Letter Writing

Letter Writing
LETTER-WRITING is an important channel of communication
between people who are geographically distant from one
another. In earlier times when the telephone and e-mail were
not available, the only means of communication between
people was through letters.

Letter-writing is a skill that has to be developed. In general

there are two types of letters: formal, that are written to convey
official business and information and informal, which are
personal letters to communicate with friends and family.

Formal letters are sent out when we need to write to various

public bodies or agencies for our requirements in civic life. For
example, we might have to ask for a certificate or to inform a
 FORMAL
LETTERS
Let us now examine some of the steps in writing
formal letters.
1. (i) Introducing oneself if it is the first time you
are writing
(ii) Referring to an earlier letter if you are
responding to it.
2. Stating the purpose of the letter
3. (i) Stating action/information required from
the addressee
(ii) Explaining action taken/supplying
information
4. (i) Urging action to be taken
(ii) Offering assistance in future
This is the basic structure of a letter. It will have
When writing a letter keep
following points in mind:
1. Purpose
2. Person to whom it is
addressed
3. Tone you should adopt
4. Completeness of the
message
5. Action required
6. Conciseness of
expression
Format of Letter Writing

01 Block
Indented 02
Style Format
Style

03 04
Semi-
Full Block
Block
Format
Style
 Block Format
● All the elements except the letterhead, date,
complementary close and signature are aligned
with the left margin.
● The word or each paragraph are not indented.
Mixed Punctuation is followed
● Different parts and paragraphs of the body of the
letter are typed in double spacing.
● While within each part and paragraph single
spacing is preferred.
23 North Main Street Maharaja
Colony
Post Box no. 253447 Mumbai-
4004800

October 23, 2020

Dr Richa Mehta Customer

Relations
Bharat Telephone Company 154 Balaji
Street
Mumbai-4004800

Dear Ms. Fernandes,

Yours Sincerely,
Encl: copy of cancelled cheque
 Full Block Format

● All elements except the letterhead are aligned

with the left margin.

● The open punctuation is followed i.e. end

punctuation marks are omitted in each element.

● No indentation in paragraphs.
23 North Main Street Maharaja Colony
Post Box no. 253447 Mumbai-4004800

Ref No.:

October 23, 2010

Dr Richa Mehta
Customer Relations
Bharat Telephone Company 154 Balaji Street
Mumbai-4004800

Dear Ms. Fernandes

Yours sincerely

Encl: copy of cancelled cheque

 Constituents of a
Letter
1. Heading
2. Date
3. Reference Number
4. Inside Address
5. Attention Line
6. Salutation
7. Subject Line
8. Body or Substance of the letter
9. Complimentary Close
10. Signature Block
11. Identification Marks
12. Enclosures
13. Post Script
14. Reference Initials
 Heading
 It is also known as letter
head, it includes
organization’s logo, name,
full address, email id,
telephone numbers, fax or
website.

 Printed at the top

center/left or the right
side.

 If the letter head is not

used, the heading
Reference
Number  Include a reference line to identify a
file or case number, invoice
number or any other internal
identifying information, if your
company requires one.
 Some companies have specific
reference codes that they place
either in a reference line below the
date, or at the very bottom of the
letter.
Date Date consists of the date, name of the month and
the year.

If the letter sheet includes a letterhead, type the

date from 2 to 3 lines
under the letterhead, else type it under the return
address.

Never send a letter without a date.

The British Method (ordinal numbers) : 4th July, 2012
The American Method (cardinal numbers) : July 4,
2012


Inside  Includes the name and address of the
firm or the
Address individual to whom the letter is
written.

 Written on the left side, beside the

margin, two spaces below the date- line.

 Use Courtesy titles before names of the

receiver such as Mr., Mrs., Shri, Smt., Miss,
Ms, Messrs, Dr, Prof., Capt., Maj., Col., Gen.
etc.
 The address can also begin with a job title
or a department (if you don’t know the
 Salutation is the mode of addressing a person.
Salutation We may have
the following forms.

(i) Dear Sir/Madam (when we are writing to a

total stranger
whom we do not know at all).

(ii) Dear Mr/Ms/Dr/Professor + Surname as in:

Dear Dr Sinha, (when it is a formal
relationship with the addressee and the
writer does not know him or her personally).

(iii) Dear Sujata (when the writer knows the

Subject Line
Subject is used so that the reader


immediately knows what your letter is about.

 Subject: __________________________________
 Subject usually comes between Salutation
and body.

• Certain business firms prefer to write subject

between inside address and the salutation.
• While in some firms subject line is written
after the salutation.
Body of the Begins two spaces below the salutation/


Letter subject line

Contains the message or the information to


be communicated.
 It is the most important, lengthiest,
prominent part- written in correct,
appealing and impressive style.
 Divided normally into 3 parts:
1) Introductory paragraph
2) Middle paragraph
3) Closing paragraph
 Double space between paragraphs.
• The message that a letter conveys must be
divided into two-three short paragraphs.

• Unnecessary repetition should be avoided.

• Letter shouldcontain short sentences and

straight forward style.

• The information presented should be complete,

concise, clear, concrete and courteous.
Compliment
ary
It is written two spaces below the last line of


Close the body.

• It is a polite way of saying “ Good bye”. It
marks the end of the letter.
• It contains certain courteous words.
• Use of these courteous words depends upon
the tone or nature of the letter whether it is a
formal or informal.

Formal: Respectfully yours, Yours Sincerely,

Yours faithfully

Informal: Cordially yours, Warm Regards,

  Written double space below the
Signature complimentary close.
Block  First comes Signature. Sign your first and last
name.
 Second line - type written name.
 Third line - business title.
 The signature acts as proof.

• Place the signature block 4 lines below the

complimentary close.
• If your name leaves the reader in doubt , include the
courtesy title indicating gender with or within
  This line tells the reader to look in the
envelope for more.
EnclosuresWrite Enc./Encl./Enclosure below the


signature block.

E.g. Enclosures: 3
• Enclosures: Resume
Photograph
Draft

• Enclosures: Report (10 pages)

List of Participants

If you don't enclose anything, skip it.

Reference If someone else has composed typed the letter


for you, it is
Initials common for them to indicate so with initials.
 Typically it is your initials in upper case
followed by the other initials in lower case.

 SWA/KA - (composer/typist)
 SWA:KA
 • Additional information typed or written after
the letter is fully completed is called post
Post Scriptscript.
• Messages or matters included in a letter at
the end which is after thought.
• It is written in the case of unplanned
and unprepared with hurry and carelessness
• Avoid post scripts as they convey an
impression of poor planning.
• One can use them in sales letters as punch
line.
 Various kinds of
Letters
Various kinds of letter include order ,enquiry, claim and
adjustment letters which are mostly informative.

They either ask for information or provide information for

further action.

Credit, collection, sales, fund raising and job application

types of letters are persuasive as they attempt to
persuade or motivate readers.

• You make a claim (a formal complaint) or request an

adjustment (a claim settlement) when you are
dissatisfied with a company’s product or service.
• The purpose of writing complaint or claim letter is not
to express your anger but its sole motive is to find out
 Points to remember…
• A letter, whether long or short has to be planned before it is
written.
• When writing a business letter, the writer produces one-sided
conversation with the reader in the sense that he/she has to
anticipate the reader's questions and provide answers to those
questions.
• The topic sentence should be placed in the beginning of a
paragraph so that it can give the gist of the whole paragraph
immediately.
• Never forget that your reader is a real person.
• Avoid writing cold, impersonal letters.
• Keep the reader in the forefront of your letter.
• Be courteous and tactful.
• Be neither boastful nor meek.
THANKS