How to Write a Letter

-How to Write a Letter-

Because most letters are now sent via email, knowing how to write a professional letter that will leave the recipient with a positive impression of you. When sending a letter through the mail, using the proper format is important because you want it to fit on a single page, be easily readable, and look good. Read through to know how to write a letter.

What Is a Letter?

In its most basic form, a letter is a handwritten or printed message. It is a written conversation between two people that is usually sent through the post or mail.

Letters are now used for the majority of our formal communication with business entities, the government, and related agencies.

Although it has declined on a personal level, it is critical that we understand when and how to write each type of letter for business purposes or at the very least for formal communication.

Why is it important to know how to write a Letter?

Today, they typically use printed letters for professional or business communications, so knowing how to write a letter for professional purposes is essential.

Writing a letter correctly is especially important if you intend to send a hard copy rather than an email to the recipient.

Different Types of Letters

We can divide letters into two types based on their intended purpose. Friendly Letters and Notes of Invitation are examples of informal letters, also known as social letters.

Letters of Application, Letters to Higher Authorities, and Letters to Newspapers are examples of Formal Letters, also known as Business Letters.

1. Informal Letter

Conversational letters can be written to friends and family. They are simply a collection of random thoughts, and they are simple and personal.

When writing an informal letter, you can use colloquial language that would be inappropriate in a formal letter. Not that you should write random thoughts that are completely disconnected and make no sense.

Even though the letter is informal and personal, incorrect spelling, punctuation, and grammar are not permitted. A basic format for an informal letter includes the sender’s address, date, greeting, the body of the letter, subscription, and signature.

2. Formal Letter

Business letters and formal letters should be clear and concise. Remember that they wrote formal letters to bring important information to light, so always take care to draft the letter carefully, providing only the information.

The language used in formal letters is far more formal than that used in informal letters. Formal letters follow the same format as explained above, with a few additions such as ‘the Receiver’s Address,’ ‘Subject,’ and ‘Signature.’

For more information on formal letters, see Formal Letter Writing in English.

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How to write a letter

These are the general rules you should follow to write a letter:

1. Choose the Right Type of Paper

Type your letter and print it on standard white paper. Print on nice resume paper if you are sending a letter of recommendation or a cover letter with your resume.

If you’re sending a business letter on behalf of your company, print it on the company letterhead.

2. Use the Right Formatting

Following that, you must choose an appropriate font. Over stylistic fonts, choose fonts that are clean and easy to read. Here are some examples of professional fonts you could use:

Times New Roman
Roboto
Arial
Calibri
Georgia
Open Sans
Helvetica

3. Choose Between Block or Indented Form

While there are many formatting styles to choose from you will want to use a block or an indented format. They align all elements and sections in the block format with the left side of the page.

Every paragraph’s first sentence is not indented. They frequently used the indented format for more casual documents. One inch indents the first line of each paragraph in an indented form.

If you use an indented format, your address and date will be right-justified.

While the block format is often easier to read and the most commonly used, the indented format adds visual interest. For formal letters, either form is acceptable.

4. Include Addresses and the Date

The sender and recipient’s addresses, as well as the date, are the first pieces of information you’ll include in the letter.

At the top, include your address and contact information, then skip a line, list the date, skip another line, and finally list the recipient’s address.

If you’ve chosen the indented format, put your address and date in the upper right-hand corner, then left-justify the recipient’s address. If you’ve chosen a block format, all the addresses will be left-justified.

5. Include a Salutation

If you know who you’re writing to, the most basic and often appropriate salutation is “Dear [name of recipient].” Use their title and last name if you don’t know them well or have a formal relationship with them.

Let’s say you’re writing a letter to someone within a company but don’t know their name, do some research. Maybe you know their title, you can often find their name on LinkedIn.

You could also call the company and inquire about the name of the person in that position. If you can’t find the information or are writing a letter that isn’t addressed to a specific person, use “To Whom It May Concern.”

6. Write the Body of your Letter

Maybe you’re writing a letter to someone within a company but don’t know their name, do some research. If you know their title, you can often find their name on LinkedIn.

You could also call the company and inquire about the name of the person in that position. perhaps you can’t find the information or are writing a letter that isn’t addressed to a specific person, use “To Whom It May Concern.”

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7. Include a Complimentary Close

If you’re writing to someone you don’t know well or have a formal relationship with, use “sincerely.”

Other alternatives include “best wishes,” “kindest regards,” and “best.” Another option to consider is “yours truly.”

Conclusion

Isn’t it satisfying to send a carefully crafted letter? Certainly, a well-written letter has the best chance of accomplishing its purpose. To ensure that your letter truly shines, it must be error-free and set the tone.

We hope you find this article useful. Please share with family and friends.

How to Write a Letter

What Is a Letter?

Why is it important to know how to write a Letter?