Format Of A Business Letter printable pdf download

Format Of A Business Letter

Format of a Business Letter

There are three basic business-letter formats. Any of these formats is appropriate and acceptable for the

test, however we will only be working with block formatting so that the overall appearance of the letter

is attractive and the formatting is easy to remember.

Note: Students should double-space word-processed work in order to make revisions more easily. This

should be applied only to the body of the letter and not to the other parts.

Parts of the Business Letter

1. Heading

The heading consists of your address and the date.

PO Box 8207

Toronto ON L2R 3V6

January 3, 2010

905 13 Spring Road

Toronto ON L2R 3V6

January 3, 2010

2. Inside Address

The inside address consists of the name and address of the person to whom you are writing. It usually

appears four lines below the heading if a word processor is used or one line below if it is handwritten.

Sam Hunt, Director

The Knitting Mill

1409 3 Avenue

Toronto ON L3V 7O1

3. Salutation

The most traditional salutation or greeting for a business letter is Dear followed by Mr., Ms., Mrs., or

Miss, and the person’s last name, followed by a colon.

Dear Mr. Smith:

Dear Mrs. Brown:

Dear Ms. Black:

Dear Miss Green:

4. Body

The body is the main part of the letter in which you write what you have to say to the addressee. Skip

one line after the salutation.

• Be concise. Ensure that sufficient information is given so that your purpose is clearly understood and

your request is well received.

• Business letters are usually formal, so the language that you use should also be formal.

5. Closing

The closing is the ending to your letter. It appears at the bottom of the letter, directly under the body.

Only the first word in the closing should be capitalized. It is always followed by a comma.

Sincerely,

6. Signature

Format Of A Business Letter