How to write formal letters

      FORMAL LETTERS

Formal letters are also referred to as official letters. These letters deal with subjects such as inquiry, ordering, transfer of money, reference, request, booking, complaint, apology, application, and many more. Business letters are formal. Nothing in such messages should sound too personal or intimate; what matters is: setting your letter out correctly, keeping to the point, and maintaining the necessary formal tone.

LAYOUT OF A FORMAL LETTER

I. The writer's address and the date are written in the same way as in a personal letter.

II. The address of the person/ company addressed to is written (after the date). 

III. The greeting is quite different from that of a personal letter. It is always 'Dear Sir' if you are writing to an official who is a man. If you know that the office is a lady, you should greet her as 'Dear Madam.' If you are writing to a business firm and not to any particular official, the greeting is 'Dear Sirs.' A comma always follows the salutation (e.g., Dear Sir).

IV. The subject, with which the letter deals with, is indicated by a business heading that is written in the middle of the writing space between the salutation and the first paragraph. It is also underlined. The title makes the filing of the letter easier.

V. An immediate reference is made in the opening sentence of your letter to previous communications (if any) to enable the addressee to identify your correspondence. A connection is made to the subject of the message if there is no previous correspondence.

VI. The body of the letter may begin under the standard distance from the margin that a new paragraph begins. Divide the form of a message into appropriate sections.

VII. The including sentence refers typically to the main topic of the letter.

VIII. The most common form of subscription is 'Yours Faithfully' or 'Yours Sincerely' followed by a comma.

IX. Use your full signature in business letters, i.e., initial is the first name plus in the surname. Below your top mark, right clearly, within brackets, your full name.

A FEW POINTS TO REMEMBER REGARDING FORMAL LETTERS.....

I. FORMAL LETTERS SHOULD ALWAYS BE BRIEF AND TO THE POINT. Such letters deal with a particular subject like ordering goods. There is no need for outstanding creative or imaginative skills for this type of assignment. Could you keep it to the point?

II. ALWAYS LET YOUR LETTER BE CLEAR so that the reader knows precisely what you want. You must make sure to give all the information that is likely to be required, or else you may get more letters asking for the additional details.

III. ALWAYS MAINTAIN THE NECESSARY FORMAL TONE. This is not the type of letter to establish an intimate personal relationship. Be business-like.

IV. ALWAYS BE POLITE IN YOUR EXPRESSIONS. This principle holds good even if you have to complain. It would help if you learned to make a complaint without being rude. It should always be the sort of letter which you would not be offended on receiving it.

LETTER OF APPLICATIONS : 

You can be asked to apply for a particular job, using your details as the basis of the letter. A suitable plan for a letter of application is given below : 

I. State the "source," i.e., how the position came to your notice.

II. Give a resume mentioning your education, specifying the examinations passed, school activities you were involved in, and posts of responsibility that you held. Also include further education and special training: specify subjects studied, examinations taken, and results (if available).

III. Previous employment. Accurate details of any full-time or part-time job.

IV. Any other experience or qualification that you think could be relevant to the situation.

V. Give the names of the references and state that you are enclosing testimonials (if appropriate).

VI. The conclusion: this isn't easy, but it can be a useful technique to explain why you are particularly Li interest in the position and state the time when you will be available for the interview.

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