A letter is a written message that can be handwritten or printed on paper in a prescribed format (A4 paper size: 8″ x 11″). As a student, you have to learn the art of how to write a letter since it is a mandatory topic in school syllabus.

This essential skill is taught in the schools since you have to use this skill throughout your life as a responsible citizen. You have to depend on others if you don’t know how to write a letter especially the formal letters.

Before the advent of modern technology, letter writing was being considered as one of the most important arts in writing skill. It may be an official or personal communication.

Even today, in our modern digital age, letter is the mode of communication especially in official works. Whether it is a job application, complaint letter, leave application, school leaving certificate or bank application, a letter plays an important role to communicate.

That’s why letter writing is still so important to learn even in our technology advanced age.

Regardless whether you are a student, teacher, parent or employee, letter writing skill is required at every step of your life journey.

Table of Contents

1. Types of Letter
2. Types of Formal Letter
3. Tips to follow to write a letter (formal)
4. Format of a Formal Letter
5. Good opening lines to write a formal letter
6. Good closing lines to write a formal letter
7. Types of Informal Letter
8. Tips to follow to write a letter (informal)
9. Format of an Informal Letter

 

This article will guide you to learn how to write a letter for different purposes in our life.

You can also download the letter formats in Microsoft Word (.doc) for your easy reference and personal use.

Watch below, if you like the content in video form:

 

Types of Letter

Letters are broadly classified into two categories considering the purpose, audience, nature of content etc.:

1. Formal Letter
2. Informal Letter

Formal Letter

This type of letter follows a prescribed format and certain formalities. This is written directly focusing the particular issue(s) and highly professional in nature.

Formal letter is used for any business communication purpose or writing to authorities.

Types of Formal Letter

Almost all types of official letters which are very specific and professional by nature fall under this category.

Here is a list of formal letters based on the different purposes for your reference:

1. Job application or Cover letter
2. Inquiry letter
3. Complaint letter
4. Letter to the editor
5. Leave application letter
6. Resignation letter
7. Letter to the Principal or Headmaster
8. Requesting for School Leaving Certificate
9. Letter for birth certificate
10. Writing to the bank manager
11. Letter to the police authority
12. Business letter
13. Letter to Government authorities
14. Official circular
15. Joining or promotion letter

There are lot more. The above is a tentative list of the formal letters we may need to write in our personal and corporate life.

All the letters follow almost the same prescribed format of formal letter.

Tips to follow to write a letter (formal)

You can follow some certain tips indicated here to write a formal letter appropriately:

1. Strictly follow the prescribed format to write a formal letter to avoid any unwanted situation or consequences.
2. Avoid any abbreviation and slang language even if it is a complaint letter or a resignation letter.
3. Write in a precise and specific way. Focus directly to the issues concerned to write a letter and it should have a clear objective.
4. Write the main content of your letter in short paragraphs as far as practicable.
5. Choose the subject line very carefully so that it can cover the actual intention to write a letter.
6. Don’t use any emotional or informal words.
7. Most of the time, you need to use present tense, present continuous and past simple tense based on your requirements.

Format of a Formal Letter

As you know, the formal letters strictly follow the prescribed format.

Let’s check below the format of a formal letter:

Sender’s address

The address and the contact details of the sender are written first on the top left corner. You can also include email and phone number of the sender.

In case of business letter, the companies generally use the specified paper of their own “letter-head”. Company’s address details with contact number and email are already specified there. Hence, this type of letter can be started with “date” as explained below.

Date

Leave one line below the sender’s address and put the date of writing the letter.

Receiver’s address

Leave one line below the date and write down the recipient’s address details.

Subject line

Leave one line below the recipient’s address and write down the subject line.

The subject line must be short enough and should cover the intention of your letter. It must be written in one line only.

Underline the subject line to draw the attention of the recipient.

Salutation

Formal letters begin with “Dear” followed by the name of the receiver.

If you know the person you are writing to, mention as “Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [‘name’ or ‘title’]”.

If you don’t know the person or that person belongs to very high level authority, you can write “Dear Sir/Madam” or “Respected Sir/Madam”.

Also if you don’t know the person as well as the gender, use the generic salutation “To Whom It May Concern.”

Further, if you are not writing the letter to a particular person, rather you are writing to any department of an organisation, you can write “Dear Manager” or “Dear HR Department” or “Dear Staff Members” etc.

Don’t forget to use a comma (,) after the salutation.

Body of the letter

This can be sub-divided into three parts:

Part-1: Introduction and the purpose or connection to write a letter.

See below some good opening lines for reference.

Part-2: Write down the detail of the letter specifying the problems, consequences, events, records, statistics etc. as applicable.

Part-3: Draw a conclusion by suggesting any solution, action required, your expectation etc.

See below some good closing lines for reference.

Complimentary Closing

A complimentary closing is a polite way to convey your regards to the recipient.

You can use “Yours sincerely” for most of the cases if you know the person.

If you don’t know the person you are writing to, you can use “Yours faithfully”.

Also you can opt out for “Warm regards” or “Cordially” etc. as may be the case.

There are lots of options you can choose based on your relationship with the recipient.

Don’t forget to use a comma (,) after the complimentary closing.

Sender’s name, signature and designation

Leave another couple of lines for the last step—your name and signature. Type your full name with your designation (if applicable) underneath it in the formal letter.

Enclosures or attachments

If you’re attaching any document as enclosure with your letter, skip one more line and type “Enclosures” including the number of attachments.

Also mention the title and the serial nos. of the attachments you’re enclosing with the letter.

 

Formal Letter Format Free Download

[Sender’s address] [Date] [Receiver’s address] [Subject line] [Salutation] Dear Sir, [Body of the letter] Part-1: Introduction and the purpose Part-2: Detail of the letter Part-3: Conclusion [Complimentary closing] Sincerely, [Sender’s signature] [Sender’s name and designation] [Enclosures (2)] Document-1 title Document-2 title..

 

Good opening lines to write a formal letter

Opening line is very important to write a letter for the following reasons:

• It helps your recipient to understand the reference and co-relate the subject with any previous communications, if any.
• If you are writing the letter for the first time to the recipient, you must mention the reference where from you got the information.
• To tell the reason why you are initiating the letter.
• Whether you are replying to any letter which you received previously from anywhere.

Here is a list of some of the good opening lines to write a letter for your reference:

1. “With reference to your letter no. ….. dated xx/xx/xxxx, …” or “This has reference to your letter no. ….. dated xx/xx/xxxx, …”

2. “In reply to your letter dated xx/xx/xxxx, …”
3. “After having seen your advertisement in the …… newspaper dated xx/xx/xxxx, I would like to …”
4. “Thank you for your letter dated xx/xx/xxxx.”

 

Good closing lines to write a formal letter

Closing line is also important to write a letter for the following reasons:

• Creating a future reference
• Seeking advice
• Requesting to apologise
• Building a robust relationship with the recipient

There are lot of options available but you have to select the best suitable one that fits the type of letter you are writing.

Here is a list of some of the good closing lines to write a letter for your reference:

1. “We would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.”
2. “Should you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to help you with all of our efforts.”
3. “We would appreciate your valued feedback in this regard.”
4. “Assuring our best services all the time.”
5. “We look forward to hear from you soon.”
6. “Once again, we apologise for the inconvenience caused to you.”
7. “We seek your valuable advice to get rid of these issues.”

 

 Informal Letter

Informal letters are written for a casual purpose as personal letters to your friends, relatives etc.

There is no need to follow any binding patterns or formalities to write a letter (informal). These are easier to write than the formal letters.

Types of Informal Letter

You can check the below list of informal letters for reference:

1. Letter to parents
2. Writing to friends
3. Letter to colleagues
4. Letter to close relations
5. Writing to classmates
6. Letter to relatives
7. Writing to siblings
8. Letter of invitation
9. Thank you letter

 

Tips to follow to write a letter (informal)

You can follow the below tips to write a letter of informal type:

1. No need to strictly follow any prescribed format
2. Language must be casual and friendly
3. The subject line is not required
4. You can put extra words as your personal information

 

Format of an Informal Letter

Check the below format for your guidance to write an informal letter:

Sender’s address

The address details of the sender are written first on the top left corner.

Receiver’s address

Write down the recipient’s address details just below the sender’s address.

Date

Leave one line below the sender’s address and put the date of writing the letter.

Salutation

You can write “Dear”, “Hi” or “Hello” as a salutation.

Use a comma (,) after the salutation.

Body of the letter

This can be sub-divided into three parts:

Part-1: Introduction or the reason to write a letter.

Part-2: Write down the detail of the letter.

Part-3: Close your letter by summarizing or what you have to say. You may thank the recipient or ask a question as an ending.

Sender’s name and signature

Put your signature and type your full name.

Use P.S. (if required)

P.S. stands for Post Script. If you want to add something at the last minute after the letter is complete, you can write here.

 

Informal Letter Format Free Download

[Sender’s address] [Receiver’s address] [Date] [Salutation] Hi, [Body of the letter] Part-1: Introduction and the reason of writing the letter Part-2: Detail of the letter Part-3: Ending [Sender’s signature] [Sender’s name] P.S.

 

Conclusion

Nobody can ignore the importance of writing a letter especially a formal letter. You need to write a letter as and when required for your multi-purpose.

If you can master the art how to write a letter, you can be confident enough without other’s help.

You can be noticed more than others and get the solution if your letter is attractive and concise.

It’s not tough anymore to write a letter if you can follow the prescribed format of a formal letter.

 

Let’s know if you have any particular query as to this.

Also provide your comments and suggestions, if any.