Letter Writing

Letter Writing
Letter writing is a form of writing done to communicate with people. This used to happen by
‘snail mail’ (post) in the past but nowadays communication mostly happens by email
(internet). There are two types of letters, namely the informal (friendly) letter and the
formal (business) letter.
Letters can be written for various purposes like reporting an incident, or describing a person,
or narrating an event. They can be used to state an argument, or to persuade etc.
Points to remember while writing a letter:
 Make sure that they are well written. In case of a formal letter, always give a type
written copy; an informal letter may be handwritten too.
 Make sure all your contact details are clearly written down at the top of the letter. If
they are not, then you might not get a reply. The correct address is essential.
 Think about what you want to say. If necessary make some notes on a separate sheet
of paper first. This will ensure that you do not forget anything.
 Think about to whom you are writing the letter. Use the right style of writing and
language — formal or informal, business like or friendly.
 Lay out your letter using paragraphs. This makes it easier for the reader.
Formal Letters
A Formal Letter is written to someone you don’t know personally but who you have
business with. Even if you know the person, in an official letter the tone and language should
be formal and precise. The format of a formal letter is business- like, structured and
mandatory. You might write a formal letter to an organisation to seek information, or write to
an official asking for some permission, or write to someone in authority to complain about a
problem.
Uses of formal or business letter

 To request or send information.
 Enquire about an admission.
 To ask for leave.
 To find out about a product.
 To thank a company for giving you some business.
 To write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine/journal.
 To write a letter to the bank, insurance agency, or some such service provider.
 To apply for a job or position.
Points to keep in mind when writing a formal letter:
Make It Clear
 Why are you writing?
 What is the point you want to make?
 What do you want?
Be concise
State the purpose of your formal letter in the first paragraph and don't swerve from the
subject. Try to avoid flowery language or long words and unnecessary information. Keep the
letter short and to the point.
Use the right tone

A business or formal letter should be written in a tone that is slightly more formal than your
everyday language. Avoid the following: slang or jargon; contractions such as I'm, can't, it's;
and vague words such as good and nice. Use modal verbs such as would, could and should.
Be polite and respectful, even if you are complaining. (‘I would be happy if you could send
me’ instead of ‘Please send me’)
Proofread
Proofreading is extremely important. Once you have written your formal letter, check the
grammar, punctuation and spelling carefully. If using a computer, use the spell-check option
and then read the letter over yourself as the spellchecker will not catch every error. Use a
dictionary or thesaurus, if necessary. Make sure the sentences are complete.
Use proper format and presentation

Remember that the first impression is the one that lasts. Use good quality paper and a
matching envelope for your formal letter. Make sure the recipient is addressed properly and
that his or her name is spelled correctly. Equally important—don't forget to sign the letter!
Format of a formal letter

Opening format
The sender’s name and address includes door number, floor, building name, street address,
area, the city and area code. The sender’s address is written on the top left hand corner with
the date below.
Mr. A. B. Sawant
Public Relations Officer
39, M & S Co.
123 M.G. Road
Worli
Mumbai - 400 024
February 23, 2017

The receiver’s address consists of the name and address of the person to whom you are
writing. The receiver’s address goes a line below the sender’s address.
Mr. M. Mehta (name)

Chief of Candy Production (title)
Old Pancake Company
456 Maple Lane
Pune - 400 115
Reference title
Business letters have a ‘reference title’, which is a line that states the main purpose of the
letter. This is also called the subject line of the letter and comes on a new line below the
receiver’s address.
Salutation
The most usual greeting is Dear followed by the person's name and punctuated with a
comma.
If you don't know whether the person you are addressing is a man or a woman, you may
begin with Dear Sir or Madam,
It is always advisable to try to find out the name.
Here are some examples of each salutation:

 Dear Mr. Mehta,
 Dear Ms. Robbins,
 Dear Mrs. Bhatt,
 Dear Dr. Shah
Body
Skip one line after the salutation and begin writing the body of the formal letter. This is the
main part of the letter. Keep in mind the rules outlined above regarding conciseness and
coherence. It is best to use short, clear, logical paragraphs to state your reason for writing the
letter.
Ending and Complimentary close
Skip one line after the last paragraph of the body of the letter and write the closing.Your
signing off must be formal and you must thank the person. Use a new line for this. If you use
a ‘Thank you’, it should be followed by a full stop. If you write ‘Thanking you’, it should be
followed by a comma followed by some words like, ‘and hoping to meet you in person’, or
‘looking forward to a positive reply’, etc.
On the next line use ‘Yours sincerely’ followed by a comma. Only the first word of the
Complimentary close should be capitalized. Then sign your name. You must write your name
below your signature legibly so that the person knows your name and put your title (e.g.
Managing Director, Manager) in brackets after your name, if you wish to.
1) Yours faithfully
If you do not know the name of the person, end the letter this way.
2) Yours sincerely
If you know the name of the person, end the letter this way.
3) Your signature
Sign your name, then print it underneath the signature along with the title in the bracket.

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What are the two types of letters?

What are some uses of a formal letter?

Points to remember while writing a letter:

Uses of formal or business letter

Use the right tone

Use proper format and presentation

Format of a formal letter

February 23, 2017

Mr. M. Mehta (name)

Here are some examples of each salutation:

Ending and Complimentary close

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