business letter

• Business letter layout


  Block style
• Parts of a standard business letter

  • Letterhead
  • References
  • Date
  • Addressee
  • Salutation
  • Subject
  • Body
  • Complimentary close
  • Signature
  • Sender's name and position
  • Enclosures
• Letterhead


  • Top right corner
  • Company's name, address, contact details
• References


  • Top left corner
  • Initials of the sender and typist
  • Sometimes with department or file numbers
• Date


  • Written below references
  • Most common format DD/MM/YYYY; 8. March 2024
  • AmE MM/DD/YYYY; March 8. 2024
  • Month written by words so it's not confusing
• Addressee


  • Below the date
  • Name and address of who is receiving the letter
  • For the attention of... - letter is for the special attention of a particular person
• Salutation


  • Below the addressee
  • Greeting
  • When the name of the receiver is unknown - Dear Sir(s) or Dear Madam; Gentlemen AmE
  • When the name of the receiver is known - Dear Mr. Smith, Dear Miss Smith, Dear Mrs. Smith; if we don't know if the woman is married - Dear Ms. Smith
• Subject


  • Tells us what the letter is about
  • Usually underlined in block letters
  • RE - meaning concerning or about
• Body


  • Central part of a letter
  • Written in paragraphs
  • 1st paragraph refers to previous correspondence or gives introduction
  • The body gives all the information and details
  • The body often finishes with a call to action; what are you doing or what should be done
  • The paragraph before the closing line is friendly and leaves a good impression
  • Closing line
• Complimentary close


  • Ending phase
  • If we began the letter with Dear Sir(s)/madam, we end it with Yours faithfully - unknown receiver
  • If we began the letter with Dear Miss Smith, we end it with Yours sincerely - known receiver
  • AmE - Yours truly or Very truly yours
• Signature


  • Placed below the complimentary close
• Sender's name and position

  • Usually below the signature
  • With 'pp' if signed by someone else (per procurationem in Latin)
• Enclosures


  • Noted at the bottom if a cheque, an order etc. is included
  • We write Enc - enclosure