Before the advent of modern technology made communication so easy, the art of writing a letter was considered an important requirement. Even today a letter is an important means of communication in both the workspace as well as our personal lives. So let us educate ourselves with the nuances of letter writing.

Letter Writing

A letter is a written message that can be handwritten or printed on paper. It is usually sent to the recipient via mail or post in an envelope, although this is not a requirement as such. Any such message that is transferred via post is a letter, a written conversation between two parties.

Now that Emails and texts and other such forms have become the norm for communication, the art of letter writing has taken a backseat. However, even today a lot of our communication, especially the formal kind, is done via letters. Whether it is a cover letter for a job, or the bank sending you a reminder or a college acceptance letter, letters are still an important mode of communication. Which is why it is important that we know the intricacies of letter writing.

Types of Letters

Let us first understand that there are broadly two types of letter, namely Formal Letters, and Informal Letters. But then there are also a few types of letters based on their contents, formalities, the purpose of letter writing etc. Let us have a look at the few types of letters.

Formal Letter: These letters follow a certain pattern and formality. They are strictly kept professional in nature, and directly address the issues concerned. Any type of business letter or letter to authorities falls within this given category.
Informal Letter: These are personal letters. They need not follow any set pattern or adhere to any formalities. They contain personal information or are a written conversation. Informal letters are generally written to friends, acquaintances, relatives etc.
Business Letter: This letter is written among business correspondents, generally contains commercial information such as quotations, orders, complaints, claims, letters for collections etc. Such letters are always strictly formal and follow a structure and pattern of formalities.
Official Letter: This type of letter is written to inform offices, branches, subordinates of official information. It usually relays official information like rules, regulations, procedures, events, or any other such information. Official letters are also formal in nature and follow certain structure and decorum.
Social Letter: A personal letter written on the occasion of a special event is known as a social letter. Congratulatory letter, condolence letter, invitation letter etc are all social letters.
Circular Letter: A letter that announces information to a large number of people is a circular letter. The same letter is circulated to a large group of people to correspond some important information like a change of address, change in management, the retirement of a partner etc.
Employment Letters: Any letters with respect to the employment process, like joining letter, promotion letter, application letter etc.

Letter Writing Tips

Now that we have learned the basics of communicating via letters and the types of letters as well, let us focus on some tips for the actual letter writing.

1] Identify the type of letter

This obviously is the first step of the letter writing process. You must be able to identify the type of letter you are to be writing. This will be dictated by the person the letter is addressed to and the information that will be conveyed through the letter. Suppose you were writing to the principal of your college to ask for leave, this would be a formal letter. But say you were writing to your old college professor catching up after a long time. Then this would be a personal (informal) letter.

2] Make sure you open and close the letter correctly

Opening a letter in the correct manner is of utmost importance. Formal letters open with a particular structure and greeting that is formal in nature. Informal letters can be addressed to the person’s name or any informal greeting as the writer wishes.

Even when closing the letter, it must be kept in mind what type of letter is being written. Formal letters end respectfully and impersonally, whereas informal letters may end with a more personal touch.

3] Establish the main intent of the letter

Once you start writing, make sure to get to the point as soon as possible. Especially in formal letters, it is important to immediately make clear the purpose of the letter.

4] Be careful of the language

A letter is always supposed to be polite and considerate. Even if it is a complaint letter, the point must be made in a careful and courteous manner. So it is necessary to use polite expressions and civil language in all types of letters.

5] Length of the letter

And the other important factor to be considered is the length of the letter you are writing. It should be kept in mind that formal letters are generally to the point, precise and short. Lengthy formal letters tend to not have the desired effect on the reader. The length of an informal letter is determined by the message in the letter and the relation to the recipient.

Letter Writing Format – Sample Letters, Formal Letter, Informal Letter, Letter to the Government

A letter is one person’s written message to another pertaining to some matter of common concern.
Letters are of two types –

Formal Letter
Informal Letter

Formal Letter

A Letter written for a formal purpose is called a Formal letter. It addresses a serious issue.
Let us discuss the types of formal letter –

Types of Formal letter

Letter to the editor
Letter to the Government
Letter to the police
Letter to the principal
Order letter
Complaint letter
Inquiry letter
Business letter
Application letter

Format of a Formal Letter

The following points need to be followed while writing a Formal letter-

A Formal Letter strictly follows the prescribed Format for writing a Formal Letter.
Use of colloquial words, abbreviations and slang language should be restricted while writing a Formal letter.
A Formal Letter must be precise and to the point.
The Subject line is very important in a Formal Letter.

The Format of a Formal Letter is as follows –
1. Sender’s address: The address and contact details of the sender are written here. Include email and phone number, if required or if mentioned in the question.
2. Date: The date is written below the sender’s address after Leaving one space or line.
3. Receiver’s address: The address of the recipient of the mail (the officer / principal / Editor) is written here.
4. Subject of the letter: The main purpose of the letter forms the subject. It must be written in one line. It must convey the matter for which the letter is written.
5. Salutation (Sir / Respected sir / Madam)
6. Body: The matter of the letter is written here. It is divided into 3 paragraphs as follows –
Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself and the purpose of writing the letter in brief.
Paragraph 2: Give a detail of the matter.
Paragraph 3: Conclude by mentioning what you expect. (For example, a solution to your problem, to highlight an issue in the newspaper, etc).
7. Complimentary Closing
8. Sender’s name, signature and designation (if any)

Sender’s address
Date
Receiver’s Address
Subject
Salutation
Body of the letter
Complimentary closing Sender’s Name, signature and designation

Informal Letter

A Letter written for an informal purpose is called an Informal letter. It is written for a casual purpose.
Let us discuss the types of informal letter –

Types of Informal letter

1.Letter to parents

Letter to siblings
Letter to friends
Letter to classmates
Letter to neighbours

Format of an Informal Letter

The following points need to be followed while writing an Informal letter-

a) An Informal Letter does not strictly follow the prescribed Format.
b) The language of an Informal Letter must be friendly and casual.
c) An Informal Letter can have extra information.
d) The Subject line is not required in an Informal Letter.

The Format of an Informal Letter is as follows –

Address: The address of the sender is followed by that of the receiver.
Date: The date is written below the address after leaving one line.
Salutation / Greeting (Dear / Hi / Hello)
Body: The matter of the letter is written here. It is divided into 3 paragraphs as follows –
a) Paragraph 1: beginning
b) Paragraph 2: Main content.
c) Paragraph 3: ending
Sender’s name and signature.

Address

Date

Salutation

Body of the letter

Sender’s Name and signature

Sample Letters

Here are some solved questions on Letter Writing
1. Write a letter to the Mayor of your city seeking a solution to the problem of water logging in your area. You are Raj / Rani of Dharma Colony, Ramgarh.

14 / 8, Dharma Colony
Ramgarh.

Date: 23 August 2018

The Mayor
Ramgarh

Subject: Complaint regarding the problem of water logging in Dharma Colony

Sir / Madam

I am Raj, a resident of Dharma Colony. The residents of the area are facing a lot of problems due to water logging.
Every year in the monsoon season, the area gets filled with water as the drainage system gets choked. We have requested the area committee many times, but the situation is still the same. The residents’ lives have become miserable as many water – borne diseases have spread. All the houses are submerged, and we are facing a tough time.
Please consider the issue as serious and find a solution at the earliest.

Yours Sincerely

Raj

You are Garima / Gaurav. Write a letter to your friend Sanjana / Sanjay, inviting her / him to your birthday party. Give details regarding the day, time, venue, etc. Add interesting details like theme, dress code, etc.

45, Jan Marg
Delhi.

33, Khan Gali
Delhi.

Date: 21 August 2018

Dear Sanjay

Hi! You are invited to my birthday party on 25th August.
The party will be at Archie’s Place, Nehru Park from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. As the party is based on ‘Spiderman’ theme, please wear a dress in red / black colour combination. It will be fun as I have arranged a Mask game, a ‘Spidey’ web game and a never – seen – before neon light and music show. I am very excited as I will wear the special Spidey costume designed by my sister. Please come as it will be good to have your company. Also, bring your brother Saurav.
Waiting for your confirmation.

Gaurav

Sample Format for Writing a Letter

Typically, a printed letter is reserved for the most important of job-related or other professional communications: recommendation letters, cover letters, resignation letters, legal correspondence, company communications, etc. Since it’s such a formal mode of communication, you’ll want to make sure you know to format a letter.

Proper formatting is especially important if you’re sending a hard copy to the recipient rather than an email – the letter needs to fit the page properly and look good.

The following sample letter format includes the information you need to include when writing a letter, along with advice on the appropriate font, salutation, spacing, closing, and signature for business correspondence.

Sample Letter Format

Contact Information (Your contact information. If you are writing on letterhead that includes your contact information, you do not need to include it at the start of the letter.)
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email Address

Date

Contact Information (The person or company you are writing to)
Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State Zip Code

Greeting

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name: (Use a formal salutation, not a first name, unless you know the person extremely well. If you do not know the person’s gender, you can write out their full name. For instance, you could write “Dear Pat Crody” instead of “Dear Mr. Crody” or “Dear Ms. Crody.” Note that the person’s name is always followed by a colon (:) in a business letter, and not a comma. If you do not know the recipient’s name, it’s still common (and safe) to use the old-fashioned “To Whom It May Concern:”).

Body of Letter

The first paragraph of your letter should provide an introduction as to why you are writing so that your purpose is obvious from the very beginning.

Then, in the following paragraphs, provide more information and specific details about your request or the information you are providing.

The last paragraph of your letter should reiterate the reason you are writing and thank the reader for reviewing your request. If appropriate, it should also politely ask for a written response or for the opportunity to arrange a meeting to further discuss your request.

Closing

Best regards,

Signature

Handwritten Signature (for a hard copy letter – use blue or black ink to sign the letter)

Typed Signature

Sample letter example

Nicole Thomas

35 Chestnut Street, Dell Village,

Wisconsin 54101 · 555-555-5555

August 1, 2018

Jason Andrews

Manager

LMK Company

53 Oak Avenue, Ste 5

Dell Village, Wisconsin 54101

Dear Jason,

I’m writing to resign my position as customer service representative, effective August 15, 2018.

I’ve recently decided to go back to school, and my program starts in early September. I’m tendering my resignation now so that I can be as helpful as possible to you during the transition.

I’ve truly enjoyed my time working with you and everyone else on our team at LMK. It’s rare to find a customer service role that offers as much opportunity to grow and learn and such a positive, inspiring team of people to grow and learn with.

I’m particularly grateful for your guidance while I was considering furthering my education. Your support has meant so much to me.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you find and train my replacement.

Thanks, and best wishes,

Nicole Thomas

BizLetterDetail

Rules for Writing Formal Letters

In English there are a number of conventions that should be used when writing a formal or business letter. Furthermore, you try to write as simply and as clearly as possible, and not to make the letter longer than necessary. Remember not to use informal language like contractions.

Addresses:

1) Your Address
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.

Date:

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.

Salutation or greeting:

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.

Ending a letter:

1) Yours Faithfully
If 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.

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.