Formal Letter Outline
A formal letter is a letter written in a formal language and follows a specific stipulated format. Formal letters are written for official purposes to authorities, dignitaries or your seniors. Several rules must be followed when writing a formal letter.
The following is a formal letter outline:
Formal Letter Outline
Sender's Address: include the sender's address in the letterhead. However, if you are not using a 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. 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. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. For international addresses, type the name of the country in 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, use only the first name in the salutation. In all other cases, however, use the personal title and the last name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation. If you do not 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.
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 explaining the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue explaining 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: begin your closing at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only 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.
Sample Formal Letter
