EDPM Parts of a Business Letter

BUSINESS LETTERS

J. Emmons

BUSINESS LETTERS

OBJECTIVES
Define a business letter.
Describe business letter margin layout.
Understand the parts of a business letter.
Discuss different business letter layout styles.

Multiple Choice

A letter is a written internal or external formal channel of communication between organizations, between organizations and individuals, between individuals.

• School Letter

• Business Letter.

• Personal Letter

• Organizational Letter

Multiple Choice

A business letter must be Mailable standard, meaning, it must be.

• neat, free of error, colourful, and on onionskin paper

• neat, free of error, accurate, and on quality paper

• neat, free of error, humourous, and on index paper.

• neat, free of error, colourful, and on flimsy paper.

BUSINESS LETTERS

A letter is a written internal or external formal channel of
communication between organizations, between
organizations and individuals, between individuals.

Mailable standard – neat, free of error, accurate, quality
paper.

A4 – long letters A5- short letters (1 page)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Setting margins for letter

A4 paper

Top margin - 1" start to type address/letterhead or 2" start to type
reference to leave space for letter head.

Side – 1 to 1.5" left and 1" right in line with letterhead or reference on
letterhead.

Bottom - at least 1"

BUSINESS LETTERS

Setting margins for letter

A5 paper

Top - 0.5" or 1" start to type address/letterhead or 1.5" start to type
reference to leave space for letterhead.

Side – 1 or 0.75" left and 1 or 0.5" right or 0.75"

Bottom - at least 1"

Multiple Choice

What is the side margin for a business letter on A4 paper?

• 0.5" or 1"

• 1 to 1.5" left and 1" right in line with letterhead

• 0.25" and in line with the letterhead

• 0.5" only

Multiple Choice

A letter is a written internal or external formal channel of
communication between organizations, between
organizations and individuals, between individuals.

• True

• False

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

A business letter consists of the following parts in the order in
which they appear:

 Letterhead (Sender’s name and return address) 1.5 to 2’’ (H)

Also Include:
•Company name

•Logo

•Telephone

•Email address

•Fax number

•Website

•Directors names

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Letterhead (Sender’s name and return address) 1.5 to 2’’ (H)
• Name of person/company – font size 14 (Font can be adjusted)
• Address – font size 12
• Contact details – font size 10
• Insert logo (text wrap to move easily) – same height as text and flush with the

margin

• May be centered
• May insert a line

Multiple Choice

A letter that is neat, free of error, accurate, and printed on quality
paper.

• Mealable

• Malleable

• Mailable

• Makeable

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Reference – this usually consists of the initials of the writer of the
letter and those of the typist, e.g. PAW/JS, typed against the words ‘Our
ref’. Alternatively, the reference may include details of a file number, or
customer’s account number, e.g. PAW/200764/Acc/JS.

You should always include a reference showing the writer’s initials and your own, unless you are asked
not to do so. The reference shown on any incoming letter should be included in the letter of reply
against the words ‘Your ref’.

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Date – the date must always be typed on a letter, even if you
are not given instructions to include it.
The date should be typed in the following order:
•

Blocked – day, month and year, no comma, with the name of the month in full.

•

Semi-blocked and Indented – Month, day, comma and year, with name of month
in full.

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Special Instructions (Mailing or addressee notation) – any
special instructions, such as PERSONAL, PRIVATE,
CONFIDENTIAL, etc, should be typed above the name and
address of the recipient. Leave at least 1 clear line space
between the special instruction and the name and address.

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Attention line – some business organizations like all
correspondence to be addressed to the company rather than to
individuals. In such cases it is usual to include an ‘attention line’
to ensure that the letter is directed to the appropriate
department or individual. E.G.

FOR THE ATTENTION OF MRS B WILMOT, SALES DEPARTMENT

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Inside name and address (Recipient’s name and address) –
the name and address of the individual or organization to
whom the letter is being sent should always be included. These
details are usually typed above the salutation (or attention line
if any).
Each line of the address should start at the left margin. Use
single-line spacing.
1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Salutation – the opening words of greeting in a letter are
known as the ‘salutation’, and the forms used in business
included the following.

Dear Sirs - Where the letter is addressed to a business/two or more males

Dear Sir (male/one person)

Dear Madam (one person/female)

Dear Sir/Madam (unknown gender of receiver)

Dear Mr. Brown (know names of addressee)

Dear Ms. Wilson (unknown status)

1 clear line (DS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Salutation

Dear Mrs. Clarke (married female)

Dear Miss Cone (not married)

Ladies (Two or more females of an organization)

Gentlemen (males of a club or association)

1 clear line (DS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Salutation
Where the addressee's name in the inside name and address.
(Note that the initial'(s) of the person's first name(s) is not
included in the salutation)

Dear John

Dear Elizabeth - Where the addressee is well-known by the

writer

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Salutation (Informal)

Dear Mr. Smith
Dear Ms. Frank
Dear Customer

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Subject Heading – a subject heading is sometimes used to help
the reader identify the content rapidly, and to help in filing or in
finding a particular letter in a correspondence file.

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Subject Heading
•

Leave one clear line space after the salutation before typing the
subject heading,

•

may be typed in capitals with or without underscore, or in lower case
characters with initial capitals and underscore.

•

Leave 1 clear line space after subject heading, before starting to type
the main body of the letter.

1 clear line spaces (DS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Body of the letter – the ‘body of the letter’ consists of
the paragraphs of information, or the content of the
letter. Single-line spacing is used for the paragraphs in
the body of the letter, with a clear line space between
paragraphs.

1 clear line spaces (DS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Complimentary close – a short polite closing at end of
letter. The most commonly-used form of
complimentary close are:

Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely

Yours truly

Sincerely yours

4-6 clear line spaces

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Complimentary close

USED WITH SALUTATION

• Yours faithfully’ should be used where the formal salutation

‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear Madam’ begins the letter (know the person)

• Letters that start with a person’s name, e.g. ‘Dear Mr. Greene’,

usually end with ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Sincerely yours’. ‘Yours
truly’ may end a circular letter.

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Complimentary close

Very formal letters

• Yours sincerely
• Respectfully yours
• Respectfully

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Complimentary close

Informal letters

• Best Wishes
• Kindest Regards
• Regards
• Best Regards
• Cordially

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Name of organization – the name of the organization is
often typed after the complimentary close, in capital letters
(optional)
Signature of writer – the signature is, of course, usually
handwritten by the person writing the letter, or the letter is
signed by someone authorized to sign in place of the writer.

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Signatory or Name of writer – because it is very difficult to
decipher some signatures, it is usual to type the name of the person
signing the letter. Leave at least 4 clear line spaces below the
complimentary close and the name of the writer to allow for the
signature.

Designation or Job title and department – should be typed
immediately below the name.

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Enclosure notation/Attachment – attention is drawn to any
material to enclosed with the letter by typing an ‘enclosure
notation’. (check if mentioned in body of the letter)

Where a single item in enclosed, the abbreviation ‘Enc’ or ‘Att’
should be typed at the end of the letter, at least 2 clear line
spaces below the name and/or job title.

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Enclosure notation/Attachment

Where there are several enclosures, type ‘Encs’ or alternatively
the number of enclosures may be included, e.g. ‘Encs-3’. Some
organization like the nature of the enclosure to be indicated,
e.g. ‘Enc – Production Report’.

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Copy notation – A courtesy copy notation (showing the
distribution of the letter) appears two lines below the enclosure
notation and flush with the left margin. Cc, cc:, Copy to,
Copies to,

All people receiving the letter in addition to the addressee are listed:

cc Edward Albers

G.C. Fischer
Merilee Tobias

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

BUSINESS LETTERS

Parts of a letter

Postscript - Postscripts (additions to a handwritten
letter after it has been typed or items needing emphasis)
appear 1 or 2 lines below the last line of courtesy copy
notation.

The use of the initials PS or PPS is optional.

1 or 2 clear line spaces (DS/TS)

Multiple Choice

This part of the letter usually consists of the initials of the writer of the
letter and those of the typist.

• Body

• Signatory

• Salutation

• Reference

Multiple Choice

The date should ONLY be typed on a letter when given instructions to include it.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The name and address of the individual or organization to
whom the letter is being sent should always be included.

• Senders address

• Inside name and address

• Third Party address

• Address 1

Multiple Choice

What line spacing is used in the body of the letter?

• double

• Single

• both

• one and a half

BUSINESS LETTERS

Punctuation style of a letter

Open punctuation - punctuation marks are completely
omitted except in the body of the letter.

Example: 157 Uplift Boulevard
Cheerful Road
Mountain Pen P O
Kingston

BUSINESS LETTERS

Punctuation style of a letter

Full punctuation - all necessary punctuation marks are
used.

Example:
157 Uplift Boulevard,
Cheerful Road,
Mountain Pen P. O.,
Kingston

BUSINESS LETTERS

Layout of a letter

There are three main styles of layout in the current use
of business letters:

• Fully blocked
• Semi-Blocked
• Indented

•

All elements are left-aligned
with margin

•

Open punctuation

FEATURES

FEATURES

•

Sender’s address center or right-align if no
Letterhead is used

•

Reference left aligned

•

Date right aligned (same line as reference)

•

Complimentary close, signatory and
designation begins at center point

•

All other elements left-aligned

•

Closed or Full punctuation

Multiple Select

The three main styles of layout in the current use
of business letters are:

• Blocked

• Semi-Blocked

• Indented

• Justified

Multiple Choice

This is an image of which type of business letter format?

• Block

• Semi-block

• Indented

• Semi-indented

Multiple Choice

This is an image of which type of business letter format?

• Block

• Semi-block

• Indented

• Semi-indented

Multiple Choice

This is an image of which type of business letter format?

• Fully Blocked

• Semi-block

• Indented

• Semi-indented