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Features of the formal business style.

When it comes to writing in English, there are two main styles of writing – formal and informal. Consider these two examples: Example 1: This is to inform you that your book has been rejected by our publishing company as it was not up to the required standard. In case you would like us to reconsider it, we would suggest that you go over it and make some necessary changes. Example 2: You know that book I wrote? Well, the publishing company rejected it. They thought it was awful. But hey, I did the best I could, and I think it was great. I’m not gonna redo it the way they said I should.  The difference between the two is obvious. The first one is formal, and the second is informal. But what is it that makes them formal and informal?  It is the style of writing, or the way we use words to say what we want to say. Different situations call for different ways of putting words together. The way we write in academic and scientific settings differs greatly from the way we write to a friend or close one. The tone, vocabulary, and syntax, all change as the occasion changes. This difference in the styles of writing is the difference between formality and informality, or the difference between formal and informal writing.  Here's a list of some of the main differences between informal and formal writing:    Informal: May use colloquial words/expressions (kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.). Formal: Avoid using colloquial words/expressions (substitute withchildren, man/boy, wonderful, many, etc.)  Informal: May use contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, etc.). Formal: Avoid contractions (write out full words – cannot, will not,should not, etc.). Informal: May use first, second, or third person. Formal: Write in third person (except in business letters where first person may be used). Informal: May use clichés (loads of, conspicuous by absence, etc.)  Formal: Avoid clichés (use many, was absent, etc.) Informal: May address readers using second person pronouns (you, your, etc) Formal: Avoid addressing readers using second person pronouns (use one,one’s, the reader, the reader’s, etc.) Informal: May use abbreviated words (photo, TV, etc) Formal: Avoid using abbreviated words (use full versions – likephotograph, television, etc.) Informal: May use imperative voice (e.g. Remember….) Formal: Avoid imperative voice (use Please refer to.….) Informal: May use active voice (e.g. We have noticed that…..) Formal: Use passive voice (e.g. It has been noticed that….) Informal: May use short and simple sentences. Formal: Longer and more complex sentences are preferred (short simple sentences reflects poorly on the writer) Informal: Difficulty of subject may be acknowledged and empathy shown to the reader. Formal: State your points confidently and offer your argument firm support.  These are just some of the differences between formal and informal writing. The main thing to remember is that both are correct, it is just a matter of tone and setting. Formal English is used mainly in academic writing and business communications, whereas Informal English is casual and is appropriate when communicating with friends and other close ones. Choose the style of writing keeping in mind what you are writing and to whom. But whichever style you write in – formal or informal – be sure to keep it consistent, do not mix the two.

1. You should use a simple, standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman for business letters, and a font size of 10-12 pt (depending on the font). Even if your letter is short, don’t use a large font size to increase the space it takes up on the page – this will look unprofessional. This goes especially for writers, who are often tempted to use fancy fonts and layout.

2. You should never handwrite a business letter. However, you may send a very brief handwritten note on a printed compliments slip, in lieu of a letter.

3. For all business letters, you should keep your audience in mind. Don’t use business jargon when you’re writing to customers, for instance. Keep your letters as short as possible – if you need more than a page, consider whether the information might be better delivered in a leaflet or brochure.

4. Always check your spelling and proof-read your letters; if possible, ask someone else in your company to go through them. It’s surprising how mistakes can slip past your eyes: errors can alter your meaning and may confuse or even offend the recipient.

General layout of a business letter

A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties. The overall style of letter depends on the relationship between the parties concerned. Business letters can have many types of contents, for example to request direct information or action from another party, to order supplies from a supplier, to point out a mistake by the letter's recipient, to reply directly to a request, to apologize for a wrong, or to convey goodwill. A business letter is sometimes useful because it produces a permanent written record, and may be taken more seriously by the recipient than other forms of communication.

When writing a business letter, the layout of your letter is important, so it's easy to read and looks professional. Use a plain font like Arial, Times New Roman, or Verdana.

Properly space the layout of the business letters you write, with space between the heading, the greeting, each paragraph, the closing, and your signature.

Single space your letter and leave a space between each paragraph. When sending typed letters, leave two spaces before and after your written signature.

Left justify your letter, so your contact information, the date, the letter, and your signature are all aligned to the left.

Business Letter Layout

Contact Information

Your Name

Your Address

Your City, State, Zip Code

Your Phone Number

Your Email Address

(space)

Date

(space)

Contact Information

Name

Title

Company

Address

City, State, Zip Code

(space)

Salutation

(space)

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

(space)

Body of Business Letter

The first paragraph of your business letter should provide an introduction to why you are writing.

(space between paragraphs)

Then, in the following paragraphs provide more information and details about your request.

(space between paragraphs)

The final paragraph should reiterate the reason you are writing and thank the reader for reviewing your request.

Closing:

(space)

Respectfully yours,

(double space)

Signature:

Handwritten Signature (for a mailed letter)

(double space)

Typed Signature

Parts of a Business Letter

This resource is organized in the order in which you should write a business letter, starting with the sender's address if the letter is not written on letterhead.

Sender's Address

The sender's address usually is included in letterhead. If you are not using letterhead, include the sender's address at the top of the letter one line above the date. Do not write the sender's name or title, as it is included in the letter's closing. Include only the street address, city, and zip code.

Date

The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. (The United States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day. For example: June 11, 2001. ) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justify the date or tab to the center point and type the date.

Inside Address

The inside address is the recipient's address. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do not have the person's name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman's preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman's preference in being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender's address or one inch below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using.

Salutation

Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and last/family name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.

If you don't know a reader's gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver's name. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's gender.

Body

For block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.

Closing

The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender's name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.

Enclosures

If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing Enclosures one line below the closing. As an option, you may list the name of each document you are including in the envelope. For instance, if you have included many documents and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of each document, it may be a good idea to list the names.

Typist initials

Typist initials are used to indicate the person who typed the letter. If you typed the letter yourself, omit the typist initials.

The format (layout) is the visual organisation of a business letter. The main business letter formats are:

Full-Block Style - All the elements are aligned to the left margin and there are no indented lines. This is a standard block-style format that is accepted by most businesses.

Modified Block Style - The return address, date, closing and signature start just to the right of the center of the page or may be flush with the right margin. All body paragraphs begin at the left margin.

Indented or Semi-Block Style - Similar to the modified block business letter style except that the first line of each paragraph is indented.

Special features of the British business letter style.

Special features of the American business letter style.

Compare British and American business letters

	American Style	British Style
Heading	According to the format but usually aligned to the left	The heading is usually placed in the top right corner of the letter (sometimes centred)
Date	October 19, 2005 (month-day-year) According to the format but usually aligned to the left two lines below the heading)	19 October 2005 (day-month-year)  Usually placed directly (or 1 blank line) below the heading.
Salutation	Dear Mr./Ms. Smith: Dear Sir or Madam: Gentlemen: After the salutation there is a colon (:)	Dear Mr./Ms. Smith, Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Sirs, After the salutation there is a comma (,)
Complimentary close	Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Yours truly,	Sincerely, Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully,

Types of business letters: general overview

The term “business letters” refers to any written communication that begins with a salutation, ends with a signature and whose contents are professional in nature. Historically, business letters were sent via postal mail or courier, although the Internet is rapidly changing the way businesses communicate. There are many standard types of business letters, and each of them has a specific focus.

Sales Letters

Typical sales letters start off with a very strong statement to capture the interest of the reader. Since the purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters include strong calls to action, detail the benefit to the reader of taking the action and include information to help the reader to act, such as including a telephone number or website link.

Order Letters

Order letters are sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to order goods or services. These letters must contain specific information such as model number, name of the product, the quantity desired and expected price. Payment is sometimes included with the letter.

Complaint Letters

The words and tone you choose to use in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding factor on whether your complaint is satisfied. Be direct but tactful and always use a professional tone if you want the company to listen to you.

Adjustment Letters

An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in the customer’s favor, begin the letter with that news. If not, keep your tone factual and let the customer know that you understand the complaint.

Inquiry Letters

Inquiry letters ask a question or elicit information from the recipient. When composing this type of letter, keep it clear and succinct and list exactly what information you need. Be sure to include your contact information so that it is easy for the reader to respond.

Follow-Up Letter

Follow-up letters are usually sent after some type of initial communication. This could be a sales department thanking a customer for an order, a businessman reviewing the outcome of a meeting or a job seeker inquiring about the status of his application. In many cases, these letters are a combination thank-you note and sales letter.

Letters of Recommendation

Prospective employers often ask job applicants for letters of recommendation before they hire them. This type of letter is usually from a previous employer or professor, and it describes the sender’s relationship with and opinion of the job seeker.

Acknowledgment Letters

Acknowledgment letters act as simple receipts. Businesses send them to let others know that they have received a prior communication, but action may or may not have taken place.

Cover Letter

Cover letters usually accompany a package, report or other merchandise. They are used to describe what is enclosed, why it is being sent and what the recipient should do with it, if there is any action that needs to be taken. These types of letters are generally very short and succinct.

Letters of Resignation

When an employee plans to leave his job, a letter of resignation is usually sent to his immediate manager giving him notice and letting him know when the last day of employment will be. In many cases, the employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company.

Salutation in a business letter

If you know the person's name:

Dear Ms / Miss / Mrs / Mr / Dr + surname

Dear Mr Miller

You can also write the person's full name. In this case, leave out the title (Mr/Mrs). This way of writing the salutation is very handy if you don't know the gender of the person.

Dear Chris Miller

If you don't know the person's name:

There are several possibilities to address people that you don't know by name:

salutation	when to use
Dear Sir / Dear Sirs	male addressee (esp. in British English)
Gentlemen	male addressee (esp. in American English)
Dear Madam	female addressee (esp. in British English)
Ladies	female addressee (esp. in American English)
Dear Sir or Madam	gender unknown (esp. in British English)
Ladies and Gentlemen	gender unknown (esp. in American English)
To whom it may concern	gender unknown (esp. in American English)

Business partners often call each other by their first names. In this case, write the salutation as follows:

Dear Sue