Here you can find abundant useful information about letter writing.
The following addresses are for the websites I've quoted from and I strongly recommend you to check them for more detailed, precise information:
http://www.usingenglish.com/resources/letter-writing.html#layout
http://speakspeak.com/a/html/d2h_resources_letter_writing_phrases.htm
The art of writing a letter takes practice, knowledge about proper form and the ability to put into words the thoughts and feelings which are associated with the letter. Learning to write a letter can be difficult, as there are multiple types of letters which can be written. To avoid the time that it may take to learn to write each one of these letters, if you are able to learn to write a basic letter, that will help you to create letters for a variety of occasions.
Parts of the Letter:
I. Addresses
At the top of your letter, you will put your address, so the reader will know where to send their reply to.
1) Your Address
The return address should be written in the top right-hand corner of the letter.
The return address should be written in the top right-hand corner of the letter.
2) The Address of the person you are writing to
The inside address should be written on the left, starting below your address. The inside address is only required for a business letter and will include the address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient, their title and company name. If you are not sure who the letter should be addressed to either leave it blank or try to put in a title, i.e. "Director of Human Resources".
II. DatePut the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e. June, 15, 2009.
Different people put the date on different sides of the page. You can write this on the right or the left on the line after the address you are writing to. Write the month as a word.
III. Salutation or GreetingThe greeting will address the individual that the letter is being sent to. This is usually completed in thefollowing forms:
1) Dear Sir or Madam, If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use this. It is always advisable to try to find out a name.
2) Dear Mr Jenkins, If you know the name, use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms, Dr, etc.) and the surname only. If you are writing to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married and single women.
3) "Dear Anne" or "Hey Anne", for less formal letters.
IV. Ending a letter / Closing
1) Yours faithfullyIf 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.
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. If you think the person you are writing to might not know whether you are male of female, put you title in brackets after your name.
Content of a Formal Letter:The first paragraph and will generally outline the purpose for the letter and the reason that the letter is being sent. This can address any issues that are outstanding and is used to set the tone for the entire rest of the letter. In this first paragraph, the summary of the letter can be found and the intentions which will be displayed through the rest of the letter should be outlined. From the first paragraph of the letter, the introductory paragraph, the individual should be able to note the tone of the letter.
Opening lines
Why do we need an opening line in a business letter or formal email?
- to make reference to previous correspondence
- to say how you found the recipient's name/address
- to say why you are writing to the recipient.
10 Good Opening Lines:
I am writing to enquire about ...
After having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like ...
After having received your address from ... , I ...
I received your address from ... and would like ...
We/I recently wrote to you about ...
Thank you for your letter of 8 May.
Thank you for your letter regarding ...
Thank you for your letter/e-mail about ...
In reply to your letter of 8 May, ...
II. The Body
The body of the letter will expand upon the introductory paragraph and the individual can extend their thoughts and feelings further when it comes to the letter. The body of the letter can be anywhere from multiple pages for personal letters, to one page or two pages for most business letters and other types of proposals. Though most letters in English are not very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organizing it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much.
The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc.
Closing lines
Why do we need a closing line in a business letter or email?
- to repeat an apology
- to offer help
10 Good Closing Lines:
If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.
I look forward to your reply.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to seeing you.
Please advise as necessary.
We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.
Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience.
We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom.
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
The Presentation of the Letter
Formal letters which are written on behalf of businesses to or professional contacts should remain typewritten and grammatical and spelling error free. These types of letters should be legible and professional and therefore typing the letter is one of the most effective ways to ensure that the letter demonstrates a professional appearance through the entire course of the letter, thereby creating a positive impression on the recipient of the letter.
As well as outward presentation, it is important to determine the tone which will be written in the letter, including a professional tone or a tone that will be taken with friends or family members in a more informal setting. The tone should be established from the greeting of the letter, into the introductory paragraph, throughout the entire body of the letter and even into the closing statement and closing greeting of the letter. Read through the letter once it has been completed to ensure that the tone remains the same. The tone can be adjusted based on the language which is used through the letter, as well as the greetings (familiar as opposed to formal).
Always proofread your letter after writing it, check for sentence structure, grammar, spelling mistakes...
Proofread your letter again (and again) after you have revised it.
Keep the recipient in mind, and write in a way that he/she can easily understand the letter.
Don't use abbreviated dates, i.e. use November 19, 2004, and not 11/19/04
Be respectful when you write, even if you are writing a letter of complaint.
Business letter writing tips
Be concise and keep to the point, but don't leave out any important information.
Try to keep your letter short enough so that it fits on one page.
If your letter is more than a page long, use another page, don't use the back of the page.
If you have access to company (or personal) stationary with a letterhead on it, use that instead of regular paper.
Letter Writing Tips
Business letter writing tips
