries.” This layout indents each line in the inside address five spaces form
,
the margin. The same indention pattern is followed in every line of every paragraph, and
between the complimentary close, and the signature. This format uses closed punctuation
so that the dateline ends with a period. ,The inside address is punctuated with a comma
after each line, and a period in the last line.
Here’sSalutation,
how it looks like:

First line of the message

Second line of the message
and so on .

Complimentary close,

Name of the sender

Position

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 Here’s a sample business letter with complete basic parts and the optional enclosure

Eagle Airlines Incorporated

DIA Road, Davao City
(082) 221-8381

Letterhead
February 18, 2010

Dr. Guillermo Reyes Dateline

Director
Asia School of Leadership
Paseo de Roxas, Makati City
Inside Address

Dear Dr. Reyes:

Salutation
We are pleased to give you our Mindanao Cultural and Historical Tour Package for 5 days
and 4 nights at ₱50,000 per person. The package includes airfare, hotel accommodation with
complimentary breakfast, and local transportation.

Tours of interesting sites in the cities of Davao, Cotabato, Zamboanga, and Cagayan de Oro
are also scheduled.

A tour package brochure is enclosed. We can give you as much as a 10% discount on the total
cost for a group of 10 students.
Body

We look forward to seeing you this summer. Feel free to call us if you have questions. We
will be more than happy to serve you.

Respectfully yours,

Complimentary close

Dennis Manalo
Sales & Marketing Officer

Signature block
DM/clb
Encl.:Brochure

notation. The letter uses the semi-block format. Under the format, the dateline, complimentary
close, and signature block are flushed to the right. The paragraphs in the body are also indented.

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Citation Information:

Casinto, C.C., Antoque, C.G., & Opulencia V.J. (2009). Interactive Writing in Business Correspondence and
Technical Reports. Quezon City, Phiippines: C & E Pub. Inc.

NOTE:

The content of this handout is not mine. I do not have the intention of claiming it or gain credits for it. All came
from the reference/s cited above. The content is used only for the purpose of educating students with the necessary
knowledge and skills they need to acquire for this subject. 

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