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Guide To Formal Letters - The Basics

The document provides guidance on writing formal letters, including addressing the recipient, providing a reference and reason for writing, enclosing documents, closing remarks, and finishing the letter. It gives examples of addressing the recipient, providing references and reasons for writing, requesting or agreeing to requests, giving bad news, and enclosing or attaching documents. It also provides a sample formal letter confirming an order that was discussed by phone, including addressing the recipient, providing a reference, confirming the order details, and closing remarks.

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80 views3 pages

Guide To Formal Letters - The Basics

The document provides guidance on writing formal letters, including addressing the recipient, providing a reference and reason for writing, enclosing documents, closing remarks, and finishing the letter. It gives examples of addressing the recipient, providing references and reasons for writing, requesting or agreeing to requests, giving bad news, and enclosing or attaching documents. It also provides a sample formal letter confirming an order that was discussed by phone, including addressing the recipient, providing a reference, confirming the order details, and closing remarks.

Uploaded by

CostelCos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Guide to Formal Letters – The Basics

The Start
The start of any business letter begins by addressing the recipient of the letter.

Dear Personnel Director,


Dear Sir or Madam, (use if you don't know who you are writing to)
Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Miss or Ms. Smith, (use if you know who you are writing to, and you have a formal relationship with the
person; VERY IMPORTANT: use Ms. for women, unless asked to use Mrs. or Miss)
Dear Frank, (use if the person is a close business contact or friend)

Notes:
1) If you are unsure how formal you should be, always choose the more formal variant.
2) Writing to a specific person is always preferred if at all possible.
3) In American English, the abbreviations Mr., Mrs., Ms. are followed by a dot. In British English they are not (e.g. Mr
Smith, Mrs Adams etc.).

The Reference
Begin by referencing a specific conversation or other contact means if necessary. If this is the first letter in a conversation,
provide the reason for writing.
Reference: With reference to your advertisement in the Times / your letter of 23rd March / your phone call today…
Thank you for your letter of March 5th…
The Reason for Writing: I am writing to inquire about / apologize for / confirm / comment on / apply for

Examples:

I am writing to inquire about the position posted in The Daily Mail.


I am writing to confirm the shipment details on order # 2346.
I am writing to apologize for the difficulties you experienced last week at our branch.

Once you have introduced the reason for writing, move on to detailing the purpose of your letter. Here are a number of
possibilities:

Requesting
Could you possibly…? / I would be grateful if you could…

Agreeing to Requests
I would be delighted to…

Giving Bad News


Unfortunately… / I am afraid that…

Examples:

Could you possibly forward your job requirements?


I am afraid that I won’t be able to attend the conference next week.
I would be delighted to give you a tour of our facility this coming month.

1
Enclosing Documents
I am enclosing… / Please find enclosed… / Enclosed you will find…
(For email letters:) Please find attached… / The attached file is the document that you requested. / The attachment is a
draft Power Point presentation.

Closing Remarks
Thank you for your help… / Please contact us again if we can help in any way. / There are no problems… / If you have
any questions…

Reference to Future Contact or Request for Future Action (for job letters / whenever appropriate)
I look forward to hearing from you soon / meeting you next Tuesday / seeing you next Thursday.

The Finish
Yours faithfully, (If you don't know the name of the person you're writing to)
Yours sincerely, (If you know the name of the person you're writing to)
Best wishes, (less formal valediction)
Best regards, (Rather if the person is a close business contact or friend)

Note:
"Thank you" is not a complimentary close – it’s a sentence. They belong in the body of the letter with a period at the end.

2
Ken's Cheese House
34 Chatley Avenue
Seattle, WA 98765
Tel:......
Fax:………
Email: kenny@cheese.com

October 23, 2006

Fred Flintstone
Sales Manager
Cheese Specialists Inc.
456 Rubble Road
Rockville, IL

Dear Mr. Flinstone,

With reference to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to confirm your order for: 120 x Cheddar Deluxe
Ref. No. 856.

The order will be shipped within three days via UPS and should arrive at your store in about 10 days.

Please contact us again if we can help in any other way.

Yours sincerely,

Kenneth Beare
Director of Ken's Cheese House

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