Business Letter Lesson
There are many reasons for writing a business letter. You may be looking for information, or requesting funds from someone, thanking someone or countless other reasons.
There are a number of different business letter formats, but in this course, we will use perhaps the most commonly used one called full block.
I. FULL BLOCK FORMAT
This is the most modern of the formats and the one most widely used; its clean direct look lends itself well to technical communication, and its simple vertical format tends to reduce the error rate since you simply do not have to be concerned about horizontal spacing to indicate new paragraphs.
Eight Components of Full Block Format
1. The heading includes the date the letter is written. If you do not use letterhead stationery, you need to include your address over the date.
2. The address above the salutation is the letter recipient's full address. This address should match the address on the envelope.
3. The salutation is the line that begins "Dear..." Use Mr. for men and Ms. for women. Try to obtain a name to whom you can address your letter. If you cannot obtain a name, you should use "To Whom It May Concern" as a salutation. You can also include an attention line two spaces down from the recipient's address as well as a subject line (if necessary).
4. The body of your letter contains the text of your message.
5. The complimentary close should appear two lines below the last line of the body, at the left margin. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word and always end the line with a comma. You can use a variety of closures including Yours truly, Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Best regards or Best wishes.
6. Your signature should be in blue or black ink. Allow four vertical spaces for your signature.
7. The identification line contains your typed name, and, if you have one, your title. Depending on the purpose of the letter, you can position your phone number or social security number in place of your title.
8. Enclosures or distribution of the letter is placed two vertical spaces below the identification line.
In this example, all the text in bold should not be included in your actual letter, but are there to illustrate the format.
EXAMPLE OF FULL BLOCK FORMAT
895 Main Street
Winnipeg, MB R3K 1B1
February 16, 1994
Ms. Maria Reinaldo
Customer Relations
Manitoba Telephone System
133 Buckley Street
Winnipeg, MB R2B 4J5
Dear Ms. Reinaldo: |
<Heading>
<Address>
<Salutation>
|
<Body Start> I received a collection notice from Manitoba Telephone System on February 13, 1994. The letter states that I owe a past due balance from the September 16 to October 16 billing period in 1993. The letter also states that my service will be disconnected unless I act immediately; however, I am now informing you for the second time that I paid that bill on January 1st, 1994.
On January 15th, I received a call from one of your representatives about this matter, and I immediately told him that approximately two weeks ago I sent a check to your office for the due amount of $132.57. Unfortunately, I failed to get his name. I am irritated that you have not taken care of this matter since I have the canceled check in my possession, and I am enclosing a copy of it herewith.
I hope that this will settle the matter once and for all. <Body End>
Sincerely yours,
Bill Moritz
(204) 352-5555
Encl: copy of canceled check |
<Complimentary Close>
<Signature>
<Identification Line>
<Title or Phone Number>
<Enclosures or Distribution> |
All your business letters should be typed using the same font style and size as your English assignments: Arial or Times New Roman, size 12.
